The Lion's last roar and a new religion blooming (1519 - 1521)

The Lion's last roar and a new religion blooming (1519 - 1521)

In this episode, we dive into the dramatic papacy of Pope Leo X, exploring his efforts to secure Medici power, his architectural and social reforms in Rome, and his role in the early days of the Protestant Reformation. We track how his favoritism toward Florence shaped papal policy, the challenges he faced with Martin Luther, and the growing religious divide that would soon shake Europe to its core.

We also spotlight Leo's political maneuvers in Italy, from annexing Urbino and Perugia to negotiating alliances with the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. And of course, there's a bit of colorful historical storytelling—like Machiavelli getting upstaged by two dogs, and the dramatic origins of Giovanni delle Bande Nere.

🧠 What You’ll Learn:

  • How Pope Leo X used the papacy to benefit the Medici family and Florence.
  • His land reform policies that helped Roman farmers.
  • The significance of the Duchy of Urbino and Perugia joining the Papal States.
  • Why Martin Luther’s ideas gained traction—and how Leo X underestimated the Reformation.
  • The impact of the printing press and vernacular language in spreading revolutionary ideas.
  • The cultural comeback of Matilda of Tuscany and her symbolic power in German-Italian relations.
  • The complex political chess match between Pope Leo X, Charles V, and Francis I of France.
  • The death and legacy of Leo X—and how his actions paved the way for future Medici power play


Episoder(288)

120 – Braccio da Montone, early life of a condottiero (1368 – 1406)

120 – Braccio da Montone, early life of a condottiero (1368 – 1406)

Fortebraccio, known as Braccio da Montone

5 Okt 202122min

119 – Joanna II of Naples and some schism fixing

119 – Joanna II of Naples and some schism fixing

We see the rather naughty and turbulent reign of Joanna II of Naples. Did she really deserve the nickname "the insatiable" or even "the mad"? Or was it just bad press?

21 Sep 202119min

118 Sicily goes Spanish and Naples gets big ideas (1372 – 1414)

118 Sicily goes Spanish and Naples gets big ideas (1372 – 1414)

We see how Sicily loses its independence to the Spanish and then cross over to the mainland to see how king Ladislaus of Naples gets some big ideas on expanding his kingdom.

17 Aug 202121min

The bagpipes of resistance – Crossover ep. with "The History of England"

The bagpipes of resistance – Crossover ep. with "The History of England"

In this very special crossover episode, we got the chance to host an episode on the podcast of one of our all-time heroes, David Crowther of "The History of England". In this episode we talk about operation "tombola", the allied and partisan attack on a strategic Nazi position in a small town in Northern Italy.

3 Aug 202130min

117 – Eleonora of Arborea and the fall of Sardinia (1326 – 1410)

117 – Eleonora of Arborea and the fall of Sardinia (1326 – 1410)

The life and times of the great "Giudchessa" and the fall of Sardinia to the Spanish.

21 Jul 202120min

NewsCappuccino: Roman helmets and insulting Austria – The Italian national anthem

NewsCappuccino: Roman helmets and insulting Austria – The Italian national anthem

onour of Italy's splendid performance in the EURO cup, a taste on what you can hear on Patreon about the content of the Italian national anthem: the battle of Legnano, Scipio Africanus, the Sicilian Vespers and making fun go Austria.

17 Jun 202115min

F100: 02 Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini, early years

F100: 02 Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini, early years

n the second episode of Fascism 100, the series on the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Fascist party, we look at the life of Benito Andrea Amilcare Mussolini from his birth on 29th July 1883 to 1921 when the first Fascist delegates were elected to the Italian parliament.

15 Jun 202133min

116 – Venice in mortal peril (1356 – 1400)

116 – Venice in mortal peril (1356 – 1400)

After an attempt at legalising prostitution, the Dolphin doge cannot quite fight off a Hungarian threat, then things with Genoa get so heated over the possession of Eastern Mediterranean islands that Venice stares destruction in the face with enemies at the gates and even in the lagoon.

9 Jun 202124min

Populært innen Fakta

fastlegen
dine-penger-pengeradet
hanna-de-heldige
fryktlos
relasjonspodden-med-dora-thorhallsdottir-kjersti-idem
treningspodden
foreldreradet
rss-strid-de-norske-borgerkrigene
dypdykk
tomprat-med-gunnar-tjomlid
rss-kunsten-a-leve
rss-sunn-okonomi
jakt-og-fiskepodden
sinnsyn
hverdagspsyken
takk-og-lov-med-anine-kierulf
doktor-fives-podcast
gravid-uke-for-uke
mikkels-paskenotter
dopet