Prince Harry's explosive new memoir is out today and headlines, articles and tweets all weighing in on the rift between the royals are everywhere. In the past warring royal siblings fought it out on the battlefield or in duplicitous schemes of murder, but today it plays out in the media.

Histori...

The Picts who lived in what is now northern and eastern Scotland in the Early Medieval period spoke the Pictish language. But for centuries, the origins of Pictish have been hotly debated.

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Dr. Cat Jarman finds out all about the Picts and their language, and what...

At the end of the 19th century, the world came to fear terrorism. In an era that simmered with political rage and social inequalities, anarchists and nationalists took to bombing cities and attacking lawmakers and leaders. With an outrage-hungry press peddling hysteria, conspiracy theories and fa...

This episode contains references to sexual assault and terms for groups which were classified that way at the time.

Hephaestus, son of Zeus and Hera, is the God of fire and foundry in Greek mythology.

He is the only god with a disability, a part of his identity that becomes a double-edged sword...

Winston Churchill is possibly the most famous politician in British history. Throughout his career, he would hold numerous positions in government, including serving as the MP for 5 different constituencies. Perhaps the most unusual of these was his time representing the Scottish industrial city ...

Women were an integral feature of the crusade movement. They were not only sometimes participants on the battlefields but also played their part recruiting crusaders, and supporting the effort with patronage, propaganda, and prayer.

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis talks to Professo...

The results of a groundbreaking new study were released today [January 5th] by a group of researchers who believe they have conclusively decoded the earliest known form of proto-writing. Dating back to the Palaeolithic era, this combination of abstract markings and ice age art, decorating over 60...

From 1939 to 1975, Generalissimo Francisco Franco ruled Spain as a nationalist dictator. For many, he was Spain incarnate, a tenacious leader and warrior in the same vein as El Cid. Under his guidance, the regime was able to navigate 36 years of political turmoil and conflict, vanquishing Communi...

What do skeletal remains from the fifteenth century tell us about one of the largest and bloodiest battles of the Wars of the Roses? The Battle of Towton — fought on 29 March 1461 in North Yorkshire — was a decisive victory for the Yorkists over the Lancastrians, resulting in Edward IV taking the...

First defined in law in 1352, treason remains one of the most serious crimes a person can commit. And, remarkably, the core of the original Treason Act remains in force and relatively unchanged today.

A fascinating exhibition at the National Archives is offering a unique selection of letters, pa...

Edward III wed Philippa of Hainault when they were both teenagers. It was a marriage of deep affection lasting 41 years. But when Alice Perrers entered court as a young widow, she caught the eye of the ageing king as Philippa’s health declined.

In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis talks...

The Himalayas is one of the most expansive and storied regions in the world. It's also a place that we're hugely dependent on, providing billions of people with fresh water. Because of its significance, civilisations throughout history have sought to conquer it. What forces have exerted control o...

Matt Lewis continues his Mystery Month on Gone Medieval with another tantalising enigma of the Middle Ages - possibly the most mysterious manuscript that exists anywhere in the world. Carbon-dated to the early 15th century, the Voynich manuscript is hand-written in an unknown script, embellished ...

Matt Lewis continues his Mystery Month on Gone Medieval with another tantalising enigma of the Middle Ages - the legendary figure of Prester John.

There’s a long history to the myth that “out there” in the east, a pious and noble Christian king ruled over a mighty kingdom — filled with strange be...

January 2023 is Matt Lewis’s Mystery Month on Gone Medieval and for his first foray into the unsolved enigmas of the Middle Ages, Matt looks into the death of King Edward II.

Most historians agree that Edward died at Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire on 21 September 1327, but some think he may...

Poland is not normally thought of as an important part of the Viking world. But as a key geographical location on the Baltic Sea, it was in fact a crucial meeting point between east and west. So what kind of presence did the Vikings have in Poland? And what was the connection between the region a...

Porpoises, beaver tails, boar's head and puffins: are just some of the exquisite dishes on medieval tables during the festive season. In this episode food historian, Annie Gray joins Dan in his kitchen to cook up some delicious Christmas fare from ages past. They make wassail - an ancient alcohol...

67 million people currently inhabit the United Kingdom - but what do we know about the original, first Britons? It's no secret when looking back into pre-history that it was a time of mass migration for animals and people alike, but who were our early inhabitants, and what can we learn about them...

Almost at the centre of Europe, Budapest, is at the crossroads of geographical regions and of civilizations, at the intersection of ancient trade routes. Mountains that gradually slope into gentle hills converge on a great river, the Danube, and the regions of Buda and Pest sprang up on either si...

Why do grandmas wear bloomers? How did romans clean themselves after using the toilet? Pillows were originally made of stone?! These are all questions Orla, Wolf and Zia Snow have for author and public historian Greg Jenner. In this episode Dan and his children quiz Greg about the incredible hist...

Followed by billions and worshipped across the planet, Jesus is the most famous person who ever lived. Jesus Christ is revered as a prophet and the Messiah by Christians but who was Jesus, the man, who was born in Judea in the 1st Century AD and preached around Galilee during the Roman Empire?

W...

Often overshadowed by his more successful peers (anyone heard of Julius Caesar?), Crassus' rise and fall from power is that of legend. A Roman General, Statesman, and once called the 'Richest Man In Rome', Crassus' power and influence is undisputed. But how did Crassus come to obtain such power, ...

Last week a celebrity chef, former police officers and serving army officers were arrested in Germany as part of an extremist coup to overthrow the government. The 'Reichsbürger' group has been described as a 'right-wing terrorist cell' by German media and was targeted by over 3000 police officer...

2000 BC saw the famed city of Babylon begin to flourish under the rule of a King called Hammurabi. Renowned for his famous law code, the stele of which still survives today, is there anything else to be learnt about this mysterious figure?

In this episode Tristan is joined by Professor, and auth...