History Loves Company

As a reader, even I'm willing to admit that some books are difficult to get through. 'Moby Dick', 'War and Peace', 'Ulysses'...these are works that are notoriously dense in regards to subject-matter and style, though they can nonetheless be fun to tackle for those seeking a challenge. But perhaps no book is as difficult to get through as the so-named Voynich Manuscript, largely because it's writte...

For nearly seven centuries, serfdom was the lay of the land in Russia. Beginning in Medieval times, by the 19th Century, it was clear that changes needed to be made. Thus, several forward-thinking reformers and even the czar himself sought to end the practice. But how had it even started to begin with? How did they go about ending this ages-old practice? And what were the repercussions of its abol...

"Of two things one could be absolutely certain: death and taxes." This quote, sometimes attributed to Benjamin Franklin, continues to ring true, but it most definitely applies to the poor farmers who faced unfair taxation in the early days of the United States. Find out all about it in this week's "intoxicating" episode!

The knight has become a stock figure in Medieval dramas, embodying the ideals of chivalry, courtly manners, and Christian values. But what if I told you that the last knight in Europe existed on the eve of World War Two? Find out all about it in this week's episode!

Throughout the golden age of Hellenistic culture and thought, the Library of Alexandria was a bastion of knowledge and intellectual pursuits. But the beginning of the end was sewn when a usurper assumed command of the Ptolemaic throne, expelling all scholars. Yet even this short-sighted act pailed in comparison to what happened next. Tune in for the exciting conclusion on the Library of Alexandria...

The library as an institution is nothing new. The first libraries came about with the world's first cities. In the land of Sumer in present-day Iraq, Uruk boasted an impressive library, where people from throughout the region could read and study texts. Assyrian king Ashurbanipal had his own personal library with clay tablets on a wide variety of subjects. But the biggest and most impressive of An...

A place as renowned as Hollywood in Los Angeles, California is bound to have some legends attached to it. The ghost of Charlie Chaplin, for example, is said to haunt a cinema-turned-live theatre venue while the ghost of Marilyn Monroe can be seen in the mirror on one of the upper floors of a landmark hotel. Yet even these sightings and occurrences pale in comparison to the story of a despondent ac...

Referred to by historians as "the Venice of the Americas", Tenochtitlán, the capital of the Aztec Empire, was truly a civic and engineering marvel that was wondrous to behold. Today, not much remains of the original city, but what does is impressive and offers a glimpse at the grandeur and magnificence of Aztec architects. Join me for a tour of this amazing city, this week on the History Loves Com...

We seem to be jaded in our contemporary age. We've lost all sense of optimism. It's difficult to pinpoint any singular reason for this, but our current penchant for nostalgia is seemingly justified given the circumstances. But, believe it or not, there was a time when a new century meant promise and hope. Join me this week for a look at fin-de-siècle Vienna and how a unique (albeit extremely brief...

Few cities in Europe, or the world, for that matter, can claim such a rich and lengthy history as picturesque Plovdiv in southern Bulgaria. Boasting a human presence dating back 8000 years, it's a remarkable place that has seen empires crumble and people from all walks of life making something extraordinary of themselves. Join me on a tour of Europe's oldest city!

We've all seen it: a black-and-white, grainy photo of a long-necked creature surfacing the waters of Loch Ness. This is perhaps the most iconic image of the so-named Loch Ness Monster, or Nessie, ever captured on film. But while the creature has been better documented in recent centuries thanks to photographic and video evidence, sightings of it date back even further to several centuries in the p...

There are many ways to legitimize a city, but your first thought might not be to steal a holy relic. The Most Serene Republic of Venice, or La Serenissima in the Venetian language, did just that in its formative years and it fast became the symbol of the city itself. How and why did they do it? Was it indeed God's will? And how has this holy relic shaped its identity? Find out in this week's enthr...

The bond between humans and dogs is an unbreakable one. From their domestication some 20000 to 40000 years ago during the Ice Age, they've become loyal companions and dear friends. Across cultures, dogs are often associated with benevolence, but did you know that a town in Medieval France even went as far as to make one a saint? Find out how it all happened in this week's episode, all about Saint...

French art in the late 19th Century was at a crossroads. Between Impressionism and Post-Impressionism and the various Modernist movements that would dominate the early 20th Century, the Turn-of-the-Century was a transitional period. And yet, no movement better embodied this transition than the Nabis, a fringe movement that would ultimately bridge the gap between the two. Tune in this week to disco...

With the rise of Benito Mussolini (and, by extension, fascism) in Italy, the colony of Eritrea was hurled into Modern Age. Rapid industrialization and development of infrastructure meant that the capital city of Asmara's population more than doubled within a decidedly short span of time. But the grinding gears of history had other plans for the colony. Find out what happened next in Part Two of It...

Admittedly, the so-called "Rush to Africa" conjures up the usual European suspects: France, Belgium, and, of course, Britain. But lesser known is Italy who established its own colony in East Africa in a place they called Eritrea (from the Latin name for the Red Sea that borders it). Today, the capital city of Asmara is a hodgepodge of Romanesque churches, Modernist architecture, and businesses wit...

You've likely heard the phrase "singing for one's supper," but how about singing for one's freedom? Nearly forty years ago now, the people of the Baltic states did just that in order to cast off the yoke of Soviet oppression. Lend me your ears (and voices) this week for a look at the Singing Revolution!

The sinner-to-saint story is prevalent in Christianity. There are countless examples of men and women who saw the proverbial light and made a change for the better. But what about in other faiths? In the East, such figures can also be found in Buddhism. And in Tibet, perhaps none is as famous as the subject of this week's episode. We return to the Himalayas this week, dear listeners, for a look at...

Despite three of the world's main religions being monotheistic in nature, they were not the first to adopt such a concept. The belief in a sole or chief deity is decidedly older, with roots in Persia and, perhaps surprisingly, in Egypt, where one pharaoh dared to topple the age-old religious order in favor of something new and radical. Tune in this week to learn about Atenism, Ancient Egypt's mono...

The subject of colonization of North America typically conjures up a few "culprits": Spain, France, and, of course, Britain. But it's important to remember that other European powers gave it a go here as well: the Dutch, for example, whose colony of New Amsterdam would one day become the city of New York. But even lesser known than the Dutch were the Russians, who, unlike the others who crossed th...

Take a look in your pockets, dear listeners. Do you have any spare change? Perhaps a nickel, a dime, or a penny? Of these, the penny isn't worth that much. Just one cent in American currency, these copper coins bearing the likeness of our 16th president (Abraham Lincoln) are the most commonly found coins on the ground while out and about. And yet, it was a humble penny, albeit far older than the L...

If you've attended a university in either the United States or Canada, chances are you or someone you know was part of a fraternity or sorority. These exclusive student-led clubs offer a sense of camaraderie and community and, some would say, enhance and exemplify the college experience. But there was a time before such organizations existed and were even regarded with scorn by university faculty....

"Do yeh fear that dark abyss?" So asks Davy Jones, the main antagonist of the second film in the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' franchise: 'Dead Man's Chest.' For context, he was referring to death, but his words could just as easily apply to the sea itself. The ocean is vast, unforgiving, and holds many secrets. One such secret is the disappearance of a Danish ship almost a century ago--the København...

Our species is obsessed with immortality. Given our limited time on this Earth, who can blame us? As such, many great men and women throughout history have sought to halt or postpone death through both supernatural and scientific means. But of them, perhaps none did so quite as intensely as the first emperor of China. Join me this week for a tale of political intrigue, assassination attempts, and...

Baseball is America's pastime. So how did it end up in one of the remotest places on Earth? Just in time for the World Baseball Classic (starting March 5th), join me as we explore the history of the sport in Bhutan and how a tiny part of the Himalayas became a bastion for baseball.