Shows
Bock auf Business - Unternehmerstories unzensiert#079 - Sabine Hoffmann als Gast bei Bock auf BusinessWenn du spürst, dass Business mehr sein muss als Zahlen und Hustle – hör diese Podcastfolge.Immer mehr Unternehmer sagen:„So wie es läuft, fühlt es sich nicht mehr richtig an.“Viel Umsatz, aber innerlich leer.Erfolg – aber für was eigentlich?Sabine Hoffmann hat genau dafür eine Antwort.Sie ist seit 20 Jahren Unternehmerin, Gründerin von Empower This Planet – und eine von denen, die wirklich was bewegen wollen.Nicht irgendwann. Jetzt.In dieser Podcastfolge sprechen wir über:Wie Wirtschaft wieder Sinn machen kannWarum Warten auf „die da...
2025-08-2148 min
Soar FinanciallyGOLD: Massive ENDGAME Payout Still Ahead I Dirk BaurProfessor Dirk Baur sits down with Kai Hoffmann to explain what’s really behind gold’s recent surge, and whether it’s sustainable. They cover the balance between jewellery, investment and central‑bank demand; how de‑dollarization, tariffs and geopolitics drive price; the difference between safe havens and hedges; and why gold stocks behave so differently from bullion. Stick around for Dirk’s thoughts on hidden risks and China’s true reserves.#gold #federalreserve #trump------------Thank you to our #sponsor MONEY METALS. Make sure to pay them a visit: https://bit.ly/BUYGoldSilver------------👨💼 Guest: Dr. Dirk Baur, Professor of Finance 🏢 Company: University of We...
2025-08-1532 min
Everyone Counts - Transformation für Banken und SparkassenDie Transformation der Kreissparkasse St. Wendel - Gespräch mit CEO Dirk Hoffmann
In dieser Folge spricht Dirk Hoffmann, Vorstandsvorsitzender der Kreissparkasse St. Wendel, über die weitreichenden Veränderungen, die seit seinem Amtsantritt im Jahr 2018 umgesetzt wurden. Die Transformation der Sparkasse basiert auf einem ganzheitlichen Ansatz, der neben strategischen und kulturellen Veränderungen auch die Einführung neuer Arbeitsmodelle und die Modernisierung der Gebäude umfasst.
Besonders im Fokus: agile Projektarbeit, eine neue Fehlerkultur und flexible Arbeitszeiten.
Dirk Hoffmann gibt spannende Einblicke, welche Maßnahmen die Arbeitgeberattraktivität gesteigert und die Kundenorientierung verbessert haben.
Highlights der Episode:
Einführung und Hintergrund (00:03 - 09:35):
Vorstellung von Dirk...
2025-03-2439 min
History of the GermansSeason 9 - The Reformation before the Reformation - Season OpenerOn 31st of October 1517 a hitherto unknown professor at the smallish university of Wittenberg published 95 theses. And by doing so, he unleashed a sequence of events that would fundamentally change the face of Europe and still defines communities and nations.The interesting question about the 95 theses is not why Luther rote them, but why they had any impact at all. Martin Luther stands at the end of a mile long queue of learned and sometimes less learned men who railed against the decadence of the church, called for a return to the actual text of the bible...
2024-10-0344 min
The Hanseatic LeagueAn Interview with Carsten JahnkeProfessor Carsten Jahnke, one of the leading historians on the Hanse has kindly granted us an interview where we discuss how the Hanse network functioned and how the perception of the Hanse has changed dramatically over the last 200 years, a story that almost as interesting as the history of the Hanse itself.As listeners of the last season of the History of the Germans might have noticed, I have been relying heavily extensively on Carsten Jahnke's work. many of the episodes discussing the economic structure and the way money transfers worked in the network are based on...
2023-11-2739 min
History of the GermansAn Interview with Carsten JahnkeProfessor Carsten Jahnke, one of the leading historians on the Hanse has kindly granted us an interview where we discuss how the Hanse network functioned and how the perception of the Hanse has changed dramatically over the last 200 years, a story that almost as interesting as the history of the Hanse itself.As listeners of the last season of the History of the Germans might have noticed, I have been relying heavily extensively on Carsten Jahnke's work. many of the episodes discussing the economic structure and the way money transfers worked in the network are based on...
2023-11-2339 min
History of the GermansEp. 83 - The Court of Frederick IINear the town of Andria in Puglia rising from a rock that makes it visible for miles stands entirely on its own a stone structure we call the Castel del Monte. Its ground plan is unique, and like many other of the Emperor's buildings it was probably sketched by Frederick himself: a regular octagon of yellowish limestone; its smooth perfectly-fitting blocks showing no joins and producing the effect of a monolith : at each of the eight corners a squat octagonal tower the height of the wall; two storeys identical in height, each containing eight large equal rooms, in the s...
2022-11-1732 min
History of the GermansEp. 82 - The Constitution of the Realm - The Mainzer Landfriede of 1235What do you do once you have condemned your eldest son and heir to life imprisonment? Exactly, you have a party, or more precisely you have two parties. But as always with Frederick II, these are not just knees-up for entertainment, but elaborately staged political events. The first is a wedding, the second a grand get-together of the whole realm and then there is a third, a funeral of a kind you would not have expected from our rational, seemingly agnostic hero. Lots to unpack as always…The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat ma...
2022-11-1024 min
History of the GermansEp. 81 - The King in Brackets - The sad story of Henry (VII), son of the emperor and rebelIf you have only listened to the last 5 episodes or so, you may be wondering whether this is really the History of the Germans or whether you have accidentally stumbled into A History of Italy minus the eloquence and humour of Mike Corradi. So today we will leave the shores of the Mediterranean to travel up north, though not with a train of mules carrying gold and silver, camels, dromedaries, leopards and apes as Fredrick II did in 1235. The reason for that journey was nowhere near as joyous as the display of wealth and exotic animals suggests. It is...
2022-11-0335 min
History of the GermansEp. 80 - A different kind of Emperor - The Constitutions of MelfiA medieval ruler that has a Muslim fighting force at his back and call and who negotiates Jerusalem out of the hands of the Sultan of Egypt is not what you expected when you began listening to the History of the Germans Podcast. I am afraid you aint seen nuttin yet! This week we come to what was long believed to be his masterpiece, the Constitutions of Melfi. Even if It isn’t the creation of a modern state in the 13th century as Kantorowicz had believed there is still something fundamentally different here. The Middle Ages is...
2022-10-2735 min
History of the GermansEp. 79 - Return to Sicily - Frederick II as a state builder in SicilyThis week we look in a bit more detail how Frederick II regained his beloved kingdom of Sicily. For 30 years after the death of the last Hauteville king in 1190 the institutions of that kingdom had been eroded, the crown estate squandered, and powerful local forces had been riding roughshod over the royal administration. Fredrick will bring this land back under his firm control. That is however not your usual return of the king story, because the way he does it is no longer typically medieval…..The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by...
2022-10-2026 min
History of the GermansEp. 78 – A Crusade without Crusaders - The Sixth Crusade that brings Jerusalem backThis is a story I was looking forward to telling for quite some time. It has everything – crossed wires, stubbornness and vitriol as well as diplomacy, cultural awareness and stunning success. It is the story of the crusade of Frederick II, that has no parallel, for one because Frederick did undertake it whilst banned by the pope and further, because he brought Jerusalem back under Christian control for one last time, without a shot being fired. The latter had not been achieved since the Frist Crusade and will not be repeated in the Middle AgesThe music fo...
2022-10-0646 min
History of the GermansEp. 77 - A Nail in the Coffin - Frederick II in Germany and the Sanctification of CharlemagneThis week we take a look at the reign of Frederick II in Germany from 1212 to 1220. Most of what he did was putting a nail in an actual coffin whilst also putting the metaphorical nail into the carcass of imperial rule in Germany. And was that such a bad thing? What happens when the emperor just hands out what is left of the royal demesne? Cathedrals go up, princes hold splendid courts and none of them think about disturbing the peace in Italy. If you are the king of Sicily, that is a near perfect result.
2022-09-2930 min
History of the GermansEp. 76 – From Urchin to Emperor - The upbringing of emperor Frederick II "Stupor Mundi"This week we will go back 20 years and pick up the other strain of our history of the Hohenstaufen. The last three episodes we focused on events in Germany and the struggle between Philipp of Swabia and Otto IV. Today we take a closer look at the early years of Frederick II, before he came up to Germany and took over. Little is known but much has been written about the youth of emperor Frederick II, not only because it was exceedingly turbulent, but also because it forged a man who burst on the European stage aged 14...
2022-09-2224 min
History of the GermansEp. 75 – Wet Pants and other Miracles - Otto IV attacks Sicily and Frederick II chases him back to GermanyOtto IV, scion of one of the oldest and most aristocratic families in the world had achieved what so many of his ancestors have craved, ruling the empire. This week we will follow him to his coronation and the sequence of errors that will leave him back home in Brunswick, alone and forgotten. At the same time his nemesis, the child of Pulle, the impoverished 15-year-old king of Sicily and son of emperor Henry VI, young Frederick II rises to the imperial crown on a wing and some very potent prayer.The music for the show is F...
2022-09-1535 min
History of the GermansEp. 74 - A Breaking of Oaths - The Civil War between Philipp of Swabia and Otto IVThe kingdom is in turmoil. Two pretenders fight for supremacy. On the one side, Philipp of Swabia, son of the emperor Barbarossa, brother of Emperor Henry VI. and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. In the opposite corner stands Otto IV., son of Henry the Lion, protégé of king Richard the Lionheart and preferred candidate of pope Innocent III. protagonists are the imperial princes who play the two kings against each other for their personal gain, swearing fealty one day and breaking it the next. It only ends with murder most foul.As always, this episode ha...
2022-09-0832 min
History of the GermansEp. 73 - One Pope, Three Emperors - Emperor Henry VI is dead and his son just 3 years oldThis week we will see the reverse of 1046 when there was one emperor choosing between three popes. Today, we have one Pope, given the choice between three emperors. How could that happen? Last time we looked we had Henry VI. at the peak of his reign, being king of Sicily, having pushed through the inheritability of the imperial title and de-facto encircled the pope militarily. But now, just 2 years later the picture is reversed. There is a reason the wheel of fortune is one of the favourite subjects of high medieval art..As always, this episode has...
2022-09-0130 min
History of the GermansEp. 72 - Clouds on the Horizon - Pope and emperor Henry VI clash over SicilyThis week we will watch Henry VI’s attempts to make the papacy comfortable with the fact that their neighbour to the south is now the same as their neighbour to the North. Pope Celestin may see it as encirclement by a family whose track record as sons of mother church had been to say it politely, a bit patchy. But Henry VI thinks there is a way to make this work.Let’s see…As always, this episode has a dedicated website with the transcript and maps, pictures and additional comments to read along. It is...
2022-08-2429 min
History of the GermansEp. 71 - To Catch a King - What to do with Richard the Lionheart and his ransom?There is one story from the Middle Ages that most people know, the imprisonment and ransom of King Richard the Lionheart of England. The chivalric knight and hero of the Third Crusade is cowardly set upon by a gallery of villains, his brother, John Lackland, the King of France, Phillippe Auguste and the money grabbing emperor Henry VI, ably assisted by duke Leopold of Austria. We will look at this story from Henry VI. perspective which make Richard look a lot less compelling.And we throw in one more great story - the birth of an emperor...
2022-08-1427 min
History of the GermansSeason 4 The Later Hohenstaufen (1189-1250): Ep. 70 - From Father to SonWhen Barbarossa drowns in the river Saleph in 1190 the crown transfers to his eldest surviving son, Henry, known to History as Henry VI.This is the first time since the accession to personal rule of Emperor Henry III in 1039 that the imperial crown moves from father to grown up son without a glitch. In the previous 150 years, the passing of an emperor had been a dramatic event where all the cards were dealt anew. Just remember, Henry IV came to the throne as a child, Henry V by rebellion against his father, Lother III wasn’t in an...
2022-08-0732 min
History of the GermansEp. 69 - Germany in 1200 Medieval FaithWay back when, in Episode 30 we identified three drivers of the Investiture Controversy. These were: the conflict between the emperor and the princes, the conflict of the emperor with the popes and the rise and rise of piety amongst the lay people. These last 38 episodes we did talk at length about the how the princes established their own territorial lordships against the imperial central power and man did we talk about the conflict between popes and emperors. But that third element we only touched in passing. We covered the Paterna uprising in Milan and later the emergence of...
2022-07-2826 min
History of the GermansEp. 68 - Germany in 1200 - The CitiesThis week we take a tour of how cities in Germany worked around 1200 with a brief detour to look at what happened later and how they differ from Italian and French cities.The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.As always:Homepage with maps, photos, transcripts and blog: www.historyofthegermans.comIf you wish to support the show go to: Support • History of the...
2022-07-2115 min
History of the GermansEp. 67 - Germany in the Year 1200 - The PeasantsThis is about the peasants, no kings, emperors, popes, bishops at all. Ok one brother of a duke at the end because I simply cannot help myself. But yes, peasants. What was the life of a peasant in Germany in around 1200 really like? How much do we actually know about their living conditions? Did it differ much from country to country? The correct answer to all of these is – we are not really sure. These sections of the podcast are always the hardest ones. Following some king or emperor around is fairly straightforward. That s what the so...
2022-07-1425 min
History of the GermansEp. 66 - The Myths of BarbarossaWe have just spent 15 episodes talking about the life and times of the actual Frederick Barbarossa. Exciting as his life was, his afterlife is almost as interesting. Don’t panic I will not go on for 15 episodes talking about the perception of the great emperor. Just give me 30 minutes and I promise it is worth it. As always, this episode has a dedicated website with the transcript and maps, pictures and additional comments to read along. It is to be found at https://historyofthegermans.com/66-2/The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-f...
2022-07-0734 min
History of the GermansEmpires of the Normans with Dr. Levi RoachWe had the great pleasure to interview Dr. Levi Roach, Prize-winning author and Associate Professor at the University of Exeter about his new book, The Empires of the Normans..We have encountered the Normans many times in the History of the Germans. This is the chance to get the whole story.It is a tale of ambitious adventures and fierce freebooters, of fortunes made and fortunes lost. The Normans made their influence felt across all of western Europe and the Mediterranean, from the British Isles to North Africa, and Lisbon to the Holy Land. In E...
2022-06-3058 min
History of the GermansEp. 65 - The Third CrusadeThis week, after 15 episodes we will finally leave the emperor Barbarossa behind, though it is almost impossible to ever get away from him. No other medieval ruler is still so present in the national psyche, not as the man he was but as the myth he was turned into. So today we say goodbye to the man and next time we will take a look at the myth..As always, this episode has a dedicated website with the transcript and maps, pictures and additional comments to read along. It is to be found at https://historyofthegermans.com/65...
2022-06-2335 min
History of the GermansEp. 64 - The Heirs of Troy - What is an Emperor for?This week we will discuss how Barbarossa attempts to rebuild a new ideological underpinning of his role and how that leads to renewed conflict with the popes. But then one of the most devastating events of the Middle Ages solves all his issues and presents him with an opportunity to turn the mythmaking up to 11.As always, this episode has a dedicated website with the transcript and maps, pictures and additional comments to read along. It is to be found at Episode 64 - The Heirs of Troy • History of the Germans PodcastThe music for the...
2022-06-1629 min
History of the GermansEp. 63 - Recovery - Barbarossa rebuilds his reign after defeats in Italy and at homeFollowing the Peace of Venice and the Fall of Henry the Lion, our great emperor Barbarossa has reached the end of the road. Being a man of infinite resource and sagacity he climbs out of the hole, resets his political allegiances and recovers some of his previous standing.As always, this episode has a dedicated website with the transcript and maps, pictures and additional comments to read along. It is to be found at Episode 63 - Recovery • History of the Germans PodcastThe music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Ca...
2022-06-0930 min
History of the GermansEp. 62 - The Fall of Henry the LionThis episode deals with, guess what, the fall of Henry the Lion from his position as duke of Saxony and Bavaria. The interesting bit is not so much whether it happened, that is pretty obvious, but why it happened. When I learned about it in school, it was seen as the greatest moment of Barbarossa’s career, taking down the eternal rival of the Hohenstaufen family, but today, historians see it very differently. Follow along and make up your own mind. Talking about following along, there is an episode website at Episode 62 - The Fall of Henry the Lion • Hist...
2022-06-0240 min
History of the GermansEp. 61 - The Peace of Venice - The Reconciliation between Barbarossa and Pope Alexander IIIThis week we will talk about the great peace conference in Venice where Barbarossa is finally reconciled with the papacy, the Lombards and the Sicilians.It is also the time he has to bend the knee before his implacable foe, Pope Alexander III in a grand ceremony before all of Europe.The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.As always:Homepage with maps, photos, tra...
2022-05-2631 min
History of the GermansEp. 60 - Legnano - Barbarossa's final Battle in Italy1176 This week we talk about the next leg in this the fifth Italian campaign Barbarossa undertakes. It involves an aborted battle, attempts at peace, a mediation award, a refusal of support and the most significant battle of not just his reign but one that reverberates into the present dayThe music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.As always:Homepage with maps, photos, transcripts and blo...
2022-05-1933 min
History of the GermansEp. 59 - The City of Straw - Barbarossa's failed siege of Alessandria(1168-1174) This week we talk about Barbarossa’s next moves after his disastrous fourth Italian campaign. It takes him a few years to come to grips with the failure of his great imperial programme before he makes one last attempt to resurrect it.The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.As always:Homepage with maps, photos, transcripts and blog: www.historyofthegermans.comIf you...
2022-05-1230 min
History of the GermansEp. 58 - The Lombard League(1162-1167 again) This week we will talk about the second part of the pincer movement that brought that Hohenstaufen construct of imperial power crashing down to earth. The first was the schism in the Latin church and the second was the link-up of almost all northern Italian communes in a coalition against Barbarossa, the Lombard League.The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.As always:H...
2022-05-0533 min
History of the GermansEp. 57 - The Hand of God - The siege of Rome in 1167 that changes everythingThis week we do what we have done so many times and seem to be unable to avoid, talk about the conflict between pope and emperor. And that always means trouble, bad decisions and a siege of Rome. But boy, this time is not another standard schism, this time it is showdown. The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.As always:Homepage with maps, phot...
2022-04-2838 min
History of the GermansAnnouncement - Intelligence Speech Conference 2022This is just a quick announcement about this year’s Intelligent Speech Conference. Intelligent Speech brings together your favourite educational podcasters and their fans in a 3 ring circus of edutainment. The conference takes place online from 10 am Eastern and 3pm London time on June 25th. There will 3 keynote speeches, 8 round tables and 24 individual sessions. Each sessions is about 40 minutes each with a lot of time given to Q&A. Early bird tickets are $20 US and you get 10% off when you use the code ”Germans” at checkout. To book your ticket go to intelligentspechconference.com, there is als...
2022-04-2403 min
History of the GermansEp. 56 - The Siege of Crema - and then Barbarossa razes Milan to the ground1159-1162 This week we will see how the Italian Communes take the Laws of Roncaglia. Not well is the understatement of the 12th century. Prepare for some epic sieges and harsh imperial justice.The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.As always:Homepage with maps, photos, transcripts and blog: www.historyofthegermans.comIf you wish to support the show go to: Support • Histor...
2022-04-2133 min
History of the GermansEp. 55 - The Laws of Roncaglia - Barbarossa brings back Roman LawBy September 1158 Barbarossa had completed one of the shortest and most efficient Italian campaigns of the medieval period. He had set off from Augsburg in mid-July and by early September Milan had capitulated. By October, most troop contingents both those from north of the Alps and those of the communes were on their way home and all of Italy was his. Barbarossa meanwhile is not going home. He takes a tour of Lombardy, visits Monza where his uncle had been crowned king of Italy and then calls an Imperial Assembly on the fields of Roncaglia for November 11...
2022-04-1429 min
History of the GermansEp. 54 - A Bohemian Bluff - Barbarossa conquers Milan for the first time(1158) This week we will see Barbarossa try using his freshly minted army to take down the city of Milan, a city of 150,000 and the one commune that he needs to defeat if he really wants to establish imperial rule in ItalyThe music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.As always:Homepage with maps, photos, transcripts and blog: www.historyofthegermans.comIf you wish...
2022-04-0731 min
History of the GermansEp. 53 - Sacrum Imperium - The moment when the Empire becomes Holy and Roman(1155-1158) This week we will see how Barbarossa addresses the big issue he had in his first Italian campaign, the size of the army and how he creates the Holy Roman Empire in the process.The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.As always:Homepage with maps, photos, transcripts and blog: www.historyofthegermans.comIf you wish to support the show go to...
2022-03-3134 min
History of the GermansEp. 52 - The Honour of the Empire - Bringing the broken Empire back together1153-1155This week we finally get our narrative going. Barbarossa will boost the honour of the empire by burning cities, hanging heretics, slaughtering rabble-rousing Romans and inventing the concept of the university.With an introduction by Robin Pearson from the History of Byzantium. Check out his website here: https://thehistoryofbyzantium.com/The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.As always:Hom...
2022-03-2439 min
History of the GermansEp. 51 - The Barbarossa - Who was the Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa?1152 In this episoe we examine Barbarossa's background, childhood and education. What is it that made him so exceptional? And we investigate whether the Cappenberger Head is indeed an individual likeness of the emperor, or just another image of what an emperor is supposed to look like.The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.As always:Homepage with maps, photos, transcripts and blog: www...
2022-03-1718 min
History of the GermansEp. 50 - Barbarossa Begins - A Stolen Election?(1149-1152)In his last few years the ill and exhausted king Conrad III relies more and more on his nephew, Frederick, the duke of Swabia called Barbarossa because of his ginger beard. Barbarossa forms the cornerstone linking the warring houses of Welf and Waiblingen. His military capabilities and diplomatic skills propell the barely 30 year old to the top of domestic and international politics. When Conrad III died suddenly, he sees his chance. Pushing aside his cousin, the 8-year-old son of Conrad III, he gains support from both the old family allies as well...
2022-03-1027 min
History of the GermansEp. 49 - Konrad's Catastrophe - The Disaster that is the Second Crusade1147-1149 The title is a bit of a spoiler. Suffice to say that Cornad III's great crusade does not go quite as planned.He had set off with an army of between 20,000 and 60,000 from Regensburg in June 1147 making his way doen to Constantinople via Hungary and the Balkans. Ever eager for glory he had set off a month before his rival, king Louis VII of France and he presses on towards Jerusalem.Before the year is out he will find himself in Ephesos, severly wounded, his army broken and spread across the four winds. But...
2022-03-0333 min
History of the GermansEp. 48 - Konrad's Conundrum - Imperial Coronation or Crusade?1144-1147 - King, not really Emperor Conrad III may have signed a precarious peace with his greatest opponent, Henry the Lion, duke of Saxony. But the kingdom remains in turmoil. Feuds are everywhere, devastating the land. His half-brother bishop Otto of Freising sees all that death and destruction as a clear portend of the imminent arrival of the Antichrist. Though Conrad is methodically addressing his underlying weaknesses, he needs a boost to his authority and he needs is quick. The traditional route of an imperial coronation in Rome is a no go for a long list of...
2022-02-2432 min
History of the GermansEp. 47 - Konrad's Coup - The Hohenstaufen Konrad III snatches the crown from the Welf1138-1142 This week we will watch another candidate having the royal title snatched from his fingers. Henry the Proud, duke of Bavaria, duke of Saxony, Margrave of Tuscany and Este, richest landowner in Germany and Italy, son-in-law of the previous emperor and his designated successor is a shoo in for the imperial title. Only Conrad of Hohenstaufen, failed anti-king and hero of the Italian campaign together with his friend, Albero, archbishop of Trier and James Bond of the 12th century dare to disagree. Will it be the German nobles or again the church who will...
2022-02-1729 min
History of the GermansEp. 46 - A Topsy Turvy World - Lothar III and the schism between Anaclet II Innocent II1130-1137 - Emperor Lothar III is getting embroiled in the schism between popes Innocent II and Anaclet II. Anaclet II is properly elected and holds Rome whilst Innocent II enjoys the support of the most influential church leader of the time, St. Bernard of Clairvaux. Fear of St. Bernard drives Lothar into the camp of Innocent II which means he has to go down to Italy and conquer Rome for the Pope. Not only that but it also means a conflict with Roger II by now king of Sicily and master of a large Norman /Saracen army.
2022-02-1035 min
History of the GermansEp. 45 - Triple Division - The role of Bernard of ClairvauxThis week we take a little detour to catch up with our friends in Rome, the popes. Do not worry, the popes are no longer all goody two shoes, we are back to the usual shenanigans of murder, backstabbing, betrayal and the Normans.The church is divided three ways, between the two rival Roman clans of the Frangipani and the Pierleoni, between the old school Gregorian reformers and their more radical successors, led by Bernard of Clairvaux and between mystics and scholastics. Everyone has to take sides as papal candidates are cut down, get tortured...
2022-02-0330 min
History of the GermansEp. 44 - A Saxon Emperor - Lothar III takes the crown and ends in a civil war with the HohenstaufenWith just a 24h delay here is Episode 44.Lothar III being duly elected and crowned declares a 12 month peace for the whole realm., only to break it himself a few months later. Frederick of Hohenstaufen, his rival for the crown is unwilling to hand over the crown lands he is still holding. And after gentle insistence did not achieve much, cold hard steel need to be put to work. In the first 5 years, Lothar is beset with a spot of bad luck. Sieges fail and he even gets beaten by the duke of...
2022-01-2828 min
History of the GermansGuest Episode The Effect on Us by Eliane GoldsteinThe Effect on Us is one of the most amazing Podcasting projects I have come across. Eliane Goldstein is a 13-year old young lady from Montreal who is interviewing Holocaust survivors and their children and grandchildren for the first season of her Podcast "the Effect on Us". She looks at the effects the Holocaust had on people from generation one to generation three. I found her podcast when I was looking for a suitable way to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day. Eliane does something extraordinarily important, she collects the memories before they disappear and passes them...
2022-01-2728 min
History of the GermansSeason 3 The Early Hohenstaufen (1125-1189): Ep. 43- All Change, All ChangeHello and welcome to Season 3 of the History of the Germans Podcast - The Early Hohenstaufen 1125-1189. Between March and June of 1977 675,000 people visited the Alte Schloß in Stuttgart to see an exhibition entitled “Die Zeit der Staufer” (the Time of the Hohenstaufen in English). Over 1,000 items from 17 countries were on display, with the Cappenberger Kopf, the image of emperor Frederick Barbarossa, this episode’s artwork as its star exhibit. Nobody expected these numbers of visitors for what was just 3,000 square meters of exhibition space. At peak times there was barely a square meter per person...
2022-01-2035 min
History of the GermansInterview with Benjamin Bernier from Thugs & MiraclesThugs & Miracles is one of my favourite History Podcasts and I am very excited to have Benjamin Bernier on for this bonus episode of the History of the Germans. We talked about all sorts of topics, from the motivations to create podcast in the first place, the effort that goes into it, the fascination of early French history, the importance of symbols, in the middle ages and how they are still powerful today if only in different form, whether the "dark ages" were really that violent and what excitement is still to come. And we debate the #1 most important...
2021-12-3153 min
History of the GermansEp. 42 - A World Revolution?In this episode we will come to the end of the Investiture controversy, the end of the Salian dynasty and the end of Season 2 – and ask the question, what was all that about?The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.As always:Homepage with maps, photos, transcripts and blog: www.historyofthegermans.comIf you wish to support the show go to: Support • History o...
2021-12-0942 min
History of the GermansEp. 41 - The Duke's Rebuke - Henry V has to accept the Concordat of WormsIn this week’s episode the last of the Salians will find that despite all his efforts, the tide of history cannot be stemmed, almost leaving him in exactly the same place his father ended up in 1076.The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.As always:Homepage with maps, photos, transcripts and blog: www.historyofthegermans.comIf you wish to support the sh...
2021-12-0225 min
History of the GermansEp. 40 - Henry V's Cunning Plan - Pope Paschal II offers to hand back all imperial fiefs which causes havocIn this episode we will see whether young Henry V will do any better at ending the conflict between Pope and Emperor, featuring one of the most audacious political moves seen in this conflict.The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.As always:Homepage with maps, photos, transcripts and blog: www.historyofthegermans.comIf you wish to support the show go to: Supp...
2021-11-2527 min
History of the GermansEp. 39 - The End of Emperor Henry IVThis week we will talk about the last years of Henry IV, which, as hard as it is to believe, holds a final humiliation that capped the pain this man had already endured.The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.As always:Homepage with maps, photos, transcripts and blog: www.historyofthegermans.comIf you wish to support the show go to: Support • Histor...
2021-11-1827 min
History of the GermansBonus - Matilda of TuscanyI did promise you an episode on Matilda of Tuscany, and here it is.But, it is not mine. This episode is from the fantastic podcast "A History of Italy" by Mike Corradi. I cam across it when I was researching the Matilda Episode and I realised in horror, that if I wee to create a Matilda Episode, it would be very much like this one, only worse. So I asked Mike whether I could borrow his work. Listening to Mike will give you a great though different perspective of the same events and I...
2021-11-1443 min
History of the GermansEp. 38 - The First Crusade - Crusaders attacking the Jewish communities in Mainz, Speyer and WormsIn 1095 Pope Urban II launches the First crusade. Emperor Henry IV and his allies would rather be strung up below a beehive covered in honey than join a scheme devised by the Gregorian Pope. The lack of support by the high aristocrats did not stop the common people most of whom perish before the crusade had really begun. And some turn their religious fervour into a very different endeavour, bringing untold pain to the Jewish communities in Germany..The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach...
2021-11-1134 min
History of the GermansEp. 37 - The Two Grooms - Countess Matilda of Tuscany marries a man 25 years her juniorThe wheel of fortune turns again, tumbling our antihero Henry IV down from the heights he had so recently scaled. We will see him sink to the point of utter despair. And all that because a 43 year old woman marries an 18 year old. The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.As always:Homepage with maps, photos, transcripts and blog: www.historyofthegermans.comIf...
2021-11-0425 min
History of the GermansEp. 36 - Henry IV is Coming HomeHis coronation barely two months hence, Henry IV leaves Rome without capturing Gregory VII. The Pope's powerful vassal, Robert Guiscard, Duke of Apulia and greatest of Norman warlords was approaching with an army of 36,000. Henry no longer needs Rome, what he needs to do is get back to Germany and bring peace to the war-ravaged country. A u-turn in his policies helps to gain support amongst bishops and magnates so that by 1089, the country is largely pacified for the first time in 17 years.The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl...
2021-10-2825 min
History of the GermansEp. 35 - To Rome! To Rome! - Henry IV takes revenge on pope Gregory VIIThe Rebellion in Germany under control Henry can finally go after his true nemesis, Pope Gregory VII. He sets out for Rome on a journey he thought may just take four months but ended up taking four years..The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.As always:Homepage with maps, photos, transcripts and blog: www.historyofthegermans.comIf you wish to support the...
2021-10-2124 min
History of the GermansEp. 34 - Gaining the Upper Hand - Henry IV defeats the anti-king Rudolf von RheinfeldenHenry IV departs from Canossa having been released from the ban. But does that mean all his troubles are over? Far from it. His enemies in Germany gather to elect a new king and the war of words turns into a war of swords.The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.As always:Homepage with maps, photos, transcripts and blog: www.historyofthegermans.comIf...
2021-10-1428 min
History of the GermansEp. 33 - Canossa Finally!It is time - we are finally going to Canossa. Expect imperial power to disappear in smoke, greedy mothers-in-laws, frozen passes, hoisted horses and tobogganing empresses. All that ends with the enduring picture of a king first kneeling before a woman and then before a pope.....That is the the episode you have to listen to!The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.As alw...
2021-10-0732 min
History of the GermansEp. 32 - Hildebrand, not Pope but false Monk - Emperor Henry IV confronts the PopeThe rise of the papacy since 1046 is almost linear. The popes throw off the chokehold of the roman aristocracy, they take over leadership of the church reform movement from the emperors, and by the end of the pontificate of Alexander II the Holy See has become universal with kings hailing the pope and not the emperor as their overlord. In 1073 Hildebrand, the eminence grise of the last 20 years ascends the throne of St. Peter. His view of the role of the papacy goes even further than his predecessors. We know this because he laid it out in...
2021-09-3046 min
History of the GermansEp. 31 - The (second) Saxon War - The nobles rebel against "the imperial tyrant"In 1065 king Henry IV begins his personal rule. After 9 years of regency., the last 3 of which under a government of barons headed by archbishop Anno of Cologne, imperial power is much diminished. Prelates and lords are raiding the imperial purse, when the barons force the young king to dismiss his main adviser, he realises that the previous model of kingship no longer operates. He cannot rely on the oaths of fealty sworn by his counts and dukes, nor can he put faith in the Imperial Church System his predecessors could draw on.He chooses the royal lands...
2021-09-2337 min
History of the GermansEp. 30 - Three Roads to Canossa - Lay Piety, Reform Papacy and the Saxon RebellionEmperor Henry III is dead. The realm is now in the hands of his widow, Agnes of Poitou who rules on behalf of the six-year-old king Henry IV. Agnes is no Theophanu and no Adelheid. Not that she is incompetent, she just isn't absolutely brilliant, and absolutely brilliant is the baseline necessary to manage this fragile situation.The relationship between the central imperial power and the magnates has flipped, and instead of all-powerful emperors, the dukes, counts and bishops do what they like. And Henry III's bête noire, Godfrey the Bearded is more powerful than ever.
2021-09-1643 min
History of the GermansBonus Episode - Thugs & MiraclesThis week we have a special treat - Episode 1 of Thugs & Miracles a podcast by Benjamin Bernier. We handed our feed over to Benjamin, a gifted storyteller who brings you the History of France from the Fall of the Roman Empire to the Fall of the Guillotine:Welcome to the inaugural episode of Thugs and Miracles! In this first episode of the podcast that looks back at 1,500 years of history through the eyes of the kings and queens of France, we'll set the scene for you. With the Western Roman Empire collapsing and on its way out...
2021-09-0238 min
History of the GermansEp. 29 - The Last Years of Henry III - Tyrant or consolidator of power?In 1046 Henry III reached the zenith of his rule. He deposed three unworthy popes and replaced them with serious churchmen who will bring the necessary reforms about. Domestically he is in control of the three Eastern European states, Poland, Bohemia and Hungary and the restless Lotharingians seem settled.How did it come about that by 1056 the chronicler writes that "both the foremost men and the lesser men of the kingdom began more and more to murmur against the emperor. They complained he had long since departed from his original conduct of justice, peace, piety, fear of god...
2021-08-2629 min
History of the GermansEp. 28 - Three Popes with One Stone - The Council of Sutri in 1046In 1046 Henry III finally has time to go to Rome and claim the imperial crown. All he wants is get in, get crowned and get out before the Malaria season. He encounters a problem when he finds out that the current pope Gregory VI has bought the papacy for cold hard cash, a sin that could invalidate his coronation. Henry III gets involved, deposes all three competing popes and inadvertently starts a chain of events that ends in what Norman Cantor calls "the first of the three world revolutions".The music for the show is Flute Sonata...
2021-08-1934 min
History of the GermansEp. 27 - Peace in Our Time - The Peace of God in the Middle AgesThe main role of a medieval monarch is to bring peace to his subjects. Peace is not so much absence of major international conflict, but protection from feuding lords. Whilst in France central power is far too weak to maintain any semblance of order giving rise to the Peace of God movement, the empire under Henry III can rely on its monarch to fulfil his role.But his rule is not without tension. The dukes of Saxony and Lothringia are moving into opposition to the king and emperor who falls severely ill in 1045.The music...
2021-08-1226 min
History of the GermansEp. 26 - Henry III Comin' in Smoothly - The first seamless transition of power from father to son in 70 yearsFor the first time in almost 70 years the transition from one king/emperor to the next is smooth. Konrad II was not only one of the most successful medieval rulers, he also managed to live long enough for his son Henry III to grow up to adulthood before taking over. Henry III is outwardly quite different from his father, well educated, deeply immersed in the concepts of sacred kingship and immensely powerful even before he had become king. But at the same time he shares Konrad's steely determination and aggressive nature.Items 1-3 on his...
2021-08-0528 min
History of the GermansEp. 25 - Konrad II, the Construction of an Empire - Speyer Cathedral as a symbol of Salian powerIn his last years Konrad tries to further strengthen his power, first by fighting the Hungarians, unseating the duke of Carinthia and a second Italian expedition. Al three of these endeavours backfire. The Hungarians win the war, the duke of Carinthia gets unexpected support from Konrad's son Henry III and the Italian campaign ends in a fiasco entirely of Konrad's making.Despite these setbacks Konrad leaves a well ordered kingdom when he finally dies in 1039 after 15 years of rule. His kingdom is booming, the creation of Ministeriales and the growth of the cities create opportunities for peasants...
2021-07-2926 min
History of the GermansEp. 24 - Konrad II's Acquisition of Burgundy - The last addition to the EmpireThe event looming over Imperial politics since around 1000 is the Burgundian succession. King Rudolf III is childless leaving several contenders with varying degrees of blood relations. If Henry II who was a nephew of Rudolf III had outlived the king of Burgundy, thigs would have been easy. But the old codger outlived the sickly emperor. His successor, Konrad II had no real inheritance right to Burgundy, apart from what came from the tips of spears. Follow the epic fight against Odo of Blois over the ultimately modest riches of the Burgundian Kingdom…The music for the show is...
2021-07-2229 min
History of the GermansEp. 23 - Duke Ernst, Rebel and Legend - A medieval story about loyalty and friendshipIn this episode Emperor Konrad II (1024-1039) consolidates his reign adding a secular leg to his control of the imperial church by placing his son Henry on the ducal throne of Bavaria,. This is the first of many ducal and royal titles he will acquire. This push for centralised control leads to a rebellion, led by the emperor's 16-year old stepson, duke Ernst II of Swabia (1012-1030). Ernst fights bravely but when his vassals put the oath to the emperor above the fidelity they owe the duke, he has to succumb. Konrad first locks him up but...
2021-07-1532 min
History of the GermansSeason 2 The Salian Emperors (1024-1125): Ep. 22 - Konrad II, Who Would Have ThoughtOn July 13th, 1024 Emperor Henry II died without an heir. not only that, but his family has so comprehensively died out, there is not a single descendant in the male line left. Fear of unrest and civil war grips the inhabitants of the empire. An election is called for early September, as quickly as such things could be organised in the 11th century. The upper echelons of society debate a long list of candidates before agreeing on a shortlist of just two, both named Konrad, both from the same clan of Salian Franks. Medieval imperial...
2021-07-0836 min
History of the GermansEp. 21 - Q&AIn this episode I answer your questions about the Podcast in general, specific topics relating to the Ottonian period, languages spoken and German history more broadly. Thank you so much for a really exciting and diverse set of questions.The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.As always:Homepage with maps, photos, transcripts and blog: www.historyofthegermans.comIf you wish to supp...
2021-06-2440 min
History of the GermansEp. 20 - A Blank Canvas - The perception history of the OttoniansThe Ottonian period (919-1024) has been a key reference point in German history ever since. Having only very few and not necessarily very enlightening documents to work from the period became a blank canvas on which historians and the population as a whole projected their own hopes, political beliefs and expectations. In the 19th century the German speaking people who felt humiliated by the defeats against Napoleon and disenfranchised by the political rearranging of their homelands and so latched on to the few unifying historical heroes to refer to - the mighty emperors of the early and high middle a...
2021-06-1023 min
History of the GermansEp. 19 - Henry II and the House of God - How a pious monarch organises his successionTo understand Henry II you have to start at the end. When he died, he had made no succession plan whatsoever. He was convinced that he had moulded the kingdom into a House of god run by pious monks and observant bishops. If the House of God pleased the lord, he would appoint a new successor, and if not, well the good riddance. Though his policy of strengthening and dominating the church could be looked at as a political ploy to expand the royal prerogative, the more likely truth is that it was only a side effect...
2021-05-2736 min
History of the GermansEp. 18 - Henry II Goes Forth - The Wars with Boleslaw Chrobry1002-1018 AD Once king Henry II has established his rule, he has to face up to a new and increasingly powerful rival. Duke (later King) Boleslav the Brave of Poland has created a large and coherent polity to the east of Germany. When he takes over the counties of Meissen and Lausitz and even Bohemia, war becomes inevitable. Hampered by his own barons being tied to Boleslav by political interest and family ties, Henry II shocks the world by getting into an alliance with the pagan Slavs.In the meantime the Italian nobles have elected one of...
2021-05-2032 min
History of the GermansEp. 17 - The (not yet holy) Emperor Henry II - Fighting the rivals for the imperial crownAs Otto III's dead body is brought home by his friends, all his dreams and policies collapse behind him. The Emperor had died aged 22 without an heir and he had no brothers or even uncles left. So who should be king? Will it be Hermann of Swabia, from the eternally loyal Konradiner family, Otto of Worms, the dead emperor's closest relative, Count Ekkehard of Meissen, the mighty warrior, Count Ezzo, the nouveau riche husband of Otto III's sister, or Henry of Bavaria, son of a rebel, grandson of a rebel but great-grandson of king Henry the Fowler and therefore...
2021-05-1333 min
History of the GermansEp. 16 - Germany in the year 1000 (Part 2) - The Imperial Church SystemThis is part 2 of our rundown of the economic and social situation in Germany around the year 1000. The third and highest social strata were the "Oratores", those who pray, the priests, monks and bishops. We look at how a village priest is educated, why monasteries became so rich (spoiler, it is not about piety alone, money is key) and the role of bishops in the Imperial Church System that made the German emperors the most powerful rulers in Western Europe in the 10th and 11th century. How does an emperor rule in the absence of bureaucracy, how much tax...
2021-05-0634 min
History of the GermansEp. 15 - Germany in the year 1000 (Part 1) - Climate, Agriculture, Economy and medieval hygieneIn this episode we talk about the economy, society, infrastructure and art at the turn of the first millennium. We will look at changes in climate, agriculture, monetary system and warfare. We will take a look at towns and cities, take a deeper dive into Cologne and Magdeburg, muse about the trade in Eunuchs and medieval bathing habits. It is the 10th century when society splits into those who pray (Oratores), those who fight (Bellatores) and those who do all the useful stuff (Laboratores). We discuss the beginnings of castles, 20,000 of which will rise up in Germany during the...
2021-04-2927 min
History of the GermansEp. 14 - Otto III - The End of a DreamAfter part one of Otto III's "Restoration of the Empire of the Romans" had been a bloody affair, he now embarks on a strenuous display of religious devotion. That includes a trip to Gniezno, the grave of his friend and mentor Saint Adalbert, a trip that has huge consequences for the development of Poland as an independent nation. His excessive ascetism, long periods of prayer and devotion may look incomprehensible to us today, but are they part of an overall concept of a new "Empire of the Romans", one led by an emperor who is both secular...
2021-04-2235 min
History of the GermansEp. 13 - Otto III The Wonder of the WorldOtto III is one of the most controversial emperor in German medieval history. Was he just an uncontrollable teenager with dramatic mood swings? Or did he plan the Restoration of the Empire of the Romans as his propaganda stated? Was he cruel man who executed and mutilated his opponents or was he a deeply spiritual man torn between his piety and the demands of the office? The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel R...
2021-04-1531 min
History of the GermansEp. 12 - The Regency of Theophanu and AdelheidHaving rescued the reign and possibly life of 4-year-old king Otto III his mother, the byzantine princess Theophanu and later his grandmother Adelheid continue Ottonian policies. This time gives birth to the election of the French dynasty that will rule until 1789 (1830), a length of reign only surpassed by the emperors of Japan. It also witnesses the emergence of Poland as a sovereign nation under the pope. The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel R...
2021-04-0233 min
History of the GermansEp. 11 - Woe the Land that is Governed by a Child - The abduction of Otto IIIWhen 4-year-old king Otto III is crowned king riders bang on the door of Aachen Cathedral with news that his father, Otto II had died 16 days earlier. Immediately the archenemy of the family, Henry the Quarrelsome is released from prison where he was held for treason and is made guardian of the child. Otto III's chance of survival is bleak and his only hope is his mother, the Byzantine princes Theophanu who musters an odd assembly of ladies and geeks to rescue her son... The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by...
2021-03-2525 min
History of the GermansEp. 10 - The Misfortunes One Can Endure - Otto II's fateful journey to Southern ItalyHaving suppressed the customary early reign rebellion, Otto II makes some poor appointments that result in war with France and estrangement from his mother. Once that has been patched up, he embarks on his major project, incorporating the south of Italy into the empire and thereby bottling up the popes.....The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.As always:Homepage with maps, photos, transcripts and...
2021-03-1833 min
History of the GermansEp. 9 - A Matter of Habit - The new emperor Otto II has to face the usual rebellionsWhen Otto II succeeds his father Otto the Great he inherits a strange construct of interwoven rights, relationships and privileges. He might rely on the church's resources to a degree but to succeed he needs military skill, charisma, proof of the grace of god and luck. With his father being the luckiest man in German history is there any of that elusive substance left for his son... The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by M...
2021-03-1132 min
History of the GermansEp. 8 - An Imperial Bride - The empress Theophanu arrivesOtto's final desire is to be recognised as a fellow emperor by the Basileus in Constantinople. When the Byzantines refuse him the purple-born princess Anna he wages war. The new emperor, John Tzimiskis comes up with a better solution and sends across the most glamorous figure of German medieval history - Theophanu Skleraina...The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.As always:Homepage with map...
2021-03-0422 min
History of the GermansEp. 7 - A New Caesar - Otto the Great is crowned emperor955-963 AD After the battle on the Lechfeld Otto has reached the zenith of his career. All he lacks is the formal recognition of his imperial position within the ancient realm of Charlemagne. For that he has to travel to the malaria-infested swamp that is 10th century Rome where a 23 year old promiscuous and duplicitous pope awaits him...The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.As alw...
2021-02-2531 min
History of the GermansEp. 6 - A Conversation with Swords - The Battle on the LechfeldThe devastation of the civil war lures in the largest Hungarian army anyone had ever seen anywhere. Enticed by the disinherited sons of former Bavarian dukes, the mighty host makes for Augsburg, a city whose walls are as weak as their defender is steadfast. This time they are here to conquer not just to plunder. Otto has to run hell for leather south gathering an army from wherever he can get his hands on soldiers to face the most amazing military of the times on a battlefield of their choosing.....The music for the show is Flute...
2021-02-1830 min
History of the GermansEp. 5 - The Father, the Son and the Uncle - Otto I has to deal with his rebellious sonAdelheid's rescue creates tension not only in the family of king Otto but across the realm. Younger members of the powerful families feel cheated out of the gains of the Italian campaign and worry about their prospects. And Otto makes again one of these mistakes he is so adept at, resulting in much bloodshed and pain...The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.As always:H...
2021-02-1128 min
History of the GermansEp. 4 - A Foe Wherever You Go - King Otto I settles into being a medieval rulerAfter the civil war with his brother Henry Otto gets to reorganise the kingdom and focuses on foreign policy. There is conflict on all borders, with the Slavs, the Bohemians, the Hungarians, and the French. Great opportunities for the fine sports of pointless sieges, burning of crops as well massacring peasants. But what do you say to a magnate who offers to swallow seven Saxon lances in one go?The most interesting story plays out in Italy where we find a beautiful young heiress with the key to a kingdom languishing in a jail.... The...
2021-02-0423 min
History of the GermansEp. 3 - A Series of Fortunate Events - Otto I's kingdom is rescued by Konrad KurzboldHis brother and his biggest vassals are rebelling, the kingdom remains under threat from Hungarians and Slavs - and now the king of France comes in on the side of the opposition. Only a series of very fortunate events can rescue king Otto, or a man of short stature, fierce temper, extraordinary bravery and a dislike of apples and women?The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.A...
2021-01-2820 min
History of the GermansEp. 2 - A Dog's Breakfast - Otto the not yet great makes some bad mistakesHenry the Fowler ended the tradition of splitting the kingdom amongst the male heirs. So far, so wise. But, and there is always a but, what he did not work out was what to do with the spares. And there were quite a few spares about, three in total. How will Henry's designated heir, Otto I manage? The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.As a...
2021-01-2225 min
HÖRBAR BUNT & VIELSEITIG SonntagsgeschichtenKinderkurzgeschichte: "Die kleine Hexe hat eine Panne" von Dirk Hoffmann und "A Brilliant Idea" von TerraSound, Dag ReinbottEin herzliches Hallo! Schön, dass ihr wieder am Start seid.Startprobleme hat heute die kleine Hexe Marie: Ihr Hexenbesen fällt nämlich plötzlich einfach so aus. Und nun steht dieser in der Luft und bewegt sich kein Stückchen mehr, weder vor noch zurück.Da kommt ein Troll des Weges ... Ob er ihr wirklich helfen möchte? Oder führt er etwa anderes im Schilde?Wir wünschen euch viel Spaß beim Lauschen von Dirk Hoffmanns "Die kleine Hexe hat eine Panne".Wenn ihr die Geschichte der gewitzten kleinen Hexe Marie...
2021-01-1706 min
History of the GermansSeason 1 The Ottonians (919-1024) Ep. 1 - A New BeginningThe year is 919 AD and things are not going well. The mighty empire of Charlemagne has splintered into a multitude of puny kingdoms. Its feeble rulers are being pushed around by their formidable barons. The frontiers are breached. In the north the Vikings and Danes are ransacking towns and villages along the coasts and even deep inland. In the east the Slavs are burning Hamburg. And in the south the most terrifying of them all, the Magyars, a steppe tribe like the Huns and the Mongols, are marauding all the way from Bavaria to Northern Spain. Cometh t...
2021-01-1633 min
History of the GermansPrologue Part 3 - Charlemagne and all thatPart 3 of the Prologue is dedicated to Charlemagne, one of Europe's greatest rulers. and less because he conquered most of Europe and became the first Roman emperor for 325 years, but because he saved many books from antiquity, increased literacy and numeracy and made it possible for you to read this text comfortably.The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.As always:Homepage with maps, pho...
2021-01-1529 min
History of the GermansPrologue Part 2 - From Romulus Augustulus to Pippin the ShortPart 2 of our Prologue to the History of the Germans kicks off with the last western emperor, Romulus Augustulus handing over the insignia of his reign to his German general Odoacer. The next two centuries are dominated by hair-obsessed crime lords, some long-haired gingers, others bearded Lombards. Clovis, first "King of France" and descendant of sea monster, chooses the correct faith to be baptised in. His descendants wade through blood and incest until replaced by Charles "the Hammer" Martel whose son Pippin strikes a bargain with the devil Pope.Again, speed was of the essence so forgive...
2021-01-1424 min