In this episode we discuss the early years of Vlad III of Wallachia, also known as Vlad Dracula or Vlad the Impaler, both personally and in the context of the contemporary collapse of the Byzantine Empire and expansion of the Ottoman Turks. Colin Oliver returns as guest.
In this episode we follow some of the non-Lutheran reformers in their early days, as well as the Catholic response to the Reformation and the ensuing religious wars, culminating in the Peace of Westphalia. Gary Hallman returns as guest.
In this episode, we discuss the roots of Luther’s reformation philosophies, as well as what set Luther apart from other early heresies. Gary Hallman joins as guest.
In this episode, we discuss the jazz age, the gentrification of jazz under the banner of big band, and the maturation and diversification of the genre in the post-war era. Yumiko Hutchenreuther returns as guest.
In this episode, we discuss the beginnings of the music tradition that would eventually become jazz, as well as some landmark works that were pivotal in the development of the style, up to 1923. Yumiko Hutchenreuther returns as guest.
In this episode, we discuss the collapse of the monotheistic religion created by Akhenaten and the course correction made by Egyptian civilization over several Pharaohs in order to correct the social damage done and bring an end to the 18th Dynasty. Kevin Miller returns as guest.
In this episode we discuss life in Ancient Egypt specifically in the 18th dynasty, as well as the Pharaoh Akhenaten who attempted to make the god Aten the only god of a formerly polytheistic society. Kevin Miller returns as guest.
In this episode we discuss Cortes’ meeting with Montezuma, the time the Conquistadors spent in Tenochtitlan, and the siege of the city that effectively ended the Aztec empire. Ethan Bleskie returns as guest.
In this episode we discuss the Aztec empire just prior to contact with Europeans, as well as the Spanish in the Age of Exploration and the first legs of Cortes’ journey into the mainland of the New World. Ethan Bleskie joins as guest.
In this episode we focus mainly on Charlemagne’s coronation by Pope Leo III as Roman Emperor and the far-reaching consequences of the act. Phil Downey returns as guest.
In this episode, we discuss the stretch of time between the collapse of the Western Roman Empire and the rule of Charlemagne, as well as Charlemagne’s first years of rule. Phil Downey returns as guest.
In this episode we discuss the fall of the Knights Templar due to a plot by the French crown to accuse the order of heresy, as well as some of the lasting cultural impacts. Colin Oliver returns as guest.
In this episode, we discuss the origins and structure of the Knights Templar in the context of the Crusades in medieval Europe. Colin Oliver returns as guest.
In this episode we examine the the drastic social and political changes instituted by the Meiji emperor after his restoration and consolidation of power, as well as Japan’s first forays into global politics. James Mitchell returns as guest.
In this episode, we look at the extremely stable Edo period of Japanese history which was dramatically interrupted by Western powers bent on economic trade with Japan, as well as the struggle to reinstate the Imperial seat as the executive power for the country. James Mitchell joins as guest.
In this episode we look over the CIA’s direct involvement in brokering deals that funneled weapons into post-revolutionary Iran and supplied funds and goods to the Contra guerrilla group, as well as the discovery of the scheme and its fallout. Paul McGeown returns as guest.
In this episode we set the scene for what would become the Iran-Contra Affair by exploring two distinct conflicts in the 1980s: the revolt of the Contras against the Sandanistas in Nicaragua, and the Iran-Iraq War. This background is vital to understanding one of the largest intelligence gaffes in United States history. Paul McGeown returns as guest.
In this episode we discuss the fall of the Republic to the machinations of the Grand Plan of the Sith, leading to the establishment of the First Galactic Empire under Sheev Palpatine. Paul McGeown joins as guest. For more information on this episode as mentioned at the end, please read my essay here: https://www.hi101.ca/?p=180
In this episode we discuss the history of the effective treatment of smallpox, beginning with the crude method known as variolation and ending with the eradication of smallpox from the world in 1977. Gillian Webber returns as guest.
In this episode we discuss smallpox in its earliest form – what the disease is, how it effects people, and how it was understood by those it infected. Gillian Webber joins as guest.
In this episode, we pick up the space race with the Gemini and Voshkhod programs and follow it through the Apollo landings until its official end in 1975 with the joint Soyuz-Apollo mission. Kevin Miller returns as guest.
In this episode, we discuss the origins of the space race between the United States and Soviet Union, from the early experiments of Robert Goddard and the aftermath of the Second World War through to the groundbreaking Mercury and Vostok programs. Kevin Miller returns as guest.
In this episode we look at a range of ramifications from the defeat of Constantinople in 1453, from the ending of a 1500 year old empire and increased tensions on the Eastern Orthodox Church to the beginnings of the age of Exploration and the heavy influence on the Renaissance. Ethan Bleskie returns as guest.
In this episode, we discuss the final siege by the Ottoman Turks against the city of Constantinople in the 15th century, effectively ending the unbroken chain of the Roman Empire. My brother Ethan Bleskie joins as guest.
In this episode, we cover the aspects of Napoleon’s tenure that aren’t directly tied to the timeline of his military and political narrative, such as law, culture, religion, and legacy. Colin Oliver returns as guest.
In this episode, we cover the Napoleonic Wars and the ruinous effect they had on the entire European continent. Colin Oliver joins as guest.
In this episode, we look at how the conspiracy spectacularly failed just days before its execution, as well as the short- and long-term effects of the attempt on the conspirators, Catholics, and England itself. Phil Downey returns as guest.
In this episode we discuss the assassination attempt on James I of England known as the Gunpowder Plot, the roots of the grievances of the conspirators, and the planning phase of the conspiracy. Phil Downey returns as guest.
In this episode we discuss what the typical accused witch looked like, what the process tended to be for an accused witch, and some of the more famous or notable trials, as well as the eventual decline of the hysteria. Yumiko Hutchenreuther returns as guest.
In this episode, we discuss the social pressures and events that formed the basis of the witchcraft scare in Early Modern Europe. Yumiko Hutchenreuther joins as guest.
