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

SEASON 4: The Mediterranean Prepares EPISODE 70: El Cid, Pt. 4: The Road to Valencia We’re entering the final act of a story centuries in the making. From the heights of Córdoba to the dust of Zaragoza, the Iberian Peninsula is now a battleground of faith, power, and legacy. As the Reconquista surges forward, we begin the closing chapters in the life of Spain’s greatest legendary warrior—El Cid. N...

SEASON 4: The Mediterranean Prepares EPISODE 69: El Cid, Pt. 3: The Battle of Sagrajas El Cid rides again—this time in exile, defending Zaragoza against his former countrymen. As Alfonso VI tightens his grip on Iberia, word spreads of a looming storm in the south. In Algeciras, a dark tide rises that will reshape the peninsula—and it all begins here, a decade before the First Crusade. No More Payw...

SEASON 4: The Mediterranean Prepares EPISODE 68: El Cid, Pt. 2: The Fall of Toledo The die is cast—Christian ambition crosses a new threshold as Toledo becomes the flashpoint between al-Andalus and the rising Christian kingdoms. Today, we mark the spark that ignites a century of conquest, conflict, and the forging of legends like El Cid. The battle for Spain begins here. No More Paywalls! How? If...

SEASON 4: The Mediterranean Prepares EPISODE 67: El Cid, Pt. 1: Mercenary Sword in hand and loyalty in flux, Rodrigo Díaz steps onto the stage—part man, part myth, all momentum. In this first chapter of our series on El Cid, we meet him not as the polished hero of legend, but as the fierce and brilliant mercenary he truly was. The age of epic has arrived. No More Paywalls! How? If you believe in w...

SEASON 4: The Mediterranean Prepares EPISODE 66: Sancho II vs. Alfonso VI Before legends rise, kingdoms fall apart. Today, we dive into the bitter sibling rivalry between Sancho II and Alfonso VI—a dynastic tug-of-war that sets the stage for one of Spain’s greatest heroes to step into the fray. The legend begins in the shadows.  No More Paywalls! How? If you believe in what’s happening here – brin...

SEASON 4: The Mediterranean Prepares EPISODE 65: A Tale of Two Empires Today, two powers rise—one from the burning sands of North Africa, the other from the highlands of Christian Iberia. The Almoravids bring zeal and unity to a fractured al-Andalus, while Fernando of León and Castile shapes a legacy that will echo far beyond his reign. But not all ascents end in glory. No More Paywalls! How? If y...

*** This is a newly released (former Anchor Bonus) episode from the beginning of March, 2022. ENJOY!!! This was formerly Episode 60. Sorry for the mess up in the order of episodes, folks. Shouldn't happen again! SEASON 4: The Mediterranean Prepares EPISODE 60 (BONUS): Iberia Has No End Today’s episode lays the groundwork. Before our next legendary figure steps onto the stage, we zoom out to un...

SEASON 4: The Mediterranean Prepares Miniseries: Medieval West Africa EPISODE 64: Trouble From Within Today, we peel back the layers of early West African power to reveal the cracks forming in Wagadu—the empire we often call “proto-Ghana.” We also meet the Sanhaja, the Berber tribes who move between worlds, shaping the future of the Sahara and the Sahel. As Wagadu’s façade begins to splinter, new...

SEASON 4: The Mediterranean Prepares Miniseries: Medieval West Africa EPISODE 63: Wagadu Uncovered Today, we dive deeper into the splendor, wealth, and power of early and medieval West Africa—a region too often overlooked, yet absolutely central to the story of the medieval world. From the rise of powerful kingdoms to thriving centers of learning and trade, this episode explores the rich and compl...

SEASON 4: The Mediterranean Prepares Miniseries: Medieval West Africa EPISODE 62: Across the Sahara Long before GPS and bottled water, traders and pilgrims dared to cross one of the most unforgiving landscapes on Earth—the Sahara Desert. In this episode, we travel the sand-swept routes that linked sub-Saharan Africa to the Mediterranean world. From gold and salt to stories and beliefs, these darin...

SEASON 4: The Mediterranean Prepares EPISODE 61: The Tables Have Turned As the fractured  taifas  simmer in the south, Christian Iberia begins to stir in the north. In this episode, we track shifting powers, rising ambitions, and the early rumblings that will give rise to one of the most legendary figures in Spanish history. The groundwork is being laid. No More Paywalls! How? If you believe in wh...

SEASON 4: The Mediterranean Prepares EPISODE 59: What Was Gained Before the fall, there was a flowering. Today, we pause to appreciate what Muslim rule in Córdoba gave the world—advances in science, medicine, architecture, philosophy, and poetry that would echo across continents and centuries. This isn’t just history—it’s legacy. No More Paywalls! How? If you believe in what’s happening here – bri...

SEASON 4: The Mediterranean Prepares EPISODE 58: What Was Lost Córdoba wasn’t just a city—it was a library, a beacon, a living crossroads of ideas. In this episode, we reflect on what the world lost with its collapse in the early 11th century: the poetry, the philosophy, the science, and the spirit of a place that once stood at the very edge of the possible. Music: Music for this episode is called...

SEASON 4 (BONUS): The Mediterranean Prepares EPISODE 57: Abd al-Rahman Before Córdoba fell, it rose—brilliantly. In this episode, we rewind the clock to trace the origins of Umayyad rule in Iberia. From the embers of a collapsed caliphate in Damascus to a bold new dynasty in exile, we explore how one of medieval Europe’s greatest cities was born—and why its foundations mattered centuries later. No...

SEASON 4: The Mediterranean Prepares EPISODE 56: Of Taifas and Berbers In the wake of Córdoba’s collapse, al-Andalus doesn’t disappear—it fractures. In this episode, we explore the rise of the  taifas , the patchwork kingdoms that sprang up like splinters from a fallen empire. And we meet the Berbers, fierce and often misunderstood, whose presence would reshape Iberian politics for generations to...

SEASON 4 (OPENER): The Mediterranean Prepares EPISODE 55: Scattered Pearls After centuries of brilliance, Córdoba falls. In this episode— Scattered Pearls —we reflect on the unraveling of a once-magnificent caliphate. Once the beacon of learning, art, and power in al-Andalus, the city’s collapse leaves behind echoes of poetry, shattered alliances, and a fractured future for Iberia. No More Paywall...

SEASON 3 -- EXTENDED: Heresy in Orleans Standalone: Christian Heresy EPISODE 54: Heresy in Orleans In this episode, we explore one of the strangest and most mysterious moments of the early 11th century—the Orléans Heresy. Accusations fly, theology fractures, and royal politics stir the pot as a group of learned clerics question the foundations of the faith... and pay the price. No More Paywalls! H...

SEASON 3 -- EXTENDED: North Sea Collapse Standalone: Beowulf EPISODE 53: The Greatest of Heroes This episode is my love letter to  Beowulf —the epic that defined a world of monsters, mead halls, and mortal glory. We explore what makes this story endure: the raw courage, the existential dread, the warrior code, and the poetic beauty that still echoes through time. Hwaet! Let’s dive in. No More Payw...

SEASON 3 - EXTENDED: North Sea Collapse Standalone: A New Take on an Old Story EPISODE 52: The Woman of a Thousand Summers Back In this special episode, I retell the legendary story of Lady Godiva—noblewoman, protester, and symbol of bold defiance. Stripping away the myth from the woman, we explore what her famous ride may have meant to the people of her time—and why her story still echoes today....

SEASON 3 FINALE : North Sea Collapse EPISODE 51: A New Age October 1066. The Battle of Hastings. This is it. King Harold II of England faces Duke William of Normandy in one of the most pivotal showdowns in all of Western history. Shields will break, kings will fall, and the world will never be the same. This isn’t just a battle—it’s the end of Anglo-Saxon England and the dawn of a Norman age. No M...

SEASON 3: North Sea Collapse EPISODE 50: Death of a Legend, Death of an Age The Battle of Stamford Bridge marked the end of an era. In this episode, King Harold Godwinson crushes the legendary Harald Hardrada, ending the Viking Age with one final, brutal victory. But triumph comes at a cost—and Anglo-Saxon England may have just spent its last breath. No More Paywalls! How? If you believe in what’s...

SEASON 3: North Sea Collapse EPISODE 49: The Last Anglo-Saxon King It’s the summer of 1066, and all eyes are on the southern coast. In this episode, King Harold Godwinson braces for the Norman invasion. With spies, fleets, and tensions building, we explore how England’s final Anglo-Saxon king prepares for the greatest threat his kingdom has ever faced. No More Paywalls! How? If you believe in what...

SEASON 3: North Sea Collapse EPISODE 48: Northumbria Erupts Before 1066 turned England upside down, Northumbria was already in flames. In this episode, we head north to explore how Earl Tostig Godwinson’s rule ignited rebellion, shattered loyalties, and ended in exile. It’s a prelude to catastrophe—and the fuse has been lit. No More Paywalls! How? If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing...

SEASON 3: North Sea Collapse EPISODE 47: The Distant Beat of Drums Today’s episode has it all: exiles, obstinate earls, and more dead kings than you can count. We start in Hungary, detour through England, glance at Wales, and end up in Scotland—because why not? The 11th century doesn’t slow down, so neither do we. No More Paywalls! How? If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared...

SEASON 3: North Sea Collapse Standalone: A Legend Earns His Nickname EPISODE 46: Hardrada He’s older, wiser, and more dangerous than ever. After years abroad, Harald Sigurdsson—better known to history as Harald Hardrada—returns to the north. In today’s episode, we bring the Varangian legend back into the story and trace how this seasoned warrior-king becomes one of the most consequential figures o...