Show Notes
Something tells me it's all happening at the zoo...
Spring is just around the corner in the northern hemisphere, so it's time to learn some animal facts! Turns out, medieval people had all sorts of strange beliefs about wildlife both real and imagined. So, join Olivia, Aran, and beloved naturalist Sir David Attenborough* as they take you to meet fruit-rustling hedgehogs, homicidal pelicans, immortal eagles, and the most tender lovers in the animal kingdom: bears.
Also discussed: the existential terror of Animorphs, CS Lewis' creative process, and which animals are Jesus. An excellent English translation of a Latin bestiary https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/PVFA6XOOSG2448C The Ashmole Bestiary https://digital.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/objects/faeff7fb-f8a7-44b5-95ed-cff9a9ffd198/ The Northumberland Bestiary https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/109AX3 *Not really.
More from Weird Medieval Guys
As we all know, everyone in the middle ages lived and died in the muck. What's worse, they had no idea that being caked in shit and smelling terrible was bad. Or did they? Maybe instead they all just smelled like a mild curry...
"PEOPLE OF CAIRO, YOU LISTEN TO ME. GO INTO THE TREASURY, AND PUT YOUR HAND IN THE CASH REGISTER FOR NO REASON. THAT MONEY IS YOUR MONEY AS OF RIGHT NOW." al-Umari, attributed to Mansa Musa, 14th century
The movies are back, or so they say. But what makes a good medieval movie? Historical accuracy? Satisfying storytelling? The quality of the tassels? To find out, Aran, Olivia and Joe Mason reviewed five movies. Some of them were good, some of them were interesting, and some of them were Braveheart. Films reviewed: Braveheart (1995) The Northman (2022) The Green Knight (2021) The Kingdom of Heaven (2005) A Knight's Tale (2001)