Ian Mortimer - The Time Traveller's Guide to England
Timestamps are as accurate as they can be but may be slightly off. We encourage you to listen to the full context.
Podcast Summary
In this fascinating episode, historian Ian Mortimer discusses his revolutionary "Time Traveler's Guide" series and his new book "Mortimer's A to Z's of English History." (05:20) Mortimer challenges common misconceptions about medieval life, arguing that it was far more sophisticated and nuanced than typically portrayed. He explores how the English character has evolved over a millennium, identifying key virtues like fairness, enterprise, curiosity, good fellowship, and love of freedom that have shaped the nation. (30:45) The conversation covers everything from medieval cathedrals to defecation habits, from the true inventors of champagne to why financial comparisons across centuries are meaningless. Mortimer presents a compelling case that the zenith of human achievement over the past thousand years has been the progressive expansion of individual freedom.
• Main Themes: Debunking medieval stereotypes, the evolution of English national character, the importance of understanding history through lived experience rather than distant academic analysis, and the complex nature of progress across timeSpeakers
Ian Mortimer
Ian Mortimer is a renowned historian and author of the bestselling "Time Traveler's Guide" series, covering medieval, Elizabethan, Restoration, and Regency England. His family ran a cleaning and dyeing business in Plymouth for 250 years, giving him a deep connection to English history and continuity. (01:29) Previously worked at the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts, Mortimer has revolutionized popular history writing by focusing on everyday life and encouraging readers to experience the past as if they were living in it.
Vas Christodoulou
Host of the How To Academy podcast, broadcasting from London's hub of intellectual discourse. Christodoulou conducts thoughtful interviews that explore big ideas and help audiences connect historical insights to contemporary life.
Key Takeaways
Challenge Your Assumptions About Historical Progress
Mortimer reveals that life expectancy didn't improve in a linear fashion over centuries. (17:05) In Elizabeth's reign, life expectancy reached about 40 years - nearly matching 1900 levels - but then declined during the Little Ice Age. Industrial revolution cities saw life expectancy drop below 14 years in working-class districts, the lowest ever recorded on Earth. Even wealth couldn't guarantee survival: between 1660-1700, only three children survived to adulthood from 35 royal pregnancies - less than 10%. This data demolishes the myth of steady historical improvement and reminds us that progress isn't inevitable or evenly distributed.
Focus on Questions That Matter for Today's Audience
Rather than studying distant political events, Mortimer advocates examining aspects of the past that directly impact modern life. (09:03) He developed an entire "unwritten history of defecation" because bodily functions have had massive social, economic, and cultural impacts throughout time - from medieval armies losing 2,000 soldiers to dysentery before Agincourt to urban households spending 5% of income on latrine maintenance. This approach makes history relevant and actionable by connecting past experiences to universal human experiences we still face today.
Understand the True Nature of Social Mobility
Mortimer challenges the common belief that England's class system is static by examining it through DNA and family composition rather than institutions. (14:37) He compares the aristocracy to a football team - while the institution persists, the actual people constantly change. Each generation sees large numbers ejected from upper ranks while absorbing newly wealthy individuals from lower social strata. This "boiling kettle" effect, where people rise and fall continuously, explains why the class system has survived - not through rigidity, but through flexibility and constant renewal.
Recognize the Transformative Power of Early Literacy
England's early adoption of vernacular biblical texts created a literacy advantage that shaped the entire nation's development. (31:31) With the complete Bible available by 1539, England achieved 97% literacy by 1900. Compare this to Portugal (Bible in 1753, much lower literacy) or Bulgaria (late 19th century Bible, 50% male literacy by 1900). Countries without early vernacular religious texts, like Egypt, had only 13% male and 1% female literacy in 1900. This correlation demonstrates how access to meaningful reading material drives educational advancement and societal progress.
Embrace Curiosity and Enterprise as Cultural Advantages
Mortimer identifies curiosity and enterprise as defining English characteristics that emerged during the early modern period. (26:46) The transformation from Europe's poorest explorers to world leaders in the 16th century exemplifies this shift. Even pirates like William Dampier, when reaching Australia, chose to catalog local flora and fauna rather than just seek treasure. This intellectual curiosity, combined with Shakespeare's profound introspection and Newton's scientific investigations, created a culture of inquiry that continues to drive innovation and discovery across all fields of human endeavor.
Statistics & Facts
- Between 1660-1700, there were 35 royal pregnancies, but only 3 children survived to adulthood - less than 10% survival rate for even the wealthiest families. (18:26) This statistic demonstrates that wealth and status provided no protection from disease and infant mortality during the Restoration period.
- England achieved 97% literacy by 1900, compared to Portugal's much lower rates (after getting vernacular Bible in 1753) and Egypt's 13% male/1% female literacy in 1900. (32:12) Mortimer correlates this with England's early access to vernacular Bible translations from the 1530s-1539.
- In medieval times, urban households could spend up to 5% of their entire income on clearing out latrine pits that filled up over two years. (10:42) This represented a massive economic burden for working families already struggling to make ends meet, demonstrating how basic sanitation needs impacted medieval economics.
