Why the Middle Ages ended in 19th century Japan

Why the Middle Ages ended in 19th century Japan

Author: Weird Medieval Guys April 20, 2024 Duration: 1:31:15

Yes, you heard us right!! Join Olivia and Aran as they defend their most dubious claim to date, which is definitely not just an excuse to step beyond our usual remit and talk about the wild, delightful world that was Edo Period Japan! We explore why Edo Japan was so cut off from the world and the effects this had on its society, plus some of the cultural developments that took place along the way. Also discussed are

The song used in this episode is sōran bushi, a Japanese folk song traditionally sung by fishers.


Ever wondered what people in the Middle Ages actually talked about over a pint, or what bizarre details lurk in the margins of illuminated manuscripts? Weird Medieval Guys digs into all that and more, hosted by Olivia-the mind behind the popular online presence-and Aran, a historian with a keen eye for the odd. Together, they sift through centuries of history, art, and primary sources not to recount the grand, familiar narratives, but to uncover the strange, hilarious, and profoundly human stories that usually get left out of the textbooks. Each episode feels like a conversation with two deeply knowledgeable friends who can’t wait to tell you about the monk who drew a fighting snail in his prayer book, or the surprisingly complex social rules of medieval beekeeping. This isn’t a dry lecture; it’s an exploration of the everyday weirdness that defined an entire era, from peculiar fashion choices and questionable medical remedies to the lives of figures who were, by any measure, absolute characters. Tune in for a consistently surprising and deeply researched look at the past, where the focus is always on the details that make history feel alive, relatable, and endlessly fascinating. You’ll come away from this podcast with a new appreciation for the Middle Ages, one wonderfully weird guy at a time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Weird Medieval Guys
Podcast Episodes
How did the English language change during the Middle Ages? Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:30:59
We've got a lovely two-parter lined up for you guys and it's all about the history of the English language during the Middle Ages! Join us as we follow English from its humble origins as a collection of Germanic dialects…
MEDIEVAL PIRATES!!!! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Yarrrrrrrr!!!!!! Where's me BOOTY?! We all love stories about pirates, whether they're plundering Treasure Islands, fighting an octopus man, or stealing Tom Hanks' job. But did you know that the Middle Ages had pirates?…
What did medieval people think about fossils? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:27:05
Gather round, rockhounds! It's time to journey even further into the past than usual by taking a look at fossils through medieval eyes. Did dragon myths come from dinosaur bones? Did cyclops myths come from elephant bone…
Weird medieval mailbag volume 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:17
Happy New Year to all our Weird Medieval Guys podcast listeners and welcome back to our annual Q&A session! We solicited questions about history and the podcast from our Discord community and answered as many as we could…
How to survive a medieval winter [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:28
The days have been getting shorter, the nights longer and the wind bitter-er. Even as the winter solstice draws near, the coming months of cold and darkness make spring seem still an eternity away. Making it through wint…
The Medieval Cosmos [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:38
This week, we're getting in our medieval spaceship and travelling through the medieval cosmos to find out just what medieval people thought about all of that space. We'll discuss some correct ideas they had, plenty of in…
Pets in the Middle Ages [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:45:02
Here's a rhetorical question: do you love your pet? Of course you do, but did you know that medieval people did too? The only difference is, these pets had jobs! In this episode, Olivia and Aran delve into the wacky worl…
Medieval textiles [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:28:36
Oh my god the Weird Medieval Guys Podcast™ has gone cottagecore!You know what clothes are, you love wearing clothes. But someone has to make them, and in the Middle Ages, they didn't have industrial-scale fast fashion sw…
Medieval witches [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:05:02
Infernal covenants, black sabbaths and missing infants; dark deeds are afoot in the forests of medieval Europe... or are they? It's a Halloween Spooktacular! When the Devil transforms Joe Mason into an angry amphibian, O…
Why is Norse mythology so freaky? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:10:48
Olivia and Aran are back with another zinger as they begin to start to somewhat unpack some of the absolutely insane customs and beliefs that made up the Norse pagan world view!Check out Snorri Sturlson's Prose Edda here…