Episodes
May 10, 2022
136 - Savoy from count to duke to pope (1391 - 1451)
We follow little count Amedeo VIII as he comes to power and manages to not only expand, consolidate and organise first his county and then duchy, but even has a go at being pope for a while!
May 3, 2022
Anti-mafia martyrs - Pio La Torre, the mafia fighting communist
We take a look at the life and struggle of Sicilian communist party leader Pio La Torre, who spent his whole life trying to oppose Cosa Nostra for the good of the opressed, even when it meant going against his own party.
April 26, 2022
F100: Before Evil - Interview with Brandon Gauthier on Benito Mussolini
As we finish celebrating the 77th anniversary of our liberation from the Fascist government and Nazi occupiers, I talk to author Brandon Gauthier about his new book, which explores the early lives of notirious dictators such ...
April 12, 2022
135 - Savoy - different coloured counts and a murder mystery (1255 - 1391)
We continue catching up with the house of Savoy picking up in 1255 and, after some zig-zagging succession, see the "colourful" green count Amedeo VI and then try to discover what really happened to his son, Amedeo VII the Red...
April 5, 2022
Announcement: 200th upload, new platform, new logo and happy birthday!
We have reached the 200th upload ( regular episodes plus extras) and have moved to a new platform. To celebrate this as well as my 45th birthday we are unveiling the new "A History of Italy" logo
March 22, 2022
134 - Piedmont and the rise of the house of Savoy
We catch the region of piedmont up to the 13th century and then start to take a look at the rise of the house of Savoy, beginning with its founder Umberto Biancamano, he of the white hand (for some reason).
March 15, 2022
F100: 03b The occupation of Fiume part 02
The second part of our chat on the occupation of Fiume where we look at the occupation itself and the life of D'Annunzio after the endeavor
March 8, 2022
F100: 03a The occupation of Fiume - part 01
We draw a profile of the Italian poet and activist Gabriele D'Annunzio up to the time in which he takes command of an expedition to take the city of Fiume, the current day Croatian city of Rijeka. We take a look at his extrem...
March 1, 2022
F100 Memories of Ukraine - an Italian ode to Odessa
In honour of the Ukrainian people, I look back at my fond memories of Ukraine in the "Italian" city of Odessa.
Feb. 22, 2022
133 – catching up with Genoa… again (1310 – 1442)
and 15th century Genoa to catch up on all their wars with Venice and the Aragonese as well as all the internal infighting between the various Doria, Spinola, Fieschi, Grimaldi and Campofregaso for which external rulers are co...
Feb. 8, 2022
F100: The crystallisation of totalitarianism
We take a break from our narrative of the history of Fascism to talk about the definition of Totalitarianism with Jackson Van Uden. Jackson is a Historian, Author and Podcaster. He hosts the History with Jackson YouTube chann...
Feb. 2, 2022
132 The end of the Visconti- how to lose a duchy
Filippo Maria Visconti, now sole Duke of Milan, has a bit of time to take a breather, before the chaos of the wars of Lombardy vs Venice and Florence, with special guest stars
Jan. 26, 2022
131 – Milan, chaos in the duchy (1402 – 1412)
After the untimely death of the first duke of Milan, Gian Galeazzo Visconti, the duchy is thrown into turmoil as the widow, Caterina Visconti attempts to hold onto the realm of her sons, Giovanni Maria and Filippo Maria throu...
Jan. 13, 2022
130 – The father of the father of the nation: the rise of the Medici (1402 – 1428)
We follow the life and times of Giovanni di Bicci De Medici, shrewd banker and able politician as he navigates the complicated waters of early 15th century Florentine politics as the republic prepares to kick of an age of unp...
Jan. 4, 2022
4th anniversary episode
We celebrate our 4th anniversary by announcing a new podcast: The K-Rock Chelsea Hotel; the 1 millionth global listen and a guest episode about 14th century Italy on The History of England podcast.
Dec. 29, 2021
Re-release: 129 – Catherine of Siena – Medieval UN ambassador
In this episode we follow the last part of the life of St Catherine of Siena as her fame and influence grows to International levels and she deals with princes and popes alike, going through the war of the eight saints, the C...
Dec. 25, 2021
Happy Whatever episode
Just to wish you a Merry Christmas, happy Kwanza, Sol Invictus, Saturnalia, to hope you had a good Diwali or Hanukah and in general to wish you a merry whatever this period is for you, even if it's nothing at all. We come bea...
Dec. 21, 2021
129 – Catherine of Siena – Medieval UN ambassador
In this episode we follow the last part of the life of St Catherine of Siena as her fame and influence grows to International levels and she deals with princes and popes alike, going through the war of the eight saints, the C...
Dec. 14, 2021
128 – Caterina of Siena: God's teenage rebel
We look at the early life of Catherine of Siena (Caterina da Siena) as she has her first visions and sets off at a very young age open her life as a mystic, religious and political activist in mid 14th century
Dec. 7, 2021
127 – Milan vs Florence: fight to the death (1395 – 1402)
unstoppable expansion of the newly formed Duchy of Milan. Will they manage? Or will Gian Galeazzo Visconti complete his vision of including Florence in his dominions.
Dec. 1, 2021
126 – Visconti family feud and a new duchy is born (1378 – 1395)
We see how the power-sharing solution for the government of Milan comes crashing down with power once again in the hands of a single man: Gian Galeazzo Visconti, who, after inheriting the holdings of his father and uncle, wil...
Nov. 23, 2021
The Great Q & A session
To celebrate reaching episode 125, we have a special episode with questions from our wonderful listeners We get to talk about Latin, Lombards, Normans, noble houses, strange surnames, the mafia, fascism and much, much more.
Nov. 16, 2021
125 – War and rebellion in Tuscany (1348 to 1382)
After seeing the gruesome spectacle of the plague in Florence through the eyes of Giovani bocaccio we follow the rising tension in the city and all over Tuscany that would eventually erupt in the rebellion known as the "Revol...
Nov. 9, 2021
124 – Troubled Tuscan times and Boccaccio's Decameron
After following Florence and Tuscany through a mini golden age from the 1280's to the 1330's we see things really start to go downhill with social tensions between the Arti Maggiori, the greater guilds, and the arti minori, t...