The last question on my class’s weekly quiz is always a bonus one, with fun prompts each time. This professor in general adds flair to his questions, and I don’t know what I am going to get each time. Well, getting back on topic, I remember this particular question asked: “What’s your favorite podcast you have been listening to?”
I have always told myself I was going to start listening to podcasts every time I see people online starting their own. Even though I have the Apple Podcasts app on my phone, I never bothered to check it out. Until now.
I guess the problem was I did not know where to start. If I searched any topic, there would be endless results to choose from. So, I started with one of my favorite topics, the medieval era. I clicked on the first podcast I saw called Medieval Archives.
Diving into the first episode, I learned about Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury in the 12th century. Previously, he was a chancellor. When he was appointed as an archbishop by King Henry II of England, they started to clash over the crown’s power. Becket fought hard to keep the church’s influence and to make sure the church and state were in line. Unfortunately, he was assassinated by the king’s knights in Canterbury Cathedral.
He then became known as a saint and a martyr, with people making pilgrimages to England to visit a shrine made in his honor. If you have heard of the Canterbury Tales, his story is told there, too. I was engaged for the full half hour, and it was the perfect story to wind down to.
The next episode was about Edward of Woodstock, King Edward III’s eldest son, also known as “The Black Prince”, because he wore black armor while fighting in the Hundred Years’ War. The third episode, which I am listening to currently, discusses Eustace the Monk, arguably the most famous pirate in the medieval period.
As a medieval connoisseur, something I like about this podcast is that I learn something new every time. Before listening to Medieval Archives, I did not know about Thomas Becket or Edward of Woodstock or Eustace the Monk. I also like the lively music placed throughout the episodes, so we do not just hear constant talking from the host, Gary Ekborg. Based on the enthusiasm in his voice, he is a natural storyteller.
The podcast started in 2010, with 95 episodes to date. In fact, the latest episode was released less than two weeks ago, so there is always something to look forward to. I appreciate Ekborg’s dedication to supplying his audience!
There is another podcast I am looking at called Boring History for Sleep. This podcast covers more trivial topics from all periods of history, including the medieval period. If you watch the YouTube version, you also get visuals, which are entertaining. These episodes range from two to almost five hours on average, so I am still working out a plan for when is a good time to listen to them. Maybe before bed, as the title suggests, in parts.
I would say podcasts are an awesome way to listen to audio stories without looking at your phone, something I am trying to cut back on. Instead of watching TikTok storytimes, I can now understand the beauty of long-form content. Now, my time at the gym is less boring! If you are a history buff looking for niche topics, I would suggest looking at Medieval Archives. I give it five stars!