Episode Overview Having toured Spanish Sardinia and turbulent Sicily, we now complete our circuit of southern Italy by turning to the Kingdom of Naples. Once secured for Spain by the legendary Gonzalo de Córdoba, Naples became one of the crown jewels of the Spanish Empire — wealthy, strategic, and politically…
Episode Overview Having raced through the early 1500s following the Italian Wars, the Medici popes, Leonardo da Vinci, and the creation of the Medici duchy in Florence, it’s time to slow down and look at the parts of Italy we’ve left slightly out of focus. In this episode, we take…
Il Professor Paolo Golinelli ci accompagna alla visita della mostra "Reggio Emilia medioevale e Matilde di Canossa" curata da lui stesso ed il professor Gabriele Fabbrici, tenuta presso la biblioteca Panizzi eìdi Reggio Emilia nel 2025
We had a wonderfu holiday at the impressiver hilltop Villa at Sterlinghe. Look them up at https://sterlinghe.com/
New Edit To celebrate the 200th anniversary episode, which coincided with the 8th anniversary, we decided to hear from you, dear constant listener to create a special episode to celebrate this great milestone with many more hopefully to come. As well as greetings, we'll hear about: Sieges vs Battles Moving…
Episode Summary With Giovanni dalle Bande Nere gone, we return to Florence to witness the dramatic collapse of the centuries-old Florentine Republic and the emergence of Medici princely rule. Against the backdrop of the Sack of Rome, religious extremism, political infighting, and imperial intervention, this episode follows Florence’s final republican…
In this episode, we trace the final chapters in the life of Giovanni dalle Bande Nere, the last great condottiero of Renaissance Italy, and his unlikely, enduring friendship with the scandalous writer Pietro Aretino. From political satire in Rome to blood-soaked battlefields in Lombardy and Umbria, this story intertwines art,…
Episode Summary Picking up where we left off, Giovanni de’ Medici, son of Caterina Sforza and known to history as Giovanni of the Black Bands, continues his meteoric rise through the bloody and chaotic world of Renaissance warfare. Backed by a Medici pope and driven by his fierce loyalty to…
Hello You! for our 220th and 8th anniversary episode I thought I would invite contributions from the most VIP I could think of... YOU! So please send in a sound file or, if you don't feel like it, written message with a contribution, consideration, question, something i didn't mention or…
In this episode, we reunite with an old friend of the show — Caterina Sforza, the indomitable “Tigress of Forlì.” From her, we follow the turbulent and violent early life of her son, Giovanni de’ Medici, known as Il Gran Diavolo — the Great Devil — a man whose passions,…
In this episode, we pick up with Emperor Charles V consolidating his power over Italy after the Battle of Pavia (1525), where the French king Francis I was captured. The uneasy Italian states, including Pope Clement VII (Giulio de’ Medici), soon realized they had traded one master for another and…
After three episodes exploring the life of Leonardo da Vinci, we return to the turbulent stage of the Italian Wars. In this episode, we pick up in the early 1520s, a period shaped by papal politics, dynastic rivalries, and the shifting fortunes of France and Spain. Highlights include: • The…
This is a guest episode by Dirk Hoffmann of the history of the German podcast, in which he tells us all about the impact of one of the most important inventions in human history, Gutenberg printing press.
We explore the fascinating intersection between one of the world’s most famous relics and one of its most brilliant minds: Leonardo Da Vinci and the Shroud of Turin. Was Da Vinci somehow connected to this mysterious cloth? Could he have had the knowledge, access, and motive? 🕯️ What You’ll Hear:…
Early Life & Education • Born illegitimate, Leonardo spent his youth sketching and observing nature. • After moving to Florence, he entered the prestigious workshop of Andrea Verrocchio, where he learned not only painting but also the chemistry behind pigments and the mechanics of sculpture and engineering. 🎨 Artistic Breakthroughs…
Starting from reasons to have a good cry, particularly concerning hair, we then head to Vinci, outside Florence in the mid 1400's to witness the birth and early childhood of Leonardo to see the start of some of the characteristics that will accompany him for the rest of his life.…
In this episode, we dive into the dramatic papacy of Pope Leo X, exploring his efforts to secure Medici power, his architectural and social reforms in Rome, and his role in the early days of the Protestant Reformation. We track how his favoritism toward Florence shaped papal policy, the challenges…
Of course! Here's the revised version of the summary show notes with key words and phrases bolded for emphasis: In this episode, we explore the turbulent political and religious landscape of Italy and Europe in the late 1510s—a pivotal prelude to the Protestant Reformation. 🔹 Power Shifts in Europe •…
In this episode, we pick up the story of the Medici family as they return to Florence, armed with the great news of Giovanni de' Medicibecoming Pope Leo X. We dive into: • How the Medici family subtly regained power in Florencewithout taking formal positions, carefully balancing loyalty and governance.…
Among the many casualties of the battle of Garigliano was Piero de Medici, son of Lorenzo the Magnificent. Piero, previously exiled from Florence for his poor leadership during the invasion of Charles VIII in 1494, drowned while trying to escape the battle. His body was found and buried at Montecassino…
After the release of the series "Secret Kingdom - God's banker" we talk with the podcast creator Nicolò Majnoni about the Roberto Calvi affair and talk about Italy in the early 80's, the Vatican, the Cold War, Freemasons and the Mafia
In this episode, we dive into a personal story that kicks off with a Christmas party invitation and an unexpected wardrobe choice — a kilt. From this quirky start, we delve into the historical significance of Sicily, a land that has shaped centuries of Mediterranean history. The episode takes us…
Venice is reeling from the defeat at Agnadello, but immediately starts the comeback egged on by doge Lorenzo Loredan. After some promising victories they suffer another defeat at the hands of the League of Cambrai at Polisella. When all seems once again lost, Pope Julius II changes sides, allying with…
