We Experienced a Real Medieval Knight Jousting Tournament!

What was life really like for the merchants, craftsmen and traders in London in the middle ages? Whilst the majority of people who worked in the Medieval Period were peasants, a significant community of merchants and tradesmen existed, the majority of whom belonged to one of the most powerful and influential groups in medieval Europe - the Guilds. Guilds were associations of artisans and merchants who oversaw the practice of their craft or trade in a particular area. They were able to command prestige and power over medieval populations and membership of these organisations was extremely desirable. The Grocers' Guild for example, which oversaw the trade in spices (one of the most expensive and important commodities in the Middle Ages) was an incredibly rich and powerful association as is very apparent by the opulence and grandeur of Grocers' Hall in London. In this video, Dr Eleanor Janega visits the banqueting hall to explore the lives of those who earned in medieval London.

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.

The familiar medieval Arthurian myths of a noble King ruling over his kingdom from Camelot, supported by his Round Table of loyal and brave knights who seek for the Holy Grail and slay dragons, is a legend that has been engaged with by English kings ever since the 13th Century. By the 14th Century, these tales provided a model for their kingship. What you may not know about, is the clash of cultures that occurred in the 12th Century, that led to the making, breaking and redefining of Arthur's story. Join author and medieval historian Matt Lewis as he delves deep into the historical context of the Arthurian legend, visiting Glastonbury Abbey and Winchester Cathedral along the way. Featuring historians Dr Cindy Wood and Dr Katherine Weikert.

Medieval historian explains war tactics, weapons, and knights of medieval warfare. 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.

Medieval historian Matt Lewis reviews the film A Knight's Tale starring Heath Ledger, Mark Addy, Rufus Sewell, Paul Bettany and Alan Tudyk. Is it historically accurate? Does it matter? We'll find out. 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.

A full series of History Hit videos on the most fascinating archaeological discoveries over the past year. Join presenters Tristan Hughes, Luke Tomes, Dan Snow and James Rogers as they join some of the most exciting historical excavations across Europe. We start of at the British Museum, where host of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is given special access to the 'World of Stonehenge exhibition' to speak to the team responsible for the discovery of an elaborately decorated 5,000-year-old chalk cylinder, buried with three child skeletons in Yorkshire, and as old as the first phase of Stonehenge - described as the "most important piece of prehistoric art to be found in Britain in the last 100 years". Next, Dan Snow catches up with a team of archaeologists uncovering a large Anglo-Saxon burial site in Wendover, Buckinghamshire - found whilst working on the HS2 high speed railway project. Almost three quarters of the graves found contain high quality grave goods, suggesting the site was the final resting place of a wealthy Anglo-Saxon community. Luke Tomes then travels to Aldbourne in Wiltshire, which