For the holidays, we've brought you a special popey surprise! But we cannot take any of the credit for this - this poem was written and performed by Umberto Molinatti of the 'So You Think You Can Rule Persia?', a podcast rating and reviewing all the kings of Persia from Deioces to Yazdegerd III.

It was simply too perfect not to share. Thank you Umberto!

Find So You Think You Can Rule Persia?:

https://soyouthinkyoucanrulepersia.wordpress.com/

https://soyouthinkyoucanrulepersia.podbean.com/

Pope Leo VII has the dubious honour of being our first-ever lost episode! Hopefully he'll remain the only one. 

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A few years ago, we inadvertently started a D&D anniversary trend, and as a result, we've gotten to play in a lot of fun history themed one shots! This was one such adventure. Helmed by Ben, the wonderful host of Wittenberg to Westphalia, we explored 10th-century Italy from a whole new perspective... which mostly involved wrestling. 

This adventure also includes Roberto from Tsar Power, David from The Siècle, and Josh from Grand Dukes of the West

With Pope John XI, we're driving into Scandaltown! But will Marozia's son be "Beautiful Revenge", or is that nickname better suited for someone else? In his episode, we discuss one of the youngest popes in history, disastrous marriages, and the worst face ever. 

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It is time to talk about Monasteries! 

As the podcast explores the 9th and 10th centuries, we have seen an increase in focus on one area of the church: Monasteries. 

This period in history owes a great deal to monasteries. Monastic houses, from their earliest foundations to their proliferation across Europe performed important religious, social, cultural, and economic functions that shaped and were shaped by both the religious and secular tides of the era. They were the record keepers and power brokers. They were staples of community and education.

And yet, they were also a world of their own. When discussing the medieval papacy and the church, it is impossible to ignore the importance of monasteries. But can the same be said in reverse? How important were the actual popes to monastic life? These are big and complex questions.

And who better to answer these big and complex questions than our best Carolingian friend, Dr Rutger Kramer?!

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Pope Stephen VII is the second of the "mere phantoms" of the Saeculum Obscurum lack of information, which is fitting since he was only a placeholder anyway. In his episode, we discuss the Cluniac reform, problematic marriages, and Fry muses on what it would be like to have a teenager as pope. Little does she know...

join us next week as we "drive into Scandaltown"!

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Bry and Fry are joined by Eric of Saint Podcast to discuss the history of saint art - from the early devotional depictions of suffering, straight into eroticism and clever inclusions of mistresses and lovers. 

Find Eric and Saint Podcast: https://www.saintpodcast.com/

Show Notes/Works Discussed: 

Giotto's Frescos of St. Francis: https://www.wga.hu/html_m/g/giotto/assisi/upper/index.html

Mosaics of St. Sebastian in Ravenna: https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2019/12/the-two-earliest-images-of-saint.html

Bronzino's St. Sebastian: 

https://www.museothyssen.org/sites/default/files/styles/full_resolution/public/imagen/obras/1985.2_san-sebastian.jpg

Sistine Chapel's Last Judgement St. Blaise and St. Catherine: https://cdn.kastatic.org/ka-perseus-images/288a83f4d2603e2782bad6e6c0c5d84696c03ba5.jpg 

Jean Fouquet's Melun Diptych: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e7/Fouquet_Madonna.jpg/800px-Fouquet_Madonna.jpg

Caravaggio's John the Baptist: 

https://media.mutualart.com/Images//2018_04/10/07/073604980/6c3752da-8079-4e58-aa93-239cff297a5a.Jpeg

Caravaggio's Judith and Holofernes: 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/Judith_Beheading_Holofernes-Caravaggio_%28c.1598-9%29.jpg/1280px-Judith_Beheading_Holofernes-Caravaggio_%28c.1598-9%29.jpg

Caravaggio's St. Catherine of Alexandria:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c5/Caravaggio_-_Saint_Catherine_of_Alexandria_%28post-restoration_image%29.jpg/800px-Caravaggio_-_Saint_Catherine_of_Alexandria_%28post-restoration_image%29.jpg

Cristoforo Allori's Judith and Holofernes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cristofano_Allori#/media/File:Judith_with_the_Head_of_Holofernes_by_Cristofano_Allori.jpg 

Da Vinci's John the Baptist: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_John_the_Baptist_%28Leonardo%29#/media/File:Leonardo_da_Vinci_-_Saint_John_the_Baptist_C2RMF_retouched.jpg

Guilia Farnese as the Virgin Mary with Pope Alexander VI: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giulia_Farnese#/media/File:Alexander_VI_guilia.jpg

Pope Leo VI gives Fry the impression that he's going to be a "big one", but will he live up to her expectations? No. 

In his episode, we exhibit one of the most characteristic features of the Saeculum Obscurum, discuss Croatian Dalmatians, and give you a tiny peek into way-back Bry and Fry lore. 

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Pope John X, the "Wee Liar", owed much of his upward momentum in life to his outrageously good looks and the scandalous love affair he had with the most powerful woman in Rome. Maybe. Or maybe they were related.

In his episode, we discuss an astounding response to the Saracen threat, an actual battle pope, and the flightiest Italian nobles. 

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A new papal history book (City of Echoes) has just been released, and Bry had the opportunity to interview the author, Dr. Jessica Wärnberg! 

In this episode, we discuss all things pope - the history of the papacy, the history of the city of Rome, and how the two are inextricably linked. 

Jessica Wärnberg:

Find City of Echoes: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/City-of-Echoes/Jessica-Warnberg/9781639365210

City of Echoes on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/City-Echoes-History-Popes-People/dp/1639365214/ref=sr_1_1?crid=P9OBCDM6DZD9&keywords=jessica+warnberg&qid=1694483147&sprefix=jessica+warn%2Caps%2C301&sr=8-1 

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