SEASON 8: The First Crusade EPISODE 209: Ground Zero: Jerusalem This is the final offering from my archive—an episode I couldn’t leave behind. It became something more than a retelling; it became a reckoning with one of the most consequential places in human history. Because everything — everything — seems to lead back to Jerusalem. Long before crusaders fixed their eyes on its walls in 1099, this city had already stood at the center of the human story: a meeting point of heaven and earth, of co...
Apr 17, 2026•54 min•Season 8Ep. 209
SEASON 8 : The First Crusade EPISODE 208: A Crusade Divided Antioch had fallen—and with it, unity. Bohemond of Taranto claimed the city as his prize, but the greater question lingered: who, if anyone, could command the Crusade itself? Raymond of Toulouse would test that claim, pressing southward with visions not merely of victory, but of purpose. Yet between Antioch and Jerusalem lay more than distance—it was a road darkened by hunger, ambition, and fracture. At Ma'arrat al-Numan, desperation re...
Apr 14, 2026•33 min•Season 8Ep. 208
SEASON 8 : The First Crusade EPISODE 205: Antioch & the Gate to Heaven As Antioch grinds its besiegers down to the bone, whispers of salvation begin to circulate—quiet plans, private bargains, and a single gate that might open from the inside. Bohemond and Tancred step out of the mud and into the realm of cunning, where redemption is no longer earned by endurance but by nerve, secrecy, and timing. This episode follows the moment when suffering gives way to revelation, and the road out of hel...
Apr 08, 2026•53 min•Season 8Ep. 207
SEASON 8 : The First Crusade EPISODE 206: Antioch & the Harrowing of Hope The long siege of Antioch grinds on, and the crusaders are forced to endure more than a military struggle. Between disaster and miraculous deliverance, they fight not only for survival, but for meaning, as hope is beaten, tested, and harrowed by suffering. No More Paywalls! How? If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts and all, free to the public with absolutely no more paywa...
Apr 08, 2026•50 min•Season 8Ep. 206
SEASON 8 : The First Crusade EPISODE 205: Antioch & the Winter in Hell Winter descends on Antioch like a verdict. Starvation, disease, and desertion hollow out the Crusader camps while Ridwan of Aleppo and Duqaq of Damascus circle like patient predators, turning every foraging run into a blood tax. This episode lives in the season where faith freezes, hope thins, and survival becomes the only prayer still answerable. No More Paywalls! How? If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing o...
Feb 09, 2026•33 min•Season 8Ep. 205
SEASON 8 : The First Crusade EPISODE 204: Antioch & the Edge of Damnation The Crusaders reach Antioch in October of 1097 and begin the uneasy work of surrounding one of the greatest fortified cities in the eastern Mediterranean, probing its roads, rivers, and defenses to see where it might break. Over the ensuing weeks, camps harden into positions, violence escalates on both sides, and the siege takes on a darker, more personal character as Antioch and its attackers lock eyes and wait. No Mo...
Feb 02, 2026•43 min•Season 8Ep. 204
SEASON 8 : The First Crusade EPISODE 203: Before the Walls of Antioch What was Alexios and the Romans doing while the main army swept through Cilicia and the Taurus Mountains? This beef forming between Tancred and Baldwin…is it going to boil over or fizzle away? How is the main army doing as they approach the mighty walls of Antioch? Hey, where’s Baldwin go–? Can someone see what Baldwin’s up to now ? Every ball is in the air at this point in the First Crusade. No More Paywalls! How? If you beli...
Jan 26, 2026•36 min•Season 8Ep. 203
SEASON 8 : The First Crusade EPISODE 202: Routes & Ruptures Steel meets panic at Dorylaeum in 1097, where the Crusade nearly collapses before clawing its way back from annihilation. From that chaos, Tancred and Baldwin peel off and barrel into Cilicia, turning the march southeast into a ruthless side-quest of ambition, betrayal, and opportunistic warfare. This episode follows the moment the holy army stops pretending it’s unified and starts revealing the knives behind the vows. No More Paywa...
Jan 19, 2026•49 min•Season 8Ep. 202
SEASON 8 : The First Crusade EPISODE 201: The Secret Drama of Treachery Nicaea. May – June, 1097. Anna Komnene writes about “the secret drama of treachery,” a hint as to how this formidable Seljuk capital of the new Sultanate of Rum would return to Roman hands. Would it fall by Western efforts…or by some other way? It’s a fascinating story about the opening salvos of the First Crusade, showcasing Western cooperation, Seljuk ferocity, and Byzantine statecraft. No More Paywalls! How? If you believ...
Jan 05, 2026•51 min•Season 8Ep. 201
SEASON 8 : The First Crusade EPISODE 200: God’s Mercs, Pt. 2 Last time, we introduced (or reintroduced) ourselves to Hugh of Vermandois, Godfrey of Bouillon, Baldwin of Boulogne, and, of course, the incomparable Bohemond and his lightning bolt of a nephew, Tancred. This time, we round out these introductions and end right at the beginning, the moment these armies meet and cross the Bosporus. No More Paywalls! How? If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, war...
Dec 29, 2025•54 min•Season 8Ep. 200
SEASON 8 : The First Crusade EPISODE 199: God’s Mercs, Pt. 1 On this episode, we begin a two-parter laying out the principle leaders of the First Crusade. Who were they? What were their stories? What connections did they share? I can’t wait to unpack this part of the series. No More Paywalls! How? If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts and all, free to the public with absolutely no more paywalls…ever…please consider donating to my caffeine-mediated r...
Dec 29, 2025•47 min•Season 8Ep. 199
SEASON 8 : The First Crusade EPISODE 198: Poor People’s Crusade A tidal wave of zealots, doomsday preachers, and broke knights surges across Europe in the so-called Poor People’s Crusade—burning bright, burning fast, and mostly burning down . From Emicho’s disastrous rampage along the Rhine to the ragged march of Walter Sans Avoir straight into the jaws of Kilij Arslan at Civetot, this is the First Crusade’s explosive prologue. A movement born in frenzy ends in annihilation, leaving a smoking wa...
Dec 01, 2025•44 min•Season 8Ep. 198
SEASON 8 : The First Crusade EPISODE 197: The Fez Massacre This is an older Patreon episode about another Jewish pogrom taking place in Fez in modern Morocco decades before the Rhineland massacres during the Poor People's Crusade. This serves as a bonus episode and not a direct part of my research into the First Crusade. A new episode will be released in a couple days getting us back on track! No More Paywalls! How? If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, w...
Nov 29, 2025•28 min•Season 8Ep. 197
SEASON 8 : The First Crusade EPISODE 196: Blood on the Rhine The First Crusade hadn’t even started yet, so why was the Rhine flowing red? No More Paywalls! How? If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts and all, free to the public with absolutely no more paywalls…ever…please consider donating to my caffeine-mediated research and writing through the website/app Buy Me A Coffee ! With opportunities for one-time donations and even a monthly donation plan, ...
Nov 24, 2025•47 min•Season 8Ep. 196
SEASON 8 : The First Crusade EPISODE 195: Did God Will It? Where does a pope get off telling thousands of armed men to march across the known world with a promise of eternal salvation? This wasn’t a whim. It was centuries in the making. Welcome to the origin story of Christian holy war . No More Paywalls! How? If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts and all, free to the public with absolutely no more paywalls…ever…please consider donating to my caffei...
Nov 17, 2025•41 min•Season 8Ep. 195
SEASON 8 : The First Crusade EPISODE 194: Deus Vult! Clermont., France. November 27, 1095. Pope Urban II lit the match that set Europe ablaze. This episode dives into the conflicting accounts of that speech—where “Deus Vult” became both a prayer and a war cry. No More Paywalls! How? If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts and all, free to the public with absolutely no more paywalls…ever…please consider donating to my caffeine-mediated research and wri...
Nov 03, 2025•47 min•Season 8Ep. 194
SEASON 8 : The First Crusade EPISODE 193: Eastern Rome on the Eve of Crusade On this episode, we hear from Dr. Warren Treadgold -- retired professor, historian, and author -- who has spent a decades-long career studying Byzantine history. In the show's first interview, we discuss Alexios Komnenos, differences between the Christian East and the Latin West, and whether the Crusades themselves were a net positive or net negative. Be sure to Share, Subscribe, and Leave A Comment! No More Paywalls! H...
Oct 27, 2025•53 min•Season 8Ep. 193
SEASON 8 : The First Crusade EPISODE 192: The World(view) Behind the First Crusade Let’s take a moment to survey Europe by 1095. What was the world like on the Eve of the First Crusade? What were the various political and economic ideas that flooded out of Western Europe and into the Holy Land? What kinds of technology were these westerners skilled in using, both militarily and in other parts of life? What was trade like? There are endless avenues to go down, and it would behoove us all to do a ...
Oct 24, 2025•31 min•Season 8Ep. 192
Patreon Series: Book of Alexios Episode 191: The Pecheneg Problem NOTE: This is the last episode in our Patreon episodes covering the rise and early reign of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos! But his story continues well into the First Crusade...and beyond, so stay tuned, my friends! Alexios Komnenos' story is only beginning! Guiscard is dead, and the Byzantine Empire breathes a short-lived sigh of relief. But from the north, a new storm brews. The Pechenegs, nomadic raiders of the steppes, have pierc...
Oct 20, 2025•45 min•Ep. 191
Patreon Series: Book of Alexios Episode 190: Chapter 8: The Wolf's Mouth Today, two future legends meet. Bohemond of Taranto meets the Byzantine living legend Emperor Alexios I—a moment that will ignite a complicated and world-shaping rivalry. It’s a tense encounter, but not all is war and scheming: somewhere nearby, a child is born. A girl who is destined to leave her own mark on history. No More Paywalls! How? If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts...
Oct 17, 2025•44 min•Ep. 190
Patreon Series: Book of Alexios Episode 189: Chapter 7: Appointments, Penance, Delegation & Threats The purple robes are his, but the work has only begun. In his first month on the throne, Emperor Alexios I Komnenos must navigate a Byzantine Empire under siege—externally and internally. A divided capital, looming threats across the Bosporus, and guilt that whispers louder than any enemy… Welcome to the real beginning of his reign. No More Paywalls! How? If you believe in what’s happening her...
Oct 13, 2025•38 min•Ep. 189
Patreon Series: Book of Alexios Episode 188: Chapter 6: April 4, 1081 NOTE: This is a repeat of Episode 132, but in the interest of the flow of this series, I've decided to include it for continuity. The empire is on fire—figuratively and nearly literally—as Alexios Komnenos makes his bold play for the throne. With the capital in chaos, loyalties split, and Eastern Rome teetering, one man dares to seize it all. Welcome to the storming of Constantinople. No More Paywalls! How? If you believe in w...
Oct 10, 2025•54 min•Ep. 188
Patreon Series: Book of Alexios Episode 187: Chapter 5: Cheese Week NOTE: This is a repeat of Episode 131, but in the interest of the flow of this series, I've decided to include it for continuity. In this episode, we explore the dangerously creamy days leading up to the rise of Alexios Komnenos—because nothing says imperial coup like dairy. Before he seizes the throne of Eastern Rome, the empire simmers in chaos, conspiracy... and cheese. But not just any cheese—this is Cheese Week , the final ...
Oct 06, 2025•51 min•Ep. 187
Patreon Series: Book of Alexios Episode 186: Chapter 4: The Writing on the Wall NOTE: This is a repeat of Episode 130, but in the interest of the flow of this series, I've decided to include it for continuity. Emperor Nikephoros III watches his empire crumble like dry parchment. With rebellion brewing and a once-loyal general rising in fame, the old emperor can’t ignore the writing on the wall—literally and figuratively. In this episode, we explore the origins of that ominous phrase…before the p...
Oct 03, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 186
Patreon Series: Book of Alexios Episode 185: Chapter 3: Alexios & the Erymanthian Boar On this episode, we employ a comparison used by Alexios Komnenos’s daughter when describing her father. There is absolutely no doubt that Anna Komnene revered her legendary father, but the comparison she makes in this episode some would say is a bit over the top. That said, I encourage everyone to consider it. More than that, I encourage everyone to try to find a way to disprove Anna Komnene’s mythical com...
Sep 29, 2025•32 min•Ep. 185
Patreon Series: The Book of Alexios Episode 184: Chapter 2: Bryennios's Rebellion NOTE: This is a repeat of Episode 129, but in the interest of the flow of this series, I've decided to include it for continuity. Today, we watch Emperor Nikephoros III Botaneiates take the reins of a smoldering empire still reeling from the Bread Riots of 1078. But no sooner does he don the purple than the first coup slams into his rule like a battering ram. Who does he turn to? His golden boy, Alexios Komnenos. B...
Sep 26, 2025•43 min•Ep. 184
Patreon Series: The Book of Alexios Episode 183: Chapter 1: Roussel de Balliol Today, we watch a young Alexios Komnenos do what Alexios Komnenos does best: survive and outmaneuver. The foe? A rogue Norman warlord named Roussel de Balliol, who decided to carve out his own little empire from Byzantine soil. It's the Komnenos kid versus the Norman upstart—and spoiler alert: the empire might just have found its next champion. No More Paywalls! How? If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing ...
Sep 22, 2025•48 min•Ep. 183
Patreon Series : Book of Alexios Episode 182: Prologue Today, we crack open The Book of Alexios , a new mini-series chronicling the rise of one of Byzantium’s greatest emperors. But before we launch into the heart of his reign, we need to sweep up a few imperial messes. The chessboard is rearranged: emperors fall, others rise, and somewhere far to the east…a new threat stirs. No, not the Seljuks—someone else. Buckle up, it's going to get imperial. No More Paywalls! How? If you believe in what’s ...
Sep 19, 2025•38 min•Ep. 182
Patreon Series : Rise of the Crusading Spirit Episode 181: The Papacy of Pope Alexander II Today, we pause our sprint through imperial chaos to turn toward Rome—because while emperors rise and fall in the East, a powerhouse is at work in the West. We revisit the reign of Pope Alexander II, a quiet juggernaut of the 11th century, whose influence reverberated from papal chambers to battlefields. It’s time to connect a few dots—and maybe fill in some of the glaring gaps we’ve been skipping over. No...
Sep 15, 2025•29 min•Ep. 181
Patreon Series: Rise of Poland Episode 180: Poland Remains While kingdoms rose and crumbled all across Europe, Poland—battered, bruised, and often overlooked—managed to hold itself together through the chaos of the 11th century. How did this patchwork realm survive where others fell apart? It's a testament to the thousand-year-old Polish spirit. No More Paywalls! How? If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts and all, free to the public with absolutely ...
Sep 12, 2025•34 min•Ep. 180
