Weird History
Real Medieval War Stories That Sound Made Up
2023 • E147 Nov 19, 2023 10m
A blind king rode into battle, two armies clashed over a stolen bucket, and a severed head got its revenge by killing an earl. These medieval war stories sound completely fake - but they're all real.
Take, for example, the Battle of Hastings, one of the most important battles in medieval history. It's also one of the strangest battles of the Middle Ages, since William the Conqueror almost lost because of a rumor. William had to take off his helmet and shout "Look at me! I live!" to convince his men not to flee. Or how about Richard the Lionheart, who fought a crusade while lying on a stretcher? And it turns out ice battles aren't an invention of Game of Thrones; medieval Russians fought a massive battle on a frozen lake.
Take, for example, the Battle of Hastings, one of the most important battles in medieval history. It's also one of the strangest battles of the Middle Ages, since William the Conqueror almost lost because of a rumor. William had to take off his helmet and shout "Look at me! I live!" to convince his men not to flee. Or how about Richard the Lionheart, who fought a crusade while lying on a stretcher? And it turns out ice battles aren't an invention of Game of Thrones; medieval Russians fought a massive battle on a frozen lake.