History Off the Page

A brief overview/explanation of History Off the Page, a European history podcast for people on the go.   Support the show For more information on History Off the Page, check out our website www.historyoffthepage.com!   Or you can support the  show via Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/historyoffthepage?fan_landing=true.

Perhaps no event had a more dramatic impact on modern history than "industrialization." But what does this word actually mean?  In this episode we document the key economic and technological changes that encompassed this revolution, focusing on inventions like the cotton gin and the railroad.  We'll see how industrialization essentially annihilated space and time, redefining people&...

From an unremarkable family in Corsica to master of Europe, Napoleon Bonaparte's meteoric career is one of the most dramatic stories in European history.  In this episode we'll examine the secrets to his success, and see why he was viewed as both devil and tyrant during the course of his rule. Support the show For more information on History Off the Page, check out our website www.histor...

Perhaps the most seismic political event in European history.  Learn why the Revolution began - and more importantly why it was so difficult to stop the cycle of violence as it accelerated.  We'll also see what efforts the French undertook to replace the authority of the monarchy, including the invention of modern political culture.   Support the show For more information on History Off the P...

This episode examines the radical intellectual project known as the Enlightenment, which tried to remake society using the power of reason.  In addition to learning about the usual suspects, we'll see how coffee, encyclopedias and Freemasons all played a key role in this project. Support the show For more information on History Off the Page, check out our website www.historyoffthepage.com!  ...

In this introductory episode, we consider the ways the Europe of 1600 was both similar and different to the Medieval society that existed before it.  Highlights include a discussion of the revolutionary tomato, effects of the printing press and the invention of modern science. Support the show For more information on History Off the Page, check out our website www.historyoffthepage.com!   Or you c...

This episode examines what daily life was like for ordinary people in Early Modern Europe, highlighting some core differences with our own era such as the sense of geographic isolation and legal privileges of the nobility. Support the show For more information on History Off the Page, check out our website www.historyoffthepage.com!   Or you can support the  show via Patreon here: https://www.patr...

Mel Brooks once remarked "It's good to be the King." But what was it actually like to be a king in Early Modern Europe?  This episode examines ideals and values of the great monarchs of Europe, showing the limitations that led to a breakdown of order by the 17th century. Support the show For more information on History Off the Page, check out our website www.historyoffthepage.com!  ...

While we tend to think of absolutism as just a really strong king, this episode shows how the concept of the centralized state was developed in response to the 17th century crisis of order.  In particular, we look at French King Louis XIV and his magnificent palace of Versailles, showing how Louis turned his life into a performance in order to gain power over his nobles. Support the show For more...