MAP 84: The Medieval Knight with Christopher Gravett

MAP 84: The Medieval Knight with Christopher Gravett

Author: The Archivist December 23, 2020 Duration: 1:13:44
When people think of the Middle Ages one of the first images that pops into their head is a knight in shining armor. Knights are synonymous with the Middle Ages. Slaying dragons, saving damsels in distress, but beyond the fairy tales are the real life knights. Men who sacrificed and endlessly trained to earn the title of Knight. On this episode of the Medieval Archives podcast I’m joined by historian and author Christopher Gravett to discuss The Medieval Knight. Chris is a former curator at the Royal Armouries, Tower of London, and an expert in the field of medieval arms, armor and warfare. He also worked with numerous TV series and movies as a historical advisor including The Conquerors, Braveheart and Ivanhoe. Chris even advised Terry Jones, best known as part of Monty Python, for his books. Chris has some fascinating ‘behind-the-scenes’ stories. Chris’s new book The Medieval Knight covers the evolution of the knight over 300 years, from the early Norman Knights of William the Conqueror to the gradual decline in the 15th century. We discuss a variety of topics including how knights trained, how armor evolved over the years and tournaments. Did you know a king and a prince were killed while jousting in a tournament! Listen in to find out. You can read my review of The Medieval Knight here. It is a fantastic book! Grab a copy today and enjoy the well researched history and the amazing pictures that help visualize the weapons and armor.

Step into the world of Medieval Archives, where host The Archivist guides you through the sprawling, complex landscape of a thousand-year era. This isn't just a parade of dates and famous names. Instead, each episode is a deep exploration, peeling back the layers of popular legend to examine the tangible realities of medieval life. You'll hear about the strategic calculations behind what we call epic battles, the fragile alliances within courtly intrigue, and the quiet rhythms of survival in villages far from castle walls. The podcast is built on a foundation of historical evidence, carefully separating enduring fact from compelling fiction. By focusing on the people-from monarchs and saints to merchants and peasants-and the beliefs that guided them, the narrative connects these distant events to our understanding of today. Whether discussing the rise of a kingdom, the fall of a dynasty, or the evolution of a simple tool, the aim is to provide context and clarity. Tune in for a thoughtful, accessible journey that treats history not as a static record but as a continuous, human story. The medieval world was one of profound transformation, and this series seeks to illuminate how it was truly lived, felt, and shaped by those who were there.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Medieval Archives
Podcast Episodes
MAP #43: The Battle of Tours 732 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:20
October is a battle weary month in the Middle Ages with no fewer than six major battles! This month we are going to discuss a couple of the battles. In this episode we are going to look at the Battle of Tours in 732. The…
MAP#42: Medieval Diseases and “Cures” [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:37
Listen to the episode now People in the Middle Ages had their share of diseases. But unlike today they didn't have vaccinations or antibiotics to help them out. Today we are going to look at medieval diseases and the cur…
MAP#41: King Louis VIII ‘The Lion’ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:54
French King Louis VIII who as a young Prince invaded England with the support of the English barons with the hope of taking the throne from King John. He would rise to King in France and take part in the Albigensian Crus…
MAP#40: The Fairytale Keeper, Andrea Cefalo Interview [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:11
What if all the fairy tales we know and love came from one 15-year-old medieval girl? That is the premise of Andrea Cefalo's novel, The Fairytale Keeper. Today on the Medieval Archives Podcast we talk to Andrea about her…
MAP#39 – 7 Steps To Become a Historian [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:22
How do you become a historian? I get asked that questions a lot. So today I'll answer it. We will look at 7 steps you can take to begin your journey through history. We'll also look at some of the jobs you can get as a h…
MAP#38 – Medieval Archaeology News [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:30
I was first introduced to archaeology as a kid and up on the movie screen was a whip carrying, fedora wearing relic hunter. When Indiana Jones wasn't fighting Nazis or running for his life he was on a quest to gather anc…
MAP#37 – Dr. Samuel Stokes and Eustace the Monk [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:07
Dr. Samuel Stokes joins the Podcast for an interview about his music and medieval influences. For his doctorate dissertation in Music Theory, he composed a symphony inspired by Eustace the Monk, the 13th century pirate.…
MAP#36 – Popes Behaving Badly [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:15
The Pope, the Bishop of Rome, successor of Saint Peter and leader of the Catholic Church. Pious men aspire to the chair and humbly accept the position. At least that's what we'd like to believe. But not all popes were ri…
The Vikings Podcast #101: A Podcast is Coming [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:54
Welcome to the premiere episode of the Vikings Podcast! I’ve put together a brief episode to introduce the actors and the characters they play. There are a few sound clips from the show and the show format is discussed.…
MAP#35 – Richard III: Lost and Found [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:46
The medieval-verse was all abuzz the last couple of weeks about an exciting archaeology find. Back in August 2012 the University of Leicester started a search for the lost remains of King Richard III. Richard was killed…