Episodes
March 28, 2023
156 - Venice tangles with the Turks and messes with Milan (1416 - 1454)
Venice, after trying to avoid it, goes to war with the Turks and at the Battle of Gallipoli a spectacular victory is won... but by who? Then, we see how Venice used an ex ,mercenary captain of Milan against his old employers…
March 14, 2023
155 - Venice has trouble with the neighbours (1400 - 1416)
We come round to Venice to see how they were doing at the start of the 15th century , dealing with neighbours such as the duchy of Milan under Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Padua under the Da Carrara and the formidable Sigismund k…
Feb. 28, 2023
154 Trentino Alto Adige (up to 1509)
Since we have never been there in the podcast, we take some time to go back and give a very general overview of the northern Italian region of Trentino Alto Adige, perched up north between the duchy of Milan and the Republic…
Feb. 14, 2023
153 - The assassination of Galeazzo Maria and the Moore takes control (1468 - 1494)
Duke of Milan Galeazzo Maria Sforza continues with his expensive naughty ways until he is assassinated in 1476. His son Gian Galeazzo becomes duke under the regency of his mother, Bona of Savoy, until his uncle Ludovico, kno…
Jan. 31, 2023
152 - Duke Francesco Sforza and his sex-crazed son (1450 - 1568)
Shortly after becoming duke, Francesco Sforza has to deal with a war against Venice, but then the peace of Lodi and the Italic league allow him some time to consolidate his power and start building projects in Milan, as well…
Jan. 17, 2023
151 - Milan from Visconti to Sforza (1447 - 1450)
After the death of Duke Filippo Maria Visconti of Milan, a succession crisis has everyone in on the game and Venice gobbling up cities. In the end, will Bianca Maria Visconti and her husband, Francesco Sforza , manage to sta…
Jan. 10, 2023
5th anniversary
On 3rd January we celebrated the 5th anniversary of the "A History of Italy" podcast. In this special episode we will talk about: How the podcast is doing and where it's going The Italian 2022 elections and Meloni government…
Dec. 20, 2022
150 - Decline of the Savoy and the Holy Shroud of Turin (1451 - 1490)
We go back to the north west to visit with Piedmont and the house of Savoy to take them out of the 15th century as they go through a period of decline with the rising power of France threatening their independence. It is in …
Dec. 13, 2022
149 The Genoa of Columbus (1442 - 1492)
We close out the 15th century for Genoa with things not looking too great thanks to the advancing Ottomans in the Eastern Mediterranean and in parallel follow the life of one of Genoa's most famous sons, Christopher Columbus…
Dec. 6, 2022
148 - Peak and twilight of the Magnificent (1478 - 1492)
After the failed Pazzi conspiracy and its bloody vengeful aftermath, Lorenzo has to face war against pope Sixtus IV AND Naples AND Urbino. As if that wasn't enough also plague and more plots. Then, would you believe it, anot…
Nov. 15, 2022
147 - The conpiracy of the crazies (1476 - 1478)
Things heat up as the animosity between the Medici and pope Sixtus IV leads to one of the most infamous conspiracies in history: the Pazzi conspiracy, set up to kill Giuliano and Lorenzo De Medici and overthrow the Signoria,…
Nov. 8, 2022
Interview with Philippa Gregory on Maria Beatrice D'Este
We got the chance to talk to bestselling author, Philippa Gregory, about one of the characters of her new book, Dawnlands,Maria Beatrice D'Este, a real historical figure as well as a character, daughter of Duke Alfonso IV o…
Oct. 31, 2022
Halloween special: Azzurrina, the ghost of Montebello
We imagine the story behind the ghost of Montebello Castle, supposedly that of Gwendalina, nicknamed "Azzurrina", (little blue) due to her strange blueish hair. The little girl is said to have vanished without a trace in 137…
Oct. 28, 2022
F100: 04 The March on Rome
One hundred years ago, a series of events between 24th and 31st October 1922 culminated in Fascist leader Benito Mussolini taking power in what is known as "The March on Rome". Did the Black shirts actually take Rome by for…
Oct. 19, 2022
146 - Lorenzo vs Sixtus and America's beautiful cousin (1471 - 1476)
The rivalry between Lorenzo de Medici and pope Sixtus IV, Francesco della Rovere starts to heat up as they clash over lands and resources, reaching very dangerous levels. Meanwhile the Medici brothers find time for another g…
Oct. 4, 2022
145 - Fleeting youth, Lorenzo de Medici's early years (1468 - 1471)
Before the responsibility of government is handed over to him at his father's death and before getting married the statesman, banker, lover of philosophy and poet Lorenzo De Medici takes a few last opportunities at carefree …
Sept. 20, 2022
144 - A sickly father, a magnificent mother amd balls (1464 - 1468)
Piero De Medici takes over the shadow government of Florence at the death of his father and with the help of his wife and son manages to hold the reigns, overcome a plot on his life and a war with a rather interesting charac…
Sept. 6, 2022
143 Cosimus Medices Pater Patriae (1429 - 1464)
We finally get into the Medici in style with the man who is considered the founder of the family's great fortune and political dominance. We follow Cosimo de Medici as he slowly asserts his power over the Republic of Florenc…
Aug. 31, 2022
142 - pope-ing out of the Middle ages (1447 - 1492)
We accompany the last set of popes of the middle ages, from Nicholas V to Innocent VIII as they take us out of th middle ages with the usual intrigue in the Italian peninsula with Naples,Florence, Milan and Venice as well as…
Aug. 9, 2022
141 - The popes are back in business (1417 - 1447)
After the healing of the western schism in 1417, new pope Martin V must get his papal state sunder control which means dealing with a whole load of issue such as brigands, mercenary captains, pushy neighbours, unruly lords a…
Aug. 2, 2022
140 - King Ferdinand's woes (1458 - 1492)
After the death of Alphonse the Magnanimous, his son, Ferdinad, has quite a time managing to hold on to the kingdom of Naples what with revolting Barons, meddling popes and even an Ottoman invasion! Will the poor man ever ge…
July 19, 2022
AMM: Paolo Borsellino and Rita Atria
On the 30th anniversary of his death, we look at the life and struggle of anti-mafia investigative magistrate Paolo Borsellino up to his tragic killing and how he crossed path with a brave young girl of only 17, willing to g…
July 12, 2022
139 - King Alphonse of Naples (1436 - 1458)
We go back a little to see how Alphonse V of Aragon actually got onto the throne of Naples and what he had to put up with once he got there dealing with Milan, Venice, Genoa and Florence, before a rather unprecedented allian…
June 21, 2022
138 - Aragonese Sardinia and Sicily (1410 - 1500)
We take a quick look at some of the situations and key events in Sardinia and Sicily in the 15th century as the Aragonese consolidate their hold over their new possessions