History Unwritten

Tibetan unification played out across the reign of three generations of kings of the Yarlung Dynasty. The backdrop for this dramatic event were two Tibetan kingdoms ruled by tyrants - the Zinporjes, a title meaning warlord.

The Yarlung kings would fight against these brutal rulers and bring together most of the plateau in just a few short years. And by the end of it, the first Emperor of Tibet: Songtsen Gampo, would stand triumphant.

In which we meet our protagonists - the Tibetans themselves and their future rulers, the Yarlung Dynasty.

From the mating of a monkey and ogress, to the coming to earth of God Kings, ancient Tibet is shrouded in myth and legend. But beneath the stories we find kernels of forgotten history.

In which we embark on our second series on the Tibetan Empire. Before we launch into the history however, we ought to understand what we mean by "Tibet" and why we're telling this history, and what this history means to the Tibetans of today.

In which Mali disappears from the stage, not with a bang, but with a whimper.

Facing a century of unparalleled suffering at the hands of the Songhai Empire, Mali came close to the brink of collapse time and time again. But ultimately, the disintegration of the empire came in the form of anticlimax.

The late 14th century was the beginning of the end for Mali, as a series of incompetent kings bankrupted the Empire and weakened its hold over its provinces.

But the 15th century was more of a mixed bag - Malinke expansion towards the coast coincided with the arrival of Portuguese traders. The two would inevitably butt heads throughout the course of this period, and into the next century. Mali would come out of this conflict alive - but only just.

In which we learn the identity of our next season's focus: the Early Medieval Tibetan Empire. We also cover a brief background on this choice.

Note: There may be a hiatus between seasons one and two, a month at most. This is to ensure that there is a backlog of written episodes that are ready to record and upload at any given time. I work full time, and this ensures that I never have to miss a day once a season begins releasing.

Social History Part 2. In which we discuss the religious and commercial lives of Malians in the medieval era. From desert mystics to forest traders with packs of donkeys, the lives of the Malinke and other ethnicities under the Mansa were rich and fascinating.

In which we discuss the nature of kingship, the rituals of court and political life, and spend some time getting to know average Malians during the Medieval period.

Slaves, blacksmiths and farmers - these are the everyday, normal people who lived in this vast empire. Reconstructing their lives is challenging, but important work. The lives of the elite are fascinating - and well documented - but they are by their nature the lives of the privileged few.

Meet Ibn Battuta. Ibn Battuta is a world famous traveler who ventured across the globe in the early 14th century. Turns out, he went to Mali too!

Ibn Battuta, however, had some... Opinions on Mali and its king, Mansa Suleyman.

Today, we follow his trek into Mali as a way to experience the kingdom on the ground during its golden age.

The famous Mansa Musa ruled Mali from c. 1312 to 1337. His reign was defined by the world-famous pilgrimage he made in 1324 to the holy city of Mecca. Today we hear that story and learn a bit more about the real Mansa Musa.

Between intrigue, diplomacy and war, Musa was a busy king. But under him - and his immediate successors - Mali was at the peak of its power and influence.