Taira Troubles
Taira Masakado's ongoing family feud expands as he seeks to avenge himself against his cousin and uncles. When the warriors under his command take things too far, however, he will have to make a difficult decision which eventually sealed his fate. For a wickedly awesome picture of Masakado trampling some poor enemy warrior underfoot, as well as a map of the various battles in this episode, check out the supplemental post! Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now availab...
23 Aug 202120min
A Disturbance in Kantō
In this episode, we follow the early career of a warrior named Taira Masakado, whose various family squabbles help illustrate the day-to-day violence of life in Kantō and whose exploits will earn him the attention of the imperial court in far off Heian-Kyō. For detailed maps of the Kantō Region as well as a portrait of Masakado, check out the supplemental post! Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop....
19 Aug 202120min
Sugawara Michizane's Revenge
As disasters repeatedly harried the reign of Emperor Daigo, many came to believe that Sugawara Michizane's ghost was the cause of many grave misfortunes. But how could they appease the vengeful spirit of the scholar whom the court had wrongfully sent to die in obscurity? For photos of the Dazaifu-Tenmangu Shrine and Daigo-ji temple, as well as a portrait of Emperor Daigo, check out the supplemental post! Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon,...
16 Aug 202113min
New Emperor, Old Rivalries
Emperor Daigo took the throne and immediately set out to heal the rift between Fujiwara Tokihira and Sugawara Michizane. It would soon become clear, however, that the only thing that could stop this feud was choosing a winner.For portraits of Sugawara Michizane and Fujiwara Tokihira, check out the supplemental post!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!
12 Aug 202116min
The Reign of Emperor Uda
Emperor Uda's reign began with a political crisis that brought the government to a standstill. Fujiwara Mototsune's power continues to grow in spite of the efforts of both the Tennō and kuge scholar Sugawara Michizane. Plus a special guest appearance by Emperor Uda's cat! For a portait of Emperor Uda as well as several photos of the beautiful gardens and grounds of Ninna-ji temple, check out the supplemental post! Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Am...
9 Aug 202120min
The Regent is Dead, Long Live the Regent!
After the passing of Fujiwara Yoshifusa, his protege and adopted son Fujiwara Mototsune took the reigns of the Fujiwara clan. Emperor Yozei, however, proved an unsuitable candidate for the Chrysanthemum Throne and Mototsune would need to find a way to remove him while preserving the integrity of the office of Tennō. For portraits of Yoshifusa, Mototsune, Emperor Yozei and Emperor Kōkō, check out the supplemental post! Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available a...
5 Aug 202119min
The First Child Emperor
Fujiwara Yoshifusa sets a new precedent when he angles to have an eight-year old son of the late Emperor Montoku set upon the throne as Emperor Seiwa. Yoshifusa rulled as Sesshō, a regent governing on behalf of a child, and was the first person to obtain this title who was not a member of the royal family. For a portrait of Emperor Seiwa as well as depictions of Hachiman as a Bodhisattva and the Hachiman-zukuri architectural style I mentioned in this episode, check out the supplemental post!...
2 Aug 202117min
The Re-Unification of Korea
Unified Silla ruled the peninsula throughout the 800s but cracks were already beginning to show in the bureaucracy. A series of weak sovereigns, ambitious courtiers, and the re-emergence of regional factions spelled doom for the monarchs of Silla as the country was split in three. To see a map of these factions' territory, a picture of the Cheonghaejin fortress, and the royal flag of the Goryeo Dynasty, check out the supplemental post! Higher Listenings: Joy for EducatorsA new podcast from T...
29 Juli 202127min
