Terry Jones' Medieval Lives

Buckle on your armor and pick up your lute. Legendary Monty Python star and medieval scholar Terry Jones opens your eyes to the truths behind nine medieval characters you thought you knew. Through a lively mix of humor and research, you'll see beyond Renaissance myths and time-worn stereotypes. Meet intelligent and remarkably healthy peasants; damsels who ran businesses and led armies; plus prosperous monks, risk-taking minstrels and litigious outlaws. Was your typical knight a noble hero or a looting murderer? And can you believe Tudor tales of medieval kings? A most informative and entertaining exposé! Emmy® nominated. As seen on The History Channel. 

The Peasant - The stereotype of the medieval peasant is a toothless, filthy, ignorant wretch, a slave to his feudal lord and master. Terry Jones discovers a very different reality. They had more holidays than us, very often their houses were bigger, they frequently ate better and arguably had more influence in the corridors of power. The average peasant was, in fact, pretty intelligent. He was a whiz with the law, as he was often left to manage his own land and community affairs, while his feudal lord dealt with more pressing matters. Until the onset of the plague, most peasants were also remarkably healthy, with many living to the ripe old age of 60. Although dental hygiene was questionable (medieval Welsh wives could divorce spouses for chronic halitosis), the lack of sugar in their diet meant that tooth decay was rare. So why did it all end in the Peasants' Revolt?

The Monk - A life of prayer in peaceful service to God? Not for many medieval monks, who devoted their lives to making lots and lots of money. Religion was big business in those days and the merchandising opportunities endless when you had a constant stream of devoted, unquestioning worshippers.

The Damsel - Passive, shy, helpless, in distress and in need of rescue? It may have been centuries before Women’s Liberation, but that doesn’t mean medieval damsels had little control over their lives. Some ran businesses, others led armies. Not only were many women strong, powerful and sexually confident, it wasn't unknown for a damsel to abduct a knight. One famous example produced the Scottish hero, Robert the Bruce.

The Minstrel - Supposedly wandering gaily from town to town, medieval minstrels have been written off as an effete and ineffectual footnote to history. But medieval showbiz could be a very risky business, not only as a precarious choice of career, but also because entertainers often found themselves involved in wars and politics.

The Knight - Noble hero in shining armour? Or murdering, looting rapist? Discover some unsavoury truths – and the dark side of chivalry.

The Philosopher - Since the age of science and reason, the Middle Ages has been dismissed as a period shrouded in ignorance and superstition. But the reputation of medieval scientists, known then as philosophers, has been unfairly blackened. They understood far more than we give them credit for, and had a more ethical approach that we could learn from today.

The Outlaw - Unlike the altruistic Robin Hood of legend, outlaws were often members of the landed gentry who robbed the poor to give to the rich. Remarkably, however, these outlaws gained a place of respect in society. And as for the poor commoner needing help from a hooded man – false. They had lawyers, were more litigious than Americans, and paid their bills in butter and cheese. Tripping over a crack in the cart track could be a profitable business even hundreds of years ago.

The King - Meet the Good, the Bad and the Ugly – three medieval King Richards of England (I, II and III respectively), or so history textbooks tell us. The Good (Richard the Lionheart) spent most of his life fighting battles and only six months of his 10-year reign in England. Richard II was murdered to prevent a popular uprising against those who deposed him. As for ‘child murderer’ Richard III, his disfigurements were probably the inventions of Tudor propagandists. We may not even have a true record of the medieval kings; Terry Jones uncovers evidence of a King Louis, who seems to have been airbrushed from history.

“Jones really knows his subject … he is also a passionate apologist for the Middle Ages … you also learnt things which made your view of the period a little more complex.” - Independent

“…it's full of life, vitality and individuality … the programmes include jaunty animation of medieval manuscripts, quirky historical facts (‘in Wales, a peasant woman could divorce her husband on the grounds of bad breath’) and Jones in much dressing-up malarkey to bring history to life. Turn down the sound, and it could be a Monty Python production: an intentional ploy, you imagine, given the presenter.” - Guardian

“Jones makes an engaging companion through this rewardingly informative but reassuringly undemanding history lesson. He frequently seasons his script with just enough humour to leaven the commentary, and not so much that anyone could mistake it for a Monty Python spoof.” - The Times

“Jones laces the latest academic research with his own increasingly avuncular humour (though he can be dark and razor-sharp …). Who says history can't be fun? In the hands of Professor Jones, how could it be anything else?” - Observer