Medieval Mythbusting: Mud, Misery and Other Medieval Myths

Executive Producers:

• Michelle Oleander

Associate Executive Producers:

• Mari Hopegood

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Become a Producer and support the show at MedievalArchives.com/support.

If medieval movies are to be believed, everyone in the Middle Ages was covered in mud, five-foot-two, drunk, and dead by 30.

But was medieval life really one long, dirty, miserable Dark Age?

In this episode of the Medieval Archives Podcast, we’re doing a little mythbusting, medieval style.

Did medieval people believe the Earth was flat? Did the Church suppress science? Did everyone die at 30? Did medieval people avoid bathing, eat terrible food, and live powerless lives under the thumb of kings and lords?

Some of these myths are easy to bust. Others contain just enough truth to survive.

We’ll look at some of the most persistent myths about medieval life, then finish with a lightning round covering bad water, Viking helmets, witch burnings, and a few more.

It’s time to separate medieval reality from the Middle Ages Hollywood gave us.

Full show notes, sources, and bibliography: MedievalArchives.com/98

Listen to A Distant Mirror by Barbara Tuchman with a free Audible trial.

Mentioned in this episode:
Episode 12: Black Agnes

• (00:00) - Welcome to Medieval Archives
• (01:26) - Myth 1: Medieval Women Had No Rights
• (07:19) - Myth 2: Medieval People Thought the Earth Was Flat
• (10:38) - Myth 3: The Church Was Against Science
• (14:38) - Myth 4: The Middle Ages Were a Dark Age
• (20:13) - Myth 5: Everyone Died at 30
• (26:20) - Myth 6: Medieval People Never Bathed
• (30:17) - Myth 7: Medieval Food Was Terrible
• (33:14) - Myth 8: Peasants Were Basically Slaves
• (37:10) - Lightning Round: More Medieval Myths
• (41:04) - Conclusions
• (41:38) - Thank you for Listening!

• Medieval Archives - Host

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The Archivist