Al Muntasir’s sudden passing took the caliphate into uncharted political territory. It had only been six months since the plot against his father had succeeded, and he was still much too young for succession planning. The Turks tried to capitalize on this disaster: in an attempt to make the most out of the situation they installed a figurehead in command, on ... Show More
Jul 2023
Episode 71: Al Mu’tazz, kill or be killed
Instead of bringing about a measure of peace, the end of the civil war signaled a return to the anarchy that had preceded it. The new caliph was restricted by the same men whose influence had checked his predecessor’s. Furthermore, by accepting the role of a puppet, al Musta’in h ... Show More
32m 53s
Nov 2024
Unity and Disunity | The Diadochi Successors
<p>Hubris, an excessive pride in oneself, is a common trait among history's greatest figures. In the decades that followed the death of Alexander the Great, the <em>Diadochi</em> "successors" fought each other for control of the vast empire their leader had built. In the end, the ... Show More
17m 42s
Feb 2018
Episode 20: Thermidor
An eclectic episode. Napoleon gets out of jail, fights another battle in northern Italy, and comes tantalizingly close to a triumphant return to Corsica. Other topics include: the fall of Robespierre, the Kościuszko Uprising, Thermidorian politics, the progress of the war, and th ... Show More
42m 45s
Oct 2020
Crassus and the Battle of Carrhae: The Defeat of Rome
<p>Gareth Sampson, author of <em>Defeat of Rome in the East:</em> <em>Crassus, the Parthians, and the Disastrous Battle of Carrhae, 53 BC</em> came on the podcast to provide an in depth account of Marcus Crassus’ disastrous campaign east of the Euphrates River in 53 BC. Gare ... Show More
57m 22s