SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest

EPISODE 111: Securing Messina

Roger’s Sicilian adventure continues—and this time, it’s real war. With the lessons of conquest fresh in his mind, Roger turns to the city of Messina as his critical first prize. But the Muslim powers of Sicily are far from passive observers—they respond quickly, and with force. Today, we explore how the youngest Hauteville turned strategy into action and overcame the fierce resistance that met him on Sicily’s rocky shores. The Norman foothold is no longer a dream—it’s a battleground.

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SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest

EPISODE 110: Roger's First Steps

It's all about Roger—the youngest of the legendary Hauteville brothers—stepping out from his older siblings' shadows and into the blinding sun of Sicilian conquest. As Norman power spreads across the Mediterranean, Roger begins to carve out not just land, but legend. This is where his story truly begins—where ambition meets opportunity, and a new player enters the political game board of the medieval world.

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SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest

EPISODE 109: The Norman-Papal Alliance

After catching up with the chaos of Eastern Rome, we begin today’s journey back in southern Italy with the ever-ambitious Robert Guiscard, still scheming his way through southern Italy like a medieval Tony Stark in chainmail. But the real thunderclap comes from within the halls of the Catholic Church. Power is shifting, reforms are surging, and a rising force in Rome is about to redefine what it means to hold the keys to the kingdom. This isn’t just church politics—this is a tectonic reshaping of the medieval world. Trust me, you’ll want to be here for it.

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SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest

Miniseries: Rise of the Komnenoi

EPISODE 108: Cracks in the Bulwark

For centuries, Constantinople stood like a stone wall between Islamic empires and Christian Europe—absorbing wave after wave of pressure while the West largely ignored the cost. But after the disaster at Manzikert, those cracks in the wall widened. In this episode, we examine the immediate fallout: the chaos in Anatolia, the weakening of imperial authority, and the quiet terror echoing across the empire. The Byzantines had survived disasters before...but this one felt different. This time, the empire was bleeding from within.

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SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest

Miniseries: Rise of the Komnenoi

EPISODE 107: Manzikert!

A single word that would echo through the centuries as the Eastern Roman Empire’s turning point. On this episode, we recount one of the most infamous battles in medieval history—where arrogance, betrayal, and a well-placed arrow conspired to unravel centuries of imperial dominance. Romanus IV staked it all on a decisive strike against the Seljuks…and the Seljuks struck back harder. The road to Byzantine collapse didn’t begin here—but after Manzikert, there was no turning back.

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SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest

Miniseries: Rise of the Komnenoi

EPISODE 106: Eudokia's Vow

Today, we explore the high-stakes political gamble of Empress Eudokia Makrembolitissa—widow, mother, regent, and now…Empress once again. With her young son Michael Doukas technically next in line, Eudokia makes a controversial vow—to step aside—but then promptly steps right back in, marrying the battle-hardened Romanos Diogenes. Was it love? Power? Desperation? All of the above? What’s certain is this: Michael's smooth ride to the throne just hit a Byzantine-sized speed bump.

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SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest

Miniseries: Rise of the Komnenoi

EPISODE 105: Machiavellian Moves

Today, we witness something downright rare for the Middle Ages: a peaceful transition of imperial power. Isaac Komnenos, battered by illness and the burdens of rule, hands the crown to a man of the Church—Michael Psellos’s chosen candidate. But don’t let the word peaceful fool you. Behind the incense and ceremony lies a cauldron of political maneuvering, ego, and the faint whisper of future turmoil. In Byzantium, even peace comes with sharp edges.

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SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest

Miniseries: Rise of the Komnenoi

EPISODE 104: Isaac I Komnenos

With a soldier’s grit and a reformer’s vision, Isaac Komnenos seizes the throne during a time of chaos and crumbling confidence in Eastern Rome. But his reign, though short, is anything but quiet. Between bureaucratic shakeups, military reforms, and the rising shadow of his own health, Isaac’s time at the helm proves to be the spark that lights a much larger Komnene firestorm to come.

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SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest

Miniseries: Rise of the Komnenoi

EPISODE 103: The Reluctant Emperor

Today, we reach the boiling point in our Byzantine narrative. Constantinople stands on a knife’s edge—haunted by fading glory, battered by political whiplash, and yearning for a leader who can stop the rot. As the old guard clings to power and the empire’s enemies sharpen their blades, the question looms large: is this the end of Eastern Rome’s greatness… or the beginning of a long-overdue resurgence?

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SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest

Miniseries: Rise of the Komnenoi

EPISODE 102: The Reluctant Rebel

Today, we continue our turbulent tour through 11th-century Constantinople, where emperors and empresses come and go with dizzying speed. From the formidable Theodora to the uncertain reign of Michael IV, the Byzantine Empire finds itself in a constant state of political whiplash. Can Michael VI finally bring some stability to the Eastern Roman court? Or will the imperial diadem shift yet again to another ambitious contender?

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If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts and all, free to the public with absolutely no more paywalls…ever…please consider donating to my caffeine-mediated research and writing through the website/app Buy Me A Coffee! With opportunities for one-time donations and even a monthly donation plan, you can voluntarily contribute to the continuation of this show. I would be eternally grateful!

NOTE: DISREGARD ANY MENTION OF PATREON. That account has been closed in the process of tearing down of any paywalls! 

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Music for this episode is called “Cutting Edge” from the talented artist Hemlock!Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/hemlock/cutting-edge

License code: Y0ZLEPLIZYV2RTMJ