Ever worn a St. Christopher medallion and wondered about the man carrying the Christ child across a river? Or heard of St. Uncumber, the bearded female saint invoked by women desperate to escape unwanted marriages? In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis is once again joined by historian and storyteller Amy Jeffs, this time to uncover the fascinating stories of medieval saints connected to the summer months. From the legendary Seven Sleepers of Ephesus—precursors to fairy tales like Snow White and Sleeping Beauty—to England’s own warm-weather holy figures, these stories are as strange as they are sacred.

More:

Edward the Confessor & New Year Saints >

St. George & Springtime Saints >

Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis. The narrator was Sophie Gee. It was edited and produced by 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

An investigation into the dramatic siege of London in 1471 and the controversial and mysterious death of Henry VI. Matt Lewis is joined by Andrew Boardman to unpack Thomas Neville's assault on London, a rebellion that set the city on fire and led to panic within its walls. They explore the aftermath and the evidence that Edward IV made a calculated decision to end Henry VI’s life to quash future rebellions.

Was Henry VI's death due to 'pure melancholy' as reported, or something more sinister?

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The Hundred Years War

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3UQkEb0MTdJdwYmJB333RX

Tower of London: Most Infamous Prisoners

https://open.spotify.com/episode/21EtfN6sWWVsA0fWwD89u2

Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis. 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

Dr. Eleanor Janega delves into the enigmatic figure of the Green Man, tracing his origins and uncovering the myths and realities behind this medieval character. Eleanor is joined on location in Kent - at St. Mary's, Minster-in-Thanet, and St. Nicholas at Wade - by Imogen Corrigan to explore the symbolism and significance of the medieval Green Man carvings, a detail often misunderstood as a pagan symbol but here reinterpreted within a Christian context of rebirth and eternal life. Along the way, they discuss the influence of historical periods including the Black Death, the role of craftsmen, and the blending of pagan and Christian elements in religious art.

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A Guide to Medieval Churches

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6uL2WMaHruAxVlwSNV8elP

A Stonemason's Secrets

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0QGLLrkD8KV44EfTGsOK3L

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

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.

MORE

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.

MORE

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.

MORE

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.

MORE

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