Who was Belisarius—the man who nearly rebuilt the Roman Empire under Justinian I? From the deserts of North Africa to the ruins of Gothic Italy, Belisarius led brilliant campaigns that stunned both enemies and emperors. In this episode, we trace his rise from obscure origins to his legendary victories in the Vandalic and Gothic Wars, and explore why he remains one of history’s greatest, yet most underappreciated, generals.

Discover the battles, betrayals, and Byzantine court intrigues that defined the 6th century—and how Belisarius became a symbol of loyalty, brilliance, and tragic imperial politics.

🔔 Subscribe for more deep dives into Byzantine history and ancient warfare.

#Belisarius #ByzantineEmpire #Justinian #RomanEmpire #AncientWarfare #GothicWar #VandalWar #Procopius #LateAntiquity #ByzantineHistory #GreatGenerals #RomanHistory #EasternRomanEmpire

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The Legendary Barbarossa Brothers: Masters of the Mediterranean ⚓
In this deep dive into the Barbarossa brothers, we explore the incredible journey of Aruj and Hayreddin Barbarossa, two of the most formidable naval commanders of the 16th century. From their origins as privateers in the Mediterranean to becoming the architects of Ottoman naval supremacy, their story is one of ambition, strategy, and geopolitical transformation.

🚢 Origins & Rise to Power
Born on the island of Lesbos, the Barbarossa brothers started their maritime careers as privateers, navigating the dangerous waters of the Mediterranean, where rival empires and merchant states vied for control. Their early campaigns in North Africa saw them establish strongholds along the coast, eventually aligning with the Ottoman Empire to counter European expansion.

⚔ The Battle for Mediterranean Dominance
Aruj’s daring raids and eventual leadership in Algiers laid the foundation for Ottoman influence in the region. Following his death, Hayreddin, known as "Barbarossa", rose to prominence, securing his place as Kapudan Pasha (Grand Admiral) of the Ottoman Navy under Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. His strategic brilliance at the Battle of Preveza (1538) reshaped maritime power, ensuring Ottoman dominance in the Mediterranean for decades.

🌍 Geopolitical Impact & Legacy
The Barbarossa brothers didn’t just disrupt Mediterranean trade routes—they transformed them. Their influence extended beyond naval warfare, shaping Ottoman-European relations, affecting Venetian, Spanish, and Portuguese shipping, and redefining the balance of power in the Mediterranean. Their actions strengthened the Ottoman Empire, securing its position as a leading naval force and forever altering the course of maritime history.


#Barbarossa #OttomanEmpire #NavalHistory #MediterraneanHistory #Privateers #HistoryDocumentary #SeaPower #ArujBarbarossa #HayreddinBarbarossa #Preveza #OttomanNavy #turkiye #turkish

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Chapter Timeline:
02:01 Background - Rise of the Ottoman Empire
04:42 Janissaries
15:04 Mediterranean Ship Design
30:34 Djerba
34:21 Bougie
45:24 Algiers
1:17:04 Tunis
1:22:11 The Battle of Preveza

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Catherine the Great’s reign marked an era of splendour, military triumphs, and political transformation. Standing on the shoulders of the formidable women who preceded her, she wielded propaganda masterfully, cultivating an image of power, and was both loved and feared, domestically and abroad. Her rule saw Russia expand its territories and influence, but it came at the cost of vanity, paranoia, and ruthless pragmatism that were the hallmarks of her predecessors Olga, Anna and Elizabeth who also forged their paths through sheer will in a male dominated society. Despite her Enlightenment ideals, Catherine, like the matriarchs before her, ruthlessly suppressed her opponents- and even legitimate heirs, just to maintain a firm grip on power. While female rulers like Catherine the Great, Elizabeth, and Olga the Viking shared many traits with their male counterparts—ambition, ruthlessness, and a desire for power—their approach to governance often displayed different priorities. They leaned toward diplomacy, cultural development, and fostering a distinctly Russian identity, with greater emphasis on social reforms. While not shying away from conflict, they tended to prioritise stability and internal growth as well as to develop Russia’s unique cultural and intellectual image.
##CatherineTheGreat #history #RussianHistory #KievanRus #RussianQueens #MedievalRussia #SlavicCulture #vikinghistory #russiaukraine #russianarmy #ottomanempire #orthodox #ukraine #tsaristempire #romanov  

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Most people today have heard of Tesla, the electric car company, and its controversial CEO, Elon Musk. Some might even know a bit about the company’s namesake: Nikola Tesla, the enigmatic genius who was responsible for promoting the electrical system that made our modern world possible. But the story of his rise to fame, incredible discoveries, his continuous battles with rivals and financiers; the conspiracies surrounding his suppressed technologies and ongoing legacy are less well-known. Nikola Tesla’s victory over Thomas Edison for the future of American Power has been virtually forgotten, yet is a fascinating story from an exciting time in history, while his blueprints for a world of free wireless energy and communication have led to an entire industry of conspiracy theories about corporate greed, supressed technologies and abuse of power. If you’re just a little bit curious about discovering who he was, what he achieved, and why his work still matters, then join us, as we dive into the life and times of Nikola Tesla; tragic genius and forgotten prophet of Science.
#nikolatesla #tesla 

00:00
01:44 Background. The History of Electricity
23:15 Tesla- The Early Years. School, Tragedy and Turmoil
42:53 Eureka- Budapest and the Induction Motor Breakthrough
49:16 Edison
59:46 The War of the Currents
1:19:43 Magician
1:35:02 Radio Wars
1:43:50 Colorado
1:49:42 Mystic
2:00:00 Wardenclyffe
2:05:52 Personal Life
2:14:30 Conspiracy
2:18:27 Conclusion

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Everybody loves a good heist story – especially a successful one. Chuck in corrupt politicians, corporate gangsters and billionaire warlords and you’ve got yourself a winning formula. Set your story in the 17th century, make your protagonist a handsome, mutinous pirate on the run and you’re looking at a sure-fire Hollywood blockbuster. Except that in this case, there isn’t one.

Henry Every pulled off the heist of the century, when in 1694 he seized his ship in a mutiny, sailed half way around the globe and bailed up a treasure fleet owned by the mighty Mughal Emperor of India, Aurangzeb. The result was not only the richest treasure haul in history, but an abject humiliation for the sultan, and a collapse of the tenuous trade agreement with the fledgling East India Company that almost triggered a war. The scandal provoked the first ever global manhunt, with the absconding captain evading all attempts at capture, vanishing into thin air, and being one of the few significant pirates in history to ever get away with it. His exploits turned him into an English folk hero, with ballads, books and even theatre immortalising – and mythologising- his deeds. Every’s short but audacious career served as an inspiration to dozens of more well-known and notorious pirates that were to prowl the Oceans over the following century.  And yet, though his story supplied the archetype of the swashbuckling and evasive hero to dozens of films, his name has today been largely forgotten despite the fact that the resultant political and economic shockwaves of his robbery would eventually topple empires and go on to change the course of history. If you’re just a little bit curious about how one man, with a little luck and lots of ingenuity could create such pandemonium, then join us, me hearties, as we dive into the life and times of legendary pirate, Captain Henry Every. Arrgh

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Most people have heard of Lawrence of Arabia, and the romantic tale of his involvement in the revolution that liberated the middle East from Ottoman rule during World war One. But few people are aware that behind TE Lawrence there stood an even greater champion in the cause for freedom. And no, it wasn’t some moustached army general or cigar chomping politician. It was a woman. The first ever to graduate with first class honours from Oxford. One who spoke 6 languages, had climbed the highest mountains in Europe (in her underwear); was an accomplished archaeologist, surveyor and photographer. A scholar of both Arab and Persian ancient poetry, she had conducted six separate expeditions into the forbidding deserts of Mesopotamia and Anatolia; had met virtually every tribal sheikh and warlord in the region and was treated by them as a princess and honoured guest. It was Gertrude Bell who provided accurate maps, intelligence and favourable contacts to both Lawrence and the British High command and was instrumental in the success of the Arab revolt – even lobbying for the installation of Hashemite princes Faisal and Abdullah on the thrones of Iraq and Jordan after the war. If you’re just a little bit curious about this incredible woman, who dared to go where few Western Men had ever been, then join us, as we dive into the life and times of Gertrude Bell: scholar, mountaineer, spy and kingmaker. #gertrudebell #history #middleeast #arabic #iraq #palestine #israel #documentary 

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When many people think of Africa, they visualise wide open spaces, incredible wildlife and colourful friendly people with vibrant cultures, costumes and music. We might also contemplate the tragedy of the African slave trade and the consequences of colonialism. But what if I told you there was one powerful African kingdom in particular, that, when they first came into contact with Europeans, voluntarily and enthusiastically transformed their entire civilisation almost overnight– adopting the language, religion, fashion and even feudal aristocratic customs of the Portuguese, establishing diplomatic embassies in Lisbon, Madrid and even the Vatican, training their own clergy and corresponding regularly with popes and monarchs across Europe as well as participating in the political machinations of a post-renaissance Europe at war with itself. Though their story ultimately was to come to a tragic end, it was full of political intrigue, amazon warrior queens, and a quest for power that was integral to the History of the West, particularly in the Americas, which was inexorably linked to the kingdom’s rise and fall. If you’re just a little bit curious about this powerful, deeply catholic kingdom in the darkest heart of Africa, then join us as we dive into the history of the Kingdom of Kongo; its troubled relationship with Portugal and its tragic role in the Transatlantic Slave Trade; whose incredible heroes would go on to inspire generations of their descendants, with stories of mighty Amazon warrior queens; and tales of the Brazilian Black Spartacus and his renegade kingdom.
#congo #history #portugal #africa #zumbidospalmares #palmares #brazil #gangazumba #Njinga #Nzinga #africanqueen 

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Few enlightenment thinkers are as famous as the French writer Voltaire. Born into a modest though socially ambitious family, he found his talent for writing early and by his late teens was punching way above his weight as a playwright and poet earning accolades and raising eyebrows for his witty use of satire to make not-so-subtle criticisms of church and state. Indeed he would spend his entire adult life dodging the authorities, often writing under multiple pseudonyms and denying authorship of most of his scandalous books, for which there was no shortage of interest among the literate class of Paris, while the government burned his prolific output on a continuous basis in the public square. In his long and productive life he would write more than 2000 books and articles- including several massive encyclopaedic volumes. He would correspond with both monarchs and nobodies, on subjects as diverse as geology and free-speech; history and biology; mathematics and religious tolerance. His fortunes would take him from the Bastille and exile to the court of Frederick the Great, back to the Bastille and exile again. His very name became synonymous with both scandal and genius, and yet despite his herculean output, he nevertheless found time to advocate for the downtrodden and oppressed classes – often at substantial personal expense. He would ferociously denounce laws and customs he believed were unjust and savage his enemies in brutal polemical arguments, yet was incredibly generous to the point of being a sucker. He had an iron wit yet was an interminable hypochondriac. He was a Frenchman who loved the English way of life, always tearing at the fabric of his corrupt society. Perhaps more than any other individual of the time, his works challenged people to think deeply about the need to evolve our institutions and culture to be more humane, rational and accountable. If you want to know a bit more about this genius who stood at the crossroads between the old Europe and the New, then join us, as we dive into life and times of Voltaire, the Rascal philosopher.
#voltaire #history #france #enlightenment #philosophy 

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Few politicians have been as polarising as UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who led her country during a tumultuous time in history, between 1979 and 1990. She was the first female leader of a major political party in British History; and its longest continually serving prime minister of the 20th century. She led her country to victory in the Falklands conflict; presided over the decolonisation of a number of former dominions, successfully pressuring warring factions in Rhodesia and the Apartheid regime of South Africa to come to a peaceful transition of power. She was a major player in the struggle against communism and the eventual breakup of the Soviet Union. But she also instigated a complete overhaul of the British economic system in a process that would eventually be named after her (Thatcherism); in which a massive privatisation and deregulation push of entire industries such as energy, communications, welfare, healthcare and transport into the private sector would cause substantial upheaval to many dependant communities. Nevertheless, these policies drove a surge in investment, GDP and capital that transformed Britain into a modern, efficient and productive nation that successive governments both left and right would continue to endorse. She was a conservative who nevertheless drove a number of progressive environmental policies. She was a traditionalist, yet supported free speech and personal liberty. She was a woman who believed herself to be the equal of any man in the arena, yet she was no feminist. In so many ways Margaret Thatcher was full of contradictions, yet most historians agree that in a world of wishy-washy populism, she was perhaps the only truly conviction politician who refused to back down from making the tough decisions that she believed would give individuals the greatest opportunities to thrive and make her nation great once more.
#thatcher #margaretthatcher #politics #heroes #falklands #suez #history #unitedkingdom #british 


All film footage used in this montage remains the property of its respected creators, is used purely for educational purposes under fair act rules and is gratefully acknowledged in the end credits. If you have any issues or concerns please contact us.

07:43 The Wesleyan Methodists
17:16 The Liberal Party
19:46 Youth, University and Early Career
33:41 Anglo-Egyptian War and Suez Crisis
50:25 Postwar Economic Theory 101 (Keynesianism and Miltonian Neoliberalism)
1:10:01 Leadership
1:19:53 Northern Ireland
1:21:58 Falkland Islands Backstory
1:31:30 Argentina and the Falklands Conflict
1:46:49 Rhodesia and South Africa and Saddam Hussein
1:52:00 Hong Kong, Gorbachev, Europe and the Trade Unions
1:57:00 Thatcher the Greenie
1:58:00 Third Term and downfall
2:08:20 Death and Legacy




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For an audio-narration only version of this video please visit the Heroes and Legends Documentary Channel Podcast, via Spotify, Itunes or other leading broadcasters.

For resources, links to my other videos, merchandise, the latest social media posts and podcast links, please visit my Heroes and Legends Website: www.heroesandlegends.com.au

Support the show

We often look at history through the actions of great individuals, technological developments and natural events that initiate social, political and economic change. Sometimes animals play a role in those changes - such as the domestication of sheep, cattle and horses thousands of years ago as sources of food and burden or the ability to travel quickly and provide their riders with a battle platform. But despite those benefits, Europeans nevertheless continued to some degree to be constrained in their ability to travel long distances across oceans by the limits of nutritional deficiency- that is to say, disease borne of malnutrition. Food was difficult to keep from spoiling for more than a few weeks - particularly in humid environments and the effects of scurvy on sailors of during the golden age of sail is well known. But all this began to change when the Vikings began to dry and store a fish called the Cod, whose particular makeup was unlike that of other fish. When they introduced it other Europeans, the Basques in particular began salting the cod, which made the fish even more resistance to spoiling, and allowed them to travel great distances by ship. Tied into this new ability to travel was the discovery by fishermen of America - long before the celebrated explorers that we all learned about in school. These fishermen were feeding the impoverished and famine affected population of Europe with American Cod centuries before their monarchs began their official scramble for control of the New World, and the story of how they came to do it is one not widely known. Moreover, its also not widely known, that the Cod played a substantial role not only in the survival, economy and independence of the colonies of North America, but they facilitated significant social, political and economic progress that has led directly to the formation of the liberal democracies we live in today. But the relentless exploitation of Cod went further - greed and exploitation led to the redrawing of international boundaries, the unprecedented claim of continental shelves (previously part of international High Seas free commerce) and even caused a number of skirmishes between European countries late into the 20th century - known as the Cod Wars. That's a lot of significance for a fish to have. 
#cod #documentary #vikings #basque #history #columbus #exploration #fishing #conservation #cabot #america #newfoundland #canada #bristol 

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