127. The Lepers' Plot, Southern France 1321

127. The Lepers' Plot, Southern France 1321

Author: Anne Brannen and Michelle Butler August 11, 2026 Duration: 54:21
In April, 1321, the lepers of Southern France found themselves accused of poisoning the community wells, with some sort of powder. They were, the theory went, attempting to spread leprosy to the rest of the population. They weren't doing that, or anything like that, but they were tortured and executed, and the leprosaria, the houses where they lived, were taken over, and all of the goods and moneys belonging to either the lepers or the leprosaria were confiscated. Soon after the lepers starte...

Ever wonder if human nature has really changed all that much over the centuries? True Crime Medieval, hosted by historians Anne Brannen and Michelle Butler, digs into a thousand years of historical mischief, mayhem, and outright villainy. This isn't just a dry recounting of dates and battles; it's a deep dive into the dark alleyways of the past, where greed, passion, and power led to deeds that would feel right at home in a modern headline. Each episode focuses on a specific case, unraveling the motives, the methods, and the often-surprising social contexts that shaped crime and punishment from the fall of Rome to the dawn of the Renaissance. You'll hear about poisoned chalices, treacherous plots, shocking betrayals, and the long, messy struggle for justice in eras without forensic science. Brannen and Butler blend rigorous historical research with engaging storytelling, treating these ancient scandals with the detailed scrutiny of a true crime investigation. The result is a fascinating podcast that reveals how people have always been capable of astonishingly bad behavior, proving that the drive for wealth, revenge, or love is truly timeless. Tune in for stories where the stakes are life and death, the suspects wear crowns or cowls, and every mystery is a window into the complex world of our medieval ancestors.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

True Crime Medieval
Podcast Episodes
87. King Philip Augustus Fakes a Genealogy, Paris, France 1194 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:41
Philip, the King of France, married Ingeborg of Denmark, and it would have been a really great political alliance, except that after the wedding night Philip wanted out. So he asked the pope to annul the marriage, saying…
85. Eorpwald of East Anglia is Murdered, East Anglia c. 627 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:19
Eorpwald, the ruler of East Anglia c 624, after his father died, converted to Christianity because Edwin, the Deorian king, converted to Christianity, and managed to connect pretty much the entire eastern coastal kingdom…
83. Hugh de Lacy is Assassinated, Durrow, Ireland 1186 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:16
Hugh de Lacy, one of the Anglo-Normans who was sent to bring order to Ireland (where the Anglo-Normans were having a lot of trouble), was inspecting the military installation he was having built at Durrow (where St. Colu…
82. Arthur of Brittany Disappears, Rouen, France c. 1203 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:14
In 1199, when Richard the Lionheart died, there were two possible claimants to the throne of England -- his younger brother John, and his nephew Arthur. John was a bit over 30 years old; Arthur was about 12. John, the yo…
80. William de Marisco is Executed for Treason, London England 1242 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:13
The de Mariscos were a family that continually got into trouble, on account of continually misbehaving. When William de Marisco was executed at the Tower of London in 1242, it was ostensibly for attempting to have the ki…
79. Snorri Sturluson Is Assassinated, Reykholt, Iceland 1241 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:21
Snorri Sturluson, the great Icelandic poet and historian and lawspeaker of the Althing, got involved in Norwegian/Icelandic politics, and it ended very badly. For him, for one thing, as the king of Norway arranged for 70…