153 episodes
History of the Germans History of the Germans
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- History
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4.9 • 307 Ratings
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The podcast that does what it says on the tin: a narrative history of the German people that starts in the year 919 AD and hopes to get all the way to 1991. Episodes are 25-35 min long and drop on Thursday mornings. As Gregory of Tours (539-594) said: "A great many things keep happening, some good, some bad" .
The show is now entering its 8th season. So far we have covered:
The Ottonian Emperors (Ep. 1- 21)
- Henry the Fowler (Ep. 1)
- Otto I (Ep. 2-8)
- Otto II (Ep.9-11)
- Otto II (Ep. 11-14)
- Henry II (ep. 15-17)
- Germany in the Year 1000 (ep. 18-21)
The Salier and the Investiture Controversy
- Konrad II (Ep. 22- 25)
- Henry III (Ep. 26-29)
- Henry IV & Canossa (Ep. 30-39)
- Henry V and the Concordat of Worms (Ep. 40-42)
Barbarossa and the early Hohenstaufen
- Lothar III (Ep. 43-46)
- Konrad III (Ep. 47-49)
- Frederick Barbarossa (Ep. 50-69)
Frederick II and the later Hohenstaufen
-Henry VI (Ep. 70-72)
- Philipp of Swabia (Ep. 73-74)
- Otto IV (Ep. 74-75)
- Frederick II (Ep. 75-90)
- Epilogue (ep. 91-94)
Eastern Expansion (ep. 95-108)
The Hanseatic League (Ep. 109-127)
The Teutonic Knights (Ep. 128-137)
The Interregnum and the early Habsburgs (Ep. 138 ff
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A New Beginning - King Henry the Fowler rebuilds East Francia
The year is 919 AD and things are not going well. The mighty empire of Charlemagne has splintered into a multitude of puny kingdoms. Its feeble rulers are being pushed around by their formidable barons. The frontiers are breached. Cometh the time, cometh the man/woman?
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A Dog's Breakfast - Otto the not yet great makes some bad mistakes
Henry the Fowler ended the tradition of splitting the kingdom amongst the male heirs. So far, so wise. But, and there is always a but, what he did not work out was what to do with the spares.
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A Series of Fortunate Events - Otto I's kingdom is rescued by Konrad Kurzbold
His brother and his biggest vassals are rebelling, the kingdom remains under threat from Hungarians and Slavs - and now the king of France comes in on the side of the opposition. Only a series of very fortunate events can rescue king Otto, or a man of short stature, fierce temper, extraordinary bravery and a dislike of apples and women?
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A Foe Wherever You Go - King Otto I settles into being a medieval ruler
After the civil war Otto gets to reorganise the kingdom and focuses on foreign policy. There is conflict on all borders, with the Slavs, the Bohemians, the Hungarians, and the French. The most interesting story plays out in Italy where we find a beautiful young heiress with the key to a kingdom languishing in a jail....
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The Father, the Son and the Uncle - Otto I has to deal with his rebellious son
Adelheid's rescue creates tension not only in the family of king Otto but across the realm. Younger members of the powerful families feel cheated out of the gains of the Italian campaign and worry about their prospects. And the Otto makes one of these mistakes he is so adept at, resulting in much bloodshed and pain...
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A Conversation with Swords - The Battle on the Lechfeld
The devastation of the civil war lures in the largest Hungarian army anyone had ever seen anywhere. Enticed by the disinherited sons of former Bavarian dukes, the mighty host makes for Augsburg, a city whose walls are as weak as their defender is steadfast. This time they are here to conquer not just to plunder. Otto has to run hell for leather south gathering an army from wherever he can get his hands on to face the most amazing military of the times on a battlefield of their choosing.....
Customer Reviews
Still 5 Stars … after 135+ Episodes
Dirk just thanked his loyal listeners for sticking around. I’m still thrilled that this informative, structured and accessible podcast is their every week. It’s great to have the facts, motives, context and well placed interpretation laced with just enough dry and self-deprecating humor to solicit understanding with a “schmunzeln” - German word for “smirk without nastiness resulting from humor”. This podcast is never dull, perfectly in length, and intellectually engaging. Thank YOU Dirk.
History with a dose of humor
Ever wondered how the German empire of Otto the Great turned in to the collection of states know as the Holy Roman Empire that per Voltaire was neither Holy, Roman, nor an Empire? Have been following this podcast since Henry the Fowler began the process and now we are at where the Hapsburg step in. Have been enjoying the roller coaster ride the Germans suffered and hoping to learn how this leads us to Bismark’s Germany. Keep driving, Dirk!
An Actual History Podcast
I’ve listened to some others, one very well known, and always felt like I was just getting entertainment that was barely true. Not here.
It’s refreshing to find an actual History podcast that is both informative on a subject I wanted to learn more about, and I just love the dry humor that is inserted now and then which doesn’t distract or descend to spectacle but instead moves things along quite nicely without bother. I’m 15 episodes in so far and just hooked.
Highly highly recommend.