Fortune's Wheel: A Podcast History of Our Medieval Story

SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest EPISODE 119: Palermo: Take Two Palermo once again finds itself in Duke Robert Guiscard’s crosshairs, and this time he’s not playing nice. From burning ships to whispered betrayals, Sicily becomes the latest chessboard in Robert’s ruthless Mediterranean campaign. This episode dives into the high-stakes drama of conquest, ambition, and the grim resolve of a duke w...

SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest EPISODE 118: Siege of Bari The Siege of Bari begins...and ends. But don’t be fooled—this isn’t some tidy wrap-up. It’s got imperial schemes, naval brawls, double-crosses, and enough medieval trash-talk to fill a saga. In the end, Robert Guiscard does what Robert Guiscard does: win, outmaneuver, and finally tame the thorn in his southern Italian side once and for...

NOTE: This is a continuation of Episode 116. SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest EPISODE 117: A Ship Becalmed The Hauteville brothers are back in action—well, sort of. Robert Guiscard wrestles with the Varangian Guard (yeah, those guys), while Roger watches the Muslim emirs of Sicily tear into each other. It’s a four-year sprint of shifting alliances, bloody reckonings, and one massive finale you...

NOTE: I’ve reworked and split this into Episodes 116 and 117—re-recorded and much improved. I’m proud of how they turned out (and very glad I never posted the original version!). Hope you enjoy the new edits, and I’d love to hear what you think! SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest EPISODE 116: Siege of Palermo, 1064 The crown jewel of Sicily was calling — and the Hauteville brothers answered. In 1...

We break from our history narrative for this episode (which I have purposely not numbered so as to keep the flow of the narrative), and I hope you all make it to the end. I use this time to go off-script and share with you all some of my thoughts about the podcast so far -- where it's been, where it currently is, and where it might go in the future. I feel like we have hit a level of listeners...

SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest EPISODE 115: The Battle of Cerami Some battles live on not just for their violence, but for what they awaken. The Battle of Cerami was just that — a moment of valor, of brilliant leadership, and of seismic consequence. Roger de Hauteville stood his ground against overwhelming odds in what would become the Thermopylae of Norman Sicily. But battles like this leave...

SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest EPISODE 114: Locking Down Troina 1063 was a make-or-break year for Roger de Hauteville. On this episode, we watch him balance on the knife’s edge of survival and triumph. From rescuing his wife during a local revolt to enduring a brutal siege, Roger’s resolve is tested like never before. And yet, somehow, against the odds, he pushes deeper into Sicily than ever...

SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest EPISODE 113: All Over A Girl An entire civil war…over a girl? What is this, a Mediterranean remake of  The Iliad ? Nope—just another Tuesday in Norman Italy. In this episode, sibling rivalry hits its peak as the mighty Robert Guiscard and his brother Roger square off over a woman, of all things. Honor, pride, power—sure, those played a role too—but make no mista...

SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest EPISODE 112: Conquering the Val Demone Conquest is momentum—and the Normans had it in spades. On this episode, we follow Robert Guiscard and his younger brother Roger as they push deeper into the rugged heart of Sicily. Their route takes them through a crucial valley, one that would test their resolve and teach Roger the brutal truths of leadership, logistics, a...

SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest EPISODE 111: Securing Messina Roger’s Sicilian adventure continues—and this time, it’s real war. With the lessons of conquest fresh in his mind, Roger turns to the city of Messina as his critical first prize. But the Muslim powers of Sicily are far from passive observers—they respond quickly, and with force. Today, we explore how the youngest Hauteville turned s...

SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest EPISODE 110: Roger's First Steps It's all about Roger—the youngest of the legendary Hauteville brothers—stepping out from his older siblings' shadows and into the blinding sun of Sicilian conquest. As Norman power spreads across the Mediterranean, Roger begins to carve out not just land, but legend. This is where his story truly begins—where ambition...

SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest EPISODE 109: The Norman-Papal Alliance After catching up with the chaos of Eastern Rome, we begin today’s journey back in southern Italy with the ever-ambitious Robert Guiscard, still scheming his way through southern Italy like a medieval Tony Stark in chainmail. But the real thunderclap comes from within the halls of the Catholic Church. Power is shifting, ref...

SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest Miniseries: Rise of the Komnenoi EPISODE 108: Cracks in the Bulwark For centuries, Constantinople stood like a stone wall between Islamic empires and Christian Europe—absorbing wave after wave of pressure while the West largely ignored the cost. But after the disaster at Manzikert, those cracks in the wall widened. In this episode, we examine the immediate fallo...

SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest Miniseries: Rise of the Komnenoi EPISODE 107: Manzikert! A single word that would echo through the centuries as the Eastern Roman Empire’s turning point. On this episode, we recount one of the most infamous battles in medieval history—where arrogance, betrayal, and a well-placed arrow conspired to unravel centuries of imperial dominance. Romanus IV staked it all...

SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest Miniseries: Rise of the Komnenoi EPISODE 106: Eudokia's Vow Today, we explore the high-stakes political gamble of Empress Eudokia Makrembolitissa—widow, mother, regent, and now…Empress once again. With her young son Michael Doukas technically next in line, Eudokia makes a controversial vow—to step aside—but then promptly steps right back in, marrying the bat...

SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest Miniseries: Rise of the Komnenoi EPISODE 105: Machiavellian Moves Today, we witness something downright rare for the Middle Ages: a peaceful transition of imperial power. Isaac Komnenos, battered by illness and the burdens of rule, hands the crown to a man of the Church—Michael Psellos’s chosen candidate. But don’t let the word  peaceful  fool you. Behind the in...

SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest Miniseries: Rise of the Komnenoi EPISODE 104: Isaac I Komnenos With a soldier’s grit and a reformer’s vision, Isaac Komnenos seizes the throne during a time of chaos and crumbling confidence in Eastern Rome. But his reign, though short, is anything but quiet. Between bureaucratic shakeups, military reforms, and the rising shadow of his own health, Isaac’s time a...

SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest Miniseries: Rise of the Komnenoi EPISODE 103: The Reluctant Emperor Today, we reach the boiling point in our Byzantine narrative. Constantinople stands on a knife’s edge—haunted by fading glory, battered by political whiplash, and yearning for a leader who can stop the rot. As the old guard clings to power and the empire’s enemies sharpen their blades, the quest...

SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest Miniseries: Rise of the Komnenoi EPISODE 102: The Reluctant Rebel Today, we continue our turbulent tour through 11th-century Constantinople, where emperors and empresses come and go with dizzying speed. From the formidable Theodora to the uncertain reign of Michael IV, the Byzantine Empire finds itself in a constant state of political whiplash. Can Michael VI fi...

SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest Miniseries: Rise of the Komnenoi EPISODE 101: The Rudderless Empire Today, we explore the stretch of time between the death of Basil II—one of Eastern Rome's greatest emperors—and the rise of the Komnenian dynasty—one of Eastern Rome's greatest dynasties. This was a period of slow unraveling: emperors came and went, each chipping away at the ironclad leg...

SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest Miniseries: Rise of the Komnenoi EPISODE 100: Popes, Kings, Sailors & One Really Important Road Today, we set the stage for empire and commerce by diving into the heartbeat of Byzantium—Constantinople—and the ancient road that connected it to the world: the Via Ignatia. We trace its winding route through the mountains of northern Greece, where traders and me...

SEASON 6 (OPENER): Still At It EPISODE 99: Still At It Today, we head south once again—back to the chaotic crossroads of southern Italy. The Normans aren't done yet. In fact, they're just getting started. This is the beginning of a new arc in our medieval epic:  The Other Norman Conquest , where shifting alliances, ambition, and Mediterranean power plays take center stage. No More Paywalls...

SEASON 5: The Norman Conquest of England EPISODE 98: The Longest Shadow We bid farewell to the titan who changed the face of England forever. William the Conqueror—bastard, duke, king, and relentless force of will—meets his end. But even in death, his legacy casts a long and unyielding shadow over Europe. This is the final chapter in a life that reshaped the medieval world. No More Paywalls! How?...

SEASON 5: The Norman Conquest of England EPISODE 97: Always On the Move William the Conqueror buries the hatchet with an old rival, proving that even the most iron-fisted kings need allies now and then. Meanwhile, the Normans keep doing what Normans do best: moving, conquering, and reshaping the map of Europe. If there's one thing the 11th century teaches us, it’s that Norman ambition never sl...

SEASON 5: The Norman Conquest of England EPISODE 96: Everybody Hates Will: Bishops & Barons Today, we dive into the land grabs, political chess, and ecclesiastical power struggles that defined post-Conquest England. When Bishop Odo of Bayeux—yes, William’s own half-brother—gets a bit too ambitious, it’s Archbishop Lanfranc who brings the hammer down. The result? A trial, a scandal, and a trip...