"One of the difficult truths of life in the Middle Ages is that death was never far away. While the vast majority of medieval people owned far fewer possessions than we do today, they were just as concerned with making sure everything was taken care of according to their wishes before they passed. This week, Danièle speaks with Robert A. Wood about medieval wills, funerals, and some memorable bequests."
"Robert A. Wood is an independent researcher working on late medieval society in London and Norwich. His latest book is Wills and Testaments in Medieval England from the Thirteenth to the Sixteenth Century. The creator and host of The Medieval Podcast is Danièle Cybulskie. Click here to visit her website or follow her on BlueSky @5minmedievalist.bsky.social You can subscribe to The Medieval Podcast via"
Death was a constant presence in the Middle Ages, prompting people to make concrete arrangements for their estates and funerals. Even those with relatively few possessions drafted wills to allocate goods, name executors, and request specific rites or donations. Wills recorded charitable bequests, household concerns, and personal relationships, revealing social networks and priorities. Legal norms and local customs shaped testamentary language and the administration of estates. Evidence from urban centers shows variation in practices and highlights how testaments illuminate economic conditions, piety, and everyday life in late medieval England.
Read at Medievalists.net
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