History in 20 Podcast

Today we discuss the Thirty Years War, which ravaged Europe from 1618 to 1648. Major characters emerged (and some died) during the conflict, including: the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II; Frederick V of Bohemia; King Louis XIII of France and his advisor Cardinal Richelieu; Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden; and Christian IV of Denmark. Initially starting out as a war of religion, the conflict descended...

Today we're discussing Charlemagne, the King of the Franks and the first Holy Roman Emperor. Just how did this man from eighth-century France inspire indie band Blossoms to write a song about him in the 21st century? From Aachen to Adrian I, from Lombardy to Leo III, and from Alcuin of York to Irene of Byzantium - this has it all! Expect to hear about conquests, courtly life, culture, religio...

Today we're looking at the life and reign of Genghis Khan (c.1162-1227) in less than 20 minutes! Coming from a small clan in mountainous northern Mongolia, to creating the world's largest-ever land empire was all in a lifetime's work for this mighty military leader. Revered by some, feared by most, and respected by all: this is the story of Genghis Khan. Don't forget to SUBSCRI...

In this special request, I discuss the Black Death (1346-53), Europe's worst natural disaster in recorded human history. Topics discussed include the Plague of Justinian (541-42), the social, economic and religious responses to the Black Death, and contemporaries' views at the time. Enjoy! SOCIALS: Blog Instagram Facebook YouTube

Episode 1 of the History in 20 Podcast! This episode is Part I of the Plantagenets Mini-Series, and covers the reigns of Henry II (1154-89) and Richard I (1189-99). It's just a brief overview of their reigns, and will hopefully be a good introduction to anyone interested in the topic! Henry II (r. 1154-89) was the first of the Plantagenets, and is typically viewed as one of England's mos...

In the second part of the Plantagenets Mini-Series, we will be looking at King John (r. 1199-1216) and Henry III (r. 1216-72). Often seen as a tyrant, King John (r. 1199-1216) is one of the most infamous names in English history. Most prominently known for aggravating his barons and eventually being forced to sign Magna Carta, his reign differed greatly from his predecessor's and his successo...

The third part of the Plantagenets Mini-Series! Apologies for the length of this video, I tried to cut down a few times but this was about as short as I could get it. Back to 20 minutes next time (hopefully!). This time we look at the beginning of the Edwardian period of the Middle Ages, starting with Edward I (r. 1272-1307) and Edward II (r. 1307-27). Although they were father and son, they were...

The final instalment in the Plantagenets Mini-Series! Edward III (r. 1327-77), often regarded as one of England's best kings, followed in the footsteps of his grandfather (Edward I) rather than his father (Edward II) during his kingship. Edward saw five decades in his reign, and everything from war with France, war with Scotland and even the infamous Black Death. To come through all of this u...