Fevertree Mediterranean tonic water.

Made with zesty lemon thyme from a small family farm in Provence and essential oils from herbs that grow in the Mediterranean sunshine.

So, if three quarters of your G&T is a fever tree tonic, maybe it's time to call it a TNG. Fever tree, mix with the best.

Ooh, that takes me straight to the med.

Welcome to the History Extra podcast, fascinating historical conversations from the makers of BBC

History magazine. Plague, war, regicide, famine, revolt. The 14th century turned the world on its

head for those living in England. In her new book, Septidial,

historian Helen Carr charts this turbulent period through the lives of three very different monarchs,

each with their own idea of what it meant to wield power. Exploring the humanity of those behind

the crown, she speaks to Emily Briffitt to shed new light on this pivotal era of English history and the people who lived through it.

Now, we're here to talk all about your new book, Scepter Dial. It's all about the 14th century. It's a new history, a human history of the 14th century.

But the 14th century has often been dubbed the of the 14th century. But the 14th century has often been dubbed

the calamitous 14th century. Why has it got such a bad reputation? Well, I think it's fair to say

that some pretty bad things did happen in the 14th century. I mean the greatest human

catastrophe, the black death happened in the 14th century. That was also a period of

famine, two major wars. There was a lot that went on, two regicides as well. So I think it's

reasonable that it has been called the calamitous century and that it was a century jam-packed,

full of calamity.

And it was called that because there was a very famous book written by Barbara Tuckman about the 14th century that she really actually only covers just before the Black Death

and then into the end of the century.

But that's where this idea of it being calamitous comes from because her book was called

the calamitous 14th century.

...