How much of the medieval politics we watch on television is fantasy? Historian Maria Golubeva offers a revisionist look at the world of medieval politics, where institutions like religion held more sway than a charismatic leader. This talk was filmed at TEDxRiga. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers in the spirit of TED's mission of ideas worth spreading. To learn more about TEDxSHORTS, the TEDx program, or give feedback on this episode, please visit http://go.ted.com/tedxshorts.

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