Medieval Lives

[babomb]

Watch (or tape) the History Channel on January 3rd starting at 6 PM Central time:

Medieval Lives
The Knight
30 mins.

The role of knights in the Middle Ages, separating facts from myths. Included: the code of chivalry. Host: Terry Jones.

And at 6:30 Central:

Medieval Lives
The Monk
30 mins.

Exploring the role monks played in the Middle Ages. Included: a profile of the monk, St. Benedict. Host: Terry Jones.

 

[Wombat]

All I can say is that I hope these shows are a LOT better than Terry's take on the Crusades...

 

[Mark Chance]

All I can say is that I hope these shows are a LOT better than Terry's take on the Crusades...

Which was?

 

[Mark]

Reminder bump...

 

[Mark]

Two new ones this week...

"The King"
Richard the Lionheart; Richard II; Richard III.

&

"The Damsel"
Women run businesses and lead armies.

 

[Wombat]

Which was?

Oops, sorry, didn't see this...

Terry Jones, in wanting to make a popular and slightly controversial package, overplayed his hand in what he saw as the background for the Crusades. He pressed the notion that religious extremism in Europe created religious extremism in the Near East, ignorning every bit of evidence that might suggest otherwise. He ignored most of the factors dealing with the relations betweens the Turks (relative newcomers to the area) and the Byzantine Empire, which led to the request by the Byzantines for aid from the "Franks" (westerners). He also spends very little time talking about the later crusades (post Third Crusade), mainly because the later crusades were not as colourful and exciting -- he even gives the Fourth Crusade (wht the sacking of Constantinople by the Crusaders) pretty short shrift, which I found sad.

Terry Jones has wanted for years to be taken more seriously as a medieval historian. He has put out two books on Chaucer (one a re-examination of Chaucer's Knight, who Jones is determined is a mercenary, and a recent one in which he "proves" Chaucer was murdered, on very slim evidence). The problem is that he tends to get an "exciting" idea and follows it through as far as he can, blithely ignorning any evidence that doesn't fit his theory. So while I find his material an interesting read/watch, I always take it with a pinch (or even pillar) of salt and check him against other more reputable historians.

 

[Dogbrain]

Medieval Lives seems to be more careful. He actually provides sources for many of his claims and doesn't deviate so much from the material.

What I would love to see would be a show where some totally hard-nosed historians provided the information and insisted on good fact-checking and Mr. Jones was in charge of "bringing it alive"--within the supervision of the historians.

 

[Mark]

Medieval Lives seems to be more careful. He actually provides sources for many of his claims and doesn't deviate so much from the material.

What I would love to see would be a show where some totally hard-nosed historians provided the information and insisted on good fact-checking and Mr. Jones was in charge of "bringing it alive"--within the supervision of the historians.

I'd love to see The Western Tradition remade as a commercial venture with someone like Terry Jones do some "on location" work. Eugen Weber could probably keep him on the straight path with the facts.

 

[Eben]

Television just isn't the right medium for learning something about history. I rather enjoyed the Terry Jones series, but not as a serious or in depth study on the subject. It's just fun seeing a man plodding through desert and sea in armour. It's nice to have some visual support to what you read.

Regards,

Peter

 

[Mark]

Two new ones this week...

"The Alchemist"
Medieval scientists understand more than modern people credit.

&

"The Minstrel"
Traveling performers get caught up in wars and political wranglings.