Episodes
Dec. 8, 2020
103 – Catching up with Genoa (up to 1310's)
It's about time we stop ignoring poor old Genoa up in the top left-hand corner of the country and bring her up-to-date. We take a really quick race from the fall of the Western Roman Empire to Genoa in the 14th century: it's ...
Dec. 1, 2020
102 – Venice kicks off its 14th century (up to 1310's)
We go back to one of our favorite destinations: Venice, which we last left at the start of the 13th century to bring the maritime republic up to the 14th. We see some crazy laws as the republic move more and more to an oligar...
Nov. 28, 2020
The first great MEGA-RECAP launch
After 100 episodes you might want a general overview of the story so far from 476 - 1310: The emperors, the naughty popes and who got a word stuck in which orifice. All of the things you may have forgotten in this over one ho...
Nov. 17, 2020
101 – The many paths to communal demise (up to early 1300's)
As we really dig into the 14th century, we look at an overview of the different ways in which the communes turned into the signorie, cities and groups of cities ruled over by a single hereditary ruler.
Nov. 10, 2020
Recap 05 – From episode 077 to 100
We go back over around 50 years from the death of Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II to beyond 1300 to retrace the steps of the kingdom of Sicily, the war of the Sicilian Vespers, the northern communes and maritime republics as ...
Nov. 3, 2020
Berlusconi and Bunga Bunga part 3
We arrive at the third and last Berlusconi government (so far) from 2008 to 2011 and his downfall under the onslaught of the EU, economic crisis, legal trouble and Bunga Bunga.
Oct. 27, 2020
Berlusconi and Bunga Bunga part 2
In this second part of our review of Wondery's "Bunga Bunga" podcast and our memories of the Berlusconi era, we look at the 2001 - 2006 legislation, lead by Berlusconi and the longest lasting in Italian republican history
Oct. 20, 2020
Berlusconi and Bunga Bunga part 1
Following the publication of Wondery's excellent "Bunga Bunga" podcast, with co-host and legal expert Matteo Marconi we review the show and look back on our own experience of the Berlusconi era. In this episode his first gove...
Oct. 13, 2020
100 – An interview the godfather of history podcasting and more
For our 100th episode we have the wishes from fellow podcasters and an interview with Mike Duncan, creator of the History of Rome, Revolutions and the book "The Storm Before the Storm". We also have an interview with one of t...
Oct. 6, 2020
099 – The Visconti lose Milan and take it back again
Matte Visconti tries to pass power to his son Galeazzo, who ends up making a mess and losing the city to the Della Torre for almost a decade before would-be Holy Roman Emperor Henry VII come sto Milan and puts the Visconti ba...
Sept. 28, 2020
098 – The Visconti take Milan, Act 1
We see the rise of the Visconti family in Milan as they battle the power of the Della Torre for control over the city and subsequently much of Northern Italy. First however, I take a personal look at my relationship with Mila...
Sept. 15, 2020
Anti-mafia martyrs: Father Pino Puglisi
words and culture, to give the citizens of his city schools, homes all the elements that are fundamental rights, stolen by the Mafia and then handed out as favours.
Sept. 8, 2020
097 – Dante Alighieri and the Divine Comedy
We have a look at the opus magna of Dante Alighieri, the Divine Comedy, before seeing him off to the end of his days and beyond, with the adventures of his corpse
Sept. 3, 2020
Anti-mafia martyrs: Carlo Alberto Dalla Chiesa
On 3rd September, the anniversary of his death, we look at the struggle against organised crime of Carlo Alberto Dalla Chiesa, general of the Italian Carabinieri police force who dedicated his life to the fight against terror...
Sept. 1, 2020
Anti-mafia martyrs series launch
We are going to take a look at some of the brave men and women who have given their lives to fight organised crime in Italy. known as "Le Mafie", the mafias, which include Cosa Nostra, the 'Ndrangheta, the Stidda, the Sacra C...
Aug. 26, 2020
096 – Florence goes black and white and Dante gets involved
After definitively defeating the Ghibellines, the Florentine Guelphs need new enemies so they split into White and Black Guelphs, catching Dante Alighieri, who had entered politics just a few years before, in a crossfire that...
Aug. 19, 2020
095 – Young Dante Alighieri and Florence
We start to take a look at the life and times of the great poet Dante Alighieri, taking the opportunity to look more closely at the history of his city, Florence.
Aug. 2, 2020
094 – Naples vs Sicily
We see how the descent of Emperor Henry VII reignites the conflict between Frederick of Sicily and the new king of Naples, Robert. The animosity will last as long as the two men live.
July 18, 2020
093 – A change of scenery for the papacy and an anachronistic emperor
The papacy, under Clement V heads off for its long exile to Avignone and then Holy Roman Emperor Henry VII tries to move back the clock on the Italian scene.
June 26, 2020
092 – Boniface VIII peaks and crashes
1298- 1303 Boniface VIII crushes the internal opposition of the Colonna, organises the first Jubilee, dabble in Italian politics including Florence and then clashes once again with Philipp IV of France, which seals his fate.
June 21, 2020
091 – Boniface VIII on the scene
1295 - 1297 We go back to the abdication of pope Celestine V in 1295 and see the rise to power of one of the most controverstial popes in history, Boniface VIII in this first of two episodes on the man and his time.
June 12, 2020
090 – Twilight of the Sardinian Judicates
Before finally getting on to the 14th century, we see how the end of the 13th marked the beginning of the end of the Sardinian Judicates, before of course going back to look at what they actually were.
June 4, 2020
089 – The "cannibal" count – an example of late 13th century Italian politics
the politics of late 13th century Pisa as an example of the general situation in the communes as well as touching on Sardinia.
May 16, 2020
088 – Twilight of the communes
Before saying goodbye to the 13th century, we take a quick tour of the peninsula to tie up some loose ends, such as the maritime, republics, Piedmont and the situation with the communes.