Why do we choose sides in history, and what makes us feel so strongly about people who lived centuries ago? From Richard III and Eleanor of Aquitaine to Edward I and the Black Prince, discover how books, films, family history, place and even our own personalities can shape our historical loyalties.

Richard, Duke of York's death at Wakefield in 1460 is one of the most famous moments of the Wars of the Roses. But the road that led him there began years earlier, shaped by family ties, political rivalries, and a kingdom drifting towards conflict.

The troubadours of medieval France were more than poets and musicians—they were the voice of chivalry and love. Emerging in the courts of Aquitaine, their art flourished under the patronage of Eleanor of Aquitaine and her descendants. But their influence went beyond poetry, often carrying subtle political messages and critiques. From courtly love to coded messages, these highly sought-after entertainers shaped medieval culture.

Read on to discover the world of these lyrical storytellers and their ties to the Plantagenet dynasty.

Medieval society was a complex web of power, politics, and dynastic ambitions, and at the centre of it all was the royal court, comprising the monarch who held the reins of authority, as well as the nobles of the realm, and of course their ladies.

While queens and noblewomen fulfilled their roles as wives and mothers, there existed a fascinating group of women who wielded significant influence behind the scenes - the mistresses of the most important men in the kingdom, including the king himself. These enigmatic figures played an intriguing role in shaping medieval society, leaving a lasting mark on history as we know it.

Let us take a look at Joan, the “Fair Maid of Kent”. While she is celebrated for her captivating beauty and undeniable charm, it’s her tumultuous love life that truly steals the spotlight, a tale of three marriages, each one dripping with controversy and scandal.

One of the most famous and widely spoken love stories of the Middle Ages, that of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster and Katherine Swynford, would even today, after over 500 years have its descendants sitting on the throne of England.

The legend of the sword Durandal has captured the imagination of many for centuries, given to the famed knight Roland by Charlemagne, king of the Franks, it was said to be both powerful and mystical. Embedded in the cliff face at Rocamadour in Southern France you will not be disappointed with this site of medieval pilgrimage

Is this a case of misjudgment in the pages of history, based on one well-quoted phrase?

When John FitzGilbert broke faith with King Stephen, he knew full well what could happen. The king threatened to hang his 5-year-old son, who he was holding as a hostage, John is reported to have said “Hang him, I still have the hammers and the anvils with which to forge still more and better sons”

Was John FitzGilbert simply a man of his times, pragmatic and brutal? Was he a heartless and uncaring father, or was he instead a very clever and perceptive man who took a chance and played his cards right?

There are some histories that demand more than a straightforward telling.

The Albigensian Crusade is one of them.

This was not a brief eruption of violence, but a long and deeply unsettling period in the life of southern France, one that reshaped communities, beliefs, and landscapes over decades. It is a history marked by fear and loss, but also by resilience, conviction, and the quiet endurance of ordinary people.

When we look back on this period, it is tempting to focus only on the brutality of what occurred. To reduce places like Béziers, Carcassonne, and Montségur to the moments that sealed their place in history.

But these were living places long before they became symbols. And their stories did not end when the fighting did.

Were the Legendary Courts of Love real?

This is a topic that has divided historians for centuries and will probably go on to divide them for many more to come

The Angevins were one of medieval Europe’s most powerful dynasties, but according to legend, there was something rather sinister lurking in their family tree. Discover the extraordinary stories of a mysterious Countess of Anjou, Melusine and the supernatural ancestry that became entwined with Plantagenet history.