I Take History With My Coffee

Bruce Boyce

Discover the fascinating world of Early Modern History in the time it takes to enjoy a cup of coffee. "I Take History With My Coffee" is a history podcast that brings you engaging and accessible history education through captivating historical storytelling. From the Renaissance to the Enlightenment, we explore pivotal events, influential figures, and untold stories that shaped our modern world. Whether you're a seasoned history enthusiast or just curious, this podcast makes history come alive with evidence-based insights and compelling narratives that connect the past to our present with a global perspective. Join me, a public historian and educator, and rediscover the relevance of history today! Listen now and rediscover the joy of history.

  1. 3D AGO

    88: As I Can: How Jan van Eyck Changed the Way We See

    May 6, 1432. Inside a cathedral in Ghent, a crowd gathers to witness something extraordinary—an altarpiece so lifelike that viewers can count individual flowers in a painted meadow and watch blood flow into a golden chalice. One witness records that the artist had discovered "a new perspective on seeing." But the man behind this revolution wasn't a monk or a scholar. He was Jan van Eyck - a court functionary, a diplomat on secret missions, a bureaucrat with a paintbrush who would transform the possibilities of painting. In this episode, we explore how van Eyck gave his patrons something they didn't even know they wanted: a new way to experience reality. From the glittering Burgundian court to the revolutionary Ghent Altarpiece, from the intimate mystery of the Arnolfini Portrait to a potential self-portrait that stares directly into your soul, we trace how one artist's technical innovations changed not only art but also human perception. Discover the man who painted light as if it were tangible, embedded cryptic inscriptions in his frames, and whose motto - "As I Can" - was both humble and impossibly ambitious. This is the story of how Jan van Eyck invented hyperrealism six centuries before Photoshop and why his vision still shapes how we see the world today. Resources: The Ghent Altarpiece The Arnolfini Portrait The Man in the Turban Support the show Find us on Substack. Both Free and Premium content is available: https://substack.com/@itakehistorywithmycoffee Podcast website: https://www.podpage.com/i-take-history-with-my-coffee/ Visit my blog at itakehistory.com and also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky. Comments and feedback can be sent to itakehistory@gmail.com. You can also leave a review on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Refer to the episode number in the subject line. If you enjoy this podcast, you can help support my work to deliver great historical content. Consider buying me a coffee: I Take History With My Coffee is writing a history blog and doing a history podcast. (buymeacoffee.com) Visit audibletrial.com/itakehistory to sign up for your free trial of Audible, the leading destination for audiobooks. Intro Music: Hayden Symphony #39 Outro Music: Vivaldi Concerto for Mandolin and Strings in D

    30 min

  2. JAN 13

    87: The Regent of Mechelen: Margaret of Austria and the Governing of the Habsburg Netherlands

    In November 1530, Margaret of Austria lay dying in Mechelen after twenty-three years as regent of the Habsburg Netherlands. Her final letter to her nephew, Emperor Charles V, urged him above all to preserve peace—a testament to the pragmatic diplomacy that had defined her rule. Before Charles V governed a global empire spanning three continents, he was an orphaned boy in Mechelen, raised by his aunt Margaret after his father's sudden death and his mother's mental collapse. Margaret's regency provided more than guardianship; it gave Charles a foundational education in governance that would shape his rule over his vast territories. This episode examines Margaret of Austria's political career and governing philosophy in the complex, fractious provinces of the Low Countries. Unlike her father, Maximilian, whose centralizing efforts often provoked resistance, Margaret demonstrated a pragmatic understanding of how these seventeen distinct provinces functioned politically. Her success rested on respecting established privileges, consulting provincial representative bodies, and carefully balancing diverse urban and noble interests. From managing the prolonged conflict with Guelders to negotiating the landmark "Ladies' Peace" at Cambrai in 1529, Margaret proved herself a remarkably capable ruler who prioritized the Netherlands' prosperity and stability, even when imperial demands threatened those interests. Her legacy extended beyond her achievements: the Burgundian political culture she embodied and transmitted to Charles V would influence Habsburg governance for generations. Resources: Maps of the Burgundian Territories 16th Century House of Habsburg Support the show Find us on Substack. Both Free and Premium content is available: https://substack.com/@itakehistorywithmycoffee Podcast website: https://www.podpage.com/i-take-history-with-my-coffee/ Visit my blog at itakehistory.com and also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky. Comments and feedback can be sent to itakehistory@gmail.com. You can also leave a review on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Refer to the episode number in the subject line. If you enjoy this podcast, you can help support my work to deliver great historical content. Consider buying me a coffee: I Take History With My Coffee is writing a history blog and doing a history podcast. (buymeacoffee.com) Visit audibletrial.com/itakehistory to sign up for your free trial of Audible, the leading destination for audiobooks. Intro Music: Hayden Symphony #39 Outro Music: Vivaldi Concerto for Mandolin and Strings in D

    32 min

  3. 12/30/2025

    86: The Flemish Revolt: The War of Two Governments, 1482-1492

    When Mary of Burgundy died in a riding accident in March 1482, she left a four-year-old heir and a succession crisis that would tear apart the richest territories in northern Europe. Her widower, Maximilian of Austria, claimed the regency—but the powerful cities of Flanders had other plans.   For the next decade, two rival governments ruled in the name of young Philip the Fair. The regency council, backed by Ghent and Bruges, issued decrees, minted coins, and commanded armies. Maximilian, backed by other provinces and the high nobility, did the same. Each side wielded its own seal, appointed its own officials, and claimed constitutional legitimacy.   The conflict escalated through economic blockades, military campaigns, and urban uprisings. In January 1488, Bruges guilds captured Maximilian himself, holding the King of the Romans prisoner for three months and executing his officials in the marketplace below his window. French troops occupied Flemish cities. Imperial armies invaded from Germany. Through it all, the fundamental question remained unanswered: who governs on behalf of an underage ruler?   This episode examines how the Flemish Revolt of 1482-1492 evolved into a war between two visions of statecraft—federal constitutionalism and dynastic centralization—and why Maximilian's ultimate victory came at a cost that would echo through centuries of Dutch history. Support the show Find us on Substack. Both Free and Premium content is available: https://substack.com/@itakehistorywithmycoffee Podcast website: https://www.podpage.com/i-take-history-with-my-coffee/ Visit my blog at itakehistory.com and also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky. Comments and feedback can be sent to itakehistory@gmail.com. You can also leave a review on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Refer to the episode number in the subject line. If you enjoy this podcast, you can help support my work to deliver great historical content. Consider buying me a coffee: I Take History With My Coffee is writing a history blog and doing a history podcast. (buymeacoffee.com) Visit audibletrial.com/itakehistory to sign up for your free trial of Audible, the leading destination for audiobooks. Intro Music: Hayden Symphony #39 Outro Music: Vivaldi Concerto for Mandolin and Strings in D

    35 min

  4. 12/16/2025

    85: The Great Privilege: Mary of Burgundy and the Crisis of 1477

    On January 5, 1477, Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, died on a frozen battlefield outside Nancy. His death sparked one of the most intense constitutional crises of the fifteenth century.   Charles left behind his nineteen-year-old daughter Mary, an empty treasury, a destroyed army, and a state on the brink of collapse. Within weeks, French forces began invading Burgundian lands as internal revolts erupted across the Low Countries. To secure recognition as her father's successor, Mary had no choice but to make revolutionary concessions to her people.   On February 11, 1477—after only one week of negotiations—Mary signed the Great Privilege. This document systematically dismantled her father's centralizing reforms, established the Estates-General's right to approve taxation and declarations of war, and even guaranteed subjects the right to resist if the ruler violated their privileges.   But the Great Privilege couldn't save Mary's reign. Her marriage to Maximilian of Habsburg offered military protection but also introduced a new problem: an Austrian prince raised in an imperial court who understood little of urban political culture. When Mary died in a riding accident in 1482—just five years after inheriting—she left behind a four-year-old son and a constitutional settlement her husband was determined to overturn.   This episode examines how Charles the Bold's aggressive centralization led to the conditions for a constitutional revolution, why the Great Privilege became a foundational document for federal governance in the Low Countries, and how Mary's brief reign set the stage for a decade of revolt that would influence the region's political culture for centuries. Resources:  For the Common Good: State Power and Urban Revolts in the Reign of Mary of Burgundy by Jelle Haemers The Promised Lands: The Low Countries Under Burgundian Rule by Wim Blockmans and Walter Prevenier Support the show Find us on Substack. Both Free and Premium content is available: https://substack.com/@itakehistorywithmycoffee Podcast website: https://www.podpage.com/i-take-history-with-my-coffee/ Visit my blog at itakehistory.com and also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky. Comments and feedback can be sent to itakehistory@gmail.com. You can also leave a review on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Refer to the episode number in the subject line. If you enjoy this podcast, you can help support my work to deliver great historical content. Consider buying me a coffee: I Take History With My Coffee is writing a history blog and doing a history podcast. (buymeacoffee.com) Visit audibletrial.com/itakehistory to sign up for your free trial of Audible, the leading destination for audiobooks. Intro Music: Hayden Symphony #39 Outro Music: Vivaldi Concerto for Mandolin and Strings in D

    33 min

  5. 12/02/2025

    84: The Squalid Drama: Succession, Madness, and the Foreign Takeover of Spain (1504-1517)

    When Queen Isabel of Castile died on November 26, 1504, she left behind a unified Spain and a disastrous succession crisis. Over the following thirteen years, a series of unexpected deaths, political conspiracies, and a convenient declaration of madness would turn Spain from an independent power into the centerpiece of a massive Habsburg empire.   This episode explores how Isabel and Fernando's carefully planned anti-French diplomatic strategy—based on marriage alliances with the Habsburg dynasty—backfired dramatically. Four royal deaths wiped out all expected heirs, leaving the succession to Juana of Castile, whose husband, Philip of Burgundy, was openly pro-French. When Philip died suddenly in 1506, both Ferdinand and Philip's advisers had already agreed on one thing: Juana was too mentally unstable to rule.   Building on the work of historians J.H. Elliott, Bethany Aram, and Gillian Fleming, this episode traces the political maneuvers that resulted in Juana's forty-six-year imprisonment at Tordesillas while her foreign-born son Charles—who spoke no Spanish and ruled with Flemish advisers—took control of Spain. We examine the secret clauses of the Treaty of Villafáfila, Cardinal Cisneros's authoritarian regency, and Fernando's desperate efforts to prevent Habsburg control of his kingdoms.   By 1517, the "alien Habsburg" had taken power with foreign ministers, and Castilian gold soon funded wars across Europe in pursuit of dynastic interests unrelated to Spain. How did biological accident combine with political calculation to put Spain into foreign hands? And was Juana of Castile truly mad—or the victim of history's most successful political conspiracy? Resources: Imperial Spain 1469-1716 by J.H. Elliott The Spain of the Catholic Monarchs 1474-1520 by John Edwards Juana the Mad: Sovereignty and Dynasty in Renaissance Europe by Bethany Aram Juana of Castile Reconsidered - I Take History With My Coffee blog Support the show Find us on Substack. Both Free and Premium content is available: https://substack.com/@itakehistorywithmycoffee Podcast website: https://www.podpage.com/i-take-history-with-my-coffee/ Visit my blog at itakehistory.com and also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky. Comments and feedback can be sent to itakehistory@gmail.com. You can also leave a review on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Refer to the episode number in the subject line. If you enjoy this podcast, you can help support my work to deliver great historical content. Consider buying me a coffee: I Take History With My Coffee is writing a history blog and doing a history podcast. (buymeacoffee.com) Visit audibletrial.com/itakehistory to sign up for your free trial of Audible, the leading destination for audiobooks. Intro Music: Hayden Symphony #39 Outro Music: Vivaldi Concerto for Mandolin and Strings in D

    33 min

  6. 11/17/2025

    83: The Crucible of Spanish Power: How Granada Forged Spanish Dominance

    On the night of January 1, 1492, Christian soldiers quietly entered Granada's Alhambra palace. By dawn, the banners of Castile and Aragon flew from the towers of Iberia's last Muslim kingdom. Royal heralds announced a glorious military conquest blessed by divine providence. The reality was much messier—Granada fell due to secret negotiations and betrayal, not battlefield heroics. However, this orchestrated victory marked a truly transformative moment: the end of a decade-long campaign that built the military power supporting Spanish dominance for the next 150 years.   The Granada War from 1482 to 1492 is central to an important debate in military history. Did this conquest mark a revolutionary moment where Spain led the way in modern warfare? Or was it just medieval warfare on a bigger scale? This episode examines how Granada served as a testing ground where royal ambitions, military innovations, and religious beliefs converged into something new.   Isabel and Fernando transformed local raiding into a full-scale conquest, capitalizing on Granada's civil wars while developing new capabilities. Spanish forces grew from just a few cannons to 179 artillery pieces, pioneered year-round operations with the Santa Hermandad standing force, and deployed large infantry armies using proto-tercio organization. The commanders trained in these mountain sieges would go on to defeat France at Pavia, conquer Italy at Cerignola, and build American empires.   But military innovation brought a cultural catastrophe. The conquest ended convivencia—centuries of Christian-Muslim-Jewish coexistence—and replaced it with enforced religious uniformity. Broken promises to Granada's Muslims created the Morisco problem, which festered until the mass expulsion in 1609.   Granada offers no simple answers about historical change. The key is to see it as a crucible where a decade of sustained warfare transformed medieval elements into early modern military power.  Support the show Find us on Substack. Both Free and Premium content is available: https://substack.com/@itakehistorywithmycoffee Podcast website: https://www.podpage.com/i-take-history-with-my-coffee/ Visit my blog at itakehistory.com and also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky. Comments and feedback can be sent to itakehistory@gmail.com. You can also leave a review on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Refer to the episode number in the subject line. If you enjoy this podcast, you can help support my work to deliver great historical content. Consider buying me a coffee: I Take History With My Coffee is writing a history blog and doing a history podcast. (buymeacoffee.com) Visit audibletrial.com/itakehistory to sign up for your free trial of Audible, the leading destination for audiobooks. Intro Music: Hayden Symphony #39 Outro Music: Vivaldi Concerto for Mandolin and Strings in D

    33 min

  7. 11/03/2025

    82: Crown, Cross, and Crisis: Spain's Inquisition and the Expulsion of 1492

    The year 1492 is one of the most important in Spanish history. While Columbus sailed west across the Atlantic, Jews were forced to flee east, ending over a thousand years of Jewish presence on the Iberian Peninsula. That same year, the Catholic Monarchs completed the reconquest by defeating the Muslim-controlled Kingdom of Granada. These seemingly separate events were driven by a single unified goal: transforming Spain into a fully Christian nation.  In this episode, we examine the fourteen-year period from 1478 to 1492, which had a profound impact on Spanish society. How did a country with Europe's largest and most integrated Jewish population shift from centuries of coexistence to systematic persecution and complete expulsion in just two decades?  The answer lies at the intersection of three powerful forces: royal authority, religious orthodoxy, and manufactured crisis. When Isabel and Fernando established the Spanish Inquisition in 1478, they created an unprecedented institution—ecclesiastical in origin but controlled by the crown, rather than by Rome.   We delve into the "converso problem"—New Christians whose conversions from Judaism were doubted, fostering suspicion that poisoned Spanish society. We examine how the Inquisition relied on denunciations, often from Jews, implicating entire communities. We trace how blood purity laws shifted religious discrimination from belief to ancestry.  When the Inquisition couldn't solve the converso issue through prosecution alone, expulsion became the next logical step. The edict of March 31, 1492, gave Jews four months to convert or leave. What followed was devastating—families torn apart, communities scattered, and the destruction of Sephardic culture that had thrived in Spain for over a thousand years.  This episode examines the consequences of religious conformity driven by political necessity, when diversity is perceived as a threat rather than a reality, and when the machinery of persecution is intentionally designed to enforce uniformity.  Further Reading: The Spain of the Catholic Monarchs, 1474-1520 by John Edwards The Spanish Inquisition: A Historical Revision by Henry Kamen The Spanish Inquisition: A History by Joseph Perez Support the show Find us on Substack. Both Free and Premium content is available: https://substack.com/@itakehistorywithmycoffee Podcast website: https://www.podpage.com/i-take-history-with-my-coffee/ Visit my blog at itakehistory.com and also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky. Comments and feedback can be sent to itakehistory@gmail.com. You can also leave a review on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Refer to the episode number in the subject line. If you enjoy this podcast, you can help support my work to deliver great historical content. Consider buying me a coffee: I Take History With My Coffee is writing a history blog and doing a history podcast. (buymeacoffee.com) Visit audibletrial.com/itakehistory to sign up for your free trial of Audible, the leading destination for audiobooks. Intro Music: Hayden Symphony #39 Outro Music: Vivaldi Concerto for Mandolin and Strings in D

    32 min

  8. 10/20/2025

    81: The Making of Royal Spain: Isabel, Fernando, and the 1480 Reforms

    In 1480, the kingdoms of Castile and Aragon faced a pivotal moment. Years of civil war, noble violence, and weakening royal authority had left Spain divided and fragile. However, during a single parliamentary session—the Cortes of Toledo—Isabel and Fernando implemented reforms that would turn their kingdoms into one of Europe's strongest monarchies. This episode examines the landmark 1480 Cortes and the institutional innovations that helped the Catholic Monarchs consolidate power. We explore the Act of Resumption, which reclaimed crown revenues and created an important exchange with the nobility; the restructuring of royal councils that prioritized trained lawyers over hereditary nobles; the expansion of the Santa Hermandad into an effective police force and military system; and the systematic deployment of corregidores to extend royal authority into every municipality. But did Isabel and Fernando intentionally pursue a centralized "modern state," or were they conservative rulers whose methods unintentionally led to revolutionary outcomes? We examine competing historical interpretations, from traditional stories of enlightened state-building to revisionist views highlighting pragmatic deals with elites. The evidence shows a complex picture: monarchs who claimed their actions were restorations while fundamentally changing power structures, creating institutions that would govern a global empire for centuries. Learn how theatrical shows, legal innovations, and strategic compromises helped two leaders establish the roots of Spanish imperial power—and why historians still debate their real motives. Resources: The Spain of the Catholic Monarchs by John Edwards Isabel the Queen by Peggy K. Liss The Spanish Kingdoms: 1250-1516, Vol 2: Castilian Hegemony by J.N. Hillgarth Imperial Spain by John Huxtable Elliott Support the show Find us on Substack. Both Free and Premium content is available: https://substack.com/@itakehistorywithmycoffee Podcast website: https://www.podpage.com/i-take-history-with-my-coffee/ Visit my blog at itakehistory.com and also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky. Comments and feedback can be sent to itakehistory@gmail.com. You can also leave a review on Apple Podcast and Spotify. Refer to the episode number in the subject line. If you enjoy this podcast, you can help support my work to deliver great historical content. Consider buying me a coffee: I Take History With My Coffee is writing a history blog and doing a history podcast. (buymeacoffee.com) Visit audibletrial.com/itakehistory to sign up for your free trial of Audible, the leading destination for audiobooks. Intro Music: Hayden Symphony #39 Outro Music: Vivaldi Concerto for Mandolin and Strings in D

    34 min
See All (89)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Discover the fascinating world of Early Modern History in the time it takes to enjoy a cup of coffee. "I Take History With My Coffee" is a history podcast that brings you engaging and accessible history education through captivating historical storytelling. From the Renaissance to the Enlightenment, we explore pivotal events, influential figures, and untold stories that shaped our modern world. Whether you're a seasoned history enthusiast or just curious, this podcast makes history come alive with evidence-based insights and compelling narratives that connect the past to our present with a global perspective. Join me, a public historian and educator, and rediscover the relevance of history today! Listen now and rediscover the joy of history.

Information

  • Creator
    Bruce Boyce
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    89
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 I Take History With My Coffee
  • Show Website
    I Take History With My Coffee