Medieval Mythbusting: Mud, Misery and Other Medieval Myths

About this episode

Medieval Mythbusting: Mud, Misery and Other Medieval Myths Executive Producers: •  Michelle Oleander Associate Executive Producers: • Mari Hopegood Medieval Archives is listener-supported and ad-free. 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.