Ep58: Putting Humpty Together Again. As Easter Week 1204 brought an end to the 4th Crusade's initial looting and vandalism, all semblance of this being a united force with a common goal vanished into the springtime air like dandelion seeds in the breeze.👑 histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/058-puttin...

Episode 57: The View from Constantinople. We're joined by Marco from Storia d'Italia and Robin from The History of Byzantium this week to discuss the 4th Crusade from a broader perspective.👑 histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/057-the-vi...

Episode 56: Downfall. It's April 1204, and the Venetian navy is ready for one final assault on Constantinople. The future of an Empire and a Republic will turn on what happens in the next few days. 👑 histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/056-downfa...

New episode out now! 👑 It's a time of civil war with the Second Fitna in full swing and only one man can restore the Umayyads to power. Join for a story of political machinations, family ties, and the only true legitimacy.

Episode 55. Raising Eyebrows. December 1203. The Venetian navy is stuck outside Constantinople. A new power is rising in the Empire -- a man with notoriously big eyebrows. Who will prevail? Find out more as our story continues.👑 histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/055-raisin...

Ok, it's not the exact quote from King Theoden, but Villehardouin's words are close enough. If you listened to our last episode, maybe you thought that the war had begun already. Well, it certainly has by the end of today's episode, "Out of the Frying Pan".👑 histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/054-out-of...

Episode 53: Someone Else's Civil War. "The destiny of Republics and Empires hangs in the balance, as The Fates make their capricious decision on whose thread to cut first." I enjoyed writing this one so much. histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/053-someon...

New episode out now! 👑 A new Marwanid Umayyad caliphate has risen from impossible odds and now needs stable foundations that it may flourish. Abd al-Malik will rise out of civil war with the powers of friendship, administration, and incredible violence.

Ep 52: Let's Make Poor Decisions. Yes, this meme is years past its zeitgeist moment, but sometime the shoe just fits. This week, the "crusade" finally makes the momentous decision to try a bit of regime change in New Rome, causing fury in Actual Rome.👑 histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/052-lets-m...

Art&Culture Episode 7: Legend of the Golden Ring A humble fisherman is giving a precious ring to the Doge. Why? Find out the supernatural legend behind it in this week's episode, featuring a dark and stormy night, a demonic pirate ship and three saints.👑 histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/art-and-cu...

Episode 50: Excommunication? What Excommunication? The Crusaders owe Venice huge sums of money for the fleet. Venice suggests using it to capture the nearby rival city of Zara. The Pope says no. Venice doesn't care what he thinks. This won't end well.👑 histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/051-excomm...

It's the @intelligentspeech.bsky.social annual event on Saturday. We'll be there, looking at how Venice's relationship with Constantinople went from companions to rivals over the 12th century. You can grab a last-minute ticket at intelligentspeechonline.com. Use the code VENICE for a 10% discount.

Episode 50. Show Me The Money. Here's our Crusading Chronicler, Geoffroi de Villehardouin, with bags full of cash. It's not enough to pay for the fleet, though. And that means trouble, with a capital T, which rhymes with Zee, and that stands for Zara. 👑 histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/050-show-m...

Episode 49: The Conspiracy. The 4th Crusade receives some terrible news in mid-1201 -- they've run out of Champagne and Brie. This week we discuss what happens next with Marco from Storia d'Italia Podcast. 👑 (episode link: histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/049-the-co...) www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Om0...

New episode out now! 👑 The Umayyad Caliphate has arrived but how rightly-guided will it be? Mu'awiya is planning to stabilize his new empire and mold it into a fief that can be passed down for generations; however, there are those who would halt this project...

This guy's index finger makes him look like Medieval ET telling his listeners to phone home. But no, it's superstar preacher Fulk of Neuilly, encouraging everyone to join a new Crusade in 1199. 👑 Find out more in this week's episode, "Crusaders Assemble". histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/048-crusad...

Ep 47: Introducing the Crusade of the Liars. The 4th Crusade is a big story for us, so we're starting off with a bit of background. Marco Cappelli from Storia d'Italia joins us to set the scene before it all kicks off. (picture - Pope Innocent III)👑 histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/047-introd...

Enrico Dandolo is (I think) the only Doge who features in a Dan Brown novel. Should we see him as a great betrayer, a national hero, or something else? This week, we look at his early years in office in Episode 46, "Blind Man's Promise". histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/046-blind-...

New episode out now! 👑 We have returned at last with a new world brought about by the final prophet! Join us for an exploration of the Rise of Islam, how the caliphate came to be and expanded so quickly, and the dangerous intersection between ruling an empire and trying to be a good man.

New episode out now! 👑 After many moons, we're back to talk to you about another 1300 years of history! But first, let us remind ourselves of what happened in the previous 92 episodes before we jump into the rise of Islam.

La Befana is going to be busy in Italy soon, so she made her UK delivery a couple of days early. 🟠⚫🟢

Sadie Dog is an integral part of the podcast process. It's on our walks that we discuss the next episode and give it a narrative shape. In Episode 44, "Chaos with Choniates", you're invited to join our virtual dog walk as we tell a wild story.👑 histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/044-chaos-...

Episode 43. Bring Them Home. A few episodes again, we left thousands of Venetians languishing in Byzantine prisons thanks to Emperor Manuel Komnenos (left). The crisis would take a decade to resolve, but somehow it was Byzantium that emerged weaker from it.👑 histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/043-bring-...

Spring 1746: Casanova's life was spiralling into criminality, until a chance encounter at Palazzo Soranzo, in Campo San Polo, changed his world for ever. Find out more about how low he had sunk, and how his fortunes changed, in this week's episode. histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/casanova-p...

There's a lot going on in this painting by Tintoretto on the walls of the Doxe's Palace. It's the battle of Punta Salvore, 1177. Only problem is, it never really happened. Find out more in this week's episode, "Just Making Stuff Up". 👑 histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/042-just-m...

41: Redbeard Falling. We conclude our trilogy with @hotgpod.bsky.social and A History of Italy, as Barbarossa fails to subdue the City of Straw and then faces an even worse disaster. Tbh, the pic is of a different battle, but it captures the spirit nicely.👑 histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/041-redbea...

The Holy Bones of all three Magi allegedly reside in this golden reliquary in Cologne, stolen from Milan by Barbarossa in the 1160s. As featured in this week's episode.

Why did the Venetians chase bulls through the streets? This week we explain, while @hotgpod.bsky.social and A History of Italy Pod tell us about Barbarossa's Italian policy of the 1160s.👑 histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/040-everyt...

Ep 39 "Redbeard Rising". In collaboration with Dirk from @hotgpod.bsky.social and Mike from A History of Italy, we're starting a 3-parter today on Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa and his misadventures in Italy. Don't miss this epic tale. 👑 histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/039-redbea...

Episode 37: St Brice's Deja Vu. 👑 I thought the title was funny when I wrote it. But I might have been wrong. Find the full episode wherever you get your podcasts, or at: histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/037-st-bri... youtu.be/qxK92Me_hs4

Venetian-themed pumpkins for Halloween. If you fancy a few simple ghost stories from Venice, check out our Special Halloween episode. histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/art-06-hal...

Ep 34 "Friends Reunited". Domenico Michiel's tomb calls him "The terror of the Greeks". The Historia Ducum Venetorum calls him "a warlike man ... who slaughtered many enemies". But he also invented municipal street lighting. A man of many talents, then.👑 histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/034-friend...

Domenico Michiel features three times in the artwork of the Venetian Hall of Fame in the Palazzo Ducale. What did he do that was worth painting? Find out in this week's episode, "Raiders of the Lost Crusade", available wherever you get your podcasts. 👑 histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/033-raider...

This week we conclude a two-parter on our favourite Byzantine historian, Anna Comnena. Did she plot to murder her brother and take over the Roman Empire? Or is that utter nonsense? We have a view. 👑 youtu.be/QFqfUsru_KM histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/rh02b-caus...

This idealised face of Anna Comnena / Komnene has been staring at me from my Kindle for several weeks. Today we begin a mini-series on this brilliant 12th century polymath. How did she become the first published female historian of the Roman Empire?👑 histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/rh02a-writ...

Tech bros must be stopped before we drown in an ocean of AI slop www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/dig...

It's our first birthday as a podcast! We celebrate with a special episode featuring a 3-minute summary of our story so far, some chat about favourite moments and what we're looking forward to in future episodes - next week's 2-parter being top of that list.👑 histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/first-birt...

Corfu, 1745. One of those Venetian ships in the harbour has brought the 20-year-old Casanova for a posting during his brief military career. He has money in his pocket and a track record of poor decision-making. Find out how it went in this week's episode.👑 histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/casanova-p...

The horsemen of the apocalypse were beating a path for Venice in the early 1100s, but among the chaos there was money for some massive ecclesiastical bling. The lower part of the Pala d'Oro dates from this time, featuring Palindrome Doxe Ordelaf Faledro. 👑 histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/032-the-pa...

New episode out now! 👑 It's all come to this, Khosrow II Parviz or Darius I the Great! To help us decide, we are joined by Trevor from the History of Persia and Plumas from Las Plumas de Simurgh, who will sponsor their champions. And listen to the end for a special announcement...

This week we talk about what the Venetian lagoon looked like in 1100 -- four centuries before this iconic map was made. 👑 histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/031-birds-...

Profits & Prophets. By 1099, the Crusader states were at loggerheads with Byzantium as well as the Muslims. Venice found herself on both sides of this rift in the Christian world. But that didn't stop her taking the opportunity to steal some Holy Bones. 👑 histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/030-profit...

New episode out now! 👑 The group has been narrowed to only four contestants, and today we are facing off Darius I and Seleucus I. Both somewhat founders of empires in a time of turmoil, who will gain an edge over the other?

The eternal question when it comes to illuminated manuscripts: Is King García Iñiguez of Pamplona holding a pita, the Host, or an orb of power? 👑 Episode out now: spanisharpoda.podbean.com/e/62-garcia-...

This Doxe looks glum, but his portrait was painted before he found out that he's the winner of our 11th century Top Doxe contest. Find out who he was, and how he triumphed over his rivals, by tuning in to this week's episode wherever you get your podcasts.👑 histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/029-top-do...

New episode out now! 👑 We have made it to the last of our rounds, it's only champions from here on out! Tune in to find out which of these rulers will gain a seat in the semifinals: Seleucus I, Kavad I, Bahram VI, Antiochus III, Musa.

The medieval European worldview had Jerusalem at the centre. When Byzantium's request for help in retaking lost territory unleashed the crusades in the 1090s, Venice's key marketplace was significantly disrupted. This week we look at the background. 👑 histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/028-never-...

We're looking at food this week. Venice has a long-lasting seafood tradition, but her historic status as an international trading city means that some of the most characteristic Venetian culinary specialities have significant outside influences. 👑 histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/027-food-g...

Almost every aspect of 11th century Venice's economy supported the city's maritime trading business, which expanded rapidly after the 1082 commercial treaty with Byzantium. Shipbuilding was everywhere. Today, only a few gondola yards like this remain. 👑 histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/026-tradin...

Bernini's elephant would have seen Casanova's visits to his paramour "Lucrezia", with whom he had a relationship on their Roman Holiday in 1744. We have no idea whether Casanova is telling us the truth, but elephants never forget. Jess asked him about it. 👑 histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/casanova-p...