History of Venice Podcast

The "Distracted Boyfriend" meme, featuring the Crusaders being distracted by the prospect of attacking Constantinople instead of Alexandria, while Pope Innocent III looks on as the disapproving girlfriend.

Ep 52: Let's Make Poor Decisions. Yes, this meme is years past its zeitgeist moment, but sometime the shoe just fits. This week, the "crusade" finally makes the momentous decision to try a bit of regime change in New Rome, causing fury in Actual Rome.👑
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/052-lets-m...

Detail from a painting showing a fisherman giving a gold ring to the Doge.

Art&Culture Episode 7: Legend of the Golden Ring
A humble fisherman is giving a precious ring to the Doge. Why? Find out the supernatural legend behind it in this week's episode, featuring a dark and stormy night, a demonic pirate ship and three saints.👑
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/art-and-cu...

Siege of Zadar, 1202

Episode 50: Excommunication? What Excommunication? The Crusaders owe Venice huge sums of money for the fleet. Venice suggests using it to capture the nearby rival city of Zara. The Pope says no. Venice doesn't care what he thinks. This won't end well.👑
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/051-excomm...

A slide from the History of Venice presentation at the Intelligent Speech Online conference, showing Emperor Alexios Komnenos, Doge Domenico Selvo, and a Golden Bull document.

It's the @intelligentspeech.bsky.social annual event on Saturday. We'll be there, looking at how Venice's relationship with Constantinople went from companions to rivals over the 12th century. You can grab a last-minute ticket at intelligentspeechonline.com. Use the code VENICE for a 10% discount.

Drawing of Geoffroi de Villehardouin, Marshal of Champagne. He was one of the leaders of the 4th Crusade. In the background is Venice. Next to him are several bags of coins.

Episode 50. Show Me The Money. Here's our Crusading Chronicler, Geoffroi de Villehardouin, with bags full of cash. It's not enough to pay for the fleet, though. And that means trouble, with a capital T, which rhymes with Zee, and that stands for Zara. 👑
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/050-show-m...

History of Venice: Episode 49 Trailer YouTube video by History of Venice Pod

Episode 49: The Conspiracy. The 4th Crusade receives some terrible news in mid-1201 -- they've run out of Champagne and Brie. This week we discuss what happens next with Marco from Storia d'Italia Podcast. 👑
(episode link: histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/049-the-co...)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Om0...

New episode out now! 👑

The Umayyad Caliphate has arrived but how rightly-guided will it be? Mu'awiya is planning to stabilize his new empire and mold it into a fief that can be passed down for generations; however, there are those who would halt this project...

This guy's index finger makes him look like Medieval ET telling his listeners to phone home. But no, it's superstar preacher Fulk of Neuilly, encouraging everyone to join a new Crusade in 1199. 👑
Find out more in this week's episode, "Crusaders Assemble".
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/048-crusad...

Pope Innocent III, with the logos of the History of Venice and Storia d'Italia Podcasts.

Ep 47: Introducing the Crusade of the Liars. The 4th Crusade is a big story for us, so we're starting off with a bit of background. Marco Cappelli from Storia d'Italia joins us to set the scene before it all kicks off. (picture - Pope Innocent III)👑
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/047-introd...

Enrico Dandolo is (I think) the only Doge who features in a Dan Brown novel. Should we see him as a great betrayer, a national hero, or something else? This week, we look at his early years in office in Episode 46, "Blind Man's Promise".
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/046-blind-...

New episode out now! 👑

We have returned at last with a new world brought about by the final prophet! Join us for an exploration of the Rise of Islam, how the caliphate came to be and expanded so quickly, and the dangerous intersection between ruling an empire and trying to be a good man.

New episode out now! 👑

After many moons, we're back to talk to you about another 1300 years of history! But first, let us remind ourselves of what happened in the previous 92 episodes before we jump into the rise of Islam.

Snap.

A Venezia Football Club shirt, plus two Venezia FC branded t-shirts

La Befana is going to be busy in Italy soon, so she made her UK delivery a couple of days early. 🟠⚫🟢

Simon and Jess, the podcast presenters, with their dog, Sadie.

Sadie Dog is an integral part of the podcast process. It's on our walks that we discuss the next episode and give it a narrative shape. In Episode 44, "Chaos with Choniates", you're invited to join our virtual dog walk as we tell a wild story.👑
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/044-chaos-...

Emperor Manuel Komnenos and his wife Empress Maria of Antioch

Episode 43. Bring Them Home.
A few episodes again, we left thousands of Venetians languishing in Byzantine prisons thanks to Emperor Manuel Komnenos (left). The crisis would take a decade to resolve, but somehow it was Byzantium that emerged weaker from it.👑
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/043-bring-...

Palazzo Soranzo, Venice. The scene of a chance meeting that changed Casanova's life in April 1746.

Spring 1746: Casanova's life was spiralling into criminality, until a chance encounter at Palazzo Soranzo, in Campo San Polo, changed his world for ever. Find out more about how low he had sunk, and how his fortunes changed, in this week's episode.
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/casanova-p...

Tintoretto's painting of the battle of Punta Salvore, 1177, from the chamber of the Maggior Consiglio, Doge's Palace, Venice.

There's a lot going on in this painting by Tintoretto on the walls of the Doxe's Palace. It's the battle of Punta Salvore, 1177. Only problem is, it never really happened. Find out more in this week's episode, "Just Making Stuff Up". 👑
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/042-just-m...

And we very much enjoyed having him with us to tell the story.

I enjoyed three weeks of just letting you guys tell the story. Now I have to go back to writing all my own material again.

A medieval Italian battle featuring infantry defending a Carroccio against a cavalry charge.

41: Redbeard Falling. We conclude our trilogy with @hotgpod.bsky.social and A History of Italy, as Barbarossa fails to subdue the City of Straw and then faces an even worse disaster. Tbh, the pic is of a different battle, but it captures the spirit nicely.👑
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/041-redbea...

The Holy Bones of all three Magi allegedly reside in this golden reliquary in Cologne, stolen from Milan by Barbarossa in the 1160s. As featured in this week's episode.

Why did the Venetians chase bulls through the streets? This week we explain, while @hotgpod.bsky.social and A History of Italy Pod tell us about Barbarossa's Italian policy of the 1160s.👑
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/040-everyt...

Stained glass image of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, from Strasbourg Cathedral.

Ep 39 "Redbeard Rising". In collaboration with Dirk from @hotgpod.bsky.social and Mike from A History of Italy, we're starting a 3-parter today on Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa and his misadventures in Italy. Don't miss this epic tale. 👑
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/039-redbea...

History of Venice Pod Ep037 Promo YouTube video by History of Venice Pod

Episode 37: St Brice's Deja Vu. 👑 I thought the title was funny when I wrote it. But I might have been wrong. Find the full episode wherever you get your podcasts, or at: histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/037-st-bri...
youtu.be/qxK92Me_hs4

Two Halloween pumpkins -- one with a gondola and the other with a typical Venetian window.

Venetian-themed pumpkins for Halloween. If you fancy a few simple ghost stories from Venice, check out our Special Halloween episode.
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/art-06-hal...

Funeral epitaph of Venetian Doge Domenico Michiel.

Ep 34 "Friends Reunited". Domenico Michiel's tomb calls him "The terror of the Greeks". The Historia Ducum Venetorum calls him "a warlike man ... who slaughtered many enemies". But he also invented municipal street lighting. A man of many talents, then.👑
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/034-friend...

The ceiling and walls of the Sala dello Scrutinio in the Palazzo Ducale, Venice.

Domenico Michiel features three times in the artwork of the Venetian Hall of Fame in the Palazzo Ducale. What did he do that was worth painting? Find out in this week's episode, "Raiders of the Lost Crusade", available wherever you get your podcasts. 👑
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/033-raider...

Anna Comnena Episodes Trailer YouTube video by History of Venice Pod

This week we conclude a two-parter on our favourite Byzantine historian, Anna Comnena. Did she plot to murder her brother and take over the Roman Empire? Or is that utter nonsense? We have a view. 👑
youtu.be/QFqfUsru_KM
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/rh02b-caus...

Book cover image of Anna Comnena, the subject of this week's podcast.

This idealised face of Anna Comnena / Komnene has been staring at me from my Kindle for several weeks. Today we begin a mini-series on this brilliant 12th century polymath. How did she become the first published female historian of the Roman Empire?👑
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/rh02a-writ...