The Rise of the Tang Dynasty

In spite of suffering through the occasional violent coup, cruel tyrant, and political purge, the Joseon Dynasty showed real staying power throughout the 14- and 1500s and would even manage some impressive national accomplishments. Higher Listenings: Joy for EducatorsA new podcast from Top Hat delivering ideas, relief, and joy to the future of teaching.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Nobl...

13 Apr 202330min

The Ming Dynasty approached its peak, before rapidly declining due to corruption, graft, and a gradual decline in the quality of its burueacucrats. Higher Listenings: Joy for EducatorsA new podcast from Top Hat delivering ideas, relief, and joy to the future of teaching.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms!

10 Apr 202328min

In the mid-1500s, a Portuguese ship sought safe harbor from Tsukushima Island and thus began a robust, vibrant trade relationship between two distant powers. In addition to guns, silks, and exotic foreign goods, however, these "Southern Barbarians" also brought missionaries preaching a religion heretofore unknown to the Japanese: Roman Catholic Christianity. Higher Listenings: Joy for EducatorsA new podcast from Top Hat delivering ideas, relief, and joy to the future of teaching.Listen on: Ap...

6 Apr 202327min

In this third installment of the Sengoku States series, we follow the activities of the Shimazu Clan on Kyushu, the Chosokabe Clan on Shikoku, and the Miyoshi Clan on Shikoku and in Kansai during the early-to-mid 1500s. Higher Listenings: Joy for EducatorsA new podcast from Top Hat delivering ideas, relief, and joy to the future of teaching.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, App...

3 Apr 202334min

This episode broadly covers the developments in the Date, Oda, and Mori Clans during the first half of the 1500s. Higher Listenings: Joy for EducatorsA new podcast from Top Hat delivering ideas, relief, and joy to the future of teaching.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms!

30 Mars 202332min

This episode broadly covers the developments in the Imagawa, Takeda, and Uesugi Clans during the first half of the 1500s. Higher Listenings: Joy for EducatorsA new podcast from Top Hat delivering ideas, relief, and joy to the future of teaching.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms!

27 Mars 202329min

In this episode, we examine some of the many ways in which war during the Sengoku Period had a much different character from previous eras because of technology, economics, and necessity. Higher Listenings: Joy for EducatorsA new podcast from Top Hat delivering ideas, relief, and joy to the future of teaching.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many...

23 Mars 202325min

After Hosokawa Masamoto's assassination, power was once again up for grabs and Ashikaga Yoshitane was determined to once more sit upon the shogunal throne. He was the first in a series of puppet shoguns elevated by ambitious daimyo who wielded power in their names. Higher Listenings: Joy for EducatorsA new podcast from Top Hat delivering ideas, relief, and joy to the future of teaching.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now avai...

20 Mars 202325min