Hanging with History
Episodes
221 episodes
221. Changes in the Life of a Knight
We are trying to take a look at the life of a knight. A look at the life in full, stripped of idealizations and self righteous outrage on behalf of oppressed peasants. Last episode we were looking at medieval life. There...
220. The Civilizing Process; The Knights, Aggression and Torture
We are going to start with trivialities, then get into some serious differences between now and the medieval psyche. Around gross stuff, aggression and killing and finally torture, and torture’s enjoyment. This is absolutely n...
219. The Civilizing Process
It was probably while the brutal siege in Vienna went on, and the little boys and girls of the region were being sold into slavery, after being raped a few times if more modern examples teach us anything. That Erasmus wrote a book l &...
218. Erasmus and the Siege of Vienna
There are two stories here, their opposition is part of a theme. Erasmus, the great Erasmus , Erasmus of Rotterdam was even more a product of the Devotio Moderna than was Luther. Most of his young education was by the Brethre...
217. How to Tear the West Apart
A miner’s son, decided one day, to nail 95 thesis to the door of All Saints Church in Wittenberg in the year of our lord 1517. It seems unlikely he intended to split his church, the Catholic, universal church, into a bewildering multiplic...
216. 1453, Before Humanism and the Reformation
We explore the roots of Humanism and the Reformation. Taking a long look at the Devotio Moderna, the Brethren of the Common Life. These were key influences on both Erasmus and Martin Luther. But more than that, the Devotio Mod...
215. Exploring the Causes of the Miracle
This episode is just a little introduction to the theories of the causes of the industrial revolution as of right now. We look at the Sheilagh Ogilvie classification of 5 general theories of the Causes of the Industrial Revolution a...
214, The Napoleonic Wars Come to an End
Consider the British Empire in 1792, the year of Macartney’s expedition to China and the year young Emperor Francis began to look askance at the French Revolution and all the ruling factions within it started to wish for a war. <...
213 Latin American Independence
More focus on Mexico and California than is ideal, but there is a general overview of Spanish America.Spanish America, more than anywhere else, shows us the global ramifications of the Napoleonic Wars. “The crisis and collaps...
212. Boring Administrative History; HR
The challenges to recruiting enough men for service in the Royal Navy and the Army and Militia were formidable. It is revealed that the War of 1812 was really one war too many for Britain. The necessity to supply seamen...
211. Boring Administrative History; Smuggling and Moving Money
The trade war between Britain and Napoleon reached a new level in 1807. British merchants were desperate for new markets. The French were finding trouble, customs dues fell 80% despite the new Rhine river trade. We've a...
210 Boring Administrative History; Finance and Taxation
The wars from 1793 to 1815 included expenditure of 830 million pounds for Army Navy and Ordinance, mainly the Navy. Another 65 million pounds was spent on subsidies to allies. Looking at a total of 895 million, probably with secret funds ...
209 Boring Administrative History; Industry
“The removal of soil, earth or rubbish, the conveyance of stones, sand or lime, everything is done by little four wheel carts drawn by a single horse on iron railways.. the advantage they represent is immense. England owes to them part of...
The Ending of Corruption; Boring Administrative History
We have a real example of a cultural change brought about by the pressures of war. The great weapon of war against corruption is accounting and auditing. But first attitudes must change. We see various forms ...
Boring Administrative History; Intelligence and Communication
Before the 1807 attack on Denmark, Napoleon gave an ultimatum to Denmark, to Talleyrand’s horror btw. The ultimatum was for Denmark to turn over their fleet. But before the deadline for the French ultimatum passed the British invade...
India, China, Japan, Vietnam and Muscat in the Napoleonic Wars
You probably know that by the middle of the 19th century, the British dominated India. The British introduced railroads and electricity, public health and infrastructure, and a population boom began. By the end Victoria ...
Ottoman Empire; The Sick Man of Europe
For the Ottoman empire the French Revolution to Waterloo have a definte arc, and it isn’t pretty, and there is some coverage up to the Crimean War.The start of the Revolution coincides with the Rule of Selim 3rd in 1789. And he was...
Qajari Persia; the Origins of the Great Game
A scientific expedition, led by Jean Bruguière and Guillaume Olivier. Now they truly were scientists, but they were also diplomats secretly working for France. Jean was an expert on molluscs, snails, shellfish and barnacles. He is c...
Belgium is born; Talleyrand in History concluded
In a great triumph for France, and Talleyrand personally, Belgium is born. This is one of history's true ironies because of how the existence of Belgium weakens France in the 20th century.The episode ends with Talleyrand's last tre...
Talleyrand in History Part 7; 1815-1830
“Talleyrand was in a black mood. All that he had achieved over the past eighteen months had been destroyed: the bloodless and amiable return of the Bourbons in 1814 was being travestied by the vindictive and mean minded 2nd Restoration.&n...
1815 The Hundred Days; Talleyrand in History Part 6
There is a commonplace, dismissive, reductive argument you will hear all the time. That napoleon stood no chance. Even if he had triumphed on the field at Waterloo, as in some ways he really could have. The forces arrayed agai...
1814 1815 Germany, ugh ; Talleyrand in History part 5
Last episode we looked at France, Scandinavia and Italy. Italy was particularly fascinating, but we were bare able to scratch the surface. Now we look at Germany, contrasting Talleyrand's careful thought about France an...
1814, Is THIS What Peace Looks Like?
Last episode we described how in Paris there was a party like atmosphere, the dreamy, giddy glow of it, how it sucked in the later arrivals. The immense joy they all wallowed in. Part of the peace settlement allowed France to keep ...
1814 Allies take Paris; not quite Talleyrand in History Part 4
The core of this entire messy situation was the evening of March 31st when Talleyrand and Tsar Alexander meet. This moment that everyone could feel was decisive at the time, the Allies were all hyper aware of the importance of thes...
The French Revolution Retold Through Fear
But you already covered the French Revolution? Why bring up events from 25 years prior to the narrative?Well, Actually, I’ve covered the French revolution twice. Once in the France the Enemy arc, covering the situation before...