A History of Italy

We take a break to look at the increase in heretical ideas and movement in the 12th and 13th centuries such as the Cathars and Waldensians and how the church decided to dea with the rising tide of critical opposition to it.

We see the reign of Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II to its end as he faces off with Gregory IX and then Innocent IV, all the while dealing with the ever rebellious communes of northern Italy in their continuous struggle between pro-imperial Ghibellines and pro-papal Guelphs, up to the Battle of Parma in 1247.

1231 - 1237 We take a moment to look more into the provate life of Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II and see how his court, as well as seeing a little naughtiness going on, was a cradle of culture and science. We than deal with a rebellion by his first born son Henry before we see a rematch of Empire vs Lombard League.

1220 - 1231 After his coronation as Holy Roman Emperor in 1220, Frederick II has to first consolidate the south, facing the Muslim rebellion and then deal with the insistence of the popes for a new Crusade, an issue he will find a completely unprecedented solution for.

1197 - 2020 We see the early life of Frederick I of Sicily, son of Constance of Sicily and Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI up to the point when he becomes Emperor Frederick II himself with great regret from the popes who had hoped to keep the crown of the empire and that of the kingdom of Sicily separate. Are we in for another great class between Empire and Papacy?

1186 - 1197 We sadly saw goodbye to the Norman kings in Sicily and usher in a new era in which the Hohenstaufen, under emperor Henry VI, son of Barbarossa, extend their dominion from the north sea to the centre of the Meditteranean.

This is the last in our miniseries on Venice, taking us from the mid twelfth century back up to the notorious 4th Crusade, but not before we look at a 1997 attempt at Venetian independence using a WWII machine gun and a home-made tank called "Tanko"

This episode takes us through Venice in the 12th century, overcoming issues with Normans, Hungarians and seeing trouble starts with the Eastern Roman Empire as well as more interest towards the rest of Italy. Also there is a doge with an odd name and some confusion with the bodies of dead Saints.

After being guided into the new millenium by Domenico II Orsoleo, we follow the (all too high) rise and downfall of the family as Venice itself rises and falls along its way through the 11th century with its new Norman threat as the first crusade draws closer.

After addressing some listener questions on Venice, we first see Venice pass through a period of division and crisis before it finds a "saviour" in Pietro II Orsoleo who bring the city triumphantly into he new millenium.

After the danger of a Franish invasion passes in 810, we then follow the Venetians as they head for the new Millenium with a change of capital and facing new enemies, threats and opportunities.

We take another break from our chronological progress to take a look at Venice as we reach the fourth Crusade, the event that dramatically changed the maritime republic. IN this episode we go from the foundation to the Frankish attack in 810.

This is the second and last part of a collaboration with Assassinations Podcast on the notorious Borgia family. First Niall Cooper focuses on Lucrezia Borgia and then I follow the downfall of the short-lived dynasty.

a collaboration episode with one of my favourite podcast, Assassinations Podcast. In this episode I talk about the rise of the Borgia family and Neil of Assassinations Podcast focuses on Cesare Borgia.

1176 - 1204 We take a look at the aftermath of the battle of Legnano which saw the forces of the Lombard League victorious against Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. Then we take a quick look at the third and fourth Crusades.

1176 Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa and the Cities of the Lombard League gather their forces and clash at a small town outside of Milan, called Legnano. The battle would echo through the centuries to be remembered in Italian politics to this day.

1166 - 1174 After the formation of the Lombard League of the communes of northern Italy a clash with Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa had become almost inevitable. Both sides now started to prepare for the confrontation that would decide the future of Italy.

In this first ever crossover episode, we talk to Steve Guerra of the History of the Papacy podcast about the Lombards. This is part 2 of 2.

In this first ever crossover episode, we talk to Steve Guerra of the History of the Papacy podcast about the Lombards. This is part 1 of 2.

1162 - 1167 We see how after sorting out Milan, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa also goes on to try and deal with pope Alexander III. Meanwhile, the communes start to learn that there can be strength in numbers, with the League of Verona in 1164 and the Lombard and Italic Leagues in 1167.

1158 - 1162 After the diet of Roncaglia, we follow Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa as he tries to deal with a papal schism between Victor IV and Alexander III and then goes on to deal with the communes, particularly the every obstinate Milan.

1155 - 1158 We see an attempt by Eastern Roman Emperor Manuel Komnenus to bring at least part of Italy back into the empire, a peace between pope Hadrian IV and the Norman king William I. Then, of course there is the continuing struggle between Frederick Barbarossa and the northern communes headed by Milan.

1154 - 1155 Hadrian IV tries to come to terms with the Roman commune and its moral leader, Arnaldo da Brescia, but the results are not quite as they expected

The communes start to feel they need some admin changes. We go from pope Eugene III through an Anastasius for a bit to the major hitter Hadrian IV. All the while Frederick Barbarossa starts to come into play

While still doing a little dillying and a touch of dallying, we take a moment to look at the recent Women's Fifa soccer world cup and relive some soccer memories from the great state of Virginia.

While waiting to get back on track, we take a virtual trip to Puglia and answer some listener questions and comments

1143 - 1147 n the first half of the 12th century, with communes popping up like mushrooms, Rome wasn't just gonna sit back and let them have all the fun. However, if there's something about Rome, it's that there is always a pope around.

1130 - 1143 We accompany Duke Roger of Sicily, Puglia and Calabria in his attempt to set up a kingdom before we take a look around our spanking new communes.

1122 - 1130 We finally get back to the chronological narration of Italian history, popping in to see a new Holy Roman Emperor, a new pope, or couple of popes and catch up with the ambitious Normans

Having set up the start of the communes, we take a look at what it would be like to wander around an Italian city in the early 12th century

We take a look at how a new form of local government, the Communes rose and gained their independence from the feudal powers that be,

Using th concordat of Worms as a stopping point, we look back over th episodes that cover from the year 1000 to the end of the investiture crisis in 1122.

We see the golden age of Muslim Sicily under the Fatimids and Kalbids before everything comes crashing down to to interval division and outside forces.

We take a look back at the Arab invasione of Sicily starting with the early raids in the seventh century, through the invasion of 827 up to the fall of the Aghlabids in the early tenth century.

In the second part of this miniseries we go from the time of king Rotari of the Lombards at the end of the seventh century to the fall of Bai and the end of the Byzantine presence in Italy.

We take a look back at the Byzantine presence in Italy, from the Gothic War in 535 up to the start of the seventh century.

We continue the story of Matilda of Canossa as war breaks out with Emperor Henry IV. We then see yet another failed attempt at marriage, the end of the fight against Henry IV and how things went with his son and successor, Henry V while alone she tan one of the largest areas in Italy.

1046 - 1080 We look at the life of Matilda of Canossa, starting from the history of her family through her childhood, the humiliation of Canossa and to the start of the war against Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV.

We see how Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV ended up, as well as his long-term nemesis Matilda of Tuscany, countess of Canossa. Meanwhile we change couple of popes and get a new Emperor, yet another Henry as he also struggles with a couple of popes on their way to the concordat of Worms.

On the "giornata del ricordo", a commemoration to remember the victims of the Massacre of the Foibe in Istria and Venezia Giulia in 1943 and 1945, we talk to Roberta Alessandra Belulovich, an Istria Italian about her family history and the Istrian question.

1095 - 1099 We see how Urban II took the investiture controversy to a whole different level and scored major PR points for the papacy with the first crusade.

To commemorate Holocaust remembrance day, we look at Italy's role in the tragedy, from the initial indifference to the Jews in Italy, to the racial laws of 1938 and the deportations and killings of the war period.

1087 - 1095 We follow the start of one of the most famous papacies in history, that of Urban II and his fight against Henry IV alongside the countess Matilda of Canossa as things get personal, while the Normans try to sort themselves out after the death of Robert Guiscard.

1085 - 1087 After the turmoil of the papacy of Gregory VII, we see a pope that just didn't want the job and follow the final years of the great Norman Robert Guiscard.

To celebrate the birthday of "A History of Italy" we are releasing a free versions of NewsCappuccino in which we talk about national stereotypes.

1077 - 1085 The investiture controversy heats up with an anti-king elected in Germany and an anti-pope elected by Henry IV who then take the fight against Gregory and Matilde down into Italy with the Normans of Robert Guiscard waiting in the wings.

We have a look at important events in Italy on and around Christmas as well as explore the traditions, including that of the Christmas witch.

1076 - 1077 Godfrey the Hunchback meets a sticky end and the investiture controversy reaches a high point and slips towards war

1073 - 1076 We follow the marital problems of Matilde of Canossa and Godfrey the Hunchback of Lorain while pope Gregory VII rolled up his sleeves and get's down to some serious posing and reforming.

1061 - 1073 The Normand, having conquered as much as they could in Southern Italy, head for Sicily while the struggle between the papacy and the empire heats up.