Medieval Death Trip

On Medieval Death Trip, we feature a selected medieval text (often historical, occasionally literary) that touches on the odd, the gruesome, the unexpected, and similarly curious incidents, images, or ideas. In addition to presenting the text itself, each episode features commentary and musings upon that text.


All Episodes

MDT Ep. 35: Concerning Some Astronomical Anomalies and Meteorological Marvels

This episode we celebrate the winter’s solstice with a grab-bag of comets, eclipses, and meteors, as well as earthquakes, tempests, and plagues.

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MDT Ep. 34: How Battle Abbey Lost Its Divine Favor and the Death of Two Abbots

We remain at Battle Abbey for one more episode, this time learning how the people of the abbey offended God and looking at the death scenes of Abbot Walter...

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MDT Ep. 33: Concerning Some Bad Houseguests

This episode, we start shifting into holiday mode with an anecdote about a bishop behaving badly at Battle Abbey.

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MDT Ep. 32: Election Special 2016!

It’s Election Day in the U.S.A., and here’s a quick little tale of the election of an 11th-century bishop to take our minds off of the horrible, horrible anxiety...

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MDT Ep. 31: Concerning the Revenants of William of Newburgh

We celebrate two years of Medieval Death Trip on our Halloween anniversary with an extra spooky episode looking at the walking dead who haunt William of Newburgh’s Historia rerum...

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MDT Ep. 30: The Battle of Hastings According to Orderic Vitalis

We’re back from our hiatus to remember the Battle of Hastings on its 950th anniversary by looking at the account of the battle in the Historia Ecclesiastica of Orderic...

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MDT Episode 29: Back to School with Eberhard’s Laborintus

In this episode, we celebrate the start of a new school year with a return to Eberhard the German’s Laborintus and learn more about the trials and tribulations of...

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MDT Episode 28: Concerning the Terrible Crimes of Philip de Bella Arbore

On this episode, we’re back with Thomas of Monmouth’s The Life and Miracles of St. William of Norwich to hear a tale of fire, fratricide, and fetters.

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MDT Episode 27: Concerning Another Take on the Love of Edgar and Aelfthryth

On this episode, get a different version of the story of Edgar’s love for the married Aelfthryth, this time in a blending of history with courtly romance from Gaimar’s...

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