A small episode containing a big announcement.By Cat Pierro

The Jew Baruch recounts his forced baptism at the hands of the Pastoureaux.By Cat Pierro

This is the epilogue to the episodes about Béatrice de Planissoles, in which she and other friends of ours return to denounce the archvillain--or hero?--Bernard Clergue. The material comes from the record of Bernard Clergue's trial in the Fournier Register. For some of the context, I am indebted to the incredibly detailed research of René Weis, who…

Béatrice de Planissoles continues to tell Bishop Jacques Fournier about her history with heresy, sorcery, sex, drugs, etc. Thank you to Professor Nancy Stork for her English translations of parts of the Fournier register, which you can find at the links below. Beatrice's trial: https://www.sjsu.edu/people/nancy.stork/courses/c4/s1/Beatrice_de_Plani…

We look at the record of one woman's inquisition and use at as a lens to consider Montaillou, a small village that remained a bastion of Cathar heresy a century after the Albigensian crusade tried to eliminate it. Thank you to Professor Nancy Stork for her English translations of parts of the Fournier register, which you can find at the links below…

Ten Inquisitors' Ruses against the Tricks and Deceits of Heretics, from Nicholas Eymerich's Directorium Inquisitorum. Source: Inquisition in the Fourteenth Century: the Manuals of Bernard Gui and Nicholas Eymerich by Derek Hill. Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg "Exultemus et laetemus" - Respons…

Essential listening for newly hired medieval inquisitors. Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide. "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide.By Cat Pierro

The church persecutes the Waldensians and Cathars but welcomes the Franciscans with open arms. Why?By Cat Pierro

In this first part of a miniseries about the medieval inquisition, we learn about Cathar dualists, Waldensian lay preachers, and the vita apostolica.By Cat Pierro

The Holy Roman Emperor's dying wish was to visit the King of France. Also, we explore the tradition of drama that evolved from the Mysteries and Miracle Plays. Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide. "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Pasc…

It's 1376-77. The Commons makes a splash in England's Parliament, King Edward III dies, and we trace the development of proto-nationalism in France and England. Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide. "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Pas…

Oxford preacher and theologian John Wyclif denies that we chew on the body of Christ, and insodoing does away with the priesthood and the papacy. Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide. "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide.…

Enguerrand de Coucy VII goes off to show the Habsburgs what's what, but gets shown what's what by the Swiss instead. I will, ahem, not be taking any questions about the geography of the Holy Roman Empire. Please instead refer to this extremely confusing map: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Swiss_Confederacy#/media/File:Golden_Bull_of_1356.png Mus…

How the French manage to turn the war around in 1369-1375. Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide. "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide.By Cat Pierro

Enguerrand is caught on the prongs of a forked allegience, and two popes make the attempt to return to Rome. Here's a family tree that shows how the Green Count is connected to Enguerrand, to the Viscontis, to the Bourbons, and to the Valois: Guess I'll turn it around a few times: Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2…

Let's dive deep into the four Northern Italian city-states that made all this possible. Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide. "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide.By Cat Pierro

A vegetarian's worst nightmare.By Cat Pierro

This episode summarizes the book Italy in the Time of Dante and Petrarch, 1216-1380 by John Larner. Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide. "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide.By Cat Pierro

We turn our attention to Italy, where someone hasn't been keeping the farm nice and tidy like he was supposed to. Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide. "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide.…

Du Gueslin had two claims to fame: he was the best French military commander, and he was the ugliest man from Rennes to Dinant! Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide. "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide.…

Enguerrand returns to France arm in arm with the oldest daughter of the King of England.By Cat Pierro

King Edward III imposes a ruinous ransom on King John II, and Enguerrand takes his place as hostage while the money is raised. Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide. "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide.…

The peasants have had enough of the nobility in France. (Could we agree more?) Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide. "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide.

In Paris, the Estates-General seize the moment of weakness in the monarchy to push constitutional reform. Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide. "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide.…

The game of war: a minute to learn, a lifetime to master. Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide. "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide.By Cat Pierro

The French made a much-needed, but woefully insufficient, attempt at military reform. Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide. "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide.By Cat Pierro

Why the plague happened, according to people in the 14th century.By Cat Pierro

The French nobility are routed at Crécy. This episode reads and comments on the narration of events by Jean Froissart, c. 1337 - c. 1405, a French-speaking historian from the low countries. Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide. "Ego sum A…

Introducing two kings, two succession crises, three disputed regions, and a hundred years of war. Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide. "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide.

The rules of courtly love, according to Andreus Capellanus: Marriage is no real excuse for not loving He who is not jealous cannot love No one can be bound by a double love It is well known that love is always increasing or decreasing That which a lover takes against the will of his beloved has no relish Boys do not love until they arrive at the ag…

If people in medieval times wanted to buy themselves a foothold in heaven, someone was going to have to collect the money. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ This is the episode about simony, indulgences, alms, usury, and poverty movements, plus a coda about the Pastoureaux. Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg "Exultemus …

If we want, we can trace a whole century's worth of problems back to the financial straits of Philip the Fair. Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4AbsnEfaQDvxQvnAg "Exultemus et laetemus" - Responsorial chant for Paschaltide. "Ego sum Alpha et O" - Antiphon for Paschaltide.…

Timeline of Coucy Dynasty: 500?-975: Domain of Coucy belongs to bishopric of Reims. 1059: Abbey built by Aubry de Coucy. 1095: First crusade; Enguerrand I & Thomas de Marie both participate. 1220s: Castle built by Enguerrand III. 1256: Enguerrand IV on trial by King Louis IX. Music thanks to Verbum Gloriae https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOY2Hj4Ab…

Welcome to the 14th century! Come for the plague and the Hundred Years' War, stay for the bands of marauding brigands and the papal schism. Music thanks to Lenna Pierce of Meaner Pencil!By Cat Pierro