Relevant History

At the dawn of 1761, Frederick the Great’s Kingdom of Prussia is on the brink of collapse. Under attack by the Russians and Swedish in the north and the Austrians in the south, it would take a miracle for Prussia to survive. Meanwhile, the war in the west spreads to the Iberian peninsula, where Spain joins France in a surprise attack on British-allied Portugal.   In the conclusion of World War Zer...

In 1759, Europe is in its fourth year of war. North America is in its sixth. There, a new British commander named Jeffery Amherst partners with Native American allies to take the fight to the French. If successful, Amherst can force the French out of Canada altogether. In Europe, France and Britain fight to a stalemate. But British-allied Prussia is in grave danger as Frederick the Great tries to...

In 1756, the French and British war over North America spills over to Europe. Prussian leader Frederick the Great, a British ally, takes the opportunity to make a pre-emptive attack on French-allied Austria, Poland, Saxony, and Russia. Soon, Sweden joins the counterattack against Prussia, and virtually all of Europe is at war. But the Seven Years’ War will continue to spread. The French and Britis...

In this episode, Dan traces the origins of the Seven Years’ War, starting with a seemingly-insignificant skirmish commanded by a young George Washington. This 1754 clash between British and French colonial forces will eventually turn into a global conflict. But what are the stakes in North America? Why are the French and the British willing to risk a world war? And why will these far-flung events...

With the War of the Austrian Succession slowed to a crawl in Europe, the conflict spreads around the globe. In North America, French and British colonists fight in battles from Nova Scotia to Upstate New York. In the plains of east India, the French and British East India Companies wage a proxy war, aided by their nations’ warships. Back in Europe, peace breaks out in 1748. But after eight years o...

At the end of 1743, Europe is divided in two. On the one side, Austrian Archduchess Maria Theresa struggles to hold on to her ancestral lands, supported by her allies in Britain, the Netherlands, and Piedmont-Sardinia. On the other side, France and Spain are trying to conquer the old Habsburg lands, while Frederick the Great in Prussia continues to pose a real threat. Meanwhile, the French and Spa...

The War of the Austrian Succession marks the beginning of the transition from dynastic politics to a more modern sense of nationalism. At the time, though, it merely seems like a calamity. What begins as a personal land grab by the young Prussian King Frederick the Great turns into a general European war, as multiple powers try to grab land from the vulnerable Austrian Archduchess Maria Theresa.  ...

At the mid-point of the first season, Dan takes a breather to recap what we’ve learned, and discuss nationalism more broadly. SUBSCRIBE TO RELEVANT HISTORY, AND NEVER MISS AN EPISODE! Relevant History Patreon: https://bit.ly/3vLeSpF Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/38bzOvo Subscribe on Apple Music (iTunes): https://apple.co/2SQnw4q Subscribe on Google Music: https://bit.ly/30hUTRD RSS feed:...

Following Commodore Matthew Perry’s expedition to Japan, the floodgates to foreign trade are open. British, French, and even Russian merchants come to Japan, introducing foreign ways of life. Rebellious daimyos, worried about losing their way of life, resort to extreme measures; they overthrow the Shogunate and restore the Emperor of Japan to a position of real power. When even the Emperor cannot...

In the year 1853, Japan is an isolationist, feudal society. By 1877, she’s a modern nation, with a centralized government and burgeoning national industry. This process, called the Meiji Restoration, is one of the most remarkable national transformations in all of history. But how does it happen? In this episode, Dan discusses the first part of the story. We’ll start out with the Tokugawa Shogunat...

After the founding of Russia’s Romanov Dynasty, the settlement of Siberia is ready to begin in earnest. Intrepid explorers push east across Asia, eventually coming into contact with the Chinese Qing Dynasty. There, Russia’s land borders will be established, as both sides try to avert a major Asian war. Beyond the Eurasian landmass, Russian explorer Vitus Bering ranges even further, searching for a...

In a rare twist, Dan dives into current events, evaluating the Russian invasion of Ukraine from a historical perspective. In the epic showdown between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who will come out victorious? Here’s the situation on the ground right now, how things might shake out, and, of course, the relevant history behind the invasion.   SUBSCRIBE TO RELEVANT HISTORY, AND NEVER MISS...

Siberia is the world’s largest wilderness and last frontier. The Russian conquest this vast territory begins in the 1500s, but will take more than a century to complete. By the end of Russian expansion, the Tsar rules not just all of Siberia, but also Alaska and even parts of California. How did a regional power in far-eastern Europe come to control such a vast land? And why did they do it? Here,...

The Iroquois people, properly known as the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, are one of the largest and most influential of Native American groups. So, who are these people? What were they doing before European colonization, and how did this affect their society? Dan starts with an overview of colonization, then delves into the founding myth of the Haudenosaunee. When the Europeans show up, the Iroquois...

In the ending days of the Thirty Years’ War, both sides struggle desperately for any advantage. Under First Minister Cardinal Mazarin, France is fighting a war on three fronts. But military heroes like the Prince de Condé give her an advantage over the stagnant Spanish Empire. Meanwhile, Swedish general Lennart Torstensson leads his army into the very heartland of the Austrian Empire. Can the Habs...

France’s entry into the Thirty Years’ War did not happen in a vacuum; decades of political sparring and power politics led to that point. To fully understand why and how France got into the war, it’s important to see France through the eyes of Louis XIII, or better yet, through the eyes of his most important advisor, Cardinal Richelieu. Born as Armand Jean du Plessis, Richelieu is one of the most...

In 1626, King Christian IV of Denmark-Norway joined the Thirty Years’ War as a champion of the Protestant cause. Within four years, he would be sent home with his tail between his legs. But the Protestants would gain a new champion: the Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus. In a few short years, the Lion of the North would forge a military reputation equaled by only a handful. Just as importantly, he wo...

At the beginning of 1618, the Holy Roman Empire is at peace. By the end of the year, there is a rebellion in Bohemia, and Protestants and Catholics throughout the empire are at each others’ throats. In the Third Defenestration of Prague, Bohemian Protestants, tired of royal abuses, have literally thrown Emperor Ferdinand’s royal representatives out the window. This local revolt could have been res...

In the middle of the 16th century, Habsburg Spain rules over the world’s first global empire – an empire on which the sun never set. But their new king, Philip II, is dead set on centralizing his rule. All of his domains, even the newest, must submit to his taxes, his legal code, and most of all to the dreaded Spanish Inquisition. In the freedom-loving Spanish Netherlands, this royal overreach wou...

American Society for Suicide Prevention (please consider donating) - https://supporting.afsp.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donate.event&eventID=1&language=en TIMESTAMPS: EPISODE 1: BOOZE, STRYCHNINE, AND FERAL DOGS – THE STORY OF THE 1904 MEN’S OLYMPICS – 04m: 20s EPISODE 2: CORPORAL VOJTEK –  30m: 20s EPISODE 3: THE FIRST SERIAL KILLER (WE KNOW ABOUT) – 54m: 33s EPISODE 4: SPOOKY HISTORY – 1h: 28m: 47...

In the early 1500s, the Catholic Church is plagued by corruption, and the Pope is blind to his people. To fund the building of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, he offers to sell indulgences; money in exchange for eternal salvation. In Germany, a priest named Martin Luther takes offense. The resulting crisis is bigger than anyone – even Martin Luther – expected. Holy Roman Emperor Charles V will sudde...

When Bohemian priest Jan Hus begins preaching some novel theological concepts, he thinks he’s engaging in mere academic expression. Instead, he gets sucked into an ecclesiastical war between three Popes and an emperor. Against these forces, he fails. But the legacy of Jan Hus would spread beyond Bohemia. Over the next century, he would become a symbol of church reform, and his teachings would form...

In the 1400s, the Iberian peninsula is divided into a handful of smaller countries. By the end of the century, Spain would be one of the leading powers in Europe. By the end of the next, her colonial empire would be the greatest in the world. But what if you found out that “Spain” never even existed until the 1700s? In this episode, Dan talks about the marriage of Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand...

By the end of April, 1453, the city of Constantinople is in a desperate state. Without immediate relief from their fellow Christians, the city will surely fall. Can the defenders hold out until help arrives? In his second episode on the Fall of Constantinople, Dan brings the story to its epic conclusion. MAP OF THE FIRST THREE WEEKS OF THE SIEGE: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thum...

Whether or not 1453 is the most important year in history is a subjective question. But if it’s not on your top five list, it should be. It was the year the city of Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Empire. This isn’t just about the transfer of one city, or even the end of the Byzantine civilization. It’s the day the Middle Ages ended and the Renaissance began. It heralded a new day in the histor...