Does Climate History Unlock the Secrets of the Crusades?
In this episode, we look at something called the Medieval Warm Period. This first came to our notice a long time ago in the writings of a medieval monk and historian called William of Malmesbury. Writ...
10 Okt 22min
Why Were The Crusades So Popular?
The Crusade present us with one of the greatest paradoxes in history. Why would Christianity, a peace-loving religion, condone such aggressive military operations in the name of God? In this episode, ...
26 Sep 25min
Alexius Comnenus: The True Story
Alexius Comnenus is a well-known Byzantine Emperor not least because his daughter, Anna, wrote one of the greatest works of medieval literature about him called “The Alexiad.” It’s a cracking read, fu...
29 Aug 22min
The Battle of Manzikert
The Battle of Manzikert in 1071 changed history. Not only was it the first step towards the end of the Byzantine Empire but it also established the foundation for modern Turkey. In western Europe, the...
15 Aug 27min
The Rise of the Seljuk Turks
In this episode, we’ll look at why the Seljuk Turks suddenly appeared in the Middle East in the eleventh century. The name Seljuk and the origins of Seljuk power lie with a man called Seljuk, who ros...
1 Aug 24min
The Road to Manzikert
In the years from 1068 to 1071, the Byzantine emperor Romanus Diogenes tried but failed to stem the Turkish raids into Anatolia. Finally, he decided to lead his army far into the east, to stem the rai...
18 Jul 22min
New Name, Same Show!
The Fall of the Roman Empire podcast is now called Echoes of Empires. Why change the name? Well, as you know, this podcast has already moved beyond the fall of Rome to cover a broader range of histori...
4 Jul 1min
