In May 1096, before the First Crusade ever reached Jerusalem, crusading mobs turned on Jewish communities in the Rhineland.

In this episode of Baked Battlefields, we cover the Massacre of Worms, where around 800 Jews were killed during one of the earliest and most devastating outbreaks of anti-Jewish violence connected to the First Crusade. The Jewish community of Worms was ancient, established, and protected in theory by local authorities — but when crusading zeal, debt, rumor, and antisemitism collided, protection collapsed.

We talk about the People’s Crusade, Count Emicho, the Rhineland massacres, medieval conspiracy thinking, and why the First Crusade brought catastrophe to Jewish communities in Europe before many crusaders ever got anywhere near the Holy Land.

Precise history.
Imprecise sobriety.
Mob violence is not strategy.

In 1436, Swedish rebel leader Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson was assassinated near Örebro after leading one of the most important uprisings in medieval Scandinavian history.

What started as anger over taxes, trade disruption, and foreign officials under the Kalmar Union exploded into a national rebellion backed by miners, peasants, nobles, and townspeople. Engelbrekt became the face of resistance against Erik of Pomerania, helping crack the power of the union and reshape Swedish politics forever.

In this episode of Baked Battlefields, we break down the rebellion, the politics, the murder, and how a mine-owning rebel from Bergslagen became one of Sweden’s national heroes. Along the way, we get a little high, crack some jokes about medieval Scandinavian politics, and remind ourselves that sometimes the people who lose power in life win the memory war after death.

Precise history.
Imprecise sobriety.
Revolutions don’t stay clean.

In 711, a relatively small force crossed from North Africa into Europe — and within a few years, an entire kingdom collapsed.

In this episode of Baked Battlefields, we break down the Islamic conquest of Hispania, beginning with the landing at Gibraltar by Tariq ibn Ziyad and culminating in the decisive Battle of Guadalete. Facing a larger but divided Visigothic force under Roderic, Tariq’s army capitalized on internal fractures that caused the Visigothic army to collapse from within.

We talk strategy, leadership failures, internal division, and how one battle didn’t just decide a fight — it ended a kingdom and created Al-Andalus, reshaping the history of Spain and Europe for centuries.

Precise history.
Imprecise sobriety.
Kingdoms fall from the inside.

In 1152, the Kingdom of Jerusalem wasn’t fighting an external enemy — it was fighting itself.

In this episode of Baked Battlefields, we break down how Baldwin III marched on his own capital to take full control from his mother, Melisende, after years of shared rule turned into a power struggle. The conflict ended with a tense siege inside Jerusalem itself, as Baldwin forced his way into the city and surrounded the Tower of David.

We talk medieval politics, divided loyalties, why kingdoms fracture from within, and how this moment stabilized the Crusader state just in time for the larger conflicts that were coming. Along the way, we get a little high, crack some jokes about medieval family drama, and remind ourselves that sometimes the most dangerous wars aren’t against enemies — they’re against your own side.

Precise history.
Imprecise sobriety.
Family politics… but with armies.

In 1175, long before he became famous for fighting the Crusaders, Saladin fought one of the most important battles of his career — not against Christians, but against rival Muslim rulers who didn’t believe he should control Syria.

At the Battle of the Horns of Hama, Saladin faced the forces of the Zengids, who saw his rapid rise as a threat. The battle was decisive — once the Zengid line broke, the army collapsed, and Saladin emerged as the dominant power in Syria, controlling everything except Aleppo.

In this episode of Baked Battlefields, we break down how this victory allowed Saladin to consolidate power, unify key territories, and set the stage for the campaigns that would eventually lead to the defeat of the Crusader states. Along the way, we get a little high, crack some jokes about medieval politics, and remind ourselves that before you fight your enemies… you have to defeat your rivals.

Precise history.
Imprecise sobriety.
Unity is never peaceful.

On April 6, 46 BC, on the North African coast, two Roman armies faced off in one of the final battles of the Roman Republic.

In this episode of Baked Battlefields, we break down the Battle of Thapsus, where Julius Caesar faced the last major Republican forces led by Metellus Scipio and supported by Cato the Younger. The battle featured war elephants, veteran legions, and a turning point that would reshape Roman history.

We talk tactics, why the elephants failed, how quickly the battle collapsed, and why this victory didn’t just win a war — it helped end the Roman Republic. Along the way, we get a little high, crack some jokes about Roman decision-making, and remind ourselves that sometimes winning everything can cost you everything.

Precise history.
Imprecise sobriety.
Civil wars don’t end cleanly.

In 598 CE, a massive Avar–Slavic army surrounded the Byzantine stronghold of Tomis on the Black Sea coast. The city was cut off, the siege tightened, and it looked like another Byzantine frontier city was about to fall.

But the battle for Tomis didn’t end with a dramatic charge or a broken wall — it ended with disease spreading through the Avar army. As plague tore through the camps, their leader Bayan I was forced to abandon the siege and retreat north of the Danube.

In this episode of Baked Battlefields, we talk frontier warfare, steppe empires, Byzantine survival strategy, and how some of history’s biggest military defeats didn’t come from enemy armies — but from logistics, disease, and time.

Precise history.
Imprecise sobriety.
Sometimes the most powerful army loses to something it can’t even see.

On March 23, 625, outside the city of Medina, a battle took place that would become one of the most important lessons in early Islamic history.

In this episode of Baked Battlefields, we break down the Battle of Uhud, where the forces led by Muhammad faced the army of the Quraysh one year after the Battle of Badr. Early success turned into a difficult defeat when a key group of archers left their position, allowing a cavalry attack led by Khalid ibn al-Walid to strike from the rear.

We talk battlefield discipline, leadership under pressure, the consequences of small decisions in big moments, and how this battle shaped the future strategy and unity of the early Muslim community. Along the way, we keep it thoughtful, respectful, and focused on the history and lessons of Uhud.

Precise history.
Imprecise sobriety.
Discipline wins battles.

On March 16, 597 BC, the Neo-Babylonian Empire surrounded Jerusalem, forced its surrender, and changed the course of history without completely destroying the city—yet.

In this episode of Baked Battlefields, we break down the First Siege of Jerusalem, when Nebuchadnezzar II captured the city and deported its king, elites, and skilled population to Babylon. Instead of total annihilation, this was a calculated move—remove leadership, control the region, and send a message.

We talk siege warfare in the ancient world, imperial strategy, why small kingdoms struggled between empires, and how this moment set the stage for the later destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian Exile. Along the way, we keep it thoughtful, grounded, and remind ourselves that some of history’s biggest turning points happen not in explosive battles—but in decisions that reshape entire societies.

Precise history.
Imprecise sobriety.
Empires don’t forget rebellion.

On March 9, 1226, a ruler whose empire had just been shattered by the Mongols marched into the Caucasus looking for revenge, power, and a new base of control.

In this episode of Baked Battlefields, we break down the Conquest of Tbilisi, when Jalal ad-Din Mingburnu, the last ruler of the Khwarazmian Empire, captured the Georgian capital during his desperate attempt to rebuild power after the Mongol invasions. The fall of Tbilisi was brutal and destabilizing, leaving the region weakened just as new threats were emerging.

We talk collapsing empires, siege warfare in the Caucasus, the ripple effects of the Mongol expansion, and how leaders who have lost everything sometimes fight the hardest. Along the way, we get a little high, crack some jokes about strategy and survival, and explore how the chaos of one empire’s fall can reshape an entire region.

Precise history.
Imprecise sobriety.
Empires fall loudly.