Western Civ
452 episodes - English - Latest episode: 2 days ago - ★★★★★ - 129 ratingsA fast-moving history of the western world from the ancient world to the present day. Examine how the emergence of the western world as a global dominant power was not something that should ever have been taken for granted. This podcast traces the development of western civilization starting in the ancient Near East, through Greece and Rome, past the collapse of the Western Roman Empire into the Dark Ages, and then follows European and, ultimately, American history as the western world moved into a dominant world position.
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Episodes
Episode 297: King Robert Dudley?
April 26, 2024 13:45 - 38 minutes - 53 MBIn this episode, we break down the changes that Robert Dudley might become the next King of England. Spoiler alert, he doesn't. While Elizabeth I might have truly loved her favorite, the reality was she could not marry him. Marrying Robert would have isolated England even further as we will see. Then, when Robert's wife dies under mysterious circumstances, the door closes forever on the idea of Robert Dudley, King of England. Website Support the Show and Get Ad-Free Episodes
Episode 296: The Virgin Queen
April 19, 2024 14:00 - 37 minutes - 52 MBElizabeth is often known in history books as the "Virgin Queen". As we will see in this episode, to remain unwed was a conscious choice she cultivated from the very beginning of her reign. It gave her independence. And it allowed her to chart England's religious course, very much a compromise, without foreign interference. Website Patreon Support
Episode 295: The Unknown Queen
April 12, 2024 14:00 - 32 minutes - 44.5 MBToday we begin Queen Elizabeth I, one of the most important British monarchs in history. Elizabeth takes over for the deceased Mary with England in absolute turmoil. She appoints William Cecil her Secretary of State and together they begin the process of righting England's ship. Website Patreon Free Trial
Episode 294: The Dutch Rebellion
April 05, 2024 14:00 - 39 minutes - 53.5 MBThe Dutch Rebellion is the longest domestic revolt in modern European history. Over 80 years the Dutch slowly but surely ground Philip II into bankruptcy. While Philip had what he thought was an inexhaustible pool of Mexican and Peruvian gold and silver to draw from, what he did not understand were the modern forces of inflation and interest. In the end, more even than the Dutch people, Philip found himself undone by modern economics. Website Patreon Support
Episode 293: Burning England
March 29, 2024 14:00 - 30 minutes - 41.5 MBIn today's episode, the reign of Queen Mary I of England comes to an end. Mary's efforts to burn England free of heresy fails and Princess Elizabeth assumes the throne. Website Patreon Support
Episode 292: Bloody Mary
March 22, 2024 14:00 - 40 minutes - 55.8 MBNow we get to the Queen Mary I of England everyone knows. In the span of just over two years, Mary burned more heretics than Edward VI or Henry VIII combined. All of this was an effort to reunite England with the Papal See. Reginald Pole, the papal legate, remained confident in the project. But the enthusiasm in England for a return to the age before Henry's schism was waning and time was very much running out. Website Patreon Support
Episode 291: Queen Mary's Early Reign
March 15, 2024 14:00 - 31 minutes - 42.7 MBQueen Mary I of England survives the first challenge to her power and emerges with the sense that she is God's ordained monarch. As a result, the pace of religious change quickened by the fall of 1554. Website Patreon Free Trial
Episode 290: A Glorious Union
March 08, 2024 15:00 - 35 minutes - 48.5 MBWith the death of Edward VI and the failure of Jane Grey to seize the throne, Queen Mary's ascent seemed likely to mean there would be a dramatic and immediate change in religious policy. The evangelical faction was now firmly out of power - many would flee to the continent in fact. But at least initially Mary and her court was a bit hesitant to push too hard too fast. For decades now the people of England had heard nothing but criticism of the Pope, it seemed unlikely they would forget all t...
Episode 289: Promise Unfulfilled
March 01, 2024 15:00 - 1 hour - 88.1 MBThe English Reformation really heats up between 1551 and 1553. Unfortunately, the boy king, Edward VI, dies young leaving the dream of a final evangelical nation unfulfilled. Edward attempts to cut his half-sisters out of the inheritance and leaves the throne to Lady Jane Grey. but England isn't having it. Website Patreon Support
Episode 288: Dudley and the English Reformation
February 23, 2024 15:00 - 43 minutes - 59.7 MBIn this episode, Dudley, the Earl of Warwick, now dominates the Privy Council. As a result, the pace of religious reform decidedly quickens. The Mass is condemned. Altars are torn down. The "Old Religion" more or less disappears. This then brings matters to a head with a certain member of the royal family who remains an ardent Catholic: the Princess Mary. Spoiler alert, THAT is going to be a major problem going forward. Website Patreon Free Trial
Episode 287: Upheaval
February 16, 2024 15:00 - 1 hour - 104 MBSomerset survived his brother's poorly planned coup, but this time he won't be so lucky. The enclosure crisis continues to rock England and today that crisis erupts into the most dangerous domestic uprising in England since the 14th Century. Somerset will manage to survive Kett's Rebellion but his failure to effectively manage the crisis leads the English nobility to wonder openly whether he is the best person to lead England. Dudley, the Earl of Warwick, decides to attempt a coup of his own ...
Mirrors of Greatness: Churchill and the Leaders Who Shaped Him
February 10, 2024 18:29 - 52 minutes - 71.9 MBToday I sit down with historian David Reynolds and talk about his latest book: Mirrors of Greatness: Churchill and the Leaders Who Shaped Him. Winston Churchill remains one of the most revered figures of the twentieth century, his name a byword for courageous leadership. But the Churchill we know today is a mixture of history and myth, authored by the man himself. In Mirrors of Greatness, prizewinning historian David Reynolds reevaluates Churchill’s life by viewing it through the eyes of his...
Vietnam: A New History
February 09, 2024 21:47 - 56 minutes - 77.9 MBToday I sit down with Christopher Goscha to discuss his new book, Vietnam: A New History. In Vietnam, Christopher Goscha tells the full history of Vietnam, from antiquity to the present day. Generations of emperors, rebels, priests, and colonizers left complicated legacies in this remarkable country. Periods of Chinese, French, and Japanese rule reshaped and modernized Vietnam, but so too did the colonial enterprises of the Vietnamese themselves as they extended their influence southward fr...
Episode 286: The Lord Admiral Falls
February 09, 2024 15:00 - 37 minutes - 52.1 MBIn this episode, we return to England. Edward VI is still a teenager and not in control of his own realm. His uncle, the Lord Protector Somerset, is trying his best to maintain power. But his brother, Seymour, the Lord Admiral, is making life difficult for him. Today it all comes to a head. Website Patreon Free Trial
Episode 285: Henri II, King of France
February 02, 2024 15:00 - 43 minutes - 60.1 MBHenry takes command determined not to repeat his father's mistakes. Catherine, at his side, does her best to help him while continuing to battle Diane de Poitiers for her husband's attention. France faces external pressures in Italy and from the Holy Roman Empire, still led by Charles V, while religious unrest within the kingdom grows. Website Patreon Support Free Trial
Episode 284: A New King
January 26, 2024 15:00 - 31 minutes - 43.5 MBFrancois, the Dauphin and heir to the throne of France, abruptly dies. Suddenly, Henry becomes first in line to inherit the throne of France. Henry and Catherine suddenly find their lives under tremendous scrutiny, made all the worse because the two lack an heir. The two, with the help of a skilled physician, finally solve this problem. Catherine, in the end, would have many children. It was a good thing... Patreon Support/Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial Website
Episode 283: Henry and Catherine
January 19, 2024 15:00 - 43 minutes - 59.6 MBHenry, Duke of Orleans, and Catherine de' Medici are destined to become the King and Queen of France. But you would not have thought so at the beginning of their respective lives. Today we start their story. Website Patreon Support/Western Civ 2.0
Episode 282: The New Josiah
January 12, 2024 14:50 - 32 minutes - 44.7 MBEdward's coronation sets off a wave of religious reforms. Unfortunately, not everyone is happy with Lord Somerset as Protector - least of all his own brother. Website Patreon Bonus Content
Bonus: Warfare in the Crusades
January 05, 2024 16:27 - 57 minutes - 79 MBIt is time to talk to historian Nic Morton again, we last discussed the Mongols and today are talking about the Crusades and crusading warfare. We talk about why it is a problematic idea to paint the Crusades as simply an East versus West or Christian versus Muslim conflict. We talk about the military challenges confronted by the Crusaders when besieging Jerusalem and the later problems they encountered when building a kingdom with the holy city as its capital. We discuss religious relics and...
Episode 281: The Heir
January 05, 2024 15:00 - 40 minutes - 56.2 MBNow it's time to get back to politics. When we last left off, the deaths of Henry VIII, Francis I, Charles V and Sulieman the Magnificent left Europe with a major power void. To an extent, that is going to be the case for a while. Those long-reigning monarchs will be replaced with a series of heirs who will, with the exception of Philip II of Spain, die relatively quickly. Case in point: Edward VI. Today, we return to Tudor England. Website Patreon Support
Episode 280: Galileo's Trial
December 29, 2023 15:00 - 43 minutes - 59.2 MBToday we wrap up our Galileo story arc. Galileo is tried for heresy after the publication of the Dialogue and, spoiler alert, found guilty. The father of modern science dies in isolation, bitter, but undaunted. Website Bonus and Ad-Free Episodes
Episode 279: The Inquisition Structure and Organization
December 22, 2023 15:00 - 49 minutes - 68.5 MBIn our final episode on the Spanish Inquisition, I cover its structure and organization. Specifically, I explain how the Spanish Crown, notably King Ferdinand, controlled the Inquisition for his purposes. Then I discuss the Acts of Faith or Autos de Fe as they were originally called, which were the large performances that were part sentencing and part executions. Website Patreon Support/Bonus Episodes
In the Shadow of Fear: America and the World in 1950
December 18, 2023 18:30 - 57 minutes - 79.3 MBIt is our last bonus author interview of the year - and it's a good one! I sit down with historian Nick Bunker and break down his amazing book: In the Shadow of Fear: America and the World in 1950. Halfway through the twentieth century, the United States towered over the world in industrial might. After winning the 1948 election, Harry Truman hoped to use this economic strength to build on FDR’s achievements with new liberal reforms. But then, in just ten months between September 1949 and Ju...
Episode 278: The Inquisition and the Reformation
December 15, 2023 15:00 - 34 minutes - 47 MBHad it not been for the Reformation, the Inquisition probably would have died out in the early Sixteenth Century. But, of course, there was a Reformation and so suddenly there was plenty of heresy to keep the Inquisition humming well into the Eighteenth Century... Website Patreon Free Trial Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
The Eunuch
December 11, 2023 19:19 - 40 minutes - 55.9 MBToday I am joined by author Charles Fischer to discuss his book: The Eunuch. Why would a eunuch want to write a secret history of life in the court of ancient Babylon's most famous king? To get back at his brother: that's why. Abducted as young boys by soldiers during the conquest of Nineveh, the brothers Uruk and Nergal receive very different fates in the ancient kingdom of Babylon. Uruk enjoys favors and climbs the Ziggurat of power to become a trusted advisor and the chief propaganda mini...
Episode 277: God's Fire
December 08, 2023 15:00 - 26 minutes - 36.7 MBBoth Ferdinand and Charles V refuse to reform the obvious abuses inherent to the Inquisition. And so the fires of the Acts of Faith burn. And burn. And burn... Website Patreon Free Trial Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
The Book at War
December 05, 2023 15:00 - 48 minutes - 66.7 MBIn this bonus author interview, I sit down with Andrew Pettegree and discuss his latest work: The Book at War. I talked with Professor Pettegree previously about his other recent work about the history of the library and, together, the two make excellent companion pieces. We talk about how books encourage war, how they can win wars, and even how they might end wars. Buy the Book Website Patreon Ad-Free Shows Western Civ 2.0
Episode 276: The Coming of the Inquisition
December 01, 2023 14:55 - 45 minutes - 62.1 MBToday we cover the 1492 expulsion of the Jews and how that event created the need for the Inquisition by dumping rocket fuel on the already smoldering converso problem. Website Patreon Free Trial Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Episode 275: The Jews of Spain
November 24, 2023 15:00 - 44 minutes - 60.8 MBIn this episode, we switch gears and begin to unpack the Inquisition. The beginning of the Inquisition revolves around the Jews and the Spanish monarchs. By 1492 Isabella and Ferdinand have become convinced that the Jews of Spain must be expelled to protect the Christian population. While no one knew it at the time, the consequences of that decision would be long-reaching and disastrous. Website Patreon Free Trial Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Warriors, Rebels, and Saints: The Art of Leadership from Machiavelli to Malcolm X
November 21, 2023 21:33 - 1 hour - 88.8 MBIn today's bonus author interview, I sit down with Moshik Temkin to discuss his most recent book on leadership: Warriors, Rebels, and Saints: The Art of Leadership from Machiavelli to Malcolm X. We live in a period of leadership in crisis. At home, and across the globe, we sense that unqualified and irresponsible individuals are being elevated to positions of power, strong men and autocrats are consolidating their hold on governance, and the people are losing faith in the prospect of a bette...
The Forgers: The Forgotten Story of the Holocaust's Most Audacious Rescue Operation
November 19, 2023 10:30 - 57 minutes - 79.2 MBToday I sit down with historian Roger Moorhouse and discuss his most recent work: The Forgers: The Forgotten Story of the Holocaust's Most Audacious Rescue Operation. Between 1940 and 1943, a group of Polish diplomats in Switzerland engaged in a wholly remarkable—and until now, completely unknown—humanitarian operation. In concert with Jewish activists, they masterminded a systematic program of forging passports and identity documents for Latin American countries, which were then smuggled int...
Episode 274: Galileo Part Six
November 17, 2023 15:00 - 47 minutes - 64.9 MBGalileo publishes The Dialogue, essentially sealing his fate with the Inquisition. Website Patreon Free Trial Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Episode 273: Galileo Part Five
November 10, 2023 15:00 - 40 minutes - 55.8 MBGalileo travels to Rome and puts all his cards on the table. It was time to make the argument Copernicus was right. The Jesuits don't buy and he leaves Rome, formally or perhaps informally, warned never to advocate for Copernicanism again. Website Patreon Free Trial Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Rome and Persia: The Seven Hundred Year Rivalry
November 06, 2023 14:22 - 59 minutes - 81.5 MBIn this bonus, author interview, I sit down with historian Adrian Goldsworthy and discuss his most recent book: Rome and Persia: The Seven Hundred Year Rivalry. The Roman empire was like no other. Stretching from the north of Britain to the Sahara, and from the Atlantic coast to the Euphrates, it imposed peace and prosperity on an unprecedented scale. Its only true rival lay in the east, where the Parthian and then Persian empires ruled over great cities and the trade routes to mysterious...
Episode 272: Galileo Part Four
November 03, 2023 14:00 - 36 minutes - 49.9 MBToday we get to the meat of our series on Galileo, the publication of The Starry Messenger. Galileo turns his much-improved telescope to the heavens and realizes: Jupiter has moons, Venus orbits the sun, and that same sun has spots. None of these discoveries are compatible with Ptolemy's never-changing universe. Today Galileo sets himself on a collision course with the Inquisition. Website Patreon Free Trial Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Richard Nixon: California's Native Son
October 31, 2023 12:30 - 51 minutes - 70.4 MBIn this bonus, author interview, I sit down with Historian Paul Carter and discuss the role Richard Nixon played in modern American History. Needless to say, we both agree that Nixon was a lot more than merely the "Watergate guy". In fact, were it not for Watergate, Nixon would likely be remembered as one of the most influential modern American Presidents. Buy the book here. Website Patreon Support
Episode 271: Galileo Part Three
October 27, 2023 14:00 - 47 minutes - 65.5 MBIn this episode, Galileo finally turns his attention firmly to the heavens. Quickly, Galileo recognizes that, with this new technology, the telescope, he can decisively prove that both Ptolemy and Tycho Brahe were wrong. Copernicus was right. Today Galileo sets himself on a collision course with the Inquisition and the Roman Catholic Church. Website Patreon Support Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Justinian: Emperor, Soldier, Saint
October 24, 2023 13:40 - 1 hour - 88 MBIn this author interview, I sit down with Peter Sarris and discuss his latest book: Justinian: Emperor, Soldier, Saint. It is an excellent historical biography that covers the importance of one of the most influential figures of the Early Middle Ages. We talk about Rome, Persia, the plague, Belisarius, and, of course, Hagia Sophia. Links: Buy The Book Website Patreon Ad-Free Shows Western Civ 2.0
Bonus Author Interview: Techlash
October 23, 2023 19:11 - 51 minutes - 71.1 MBIn this historian interview, I sit down with Tom Wheeler, author of Techlash: Who Makes the Rules in the Digital Gilded Age? We talk about economic explosion, social unrest, international competition, and even fake news. Can the problems of the past provide inspiration to the solutions of the future? Are we doomed to repeat the growing pains of the early Twentieth Century? We discuss all this and more. Buy the book HERE. Website Patreon Support
Bonus: Western Civ 2.0
October 22, 2023 15:00 - 1 hour - 103 MBHere is a bonus, sneak peak of Western Civ 2.0. In my Patreon feed, we hit the proverbial reset button and start from scratch. The episodes are more detailed but the storytelling is the same. This is the principal way I support the show. Patreon offers a variety of options for support running as low as $1 per month. There is also a free trial wherein you check it out for a week free of charge. In this episode, I wrap up the Wars of the Successors. Alexander the Great's death in 323 BCE shatt...
Episode 270: Galileo Part Two
October 20, 2023 14:00 - 39 minutes - 53.6 MBToday we get more into the meat of Galileo. He is remembered as someone willing to challenge the church on the issue of the geocentric universe. But he actually challenged a lot more than that. Today we will explore how Galileo challenged Aristotle's perceived truths and how that changed science. Website Patreon Ad-Free Shows Western Civ 2.0
Episode 269: Galileo Part One
October 13, 2023 14:00 - 1 hour - 112 MBWe come now to the most recognizable name from the early Scientific Revolution: Galileo. Galileo studied motion, falling bodies, and, of course, the stars. His infamous Inquisition trial has made him a nearly household name. Today we begin his story. Website Patreon Free Trial Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Around the World in 80 Games
October 12, 2023 14:05 - 52 minutes - 72.5 MBIn this author interview, I sit down with renowned mathematician Marcus Du Sautoy and talk about his newest book: Around the World in 80 Games. I LOVE games, as will be apparent in this interview. And I could not miss the chance to talk to a mathematician about how, for example, my Risk strategy has been all wrong. Links: Buy The Book Website Patreon Free Trial Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Episode 268: Tycho Brahe
October 06, 2023 14:00 - 1 hour - 87.4 MBNicholas Copernicus and Galileo Galilei usually get all the credit for the breakthroughs in astronomy in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries and rightfully so to an extent. However, though his efforts were far from "sexy", Tycho Brahe was an essential innovator in his own right during the early Scientific Revolution. Without Brahe, we might not get many aspects of modern science that we, frankly, take for granted today. In today's episode, I tell the tale of the early modern astronomer wh...
Episode 267: Copernicus (Part Four)
September 29, 2023 14:00 - 27 minutes - 38.3 MBToday we finish Copernicus and inch toward Tycho Brahe. On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres was a truly monumental achievement. Sadly, its release was marred by a poorly added preface by Andreas Osiander. In the end, no one involved with its publication was pleased by the final product. Still, in this history podcast, we evaluate the role the work played in the beginning of the Scientific Revolution. Website Patreon Support Western Civ 2.0
Pax: An Interview with Historian Tom Holland
September 26, 2023 12:00 - 47 minutes - 64.7 MBThere is no discussion of modern Roman Historiography without Tom Holland. He is one of the premier historians covering the medieval, classical, and ancient world. Today I get the pleasure of talking to him about his new book: Pax: War and Peace in Rome's Golden Age. We discuss Nero, Vesuvius, the Year of the Four Emperors, Vespasian and his sons: Titus and Domitian, and then the emperors of Rome's true golden age: Trajan and Hadrian. Pick up a copy of the book HERE. Check out the WEBSITE ...
Episode 266: Copernicus (Part Three)
September 22, 2023 13:15 - 35 minutes - 48.7 MBYou probably know the name, Copernicus. But you likely don't know the name, Rheticus. Well, today I explain why you should. Without Rheticus, On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Bodies might never get published and the Father of Astronomy might have been an unknown. In this history podcast, we take a look at Copernicus between roughly 1531 and 1540. Website Patreon Support Western Civ 2.0
Episode 265: Copernicus (Part Two)
September 15, 2023 14:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBCopernicus completes his studies and begins his major astronomical research. Before long, the Father of Modern Astronomy becomes convinced Ptolemy was wrong. The sun does not revolve around the earth. And that is not all Ptolemy was wrong about. Website Patreon Support Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Episode 264: Copernicus (Part One)
September 08, 2023 14:00 - 36 minutes - 50.4 MBToday we begin the life of Nicholas Copernicus - the father of modern astronomy. While there is a lot of validity to Copernicus' title, what I cover today are his immediate predecessors: George Peurbach and Regiomontanus. Without these two men, Copernicus might never have written On The Revolutions of the Heavenly Bodies. Website Patreon Support Western Civ 2.0
Bonus Author Interview: Bismarck's War
September 05, 2023 12:40 - 58 minutes - 80.3 MBBismarck. Napoleon III. France. Prussia. Germany. The siege of Paris. The great precursor to World War One. Today I talk about it all when I sit down with Rachel Chrastil and talk about her new book: Bismarck's War: The Franco-Prussian War and the Making of Modern Europe. Click the link to buy the book. But, honestly, even if you don't, you are going to love this excellent historian interview. Website Patreon Support Western Civ 2.0