13th century
17 episodes
Catharism
Melvyn Bragg examines the beliefs of the Cathars, a medieval southern European Christian sect accused of heresy, and explores why they were seen as a threat to the 13th century Catholic Church.
17 January 2002
Featuring: Malcolm Barber, Miri Rubin, Euan Cameron
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Eleanor of Aquitaine (c1122-1204), who was a ruler in her own right as well as married to the king of France and then to the king of England.
28 January 2016
Featuring: Lindy Grant, Nicholas Vincent, Julie Barrau
Gerald of Wales
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the medieval scholar Gerald of Wales, the author of colourful and influential works about his journeys around Ireland and Wales.
4 October 2012
Featuring: Henrietta Leyser, Michelle Brown, Huw Pryce
Greyfriars and Blackfriars
Melvyn Bragg discusses the religious orders of the Dominicans and the Franciscans, the Blackfriars and Greyfriars, who were a great force for change in Catholic Europe.
10 November 2005
Featuring: Henrietta Leyser, Alexander Murray, Anthony Kenny
Icelandic Sagas
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the Icelandic sagas.
9 May 2013
Featuring: Carolyne Larrington, Elizabeth Ashman Rowe, Emily Lethbridge
Maimonides
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the work and influence of Maimonides. Widely regarded as the greatest Jewish philosopher of the medieval period.
17 February 2011
Featuring: John Joseph Haldane, Sarah Stroumsa, Peter Adamson
Nizami Ganjavi
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the 12th-century Persian writer of epic romantic poetry whose fame spread from his hometown of Ganja across the Persian-speaking world and beyond.
5 December 2024
Featuring: Christine van Ruymbeke, Narguess Farzad, Dominic Parviz Brookshaw
Ockham's Razor
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the philosophical idea of Ockham’s Razor and the medieval philosopher who gave his name to it, William of Ockham.
31 May 2007
Featuring: Anthony Kenny, Marilyn Adams, Richard Alan Cross
Roger Bacon
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss medieval English scholar Roger Bacon, an early pioneer of science who became known as Doctor Mirabilis.
20 April 2017
Featuring: Jack Cunningham, Amanda Power, Elly Truitt
HistoryEnglish philosophersPhilosophers of languageEmpiricistsEnglish alchemistsMetaphysiciansNatural philosophers13th-century writers in LatinCatholic philosophersPhilosophers of mindEnglish translators, Medieval orientalistsCatholic clergy scientistsScholastic philosophersPhilosophers of literature13th-century philosophersPhilosophers of scienceGrammarians of Latin13th centuryLanguageMedicineRumi's Poetry
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the poetry of Rumi, the Persian scholar and Sufi mystic of the 13th century, whose great poetic works are the Masnavi and the Divan.
11 February 2016
Featuring: Alan Williams, Carole Hillenbrand, Lloyd Ridgeon
St Thomas Aquinas
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss St Thomas Aquinas, the Catholic Church's foremost western philosopher and theologian.
17 September 2009
Featuring: Martin Palmer, John Haldane, Annabel Brett
PhilosophyWriters about religion and scienceVirtue ethicistsScholastic philosophersUniversity of Paris alumniThomas AquinasClassical theismCritics of atheismDominican mysticsMedieval Latin-language poetsAristotelian philosophersChristian ethicistsLutheran saintsPhilosophers of lawAnglican saintsMetaphysicians13th-century writers in LatinAngelic visionariesDoctors of the ChurchMagic (supernatural)Catholic philosophersNatural law ethicistsChristian apologists13th-century philosophersSystematic theologians13th centuryLanguageMedicineTheologyThe Battle of Lincoln 1217
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the battle at Lincoln on 20th May 1217 between the forces of the boy-king Henry III, led by William Marshal, and supporters of Louis of France.
4 May 2017
Featuring: Louise Wilkinson, Stephen Church, Thomas Asbridge
The Fibonacci Sequence
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Fibonacci Sequence, an infinite string of numbers to be found in Renaissance paintings, modern architecture and the structure of flowers.
29 November 2007
Featuring: Marcus du Sautoy, Jackie Stedall, Ron Knott
The Magna Carta
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Magna Carta, the charter issued by King John in 1215 that is often seen as the basis of English liberties.
7 May 2009
Featuring: Nicholas Vincent, David Carpenter, Michael Clanchy
The Mamluks
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the Mamluks, medieval rulers of Egypt and Syria from 1250 to 1517.
26 September 2013
Featuring: Amira Bennison, Robert Irwin, Doris Behrens-Abouseif
The Orkneyinga Saga
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the myth and history in the Saga of the Earls of Orkney as they fought to control some of the most strategically important islands around Britain.
6 June 2024
Featuring: Judith Jesch, Jane Harrison, Alex Woolf
The Second Barons' War
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the vicious war (1264-7) that followed Simon de Montfort's seizure of power from Henry III and his family while supporting new, broader parliaments.
6 May 2021
Featuring: David Carpenter, Louise Wilkinson, Sophie Thérèse Ambler
