The Old World with Will Tanner

Will Tanner
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Life Before Liberalism

  1. 5H AGO

    How Meriwether Lewis Forged the Corps of Discovery: Preparing for the Lewis and Clark Expedition

    This is the tale of how Captain Meriwether Lewis forged the Corps of Discovery and prepared for the grand expedition he and William Clark led across the American West to explore the Louisiana Purchase. It is a tale of studying the natural world with President Thomas Jefferson in Monticello, studying everything from naturalism to medicine in the salons and parlors of Philadelphia, painstakingly selecting the perfect equipment—including his famous lead powder cannisters and variation of the Model 1792 Rifle—and then selecting William Clark as his co-captain.   This is also the tale of whom Lewis and Clark selected for the Corps of Discovery, primarily in terms of what characteristics they selected for when choosing their companions.  From the special talents of some of the bold adventurers to the general skills needed for exploring the frontier, this is the tale of how they were selected so that Jefferson's vision of exploring the route to the Pacific could be fullfilled

    19 min

  2. 3D AGO

    Lewis and Clark: Why Jefferson Chose Meriwether Lewis to Explore the Empire of Liberty

    This is the story of the Corps of Discovery, the famous Meriwether Lewis and William Clark-led American Army expedition to explore and map a route across the American continent and to the Pacific Ocean. In this episode, Will tells the tale of why President Thomas Jefferson dreamed of exploring and settling the American West, who Lewis and Clark were, why Jefferson chose Lewis to lead the Corps of Discovery, and how the Virginia backgrounds of all three men shaped their outlook of the American West and the expedition itself. Will also describes how Jefferson managed to get the funding for the expedition through a skeptical Congress, how the Louisiana Purchase changed the expedition in a major way, and how the travels of Scottish-born British adventurer Alexander Mackenzie impelled Jefferson and Lewis, then an Army officer and fellow Virginia Piedmont tobacco planter serving as his secretary in the White House, to act quickly.

    19 min

  3. 6D AGO

    The Last White Rajah of Sarawak: How Vyner Brooke Went From Rajah to Not

    This is the story of Vyner Brooke, the Third and Last White Rajah of Sarawak. In this episode of the Old World, Will tells the tale of how Vyner Brooke lost the Raj of Sarawak primarily due to the Japanese invasion of Borneo to take the Miri oil fields he controlled at the beginning of World War II, and his own feeling that he was an anachronism and democracy was coming. In this episode, we tell the tale of what life was like in wartime Sarawak, how the Japanese invasion went, Vyner's refusal to stand and fight the Imperial Japanese from the deep jungles of Sarawak, how the Dayaks resisted the Japanese occupiers, and how the destruction of the Miri oil fields and Kuching left Sarawak destroyed. We then show why Vyner decided to give it up to become the Crown Colony of Sarawak, and how that sparked a familial war between him and the Rajah Muda that ended in tragedy. Finally, we show how the Brooke legacy has been kept alive, including in Sarawak, where they remain beloved.

    17 min

  4. FEB 21

    Vyner Brooke: The Last of the White Rajahs of Sarawak, Pt. 1

    This is the story of Vyner Brooke, the Third and Last White Rajah of Sarawak. In this episode of the Old World, Will tells the tale of how different Vyner was from the Second White Rajah of Sarawak, Charles Brooke, and how Vyner managed to inherit his splendorous kingdom despite his father's dislike of him. it is a tale of intrigue, deadly jungle expeditions, and high-stakes diplomacy. From there, we tell the tale of how Vyner Brooke turned Sarawak into what Sir James Brooke always knew it could be. The oil fields of Miri, famous pepper fields of Sarawak's hills, Borneo Company Limited-run gold and antimony mines, and much more drive Sarawak's success and turn it into a thriving commercial colony. We also show how Vyner used clever infrastructure developments, such as rail, radio, and port investment, to make Sarawak more prosperous than it had ever been, just before the disaster that ended the White Rajahs struck.

    21 min

  5. FEB 18

    The State of South Africanization in America with Dan Lyman

    In this episode, Will and Dan Lyman discuss the present state of South Africanization in America, and whether things are getting worse or better. They describe the border situation, how Trump is doing with deportations, law and order in American cities, and much else!   Find Dan on X here: https://x.com/realdanlyman   Find Border Hawk here: https://t.co/EZrGo8qZNb   Check out Will's new YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@realTheOldWorldShow

    31 min

  6. FEB 17

    The Story of Charles Brooke, Part II: The Expansion of Sarawak

    he story of Charles Brooke, the Second White Rajah of Sarawak, resumes in this episode. Picking up with the passing of his uncle, Sir James Brooke, the first White Rajah of Sarawak, in 1868, we tell the great colonial adventure tale of how Charles Brooke massively expanded the Raj of Sarawak across much of Borneo. This is the tale of how Charles fulfilled his uncle's dream of making Sarawak not just safe and stable for the natives or romantic for European adventurers, but also prosperous and well-developed. This is a tale not just of defeated pirates and headhunters in teh steamy jungles of Borneo, nor just of gunboat diplomacy when facing off with the Sultan of Brunei, but of smart diplomatic moves and stead colonial expansion. It's the story of how Charles outfoxed the British North Borneo Corporation, how he expanded his personal empire, and what smart moves he made to develop Sarawak with modern infrastructure.   Finally, we tell the sad and sorry story of Charles Brooke's personal life, such as his marriage to the Ranee of Sarawak, Margaret, and the death of their children in Suez.

    18 min

  7. FEB 14

    How Charles Brooke Defeated Rentap the Pirate and Saved James Brooke, the White Rajah of Sarawak

    Dive into the legend of Sir Charles Brooke, the Second White Rajah of Sarawak, and the tales of his daring battles against Iban pirates and Kongsi Chinese rebels in Sarawak's deepest, darkest jungles, and the burned city of Kuching! This is the history of Sir Charles Brooke, the Second White Rajah of Sarawak, from the time of his arrival in Sarawak as a young officer in his uncle's Raj, and how he became the key figure on whom Sir James Brooke consistently relied. It's an exciting tale of how Charles defeated Rentap the Iban pirate king in his Mount Sadok fortress, how he saved the Raj in its darkest hour, and how he became the second Rajah of Sarawak, instead of  his brother, Brooke Brooke.   Subscribe for more colonial history and adventure stories! Make sure to like the video if you love adventure tales. Don't forget to comment your favorite historical figure below, so I can add him to the lineup!

    26 min

  8. FEB 11

    How Sir James Brooke Survived the 1857 Kongsi Rebellion, and Saved the Raj of Sarawak

    The White Rajah's saga concludes as we follow Sir James Brooke first into the heart of Sarawak's jungle as he fights Rentap, the last pirate king of Sarawak, in a massive jungle battle. We then turn to the city of Kuching tell the tale of how the Chinese Kongsi Rebellion of 1857 almost ended the White Raj of Sarawak for good when they sacked Kuching and destroyed the Rajah's Astana palace, with Sir James just barely escaping into the Sarawak River in his pyjamas, but was saved at the last moment by the stern bravery of Charles Brooke and the fortitious arrival of a key piece of naval technology. From the muddy waters of Sarawak's pirate and rebel-infested rivers, we then turn back to England, where Sir James finds peace and cool in retirement as his state is rebuilt thanks to the kind efforts of Baroness Angela Burdett-Coutts, the beautiful heiress Sir James could have, but didn't, marry. We end with a brief summary of his life and accomplishments, preparing to turn to the second rajah.

    28 min
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