14th Century Europe

14th Century Europe

A medieval history podcast following Barbara Tuchman's A Distant Mirror.

Episodes

June 2, 2023 8 mins

Welcome to the 14th century! Come for the plague and the Hundred Years' War, stay for the bands of marauding brigands and the papal schism.

Music thanks to Lenna Pierce of Meaner Pencil!

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Timeline of Coucy Dynasty:

  • 500?-975: Domain of Coucy belongs to bishopric of Reims.
  • 1059: Abbey built by Aubry de Coucy.
  • 1095: First crusade; Enguerrand I & Thomas de Marie both participate.
  • 1220s: Castle built by Enguerrand III.
  • 1256: Enguerrand IV on trial by King Louis IX.

Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae  https:/...

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If we want, we can trace a whole century's worth of problems back to the financial straits of Philip the Fair.

 

Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae

 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg

 "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide.

 "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide.

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If people in medieval times wanted to buy themselves a foothold in heaven, someone was going to have to collect the money. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  

 

This is the episode about simony, indulgences, alms, usury, and poverty movements, plus a coda about the Pastoureaux.  

 

Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg

"Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide.

"Ego sum Alpha et O" - Ant...

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August 18, 2023 22 mins

The rules of courtly love, according to Andreus Capellanus:

  1. Marriage is no real excuse for not loving
  2. He who is not jealous cannot love
  3. No one can be bound by a double love
  4. It is well known that love is always increasing or decreasing
  5. That which a lover takes against the will of his beloved has no relish
  6. Boys do not love until they arrive at the age of maturity
  7. When one lover dies, a widowhood of two years is required of the s...
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Introducing two kings, two succession crises, three disputed regions, and a hundred years of war.

 

Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg

"Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide.

"Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide.

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The French nobility are routed at Crécy. This episode reads and comments on the narration of events by Jean Froissart, c. 1337 - c. 1405, a French-speaking historian from the low countries.

 

Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg

"Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide.

"Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide.

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September 8, 2023 24 mins

Why the plague happened, according to people in the 14th century.

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September 15, 2023 24 mins

The French made a much-needed, but woefully insufficient, attempt at military reform.

 

Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg

"Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide.

"Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide.

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September 22, 2023 25 mins

The game of war: a minute to learn, a lifetime to master. 

 

Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg

 "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide.

 "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide. 

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In Paris, the Estates-General seize the moment of weakness in the monarchy to push constitutional reform.

 

Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg

 "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide.

 "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide. 

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October 6, 2023 29 mins

The peasants have had enough of the nobility in France. (Could we agree more?)

 

Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg

 "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide.

 "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide. 

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October 13, 2023 29 mins

King Edward III imposes a ruinous ransom on King John II, and Enguerrand takes his place as hostage while the money is raised.

 

Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg

 "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide.

 "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide. 

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October 20, 2023 17 mins

Enguerrand returns to France arm in arm with the oldest daughter of the King of England.

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October 27, 2023 28 mins

Du Gueslin had two claims to fame: he was the best French military commander, and he was the ugliest man from Rennes to Dinant!

 

Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg

 "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide.

 "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide. 

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November 10, 2023 9 mins

We turn our attention to Italy, where someone hasn't been keeping the farm nice and tidy like he was supposed to.

 

Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg

 "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide.

 "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide. 

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November 17, 2023 41 mins

This episode summarizes the book Italy in the Time of Dante and Petrarch, 1216-1380 by John Larner.

 

Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg

 "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide.

 "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide. 

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November 23, 2023 10 mins

A vegetarian's worst nightmare.

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Let's dive deep into the four Northern Italian city-states that made all this possible.

 

Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg

 "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide.

 "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide. 

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December 8, 2023 31 mins

Enguerrand is caught on the prongs of a forked allegience, and two popes make the attempt to return to Rome. 

Here's a family tree that shows how the Green Count is connected to Enguerrand, to the Viscontis, to the Bourbons, and to the Valois:

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