Teach Medieval

Teach Medieval

"Hello! I'm Ken and this is Teach Medieval!" Are you interested in the medieval period? Are you studying it at school, college or university? Then we're here for you! 'Teach Medieval' is a podcast channel dedicated to bringing you the most engaging and accessible conversations with the finest experts in the period! So what are you waiting for? Get listening ... and get learning!! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 17h ago

    'THE FIFTH CRUSADE' w. Thomas Smith (Ep.1: What were the main events?)

    In this exciting new double episode of the podcast, I’m delighted to be joined by Dr Thomas Smith to explore the astonishing story of the Fifth Crusade, the subject of his new book, The Fifth Crusade: A History of the Epic Campaign to Conquer Egypt. Few medieval conflicts are as dramatic, ambitious or consequential, and yet it remains one of the most overlooked crusades in both popular history and academic study. That neglect feels profoundly unjust. The Fifth Crusade was a truly epic undertaking: innovative in its strategy, international in its scope, packed with unexpected twists and culminating in a dramatic conclusion. Dr Smith is on a mission to bring this remarkable campaign the attention it deserves, and across these two episodes we dive deeply into its story and significance. In the first episode, we follow the crusade step by step, tracing the campaign from beginning to end. In the second, we move from narrative to analysis, examining the key themes and ultimate reasons behind one of history’s most fascinating failures. Episode 1: What were the main events of the Fifth Crusade? Episode 2: Why did the Fifth Crusade fail? This mini-series is based upon Dr Thomas Smith's new book: The Fifth Crusade: A History of the Epic Campaign to Conquer Egypt Other recommended works by Dr Thomas Smith: Rewriting the First Crusade: Epistolary Culture in the Middle Ages Further reading: Andrew Jotischky: Crusading and the Crusader States (2nd Ed.) Jonathan Phillips: The Crusades 1095-1204 Jonathan Riley-Smith: The Crusades: A History (4th Ed.)   Social media: Instagram X (Twitter) Threads Facebook LinkedIn Main theme by Aroshanti Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  2. Jul 3

    'THE CRUSADER STORM' w. Nicholas Morton (Ep.3: What was the Egyptian perspective?)

    This podcast mini-series is inspired by Associate Professor Nicholas Morton’s new book, The Crusader Storm: A Global History of the Wars for the Middle East. Rather than repeating the familiar Western-focused crusader narrative, Morton deliberately moves beyond it. Traditional histories often centre European perspectives, framing the Crusades primarily as a story of Western knights, kings, and religious ambition. Morton instead eschews this narrow lens to create a far richer, multi-perspective account of the conflicts and the Crusader states that emerged in the medieval Middle East. Across the series, we explore how Byzantine, Syrian, Egyptian and other regional voices shaped and experienced these wars. The result is an utterly fascinating re-examination of a world in constant flux, where alliances, cultures, and identities overlapped in unexpected ways. This mini-series brings Morton’s ground-breaking scholarship to life, revealing the Crusades as a truly global history of interconnected struggle and transformation. This episode is part of a mini-series: Ep.1: What was the Byzantine perspective on the crusades? Ep.2: What was the Syrian perspective on the crusades? Ep.3: What was the Egyptian perspective on the crusades? Recommended works by Associate Professor Nicholas Morton: The Crusader Storm: A Global History of the Wars for the Middle East The Field of Blood: The Battle for Aleppo and the Remaking of the Medieval Middle East The Crusader States and their Neighbours: A military history 1099-1187 Encountering Islam on the First Crusade The Mongol Storm: Making and Breaking Empires in the Medieval Near East   Further reading: Andrew Jotischky: Crusading and the Crusader States (2nd Ed.) Jonathan Phillips: The Crusades 1095-1204 Jonathan Riley-Smith: The Crusades: A History   If you would like to keep up to date with all things ‘Teach Medieval’, you can find us on: Instagram: @teachmedieval Twitter: @TeachMedieval Threads: Teach Medieval Facebook: Teach Medieval LinkedIn: Teach Medieval   Main theme by Aroshanti Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  3. Jun 26

    'THE CRUSADER STORM' w. Nicholas Morton (Ep.2: What was the Syrian perspective?)

    This podcast mini-series is inspired by Associate Professor Nicholas Morton’s new book, The Crusader Storm: A Global History of the Wars for the Middle East. Rather than repeating the familiar Western-focused crusader narrative, Morton deliberately moves beyond it. Traditional histories often centre European perspectives, framing the Crusades primarily as a story of Western knights, kings, and religious ambition. Morton instead eschews this narrow lens to create a far richer, multi-perspective account of the conflicts and the Crusader states that emerged in the medieval Middle East. Across the series, we explore how Byzantine, Syrian, Egyptian and other regional voices shaped and experienced these wars. The result is an utterly fascinating re-examination of a world in constant flux, where alliances, cultures, and identities overlapped in unexpected ways. This mini-series brings Morton’s ground-breaking scholarship to life, revealing the Crusades as a truly global history of interconnected struggle and transformation. This episode is part of a mini-series: Ep.1: What was the Byzantine perspective on the crusades? Ep.2: What was the Syrian perspective on the crusades? Ep.3: what was the Egyptian perspective on the crusades? Recommended works by Associate Professor Nicholas Morton: The Crusader Storm: A Global History of the Wars for the Middle East The Field of Blood: The Battle for Aleppo and the Remaking of the Medieval Middle East The Crusader States and their Neighbours: A military history 1099-1187 Encountering Islam on the First Crusade The Mongol Storm: Making and Breaking Empires in the Medieval Near East   Further reading: Andrew Jotischky: Crusading and the Crusader States (2nd Ed.) Jonathan Phillips: The Crusades 1095-1204 Jonathan Riley-Smith: The Crusades: A History   If you would like to keep up to date with all things ‘Teach Medieval’, you can find us on: Instagram: @teachmedieval Twitter: @TeachMedieval Threads: Teach Medieval Facebook: Teach Medieval LinkedIn: Teach Medieval   Main theme by Aroshanti Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  4. Jun 19

    'THE CRUSADER STORM' w. Nicholas Morton (Ep.1: What was the Byzantine perspective?)

    This podcast mini-series is inspired by Associate Professor Nicholas Morton’s new book, The Crusader Storm: A Global History of the Wars for the Middle East. Rather than repeating the familiar Western-focused crusader narrative, Morton deliberately moves beyond it. Traditional histories often centre European perspectives, framing the Crusades primarily as a story of Western knights, kings, and religious ambition. Morton instead eschews this narrow lens to create a far richer, multi-perspective account of the conflicts and the Crusader states that emerged in the medieval Middle East. Across the series, we explore how Byzantine, Syrian, Egyptian and other regional voices shaped and experienced these wars. The result is an utterly fascinating re-examination of a world in constant flux, where alliances, cultures, and identities overlapped in unexpected ways. This mini-series brings Morton’s ground-breaking scholarship to life, revealing the Crusades as a truly global history of interconnected struggle and transformation. This episode is part of a mini-series: Ep.1: What was the Byzantine perspective on the crusades? Ep.2: What was the Syrian perspective on the crusades? Ep.3: what was the Egyptian perspective on the crusades? Recommended works by Associate Professor Nicholas Morton: The Crusader Storm: A Global History of the Wars for the Middle East The Field of Blood: The Battle for Aleppo and the Remaking of the Medieval Middle East The Crusader States and their Neighbours: A military history 1099-1187 Encountering Islam on the First Crusade The Mongol Storm: Making and Breaking Empires in the Medieval Near East   Further reading: Andrew Jotischky: Crusading and the Crusader States (2nd Ed.) Jonathan Phillips: The Crusades 1095-1204 Jonathan Riley-Smith: The Crusades: A History   If you would like to keep up to date with all things ‘Teach Medieval’, you can find us on: Instagram: @teachmedieval Twitter: @TeachMedieval Threads: Teach Medieval Facebook: Teach Medieval LinkedIn: Teach Medieval   Main theme by Aroshanti Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  5. 10/15/2025

    Why did the Second Crusade fail? (Ep.2: Analysis)

    Step into one of the most dramatic and disastrous chapters of medieval history with our brand-new two-part podcast series on the Second Crusade. In Episode 1, we plunge into the story itself—from the shocking fall of Edessa in 1144 and the rallying cry across Europe to the march eastward of kings and humiliating defeat at the gates of Damascus. Then, in Episode 2, we go deeper, asking the big question: why did the Second Crusade fail so completely? Was it poor leadership, Byzantine hostility, or the growing unity of Muslim forces? Guiding us through this fascinating mix of ambition, betrayal, and miscalculation is Associate Professor Nicholas Morton of Nottingham Trent University, a leading expert in crusader history. If you want gripping storytelling, sharp analysis and expert insight, this is a series you won’t want to miss. The Second Crusade like you’ve never heard it before! This episode is part of a mini-series: Ep.1: Narrative - What's the story of the Second Crusade? Ep.2: Analysis - Why did the Second Crusade fail? Recommended works by Associate Professor Nicholas Morton: The Field of Blood: The Battle for Aleppo and the Remaking of the Medieval Middle East The Crusader States and their Neighbours: A military history 1099-1187 Encountering Islam on the First Crusade The Mongol Storm: Making and Breaking Empires in the Medieval Near East   Further reading: Andrew Jotischky: Crusading and the Crusader States (2nd Ed.) Jonathan Phillips: The Crusades 1095-1204 Jonathan Riley-Smith: The Crusades: A History   If you would like to keep up to date with all things ‘Teach Medieval’, you can find us on: Instagram: @teachmedieval Twitter: @TeachMedieval Threads: Teach Medieval Facebook: Teach Medieval LinkedIn: Teach Medieval   Main theme by Aroshanti Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  6. 10/15/2025

    Why did the Second Crusade fail? (Ep.1: Narrative)

    Step into one of the most dramatic and disastrous chapters of medieval history with our brand-new two-part podcast series on the Second Crusade. In Episode 1, we plunge into the story itself—from the shocking fall of Edessa in 1144 and the rallying cry across Europe to the march eastward of kings and humiliating defeat at the gates of Damascus. Then, in Episode 2, we go deeper, asking the big question: why did the Second Crusade fail so completely? Was it poor leadership, Byzantine hostility, or the growing unity of Muslim forces? Guiding us through this fascinating mix of ambition, betrayal, and miscalculation is Associate Professor Nicholas Morton of Nottingham Trent University, a leading expert in crusader history. If you want gripping storytelling, sharp analysis and expert insight, this is a series you won’t want to miss. The Second Crusade like you’ve never heard it before! This episode is part of a mini-series: Ep.1: Narrative - What's the story of the Second crusade? ep.2: Analysis - Why did the Second Crusade fail? Recommended works by Associate Professor Nicholas Morton: The Field of Blood: The Battle for Aleppo and the Remaking of the Medieval Middle East The Crusader States and their Neighbours: A military history 1099-1187 Encountering Islam on the First Crusade The Mongol Storm: Making and Breaking Empires in the Medieval Near East   Further reading: Andrew Jotischky: Crusading and the Crusader States (2nd Ed.) Jonathan Phillips: The Crusades 1095-1204 Jonathan Riley-Smith: The Crusades: A History   If you would like to keep up to date with all things ‘Teach Medieval’, you can find us on: Instagram: @teachmedieval Twitter: @TeachMedieval Threads: Teach Medieval Facebook: Teach Medieval LinkedIn: Teach Medieval   Music by Aroshanti   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  7. 10/10/2025

    What was the early Islamic response to the crusades? (Ep.2: Later unity)

    The early Islamic response to the First Crusade was deeply disunited, with rivalry, distrust and self-interest undermining all hope of any real cooperation. This lack of unity was a major factor in the Crusaders’ remarkable success, allowing them to seize territory and establish the states of Outremer. In this new mini-series, Dr Thomas Brosset explores the nature and extent of this early disunity before turning to the emergence of key leaders who, in time, managed to coordinate a stronger, more muscular response to the Frankish presence in the Near East. This episode is one of a two-part mini-series: Ep.1: How disunited was the response in the early decades? Ep.2: How and when did unity begin to emerge? This mini-series was part-inspired by: The First Crusade and the Failure of Kerbogha’s Campaign from Mosul to Antioch (March–June 1098): A Re-evaluation Dr Thomas Brosset refers to this work in 'Ep.1: Disunity': Nicholas Morton: The Field of Blood: The Battle for Aleppo and the Making of the Medieval Middle East Further reading: Andrew Jotischky: Crusading and the Crusader States (2nd Ed.) Jonathan Phillips: The Crusades 1095-1204 Jonathan Riley-Smith: The Crusades: A History (4th Ed.)   Social media: Instagram X (Twitter) Threads Facebook LinkedIn Main theme by Aroshanti Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  8. 10/01/2025

    What was the early Islamic response to the crusades? (Ep.1: Early disunity)

    The early Islamic response to the First Crusade was deeply disunited, with rivalry, distrust and self-interest undermining al hope of any real cooperation. This lack of unity was a major factor in the Crusaders’ remarkable success, allowing them to seize territory and establish the states of Outremer. In this new mini-series, Dr Thomas Brosset explores the nature and extent of this early disunity before turning to the emergence of key leaders who, in time, managed to coordinate a stronger, more muscular response to the Frankish presence in the Near East. This episode is one of a two-part mini-series: Ep.1: How disunited was the response in the early decades? Ep.2: How and when did unity begin to emerge? This mini-series was part-inspired by: The First Crusade and the Failure of Kerbogha’s Campaign from Mosul to Antioch (March–June 1098): A Re-evaluation Dr Thomas Brosset refers to this work in 'Ep.1: Disunity': Nicholas Morton: The Field of Blood: The Battle for Aleppo and the Making of the Medieval Middle East Further reading: Andrew Jotischky: Crusading and the Crusader States (2nd Ed.) Jonathan Phillips: The Crusades 1095-1204 Jonathan Riley-Smith: The Crusades: A History (4th Ed.)   Social media: Instagram X (Twitter) Threads Facebook LinkedIn Main theme by Aroshanti Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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About

"Hello! I'm Ken and this is Teach Medieval!" Are you interested in the medieval period? Are you studying it at school, college or university? Then we're here for you! 'Teach Medieval' is a podcast channel dedicated to bringing you the most engaging and accessible conversations with the finest experts in the period! So what are you waiting for? Get listening ... and get learning!! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Teach Medieval
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    45
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Teach Medieval
  • Show Website
    Teach Medieval