Western Civ

As the 1440's come to a close, those around Henry VI begin to come to terms with his ineptitude. First, the Duke of Suffolk and then the Duke of Somerset tries to control the government from behind the scenes. Both lose their heads. Ultimately, one man steps into power: Richard, Duke of York.  Check out our website for more content at westerncivpodcast.com Become a Patron today for as little as $1.00 per month at patreon.com/westerncivpodcast

We begin our Wars of the Roses story arc by looking at the death of Henry V and the minority of his son, Henry VI. The Dukes of Bedford and Gloucester vie for power as England desperately tries to stabilize the situation in France.  Check out our website for more content: westerncivpodcast.com Become a Patron today for tons of bonus content plus every episode early at patreon.com/westerncivpodcast

Today we catch up on early modern France after the Hundred Years' War. Then we do a quick run through the medieval Low Countries, Scandinavia, and Ireland to catch everyone up to 1492.  Check out our website for images and more: westerncivpodcast.com Become a patron today and support the show for as little as $1 per month at patreon.com/westerncivpodcast

In this episode, we cover the Rus as they do battle with the Mongol's Golden Horde and medieval Russia begins to emerge around Moscow. Then, we turn back to the Holy Roman Empire for the first time since 1250 and see how developments within the empire lead to economic growth but also political decentralization.  Check out our website for more content at westerncivpodcast.com Become a Patron today! For only $2.00 per month, you'll get access to over six hours of new content with new bonus content monthly.

Valentine's Day has not always been all flowers and heart-shaped cards. Our eighth most popular holiday today, St. Valentine's Day is the product of a combination of ancient, medieval, and Victorian traditions, not all of which are pleasant or even relate to love. In this bonus episode, we cover the history of the holiday.

Leonardo da Vinci. Everyone knows the name. But how much do you really know about the great man? The Mona Lisa? Sure. The Last Supper? Of course. But, Lady with Ermine? Probably not. Groundbreaking medical discoveries? Nope. In this mega-episode, we cover all this and more.

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Western Civ 2.0

Today we wheel east and bring our narrative up to date for several regions we have not discussed in some time: Bohemia, Hungary, the Balkans, and Poland. We cover the early modern/renaissance history of each region.  Check out our website for more! westerncivpodcast.com Become a Patron today! patreon.com/westerncivpodcast

In this bonus episode, we do cover the basics of Renaissance painting, sculpture, writing, and architecture. I highly recommend looking at the images on our website, westerncivpodcast.com, while listening so you can follow along.  Become a Patron today and support the show for $1 per month at patreon.com/westerncivpodcast

In our last look at the Italian Renaissance, we turn to Florence and the Medici, the name that is almost synonymous with the Renaissance.  Check out our website for the images referenced in the show: [email protected] Want more content? Become a patron today for as little as $1 per month at patreon.com/westerncivpodcast

In this episode, we turn to Milan and its contributions to the Renaissance as well as doing a quick overview of the city's history during this early-modern period. Then, we shift south to Rome and catch up with the Papacy as well as reviewing the history of the Sistine Chapel.  Check out our website at westerncivpodcast.com Support the podcast now on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/westerncivpodcast?fan_landing=true