Episode 180

Writing Historical Novels: the Facts and the Fiction, with Elizabeth Chadwick

Elizabeth Chadwick is an award winning best-selling writer of historical fiction. She has been writing since she was a teenager, but it took many years and many books before she was finally published. She has had great success since, so it’s a good example for aspiring writers out there to keep going! In our conversation we talk about some of the historical figures which feature in Elizabeth’s novels, including William Marshal, Eleanor of Aquitaine, […]

medieval history, writing, medieval, publishing, Research, 14th century, Arthurian romance, Anglo-Saxon, Medieval France, 13th Century

Episode 169

Seven Frenchmen vs. Seven Englishmen: who will win? With Dr. Rachael Whitbread

Dr Rachael Whitbread is a historian and author. Her PhD from York University was on tournaments, jousts and duels. She is the co-author with Graham Callister of Battle: Understanding Conflict from Hastings to Helmand, and is currently working on a book called Duel: Single Combat in Medieval England for Pen and Sword Press, which sounds just up our streets. In our conversation we talk about chivalry, jousting, tournaments and how to become a famous […]

medieval history, history, jousting, middle ages, 14th century, military history, medieval battle, chivalry, Duelling, Medieval France

Episode 146

Fiore: The Movie, with Alberto Mattea

Alberto Mattea is an Italian film composer and filmmaker, actor and re-enactor with a deep interest in the Middle Ages. In the historical martial arts world, he is perhaps best known for his short film Fiore, which is, I think, the most accurate representation of the late 14th century ever put on the screen. In this episode Alberto explains how the film got made on a tiny budget of €3,000, how they built the […]

medieval clothing, acting, Fiore dei Liberi, manuscripts, Italy, dagger, movie props, Italian swordsmanship, medieval music, Medieval France, film making

Episode 110

Synthetic Armour and Smithing in France, with Anthony Rischard

Anthony Rischard is a blacksmith, historical martial arts practitioner and proprietor of Black Armoury, one of the largest suppliers of historical martial arts gear in Europe. In our conversation we talk about how Anthony gave up his office job to become a full time blacksmith in France, and his move into starting Black Armoury. Have a listen to find out why they began producing suits of armour made entirely from synthetic materials and what […]

medieval history, longsword, equipment, armor, armour, blacksmithing, Medieval France, Paulus Hector Mair

Episode 108

Is there anything Daniel Jaquet can’t do in armour?

Dr. Daniel Jaquet should need no introduction. He has been extremely active in both the academic and practical aspects of medieval combat research for the last couple of decades or more. He has a Ph.D. from Geneva University in medieval history, on combat in armour at the end of the Middle Ages and at the beginning of the Renaissance, based on studying combat manuals. So, he has a Ph.D. in actual, proper medieval sword […]

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medieval history, women in HEMA, armor, armour, translation, treatises, Research, 14th century, Medieval France

Episode 100

The Last Duel, or was it? With Ariella Elema

Dr Ariella Elema is a finder of the forgotten, the hidden and the obscure. She’s an academic and archivist and an armizare practitioner in Toronto. Her Ph.D. thesis, Trial by Battle in France and England, should give you some clue as to why I invited her on the show. But it also won the Canadian Society of Medievalists’ Leonard Boyle dissertation prize, which is very impressive. In our conversation we talk about trial by […]

medieval history, german swordsmanship, Research, medieval life, middle ages, 14th century, African arms and armour, Duelling, The Last Duel, Medieval France, Self-publishing, Trial by Combat

The Sword Guy Podcast

Podcast Tag: Medieval France