For more than 400 years, Irish warfare was dominated by the Galloglass, elite Norse-Gael mercenary warriors who reshaped battles with their two-handed sparth axes and claymores. Why did Gaelic chieftains and Norman lords alike rely on these foreign fighters? And what drove the Galloglass to fight with such ferocity that English observers would later write, "When they strike they inflict a dreadful wound"?

To find out more, Matt Lewis is joined by Fergus Cannan-Braniff, a descendant of Rob Roy MacGregor and Robert the Bruce, and author of Galloglass 1250-1600: Gaelic Mercenary Warrior.

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Castles and the Conquest of Ireland

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4mQSY11BBAru3Q3tDQgXWA

Medieval Ireland: Death & Politics

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3sGKfux9jioLnvOUcydbov

Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis and edited by Amy Haddow. The producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, including Matt's series Castles that Made Ireland, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

You can take part in our listener survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on

In early 15th century, the execution of Jan Hus — a fiery preacher who dared to challenge the might of the Catholic Church in Bohemia — ignited a rebellion that shook medieval Europe to its core. The Hussite Wars were not just a fight for religious reform; they were an explosion of new ideas, military innovation and national identity that would echo across centuries.

Dr. Eleanor Janega recounts this tale of heresy, revolution and a relentless quest for justice. From the thunderous defenestration of Prague’s city council to the ingenious war wagons of Jan Žižka, discover how a movement of peasants, preachers and visionaries defied crusades, toppled kings, and carved out the world’s first Protestant state.

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Anne of Bohemia

https://open.spotify.com/episode/19zx9ph2V4RtGOxnI50POx

The Czech Braveheart: Jan Žižka - Gone Medieval

https://open.spotify.com/episode/59wq9imDllVuDj97YoPCxl

Gone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Janega. It was edited by Amy Haddow, the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

You can take part in our listener survey here: https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK

Inside Edward IV's Last Will: Secrets, Stories, and Medieval Mysteries

Journey back to 1475, a time when Edward, undefeated on the battlefields of the Wars of the Roses, prepared for a grand invasion of France, including writing his Will.

Matt Lewis is joined by Dr. Euan C. Roger from the National Archives and discovers the untold stories behind Edward's preparations, including the mysterious fate of his will, the detailed provisions for St. George's Chapel at Windsor and the efforts to secure the future of the Yorkist dynasty.

They discuss the relics, tomb designs, and extraordinary lengths Edward went to ensure his legacy, and explore the dramatic last moments at his deathbed, surrounded not by family, but by courtiers with their own agendas.

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The Wars of the Roses: Origins

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3DHhrD90zRN0IppdA29QXk

The Wars of the Roses: Dynastic War

https://open.spotify.com/episode/49FZ4NiUW5XNi1RSh7rkH7

Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis. It was edited by Amy Haddow, the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

You can take part in our listener survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on

Dr. Eleanor Janega and author Stella Duffy dive into the extraordinary life and legacy of Empress Theodora.

A woman who rose from the lowest ranks of society as a prostitute at the Hippodrome to capture the heard of an emperor to become the most powerful woman in the Byzantine Empire.

A strident feminist, she fought for women's rights bringing in laws to stop sex trafficking and punish rape, Theodora was a game changer of the highest order who was venerated a as a saint by the Eastern Orthodox Church.

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The Rise of Constantinople

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0xDnUgTBWpztIx2NCDrFPt

Justinian: the Greatest Byzantine Emperor?

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5rCisdx9LPzINtcXPa1pRg

Gone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Janega. It was edited by Tim Arstall, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

You can take part in our listener survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

You can take part in our listener survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on

Dr. Eleanor Janega and Matt Lewis embark on a rollicking journey through the High Middle Ages, unearthing the epic power struggles between popes and kings, and getting to know standout figures like the audacious Frederick II.

They discuss how game-changing innovations like the heavy plough and crop rotation systems transformed medieval farming and sparked a social revolution, exploring the intellectual boom of the 12th-century Renaissance, the relentless Norman conquests, and the majestic Mongol Empire. It's a period packed with fascinating advancements and larger-than-life characters.

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Emperor Frederick II: Scourge of the Papacy

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0f2RDfAxdDuaQFCvrDJ1HB

Gengis Khan's Pax Mongolica

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6KtWTM2HM99H29Aotldkc9

Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis and Dr. Eleanor Janega. Audio editor is Joseph Knight, the senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

You can take part in our listener survey here:

https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on

How did Frederick Barbarossa reshape medieval Europe into the romantic legends that endure today?

Dr. Eleanor Janega finds out with help from Professor Graham Loud. They explore Barbarossa's dramatic reign, his conflicts with the Lombard League and the Italian city-states, as well as his pivotal role in two Crusades.

Hear about the extraordinary lengths Barbarossa went to secure safe passage for his army, his clash with the Byzantine Empire, and his fateful end during the Third Crusade.

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Holy Roman Empire

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4eqNlsXu44G54sFUS68C13

Teutonic Knights

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0gUpGPLW74wnhDm7MI5h6V

Gone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Janega. It was edited by Amy Haddow, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

You can take part in our listener survey here: https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK

Matt Lewis dives into the dramatic and transformative 14th century with historian Helen Carr, from the drama of the Peasants' Revolt, where commoners breached the mighty Tower of London and terrified a young King Richard II to the chaos of the Black Death and its surprising aftermath—an age of opportunity and change. From Edward II's controversial reign to Richard II's downfall, Matt and Helen uncover the gripping stories and seismic shifts of the 14th century to discover how resilience and upheaval forged modern Britain.

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Peasants' Revolt

https://open.spotify.com/episode/793WPDhg8myDcHJLk2jw2t

The Black Death

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0rfU8b4CEDUQZ9YOpH8X4o

Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis. It was edited by Amy Haddow, the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

You can take part in our listener survey here: https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK

Long before the arrival of Europeans, the islands of Indonesia were home to powerful kingdoms who fended off Genghis Khan and took a part in global trade routes.

Dr. Eleanor Janega is joined by Dr. Alex West to explore the rich and often overlooked history of Medieval Indonesia; a world where Indian, Chinese, and Islamic influences converged to create a vibrant cultural mosaic, where oceanic trade networks brought spices, silk, and stories from the Levant to New Guinea - and how these exchanges shaped one of Southeast Asia’s greatest empires.

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Genghis Khan to Tamerlane: Mongol Empire Reborn

https://open.spotify.com/episode/62GXJOJWKCOHEijcyVLUu8

Gone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Janega. It was edited by Amy Haddow, the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

You can take part in our listener survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on