The Life of the Medieval ‘Middle Class’ in England

In the medieval feudal system, the nobility were generally those who held a fief, often land or office under vassalage in exchange for military allegiance to their sovereign. Living alongside serfs, it was their duty to ensure that the peasants, craftsmen and clergymen were defended so that they could live in peace and act as judges to handle disputes. To explore the often ostentatious and gluttonous lifestyles of the nobility, Eleanor Janega visits Hedingham Castle, perhaps the best preserved Norman keep in Essex, England.

What was it like to be a knight in the middle ages? What were your roles and responsibilities? How dangerous were medieval tournaments? History Hit's Luke Tomes and Louee Dessent are back at the medieval tiltyard outside the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds for the medieval tournament challenge. Can our knight in shining armour complete our medieval gauntlet, including picking up a glove from horseback, the quintain and full contact jousting against a real opponent? Louee and Luke get to learn about what it was really like to be a knight in the Middle Ages, donning a full suit of armour themselves and completing their own set of physical tests. Can you sprint in armour? How cumbersome is it? Is the Hollywood image of the clunky, slow-moving knight really that accurate? Watch the video where we answer these questions and more!

From the Norman invasion in 1066 to the end of the Wars of the Roses in 1485, Medieval England transformed from an agricultural feudal society to one on the brink of creating an empire. The feudal system under William the Conqueror emphasized that all land was the crown's property, and peasants worked on their lord's land for rent. The Manor Court addressed agricultural disputes and enforced the lord's rights, with a bailiff overseeing it. Medieval England had village settlements in forests, with Forest Law infamous for harsh punishments for deer hunting. Life was challenging for peasants with seasonal food scarcity, and education and social status were evolving during this period.

How did an army of English peasant archers defeat some of France's greatest warriors? On October 25th 1415, Henry V of England took on the mighty French forces at the Battle of Agincourt. Despite being heavily outnumbered, his troops won. It would become one of the most legendary victories in English history - a tale of bravery and triumph against all the odds, inspiring everyone from Shakespeare to Churchill to Kenneth Branagh. But how much of the story we know today is true, and how much has been twisted to suit later politics? What really happened at Agincourt? You can now become a History Hit member right here on the original video platform! Join for access to a new exclusive documentary every week, and access to over 160+ of our documentaries presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Eleanor Janega, Tristan Hughes, Mary Beard, Matt Lewis and more.

NEW ARCHAEOLOGY! Archaeologist Giselle Kiraly comes face to face with ancient Egyptian coffins, including one which may have been re-used for multiple corpses. Join us as we learn how these coffins were built, what the decorations mean and how they're being preserved and analysed in the Petrie Museum. You can now become a History Hit member right here on the original video platform! Join for access to a new exclusive documentary every week, and access to over 160+ of our documentaries presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Eleanor Janega, Tristan Hughes, Mary Beard, Matt Lewis and more. History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™

Odyssey, the Iliad, Hercules, Troy and Medusa, what are they really about? Classicist historian Daisy Dunn answers your most asked questions about ancient Greek myths. You can now become a History Hit member right here on the original video platform! Join for access to a new exclusive documentary every week, and access to over 160+ of our documentaries presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Eleanor Janega, Tristan Hughes, Mary Beard, Matt Lewis and more.