History of Venice Podcast
- Episodes
- 109
- Released
- weekly
- Latest episode
- Nov 12, 2026
About the podcast
A journey through the history of the city of Venice, meeting a host of colourful characters along the way.
Episodes 109
Casanova Part 11: Two Nuns (1/2) -- Casanova's Wife
June 1753. A convent on Murano. Two young nuns discuss their backgrounds. The younger of the two explains that she has been sent here by her father to take her away from the attentions of a certain Mr Casanova …
Show notes
June 1753. A convent on Murano. Two young nuns discuss their backgrounds. The younger of the two explains that she has been sent here by her father to take her away from the attentions of a certain Mr Casanova, with whom she is very much in love, and who is desperate for her hand in marriage. This week, we look at the story of how she got here.
As ever, you can email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro and outro music is Estate from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
077. Companions and Rivals (Intelligent Speech 2026)
We’re on holiday this week, but to cover part of the gap we’re sharing our presentation from the 2026 Intelligent Speech Online conference. The theme was Companions and Rivals, and we took the opportunity to …
Show notes
We’re on holiday this week, but to cover part of the gap we’re sharing our presentation from the 2026 Intelligent Speech Online conference. The theme was Companions and Rivals, and we took the opportunity to trace the disintegration of the relationship between Venice and Constantinople during the 1100s, looking in particular at how the chroniclers on the two sides tried to spin the story in their own favour.
You can find out more about the 2027 Intelligent Speech Online conference here: https://intelligentspeechonline.com/
Early Bird discount tickets will be available at $20 until 31 December 2026. Use the discount code DOGE for a further 10% off.
And, as ever, you can email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
076. Witch!
In April 1271, a Venetian woman called Diletta drew up her last will and testament. Four months later, her husband was summoned to appear before the highest court in the Republic to answer charges that he was …
Show notes
In April 1271, a Venetian woman called Diletta drew up her last will and testament. Four months later, her husband was summoned to appear before the highest court in the Republic to answer charges that he was responsible for her untimely and violent death. This week we examine a tragic story of a young woman’s ill-fated experiments that she hoped would protect her and her family from harm. Her tragic fate has given her the name of Venice’s First Witch.
Background reading:
This story comes from the work of two Italian historians:
“Un caso di stregoneria o di uxoricidio nell’Istria del duecento” by Marco Pozza in “Studi Veneti offerti a Gaetano Cozzi”
“Venice’s First Witch – A Perfect Crime” by Lara Pavanetto
Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
075. Election Day
The system for electing the Doge of Venice is one of the great crowning masterpieces of political complexity. The multi-stage process was first used for the election of 1268. This week we look at the details of …
Show notes
The system for electing the Doge of Venice is one of the great crowning masterpieces of political complexity. The multi-stage process was first used for the election of 1268. This week we look at the details of how it worked, and at the political culture of the city that made this bizarre process such an enduring feature of the Republic.
Background Reading:
Every book or website about the Venetian Republic will feature an explanation of the electoral system for the Doge. The main sources that we used for this episode were:
“Il Doge di Venezia” by Giorgio Ravegnani
“Venice - the remarkable history of the lagoon city” by Dennis Romano
“La Venezia segreta dei Dogi” by Alberto Toso Fei
“A History of Venice” by John Julius Norwich
“Le Promissioni del Doge di Venezia dalle Origini alla Fine del Duecento” (Fonti per la storia di Venezia, sezione 1, Archivi Pubblici). This is the text, in Latin, of every surviving Promissione Ducale up to the end of the 13th century.
Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
074. The Zen Master
Doge Ranieri Zen had an action-packed career. His life story traces the course of Venice’s rise and rise during the turbulent 13th century. As a diplomat and a national leader, he navigated some turbulent …
Show notes
Doge Ranieri Zen had an action-packed career. His life story traces the course of Venice’s rise and rise during the turbulent 13th century. As a diplomat and a national leader, he navigated some turbulent waters at home and abroad. Find out more as we delve deeper into the career of one of the most accomplished politicians of his age.
Background reading for this episode
“Il Doge di Venezia” by Giorgio Ravegnani
“Le Promissioni del Doge di Venezia dalle Origini alla Fine del Duecento” (Fonti per la storia di Venezia, sezione 1, Archivi Pubblici). This is the text, in Latin, of every surviving Promissione Ducale up to the end of the 13th century.
“A History of Venice” by John Julius Norwich
“Venice – the remarkable history of the lagoon city”, by Dennis Romano
“The Dogaressas of Venice” by Edgcumbe Staley (look, I’m not suggesting that you learn your history from this one, but it’s fascinating in its own way)
“Les Chroniques des Veneciens” by Martin da Canal, which you can read in its original old French, with a fairly old-fashioned Italian translation, here: https://archive.org/details/lacronacaveneta00zongoog/page/268/mode/2up
Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
Art and Culture 10. Seductive Venice with Kathleen Gonzalez
This week we talk to writer Kathleen Gonzalez, who has written books about contemporary and historical Venice, including a compilation of short biographies of many of the city's most notable women, all of whom …
Show notes
This week we talk to writer Kathleen Gonzalez, who has written books about contemporary and historical Venice, including a compilation of short biographies of many of the city's most notable women, all of whom should be better known than they are, as well as volumes that trace the footsteps of Casanova though both Venice and Rome.
You can find more of her work on her blog and her YouTube channel. You may have noticed that we've started putting background reading lists on our show notes. And today's recommended reading is any or all of her books, which you can find at the third of the links below.
Blog: https://seductivevenice.wordpress.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kathleenanngonzalez/videos
Books: https://kathleenanngonzalez.wixsite.com/kathleenanngonzalez
And you can get in touch with us via the usual methods. Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
073. The Doge of Plenty
Doge Marino Morosini (1249-53) hasn’t made much of a dent on the history books. Contemporary chronicler Martin da Canal gives him a good write-up: “Throughout his time as Doge, Venice was abundantly supplied …
Show notes
Doge Marino Morosini (1249-53) hasn’t made much of a dent on the history books. Contemporary chronicler Martin da Canal gives him a good write-up: “Throughout his time as Doge, Venice was abundantly supplied with provisions – twice as much as the city needed. The Venetians had all the goods that they needed, and they were full of joy and happiness”
Other historians have less to say about him. This week, we investigate what little we can find out about the life and times of the 44th Doge of the Republic.
Background Reading for this episode:
“Il Doge di Venezia” by Giorgio Ravegnani
“Le Promissioni del Doge di Venezia dalle Origini alla Fine del Duecento” (Fonti per la storia di Venezia, sezione 1, Archivi Pubblici). This is the text, in Latin, of every surviving Promissione Ducale up to the end of the 13th century.
“A History of Venice” by John Julius Norwich
“Storia di Venezia attraverso le sue fake news” by a collection of contemporary historians of Venice, under the collective name of “I Babai”
“Les Chroniques des Veneciens” by Martin da Canal, which you can read in its original old French, with a fairly old-fashioned Italian translation, here: https://archive.org/details/lacronacaveneta00zongoog/page/268/mode/2up
Details of Doge Marino Morosini’s tomb can be found here: https://www.venetianheritage.eu/portfolio/monument-of-the-doge-marino-morosini-st-marks-basilica-venice/
Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
072. Guess Who's Back?
Venice had won a crushing naval victory against Genoa in the summer of 1258. But that just meant that the Genoese needed to look for new allies. And Genoa’s new best friend is an old friend of our story: one of …
Show notes
Venice had won a crushing naval victory against Genoa in the summer of 1258. But that just meant that the Genoese needed to look for new allies. And Genoa’s new best friend is an old friend of our story: one of our former protagonists, who has been in the background of our narrative for the past half a century, is about to take centre stage again. But even when faced with a potential disaster, Venice will find a way to turn it into yet another triumph.
Background reading for this episode is very similar to last time, since this is really just a continuation of the same story:
Other than the general histories of Venice, for more detail about this episode try:
“Il Grifo e il Leone: Genova e Venezia in Lotta per il Mediterraneo” by Antonio Musarra
“The Black Sea: Trade and Navigation (13th to 15th Centuries)” by Michel Balard
“Genoa and the Genoese: 928 to 1528” by Steven Epstein
“Venice: The remarkable history of the lagoon city” by Dennis Romano
“Le Repubbliche Marinare” by Ermanno Orlando
“City of Fortune: How Venice won and lost a naval empire” by Roger Crowley
“Les Chroniques des Veneciens” by Martin da Canal, which you can read in its original old French, with a fairly old-fashioned Italian translation, here: https://archive.org/details/lacronacaveneta00zongoog/page/268/mode/2up
Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
071. Genoa Salami
War. What is it good for? Well, in Venice’s case, it’s good for expanding your commercial networks and, just as importantly, keeping your rivals out of the best ports and trade routes. After the death of …
Show notes
War. What is it good for? Well, in Venice’s case, it’s good for expanding your commercial networks and, just as importantly, keeping your rivals out of the best ports and trade routes. After the death of Frederick II in 1250, the Republic’s uneasy alliance with Genoa frays dramatically at the edges. The arena of the conflict is Acre – the most significant trading port in the remnants of the Crusader state of Outremer. Get ready for the War of St Sabas.
Key background reading for this episode:
A general book on Venetian history will always be a good place to start for a broad overview. In Italian, try “La Repubblica del Leone” by Alvise Zorzi. In English, try “A History of Venice” by John Julius Norwich, or “Venice: The remarkable history of the lagoon city” by Dennis Romano. Or plenty of others.
For more on the specifics of this episode, the resources that I used the most were:
“Il Grifo e il Leone: Genova e Venezia in Lotta per il Mediterraneo” by Antonio Musarra
“Genoa and the Genoese: 928 to 1528” by Steven Epstein
“Le Repubbliche Marinare” by Ermanno Orlando
“City of Fortune: How Venice won and lost a naval empire” by Roger Crowley
“Les Chroniques des Veneciens” by Martin da Canal, which you can read in its original old French, with a fairly old-fashioned Italian translation, here: https://archive.org/details/lacronacaveneta00zongoog/page/268/mode/2up
Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
070. The Big Recap 2nd Birthday Episode
It's two years today since we released our four-minute introduction episode into the world of podcasts. Today we try to recap the whole of Venetian history (up to 1250, where our narrative has reached) in about …
Show notes
It's two years today since we released our four-minute introduction episode into the world of podcasts. Today we try to recap the whole of Venetian history (up to 1250, where our narrative has reached) in about half an hour. Just in case you feel as though you've forgotten some of the key stuff from the past two years. We also pick our favourite episode from the past 12 months, and answer a few questions about both the past and the future of the show. Huge thanks to everyone for helping us to get this far.
Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
Casanova Part 10. Viennese Whirl
After an enjoyable but ultimately financially draining two years in Paris, and a brief visit to his mother in Dresden, Casanova is making his way back home. But en route, he stops off in Vienna, the glittering …
Show notes
After an enjoyable but ultimately financially draining two years in Paris, and a brief visit to his mother in Dresden, Casanova is making his way back home. But en route, he stops off in Vienna, the glittering home of the Hapsburg monarchy, headed by Empress Maria Teresa. What life lessons will he learn and what stories will he tell in the Austrian capital?
Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro and outro music is Estate from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
069. The Lottery Winner
“The great Doge of Venice, Giacomo Tiepolo, was brave, wise and energetic. He was a winner. Before he became Doge, he had obtained victories over his enemies everywhere he went. And once he was the Doge …
Show notes
“The great Doge of Venice, Giacomo Tiepolo, was brave, wise and energetic. He was a winner. Before he became Doge, he had obtained victories over his enemies everywhere he went. And once he was the Doge, whenever and wherever there was a war he came out victorious”. That’s quite a write-up from our hype-man chronicler Martin da Canal. Does Doge Giacomo Tiepolo live up to it? Today, we consider his life and works, trying to draw together the political and cultural narratives that we’ve been talking about over the past few episodes.
Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
068. The Bloody Tyrant
Ezzelino da Romano is remembered in the mythology of north-eastern Italy as a cruel and vicious ruler who inflicted inhuman punishments on his enemies. And maybe he was. But the more that you look at the …
Show notes
Ezzelino da Romano is remembered in the mythology of north-eastern Italy as a cruel and vicious ruler who inflicted inhuman punishments on his enemies. And maybe he was. But the more that you look at the surrounding situation, the harder it becomes to separate fact from fiction, and heroes from villains. As the wars between the Pope and the Western Emperor heat up again, Venice’s interests require her to pick a side. Things are going to get messy.
Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
067. The Wonder of the World
In 1232, Venice received a visit from a short, ginger-haired man in his late 30s. But this was no ordinary visitor. This was the most powerful man in the known world; the convenor of the most brilliant court in …
Show notes
In 1232, Venice received a visit from a short, ginger-haired man in his late 30s. But this was no ordinary visitor. This was the most powerful man in the known world; the convenor of the most brilliant court in Europe; the man who was referred to by an English chronicler as “Stupor Mundi” – the Wonder, or Astonishment, of the World. It's Emperor Frederick II's world, and we're all just living in it.
Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
066. Beat It
In the autumn of 1260, a new fashion arrived in Venice from the continental European mainland. It had started just a few months earlier in the central Italian city of Perugia, and somehow it had caught the mood …
Show notes
In the autumn of 1260, a new fashion arrived in Venice from the continental European mainland. It had started just a few months earlier in the central Italian city of Perugia, and somehow it had caught the mood of a worried, uncertain population, concerned about the capricious nature of human existence and eager to atone for the evils of a fallen society. The flagellants were in town. Seemingly out of nowhere, ordinary people were going around in groups whipping themselves in a frenzy of piety. Suddenly, hurting yourself for Jesus was all the rage. What in the name of all that is holy was going on?
This week we’re looking at religious devotion in 13th century Venice, and tracing the social and cultural legacy that it left on the Republic, some of which you can still see today.
Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
Art and Culture 09. The Artisans of Venice
We're joined by Monica Cesarato this week to discuss the artisan tradition in the city of Venice. In our main narrative, we're reaching the mid-13th century, when dozens of professional guilds start to appear …
Show notes
We're joined by Monica Cesarato this week to discuss the artisan tradition in the city of Venice. In our main narrative, we're reaching the mid-13th century, when dozens of professional guilds start to appear in the city, defining the working landscape for ordinary Venetians. Monica talks to us about the background to some of those crafts, and how that artisan legacy still persists in the city today.
You can find Monica's website here: https://www.monicacesarato.com/blog/
Her podcast, Venice Talks, is available wherever you get your podcasts, and you can also find it here: https://www.monicacesarato.com/blog/venice-talks-podcast/
Her book "Andar per Bacari" looks at some of the best locations and recipes for typical Venetian cicchetti, and is available in English here, (or probably at another well-known online bookseller near you): https://editorialeprogramma.it/shop/regioni/veneto/andar-per-bacari-english-version/
And as ever, you can Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Gloria, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
065. The Peace-Loving Doge of Many Wars
Today we’re looking at the life of Doge Pietro Ziani – the man who picked up the baton after the death of Enrico Dandolo and presided over the chaotic situation that we’ve been narrating over the past few …
Show notes
Today we’re looking at the life of Doge Pietro Ziani – the man who picked up the baton after the death of Enrico Dandolo and presided over the chaotic situation that we’ve been narrating over the past few episodes. Contemporary Venetian writers praise his wisdom, his fairness, and his desire for peace. Are they right, or are they just blowing smoke in our eyes? Join us as we examine the life of the wealthiest man in this increasingly wealthy city.
Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
064. Rivals
This week we're looking around the Mediterranean at the international political events that provide the wider context to the stories that we’ve been telling lately. We’ll be travelling to Genoa, Sicily, Nicaea …
Show notes
This week we're looking around the Mediterranean at the international political events that provide the wider context to the stories that we’ve been telling lately. We’ll be travelling to Genoa, Sicily, Nicaea, Epirus, Outremer, and, very briefly indeed, introducing a new threat from the East that’s about to burst into our story.
Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
063. The Castle of Love
Easter 1214. In Treviso, about 20 miles north of Venice, the city’s governors have decided to set up a week-long “court of solace and mirth”. There will be dancing and jousting, feasting and fine fooling. And …
Show notes
Easter 1214. In Treviso, about 20 miles north of Venice, the city’s governors have decided to set up a week-long “court of solace and mirth”. There will be dancing and jousting, feasting and fine fooling. And the symbolic heart of the celebrations will be the splendid Castle of Love, which the area’s finest ladies, wearing their most ostentatious hats, will be defending against the symbolic assaults of teams of young men brandishing flowers, fruits, and spices. The whole game is an idiosyncratic fusion of ancient springtime celebrations of courtship, and the latest fashions of courtly love which have been taking hold in respectable societies across the chivalric states of western Europe.
It’s a welcome distraction from the trials and tribulations of high politics and foolish wars. Until things go wrong. Tune in to find out more.
Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
062. A Place in the Sun
1205. Venice wasn’t the only mercantile vulture who was looking at the carcass of the Eastern Roman Empire and realising that if she didn’t take advantage of this mess, someone else would. And if that someone …
Show notes
1205. Venice wasn’t the only mercantile vulture who was looking at the carcass of the Eastern Roman Empire and realising that if she didn’t take advantage of this mess, someone else would. And if that someone else – most likely Genoa – turned out to be more effective at seizing the opportunities, then Venice’s hopes of commercial dominance would be severely dented. The Crusade had shaken the kaleidoscope and the pieces were still in flux. These were dangerous times for everyone, even for the apparent winners.
Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
Casanova Part 9. Giacomo in Paris
1750. The dream is over. The love of his life has gone. Casanova picks up the pieces and, after a pause to reflect, heads for Paris. But in sophisticated French high society, our smooth-tongued, charming …
Show notes
1750. The dream is over. The love of his life has gone. Casanova picks up the pieces and, after a pause to reflect, heads for Paris. But in sophisticated French high society, our smooth-tongued, charming Venetian will soon find out that he’s little more than a bumbling ingénue. Will he make a name for himself, or will he continue to flounder out of his depth in the capital of European culture?
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Intro and outro music is Estate from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
Art and Culture 08. Pin Floi
It’s an unexpected change of direction for us this week. We’ll explain why in the episode. Stand by for a Venetian story of music, spectacle, and poor decision-making, as we explain what on earth “Pin Floi” is …
Show notes
It’s an unexpected change of direction for us this week. We’ll explain why in the episode. Stand by for a Venetian story of music, spectacle, and poor decision-making, as we explain what on earth “Pin Floi” is and why it's an indelible memory for anyone who was there.
You can listen to Pitura Freska’s “Pin Floi” here, with the lyrics on screen in Venetian. Sing along with the chorus when you feel confident: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dImVV5yQv9g
There’s plenty of footage of the event available online. If you can make it through the adverts, this is a two and a half minute piece that aired on the TG2 news on the day after the concert. I don’t have the space for a full translation, but the pictures tell their own story for those who don’t understand the words. The “toilet” scene that we mention at the start of the episode is right at the end of the piece:
Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro and outro music is from Vivaldi’s Gloria, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
061. Booty Call
Today we want to try to understand what kind of place Venice was as the 13th century dawned; how much it had changed in the hundred years since we last took a close look at it, back in Episode 31; and how the …
Show notes
Today we want to try to understand what kind of place Venice was as the 13th century dawned; how much it had changed in the hundred years since we last took a close look at it, back in Episode 31; and how the arrival of fresh artworks and spoils of war from the east would fuel both its own ongoing beautification and the historical narratives and myths that the city’s public appearance was aiming to promote.
Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
060. Top Doge (12th Century)
Sebastiano Ziani and Enrico Dandolo battle it out for our vote as the Top Doge of the 12th Century. Find out who we pick and tell us whether you agree. Email us at [email protected], or find us on …
Show notes
Sebastiano Ziani and Enrico Dandolo battle it out for our vote as the Top Doge of the 12th Century. Find out who we pick and tell us whether you agree.
Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
059. Did that just happen?
We're away on holiday this week, so there's no time to research and write a normal episode. So we've quickly rounded up what eventually happened to most of the characters we've been following on the Crusade …
Show notes
We're away on holiday this week, so there's no time to research and write a normal episode. So we've quickly rounded up what eventually happened to most of the characters we've been following on the Crusade story, and then had a final broad chat about what on earth just happened.
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Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
058. Putting Humpty Together Again
The Crusade was over. The Crusaders had won. They had pushed Humpty Dumpty off the wall, and now they were the kings of all the broken pieces. If this had been their plan all along, then whoever was responsible …
Show notes
The Crusade was over. The Crusaders had won. They had pushed Humpty Dumpty off the wall, and now they were the kings of all the broken pieces. If this had been their plan all along, then whoever was responsible for working out what came next had been asleep at the wheel. Once the celebrations of Easter Week 1204 brought an end to the initial rush of looting and vandalism, all semblance of this being a united force with a common goal vanished into the springtime air like dandelion seeds in the breeze.
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Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
057. The View from Constantinople
We're joined by two very special guests this week to discuss what the Fourth Crusade looks like from the perspective of Constantinople. Marco Cappelli from Storia d'Italia podcast and Robin Pierson from the …
Show notes
We're joined by two very special guests this week to discuss what the Fourth Crusade looks like from the perspective of Constantinople. Marco Cappelli from Storia d'Italia podcast and Robin Pierson from the History of Byzantium podcast share their fascinating and well researched perspectives.
You can find Marco's show at: https://italiastoria.com/
You can find Robin's show at: https://thehistoryofbyzantium.com/
Both are highly recommended by much more discerning sources than us, and are well worth your time and support.
You know where to find us, of course.
Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
056. Downfall
April 1204. Constantinople. The story of this ridiculous crusade finally reaches its climax. You probably know how it ends, but for the participants the peril is off the scale as both sides fight for their …
Show notes
April 1204. Constantinople. The story of this ridiculous crusade finally reaches its climax. You probably know how it ends, but for the participants the peril is off the scale as both sides fight for their survival.
Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
055. Raising Eyebrows
The Crusaders’ stunning victory in July 1203 had resolved nothing. They had won, perhaps by default, but it can hardly have been a surprise that the people of Constantinople had never welcomed them. After a few …
Show notes
The Crusaders’ stunning victory in July 1203 had resolved nothing. They had won, perhaps by default, but it can hardly have been a surprise that the people of Constantinople had never welcomed them. After a few months of phoney peace, by December the war was back on again. As the Crusaders overwintered in Galata, a new, more aggressive opponent emerged in Constantinople. Will the man known as Big Eyebrows save the Empire?
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Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
054. Out of the Frying Pan
There’s no more room left on the knife-edge that’s balancing everyone’s fortunes on the night of 17th July 1203. Daybreak will bring unexpected clarity, and a victory for one side or the other. But when you …
Show notes
There’s no more room left on the knife-edge that’s balancing everyone’s fortunes on the night of 17th July 1203. Daybreak will bring unexpected clarity, and a victory for one side or the other. But when you find yourself gratefully jumping out of the frying pan, where do you land? Nowhere good, that’s for sure. For all its apparent success, this Crusade has the reverse-Midas touch, rapidly transforming gold into dusty death. And it’s only getting worse. As one war ends, another one soon begins.
Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.
Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
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