Medieval Europe: Knights, Kings, and Brutal Survival — Fexingo History

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  Medieval Knights and the Forgotten War of Attrition 12.10.2026 8Min.

  In this episode, we look past the glory of single combat to examine the grueling reality of the Chevauchée. Lucas and Luna discuss how Thomas Erpingham and Jean Froissart documented these scorched-earth raids during the Hundred Years' War. We explore the billet system that sustained armies and the economic devastation inflicted on French territory. The conversation also touches on the lives of lesser-known figures like Guillaume de Flavy and the bureaucratic weight recorded in the Pipe Rolls. From the strategic logic of burning crops to the psychological toll on peasants, this deep dive reveals how attrition, not just battles, decided the fate of medieval kingdoms. #HundredYearsWar #Chevauchee #ThomasErpingham #JeanFroissart #ScorchedEarth #BilletSystem #PipeRolls #GuillaumeDeFlavy #MedievalMilitaryHistory #BlackPrince #Agincourt #Feudalism #MedievalEconomy #WarOfAttrition #EnglishKnights #FrenchPeasantry #14thCenturyEurope #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  Medieval Siegecraft: The Trebuchet's Deadly Physics 11.10.2026 7Min.

  We revisit the brutal mechanics of medieval warfare, focusing on the trebuchet—the massive counterweight engine that defined sieges from the Hundred Years' War through the late Middle Ages. Lucas and Luna explore how engineers like John de Le Riva and Robert de Luke transformed simple physics into devastating artillery at key locations such as Berwick-upon-Tweed and Stirling Castle. You will hear about the specific construction techniques, including herringbone masonry designed to absorb shock, and the tactical use of murder holes and machicolations in castle defense. We also examine the human cost, looking at how these machines were not just tools of destruction but symbols of political power and economic strain. This episode moves beyond the myth of chivalry to look at the gritty engineering realities that decided who ruled Europe for centuries. #Trebuchet #Siegecraft #HundredYearsWar #BerwickUponTweed #StirlingCastle #JohnDeLeRiva #RobertDeLuke #HerringboneMasonry #MurderHoles #Machicolations #MedievalEngineering #Castles #WarfareHistory #EuropeanHistory #MedievalMilitary #Fortification #Ballistics #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  The Black Knight of Agincourt: A Medieval Prisoner's Life 10.10.2026 9Min.

  We left off talking about the brutality of siegecraft and the financial traps that ensnared knights, but today we are looking at a different kind of cage. This episode explores the life of Sir John Fastolf, the controversial English knight who survived the Hundred Years War not just by fighting, but by navigating the legal and social aftermath of capture. We dive into his time as a prisoner of war in France, where he was forced to wear the 'Black Knight' persona for ransom negotiations, and how this experience shaped his later military tactics. You will hear about the specific mechanics of medieval ransoms, the role of intermediaries like Guillaume de Flavy, and the complex web of loyalty and betrayal that defined noble status during conflict. Unlike the romanticized chivalric codes discussed in earlier episodes, Fastolf’s story reveals the pragmatic, often cold-blooded reality of survival in late medieval Europe. We examine primary sources from Pipe Rolls and personal correspondence to understand how a man labeled a coward by some peers became one of England’s wealthiest landowners through shrewd estate management and legal maneuvering after returning home. #JohnFastolf #Agincourt #HundredYearsWar #MedievalRansom #BlackKnight #GuillaumeDeFlavy #PrisonerOfWar #MedievalLegalHistory #EnglishKnights #FrenchNobility #15thCenturyEurope #MilitaryEconomics #ChivalryCode #MedievalPrisoners #EstateManagement #HistoricalBiography #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  The Forgotten Siege of Calais: Hunger and Heroism 09.10.2026 8Min.

  In Episode 256, we leave the battlefield for a moment to examine the siege of Calais in 1347, where Edward III’s patience turned into a weapon of mass starvation. While Agincourt and armor are familiar tropes, this episode explores the brutal diplomacy of surrender that followed. We look at the six burghers of Calais who offered their lives to save the city, guided by Eustace de Saint Pierre, and the role of Queen Philippa of England in tempering royal vengeance. This story reveals how medieval warfare was decided not just by swords but by logistics, hunger, and the fragile humanity of those left behind walls. #CalaisSiege #EdwardIII #EustaceDeSaintPierre #PhilippaOfEngland #HundredYearsWar #MedievalHistory #BurghersOfCalais #StarvationTactics #14thCentury #EnglishRoyalty #FrenchResistance #MedievalWarfare #HumanitarianLaw #RoyalClemency #Siegecraft #FexingoHistory #HistoryPodcast #MedievalEurope Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  Medieval Knights: The Forgotten War of Attrition 08.10.2026 6Min.

  While Agincourt and armor's suffocating weight have dominated recent episodes, this story focuses on the quiet, grinding reality of the chevauchée. We trace how English commanders like Thomas de Beauchamp turned raids into strategic tools, burning French fields not just for plunder but to break the economy that funded their enemies. We meet Jean Le Maingre, the Marshal of France, who tried to contain these raids through scorched earth policies that often backfired, leaving his own people starving. This episode explores the logistical nightmare of feeding an army on the move, the role of the billet system in occupying rural communities, and how the sheer exhaustion of constant raiding contributed more to the Hundred Years' War’s end than any single battlefield victory ever could. #HundredYearsWar #Chevauchee #ThomasErpingham #JeanLeMaingre #MedievalLogistics #ScorchedEarth #BilletSystem #EnglishRaids #FrenchEconomy #MedievalArmy #WarOfAttrition #PipeRolls #Billon #Gabelle #JeanFroissart #MedievalHistory #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  The Knight's Shadow: How Medieval Armor Killed Its Owners 07.10.2026 8Min.

  We often romanticize the medieval knight as an invincible warrior, clad in shining plate armor that defied swords and arrows. But beneath the polished steel lay a hidden crisis of heat, suffocation, and vulnerability. This episode explores the physiological reality of fighting in full harness during the late Middle Ages, focusing on the infamous incident at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. We examine how the extreme summer heat turned Richard II-style armor into lethal ovens for soldiers like Sir John Fastolf and Thomas Montagu, leading to deaths by exhaustion and drowning in mud rather than enemy blades. Lucas and Luna discuss the engineering trade-offs of Milanese and German armories, the role of ventilation holes like the *respiro*, and how the chivalric ideal of appearing impenetrable actually endangered the wearer more than any battlefield hazard. By looking at primary accounts from Jean Froissart and modern experimental archaeology, we reveal why some knights preferred lighter mail or even removed their helmets in combat, challenging the popular image of the armored tank. #MedievalArmor #BattleOfAgincourt #PlateArmor #RichardIIofEngland #JohnFastolf #ThomasMontagu #MilaneseArmory #GermanArmorers #HeatStress #Suffocation #Chivalry #JeanFroissart #ExperimentalArchaeology #Respiro #MailArmor #HundredYearsWar #HistoryPodcast #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  Medieval Knights: The Hidden Cost of Chivalry 06.10.2026 9Min.

  We often imagine medieval knights as noble warriors bound by a strict code of honor, but the reality was far more complex and often brutal. In this episode, we explore the life of Geoffroi de Charny, a man who wrote the definitive Book of Chivalry yet lived a life defined by violence and debt. We delve into the financial mechanics that kept these warrior elites in power, including the gabelle salt tax and the billon coinage that fueled their campaigns. Through the lens of Jean Le Maingre and the Boucicaut family, we uncover how chivalry was less about moral purity and more about social survival in a fractured Europe. Listen to discover how the romanticized image of the knight clashed with the harsh economic and political realities of the Hundred Years' War. #GeoffroiDeCharny #BookOfChivalry #JeanLeMaingre #Boucicaut #Gabelle #Billon #PipeRolls #HundredYearsWar #MedievalKnights #ChivalricCode #MedievalEconomics #FrenchHistory #MilitaryHistory #Feudalism #Warfare #14thCentury #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  The Knight's Silent War: Armor as Prison 05.10.2026 9Min.

  We often imagine medieval knights as invincible warriors clad in shining steel, but the reality of survival in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries was far more complex. This episode explores the hidden dangers that lay beyond the battlefield, focusing on the bureaucratic and social traps that ensnared even the most noble families. We examine the life of Jean Le Maingre, known as Boucicaut, whose career illustrates how chivalric reputation could become a financial death sentence. Through the lens of his experiences, we uncover the role of the gabelle salt tax and the billon coinage crisis in undermining knightly finances. Lucas traces how these economic pressures forced knights into precarious debt, while Luna helps us understand the human cost of maintaining an image of wealth that no longer existed. Together, they explore how the very codes of honor that defined medieval society contributed to its slow unraveling. #JeanLeMaingre #Boucicaut #MedievalKnights #Chivalry #Gabelle #Billon #PipeRolls #GeoffroiDeCharny #FeudalEconomy #MedievalHistory #14thCentury #15thCentury #FrenchNobility #MilitaryHistory #HistoricalFinance #SocialHistory #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  The Knight's Last Stand: Death at Agincourt 04.10.2026 9Min.

  We often romanticize the medieval knight as an invincible warrior, but the reality of 1415 was far more complex and tragic. In this episode, we examine the Battle of Agincourt through the eyes of those who survived it, focusing on the chaos that unfolded when the heavy armor became a liability rather than protection. We discuss the specific roles of commanders like Charles d'Albret and the Duke of Alencon, whose decisions led to disastrous bottlenecks in the narrow battlefield. We also explore how chroniclers like Jean De Wavrin and Enguerrand De Monstrelet recorded the horror of the slaughter, including the controversial orders given by Henry V regarding the killing of prisoners. This isn't just about archers; it is about the collapse of chivalric ideals under the pressure of mud, panic, and numerical disadvantage. By looking at the Pipe Rolls and the financial aftermath, we see how the battle reshaped not just the map of Europe, but the very definition of nobility and survival in the Hundred Years War. #Agincourt #HundredYearsWar #MedievalHistory #HenryV #CharlesdAlbret #DukeOfAlencon #JeanDeWavrin #EnguerrandDeMonstrelet #Chivalry #KnightArmor #BattlefieldTactics #MedievalFrance #EnglishArchers #PipeRolls #MilitaryHistory #FexingoHistory #HistoryPodcast #15thCentury Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  The Knight's Silent War: How Armor Became a Prison 03.10.2026 11Min.

  In Episode 250, we peel back the gleaming surface of medieval chivalry to reveal the brutal arithmetic of survival. While previous episodes explored logistics, siegecraft, and the hidden costs of armor, this conversation focuses on the psychological and physical reality of the battlefield’s most elite warriors. We examine the specific mechanics of how a knight’s reputation was built not just on victory, but on the terrifying prospect of capture and ransom. The episode details the life of Sir John Hawkwood, a condottiero who navigated the precarious balance between mercenary work and noble status, and explores the legal frameworks like the Statute of Labourers that tried to freeze social mobility in the wake of the Black Death. We also look at the tragic figure of Jean de Vienne, whose naval strategies against the English were hampered by internal political fractures in France. Through the lens of these individuals, we uncover how the code of chivalry often clashed with the economic necessities of war, creating a world where honor was a currency as volatile as silver. #MedievalHistory #Knights #Chivalry #BlackDeath #JohnHawkwood #JeanDeVienne #StatuteOfLabourers #Mercenaries #Condottieri #Feudalism #Ransom #Battlefield #Armor #France #England #14thCentury #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  The Black Death and the End of Feudal Chains 02.10.2026 10Min.

  In Episode 249, we step away from the battlefield to confront the true force that dismantled medieval Europe: the Bubonic Plague. While earlier episodes explored the mechanics of chivalry, armor, and siegecraft, this conversation examines how the pandemic of 1347–1351 shattered the demographic balance that sustained the feudal order. We trace the arrival of the disease through Sicilian trade routes and its rapid spread across Marseille, Paris, and London. Lucas details the catastrophic mortality rates that killed up to half the population in certain regions, creating a labor shortage so severe it empowered surviving peasants to demand wages rather than serfdom. Luna probes the social reactions, from the Flagellants’ self-flagellation rituals to the brutal repression of the Peasants’ Revolt in England and the Jacquerie in France. Together, they explore how the sheer scale of death forced kings and lords to rewrite the rules of survival, ultimately accelerating the decline of serfdom and laying the groundwork for the early modern economy. #BubonicPlague #BlackDeath #1348Pandemic #FeudalismEnds #PeasantRevolt #Jacquerie #EnglishRevolt1381 #WalterOfCobham #StatuteOfLabourers #MarseilleOutbreak #SicilyTradeRoutes #Flagellants #MedievalDemographics #LaborShortage #SerfdomDecline #JohnOfValois #RichardIIEngland #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  Medieval Knights and the Hidden Cost of Chivalry 01.10.2026 14Min.

  We often romanticize the medieval knight as a paragon of virtue, but the reality was far more transactional. In this episode, we explore the hidden economic machinery behind chivalric identity. We look at how knights like Jean Le Maingre, known as Boucicaut, managed their finances through complex debt traps and royal taxes like the gabelle. We discuss the role of the Pipe Rolls in tracking these debts and how the billon coinage facilitated daily survival for the warrior class. This is not just about bravery; it is about bankruptcy, inheritance laws, and the brutal arithmetic of maintaining a noble status in fourteenth-century France. #JeanLeMaingre #Boucicaut #MedievalEconomics #ChivalryCosts #PipeRolls #GabelleTax #BillonCoinage #GeoffroiDeCharny #MedievalDebt #FrenchKnights #14thCenturyHistory #NobleFinance #FeudalSystem #WarfareLogistics #HistoricalResearch #FexingoHistory #HistoryPodcast #Europe Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  The Knight's Hidden Debt Trap 30.09.2026 9Min.

  We often imagine medieval knights as wealthy warriors, but for many, the life of chivalry was a financial trap. In this episode, we explore the hidden economics behind the armor and the horse. We look at how men like Jean Le Maingre and Geoffroi de Charny navigated a world where honor came with a steep price tag. You will learn about the gabelle tax, the billon coinage used to pay ransoms, and how pipe rolls reveal the true cost of maintaining a noble status. We also examine the billet system and how knights funded their campaigns when royal support fell short. This is not just a story about swords, but about ledgers, loans, and the brutal reality of survival in a cash-poor economy. #MedievalEconomics #KnightlyDebt #GeoffroiDeCharny #JeanLeMaingre #Boucicaut #GabelleTax #BillonCoinage #PipeRolls #ChivalricCode #MedievalFinance #FeudalSystem #RansomCulture #ArmorCosts #HorseMaintenance #14thCenturyEurope #15thCenturyEurope #HistoryPodcast #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  The Knight's Last Stand: Death at Agincourt 29.09.2026 5Min.

  On October 25, 1413, the air above Agincourt was thick with mud and blood. We explore how Henry V’s victory wasn't just about longbows, but about a catastrophic collapse of French chivalric discipline. Lucas and Luna examine the specific decisions by Charles d'Albret and the Duke of Alençon that turned a tactical advantage into a massacre. You will hear about the compression of the battlefield, the failure of the rear ranks to advance, and the grim reality of the final moments for knights who found themselves trapped in their own armor. This episode moves beyond the legend of the English yeoman to look at the fatal structural flaws in the French command structure and the psychological shock that broke an entire generation of nobility. #Agincourt #HenryV #CharlesdAlbret #DukeOfAlencon #FrenchNobility #EnglishLongbow #MedievalWarfare #BattlefieldTactics #Chivalry #15thCentury #HundredYearsWar #JeanDeWavrin #EnguerrandDeMonstrelet #CulturalHistory #MilitaryHistory #Knights #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  Medieval Knights and the Hidden Cost of Chivalry 28.09.2026 6Min.

  We often romanticize the medieval knight as a paragon of virtue, but the reality was far more transactional. In this episode, we explore how the code of chivalry was less about moral purity and more about economic survival for the nobility. We look at the financial ruin that followed even successful campaigns, focusing on the gabelle tax in France and the billon coinage that inflated costs for soldiers. Lucas and Luna discuss how knights like Jean Le Maingre and Geoffroi de Charny navigated a system where honor came with a heavy price tag, leading many to engage in predatory lending and mercenary work just to keep their estates solvent. #MedievalHistory #Knights #Chivalry #GeoffroiDeCharny #JeanLeMaingre #Gabelle #Billon #Boucicaut #PipeRolls #MedievalEconomics #Nobility #Feudalism #Taxation #Coinage #France #England #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  The Knight's Silent War: How Armor Became a Prison 27.09.2026 7Min.

  We often imagine medieval knights as gleaming heroes, but the reality of combat was far more claustrophobic and dangerous. In this episode, we explore the hidden perils of plate armor, focusing on the work of Giovanni da Imola and Johannes Schilling. We examine how the heavy Milanese armory pieces, like the Kunstglocke bell helm, turned warriors into prisoners of their own protection. Lucas and Luna discuss the deadly physics of arrowslits, the terrifying sound of the Hundertjahriger Krieg, and how these innovations in warfare created a silent war within the battlefield. This deep dive reveals the brutal survival tactics required when your gear becomes a cage. #MedievalHistory #KnightsOfEurope #GiovanniDaImola #JohannesSchilling #MilaneseArmory #Kunstglocke #HundertjahrigerKrieg #PlateArmor #Arrowslits #WarfareHistory #ChivalryMyths #BlackDeath #14thCentury #15thCentury #FexingoHistory #HistoryPodcast #EuropeanHistory #MedievalLife Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  The Knight's Silent War: How Armor Became a Prison 26.09.2026 7Min.

  We often romanticize the medieval knight as an invincible warrior, but the reality of wearing plate armor was far more complex and physically demanding than popular culture suggests. In this episode, we explore the hidden physical toll that full harnesses took on men like Jean Le Fèvre and Guillaume de Lalaing, who had to endure extreme heat, limited visibility, and suffocating weight during campaigns. We examine how the evolution of Milanese armories created suits so effective they eventually became literal prisons, trapping their wearers in moments of crisis. Through the writings of Giovanni da Imola and the technical insights of Johannes Schilling, we uncover how knights managed basic needs like eating, drinking, and even relieving themselves while encased in steel. This conversation peels back the shine of chivalry to reveal the brutal, sweaty, and vulnerable human beings beneath the metal, offering a fresh perspective on medieval survival tactics that goes beyond battlefield heroics. #MedievalHistory #PlateArmor #JeanLeFevre #GuillaumeDeLalaing #MilaneseArmory #Chivalry #KnightsOfEurope #GiovanniDaImola #JohannesSchilling #HundertjahrigerKrieg #MedievalWarfare #HistoricalResearch #FexingoHistory #ArmorCraft #KnightLife #MedievalDailyGrind #HistoryPodcast #HumanCost Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  The Medieval Knight's Hidden Debt Trap 25.09.2026 7Min.

  We often imagine medieval knights as wealthy warriors, but their survival hinged on a precarious financial system that few discuss. This episode explores the 'billon' coins used for daily wages and the crushing 'gabelle' taxes that forced even nobles into debt. We examine how Jean Le Maingre and Geoffroi de Charny navigated these economic pressures, using letters of marque and strategic marriages to keep their estates solvent. The conversation also looks at the Pipe Rolls, which reveal the true cost of maintaining a household and an armorial wardrobe without going bankrupt. By focusing on the merchant class and the papal bankers who funded these campaigns, we see how chivalry was often just a carefully managed business venture. You will learn about the specific mechanisms of credit in fourteenth-century France and England, and how a single failed raid could erase generations of wealth. #MedievalEconomics #BillonCoins #GabelleTax #JeanLeMaingre #GeoffroiDeCharny #PipeRolls #FourteenthCentury #ChivalryCost #MedievalDebt #NobleBankruptcy #HistoricalFinance #FeudalSystem #MedievalHistory #FexingoHistory #HistoryPodcast #KnightLife #MedievalWarfare #EuropeHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  The Knight's Silent War: How Armor Became a Prison 24.09.2026 9Min.

  We often romanticize the medieval knight as a symbol of chivalric glory, but by the late fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, heavy plate armor had become a logistical nightmare. This episode explores how the evolution of full plate harnesses transformed mobility into a struggle, turning warriors into vulnerable targets of heat, exhaustion, and mechanical failure. We examine the lives of Jean Le Fèvre and Guillaume de Lalaing, whose diaries and chronicles reveal the brutal reality of donning fifty pounds of steel in summer campaigns. Through the lens of the maison dieu — those charitable institutions that helped knights mount their horses and manage their gear — we uncover the hidden infrastructure required to keep these armored men alive. From the suffocating heat inside the cuirassier’s helm to the sheer physical toll of daily combat drills, this story strips away the romance of the battlefield to reveal the sweat, strain, and silent suffering behind every joust and charge. #MedievalArmor #PlateArmor #JeanLeFevre #GuillaumeDeLalaing #Chivalry #MaisonDieu #Cuirassier #ChapeauDeFer #MedievalWarfare #KnightlyLife #15thCentury #Burgundy #Feudalism #MilitaryHistory #ArmorSmiths #HorseTransport #CombatExhaustion #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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  Medieval Siegecraft: The Trebuchet's Deadly Physics 23.09.2026 7Min.

  We explore the brutal engineering behind medieval siege warfare, focusing on the counterweight trebuchet that reshaped castle defenses in the thirteenth century. Lucas and Luna dissect how this machine replaced torsion-based catapults to hurl massive stones with terrifying consistency. We look at the specific contributions of engineer John de Le Riva and the defensive innovations like herringbone masonry designed to withstand such bombardment. From the mechanics of the sling release to the psychological terror it induced inside besieged walls, we uncover the silent war between attacker and defender. This episode moves beyond the romance of chivalry to examine the cold, hard physics of survival, diet, and destruction during sieges like those at Berwick upon Tweed and Stirling Castle. You will learn why armor became a prison and how logistics determined victory long before swords were drawn. #Trebechet #SiegeWarfare #MedievalEngineering #JohnDeLeRiva #HerringboneMasonry #StirlingCastle #BerwickUponTweed #Counterweight #MedievalHistory #Castles #MilitaryTech #EdwardI #RobertDeLuke #Chivalry #FexingoHistory #HistoryPodcast #MedievalEurope #Warfare Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo