Western Civ

In our final episode on the Spanish Inquisition, I cover its structure and organization. Specifically, I explain how the Spanish Crown, notably King Ferdinand, controlled the Inquisition for his purposes. Then I discuss the Acts of Faith or Autos de Fe as they were originally called, which were the large performances that were part sentencing and part executions. WebsitePatreon Support/Bonus EpisodesThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5553835/advertisement

It is our last bonus author interview of the year - and it's a good one! I sit down with historian Nick Bunker and break down his amazing book: In the Shadow of Fear: America and the World in 1950.Halfway through the twentieth century, the United States towered over the world in industrial might. After winning the 1948 election, Harry Truman hoped to use this economic strength to build on FDR’s achievements with new liberal reforms. But then, in just ten months between September 1949 and June 1950, the president’s ambitions were overtaken by events that left the country gripped by rage and fear. The Soviets tested an atomic bomb, Mao’s army swept through China, and at home Truman faced labor unrest and a Republican Party desperate for power.In the Shadow of Fear is an innovative and gripping history of this pivotal moment. Recounting the launch of Senator Joe McCarthy’s anti-communist crusade, the defeat of Truman’s liberal program, and the start of the Korean War, prizewinning historian Nick Bunker shows us

Had it not been for the Reformation, the Inquisition probably would have died out in the early Sixteenth Century. But, of course, there was a Reformation and so suddenly there was plenty of heresy to keep the Inquisition humming well into the Eighteenth Century...WebsitePatreon Free TrialWestern Civ 2.0 Free TrialThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5553835/advertisement

Today I am joined by author Charles Fischer to discuss his book: The Eunuch.Why would a eunuch want to write a secret history of life in the court of ancient Babylon's most famous king? To get back at his brother: that's why. Abducted as young boys by soldiers during the conquest of Nineveh, the brothers Uruk and Nergal receive very different fates in the ancient kingdom of Babylon. Uruk enjoys favors and climbs the Ziggurat of power to become a trusted advisor and the chief propaganda minister of King Nebuchadnezzar II, while Nergal is castrated and assigned to keep records of the daily life of the King's harem. While Uruk's cushioned prosperity is enviable, his real life is anxious because the King is viewed as the Divine Plowman who must seed the land and bring forth a bountiful harvest -- in other words, make whoopie in the harem and father many children because as the King's virility goes, so goes the harvest -- but the King is both crazy and chronically impotent, and a severe drought has withered the gr

Both Ferdinand and Charles V refuse to reform the obvious abuses inherent to the Inquisition. And so the fires of the Acts of Faith burn. And burn. And burn...WebsitePatreon Free TrialWestern Civ 2.0 Free TrialThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5553835/advertisement

In this bonus author interview, I sit down with Andrew Pettegree and discuss his latest work: The Book at War. I talked with Professor Pettegree previously about his other recent work about the history of the library and, together, the two make excellent companion pieces. We talk about how books encourage war, how they can win wars, and even how they might end wars. Buy the BookWebsitePatreon Ad-Free ShowsWestern Civ 2.0This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5553835/advertisement

Today we cover the 1492 expulsion of the Jews and how that event created the need for the Inquisition by dumping rocket fuel on the already smoldering converso problem. WebsitePatreon Free TrialWestern Civ 2.0 Free TrialThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5553835/advertisement

In this episode, we switch gears and begin to unpack the Inquisition. The beginning of the Inquisition revolves around the Jews and the Spanish monarchs. By 1492 Isabella and Ferdinand have become convinced that the Jews of Spain must be expelled to protect the Christian population. While no one knew it at the time, the consequences of that decision would be long-reaching and disastrous. WebsitePatreon Free TrialWestern Civ 2.0 Free TrialThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5553835/advertisement

In today's bonus author interview, I sit down with Moshik Temkin to discuss his most recent book on leadership: Warriors, Rebels, and Saints: The Art of Leadership from Machiavelli to Malcolm X.We live in a period of leadership in crisis. At home, and across the globe, we sense that unqualified and irresponsible individuals are being elevated to positions of power, strong men and autocrats are consolidating their hold on governance, and the people are losing faith in the prospect of a better future. How have we arrived at this point? And how can we correct our course?For the past decade, Moshik Temkin has challenged his students at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and around the world to grapple with the nature of leadership as part of his wildly popular course “Leaders and Leadership in History.” Now, in Warriors, Rebels, and Saints, Temkin refashions the classroom for a wider audience.Using art, film, and literature to illustrate the drama of the past, Temkin considers how leaders have made

Today I sit down with historian Roger Moorhouse and discuss his most recent work: The Forgers: The Forgotten Story of the Holocaust's Most Audacious Rescue Operation. Between 1940 and 1943, a group of Polish diplomats in Switzerland engaged in a wholly remarkable—and until now, completely unknown—humanitarian operation. In concert with Jewish activists, they masterminded a systematic program of forging passports and identity documents for Latin American countries, which were then smuggled into German-occupied Europe to save the lives of thousands of Jews facing extermination in the Holocaust. This is that story.Buy The BookWebsitePatreon SupportThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5553835/advertisement

Galileo publishes The Dialogue, essentially sealing his fate with the Inquisition.WebsitePatreon Free TrialWestern Civ 2.0 Free TrialThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5553835/advertisement

Galileo travels to Rome and puts all his cards on the table. It was time to make the argument Copernicus was right. The Jesuits don't buy and he leaves Rome, formally or perhaps informally, warned never to advocate for Copernicanism again.WebsitePatreon Free TrialWestern Civ 2.0 Free TrialThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5553835/advertisement

In this bonus, author interview, I sit down with historian Adrian Goldsworthy and discuss his most recent book: Rome and Persia: The Seven Hundred Year Rivalry. The Roman empire was like no other. Stretching from the north of Britain to the Sahara, and from the Atlantic coast to the Euphrates, it imposed peace and prosperity on an unprecedented scale. Its only true rival lay in the east, where the Parthian and then Persian empires ruled over great cities and the trade routes to mysterious lands beyond. This was the region Alexander the Great had swept through, creating a dream of glory and conquest that tantalized Greeks and Romans alike. Tracing seven centuries of conflict between Rome and Persia, historian Adrian Goldsworthy shows how these two great powers evolved together. Despite their endless clashes, trade between the empires enriched them both, and a mutual respect prevented both Rome and Persia from permanently destroying the other. Epic in scope, Rome and Persia completely reshapes our understanding

Today we get to the meat of our series on Galileo, the publication of The Starry Messenger. Galileo turns his much-improved telescope to the heavens and realizes: Jupiter has moons, Venus orbits the sun, and that same sun has spots. None of these discoveries are compatible with Ptolemy's never-changing universe. Today Galileo sets himself on a collision course with the Inquisition.WebsitePatreon Free TrialWestern Civ 2.0 Free TrialThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5553835/advertisement

In this bonus, author interview, I sit down with Historian Paul Carter and discuss the role Richard Nixon played in modern American History. Needless to say, we both agree that Nixon was a lot more than merely the "Watergate guy". In fact, were it not for Watergate, Nixon would likely be remembered as one of the most influential modern American Presidents.Buy the book here.WebsitePatreon Support This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5553835/advertisement

In this episode, Galileo finally turns his attention firmly to the heavens. Quickly, Galileo recognizes that, with this new technology, the telescope, he can decisively prove that both Ptolemy and Tycho Brahe were wrong. Copernicus was right. Today Galileo sets himself on a collision course with the Inquisition and the Roman Catholic Church. WebsitePatreon SupportWestern Civ 2.0 Free TrialThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5553835/advertisement

In this author interview, I sit down with Peter Sarris and discuss his latest book: Justinian: Emperor, Soldier, Saint. It is an excellent historical biography that covers the importance of one of the most influential figures of the Early Middle Ages. We talk about Rome, Persia, the plague, Belisarius, and, of course, Hagia Sophia. Links:Buy The BookWebsite Patreon Ad-Free ShowsWestern Civ 2.0This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5553835/advertisement

In this historian interview, I sit down with Tom Wheeler, author of Techlash: Who Makes the Rules in the Digital Gilded Age? We talk about economic explosion, social unrest, international competition, and even fake news. Can the problems of the past provide inspiration to the solutions of the future? Are we doomed to repeat the growing pains of the early Twentieth Century? We discuss all this and more.Buy the book HERE.WebsitePatreon Support This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5553835/advertisement

Here is a bonus, sneak peak of Western Civ 2.0. In my Patreon feed, we hit the proverbial reset button and start from scratch. The episodes are more detailed but the storytelling is the same. This is the principal way I support the show. Patreon offers a variety of options for support running as low as $1 per month. There is also a free trial wherein you check it out for a week free of charge.In this episode, I wrap up the Wars of the Successors. Alexander the Great's death in 323 BCE shattered his empire before it had the chance to get up and going. Ptolemy, Seleucus, and a slew of others fought over the remains until Rome gobbled it all up. Patreon FeedWebsiteThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5553835/advertisement

Today we get more into the meat of Galileo. He is remembered as someone willing to challenge the church on the issue of the geocentric universe. But he actually challenged a lot more than that. Today we will explore how Galileo challenged Aristotle's perceived truths and how that changed science. Website Patreon Ad-Free ShowsWestern Civ 2.0This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5553835/advertisement