Medieval Morsels

Host: Lucas Miller

In this episode of Medieval Morsels, we explore the fascinating world of mythical creatures that filled the medieval imagination. From dragons and griffins to unicorns and sea serpents, medieval people didn’t always separate myth from reality the way we do today. These creatures appeared in bestiaries, manuscripts, and travelers’ tales, shaping how people understood nature, morality, and the unknown.

We discuss how mythical beasts symbolized virtues and vices, how they were used in religious and moral teaching, and why they captured the curiosity of medieval audiences. This episode blends history, folklore, and cultural analysis to uncover what these legendary creatures reveal about the medieval mind.

Topics Covered:

• The role of mythical creatures in medieval bestiaries
• Dragons as symbols of chaos and evil
• Unicorns and their religious symbolism
• Griffins, basilisks, and other hybrid beasts
• Mythical creatures in medieval art and manuscripts

Key Takeaways:

• Mythical creatures were used as teaching tools as much as entertainment
• Many people accepted these creatures as part of the natural world
• Symbolism played a central role in how beasts were interpreted
• These legends reveal medieval attitudes toward nature and morality

Recommended Reading:

• The Book of Beasts by T. H. White
• Medieval Bestiaries: Text, Image, Ideology by Florence McCulloch

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Medieval Morsels Podcast

Few figures define the Middle Ages more than the knight—but behind the shining armor lies a far more complex reality.

In this episode of Medieval Morsels, we explore how knights were trained from childhood, how they fought on medieval battlefields, and how the ideals of chivalry shaped—and often conflicted with—their real behavior. Drawing from contemporary chronicles and primary sources, we examine the rise of knighthood as a social class, the brutal experience of combat, and the cultural world of tournaments and honor.

This episode separates legend from history, revealing knights not just as symbols of romance, but as disciplined warriors navigating a violent and changing world. We also trace how evolving military technology gradually reshaped their role in European society.

If you’ve ever wondered what it truly meant to live—and fight—as a medieval knight, this episode brings you inside the armor.

Follow Medieval Morsels for engaging, research-driven history that explores the strange, powerful, and deeply human world of the Middle Ages.

Faith in a Time of Plague — Religious Remedies During the Black Death

Medieval Morsels Podcast

When the Black Death swept across Europe in the fourteenth century, medicine failed—but faith did not disappear. Instead, it intensified.

In this episode of Medieval Morsels, we explore how medieval people turned to religion as their last line of defense against the plague. From public processions and relic veneration to prayer manuals, flagellant movements, and saintly intercession, faith became both comfort and cure.

You’ll discover why certain saints were believed to protect against disease, how churches transformed into centers of hope and fear, and how communities tried to restore meaning when death felt unstoppable. We’ll also examine the darker consequences of religious panic, including scapegoating, social division, and spiritual terror.

This episode reveals how belief shaped survival in a world without medical answers—and how faith itself became a form of medicine.

Follow Medieval Morsels for bite-sized history that uncovers the strange, powerful, and deeply human world of the Middle Ages.