Advice for time traveling to medieval Europe

Watch this video before visiting the European Middle Ages.
SUGGESTED READING
• Steven A. Epstein, An Economic and Social History of Later Medieval Europe, 1000-1500 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009).
• Urban Tignor Holmes, Jr., Daily Living in the Twelfth Century (Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1952).
• Ian Mortimer, The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England (London: The Bodley Head, 2008).
• Paul B. Newman, Daily Life in the Middle Ages (Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, 2001).
• Jeffrey L. Singman, Daily Life in Medieval Europe (Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1999).
FAQ
• What about traveling there as a woman?
My advice applies to both men and women (except for the bit about clergy, obviously). Men and women will have to give the same amount of attention to constructing their backstory, including their marital status, because people will ask either way. Women went on pilgrimages. While most women (and men) worked on farms, women in towns did engage in economic activities like shopkeeping and weaving. It was rare for a woman to work as a long-distance merchant, but it did happen, typically as a widow whose husband had been a merchant.
• But what about a woman traveling alone?
When I said, "Travel in a group, don't travel alone," I meant it. Solo travel is not advised, regardless of gender. Even the medieval people themselves traveled in groups.
CORRECTIONS
• I said William of Rubruck was from the Netherlands but he was actually Flemish. Apologies to my Flemish viewers.
• In the anecdote where William of Rubruck met the Buddhist monks, he was confused at first but he did figure out in the course of talking to them that they were not Christian. I misremembered the passage. So I'd say Buddhists would probably just be understood as pagans in medieval Europe.
• The magic I discuss in the video is known as natural magic. There was also another form of magic I didn't talk about where you perform occult rituals to persuade demons to do things for you. That's known as demonic magic.
0:00 Intro
1:52 Health
2:56 Personal safety
7:49 Do not leave personal items unattended
11:35 Money
14:25 Where to sleep
17:01 Where to eat
17:57 Language barrier
22:54 Social class
24:42 Backstory
30:22 Shopping
30:47 What if you're not white?
40:16 What if you're not Catholic?
46:32 Witchcraft
48:25 Arriving via time travel
49:31 Time travel discretion
51:49 More on witchcraft
55:25 Medicine
59:45 Good luck!

[@ZLink0692]

Dude actually made me believe I was going for a sec

[@jamalsafeer7405]

Literally 😹😹, I was listening to this in bed and wanted to go

[@fabio.1]

Let's do it as a group as instructed in his video

[@ToniToniToniToni]

if only 😭​@@fabio.1

[@user-jq1mg2mz7o]

​@@fabio.1 im actually a little excited at the idea of a canterbury tales style pilgrim caravan of modern time travellers bumbling about, talking funny and acting wrong with badly fitted clothes 😂

[@fabio.1]

@@user-jq1mg2mz7o 😂 let's do it

[@Reilola]

this was the sneakiest history lesson i have ever received

[@sierrasmith8722]

💀

[@heyjoji1954]

Ong through out this lesson I legit thought “Oh okay good to know cause I don’t wanna do that”

[@jamesschuyler8068]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@M1N1Girl007]

Now for your spelling lesson on *received

[@Reilola]

@@M1N1Girl007 mistakes sneak in

[@bluepineapples7818]

You should make a video of advice for a medieval person travelling to the modern world

[@annabulk1]

They would be immediately killed by our wonderfully evolved viral and bacterial biota

[@user-yc9yr8ci2l]

That would be fascinating. Trying to describe modern views and systems in medieval terms. Do it @Premodernist !

[@sallyjohns1528]

There is a problem here - a man from the Middle Ages has already broken the phone on which this video would have been shown to him

[@letso1000]

The medieval person would be incapable of such advanced technology, bluepineapples7818. I do not think they would gain much from such a video.

[@Ptaku93]

WaitButWhy did an article on this a couple of years ago (maybe 10 already). Basically, the shock from all the modern tech and how the stuff has changed would be so great that the medieval person would get an instant stroke and die, probably while puking profusely. Bad idea

[@user-nc9mr7gu3u]

Don't forget your universal translator, water filtration/purification system, and of course your towel. But seriously, I didn't realize a lot of these towns had curfews. This video was a pretty cool way to talk about history. Would love to see more Advice for Time Traveling type videos!!

[@FarsonArson]

We do not recommend flying when I'm this time period. You will be burned on a stake

[@Anti_Rabbit_Carrot]

Yes, remember; don’t forget to bring a towel.

[@trijezdci4588]

Water was not for drinking. They drank ale instead.

[@necromancer6405]

@@trijezdci4588 You can drink water as well, it just wasn't as clean.

[@Mikamichae]

​@@necromancer6405 yeah and risk literally dying

[@Shay33s]

This man found a smart way to make us sit through telling us all about the Medieval period

[@Cris-tu1sn]

lol

[@vinegro4579]

Hey some of us really find these eras very interesting. 😅

[@Shay33s]

@@vinegro4579 deffo. I love Victorian era .. even tho I’d prob hate it if I act lived in it sometimes things like that just seem reli intriguing.

[@Randald]

I've been manipulated like a toddler.

[@mrantero01]

This is actually a really good way to teach. If I was a history teacher I would 100% do this with my students

[@MrGetItDone7]

perfect timing for this vid I was just stressing out planning my time trip

[@greenerthanthetrees]

Timing? You didn't think to travel forward to check for new vids first?

[@patavinity1262]

Surely if you have access to a time machine, all timings are equally perfect.

[@L_Train]

Not for me. I just got back!

[@hl2303]

@@patavinity1262Or equally imperfect. Oh my god, does time really exist? What is the meaning of the universe? Who am I??

[@grandpapac1622]

Don't tell them about the chicken nuggies.

[@jeanefpraxiadis1128]

My travel insurance doesn’t want to cover this.

[@HyenaPaint]

You need to add the time clause to your travel insurance. It’s a little pricey, but worth it. This ensures a 60% return on any time related incidents. I would also add the grandfather paradox clause, in case you end up becoming your own ancestor- and the bootstrap clause in case you accidentally create an infinite loop. Trust me, you don’t want to deal with the fall-out from that if you aren’t insured.

[@sexgod57able]

This. Pony up. The more insurance you can afford the better.

[@vee1766]

"I don't know, slave owners are weird" is truly one of the highlights of this video.

[@stevenobrien557]

Was kind of childish to be honest

[@TheFishingNomad]

Just checking in from 2054. I have to say that this is still the most accurate travel guide to medieval Europe. Nothing better has come out in the last 31 years.

[@miyod]

Have you visited 2046? No spoilers but there was a really good one posted then. Only lasted a few weeks online, though... If you are planning on going, look up a time travel guide for that year. And don't make the same mistake I did, don't forget the broom.

[@JawBreaker1.]

Well thats cute, i am from 2098. The world hell, Nuclear war started in 2059 and everything is dry and poisoness. I am using the Time Machine (TM 9-X7) newest model since 2045 to come here. I am never returning back. Which Time Machine model are u using?

[@m0n4rch911]

​@@JawBreaker1.Don't worry, I stopped that one since nuclear winter rendered my solar panels weak. Though I guess someone adjusted it since when I got back the sky was on fire so I yeeted out of that hellscape and decided to stay in 2020 since its a quiet time of year and the memes were spicy. I say neigh on travel guides and just advice to wing it so it's more exciting

[@jjkillian1456]

Can anyone help me get back to 2056? I need to get my family out before the 2059 war, but I used an old school flux capacitor based time machine (The Chinese knockoff version that looked like the classic 80's stories). Now I'm stuck here in 2023. I've got a nice little piece of land secured in 1456 that I want to take the family to and be save and secure

[@alexanderlamothe1896]

Someone was born today that does not yet know about the fact that they will be 31 when that year comes

[@Gubru]

I am not going to lie: if this was presented in any other fashion I would be extremely bored; but, presenting it from a Time Traveller's perspective is an ingenious move. I would love to see more!

[@ouareaugirl]

Have you read How to Invent Everything by Ryan North? Takes a v similar approach but with a focus on science & tech :)

[@explosu]

​@@ouareaugirl Damn lol, this is one of the books I wanted to write. Ah well, in the same spirit I'll just bring it back with me if I travel to the mid aughts and "invent" it then.

[@bluupadoop]

Funny that you say that, cause I think the only criticism I have of this video is that it is presented in this strange format. I would actually prefer to get the information without the pretense. Why would the format change your enjoyment of the information, just curious? There's a ton of fascinating information in here that I'm glad I know now, despite the format

[@What-go8ng]

i think its pretty cool, it defies a lot of misconceptions about the time

[@Galaxy-um4dj]

​@@bluupadoopcuz it tricks my brain into think this is necessary information. It's harder to be interested in learning something useless

[@somnambulist7705]

I’m off to London next week, this has been very helpful

[@finnlinnsone]

underrated comment 😭

[@viktordickinson7844]

You'll need advice for travelling to modern day india for that trip

[@juanignaciolopeztellechea9401]

​@@viktordickinson7844 Sorry i didn't get that joke, could you dissect that frog?

[@augusthands9932]

​@@juanignaciolopeztellechea9401 It's just garden variety racism. There are lots of Asian immigrants in London. Not that there aren't shitloads of other immigrants, this person probably just hates brown people.

[@elcucuy4103]

@@viktordickinson7844 modern day. Iraq 🇮🇶

[@Bluetoothedshark]

And, the WiFi is terrible.

[@tranholmen]

If I was a history teacher I would have my students do travel guides for different destinations during different times. This really makes you focus and pay attention.

[@Tirryna]

Omg.. that'd be a great idea! Even fun!

[@thecourtlyalchemist]

It takes away a lot of the dry side of history and makes it fun, too.

[@jacksabschaum4799]

awesome

[@The_Dim_Vanced]

I, for one, was extremely focused while watching this

[@The_Phoenix_Saga]

I do believe there was a cartoon in my youth that had a similar premises to this...

[@Blindseeker82033]

This is a brilliant premise for a historian to use as a gateway to educate on any historical period. You MUST do more.

[@juujyy2763]

is your pfp manly p. hall?

[@freyaporter99]

The description had this in suggested reading but if you liked this video, read the book "The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England" - I've been making my way through it as slow bedtime reading and it's delightfully written, if you like the tone of this video you'll really enjoy it!

[@kiwaminski]

@@freyaporter99Thanks a bunch for the suggestion! Was wondering if there was literature of similar nature and had neglected to check the description. Will definitely check it out!

[@QuackersMcCrackers]

Indeed, he must... Otherwise the consequences shall be *dire* 😠

[@theforcefor]

I agree

[@caijon123]

This is a fucking top tier youtube video holy shit

[@CBBovey]

This came up as a recommended video; it’s one of the most interesting and entertaining KZbin videos I have watched in a while.

[@andlemmejustsayJus]

Will it put me to sleep. Just took sleep meds and yeah.

[@kentslocum]

This video perfectly demonstrates why Medieval records fail to mention time travelers--the travelers were either extremely well prepared and blended right in, or didn't even bother to go because it was too much hassle. 😂

[@martink6092]

Or they blended in by being badly prepared, and promptly dying of dysentery.

[@moussanoir2807]

Following this, we could conjecturate that the Roswell aliens were the unprepared ones.among other aliens, at least regarding the New Mexico thunderstorms.

[@re.agents]

@@moussanoir2807 correct

[@m0llux]

They all watched this video obviously.

[@seltonk5136]

All I know is this guy oozes sexual charisma

[@finn_underwood]

I have, no joke, always wanted to see a series like this. The idea of using "So you've found yourself stuck in the past. Here's what you need to know" as a framing device to deliver historical education feels like a perfect recipe and I'm elated someone else thought of the idea and then actually had the expertise to *make* it. I hope this continues.

[@izzynobre]

You’ll love The Knowledge. It’s a book framed as if there’s a society-destroying cataclysm coming and what you’d need to know to rebuild society. It covers literally everything!

[@Melancthon7332]

Check out Connie Willis' Doomsday Book. It's a SF story about how time travel exists, and history professors are in charge of it. Really well thought out and researched, and a clever and entertaining read.

[@Justfranktbh]

@@izzynobreI’ll look it up sounds interesting

[@Swarm509]

While not a history book Michael Crichton's "Timeline" is quite good as a time travel book to 1357. It does cover a lot of how a modern person would interact with this world but is a science fiction book first. Much better then the movie of the same name.

[@_SoBored]

Toldinstone channel did a nice series called "A Time Traveler's Guide to Ancient Rome" .

[@pinagalaxia]

KZbin recs knows me too well. I've been telling friends and family about what I would do if I went to medieval Europe for the last few months, and now I have this comprehensive guide. Thank you, good sir.

[@buddyscaglini]

They know your thoughts.

[@annavt1792]

I watched this video right before my most recent Medieval Europe trip. Excellent advice! Thanks for keeping me alive dude

[@Nubsicles]

I started this telling myself “No way I’m sitting through this entire 1 hour video” and 59 minutes in I realized I needed another 2 hours. This was excellent.

[@mrw0lf364]

I felt exactly the same!

[@Lee-wh3ht]

This guy proved money isn’t the goal

[@firelock9080]

Well said sir!

[@netovalcacer359]

I'm watching for the third time, the whole thing! 😅😂

[@jackangel4502]

Yo negro, what exactly do you think they would do to an Abyssinian brother like you in medieval Europe??? Remember, they didn't have any BS ideas like "multiculturalism" or "social justice" back then, homeboy!!!

[@Jess-zm5xt]

This is so iconic, I feel like framing history like this in school would make people interested in learning instead of just memorizing facts

[@EEEEEEEE]

E‎ ‎

[@CaliTheRaven]

E

[@stlouisix3]

The vaccine idea is completely wrong. Germ theory is false. European people knew that during the Middle Ages/Mid-to-late Mediaeval period.

[@hammondOT]

Do you know what the word iconic means?

[@supitschillbro]

why were you just memorizing facts? that’s a bad way to think about school

[@dlandon2000]

Thank you, this was very useful. Just got back from 1455 Köln. Had a great time!

[@m5aweallyel]

Instructions unclear.. I’m in jail in 1337

[@AstralMarmot]

Well there's your problem guy - he said travel **between** 1100 - 1300. You gotta follow instructions. But kudos for finding a hotspot!

[@wvhdogg]

As someone from medieval Europe who travelled to the future I can confirm this is accurate

[@millianarakuzen]

How long do you get used to modern technology? 🤔

[@cjheighton]

Ah yes, a vampire or immortal being. How goes it?

[@lpnp9477]

Sorry if I'm doxxing you but are you Nandor the relentless? Or is it de laurentiis?

[@guitarslim56]

Your English is quite good for a Medieval Frenchman.

[@ironymatt]

Well, howdy Pilgrim!

[@degariuslozak2169]

As a time traveller,this has served me well throughout my medieval travels

[@SpaghettyLuvsU]

He did a second part in 2031, you should check it out

[@trapstoner]

Guys do you recommend his guide about the Mesozoic era he posted in 2037?

[@SquirrltheRiddl]

u gys shld c HVL 3042

[@isaiahdelgado7146]

Bro imma need them powerball numbers

[@genewitch]

@@isaiahdelgado7146 better to know what stocks are going to be huge that are currently low value, new IPOs, and get in early. Yeah, you don't get half billion now, but with enough variety in stocks (or whatever) you'll be rich and invisible. Just tell people you let your cat pick stocks or something. I know the modern thinking of the stock market precludes this from working, but i think the theories don't really account for "perfect foreknowledge".

[@ryanmoorevideo]

I got bored of listening to music in the gym and the YT algorithm brought me here….I am now mentally prepared for my time travel to medieval Europe

[@qww760]

Good for you ❤ Now you just need to save money for a time travel machine 😂

[@Pnq2000]

The tangent about coins is amazing

[@sydney4242]

Honestly love how detailed this was for a non-existent scenario.

[@kringle7804]

Wdym nonexistent I just came back from 1350s England

[@arvohyvarinen4975]

whatd you think of it? im kinda curious of going myself@@kringle7804

[@zeytelaloi]

It's good for people writing fiction and so on.

[@madshoisgaard]

Actually regression hypnosis goes to previous lives all the time as maybe you are aware.. that is of course not exactly a time machine, as you go to previous, not present experiences ;D

[@collinbeal]

​@@madshoisgaardtheosophic orientalist appropriation 🤮

[@billybarnacky8360]

As someone who day dreams about traveling to different periods in history frequently, I am thrilled this video exists.

[@CedrickTudge]

Be honest, it's 1,000,000 BC to find Raquel Welch

[@timothyg1986]

I'm not alone, I do this even with dinosaurs.

[@Blox117]

time to visit the painter with a funny mustache

[@behindthen0thing525]

​@timothyg1986 I don't think you'd survive long in a dinosaur world without lots of military grade equipment

[@jordanhicken7812]

Glad it’s not just me

[@unsaltedskies]

Whos still watching in 3125?

[@xxebazz]

Please keep videos long! this is so entertaining to listen to. Thanks for uploading it!

[@mikehs5350]

I'm from 2125 and I've got to say that this was an amazing advice. Unfortunately traveling to the medieval europe was prohibited by the government 3 years ago.

[@spinakker14]

Can you travel back 4 years in time, then travel from 2121 to medieval Europe?

[@princela48]

​@@spinakker14Real clever, but unfortunately the time police monitor all possible realities for violators of the law In fact I might be arrested in the present for trying this method in the future

[@SergioGonzalez-ew2po]

STOP SMOKING THAT SHIT.....Still on DRUGS...100 YEARS???...Give me a break....DIDNT THEY INVENTED something different???

[@TheDancerMacabre]

My bad on that! I didn't know my Mega herpes would spread that fast!

[@sam.nothanks]

👀​@@princela48

[@ShamblerDK]

This is a really, _really_ good way to learn history. Putting yourself into a situation, where you'd need practical application for all this knowledge.

[@Gubru]

Absolutely! I found myself absolutely captivated, and then I realized I just spent an hour learning about medieval history. Absolutely fantastic.

[@trisageonamoux9100]

The other practical application for this type of knowledge is to realize humans have really not changed much at all only our frame of reference.

[@monadamus42]

Lol, indeed, great point.

[@thesylvanrose]

wow i was so happy to sit through this long form content, plenty of chuckles and new tidbits in my pocket...my brain and I thank you for sharing! 🖤

[@Mia-qw4ms]

you need to know that this was completely amazing. the time-travel idea is such an amazing concept to encourage education. i would love to see more of this!!

[@chiefmonrovia6691]

This'll probably get lost in the sea of comments here, but my absolute favorite thing about this video, and all of your other ones, is you leave in the moments where you're thinking. You leave in the little vocal pauses, or moments when you say something one way, but then correct it slightly. It's so human, it's so conversational, it's one of the best ways to keep a listener engaged because it doesn't feel like memorizing a history lesson, it's having a one sided conversation about history

[@nijnij3988]

Totally agree. I also think it makes for a much more relaxing listen, because it's not a load of information coming at you super fast, but really just that natural feel of an actual person talking to you

[@francesmelville2918]

I love it because it really reminds me of a university lecture with your super lovely friendly history professor

[@rawbones4117]

I miss when videos like this were commonplace. I've dubbed the modern version of making "content" in which they implore "zoomer editing". Aka: almost every pause and sometimes (worst case) the spaces between words and sentences are shortened or cut. It's to keep up with the children who have 0 attention span or people who click off the second they lack amusement. It's poisoned tons of otherwise well-meaning people broadcasting on the internet.

[@ilikethelakers5423]

WTF are you saying

[@eos_aurora]

@@rawbones4117 it’s not due to attention span, it’s content medium. This video is essentially a podcast, so the pauses are interesting to listen to because it improves a conversational listening. It’s VERY good as a podcast. For a video meant to be watched, you need to be more engaging, and part of that is being fluid. Pauses are for emphasis and intentional reflection when trying to engage people, anything else (excepting the ends of sentences) should be removed. Source: this is literally my job, I have a marketing masters and teach people how to be engaging speakers.

[@llNightRoudll]

Found my lil bro watching this, I literally can't believe he willingly watched a hour long middle ages video instead of playing Fortnite, this way to present history like you're time traveling is crazy, schools should start to teach kids like this

[@GaemingStudios]

Your lil bro is a real one for watching this

[@BuizelCream]

Your lil bro has learned a lot. Hope his curiosity continues to get honed more for his benefit

[@HectoGames]

I wouldnt be surprised if you found him trying to build a time machine next week

[@han-sn8tu]

lol maybe I can get my lil bro to watch this too

[@poodtang2104]

There is hope yet.

[@Froggy-Frogs]

You know, it's wonderful that your foreign language pronunciation is so accurate. Italian and German both. Love that. And of course your entire narration style, loose narration (with the clever trick of referring back and forth between present and historic time) interspersed with concise deepdives into specific topics. So nice. I'll note that down for future educational projects!

[@kat_astrophe4279]

PLEASE MAKE MORE OF THESE!!! Personally, I’m not a time traveler, but this is very useful for writing practical historical fiction :)

[@Op37373]

Sounds like something a time traveler would say

[@kaybee328]

exactly what a time traveler would say.. 😉

[@everrettbreezewood3665]

Is it just me, or is that something a time traveler would say?

[@JMCCDG26000]

Nerddd

[@Circa2000s]

You’re definitely a time traveler 🤣

[@robto]

What you explained in the video is very similar to my experience of visiting Chinese villages as a black man back in the years 2017-2020: Yes, people were very friendly and curious; yes, they bombarded me with questions and always wanted to know more about the world outside; yes, people that I didn't know invited me for dinner in their houses; yes, plenty of people tried to scam me and take something from every time I traveled alone 😅 I also find it curious that when I was in Tibetan and Muslim communities in China they were very obsessed in asking what my religion was. It was all about religious identity, not even my skin color.

[@premodernist_history]

Your comment reminds me of a guy on TikTok. His account is called BoBo. He hangs out in a village cooking food and inviting his elderly friend over for dinner. That's so cool you were able to be in China that long. That must have been amazing. I've always wanted to travel around China but I haven't had the chance.

[@zack2804]

The first person to perform an Islamic call to prayer (Adhan) was an Ethiopian who was also a former slave (under Pagans). That's one of the main reasons as to why skin color isn't emphasized in Islam.

[@josephrobinson6171]

​@@zack2804is that why the longest running and largest slave trade ever was the Arab slave trade of sub-saharan africans?

[@kakkakapwppwow]

​@@josephrobinson6171they had slaves of all kinds, sub Saharan Africans were just easier to enslave and conquer.

[@zack2804]

@@josephrobinson6171 No, there’s no correlation lol. Pre-Islamic Arabia was pagan and Mecca was a merchant city where slaves were sold. This is a historical fact, if only you could read. Also Atlantic Slave Trade 🤫

[@seechee]

I need more long form videos plz. I’ve played this and other vids from your channel on repeat every night these last two weeks of my pregnancy. Super entertaining to legit listen to, but also super comforting narration to sleep to; helped me manage the sleeplessness and discomfort in good spirits!

[@SaltedMoose]

I started making mental notes, then realised what i was doing.

[@Chatgbt221]

I just got back from 1260 South England this fall. It was fantastic, and the weather was fantastic at the time of the century. Only problem we had over and over again was prevalent anti-Nordic prejudices. If you’ve got white blonde hair, you’ll find it hard securing accommodation in most rural areas. Be aware, dye your hair!

[@BuntingClipClop]

Hahaha! Cute!

[@ArnoldVeeman]

😂😂😂 really nice one 😂😂😂

[@pontifex9285]

a) like there weren't blond Englishmen, b) like Vikings were still a problem in 1260 🙄

[@CorePathway]

Pack a couple extra zippo lighters. On my last trip I got 2 milk cows and a goat for mine, not to mention a lot of attention from the local ladies.

[@paullarsen4987]

​@pontifex9285 Racism is passed down through generations.

[@cheeseplate7844]

I would love to see this turn into a series! Different periods, different countries... the possibilities.

[@AverageAlien]

Bot comment

[@cheeseplate7844]

@@AverageAlien Beep boop?

[@user-kx8pu6ys5i]

​@@cheeseplate7844beep buwup

[@funniefluffyfun9398]

@@cheeseplate7844blab blab bieb bieb

[@SirDondelinger]

"What not to do" in the year 1492.

[@emmacurtis2270]

I love how seriously this video takes this concept -- I feel prepared, let's go!

[@tebetdwellers3202]

Impeccable timing, wanted to go back. Glad i stopped by. Cheers mate

[@gisellabarker3146]

Glad to see the time travel community is thriving

[@Scottagram]

That disclaimer at the start was excellent. I never considered that snooping around a medieval castle would be welcomed with the same enthusiasm as snooping around a modern army barracks.

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

If you could pretend you were of the right social status you could probably get an invitation from the castle owner, who’d be pleased to host you in order to exchange news with you. And one invitation would lead to a letter of recommendation to a neighbouring castle. Also, it’s well known that when the owners were away, impoverished staff would be happy to host visitors for a small monetary contribution.

[@1v966]

also the president and his whole family happen to live in said barracks

[@Tonyx.yt.]

or trying to sneak into a billionaire mansion with armed security guards...

[@JJONNYREPP]

Advice for time traveling to medieval Europe 0959am 21.11.23 HYPOTHETICALLY SPEAKING: OYE! OYE! ...........OYE! regards religious practices and belief....they were all at it - converting - forced or no - to fit in with the general populace of the region they dealt...whether on a pilgrimage or when delving into the mercantile aspects of said region. to your Way of thinking, though: i wouldn't be surprised if the average joe had a hydra headed approach to religion - old Baphomet would have been proud. and, as we know, the masonic legacy lives on!! as do the troubles. and, to your way of thinking, the wily would have set off from Europe, tasked with seeing a boat load of worshippers through Europe and into the middle east, knowing which influential people to cosey up to in both religious doctrine and the customs of the places passed through... just like any good holiday rep would do today!!.... anyhow; yer opening up an old stuffy library interaction from many years ago, for me, which delt with this topic - specifically, the crusades..... and most aspects of nowadays society re: prejudice and cliques stem from 900 AD to the present day. i think you are, maybe, looking at this from a crafty modern perspective as though you need to dupe folk to get by or find safe passage through a region and their peoples...crackpots are usually are left be. so that may bode well for a time travellers endeavours. be a bit loopy!! speaking as an i, ludicrous!!! i, personally, would say you all need go watch evil dead 3 - the more comedic variant of the franchise. and, maybe, alfred jarry's alleged obsession with time travel - which, we find, must surely be water based...

[@wiktoriakarinaswiatek1528]

Thank you for your work! This was super pleasant to listen to. This might be the best history lesson I’ve attended.

[@cheryshstrong]

I literally think about this scenerio all the time. Even today. So thank you for posting this.

[@Declan_Moriarty]

The fact that a medieval traveller could get food and shelter from a stranger, and that one would let a traveling stranger dine and sleep in their home is wild by today’s standards. Imagine trying that today?!

[@marteiasi]

Couch surfing is a pretty big thing :-) And it happens (rarely) that I invite travellers to my home, usually they are backpackers. and it happened to me that i was stranded somewhere and was invited to stay with someone.

[@calebr908]

​@@marteiasithat is done between friends usually. Not complete strangers

[@Nervadane]

Do you accept cannibals

[@gregorybertrand645]

I remember back in college I was drinking at a bar and talking to this guy. I lost track of time and missed the last bus to campus and it wouldn't been hours walking. The guy let me stay on his couch for the night and I'd only known him for a few hours at most.

[@CHAAAAAOTIC]

@@Nervadanebro WHAT. Where did that even come from

[@TheNazzerDawk]

This would make a great series. Imagine a tv show presented this way, a realistic portrayal of time travel to Medieval Europe. ❤

[@TheSimianDeity]

It would get very repetitive, because 95% of this advise would apply to almost any other pre-modern setting you could name. The truth is that human life has changed more in the past 200 years than in the whole of the ~5000 years of recorded history that preceded it.

[@TheNazzerDawk]

@TheSimianDeity sure, if you make it JUST a fish out of water tale. But if you make it about human relationships you can get a ton of millage off it. For reference, Stephen King's novel 11/22/63 could have just been about a time traveller from the 2010s in the 1950s, or could have just been about said time traveller trying to stop the Kennedy assassination, but instead was also about so so much more, to the point that a great deal of the book it stops being a time travel story and starts to just be an excellent romance set in the 1950s and 60s.

[@lucbloom]

“Outlander” has some of these elements. But it focuses too much on the romance part for my taste. I would love a TV series about an entrepreneur time traveling back and trying to establish themselves through wit and knowledge about science, history and modern psychology.

[@Aluunyax3]

If it was netflix atleast 60% of the population would be african

[@moonlaney]

@@lucbloom I know it isn’t a perfect match but I enjoyed the show ‘Timeless’ a lot. It does have an overarching storyline (not a romance one) but every episode a team consisting of a historian, an engineer and a soldier get send to a different time period and have to blend in. I admit it gets a bit corny sometimes but as a history lover i still thought it was a nice watch!

[@carolhenderson7792]

Can't get over how amazing this video is - thank you!

[@Jaguarkralle1]

I love how seriously you took this. Great video, very interesting. Thank you!

[@Nurpus]

I don't think any other video made me truly internalize that the past was a real place with real people and not just words in a history book. Great job!

[@han-sn8tu]

agreed! he does a great job of humanizing the people of that time. Personally I tend to think of historical people as being completely different from modern people, but in reality we are very similar.

[@yoloyo7019]

@@han-sn8tu Yeah the whole, "Dude they're just going to think you're annoying and not talk to you" is pretty hilarious advice that puts it into perspective.

[@poodtang2104]

Agreed.

[@callumfinlayson-palmer8393]

I think one of the things that helped me click in my head that we are the same as people of the past is looking at roman grafti.

[@jetex1911]

My favorite one was some nordic runes found high up on a wall inside a church that I think read "This is very high"

[@HuckleberryWagnells]

I watched this for the first time 7 years ago on my second trip to the European Middle Ages and I revisit it every time I'm heading back. Cannot recommend highly enough!

[@microvuette]

What time period did you go to and what areas? Can you share any interesting findings from those trips?

[@zacharymacnamara5363]

Clever traveling from 2016 to the future to watch this video in 2023 before going back to the 1200s hehehe

[@lirich0]

Wow, a true time traveler, watching this video that released 2 weeks ago, 7 years ago.

[@Uncle_Fred]

I like traveling to the Middle Ages, but I rarely do it anymore. You get a lot of attention from the locals and while this is fun at first, it quickly gets tiring and sometimes a bit scary. Once people get talking they'll realise you're not from the area. People in this era had a much more relaxed relationship to work and will simply stop what they are doing and gather around you to gawk, even if you wear period-appropriate clothing. One thing few historians talk about is how many poor kids there are running around begging. Even a modest sized village has a ton of kids that will swarm you. A lot of these kids are nice, but not all of them. Some kids carry small knives. I did a trip to 11 century France a couple years back and got knifed in the back of the thigh by this kid who was intent on stealing anything he could get his hands on. On the last trip I avoided villages and did a 12th century backcountry trip in the Swiss Alps. This was a great experience. At no point did I feel unsafe. My only regular company was an occasional goat.

[@harrisp584]

Same, I first saw this video maybe 22-23 years ago yesterday. It’s helped vastly in the trips I take.

[@alexanderhdmi7704]

This is a fantastic video. I like that it's mainly a podcast, but that there are occasionally visuals to glance at. I watched this while working (I have a tedious remote desk job). I'm glad there's a follow-up too. I'd love it if he could teach us more about the Middle Ages in other podcast-esque ways, so I can have more stuff to listen to while I work. I love the Middle Ages and am grateful I have a job that allows me to learn things while I work.

[@emilyanne3910]

I love this format! What a clever way to teach history. I would love to see more

[@AttilatheNun-xv6kc]

Don't know if someone else has covered this, but another KZbinr did a similar series on time travel to ancient Rome. A major question was how to finance your stay, since you wouldn't be able to use modern money. His advice on this would also apply to a medieval European town or city. His suggestion was to visit a supermarket before you time travel. Buy as much pepper as you'll be able to take with you. Make sure that it's securely packaged to prevent leakage and to preserve freshness. When you time travel, walk around markets and get a general sense of the price of stuff. Find a spice merchant and sell *only some* of your pepper. Do not sell a big amount because you risk "flooding the market". Another day find a different spice merchant and sell a bit more pepper. Repeat this process as often as necessary, each time selling to a different spice merchant to keep the selling price up. And sell small amounts of pepper each time so you don't have to walk around town with loads of cash on you.

[@trishriederer1857]

Can you please share the name I want to watch that

[@AttilatheNun-xv6kc]

@trishriederer1857 Sorry, I can't remember the exact name. You could try just typing in things like HOW TO SURVIVE IN ANCIENT ROME or IF YOU WENT BACK IN TIME TO ANCIENT ROME or something like that. Sorry, I saw it a long time ago.

[@trishriederer1857]

@@AttilatheNun-xv6kc thank you!

[@debbiesunlight7047]

That’s great advice. I will definitely do that. Thanks. I got loads of pepper

[@sydneyjordan2452]

It’s fire of learning channel

[@ianmsutherland]

Only 5 minutes in as I write this, but I love framing this as a time machine hints and tips video. Answers questions that get overlooked about history.

[@fredonline1]

Exactly! Reminds me of Toldinstone's series with a similar premise.

[@tonyhawksunderground2]

yeah, it would have been easy to shout out toldinstone

[@premodernist_history]

@@tonyhawksunderground2 I didn't know he did a series like this. I'll have to check it out.

[@olivere5497]

I can assure you, the people who provide the equipment also provide medical solutions to the disease problem. Hardest thing is keeping your mouth shut.

[@tonyhawksunderground2]

@@premodernist_history ah my bad it seemed like such a direct reference

[@blaba8812]

this is such a fun way of teaching history, thank you, we need more stuff like this!🎉🎉

[@dearone5000]

please make this a series!! im so interested in this

[@crossan-uq1cd]

Okay this guy is fun as hell. Very well learned. I think he should be our first time travelling candidate to the Middle Ages.

[@ArniesTech]

In fact he sounds like he is speaking from experience 😅 highly suspicious!

[@Hildegardvonblingin]

I think about this all the time and appreciate that you treated this with the utmost seriousness. Thanks for debunking that pesky witch stereotype. This would be an incredible docu/mocumentary series with each episode exploring a different time and place.

[@swisski]

Fancy seeing you here Hildegard. Your musical accomplishments are legendary. I am your devoted disciple.

[@Lurmusic1]

Oh, Hildegard, hi! I love your music :)

[@thecourtlyalchemist]

I'd watch that show!

[@beenaplumber8379]

I've thought about this stuff a lot, wondering how I could possibly fit in if I somehow traveled back to the European middle ages. How could I convince the powers that be that an exotic oddball like me, with all my weird clothing and weird language, was not a threat. I'm a retired neuroscientist, something that would have been a completely meaningless trade back then. Science, known as natural philosophy back then, was not necessarily feared or condemned by the church. But how could a person make a living as a scientist? What product would I have to sell? Who would buy it? I probably wouldn't be taken seriously as an academic if I didn't speak Latin. In fact, I think at some point all academics, at least at some universities, had to be members of the clergy. I think this modern age really is the place for me.

[@wildwitchwest]

a friend among strangers! huzzah! i love your carols, chanteuse

[@nottodaybaepsae2679]

This is an amazing video. Thank you. So glad this showed up on my recommended

[@belle9360]

I appreciate the pacing of this video. Solid framing, great content.

[@OcelotsFilms]

Coming up with a plan / backstory for yourself if you where to hypothetically time travel back to the medieval period sounds like a good thought exercise.

[@lylavati]

It is. And when you get stuck somewhere, you do research and earn knowledge.

[@Bionickpunk]

If you gonna time travel, only a back story wont gonna cut it. Perhaps learn the actual occupations and skills mentioned in your backstory before that.

[@Emre_Iliyaz]

The way he was talking about everything so smoothly , gave me goosebumps, like he really experienced it. It was so awesome watching it.

[@oneaburns]

It was neat at first. Then he started making some wild claims about racism then and now and I realized this is just another liberal academic living in a bubble.

[@thomasjin1415]

@@oneaburnswhat are you on about

[@toomos9844]

@@oneaburnsman, where do you get your stuff from?

[@silvesta5027]

@@oneaburnsmf did you even WATCH the video? 😭

[@Chopper153]

​@@silvesta5027How's he wrong. It's definitely a wild claim that medieval europe didn't have colour based racism. If his claim is true, why were only black people enslaved by europeans? In America, why were only black people enslaved and not white people? Slavery started because of racism.

[@BEEZER985]

I'd love to see more of these time travel advice vids!

[@stefansoder6903]

Thank you! I just finished the last parts on my time machine and is planning to use it next week!

[@taiven.lechevalier]

I love how he doesn’t break character and he acts like we are seriously going on this trip. ADDENDUM: No, folks, I ain’t going with y’all. I’m too accustomed to my life of 21st Century luxury. I don’t have the constitution for the hardship of such an endeavor. You guys have fun though ☺️

[@secretnya]

Wait, we aren't!?

[@comfi_monkee6239]

What do you mean ?

[@julianguastadisegno]

You aren't coming then? We planned this in advance

[@thepatriarchy819]

The replies 350 years from now going to be crazy!

[@MattVidPro]

??? We leave in 3 days.

[@brodiemacleod69]

The way this video was able to teach so much without without me feeling like i was learning anything, but simply listening to a story is truly amazing... Especially for someone who spends too much time attending subpar lectures

[@LavaCreeperPeople]

Truly insightful, changing the world for the better

[@sergej100qca4]

I don't like this phraseology at all. It's not your fault, since learning is presented today as a chore one must do, but "the feeling of learning" should be a compliment, and it's sad to me that it's used in a negative connotation (and that so many people agree with it).

[@oneaburns]

Well, it is a story. It’s how he imagines it would be based on things he’s read. None of this is fact. For some reason, he presents it as though he has been there.

[@undeniablySomeGuy]

This is really a presentation style that takes advantage of how I think we naturally learn. We learn through stories and narrative. There is an undeniable advantage to this structure, and when applicable it's so effective. Math communicators often do this, if you notice.

[@tappajaav]

What's wrong with learning consciously? Why feeling you're being taught something would be non-desirable?

[@DaveJ6515]

Well this was brilliant. And haunting in an elusive way. You turned those people into living being and made me feel some mysterious kind of empathic bond with them. Fascinating.

[@ludicroussealanimations3643]

please do more of these, theyre so interesting to listen to

[@Zeuskazoo]

As a medieval history buff, this is the greatest thing to me.

[@Srfs777]

Do you mind listing some of your favorite old history documentaries from the early 2000’s/ 90’s ?

[@Mahpoosaylips]

Okay nerd

[@ryanheise4656]

This would be a perfect series for a podcast “Time Travelers guide to different civilizations”

[@tschauleude3426]

Time travelers guide to visit your very own grand^20 grandparents.

[@Teds_youtube]

Something I've always wondered but never bothered researching. Thanks for the info!!!

[@gavinpells4497]

This would be an incredible way of teaching kids history in school.

[@bots_op]

Please turn this into a series this was amazing!

[@ElysiaWhitemoonOmega]

we need a video like this for other time periods :D

[@timothykrewson7773]

I second this motion

[@invest_in_dogecoin6398]

This was the most interesting history lesson I ever received. By framing it this way he made it really fascinating and personalized.

[@altiuscitius39]

Framing this as advice to time travellers is sheer genius. Makes the whole video so compelling, it's like the Middle Ages came to life, I could feel myself playing spy in medieval Paris. Masterful video!

[@StefanCreates]

So great that he manages to do all that with just his words. No fancy visuals, just talk. Incredible.

[@toreadoress]

I wonder if the 2000s will be also referred as the "middle ages" from the perspective of people who will live around the year 4000

[@Mina_cx]

Thanks! Planning my trip for the end of this year and this helped A LOT!

[@seribeeri6759]

this was so awesome to listen to while falling asleep, thank you so much

[@quietsouls7461]

Love how you described medieval citizens to be curious and interested. I feel there’s a lot of negative portrayals out there that don’t do it justice.

[@hugbearsx4]

It's mind-boggling how we tend to forget that the mother of civilization is that one particular trait that people had since probably before we thought of calling ourselves "people": curiosity.

[@Myumeful]

2:55 Personal safety 11:35 Money 14:25 Where to sleep 17:00 Where to eat 18:00 Language barrier 22:55 Social class 30:22 Shopping 48:22 Arrival and time travel discretion 55:27 Medicine

[@pablotescobar5444]

the video already had timestamps in the description

[@etsequentia6765]

"I'm totally not a time traveler from the future guys, I'm just another peasant just like you. Wanna hang out?"

[@chmchn]

Check the description. Save yourself some time

[@mgtowmonger2729]

brothels... where is the time stamp for the brothels?

[@SalyLuz-hc6he]

@@mgtowmonger2729 I think it’s found around the year 1400.

[@roxanne2609]

I watched the whole thing smiling. A very smart way of seeing history! I loved it

[@ImATrillionaire]

Went back and used your tips💯 thank you👋

[@CChissel]

Okay, this is brilliant! This definitely needs to be a series where you give advice for traveling to all different time periods and places. Ancient Mesopotamia, the Greek city states, Dynastic Egypt, Rome at the height of its power or during their Byzantine era, Mayan or Aztec, Ottoman Empire, India pre-colonization, I mean I’d love to see a video like this on every civilization of every era honestly lol but that’s a lot to ask for. I’d be happy with just one video of any era and locale a year, but I’d much prefer a more frequent basis of uploads. Either way, I absolutely love this idea and video. Well done!

[@HitchcockBrunette]

Id love to time travel back to Tudor England or the Regency period!

[@AllTimeAmberx]

I'd be up for that!

[@CChissel]

@@HitchcockBrunette Honestly, I’d love to time travel in pre-history, to see what we were getting up to before recorded history, but also to pre-dynastic Egypt, back when it had first began the transition to lush forests and into deserts, when people began settling along the Nile. I mean I’d love to time travel to any time in the ancient past, but Tudor England sounds good too! Or maybe to Italy in the 14th and 15th century.

[@Oberonjames]

Unfortunately, this would require a lot of specific knowledge about the time period in question, which can take a lot of time and effort to gain. Because of that, no one person would be able to do it on their own, in the level of detail we see here. However, if you could find people who do have that knowledge, you could have guest stars that are experts in the period in question come in and answer the question for you, so maybe it is doable, but it would take a high level of collaboration to turn it into a series.

[@CChissel]

@@Oberonjames It wouldn’t be as difficult as you think, and collaboration would be cool but also wouldn’t need a high level of collaboration, as they could just cover half or just a portion, such as cultural norms or justice system and laws.

[@robertlamantin5088]

When I was a young adult, around 25, I traveled to Lebanon for two weeks. All the people I met always asked me three questions : what was my religion, who sent me here and who was supposed to welcome me - family member, group or organisation - in Beirut. Until I answered these questions, local people didn't know what to say or what to do. After I did, they were always happy, looked kind of relieved, and became very friendly :)

[@zhoupact8567]

As an atheist, I worry I could get in trouble even at the first question. In fact that is something I worry quite about as I am trying to get my ass out of the house and want to travel somewhere real soon. I am not sure where yet. But not getting murdered because I am socially incompetent and would not be able to lie if asked what my religion is. That do make me not want to even consider quite a few places. If you have travelled more than that. How the heck do people decide where to travel to? I kind of want to see a bit poorer places simply because I think it would help me grow as a person. But that still leaves practically the entire planet as possible options. :/ ... Oh boy the more I think about what you said the worse it is. What is your religion?: "I do not have one." Who sent you?: "Nobody/myself" Who was supposed to welcome you?: "Oh nobody is here to welcome me. I know nobody here or would be looking for me. Oh, and I am probably lost."

[@lemonynora]

@@zhoupact8567just say you’re not an atheist. Simple

[@dontgivetwothwips3615]

Yah, not simple. You could lie and say a religion that the locals may not like or be hostile toward. Claiming you’re of the dominant religion in the area is a minefield because now you’re expected to know the ends and outs, taboos and all that. The “simple” question of “what’s your religion” is very loaded, intentionally. I live in the southern US where there are more churches than it seems enough believers to fill them. Meeting new people and them asking what church you attend isn’t uncommon, depending on the circumstances, and the question has the function of working out your religion as well as finding common ground. I’m atheist, by the way, and have no problem saying I’m not religious.

[@dft3091]

@@zhoupact8567 If they ask you religion, they're not asking what you actually believe, they're asking which "team" you're on. Society and politics in Lebanon is divided based upon confessional communities, so there's basically a Sunni Islamic tribe, a Shia tribe, a Maronite/Catholic Christian tribe, an Orthodox tribe, etc. Positions in government are literally allocated based upon that-the Presidency is always held by a Maronite Christian, the Prime Minister by a Sunni Muslim, etc.:nen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanon#Government_and_politics You would respond based upon the faith of most members of your family/extended family.

[@meatman9099]

​@@zhoupact8567Christian should be fine in most places, it'll be easier than telling people in Muslim countries you're jewish and if you tell people you're Muslim like them but dont really know their customs you'll look weird and they might get mad at you for not respecting their faith the same way Christian they probably won't care too much

[@ianl.7545]

Wow. Just wow. What a well made and informative video! Love your style of speaking, makes this fascinating topic 10x more entertaining.

[@PenneyBack]

Love this video. Top quality work

[@Bri-ro4lf]

Such a creative video, one that you only see once in a blue moon on KZbin. It draws you in and keeps you hooked. I’d imagine people who aren’t necessarily interested in history would still really enjoy this just from the immersion you created. This video is going on my good vibes playlist for relaxing days.

[@snramadhan]

Some kind of seriously meme videos

[@fmdj]

Ahah, yeah definitely a good vibe. I didn't think it would interest me very much, but the hour flew by and I'm subscribing.

[@panhradu]

Something about clothing: if they see your modern clothes they will assume that you are rich. Not only that modern fabrics are extremely soft and delicate, but also the stitches are so accurate that even the king would be envy. Since fabrics was very expensive, any extensive cutting was seen as a luxury. They was trying to keep fabrics in big pieces when sewing.

[@sierrasmith8722]

Im loving how you just blessed us with this obscure fact

[@panhradu]

@@sierrasmith8722 Anything for my fellow nerds.

[@brittonblair7617]

Very experienced and nuanced comment. Both my big sister and my wife are seamstresses. This is right on

[@daveprice5911]

Especially when you get into things like jeans that have tiny little bits of fine metal work incorporated into them. Iirc a decent amount of our clothing would also be seen as unbelievably indecent though, so at least some care should be put towards what modern clothing you take back with you and wear

[@airplanemode101]

showing up in jeans, some north face puffer jacket, bright nike shoes and sunglasses would be funny.

[@rianbrands5897]

Hello, new subscriber here! Time flies when having fun. This hour passed so quickly! Thanks for your content. You are an all in one creator: good info, nice voice, pleasent charisma. Keep up the good work! Love from the Netherlands

[@Jaggerbush]

I forgot about this channel somehow. Now im rewatching these.... This guy is awesome. I dig his presentation.

[@leothelion69]

I want a TV series on this so badly. A new agency that starts sending people back in time and everything that comes along with it

[@Alfonso162008]

Not a tv show, but there's a book by Michael Crichton (the same guy that wrote Jurassic Park) that has a similar premise, at least in terms of being about a group of people that travels back in time to the medieval period, how they need to prepare for it, and the consequences they encounter. If you're interested, the book is called "Timeline". Of course, it's not a history lesson, but I found it very entertaining.

[@leothelion69]

@@Alfonso162008 sweet thanks. Might snag the audiobook

[@nicolecreighton2714]

Literally just came to mention “Timeline” 😂

[@SergioGonzalez-ew2po]

TIME TUNNEL: 1966-67 ....THE QUANTUM LEAP:1989-1993...BACK TO THE FUTURE I, II, III

[@CavaloDaMassa]

You now Abstergo?

[@samconcklin]

I’m writing a story where there’s time travel between today and the middle ages, and this video has been the most helpful piece of educational media I have found so far. Thank you for the excellent video!

[@kuzinnik0543]

ayo, once you are done with it and if you are planning to publish it or something like that, could i get a link to it?

[@kelb6073]

Same here 😊

[@ypressgames]

This is for TIME TRAVELERS. Please do not misuse this video for gaining knowledge.

[@jeffwolf27]

​@kuzinnik0543 there is a book similar to their idea. It's called The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson. I don't if it's any good I have not read it.

[@stemwaffle]

I legit started laughing just thinking about some random internet stranger googling "travel between modern day and middle ages", and being met with an hour long, specific guide on the matter lol.

[@plasmichoneytrip]

This guy knows that a lot of us have dreams of time travel and wonder how we could survive if we indeed could. I have a few list in my mind: A mini booklet of history of medieval Europe, lighter, flashlight, lots of medications (antibiotics, pain killers, first aid, alcohol), hygiene products; If with time travel comes with something you could bring/access from today, i’d have wifi, iphone, and a portable charger that would last during the duration of my trip.

[@gottenspider2057]

Your wifi would need access to time travel, otherwise it would have nothing else to connect to, no servers, no data, nothing

[@kheprishornuser2423]

What an excellent video, this is exactly some of the content that I'm looking for