Fortune's Wheel: A Podcast History of Our Medieval Story

Jonathon LaRosa

The Middle Ages—a time often dismissed, yet it is the crucible where the foundations of our modern world were forged. This era, full of brutal power struggles, explosive change, and unexpected alliances, laid the borders, cultures, and traditions we live by today. Through relentless research and gripping storytelling, this podcast resurrects the forgotten world of our medieval ancestors, unraveling the tangled web spanning innumerable stories. The modern world was never born in isolation—it was fought for, built, and connected across continents. Buy Me A Coffee: coff.ee/FWPodcast

  1. Aug 10

    216: The Scottish Bride

    Donate: Buy Me A Coffee! SEASON 9: ARCHITECTS OF STABILITY EPISODE 216: The Scottish Bride England is due for an exorcism, but not in the way you might think…but it will involve a priest. The living dead have run amok across England in 1100, but what do they want? Do they want blood? Revenge? Or do they just want to be remembered? Social Media: YouTube: Fortune’s Wheel Podcast Meta: https://www.facebook.com/fortunes.wheel.3  X: https://twitter.com/WheelPodcast Donate: Buy Me A Coffee!

    216: The Scottish Bride

  2. Aug 6

    215: The Spare Who Dared to Be King

    Donate: Buy Me A Coffee! SEASON 9: ARCHITECTS OF STABILITY EPISODE 215: The Spare Who Dared to Be King Henry Beauclerc is now king, a king with a shaky grasp on power as his entire nobility has already pledged allegiance to William Rufus’s heir, Henry’s older brother, Robert Curthose. He has to strike fast and win over that nobility if he is to be prepared for Curthose’s eventual invasion. Social Media YouTube: Fortune’s Wheel Podcast Meta: https://www.facebook.com/fortunes.wheel.3  X: https://twitter.com/WheelPodcast Donate: Buy Me A Coffee!

    215: The Spare Who Dared to Be King

  3. Jul 28

    214: A Most Convenient Arrow

    Donate: Buy Me A Coffee! SEASON 9: ARCHITECTS OF STABILITY EPISODE 214: A Most Convenient Arrow If a king falls in a forest and no one is around to witness it…was it an assassination or the most convenient stroke of luck in English history? Join us as we follow the final hunt of William Rufus, sift through the earliest medieval accounts, separate centuries of legend from contemporary evidence, and uncover how a single arrow changed the course of England forever. ALSO, I tried a few things on this episode in the editing phase, so I’m eager to hear your thoughts? Should the sounds and sound effects be continued, or is the show good without them? Reach out on X or in the comments of the show! Social Media: YouTube: Fortune’s Wheel Podcast Meta: https://www.facebook.com/fortunes.wheel.3  X: https://twitter.com/WheelPodcast Donate: Buy Me A Coffee!

    214: A Most Convenient Arrow

  4. Jul 8

    213: A Very Curthose Thing to Do

    Donate: Buy Me A Coffee! SEASON 9: ARCHITECTS OF STABILITY EPISODE 213: A Very Curthose Thing to Do The First Crusade is over, but its reverberations are only beginning to be felt. As the 11th century comes to a close, we follow Robert Curthose on his long journey home and discover how the road back from Jerusalem changed the future of England forever. This is the story of how one century ends, another begins, and how history can pivot on something as simple...and as tragic...as taking too long to come home. Social Media: YouTube: Fortune’s Wheel Podcast Meta: https://www.facebook.com/fortunes.wheel.3  X: https://twitter.com/WheelPodcast Donate: Buy Me A Coffee!

    213: A Very Curthose Thing to Do

  5. Jul 4

    212: Ascalon: The Final Battle

    SEASON 8: The First Crusade EPISODE 212: Ascalon: The Final Battle Jerusalem was firmly in crusader hands, but the Fatimids weren’t yet finished. On this episode, we see the final chapter in the story of the First Crusade. No More Paywalls! How? If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts and all, free to the public with absolutely no more paywalls…ever…please consider donating to my caffeine-mediated research and writing through the website/app Buy Me A Coffee! With opportunities for one-time donations and even a monthly donation plan, you can voluntarily contribute to the continuation of this show. I would be eternally grateful! NOTE: DISREGARD ANY MENTION OF PATREON. That account has been closed in the process of tearing down any and all paywalls!  Social Media:YouTube: Fortune’s Wheel Podcast Meta: https://www.facebook.com/fortunes.wheel.3  X: https://twitter.com/WheelPodcast Buy Me A Coffee!

    212: Ascalon: The Final Battle

  6. Jun 11

    211: Holy City, Unholy Slaughter

    SEASON 8: The First Crusade EPISODE 211: Holy City, Unholy Slaughter Standing at the walls, a behemoth task was about to unfold: After four long years and thousands of miles traveled in some of the most hostile territory in the medieval world for Christians, could Jerusalem finally be recaptured? FAIR WARNING: This episode gets a bit graphic. Listener discretion advised. No More Paywalls! How? If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts and all, free to the public with absolutely no more paywalls…ever…please consider donating to my caffeine-mediated research and writing through the website/app Buy Me A Coffee! With opportunities for one-time donations and even a monthly donation plan, you can voluntarily contribute to the continuation of this show. I would be eternally grateful! NOTE: DISREGARD ANY MENTION OF PATREON. That account has been closed in the process of tearing down any and all paywalls!  Social Media: YouTube: Fortune’s Wheel Podcast Meta: https://www.facebook.com/fortunes.wheel.3  X: https://twitter.com/WheelPodcast Buy Me A Coffee!

    211: Holy City, Unholy Slaughter

  7. May 29

    210: "Many Wept For Joy"

    SEASON 8: The First Crusade EPISODE 210: “Many Wept For Joy” The road from Arqa to Jerusalem was no stroll in the park, and soon the crusaders found themselves humbled at the sight of Jerusalem…at long last. The anonymous author of the Gesta Francorum wrote, “When they finally saw Jerusalem, many wept for joy.” Despite the great humility each pilgrim experienced upon seeing the city for the first time, they were still denied entry. These walls have never been easily breached, but Antioch had taught these pilgrims many valuable lessons. Each lesson would be put to the test against the holiest city of them all.  No More Paywalls! How? If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts and all, free to the public with absolutely no more paywalls…ever…please consider donating to my caffeine-mediated research and writing through the website/app Buy Me A Coffee! With opportunities for one-time donations and even a monthly donation plan, you can voluntarily contribute to the continuation of this show. I would be eternally grateful! NOTE: DISREGARD ANY MENTION OF PATREON. That account has been closed in the process of tearing down any and all paywalls!  Social Media: YouTube: Fortune’s Wheel Podcast Meta: https://www.facebook.com/fortunes.wheel.3  X: https://twitter.com/WheelPodcast Buy Me A Coffee!

    210: "Many Wept For Joy"

  8. Apr 17 ·  Bonus

    209: Ground Zero: Jerusalem

    SEASON 8: The First Crusade EPISODE 209: Ground Zero: Jerusalem This is the final offering from my archive—an episode I couldn’t leave behind. It became something more than a retelling; it became a reckoning with one of the most consequential places in human history. Because everything — everything — seems to lead back to Jerusalem. Long before crusaders fixed their eyes on its walls in 1099, this city had already stood at the center of the human story: a meeting point of heaven and earth, of covenant and conquest, of faith and blood. For Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike, Jerusalem is not merely a city — it is memory, promise, and destiny intertwined. Empires rose and fell for it. Prophets wept over it. Kings fought to possess it. And still, it endured — scarred, sacred, and unyielding. To understand the First Crusade, you must first understand this: Jerusalem is not the destination. It is the axis upon which the story turns. So before the armies arrive… before the siege begins…let’s step back and see the city that made it all inevitable. No More Paywalls! How? If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts and all, free to the public with absolutely no more paywalls…ever…please consider donating to my caffeine-mediated research and writing through the website/app Buy Me A Coffee! With opportunities for one-time donations and even a monthly donation plan, you can voluntarily contribute to the continuation of this show. I would be eternally grateful! NOTE: DISREGARD ANY MENTION OF PATREON. That account has been closed in the process of tearing down any and all paywalls!  Social Media: YouTube: Fortune’s Wheel Podcast Meta: https://www.facebook.com/fortunes.wheel.3  X: https://twitter.com/WheelPodcast Buy Me A Coffee!

    209: Ground Zero: Jerusalem
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4.6
out of 5
28 Ratings

About

The Middle Ages—a time often dismissed, yet it is the crucible where the foundations of our modern world were forged. This era, full of brutal power struggles, explosive change, and unexpected alliances, laid the borders, cultures, and traditions we live by today. Through relentless research and gripping storytelling, this podcast resurrects the forgotten world of our medieval ancestors, unraveling the tangled web spanning innumerable stories. The modern world was never born in isolation—it was fought for, built, and connected across continents. Buy Me A Coffee: coff.ee/FWPodcast

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