Women of the Crusades

Gone Medieval

History Hit

History

4.6 • 2.2K Ratings

🗓️ 26 August 2025

⏱️ 40 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The image we usually associate with a Crusader - of a dashing nobleman on a mighty steed heading out for Holy War - often obscures all of the other medieval people who went to the Holy Land, especially the countless women.

In this edition of Gone Medieval, Dr. Eleanor Janega talks to Dr. Natasha Hodgson about the women who went everywhere that men went, and what our own expectations lead us to overlook in history. They discuss key figures like Eleanor of Aquitaine and lesser-known individuals like Margaret of Beverly, underscoring the impact and significance of women in the crusading campaigns and medieval society.

Rise of Crusader States

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7JmbHJRMaDlRn4jOQUlQN8

Gone Medieval is presented by Dr Eleanor Janega. The audio editors are Ella Blaxill and Amy Haddow. The producer is Rob Weinberg, the senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.

Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

You can take part in our listener survey here:

https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Hello, I'm Matt Lewis.
0:02.6	And I'm Dr. Eleanor Yonaga.
0:04.2	And we're just popping up here to tell you some insider info.
0:08.0	If you would like to listen to Gone Medieval ad-free and get early access and bonus episodes,
0:13.3	sign up to History Hit.
0:14.5	With the History Hit subscription, you can also watch hundreds of hours of original documentaries.
0:20.6	Such as my new series on everyone's favorite
0:22.8	conquerors, the Normans, or my recent exploration of the castles that made Britain. There's a new
0:29.9	release to enjoy every week. Sign up now by visiting historyhit.com forward slash subscribe, or find a link in the show notes for this episode.
0:45.0	Hello, I'm Dr. Eleanorianica and welcome to Gone Medieval from History Hit, the podcast that delves into the
0:55.2	greatest millennium in human history. We uncover the greatest mysteries, the gobsmacking
1:01.8	details, and the latest groundbreaking research from the Vikings to the Normans, from kings to
1:07.9	popes, to the Crusades. We delve into the rebellions, plots, and murders
1:14.0	that tell us who we really were.
1:17.3	And how we got here.
1:34.7	When people hear the term crusader, it's most likely that it conjures up images of dashing Norman soldiers, charging about on fine horses in full armor.
1:43.8	But in reality, all sorts of people headed to the Holy Land to fulfill what they saw as a spiritual mission.
1:54.0	One group in particular that is often overlooked is the women who head at east.
1:58.0	And by that I don't just mean Eleanor Vakwetain at head of her own troops, though I do, of course, mean her as well.
2:04.6	But the legions of women who cooked food, washed clothes, mended garments, and even provided sexual services for their fellow crusaders.
2:14.6	A while ago, I spoke with Dr. Natasha Hodgson, the author of Women, crusading,
2:19.6	and the Holy Land in Historical Narrative. And it was such an amazing conversation that we thought
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from History Hit, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of History Hit and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.