Fortune's Wheel: A Podcast History of Our Medieval Story

Ever wonder where we get phrases like “the writing on the wall”? We kick this episode off with a look at the origins of some of our favorite doom-laden idioms—then we drop straight into the chaos of Byzantium. Emperor Nikephoros III is watching his empire disintegrate faster than his advisors can light incense. Two rebellions down, a Norman breakaway state still kicking, and his golden boy general Alexios Komnenos barely keeping the cracks from becoming craters. The emperor sees the end coming—and this episode hits the gas.

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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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SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest

Miniseries: The Book of Alexios: Chapter 2 (whole series will be published later)

EPISODE: 129: Bryennios's Rebellion

The throne may be gold, but it’s sitting on a powder keg. In this episode, Nikephoros III Botaneiates makes his debut as emperor, dealing with the fallout of the 1078 Bread Riots and facing down his first of many coups. Spoiler alert: it won’t be his last. Enter young Alexios Komnenos—loyal, lethal, and about to find out that putting down rebellion in Byzantium is like playing chess with a lit torch. If Roussel de Bailleul was tough, this next round’s going to leave a mark.

No More Paywalls! How?

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! 

Social Media:

YouTube: Fortune’s Wheel Podcast

Meta: https://www.facebook.com/fortunes.wheel.3 

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Music:

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

SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest

Miniseries: Pope Gregory VII & Matilda of Canossa

EPISODE 128: Some People Just Don't Know When to Go Away

Some people just don’t know when to quit—kingdoms, popes, emperors… and definitely kings named Henry. In this episode, we spotlight two historical heavyweights who refused to back down, even as the world shifted under their feet. One of them is a defiant Italian countess standing between a king and his pride. As we round out the 1070s, the stage is set for seismic change—and Matilda of Canossa is right at the center of it.

No More Paywalls! How?

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! 

Social Media:

YouTube: Fortune’s Wheel Podcast

Meta: https://www.facebook.com/fortunes.wheel.3 

X: https://twitter.com/WheelPodcast

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Music:

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

SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest

Miniseries: Pope Gregory VII & Matilda of Canossa

EPISODE 127: The Walk to Canossa

To “take a walk to Canossa” means to eat a double helping of humble pie—barefoot, in the snow, while your enemies watch. But where did this brutal phrase come from? This episode tells that story. If there were a Top 5 list of the most iconic, world-shaking moments of the entire Middle Ages, this would be on it—no debate. Pride crashes into penance at the gates of Canossa. You do not want to miss this one.

No More Paywalls! How?

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! 

Social Media:

YouTube: Fortune’s Wheel Podcast

Meta: https://www.facebook.com/fortunes.wheel.3 

X: https://twitter.com/WheelPodcast

Buy Me A Coffee!

Music:

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

SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest

EPISODE 126: Meanwhile...In the Mezzogiorno

While Gregory VII was busy fanning the flames of war up north, the Southern Normans were causing their own brand of chaos in Italy and Sicily. This episode takes a breather from the pope-vs-king drama to check in on the ever-scheming Hautevilles—because you just know they couldn’t sit still while Europe burned. Don’t worry, we’ll be back to the papal throwdown soon enough.

No More Paywalls! How?

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! 

Social Media:

YouTube: Fortune’s Wheel Podcast

Meta: https://www.facebook.com/fortunes.wheel.3 

X: https://twitter.com/WheelPodcast

Buy Me A Coffee!

Music:

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

SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest

Miniseries: Pope Gregory VII & Matilda of Canossa

EPISODE 125: False Monk

They called him a false monk—and that was putting it mildly. In the wake of Gregory VII’s Dictatus Papae, the gloves come off: excommunications fly, thrones wobble, and tempers turn deadly. King Henry IV’s furious letter labels the pope a fraud, and the showdown between crown and crosier officially kicks off. Assassinations, depositions, holy drama? Oh my.

No More Paywalls! How?

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! 

Social Media:

YouTube: Fortune’s Wheel Podcast

Meta: https://www.facebook.com/fortunes.wheel.3 

X: https://twitter.com/WheelPodcast

Buy Me A Coffee!

Music:

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

SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest

Miniseries: Pope Gregory VII & Matilda of Canossa

EPISODE 124: Dictatus Papae

This podcast loves historical documents—and when one comes along that reshapes Europe, you bet we’re diving in. Pope Gregory VII’s pen is mightier than most armies, and the document at the center of this episode is about to ignite a firestorm in both Church and state. Buckle up—Europe’s balance of power is about to get flipped on its sanctified head.

No More Paywalls! How?

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! 

Social Media:

YouTube: Fortune’s Wheel Podcast

Meta: https://www.facebook.com/fortunes.wheel.3 

X: https://twitter.com/WheelPodcast

Buy Me A Coffee!

Music:

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

SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest

Miniseries: Pope Gregory VII & Matilda of Canossa

EPISODE 123: The Holy Satan's First Year, Pt. 2

We wrap up the first chaotic year of Pope Gregory VII—a man Peter Damian famously dubbed “the Holy Satan” for clawing his way to the top with a monk’s robes and a Machiavellian mind. This episode is a front-row seat to the holy manipulation, ruthless strategy, and divine ambition that launched a papacy unlike any other. The reformer has arrived—and he didn’t come to play nice.

No More Paywalls! How?

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! 

Social Media:

YouTube: Fortune’s Wheel Podcast

Meta: https://www.facebook.com/fortunes.wheel.3 

X: https://twitter.com/WheelPodcast

Buy Me A Coffee!

Music:

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

SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest

Miniseries: Pope Gregory VII & Matilda of Canossa

EPISODE 122: The Holy Satan's First Year, Pt. 1

From Hildebrand to Gregory VII—what Peter Damian lovingly (or not-so-lovingly) dubbed “The Holy Satan”—our firebrand pope is about to dive headfirst into the chaos of reform, rebellion, and royal resistance. Matilda of Canossa, for better or worse, has picked her champion... and his first year won’t be a quiet one. This episode kicks off the storm.

No More Paywalls! How?

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! 

Social Media:

YouTube: Fortune’s Wheel Podcast

Meta: https://www.facebook.com/fortunes.wheel.3 

X: https://twitter.com/WheelPodcast

Buy Me A Coffee!

Music:

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

SEASON 6: The Other Norman Conquest

Miniseries: Pope Gregory VII & Matilda of Canossa

EPISODE 121: The Firebrand & the Reluctant Wife

A man who couldn’t be stopped. A woman who refused to bend. The Firebrand & the Reluctant Wife tells the origin story of two titans of 11th-century Italy: Hildebrand—soon to be Gregory VII—and young Matilda of Canossa, whose forced marriage lit a fuse that would burn across Europe. They didn’t just play the papal-imperial game—they rewrote the damn rules. Oh, and yes... Roger Borsa is now a duke, sooooo...

No More Paywalls! How?

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! 

Social Media:

YouTube: Fortune’s Wheel Podcast

Meta: https://www.facebook.com/fortunes.wheel.3 

X: https://twitter.com/WheelPodcast

Buy Me A Coffee!

Music:

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