The Medieval Disaster You Didn't Learn About in History Class...

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The night of the 25th of November 1120, saw a disaster described as the medieval Titanic, a tragedy that would spectacularly change the course of European history. The White Ship cast off from the French port of Barfleur, carrying about 300 passengers. On board were numerous Norman big-shots along with 17-year-old William Adelin, the only legitimate son of King Henry II and heir to the English throne. As the following morning dawned, the ship had sunk below the freezing water, drowning almost everyone on board and leaving just one survivor, a lowly butcher from Rouen, to bear witness to the disaster. Welcome to Medieval Madness.
Narrated by James Wade
Written by Lisa E Rawcliffe
Edited by Jamit Productions
Thank you for watching.
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[@medievalmadnesss]

See where your information is compromised with my sponsor aura.com/medievalmadness and get 2 weeks free!

[@SupertzarMetal]

Read the headline 5 times.

[@edge7387]

Fix your video title asap. Kinda embarrassing.

[@bumpersincapped]

why are these thumbnails always so good

[@christopherwilson3242]

WHAT IS THAT PAINTING PLEASE???

[@thisismyname3928]

👎

[@roberthiltz2741]

My dad and I would go out on his little outboard boat to fish occasionally when I was young. He usually brought a small cooler with a few beers and he had said, “You can have a drink on a boat, but never get drunk on a boat!” Wise words, they stuck with me

[@anotheryoutubechannel4809]

Don’t ever drink on a boat if ur in charge. Too much can go wrong no fault of your own and you need to be 100%.

[@northernbohemianrealist]

I grew up on a large lake in Wisconsin. Never, ever drink on a boat. Ever.

[@85Malan]

The epic novel "the pillars of the earth" starts off with the white ship sinking and then the struggle for the crown that follows sets the backdrop for one of the best written novels ever.

[@nancytestani1470]

I agree, one of the most amazing books , I ‘ve ever read…and I have read many.

[@M.A.-kk8dx]

Ive read it like 3 times and each time I practically go without sleep because it's impossible to put down

[@85Malan]

@@M.A.-kk8dx listen to the audio book. The narrator makes the story even better in my opinion

[@tomricketts7821]

Absolutely

[@toneenorman2135]

A terrific book. I forgot about that ship sinking!

[@grapeshot]

Yep the Anglo and Norman royal and noble families were wiped out in what amounts to a drunken medieval car crash. And they said King Henry never smiled again.

[@christinebutler7630]

And from that day to this, heirs to the throne in direct line of succession do not travel together.....now we know where that started.

[@pirbird14]

Wow, I'd always thought that the White Ship sank in bad weather. So, it was just a drunken joy ride. And England was plunged into civil war for 15 years.

[@Find-Your-Bliss-]

Sounds like something the MAGA scoundrels would arrange.

[@conniehopkins6105]

An excellent book about this matter is "The White Ship" by Charles Spencer, the brother of Princess Diana. It is an amazing book, well-researched and written. It was not a heavy read and quite enjoyable.

[@notamoose231]

This is why you never set sail without a designated sailor.

[@druidictroy1157]

😂😂😂

[@thiswasnoboakingaccident6368]

I saw the 42 year old baby on the thumbnail and couldn't resist. Thanks, Algo! (pending)

[@51_cent]

This is the most detailed explanation of the White Ship Disaster I've come across on KZbin, despite not being the longest. It's intriguing how Prince William sent the priest away without allowing them to bless the boat. Thank you for the time and effort you put into these videos!

[@nancytestani1470]

Didn’t learn about in history class..just read about on my own. Love medieval history , reading for years.

[@Optimusprimerib36]

Not in today’s history class, that’s for sure

[@didntknoicouldchangethis]

​@@Optimusprimerib36nerd😂

[@Optimusprimerib36]

@@didntknoicouldchangethis yeah man sup

[@kellysouter4381]

I wonder if this is why the late Queen Elizabeth was so keen on Prince William always travelling separate from his wife and children?

[@realtalk6195]

You don't need one incident. There's been many incidents I'm sure across human history. It's common sense to not have all heirs or political successors or a whole cabinet in the same transportation vehicle. Just in 2010, Poland lost its entire government cabinet including the President overnight in a plane crash.

[@myriamickx7969]

It's the same with all royal families. I am Belgian, and our king never travels together with her eldest daughter, who is to be the next queen. I believe in the US, the president and the VP don't fly together either.

[@Darknimbus3]

@@realtalk6195Similar reason why in the mining industry, they forbid family members from being together on the same shift- if an accident happens it could potentially be devastating to the workers’ communities.

[@tomricketts7821]

@@kellysouter4381 this has been a protocol from long before Queen Elizabeth’s reign

[@djquinn11]

Designated Survivor

[@brandenaguilar2962]

Yoda: "medieval disaster in history class, about you did not learn. Teach you, I will"

[@loon356]

The thumbnail says it all! 😁

[@desdicadoric]

Thanks Yoda

[@Astarohath]

"It is vain for me to go on living." Fancy way to say "guess I'll die"

[@1pcfred]

Fancy way to say the king has a dungeon where he tortures people. Because I'm sure he did.

[@ae2948]

5:56 I know this was a tragedy, but this is the funniest MedievalMadness I've seen yet. The narration. The visuals.

[@myriamickx7969]

What always strikes me in the MM videos is the total lack of coherence between the story and the visuals. A mishmash of medieval iconography, 19th century prints and whatnot.

[@piadylan1207]

gotta wonder what the inspirations for all those medieval “out of pocket” paintings are 💀

[@kaarlimakela3413]

Don't drink and row, kids.

[@djquinn11]

But what do you do with a drunken sailor?

[@jui8792]

Hilarious, thank you! 😅

[@clairemacmillan5098]

​@@djquinn11hoo-rah, Up she rises early in the morning 🌄❤

[@jeanb3872]

I remember being taught about this at primary school - about 70 years ago. It obviously stuck in my mind.

[@gerrytuji6117]

Skip ahead to 1:45

[@Flornmonk]

I approve of the thumbnail.

[@matthewbrotman2907]

William the Conqueror had only two (legitimate) male-line grandsons, Robert’s son William and Henry’s son William. Both of them died before Henry, starting the long English tradition of not being able to maintain male-line succession for very long.

[@OceanGopher33]

Well without this disaster, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine would not have happened so no Richard the Lionheart nor King John and thus no Magna Carta.

[@tkengathegrateful4844]

And no "Brother Cadfael" BBC series!

[@PlaymateTessiNumberOneFan]

When “my heart will go on” started playing at 9:10 I almost lost it

[@Ziorac]

"I wonder if they kept playing their lutes" went so hard too.

[@Ziorac]

The 'I'll never let go' though!!

[@TheRyanandRachael]

5:13 When your bride is to young to party with you.

[@capt.bart.roberts4975]

This is one of those "shit happens" and alcohol collisions.

[@allanwrobel6607]

I did learn about it at school. We had a good teacher.

[@alm5992]

6:18 is that English Dr. Livesy? "Too much drinking made them all drunk" LOL!

[@d.l.l.6578]

This is why it’s advisable to have a designated driver.

[@lucy9698]

Thou shalt not drinketh and driveth 😬

[@ogpayne]

"As the mega pints of wine continued to flow..." In the words of Johnny Depp, "A mega pint? I poured myself a large glass of wine."

[@daniellekennedy8118]

My favorite account of the subsequent civil war is the (albeit somewhat fictionalized) book "When Christ and His Saints Slept." Highly recommended. And who watching this channel didn't learn about the White Ship disaster? Asking for a friend.

[@JW-vi2nh]

Sharon Kay Penman fan here! My absolute favorite of her books, and one of my top 3 all-time favorites, is her "The Sunne in Splendour" about Richard III. I read that book when I was in college, so sometime between 2004-2008. I was so sad that Richard's body was lost forever and did quite a bit of digging into theories about whether it really was just tossed into a river. I literally cried the day I learned he'd actually been found.

[@haplessasshole9615]

@@JW-vi2nh They had designated such a small area in the parking lot as the possible location of Richard III's remains, I was highly skeptical they'd find anything. But no -- they found a skeleton which, on examination, was discovered to have the asymmetrical shoulders one would expect. At this point, I was 99% certain. I scarcely even needed the DNA confirmation to get to 100%. It was a triumph. Talk about against all odds!

[@daniellekennedy8118]

@@JW-vi2nh Ah -- nice to meet you! I drew the line with her books about the fictional spy of Elizabeth I, though. Maybe it was the time period. I truly am a medieval junkie, lol. "The Sunne in Splendour" was the first of her novels I read, and got me started on her. If you don't listen to "the medievalists" podcasts on KZbin, I do recommend them. Done by a Canadian college professor, they frequently showcase dissertations on the cutting edge studies in medieval times (not the appalling restaurant chain. ha. ).

[@LoboMarone]

this really strikingly resembles the titanic disaster. it even contains a ship and water!

[@adamharder5400]

Read “The White Ship” by Charles Spencer. Tell this whole story in amazing detail and it reads like a damn Game of Thrones saga…but real

[@GoBlueGirl78]

You mean AGOT reads like this… LOL GRRM got his a lot of his inspo from English history, esp the Anarchy & the Plantagenets.

[@BobGeogeo]

The White Ship sinking plays a small part in The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett.

[@mangot589]

Agree! It’s an excellent book…and OMG that part about Henry and his granddaughters 🙈

[@VeracityLH]

@GoBlueGirl, I get your point, but the OP is actually correct since GOT predates the Spencer book.

[@Friedtoenails]

The background for Ken Follett’s epic book, The Pillars of the Earth

[@emilien.]

Nowwwww claaaassssss: what have we all learned about alcohol and boating? PS: You've done it again -- another terrifically told tale.

[@AezlyndWanderin]

“Too much drinking had made them all drunk” You don’t say!? 😲

[@mattmcintosh3939]

Salisbury, in Wiltshire is pronounced saulsbury not Salisbury as it is spelt.

[@AncestorEmpire1]

That one survivor: It was GODZILLA!

[@kaarlimakela3413]

Well, Shakespeare wrote it as Gojira. They sure used ta talk funny.

[@ummmm....-sd9eb]

And a few cockroaches ⟵⁠(⁠o⁠_⁠O⁠)

[@tjtweedy3189]

Im slightly dyslexic I see no issue with the title of this video. Keep up the good work on these videos.

[@brookelynnwu8016]

Same. I read it as normal first. 😂

[@mdshaler]

@@brookelynnwu8016 hahaha me too!

[@kaarlimakela3413]

It's natural, the sentence already has some expectation that the mind can fill in. Even proofreading my own writing, I've done it, not noticing!

[@Clamburglary]

If life gives you melons 🤷‍♂️

[@Badgerlust]

I've known people who talked like that 😅

[@dearbrad1996]

A lesson for you kids You booze, you looze

[@BH6242KCh]

Narration, "Henry was the fourth son of the Norman King, William the Conqueror, and his wife, Mathilde of Flanders...." Homer Simpson grumbles, "Stupid Flanders...."

[@christopherwilson3242]

😆

[@gutenstagl]

I really wanted this to be the Latrine Disaster 😂

[@metalman7791]

So excited about this video I am

[@bretfisher7286]

From the art we may observe that DeBlah cross-eyed was! Unless the artist drunken and hateful of him was?

[@TheBohemianGranny]

😂😂😂

[@Unknowngfyjoh]

Blois

[@timstephen7655]

Excellent job covering this. You should also cover The Anarchy, you only briefly mention it at the end. Lasting 15 years, it’s filled with riveting tales and daring feats from captivating characters like Matilda and Stephen, whose feud is legendary and relationship complicated. Thomas FitzStephen was my ancestor, so I’m familiar with the story of the White Ship, but I learned so much in this video. The Anarchy would make a great sequel!

[@davidd6171]

This was a great video!! Next please do a video on swimming in medieval times!!

[@Wmuthoni]

A wonderful historical drama that details the aftermath of William’s II his son’s tragic death in the white ship and his daughter empress Matilda fight for the throne is Ken Follet’s Pillars of the Earth and It’s one of my favorite mini series based on medieval era in this case the Middle Ages. The series is well written and includes several talented cast members like Donald Sutherland, Eddie Redmayne, Rufus Sewell, Ian McShane etc.

[@bigdoug1558]

I love how you explain all nobility on board, and one very pissed off butcher.

[@joangordoneieio]

English history is so vast. and interesting! TY for these episodes; theyre wonderfully entertaining informative and the perfect length!

[@bold810]

The White Ship story is the Official Darwin Awards ceremony. And OMG, did they pull above their weight-class!, 😊!

[@andrewlouden120]

When you said I wonder if they went down playing their lute made me laugh 😃 😀

[@Jacob-Simonsen]

I about didn't learn it yes

[@gavhenrad]

Yoda with brain damage?

[@hekatoncheiros208]

Syntax a stranger I am to.

[@vociferateforme]

That's so interesting. I've heard this story so many times but I never heard the part that he went back for his sister. Thanks for teaching me something new.

[@babsbybend]

That the butcher survived is rather unsurprising, except perhaps to his debtors. To paraphrase Jane Austin's Sense and Sensibility, people will live forever when there's money coming in.

[@stuMoH88]

Didn't about learn in history class? 😂

[@kylegreene1356]

You aren't providing context and are far from making any sense. Shove your emoji and elaborate or keep your useless thought process to yourself. Sincerely, every academic ever. P. S If you have not reproduced yet, please continue to refrain from procreation.

[@Bigbubbaj04]

Learned from Yoda he must have done in English

[@TheBohemianGranny]

didn’t about learn in grammar class much either… 😂😂😂

[@samcooper1761]

About learn not we.

[@maggie2962]

AI

[@salishseas]

This gives me perspective on the dreadful happenings going on in my life at the moment.

[@malicant123]

So, basically the medieval equivalent of the WWF flight from hell?

[@Contessa6363]

November the 25th is my pup's Birthday!! 🎂🎂🎂🎂 Will be 7 this year. He is my avatar picture ❤❤❤

[@hermanmunster4949]

Eat, Drink, and Be Buried...!

[@JRRodriguez-nu7po]

Learned about this on Age of Empires 4. Interesting parallel to the Titanic which was not christened when launched.

[@DistrustHumanz]

The only lesson I learned here was don't drink alcohol and type video titles.

[@phishENchimps]

How much do you think the Islamic slave raids on Europe effected their History? I have a feeling that England wouldn't became such a Naval power to protect it's self against such raids... but they never teach that in History class. Especially a modern British classroom. it's not currently politically beneficial.

[@netto6681]

They never came anywhere close to England you mental gammon.

[@FrgvDntFrgt8060]

Ikr, Islamic slave raids on medieval Europe were conducted by various groups, including the Crimean Khanate and Nogai Horde, Saracen pirates and Barbary pirates.

[@MrsJHarrington]

Thank you for an interesting video, I had never heard of this before. Very informative! 😊

[@PlaymateTessiNumberOneFan]

That thumbnail looks familiar “Y tho”

[@Balrog-tf3bg]

This is almost as bad as when the entire German court fell into a giant latrine

[@chippysteve4524]

That disaster was so serious it was at least 91,100 in Team America terms. Btw, Salisbury is pronounced "solsbury".

[@veronicaroach3667]

In my London accent it's pronounced Sawlsbury.

[@clairemacmillan5098]

Thanks 👍 I always wondered if that was right or just an English colloquial accent thing I wasn't getting 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@zachharper7386]

ROFL the Titanic music 😂

[@exeexecutor]

Not enough lifeboats for everyone onboard? What a rookie mistake

[@KugelBlitz0]

00:17 THOSE HANDS

[@aelfheld]

Henry the First, not Henry the Second. William the First was William the Conqueror. William the Second, William Rufus, was Henry the First's older brother.

[@TheMg49]

Well made videos. Thumbs up and subscribed. Very entertaining and, as far as I know, historically accurate and informative. The details of the medieval period are fascinating. Looking forward to viewing more of your vids.

[@timothym.orourke5283]

🏳️‍🌈So Matilda’s son ended up chasing Katherine Hepburn all around the castle with cruel, scintillating banter comparable with George and Martha’s dysfunctional relationship.🏳️‍🌈

[@paulawolff3456]

I really enjoy this channel and your sense of humor! Thank you for all the beautiful artwork too.

[@mm-yt8sf]

i'm glad the king wasn't so petty as to kill the butcher in rage because he survived and the son didn't. i guess it helped that there was obviously no way the butcher could have played a part in the sinking.. wow the prince's secret service did their job and got him into a lifeboat! only to foolishly follow his orders 😕

[@arminulrich2319]

Famous English song: "What shall we do with a drunken sailor?"

[@yef122]

What? I caught a new Medieval Madness video right after upload?! Yay!

[@Tunda2]

I’m American, most of what I learned in history class turned out to be myth

[@laurieb3703]

It always kills me (no pun intended) when people war for years and years and hundreds of thousands die, only for them to come to a conclusion they could have come to before all the senseless deaths

[@futurepig]

futurepig 0 seconds ago Great history lesson! I guess the captain knew drowning was a less painful dearh than arriving to land after some of the richest people of the world had died on his watch.

[@marleyhill34]

Me: which medieval disaster.. There were so many. Lol!

[@mikerohlfs2836]

I will see a castle before I die, I live in America we have nothing like this, I can imagine standing in a castle that's a thousand years old, you guys over there are surrounded by beautiful history.....what do I got???? The Alamo...

[@thegreencat9947]

We have The Grand Canyon....Scotties Castle...Yellowstone national park...Niagara falls..New York City..The Dakota...The Great Lakes....The Pacific Ocean..The Atlantic Ocean..

[@1pcfred]

The oldest building I've been inside in America is the fort at St. Augustine. It was built between 1672-1695 It feels pretty old. But it's only 329 years old now. Which is a far cry from one thousand.

[@mikerohlfs2836]

@@1pcfred right? Cant imagine standing in the middle of the pantheon or the Roman Colosseum.

[@1pcfred]

@@mikerohlfs2836 you can do those things. But why stop there? Go to Lascaux. That's 17,000 years old! Unfortunately the public is no longer allowed in there.

[@betsybarnicle8016]

With that passenger list, it was destined to sink; Too many eggs in one basket.

[@JH-lo9ut]

Don't drink and sail! Some skippers practice the tradition of "the anchor shot" wich means they pour a round of shots for the crew to be drunk right at the moment the anchor is dropped. It is a way to remind everyone that on this boat, we stay sober until we are safely moored or anchored. You could argue that there is still quite a lot of important work to be done after the anchor is dropped, but I guess you have to make some compromises.

[@carriekelly4186]

I hate ships,cave exploration and mountain climbing.

[@domzdaman373]

Best thumbnail ever.

[@DaNL-ly8zn]

good video, tough i learned this with professor Foxtrot in WTF101

[@SkuliBragason-xc7jl]

English sailors are still known for turning to drink in emergency .

[@ericberglund7141]

I like this sort of specific content best. Thanks for the awesome videos!

[@FAUlinguist]

Ah, yes, Botero, famous medieval artist 🤷‍♂️

[@ZestySea]

Lively and entertaining - great artwork, loved it. Very sad tale though

[@nonsibi1087]

The site's introductory text describes William Adelin as the son of Henry II. A TYPO for sure as you likely intended Henry I.

[@brookelynnwu8016]

Now that Ik how much they drank, I understand why all but one of them drownêd.

[@redpillow7221]

I'm glad it worked out for Baral in the end, at least.

[@Vee_of_the_Weald]

The new editing with random Shutterstock images is pulling the quality of your content down. The picture of some gorges from the south of France to illustrate Normandy gave me a good giggle though. Who could have guessed Normandy actually looked exactly like southern England since it’s the same landmass, hey? 😂

[@MagnaMater2]

WHAT?!? "The Medieval Disaster You Didn't Learn About in History Class..."??? - Only if you slept through your history class and didn't read your history books? That is the reason the Plantagenets took over. It was even mentioned in central european history books, with the german Emperor being a possible heir, and the French-English Guyenne-vassal thing starting. Even the Pillars of the Earth start with it. If people don't know it just means they didn't pay attention in school.

[@1pcfred]

I've heard of the sinking of the White Ship. I can't remember where, but I'd heard of it. I don't think I've ever heard so many details of the event before though.

[@misspat7555]

Remember, kids, friends don’t let friends sail, drive, fly, or walk drunk! 🍹🥴⛵️🚗✈️🚶‍♂️🚫🛑❌ No joke; walking drunk is more dangerous than driving drunk for the person doing it! 😰

[@kaarlimakela3413]

An echo of this stunning tragedy happened in Tudor times. Henry VII's oldest boy drowned similarly, making the spare Henry VIII. You know, as the spare, he could have had a leisurely life with his favorite Ann Bolyn. Elizabeth would just have been another smart young very marriagable lady.

[@ThePawsOfDeception]

Are you sure? I thought Prince Arthur died of an unknown illness at Ludlow.

[@sarahudson108]

​@@ThePawsOfDeception It was either the sweating sickness or testicular cancer.

[@myriamickx7969]

Arthur definitely didn't drown. He died of the mysterious "sweating sickness" which killed its victims in a few hours.

[@taranullius9221]

So, we've got a "Henry II" in the description box (it's Henry I) and now this. You know Google exists, right? He was firmly on land at the time of his passing.

[@kaarlimakela3413]

You guys are right! Sorry about that! Senior moment! Now, I do remember some paintings of young Arthur and young Henry. So bland and pale. Too bad Holbein wasn't there to do them all.

[@djquinn11]

I’m so old they didn’t have History class yet when I was in school.

[@florin-titusniculescu5871]

a nation without its ruling bunch is like a fish without its bicycle fleet

[@maxis2k]

Well, it would be tiring, but they're only a mile out. Couldn't they just swim back to shore? *[They're all piss drunk and can't swim]* Oh right...

[@MarcoNegrisEye]

Hasbulla was around in the medieval period?