Myths, Misconceptions, and Modern Scholarship of the First Crusade with Dr. James Naus

Myths, Misconceptions, and Modern Scholarship of the First Crusade with Dr. James Naus

Author: Michael June 3, 2025 Duration: 1:18:13

The First Crusade is a massive subject. Dr. James Naus joins me to cover every single myth, misconception, and proper perspective that modern scholarship has revealed within the time that our very short discussion allowed. Were the crusaders cannibals? Did Alexios break his oath? Was Stephen of Blois a coward? Were the crusaders colonizers or attempting a land grab? Was Bohemond a villain? We cover it all! (Except Robert Curthose… we don’t get to him, unfortunately)

You can click here to purchase Dr. Naus’ book

You can click here to check out my substack

You can click here to check out my X account

If you’d like to support my efforts to continue producing ever more medieval history content, the paid subscriptions have been opened on substack. For those of you with the resources and generosity, your support is much appreciated, thank you. But for all of you, I will continue working to bring you the maximum amount of medieval history content. If you missed the last episode, it’s on Richard the Lionheart’s queen Berengaria. The next episode is on the Albigensian Crusade, our first returning guest!

If you enjoy the episode and have a moment, I would greatly appreciate if you left a review, if you are listening on Apple or Spotify.

Enjoy!



Get full access to Memory Medieval at memorymedieval.substack.com/subscribe

Michael hosts Memory Medieval Podcast, a series of thoughtful conversations that dig into how people lived, thought, and organized their worlds a thousand years ago. Rather than just listing dates and battles, this podcast explores the textures of daily life, the evolution of cultural ideas, and the complex structures of society that defined the medieval period. Each episode features a different historian or expert, leading to organic discussions that can jump from analyzing a single manuscript to debating broad social transformations across centuries. You’ll hear about the stories we tell ourselves about the past and how our modern memory of the Middle Ages is constantly being reshaped. The tone is more like a deep dive with curious friends than a formal lecture, making the distant past feel surprisingly immediate and relevant. For anyone with an interest in the roots of our contemporary world, this podcast offers a nuanced and engaging doorway into a fascinating era. Find more from Michael and his guests through the Substack linked to the show.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 36

Memory Medieval Podcast
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