At the end of 1743, Europe is divided in two. On the one side, Austrian Archduchess Maria Theresa struggles to hold on to her ancestral lands, supported by her allies in Britain, the Netherlands, and Piedmont-Sardinia. On the other side, France and Spain are trying to conquer the old Habsburg lands, while Frederick the Great in Prussia continues to pose a real threat. Meanwhile, the French and Spanish are also trying to start a rebellion in Great Britain.

The War of the Austrian Succession is among the most chaotic in history. In this episode, Dan untangles the various threads of the war, and how it would change geopolitics forever.

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Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

The War of the Austrian Succession marks the beginning of the transition from dynastic politics to a more modern sense of nationalism. At the time, though, it merely seems like a calamity. What begins as a personal land grab by the young Prussian King Frederick the Great turns into a general European war, as multiple powers try to grab land from the vulnerable Austrian Archduchess Maria Theresa.

This war won’t remain confined to Europe. Thanks to the involvement of colonial powers, the war spreads throughout the globe. In the Caribbean, a British fleet under Edward Vernon terrorizes the Spanish Main in the War of Jenkins’ Ear. From the coast of South America to the mountains of central Europe, Prussian aggression shakes up the world’s geopolitical order.

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Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

At the mid-point of the first season, Dan takes a breather to recap what we’ve learned, and discuss nationalism more broadly.

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Following Commodore Matthew Perry’s expedition to Japan, the floodgates to foreign trade are open. British, French, and even Russian merchants come to Japan, introducing foreign ways of life. Rebellious daimyos, worried about losing their way of life, resort to extreme measures; they overthrow the Shogunate and restore the Emperor of Japan to a position of real power.

When even the Emperor cannot eliminate foreign influence, restive samurai launch a series of rebellions. Can the new government maintain its authority, and bring Japan fully into the modern era? Or will the old ways continue to dominate?

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Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

In the year 1853, Japan is an isolationist, feudal society. By 1877, she’s a modern nation, with a centralized government and burgeoning national industry. This process, called the Meiji Restoration, is one of the most remarkable national transformations in all of history. But how does it happen?

In this episode, Dan discusses the first part of the story. We’ll start out with the Tokugawa Shogunate and its policy of Sakoku – isolation. Then we’ll talk about the Japanese experience in the 19th century, and how American Commodore Matthew Perry’s expedition changes Japan, and the world, forever.

Dan’s new interview with Ben from The History Voyager: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4EVcbeJhWQtnlp36jJI2L4

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Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

After the founding of Russia’s Romanov Dynasty, the settlement of Siberia is ready to begin in earnest. Intrepid explorers push east across Asia, eventually coming into contact with the Chinese Qing Dynasty. There, Russia’s land borders will be established, as both sides try to avert a major Asian war.

Beyond the Eurasian landmass, Russian explorer Vitus Bering ranges even further, searching for a route to North America. Can Russia extend her empire across the Pacific, and span three continents? And what does the Siberian conquest mean for Russia’s future?

Map of Siberia’s river basins: https://www.freeworldmaps.net/russia/rivers.html

Dan’s new interview with Ben from The History Voyager: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4EVcbeJhWQtnlp36jJI2L4

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Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

In a rare twist, Dan dives into current events, evaluating the Russian invasion of Ukraine from a historical perspective. In the epic showdown between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who will come out victorious? Here’s the situation on the ground right now, how things might shake out, and, of course, the relevant history behind the invasion.

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Siberia is the world’s largest wilderness and last frontier. The Russian conquest this vast territory begins in the 1500s, but will take more than a century to complete. By the end of Russian expansion, the Tsar rules not just all of Siberia, but also Alaska and even parts of California.

How did a regional power in far-eastern Europe come to control such a vast land? And why did they do it? Here, Dan tells the first half of the story, from Russia’s medieval origins until the opening of the frontier and the founding of the Romanov dynasty.

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Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

The Iroquois people, properly known as the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, are one of the largest and most influential of Native American groups. So, who are these people? What were they doing before European colonization, and how did this affect their society?

Dan starts with an overview of colonization, then delves into the founding myth of the Haudenosaunee. When the Europeans show up, the Iroquois people are practically a modern nation. But as more and more colonists arrive on their borders, they will need to adapt if they want to preserve their nationhood.

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Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

In the ending days of the Thirty Years’ War, both sides struggle desperately for any advantage. Under First Minister Cardinal Mazarin, France is fighting a war on three fronts. But military heroes like the Prince de Condé give her an advantage over the stagnant Spanish Empire. Meanwhile, Swedish general Lennart Torstensson leads his army into the very heartland of the Austrian Empire.

Can the Habsburg powers of Spain and the Holy Roman Empire withstand this assault? Will the fledgling Dutch Republic finally gain their independence once and for all? One way another, the end of the war and the Peace of Westphalia will change the world forever.

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Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan