SEASON 8: The First Crusade
EPISODE 194: Deus Vult!
Clermont., France.
November 27, 1095.
Pope Urban II lit the match that set Europe ablaze. This episode dives into the conflicting accounts of that speech—where “Deus Vult” became both a prayer and a war cry.
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SEASON 8: The First Crusade
EPISODE 193: Eastern Rome on the Eve of Crusade
On this episode, we hear from Dr. Warren Treadgold -- retired professor, historian, and author -- who has spent a decades-long career studying Byzantine history. In the show's first interview, we discuss Alexios Komnenos, differences between the Christian East and the Latin West, and whether the Crusades themselves were a net positive or net negative.
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SEASON 8: The First Crusade
EPISODE 192: The World(view) Behind the First Crusade
Let’s take a moment to survey Europe by 1095. What was the world like on the Eve of the First Crusade? What were the various political and economic ideas that flooded out of Western Europe and into the Holy Land? What kinds of technology were these westerners skilled in using, both militarily and in other parts of life? What was trade like? There are endless avenues to go down, and it would behoove us all to do a once-over before proceeding into the epic that was the First Crusade! Oh, and I’ve earthquakes, comets, and even a tornado to mention…who knew?!
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Patreon Series: Book of Alexios
Episode 191: The Pecheneg Problem
NOTE: This is the last episode in our Patreon episodes covering the rise and early reign of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos! But his story continues well into the First Crusade...and beyond, so stay tuned, my friends! Alexios Komnenos' story is only beginning!
Guiscard is dead, and the Byzantine Empire breathes a short-lived sigh of relief. But from the north, a new storm brews. The Pechenegs, nomadic raiders of the steppes, have pierced the empire’s borders...yet again. Today, we follow Emperor Alexios I as he trades one crisis for another and marches north to face a threat that could unravel everything he’s barely been able to hold together thus far. Just another day in 11th-century Byzantium.
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Episode 190: Chapter 8: The Wolf's Mouth
Today, two future legends meet. Bohemond of Taranto meets the Byzantine living legend Emperor Alexios I—a moment that will ignite a complicated and world-shaping rivalry. It’s a tense encounter, but not all is war and scheming: somewhere nearby, a child is born. A girl who is destined to leave her own mark on history.
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Patreon Series: Book of Alexios
Episode 189: Chapter 7: Appointments, Penance, Delegation & Threats
The purple robes are his, but the work has only begun. In his first month on the throne, Emperor Alexios I Komnenos must navigate a Byzantine Empire under siege—externally and internally. A divided capital, looming threats across the Bosporus, and guilt that whispers louder than any enemy… Welcome to the real beginning of his reign.
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Episode 188: Chapter 6: April 4, 1081
NOTE: This is a repeat of Episode 132, but in the interest of the flow of this series, I've decided to include it for continuity.
The empire is on fire—figuratively and nearly literally—as Alexios Komnenos makes his bold play for the throne. With the capital in chaos, loyalties split, and Eastern Rome teetering, one man dares to seize it all. Welcome to the storming of Constantinople.
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Episode 187: Chapter 5: Cheese Week
NOTE: This is a repeat of Episode 131, but in the interest of the flow of this series, I've decided to include it for continuity.
In this episode, we explore the dangerously creamy days leading up to the rise of Alexios Komnenos—because nothing says imperial coup like dairy. Before he seizes the throne of Eastern Rome, the empire simmers in chaos, conspiracy... and cheese. But not just any cheese—this is Cheese Week, the final stretch of indulgence before the Eastern Orthodox Great Lent begins. We’ll serve up a quick primer on this deliciously bizarre tradition, where meat is banned, cheese is sacred, and political plots thicken like a good béchamel. Come for the theology, stay for the treachery.
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Episode 186: Chapter 4: The Writing on the Wall
NOTE: This is a repeat of Episode 130, but in the interest of the flow of this series, I've decided to include it for continuity.
Emperor Nikephoros III watches his empire crumble like dry parchment. With rebellion brewing and a once-loyal general rising in fame, the old emperor can’t ignore the writing on the wall—literally and figuratively. In this episode, we explore the origins of that ominous phrase…before the pace picks up, fast.
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Episode 185: Chapter 3: Alexios & the Erymanthian Boar
On this episode, we employ a comparison used by Alexios Komnenos’s daughter when describing her father. There is absolutely no doubt that Anna Komnene revered her legendary father, but the comparison she makes in this episode some would say is a bit over the top. That said, I encourage everyone to consider it. More than that, I encourage everyone to try to find a way to disprove Anna Komnene’s mythical comparison.
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Episode 184: Chapter 2: Bryennios's Rebellion
NOTE: This is a repeat of Episode 129, but in the interest of the flow of this series, I've decided to include it for continuity.
Today, we watch Emperor Nikephoros III Botaneiates take the reins of a smoldering empire still reeling from the Bread Riots of 1078. But no sooner does he don the purple than the first coup slams into his rule like a battering ram. Who does he turn to? His golden boy, Alexios Komnenos. But this isn't Roussel de Balliol anymore—this is something darker, sharper, and far more dangerous. And it's only just begun.
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Episode 183: Chapter 1: Roussel de Balliol
Today, we watch a young Alexios Komnenos do what Alexios Komnenos does best: survive and outmaneuver. The foe? A rogue Norman warlord named Roussel de Balliol, who decided to carve out his own little empire from Byzantine soil. It's the Komnenos kid versus the Norman upstart—and spoiler alert: the empire might just have found its next champion.
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Episode 182: Prologue
Today, we crack open The Book of Alexios, a new mini-series chronicling the rise of one of Byzantium’s greatest emperors. But before we launch into the heart of his reign, we need to sweep up a few imperial messes. The chessboard is rearranged: emperors fall, others rise, and somewhere far to the east…a new threat stirs. No, not the Seljuks—someone else. Buckle up, it's going to get imperial.
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Patreon Series: Rise of the Crusading Spirit
Episode 181: The Papacy of Pope Alexander II
Today, we pause our sprint through imperial chaos to turn toward Rome—because while emperors rise and fall in the East, a powerhouse is at work in the West. We revisit the reign of Pope Alexander II, a quiet juggernaut of the 11th century, whose influence reverberated from papal chambers to battlefields. It’s time to connect a few dots—and maybe fill in some of the glaring gaps we’ve been skipping over.
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Patreon Series: Rise of Poland
Episode 180: Poland Remains
While kingdoms rose and crumbled all across Europe, Poland—battered, bruised, and often overlooked—managed to hold itself together through the chaos of the 11th century. How did this patchwork realm survive where others fell apart? It's a testament to the thousand-year-old Polish spirit.
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Patreon Series: Rise of Poland
Episode 179: The Worthy Brother
Today, we dive into the wild, ruthless, and often misunderstood reign of Bolesław II—better known as Bolesław the Bold. He wasn’t just another medieval ruler jockeying for land and power. No, Bolesław was a king with ambition carved in steel and sealed in blood. He fought wars, crowned himself, and clashed with the Church… and let’s just say things didn’t end with a retirement party. This is the story of a man who burned hot, fast, and left a mark on Polish history few could match.
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If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts and all, free to the public with absolutely no more paywalls…ever…please consider donating to my caffeine-mediated research and writing through the website/app Buy Me A Coffee! With opportunities for one-time donations and even a monthly donation plan, you can voluntarily contribute to the continuation of this show. I would be eternally grateful!
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Patreon Series: Rise of Poland
Episode 178: But It's Not Too Heavy
Today, we trace the quiet but critical rise of Casimir the Restorer—a man who didn’t charge into history with a sword held high, but instead rebuilt a kingdom from the ground up. After Poland fell into disarray, it was Casimir who returned from exile, restored order, and stabilized the monarchy with a mix of diplomacy, grit, and just enough muscle to be taken seriously. He may not be the flashiest figure of the 11th century, but without him, Poland might have disappeared entirely from the map.
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If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts and all, free to the public with absolutely no more paywalls…ever…please consider donating to my caffeine-mediated research and writing through the website/app Buy Me A Coffee! With opportunities for one-time donations and even a monthly donation plan, you can voluntarily contribute to the continuation of this show. I would be eternally grateful!
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Patreon Series: Rise of Poland
Episode 177: Heavy Is the Crown
Today, we dive into the brutal and chaotic reigns of Mieszko II Lambert and his charming brother Bezprym—if by “charming” you mean “sadistic, power-hungry nightmare.” After Bolesław the Brave left Poland strong and unified, his sons quickly reminded everyone just how fragile power can be. This is a story of exile, betrayal, torture, and the kind of sibling rivalry that makes Cain and Abel look like playground squabbles. Buckle up—Poland’s royal soap opera is in full swing.
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If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts and all, free to the public with absolutely no more paywalls…ever…please consider donating to my caffeine-mediated research and writing through the website/app Buy Me A Coffee! With opportunities for one-time donations and even a monthly donation plan, you can voluntarily contribute to the continuation of this show. I would be eternally grateful!
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Patreon Series: Rise of Poland
Episode 176: The Many Wars of Boleslaw
Today, we charge headlong into the bloody campaigns and calculated power plays of Bolesław I of Poland—known to some as “the Brave,” and to others as “the guy who never saw a war he didn’t like.” Whether it was the Holy Roman Empire, the Kievan Rus’, or internal rivals, Bolesław saw them all as opportunities for expansion—or revenge. His reign set the stage for Polish statehood…but not without some scorched earth and shattered alliances along the way.
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Patreon Series: Rise of Poland
Episode 175: A Foundation to Build Upon
Today, we stand at the crossroads of dynastic transition in Poland. Mieszko I, the man who carved out the foundation of a Christian Polish state through diplomacy, war, and strategic marriage, breathes his last. But before the dust settles, his son—Bolesław—steps forward, eyes fixed on expansion and glory. The age of consolidation gives way to the age of conquest. A peaceful succession? Hardly. The 11th century doesn't do peaceful.
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If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts and all, free to the public with absolutely no more paywalls…ever…please consider donating to my caffeine-mediated research and writing through the website/app Buy Me A Coffee! With opportunities for one-time donations and even a monthly donation plan, you can voluntarily contribute to the continuation of this show. I would be eternally grateful!
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