Episode 63: Jacques de Lalaing and the Tournament
Tournaments were more than an excuse for knights to whack each other with sticks, they were elaborate court events filled with splendor, ritual, and the careful exercise of violence. Perhaps nobody in Burgundy exemplified the Tournament as much as Jacques de Lalaing; through his skill in the lists, Jacques won…
Keep readingBonus Episode: The Formidable Women Who Shaped Medieval Europe with Susan Abernethy
Susan Abernethy, who you might also know as the Freelance History Writer, has recently put out her second book, The Formidable Women Who Shaped Medieval Europe, which dives into the biographies of over 40 women whose lives intersected with Burgundy in some way or another and adds rich context to…
Keep readingEpisode 62: Bastards of Burgundy
Two Portraits of Antoine, the Grand Bastard of Burgundy, painted by Northern Renaissance Masters Rogier van der Weyden (left) and Hans Memling (right). Philip the Good was known to suffer from the ‘weakness of the flesh.’ The Duke of Burgundy had dozens of mistresses and bastards throughout his life, so…
Keep readingSupplemental 13: Stories from the Burgundian Court
Illustrations depicting stories from the Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles. These images come from a 15th Century manuscript in the University of Glasgow’s special collections, the only surviving manuscript of the Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles and possibly one of the first produced. The Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles is a collection of 100 Stories told…
Keep readingEpisode 61: Compensating for Something?
Although the Dukes of Burgundy were not kings, they sure acted like they were. The Burgundian Court was one of the largest, most extravagant, and most magnificent in all of Europe. It was a center of artistic patronage, elaborate events, and grand displays. In fact, the Burgundian Court was so…
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Grand Dukes of the West 