<p>At the end of the fifteenth century, the center of European banking suddenly swung from its birthplace in Italy to south Germany. The key figure in that transition was Jakob Fugger of Augsburg, maybe the richest man who ever lived.</p><p>Patrick's book is now available! Get The Verge: Reformation, Renaissance, and Forty Years that Shook the World in hardcopy, ebook, or audiobook (read by Patrick) here: <a href="https://bit.ly/PWverge." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/PWverge.</a> And check out Patrick's new podcast The Pursuit of Dadliness! It’s all about “Dad Culture,” and Patrick will interview some fascinating guests about everything from tall wooden ships to smoked meats to comfortable sneakers to history, sports, culture, and politics. <a href="https://bit.ly/PWtPoD" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/PWtPoD</a></p><p>Listen to new episodes 1 week early, to exclusive seasons 1 and 2, and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App <a href="https://wondery.app.link/tidesofhistory" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://wondery.app.link/tidesofhistory</a></p><p>See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.</p>

Elephants were known throughout most of the medieval world, even if most people had never encountered one, themselves. In bestiaries, elephants are praised for their long memories, intelligence, and monogamy. And, of course, their ivory. This week, Danièle speaks with John Beusterien about elephants and ivory in medieval China and Spain, including how elephants were put into service, and how ivory was used and traded across the world.<br /><br />Listen to this podcast ad-free on Patreon - go to <a href="https://www.patreon.com/medievalists" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"><b>https://www.patreon.com/medievalists</b></a><br /><br />This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help spread the joy of medieval history, please visit patreon.com/themedievalpodcast

The patriarch of the Lancastrian dynasty, John of Gaunt, is dead. His penultimate act was to show his nephew, Richard II, his rotting penis. While the king leaves gagging, this cunning Plantagenet also smells a jackpot.  If you can’t get enough of This Is History, join our court of royal favourites on our Patreon. There, you get bonus episodes, PLUS extra perks including dispatches from Dan, and the chance to vote on future subscriber episodes, and lively chat rooms with fellow history nerds.  We’d love to see you there: patreon.com/thisishistory  A Sony Music Entertainment production.  Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts  To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email [email protected]  Learn more about your ad choices.  Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices  Presented by Dan Jones Producer - Alan Weedon  Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman Executive Producer - Simon Poole  Production Manager - Jen Mistri  Production coordinator - Eric Ryan  Sound Design and Mixing - Amber Devereux Head of content - Chris Skinner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

<p>The Medici name still carries echoes of power and labyrinthine politics. But the Medici got their start as bankers, and built a financial empire that spanned fifteenth-century Europe. Popes, kings, and merchants all did business with the Medici, and the family's power over Florence grew out of its fiscal wizardry - at least until it all fell apart.</p><p>Patrick's book is now available! Get The Verge: Reformation, Renaissance, and Forty Years that Shook the World in hardcopy, ebook, or audiobook (read by Patrick) here: <a href="https://bit.ly/PWverge." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/PWverge.</a> And check out Patrick's new podcast The Pursuit of Dadliness! It’s all about “Dad Culture,” and Patrick will interview some fascinating guests about everything from tall wooden ships to smoked meats to comfortable sneakers to history, sports, culture, and politics. <a href="https://bit.ly/PWtPoD" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/PWtPoD</a></p><p>Listen to new episodes 1 week early, to exclusive seasons 1 and 2, and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App <a href="https://wondery.app.link/tidesofhistory" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://wondery.app.link/tidesofhistory</a></p><p>See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.</p>

<p>For most of its history, Rome barely bothered with the Greek east. Then, quite suddenly, Rome exploded onto the scene, laying low the two most powerful Hellenistic warrior-kings of the past century. Within ten years, Rome became the undisputed hegemonic power of the Mediterranean world. How did that happen, and why?</p><p>Patrick's book is now available! Get The Verge: Reformation, Renaissance, and Forty Years that Shook the World in hardcopy, ebook, or audiobook (read by Patrick) here: https://bit.ly/PWverge. And check out Patrick's new podcast The Pursuit of Dadliness! It’s all about “Dad Culture,” and Patrick will interview some fascinating guests about everything from tall wooden ships to smoked meats to comfortable sneakers to history, sports, culture, and politics. <a href="https://bit.ly/PWtPoD" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/PWtPoD</a></p><p>Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at <a href="https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter</a></p><p>Sign up on <a href="http://wondery.fm/applepodcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://wondery.fm/applepodcasts</a> and stay up-to-date on the latest new podcasts and more from Wondery.</p><p>See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.</p>

For three medieval Iberian queens, grief - and the way they expressed it - had immense and far-reaching consequences. This week, Danièle speaks with Núria Silleras-Fernández about what grief and widowhood were "supposed" to look like, how grief and madness were thought to be intertwined with love, and how the grieving women in the famous Isabella the Catholic’s family shaped the history of Spain and Portugal.<br /><br />Listen to this podcast ad-free on Patreon - go to <a href="https://www.patreon.com/medievalists" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"><b>https://www.patreon.com/medievalists</b></a><br /><br />This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help spread the joy of medieval history, please visit patreon.com/themedievalpodcast

After making some major strategic blunders, Thomas Mowbray and Henry Bolingbroke now find themselves fighting to the death. But as the crowds amass, Richard II throws them a last-minute curveball that keeps them in a state of suspended animation.  If you can’t get enough of This Is History, we’d love to welcome you to the royal court over on our Patreon. There, you get bonus episodes, PLUS extra perks including dispatches from Dan and the team, the chance to vote on future subscriber episodes, and lively chat rooms with fellow history nerds.  We’d love to see you there: patreon.com/thisishistory  A Sony Music Entertainment production.  Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts  To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email [email protected]  Learn more about your ad choices.  Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices  Presented by Dan Jones Producer - Alan Weedon  Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman Executive Producer - Simon Poole  Production Manager - Jen Mistri  Production coordinator - Eric Ryan  Sound Design and Mixing - Amber Devereux Head of content - Chris Skinner  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

<p>In this episode, we talk to Rhyne King about the satraps of the Achaemenid Empire, their responsibilities, how one became a satrap, and how the satrapal system contributed to the stability of the Achaemenid Empire.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p>

<p>Thomas More is one of the most fascinating figures of the 16th century: saint, persecutor of Protestants, government official, martyr. But who was he, really? Dr. Joanne Paul has written a wonderful new biography of More, entitled Thomas More: A Life, which explores his origins and the world that shaped him. She joins Tides to discuss More, how the tumultuous England of his youth shaped him, and why he became one of the most enduring figures of the Tudor period.</p><p>Patrick's book is now available! Get The Verge: Reformation, Renaissance, and Forty Years that Shook the World in hardcopy, ebook, or audiobook (read by Patrick) here: https://bit.ly/PWverge. And check out Patrick's new podcast The Pursuit of Dadliness! It’s all about “Dad Culture,” and Patrick will interview some fascinating guests about everything from tall wooden ships to smoked meats to comfortable sneakers to history, sports, culture, and politics. https://bit.ly/PWtPoD</p><p>Listen to new episodes 1 week early, to exclusive seasons 1 and 2, and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App <a href="https://wondery.app.link/tidesofhistory" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://wondery.app.link/tidesofhistory</a></p><p>Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at <a href="https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter</a></p><p><br /></p><p>See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.</p>

There are several famous examples of mysterious medieval writing, including the so-far unbreakable Voynich Manuscript. So, what secrets were medieval people trying to hide? And why? This week, Danièle speaks with Garry Shaw about who was encrypting their manuscripts, the codes they used, and the centuries of attempts to crack the Voynich Manuscript.<br /><br />You can support this podcast on Patreon at <a href="https://www.patreon.com/medievalists" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"><b>https://www.patreon.com/medievalists</b></a><br /><br />This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help spread the joy of medieval history, please visit patreon.com/themedievalpodcast

A conversation with Alasdair Grant (University of Hamburg) about the captivity and enslavement that many Greeks (Romaioi) experienced in the late medieval period, a period of state collapse during which they were subject to Italian and Turkish raids and attacks. We talk about the differences between captivity and enslavement, the prospects for being ransomed, and the religious basis of one's legal status. The conversation is based on Alasdair's book, Greek Captives and Mediterranean Slavery, 1260-1460 (University of Edinburgh Press 2024), which is freely available online here.

London’s finest are gathering for 1397’s party of the year, but this isn’t a time to be celebrating… unless you’re Richard II. The 30-year-old king is emboldened, stronger than ever, and hell bent on retaliation. This leaves Henry Bolingbroke with a stark choice.  If you can’t get enough of This Is History, we’d love to welcome you to the royal court over on our Patreon. There, you get bonus episodes, PLUS extra perks including dispatches from Dan and the team, the chance to vote on future subscriber episodes, and lively chat rooms with fellow history nerds.  We’d love to see you there: patreon.com/thisishistory  A Sony Music Entertainment production.  Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts  To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email [email protected]  Learn more about your ad choices.  Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices  Presented by Dan Jones Producer - Alan Weedon  Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman Executive Producer - Simon Poole  Production Manager - Jen Mistri  Production coordinator - Eric Ryan  Sound Design and Mixing - Amber Devereux Head of content - Chris Skinner  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices