There's no such thing as the Dark Ages

There's no such thing as the Dark Ages

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There's no such thing as the Dark Ages
  • Peasants' Revolt

    1 season

    The 14th Century is often called the worst century in the whole of British history - plague, war and famine! And amidst all this chaos, the first recorded act of public rebellion in English history sent revolutionary ripples across the entire medieval world. This uprising is remembered as the “Pe...

  • The 7 Deadly Sins with Eleanor Janega

    January, time to purge ourselves of the excesses of the holidays! Medievalist Eleanor Janega takes a deep historical dive into the 7 Deadly Sins. When did they begin, what's the worst sin, and should we be so anxious about our vices? And who decided what was evil anyway? Joined by Dr Rachel Sto...

  • The Great Crusader Siege: Kerak

    Dan Snow explores Kerak Castle, the massive 750 year-old fortress of the crusader era. Built as the eastern stronghold of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, this is the powerful reality of the “Kingdom of Heaven”, expanding the control of the Frankish crusader states across the River Jordan and even chal...

  • Peasants' Revolt - Part Two: London's Burning

    In part two we investigate the fiery and frenetic days following 13th June 1381. With huge numbers of peasants having gathered around London... things were about to turn violent.

    We follow their footsteps as they cross London Bridge and enter the city. Destruction starts quickly as they begin t...

  • Medieval Kings: Richard II

    Helen Carr, medieval historian and author of 'The Red Prince', answers the key questions about King Richard II. What kind of England did Richard inherit? Why was John of Gaunt so influential during his reign? What did John achieve? How significant was the 'Peasant's Revolt'? And many more.

  • Conquest: The Kids' View

    Schoolchildren Beth and Ned give us a masterclass in the events of 1066. Why did the battle last so long? Why were Harold's army so tired? Why could William's victory be put down to luck? And why should we still care today?

  • The Road to Magna Carta

    Magna Carta - one of the most important documents from the medieval period. It’s still held up as a totem of democracy even in today’s turbulent world. But why did Magna Carta get written and sealed in the first place?

    In the first of two very special episodes, Prof. Michael Livingston is headin...

  • 1066: The Year of Conquest

    1066 - one of the most famous years in English history. In a succession crisis like no other three warlords separated by hundreds of miles and savage seas vied for control of the English throne in a series of bloody battles. From Harald Hardrada's crowning victory at Fulford to the renowned Battl...

  • A Voice for Richard

    Imagine if we could hear one of the most fascinating figures from history speak again.

    In this special film, Richard III expert Matthew Lewis follows a remarkable project to give Richard III back his voice and to hear and see him speak again. Forget the words put into his mouth by Shakespeare a...

  • Medieval Punishments

    Historian Matt Lewis explains the worst medieval torture techniques.

  • Science in the Middle Ages

    Seb Falk, a historian of medieval science at Cambridge University and the author of The Light Ages, tackles the big questions about science in the Middle Ages.

  • Bannockburn: The Battle for Scotland

    Helen Carr takes a deep dive into the story of one of the most decisive battles in medieval history.

    In 1314, a massive English army headed into Scotland, led by King Edward II. He was on a mission to crush his arch enemy, the Scottish King, Robert the Bruce.

    The battle that followed, by the Ba...

  • The Greatest Knight

    Documentary about the adventures, life and times of William Marshal - an eminent English knight who fought in battles across Europe and survived court intrigue and exile.

  • The Normans

    2 seasons

    In this major series, Professor Robert Bartlett examines the extraordinary expansion and unchecked ambition of the Normans, and shows how they transformed the history of Europe.

  • Life In The Middle Ages

    What did medieval people eat? Were medieval knights jacked? Why was medieval torture so cruel? Medieval historian and co-host of the Gone Medieval Podcast Matt Lewis answers Google's most searched questions about the medieval world.

  • Northmen

    A gang of stranded Vikings cause havoc as they try to make their way home.

  • Medieval Pleasures, Part 1: Sex

    Get ready to indulge in some Medieval Pleasures. In this three-part series, historian Dr Eleanor Janega (@Going Medieval) takes us on a journey into the sumptuous world of Sex, Booze and Sport throughout the Medieval period.

    Warning: contains very strong language and sexual content.

    Part I: Sex...

  • Digging up the 'Dark Ages'

    Join Dan Snow as he explores this stunning set of discoveries in our brand new documentary ‘Digging Up the Dark Ages’ on History Hit TV.

    While working on the HS2 high speed railway project in the UK, archaeologists made discoveries of national significance, uncovering a large Anglo-Saxon burial...

  • The Vikings Uncovered

    1 season

    Dan Snow uncovers the lost Vikings in America with space archaeologist Dr Sarah Parcak. Sarah uses satellites 383 miles above the earth to spot ruins as small as 30cm buried beneath the surface. As Sarah searches for Viking sites from Britain to America, Dan explores how they voyaged thousands of...

  • Medieval Pleasures, Part 3: Sport

    Eleanor ventures into the Royal Armouries tiltyard, where seasoned jouster Andy Deane, and his opponent Andrew Balmforth, face off in an adrenaline fuelled jousting tournament - and you're invited!

    We discover the harsh realities of this sport that's synonymous with the Middle Ages, and learn ab...

  • Rebels
    1 season

    Rebels

    1 season

    Conflict analyst Professor Michael Livingston journeys across the length and breadth of the United Kingdom on the trail of some of Britain’s best known rebels.

  • The Black Death 2: Pandemic

    By early 1349 the plague had engulfed southern England. Dan Snow reveals how the whole country now descended into fear as the disease rampaged on, leaving no one safe.

  • The Sharp End: Testing Front Line Weapons

    1 season

  • Treason

    Treason is a word we all know, but how did treason law develop in England? Over the centuries, those linked with some of the most audacious attacks on the establishment have been branded traitors. If treason failed, it usually led to the most gruesome of death penalties. Some of those convicted w...