Roger II has played a high stakes game to secure his crown. Now a king, he must face the consequences of backing the wrong Pope. Rebellious barons, treacherous in-laws, and the loss of his beloved wife burden him as Roger continues to fight for his kingdom. Two emperors conspire to jointly attack him, and the Sicilian navy stages an audacious raid at the gates of Constantinople. Roger II defines himself as a ruler unlike any other in Western Europe. His borrowing of statecraft, scholars, and silk makers from the East has his enemies whispering that he has gone full sultan.
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1:31:07
Normans in Sicily EP 2: Roger II
Roger II inherits his father’s position as ruler of Sicily and begins to take over parts of Southern Italy as well. Along the way a daring plan leads Norman knights out of a desperate situation, and a Crusader king proposes marriage. Norman state-building in Sicily takes on a unique character, and Norman knights fight armies led by the Pope. When two popes are elected on the same day, Roger II must choose which Pope he will support in exchange for a crown.
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1:07:38
Norman Sicily EP 1: When the Vikings Invaded Italy
The Vikings terrorised coastal Europe in their longboats, plundering and killing as they went. Some of them were offered a deal: they could accept land and settle in France, in exchange for defending the area from other raiders. These Vikings became known as Normans, and while the name changed, the game remained the same. They begin arriving in Italy, and soon become the most coveted military muscle for hire. The Pope himself becomes their hostage and the daughter of a Norman almost becomes the Byzantine Empress. This is a tale of the high Middle Ages, full of pilgrims and pillagers, popes, kings, battles and emperors.  This is the first episode in a series on the Normans in Sicily. Join me for live conversations after every episode as a Patreon supporter at www.patreon.com/evaschubert  Â
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1:13:32
The Peasant' War Part 2: Bloodbath
The Peasants' War was the largest peasant uprising prior to the French Revolution. Hundreds of thousands of ordinary people organise a labour strike and dare to demand a measure of fairness. They use the ideas of Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation to do it. Luther wants nothing to do with the rebels, and supports the German nobles in killing these "mad dogs". The heavy cavalry and the landsknecht armies of the Swabian League are on the march, and this rebellion is about to turn into a war.
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1:12:35
The Peasants' War Part 1: Before the Bloodbath
This is the story of the biggest peasant uprising prior to the French Revolution. Inspired by the writing of Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation, it was a shocking challenge to the social order. Serfs occupied castles, executed nobles, and plundered monasteries. Events that lasted less than a year would result in thousands of peasant deaths, and change the direction of the Reformation itself. This episode is the first in a two part series. You can support this podcast on Patreon at: patreon.com/evaschubert The video version of this episode is available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/4UK4CtYihQc
A history podcast with a focus on violence, religion, and gripping stories, created by Eva Schubert, history nerd, college instructor, and jazz aficionado.
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