The Tragedy of Richard II
Did Richard II cause the Wars of the Roses generations later? No…but kinda? We open up our fifth series with that question as we go through the bumpy reign of Richard II and his ultimate removal from ...
7 Nov 20191h 21min
The Role of Royal Tea (or How Monarchs Stay Relevant)
We are talking about Royalty today, or should I say Royal Tea? Uh, sorry, we had to pun. But really, it works on both levels, because we do have to pause every now and then and ask ourselves, what is...
22 Aug 201940min
Roxelana & A New Role in the Harem
This time, we talk about Suleyman the Magnificent, Ottoman contemporary of Henry VIII. He also had a unique approach to marriage, actually getting married! He and his wife Roxelana set a new precedent...
1 Aug 20191h 14min
"Aloha & Aloha" to Hawaiian Monarchy
This time, we say “Aloha!” to the Kingdom of Hawaii, and then “Aloha!” about a century later. Yeah, they weren’t going for Japanese-style longevity there. But even if the Hawaiian royals were a mere b...
18 Jul 20191h 27min
Istanbul Not Constantinople, Part 2
This week, we delve into the man behind the Conquest of Istanbul, nee Constantinople. Who was Mehmed II, how did he come to ride his horse into “the city” as a conquering hero? We talk about all that,...
4 Jul 201952min
Istanbul Not Constantinople, Part 1
We’re finally talking about the Ottomans! But first, we set the scene for the rulers with a rundown of the rise of the Ottoman Empire. It changed the course of history, but it wasn’t an overnight rise...
20 Jun 201948min
Who Run Japan? Not Girls
This week, we discuss Japan’s brief early history of female rule, both legendary and historical, and talk about how that all officially ended with the Meiji Restoration, leading indirectly to today’s ...
6 Jun 201956min
An Emperor Abdicates!
Emperor Akihito of Japan abdicated his throne on April 30, 2019. What are the implications for the Imperial Family and how does this tie into the context of Japan’s recent past?
16 Mai 20191h 4min
