Western Civ

Before turning to the New World, we bring the Old World up to speed, covering Louis XIII and France, Philip's heirs in Spain, the Ottoman Empire, and the Time of Troubles in Russia. Western Civ 2.0

The Thirty Years War comes to an end, leaving Germany devastated and divided. Western Civ 2.0

The Holy Roman Empire wilts under the combined pressure of Sweden and France. Spain exits our stage. And Central Europe lurches toward peace. Western Civ 2.0

Shifting alliances continue to hamper peace efforts in the Thirty Years War. Western Civ 2.0

The Thirty Years War continues to drag on in Germany after the death of Ferdinand II and the ascension of Ferdinand III.  Western Civ 2.0

The years after the death of the Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus saw the ever-shifting alliances of the Thirty Years War do maximum damage.  Western Civ 2.0

King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden briefly, but decisively, intervenes in the Thirty Years War.

Christian IV of Denmark intervenes in the Thirty Years War.  Website Western Civ 2.0

The German Peasants’ War was the greatest popular uprising in Western Europe before the French Revolution. In 1524 and 1525, it swept across Germany with astonishing speed as well over a hundred thousand people massed in armed bands to demand a new and more egalitarian order. The peasants took control of vast areas of southern and middle Germany, torching and plundering the monasteries, convents,...

Cardinal Richelieu comes to power in France, altering the course of French history. Website Western Civ 2.0 

For millennia, land has been a symbol of wealth and privilege. But the true power of land ownership is even greater than we might think. In  Land Power , political scientist Michael Albertus shows that who owns the land determines whether a society will be equal or unequal, whether it will develop or decline, and whether it will safeguard or sacrifice its environment.    Modern history has been de...

Frederick V's brief stint as the leader of the Protestant resistance comes to an end.  Website Western Civ 2.0

The Thirty Years War begins with the Bohemian revolt. That begins by a bunch of guys getting chucked out a window... Website Patreon Support

The death of Emperor Rudolf in 1612 brought his brother Matthias to the throne. While this marked a period of recovery for the Habsburg dynasty, Matthias's position was precarious. He lacked the same authority as his brother and was already 55 years old, making his grip on power tenuous from the outset. The empire Matthias inherited was one riddled with internal divisions and vulnerabilities. The...

The years leading up to the Thirty Years War saw the repeated failures of various institutions within the Holy Roman Empire. Website Western Civ Podcast

We have not covered Denmark or Sweden much since the Viking Age. Today that changes. Both kingdoms will play major roles in the Thirty Years War so today we break down how both look coming into that conflict. Website Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial

Spain was truly a world empire by the opening of the Thirty Years War in 1618. While it was not without weaknesses, it was perceived as being the most dominant European power of the early modern period.  Website Western Civ 2.0

Today I interview historian Josiah Osgood and we discuss his latest book:  Lawless Republic: The Rise of Cicero and the Decline of Rome.   In its final decades, the Roman Republic was engulfed by a crime wave. An epidemic of extortions, murders, and acts of insurrection tested the court system’s capacity to maintain order. As case after case filled the docket, an ambitious young lawyer named Cicer...

Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 shocked the world. And yet, to Ukrainians, this attack was painfully familiar, the latest episode in a centuries-long Russian campaign to divide and oppress Ukraine.     In Intent to Destroy , political scientist Eugene Finkel uncovers these deep roots of the Russo-Ukrainian War. Ukraine is a key borderland between Russia and the West, and, foll...

The Thirty Years War might not have happened had the Habsburg monarchy been stronger. But a series of internal and external conflicts beginning in the late sixteenth century begin to change that dynamic for the worse.  Website Patreon Support

One simply cannot understand the Thirty Years War without first digesting the Austrian Habsburgs. Today, we tell that story. Website Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial

Today, I cover the convergence of faiths in the Holy Roman Empire that will, to an extent, drive the conflict of the Thirty Years War: Catholicism, Lutheranism, and Calvinism.  Website Patreon Support/Western Civ 2.0

As we begin the Thirty Years War, I back up a bit and explore the structure of the Holy Roman Empire. Website Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial

As you can imagine, much changed in European economic life and technology between 1450 and 1650. Here I cover many of the most relevant transformations that would alter European life in the Early Modern Period. Website Western Civ 2.0

In this episode, we discuss major political and cultural changes in Early Modern Europe. Website Western Civ 2.0