The First Child Emperor
Fujiwara Yoshifusa sets a new precedent when he angles to have an eight-year old son of the late Emperor Montoku set upon the throne as Emperor Seiwa. Yoshifusa rulled as Sesshō, a regent governing on...
2 Aug 202117min
The Re-Unification of Korea
Unified Silla ruled the peninsula throughout the 800s but cracks were already beginning to show in the bureaucracy. A series of weak sovereigns, ambitious courtiers, and the re-emergence of regional f...
29 Jul 202126min
The Fall of the Tang Dynasty
Things go from bad to a little bit better to horrifically worse for the Tang Dynasty as the An Lushan Rebellion kicks into high gear and the empire begins to splinter. We'll follow a few charismatic E...
26 Jul 202126min
The Rise of the Fujiwara
As Emperors Junna and Nimmyo take the throne respectively, a powerful Kuge clan takes steps to become the most powerful in all the nation. If you'd like to see the crest of the Fujiwara Clan, as well...
22 Jul 202124min
The Taira and Minamoto Clans
In this episode, we will examine the origins and development of the two samurai clans who would come to dominate the later Heian Period and eventually vie with one another for control of the nation.Fo...
19 Jul 202114min
A Tale of Two Courts
Emperor Heizei takes the throne and things swiftly take a turn for the worse. After he abdicated and his brother Emperor Saga became Tennō, however, he would decide that he may not have been as ready ...
15 Jul 202115min
The Life and Times of Emperor Kammu
In this episode, we will take a short break from the narrative and examine the reign of Confucian problem-solver Emperor Kammu, arguably the most effective sovereign of the Heian Period.To see a few ...
12 Jul 202111min
The First Shōgun
In this episode we'll explore the career of Otomo Otomaro, who is believed to be the first Seiitai-Shōgun, as well as Sakanoue Tamuramaro and their subsequent adventures in Tōhoku. We'll also discuss ...
8 Jul 202118min
