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A series of civil wars and repeated invasions by Germanic tribes caused the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. Following the end of imperial authority, several Germanic tribes struggled against each other for control of territory. The Franks became the dominant power in Gaul, but Greater Frankia repeatedly broke apart during wars between rival claimants for the throne. Finally, Charlemagne united the Franks, and greatly expanded the size of the kingdom. However, his grandsons proved unwilling to share the empire, and divided it in 843, laying the foundations for France and Germany. Episode thirty-eight explains that emperor Louis admitted guilt for the death of his nephew and ended the exile of several of his relatives in order to improve relations with the nobles. However, he also remarried, and his new wife gave birth to a son, complicating the succession. Expansion of the empire appeared to have stopped, so Louis gave a county in Frisia to a Danish exile in exchange for stopping Viking raids. In the east, the empire was busy with a civil war, and the Bulgars limited themselves to raids on Bavaria. While the empire's borders were relatively stable, Louis' sons were clearly becoming restless, especially Lothar, the eldest.
Cast of Characters:
Louis-emperor of the Frankish empire (814-840), formerly king of Aquitaine, third-eldest legitimate son of Charles the Great
Lothar-co-emperor, Louis' eldest son
Pippin-king of Aquitaine, Louis' second-eldest son
Louis-king of Bavaria, Louis' third eldest son
Bernard-king of Italy, grandson of Charles
Judith-Emperor Louis' second wife
Charles-Louis' son with Judith
Leo V-emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire (813-820)
Michael II-emperor of the Easter Roman empire (820-829)
Omurtag-khan of Bulgaria (814-831)
Harald Klak-co-king of Denmark (812-813)
Wala-count, Adalard's brother, cousin of Charles the Great
Adalard-abbot of Corbie, brother of Wala, cousin of Charles the Great
Sources:
Charlemagne-Johannes Fried, Translated by Peter Lewis
The Carolingians: A Family Who Forged Europe-Pierre Riche, Translated by Michael Idomir Allen
The Frankish Kingdoms Under the Carolingians, 751-987-Rosamond McKitterick
Oathbreakers: The War of Brothers That Shattered an Empire and Made Medieval Europe-Matthew Gabriele and David M. Perry
The Restoration of Rome: Barbarian Popes and Imperial Pretenders-Peter Heather
The Inheritance of Rome: A History of Europe from 400 to 1000-Chris Wickham
Before the Normans: Southern Italy in the Ninth and Tenth Centuries-Barbara M. Kreutz
A History of Venice-John Julius Norwich
Venice: A New History-Thomas F. Madden
Ravenna: Capital of Empire, Crucible of Europe-Judith Herrin
The Popes: A History-John Julius Norwich
Keepers of the Keys of Heaven: A History of the Papacy-Roger Collins
The Republic of St. Peter: The Birth of the Papal State, 680-825-Thomas F. X. Noble
The Early Medieval Balkans-John V. A. Fine, Jr.
Kingdoms of Faith: A New History of Islamic Spain-Brian A. Catlos
God's Crucible: Islam and the Making of Europe, 570-1215-David Levering Lewis
Muslim Spain and Portugal: A Political History of al-Andalus-Hugh Kennedy
Image Credit
By Unknown author - [1] 'Grandes Chroniques de France, Mandragore, BNF, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=723625
Wednesday Dec 17, 2025
Wednesday Dec 17, 2025
A series of civil wars and repeated invasions by Germanic tribes caused the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. Following the end of imperial authority, several Germanic tribes struggled against each other for control of territory. The Franks became the dominant power in Gaul, but Greater Frankia repeatedly broke apart during wars between rival claimants for the throne. Finally, Charlemagne united the Franks, and greatly expanded the size of the kingdom. However, his grandsons proved unwilling to share the empire, and divided it in 843, laying the foundations for France and Germany. Episode thirty-seven explains that Louis smoothly succeeded his father as ruler of the Frankish empire. After the pope traveled north to crown Louis emperor, Louis held an assembly to settle the succession. Lothar, the eldest son, became co-emperor, while his other sons Pippin and Louis received Aquitaine and Bavaria respectively. However, Bernard, Louis' nephew and king of Italy, was not mentioned. Naturally, Bernard traveled north to talk to his uncle, but was declared a rebel and blinded, while his followers were executed. Even Louis' half-brothers were placed in remote monasteries. The empire did not face a genuine external threat, but Louis had failed to expand the empire's borders because the powerful nobles who actually ran the large empire were unenthusiastic.
Cast of Characters:
Charles-emperor, formerly king of the Franks and the Lombards
Louis-emperor, formerly king of Aquitaine, Charles' third-eldest legitimate son
Lothar-co-emperor, eldest son of Louis
Pippin-king of Aquitaine, second-eldest son of Louis
Louis-king of Bavaria, youngest son of Louis
Bernard-king of Italy, son of Pippin, grandson of Charles
Wala-count, son of Bernard, illegitimate son of Charles Martel
Adalhard-abbot, son of Bernard, illegitimate son of Charles Martel
Al-Hakam I-emir of Cordoba (796-822)
Leo V-emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire (813-820)
Omurtag-khan of Bulgaria (814-831)
Godfred-king of Denmark (804-810)
Hemming-king of Denmark (810-812), nephew of Godfred
Harald Klak-co-king of Denmark (812-813), brother of Reginfred
Reginfred-co-king of Denmark (812-813), brother of Harald Klak
Sources:
Charlemagne-Derek Wilson
Charlemagne: Father of a Continent-Alessandro Barbero, translated by Allan Cameron
Charlemagne-Johannes Fried, Translated by Peter Lewis
Becoming Charlemagne: Europe, Baghdad, and the Empires of A.D. 800-Jeff Sypeck
Emperor of the West: Charlemagne and the Carolingian Empire-Hywell Williams
King and Emperor: A New Life of Charlemagne-Janet L. Nelson
The Carolingians: A Family Who Forged Europe-Pierre Riche, Translated by Michael Idomir Allen
The Frankish Kingdoms Under the Carolingians, 751-987-Rosamond McKitterick
Oathbreakers: The War of Brothers That Shattered an Empire and Made Medieval Europe-Matthew Gabriele and David M. Perry
The Restoration of Rome: Barbarian Popes and Imperial Pretenders-Peter Heather
The Inheritance of Rome: A History of Europe from 400 to 1000-Chris Wickham
Before the Normans: Southern Italy in the Ninth and Tenth Centuries-Barbara M. Kreutz
A History of Venice-John Julius Norwich
Venice: A New History-Thomas F. Madden
Ravenna: Capital of Empire, Crucible of Europe-Judith Herrin
The Popes: A History-John Julius Norwich
Keepers of the Keys of Heaven: A History of the Papacy-Roger Collins
The Republic of St. Peter: The Birth of the Papal State, 680-825-Thomas F. X. Noble
The Early Medieval Balkans-John V. A. Fine, Jr.
Kingdoms of Faith: A New History of Islamic Spain-Brian A. Catlos
God's Crucible: Islam and the Making of Europe, 570-1215-David Levering Lewis
Muslim Spain and Portugal: A Political History of al-Andalus-Hugh Kennedy
Image Credit
By Unknown author - [1] 'Grandes Chroniques de France, Mandragore, BNF, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=723625
Wednesday Dec 10, 2025
Wednesday Dec 10, 2025
A series of civil wars and repeated invasions by Germanic tribes caused the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. Following the end of imperial authority, several Germanic tribes struggled against each other for control of territory. The Franks became the dominant power in Gaul, but Greater Frankia repeatedly broke apart during wars between rival claimants for the throne. Finally, Charlemagne united the Franks, and greatly expanded the size of the kingdom. However, his grandsons proved unwilling to share the empire, and divided it in 843, laying the foundations for France and Germany. Episode thirty-six explains that tensions were rising as the two epires' borders grew closer to each other. Then, two of Charles' three sons died within the space of a year, so Charles agreed to the Peace of Aachen, abandoning the Frankish claim to Venice. Since the eastern empire had just suffered a massive defeat a year earlier, it was eager to sign a peace treaty in order to concentrate on the Bulgars, even though it had to accept that Charles was an emperor. Meanwhile, the expanding Frankish empire had reached the Danes, but Charles was too tired to launch a serious invasion. Anyway, Charles died two years after signing the Peace of Aachen, leaving Louis as the unchallenged ruler of the Frankish empire.
Cast of Characters:
Charles-king of the Franks and the Lombards
Pepin the Hunchback-Charles' eldest son, illegitimate
Charles the Younger-Charles' eldest legitimate son
Pippin-king of Italy, Charles' second-eldest legitimate son, formerly Carloman
Louis-king of Aquitaine, Charles' third-eldest legitimate son
Bernard-king of Italy, son of Pippin, grandson of Charles
Oblerio-doge of Venice
Nikephoros I-emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire (802-811), formerly finance minister
Michael I-emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire (811-813), Nikephoros' son-in-law
Leo V-emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire (813-820)
Krum-khan of Bulgaria (803-814)
Omurtag-khan of Bulgaria (814-831)
Godfred-king of Denmark (804-810)
Hemming-king of Denmark (810-812), nephew of Godfred
Harald Klak-co-king of Denmark (812-813), brother of Reginfred
Reginfred-co-king of Denmark (812-813), brother of Harald Klak
Sources:
Charlemagne-Derek Wilson
Charlemagne: Father of a Continent-Alessandro Barbero, translated by Allan Cameron
Charlemagne-Johannes Fried, Translated by Peter Lewis
Becoming Charlemagne: Europe, Baghdad, and the Empires of A.D. 800-Jeff Sypeck
Emperor of the West: Charlemagne and the Carolingian Empire-Hywell Williams
King and Emperor: A New Life of Charlemagne-Janet L. Nelson
The Carolingians: A Family Who Forged Europe-Pierre Riche, Translated by Michael Idomir Allen
The Frankish Kingdoms Under the Carolingians, 751-987-Rosamond McKitterick
The Restoration of Rome: Barbarian Popes and Imperial Pretenders-Peter Heather
The Inheritance of Rome: A History of Europe from 400 to 1000-Chris Wickham
Before the Normans: Southern Italy in the Ninth and Tenth Centuries-Barbara M. Kreutz
A History of Venice-John Julius Norwich
Venice: A New History-Thomas F. Madden
Ravenna: Capital of Empire, Crucible of Europe-Judith Herrin
The Popes: A History-John Julius Norwich
Keepers of the Keys of Heaven: A History of the Papacy-Roger Collins
The Republic of St. Peter: The Birth of the Papal State, 680-825-Thomas F. X. Noble
The Early Medieval Balkans-John V. A. Fine, Jr.
Kingdoms of Faith: A New History of Islamic Spain-Brian A. Catlos
God's Crucible: Islam and the Making of Europe, 570-1215-David Levering Lewis
Muslim Spain and Portugal: A Political History of al-Andalus-Hugh Kennedy
Image Credit
By Unknown author - [1] 'Grandes Chroniques de France, Mandragore, BNF, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=723625
Wednesday Dec 03, 2025
Wednesday Dec 03, 2025
A series of civil wars and repeated invasions by Germanic tribes caused the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. Following the end of imperial authority, several Germanic tribes struggled against each other for control of territory. The Franks became the dominant power in Gaul, but Greater Frankia repeatedly broke apart during wars between rival claimants for the throne. Finally, Charlemagne united the Franks, and greatly expanded the size of the kingdom. However, his grandsons proved unwilling to share the empire, and divided it in 843, laying the foundations for France and Germany. Episode Thirty-five explains that Charles decided that the empire would be divided among his three sons Charles the Younger, Pippin and Louis, although most of the empire would go to Charles because he was the eldest. Sadly, the lack of a clear successor led to a coup against Irene, who was replaced by Nikephoros, a former bureaucrat. Faced with threat of the Bulgars, Nikephoros led an army against them, but marched into a trap, and was killed along with most of the imperial army. While the Franks were expanding east, they also had to deal with Benevento, since duke Grimoald had promoted himself to prince.
Cast of Characters:
Charles-king of the Franks and the Lombards
Pepin the Hunchback-Charles' eldest son, illegitimate
Charles the Younger-Charles' eldest legitimate son
Pippin-king of Italy, Charles' second-eldest legitimate son, formerly Carloman
Louis-king of Aquitaine, Charles' third-eldest legitimate son
Al-Hakam I-emir of Cordoba (796-822)
Grimoald III-prince of Benevento (788-806)
Irene-empress of the Eastern Roman Empire (797-802), co-empress (792-797), regent (780-790) and empress consort (775-780)
Constantine VI-emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire (780-797), son of Irene
Nikephoros I-emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire (802-811), formerly finance minister
Staurakios-co-emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire (811), son of Nikephoros
Michael I-emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire (811-813), Nikephoros' son-in-law
Krum-khan of Bulgaria (803-814)
Harun al-Rashid-caliph of the Abbasid Caliphate (786-809)
Sources:
Charlemagne-Derek Wilson
Charlemagne: Father of a Continent-Alessandro Barbero, translated by Allan Cameron
Charlemagne-Johannes Fried, Translated by Peter Lewis
Becoming Charlemagne: Europe, Baghdad, and the Empires of A.D. 800-Jeff Sypeck
Emperor of the West: Charlemagne and the Carolingian Empire-Hywell Williams
King and Emperor: A New Life of Charlemagne-Janet L. Nelson
The Carolingians: A Family Who Forged Europe-Pierre Riche, Translated by Michael Idomir Allen
The Frankish Kingdoms Under the Carolingians, 751-987-Rosamond McKitterick
The Restoration of Rome: Barbarian Popes and Imperial Pretenders-Peter Heather
The Inheritance of Rome: A History of Europe from 400 to 1000-Chris Wickham
Before the Normans: Southern Italy in the Ninth and Tenth Centuries-Barbara M. Kreutz
Ravenna: Capital of Empire, Crucible of Europe-Judith Herrin
The Popes: A History-John Julius Norwich
Keepers of the Keys of Heaven: A History of the Papacy-Roger Collins
The Republic of St. Peter: The Birth of the Papal State, 680-825-Thomas F. X. Noble
The Early Medieval Balkans-John V. A. Fine, Jr.
Kingdoms of Faith: A New History of Islamic Spain-Brian A. Catlos
God's Crucible: Islam and the Making of Europe, 570-1215-David Levering Lewis
Muslim Spain and Portugal: A Political History of al-Andalus-Hugh Kennedy
Image Credit
By Unknown author - [1] 'Grandes Chroniques de France, Mandragore, BNF, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=723625
Wednesday Nov 26, 2025
Wednesday Nov 26, 2025
A series of civil wars and repeated invasions by Germanic tribes caused the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. Following the end of imperial authority, several Germanic tribes struggled against each other for control of territory. The Franks became the dominant power in Gaul, but Greater Frankia repeatedly broke apart during wars between rival claimants for the throne. Finally, Charlemagne united the Franks, and greatly expanded the size of the kingdom. However, his grandsons proved unwilling to share the empire, and divided it in 843, laying the foundations for France and Germany. Episode Thirty-four explains that Charles' son, Louis, took advantage of domestic instability in the emirate of Cordoba to expand south of the Pyrenees. Charles then had to deal with a coup in Rome when the relatives of the previous pope attempted to capture Leo, the current pope. The two men clearly came to an agreement since Leo crowned Charles emperor. Honestly, the elevation in status should not have been a surprise since Charles had advanced beyond the status of a mere king by this time. Moreover, the eastern empire was ruled by empress Irene, who had seized power from her weak son.
Cast of Characters:
Charles-king of the Franks and the Lombards
Pepin the Hunchback-Charles' eldest son, illegitimate
Charles the Younger-Charles' eldest legitimate son
Pippin-king of Italy, Charles' second-eldest legitimate son, formerly Carloman
Louis-king of Aquitaine, Charles' third-eldest legitimate son
Leo III-Pope (795-816)
Hadrian I-Pope (772-795)
Al-Hakam I-emir of Cordoba (796-822), son of Hisham
Hisham I-emir of Cordoba (788-796), second-eldest son of Abd al-Rahman I, founder of the Umayyd Emirate
Sulaymin-eldest son of Abd al-Rahman I, founder of the Umayyd Emirate
Abd Allah-third-eldest son of Abd al-Rahman I, founder of the Umayyd Emirate
Alfonso II-king of Asturias (791-842)
Irene-empress of the Eastern Roman Empire (797-802), co-empress (792-797), regent (780-790) and empress consort (775-780)
Constantine VI-emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire (780-797), son of Irene
Sources:
Charlemagne-Derek Wilson
Charlemagne: Father of a Continent-Alessandro Barbero, translated by Allan Cameron
Charlemagne-Johannes Fried, Translated by Peter Lewis
Becoming Charlemagne: Europe, Baghdad, and the Empires of A.D. 800-Jeff Sypeck
Emperor of the West: Charlemagne and the Carolingian Empire-Hywell Williams
The Carolingians: A Family Who Forged Europe-Pierre Riche, Translated by Michael Idomir Allen
The Frankish Kingdoms Under the Carolingians, 751-987-Rosamond McKitterick
The Restoration of Rome: Barbarian Popes and Imperial Pretenders-Peter Heather
The Inheritance of Rome: A History of Europe from 400 to 1000-Chris Wickham
Before the Normans: Southern Italy in the Ninth and Tenth Centuries-Barbara M. Kreutz
Ravenna: Capital of Empire, Crucible of Europe-Judith Herrin
The Popes: A History-John Julius Norwich
Keepers of the Keys of Heaven: A History of the Papacy-Roger Collins
The Republic of St. Peter: The Birth of the Papal State, 680-825-Thomas F. X. Noble
Kingdoms of Faith: A New History of Islamic Spain-Brian A. Catlos
God's Crucible: Islam and the Making of Europe, 570-1215-David Levering Lewis
Muslim Spain and Portugal: A Political History of al-Andalus-Hugh Kennedy
Image Credit
By Unknown author - [1] 'Grandes Chroniques de France, Mandragore, BNF, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=723625
Wednesday Nov 19, 2025
Wednesday Nov 19, 2025
A series of civil wars and repeated invasions by Germanic tribes caused the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. Following the end of imperial authority, several Germanic tribes struggled against each other for control of territory. The Franks became the dominant power in Gaul, but Greater Frankia repeatedly broke apart during wars between rival claimants for the throne. Finally, Charlemagne united the Franks, and greatly expanded the size of the kingdom. However, his grandsons proved unwilling to share the empire, and divided it in 843, laying the foundations for France and Germany. Episode Thirty-three explains that Charles had resolved to crush the Saxons once and for all. Several annual campaigns later, the Saxons had been pacified, but Charles was determined to prevent another revolt. So, Saxons were deported to other parts of the kingdom, and their lands were given to Frankish soldiers. Feeling his age, Charles spent most of his time in the spas at Aachen, which was becoming the capital of the expanded kingdom. Still, Charles wanted to ensure that there were no more raids into Aquitaine, so he instructed his son Louis to push south into al-Andalus.
Cast of Characters:
Charles-king of the Franks and the Lombards
Pepin the Hunchback-Charles' eldest son, illegitimate
Charles the Younger-Charles' eldest legitimate son
Pippin-king of Italy, Charles' second-eldest legitimate son, formerly Carloman
Louis-king of Aquitaine, Charles' third-eldest legitimate son
Hadrian I-Pope (772-795)
Hisham I-emir of al-Andalus (788-796), second-eldest son of Abd al-Rahman I, founder of the Umayyd Emirate
Sulaymin-eldest son of Abd al-Rahman
Abd Allah-third eldest son of Abd al-Rahman
Al-Hakam I-emir of al-Andalus (796-822), son of Hisham I
Sources:
Charlemagne-Derek Wilson
Charlemagne: Father of a Continent-Alessandro Barbero, translated by Allan Cameron
Charlemagne-Johannes Fried, Translated by Peter Lewis
Becoming Charlemagne: Europe, Baghdad, and the Empires of A.D. 800-Jeff Sypeck
Emperor of the West: Charlemagne and the Carolingian Empire-Hywell Williams
The Carolingians: A Family Who Forged Europe-Pierre Riche, Translated by Michael Idomir Allen
The Frankish Kingdoms Under the Carolingians, 751-987-Rosamond McKitterick
The Restoration of Rome: Barbarian Popes and Imperial Pretenders-Peter Heather
The Inheritance of Rome: A History of Europe from 400 to 1000-Chris Wickham
Before the Normans: Southern Italy in the Ninth and Tenth Centuries-Barbara M. Kreutz
Ravenna: Capital of Empire, Crucible of Europe-Judith Herrin
The Popes: A History-John Julius Norwich
Keepers of the Keys of Heaven: A History of the Papacy-Roger Collins
The Republic of St. Peter: The Birth of the Papal State, 680-825-Thomas F. X. Noble
Kingdoms of Faith: A New History of Islamic Spain-Brian A. Catlos
God's Crucible: Islam and the Making of Europe, 570-1215-David Levering Lewis
Muslim Spain and Portugal: A Political History of al-Andalus-Hugh Kennedy
Image Credit
By Unknown author - [1] 'Grandes Chroniques de France, Mandragore, BNF, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=723625
Wednesday Nov 12, 2025
Wednesday Nov 12, 2025
A series of civil wars and repeated invasions by Germanic tribes caused the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. Following the end of imperial authority, several Germanic tribes struggled against each other for control of territory. The Franks became the dominant power in Gaul, but Greater Frankia repeatedly broke apart during wars between rival claimants for the throne. Finally, Charlemagne united the Franks, and greatly expanded the size of the kingdom. However, his grandsons proved unwilling to share the empire, and divided it in 843, laying the foundations for France and Germany. Episode Thirty-two explains that although the new emir of al-Andalus raided Aquitaine, Charles continued to expand into Avar territory, pausing the eastern campaign only to deal with a Saxon revolt. Meanwhile, the eastern empire was dealing with a controversial issue, the ban on the worship of icons, basically religious images. Empress Irene invited representatives from every Christian centre to attend the Seventh Ecumenical Council, which decreed that people were permitted to worship icons. Several years later, the bishops of the Frankish kingdom held a synod in Frankfurt that rejected the ecumenical council held by the eastern empire. Finally, the strain of constant warfare had finally broken the Avars.
Cast of Characters:
Charles-king of the Franks and the Lombards
Pepin the Hunchback-Charles' eldest son, illegitimate
Charles the Younger-Charles' eldest legitimate son
Pippin-king of Italy, Charles' second-eldest legitimate son, formerly Carloman
Louis-king of Aquitaine, Charles' third-eldest legitimate son
Tassilo III-duke of Bavaria (748-788)
Hadrian I-Pope (772-795)
Grimoald III-prince of Benevento (788-806), son of Arichis II
Abd al-Rahman I-emir of al-Andalus (756-788)
Hisham I-emir of al-Andalus (788-796), second-eldest son of Abd al-Rahman I, founder of the Umayyd Emirate
Irene-empress of the Eastern Roman Empire (797-802), co-empress (792-797), regent (780-790) and empress consort (775-780)
Constantine VI-emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire (780-797), son of Irene
Sources:
Charlemagne-Derek Wilson
Charlemagne: Father of a Continent-Alessandro Barbero, translated by Allan Cameron
Charlemagne-Johannes Fried, Translated by Peter Lewis
Becoming Charlemagne: Europe, Baghdad, and the Empires of A.D. 800-Jeff Sypeck
Emperor of the West: Charlemagne and the Carolingian Empire-Hywell Williams
The Carolingians: A Family Who Forged Europe-Pierre Riche, Translated by Michael Idomir Allen
The Frankish Kingdoms Under the Carolingians, 751-987-Rosamond McKitterick
The Restoration of Rome: Barbarian Popes and Imperial Pretenders-Peter Heather
The Inheritance of Rome: A History of Europe from 400 to 1000-Chris Wickham
Before the Normans: Southern Italy in the Ninth and Tenth Centuries-Barbara M. Kreutz
Ravenna: Capital of Empire, Crucible of Europe-Judith Herrin
Women in Purple: Rulers of Medieval Byzantium-Judith Herrin
The Popes: A History-John Julius Norwich
The Republic of St. Peter: The Birth of the Papal State, 680-825-Thomas F. X. Noble
Kingdoms of Faith: A New History of Islamic Spain-Brian A. Catlos
God's Crucible: Islam and the Making of Europe, 570-1215-David Levering Lewis
Muslim Spain and Portugal: A Political History of al-Andalus-Hugh Kennedy
Image Credit
By Unknown author - [1] 'Grandes Chroniques de France, Mandragore, BNF, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=723625
Thursday Oct 23, 2025
Thursday Oct 23, 2025
A series of civil wars and repeated invasions by Germanic tribes caused the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. Following the end of imperial authority, several Germanic tribes struggled against each other for control of territory. The Franks became the dominant power in Gaul, but Greater Frankia repeatedly broke apart during wars between rival claimants for the throne. Finally, Charlemagne united the Franks, and greatly expanded the size of the kingdom. However, his grandsons proved unwilling to share the empire, and divided it in 843, laying the foundations for France and Germany. Episode Thirty-one explains that the massive expansion of the kingdom required an improved system of local government, so Charles divided each newly conquered region into counties. The counts were royal appointees, responsible for collecting taxes, administering justice, and raising troops for campaigns. The kingdom included several different cultures, each with its own legal tradition, so Charles gathered leading scholars to produce a standard legal system. These scholars could barely understand each other's Latin, so Charles authorized the introduction of a new linguistic curriculum, and then funded a project to copy a huge number of classical Roman texts.
Cast of Characters:
Charles-king of the Franks and the Lombards
Alcuin of York-master of the palace school, English cleric
Peter of Pisa-Lombard deacon
Sources:
Christendom: The Triumph of a Religion-Peter Heather
The Restoration of Rome: Barbarian Popes and Imperial Pretenders-Peter Heather
Women in Purple: Rulers of Medieval Byzantium-Judith Herrin
Sources:
Charlemagne-Derek Wilson
Charlemagne: Father of a Continent-Alessandro Barbero, translated by Allan Cameron
Charlemagne-Johannes Fried, Translated by Peter Lewis
Becoming Charlemagne: Europe, Baghdad, and the Empires of A.D. 800-Jeff Sypeck
Emperor of the West: Charlemagne and the Carolingian Empire-Hywell Williams
The Carolingians: A Family Who Forged Europe-Pierre Riche, Translated by Michael Idomir Allen
The Frankish Kingdoms Under the Carolingians, 751-987-Rosamond McKitterick
The Restoration of Rome: Barbarian Popes and Imperial Pretenders-Peter Heather
The Inheritance of Rome: A History of Europe from 400 to 1000-Chris Wickham
Before the Normans: Southern Italy in the Ninth and Tenth Centuries-Barbara M. Kreutz
Ravenna: Capital of Empire, Crucible of Europe-Judith Herrin
The Popes: A History-John Julius Norwich
The Republic of St. Peter: The Birth of the Papal State, 680-825-Thomas F. X. Noble
Kingdoms of Faith: A New History of Islamic Spain-Brian A. Catlos
God's Crucible: Islam and the Making of Europe, 570-1215-David Levering Lewis
Muslim Spain and Portugal: A Political History of al-Andalus-Hugh Kennedy
Image Credit
By Unknown author - [1] 'Grandes Chroniques de France, Mandragore, BNF, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=723625
Wednesday Oct 15, 2025
Wednesday Oct 15, 2025
A series of civil wars and repeated invasions by Germanic tribes caused the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. Following the end of imperial authority, several Germanic tribes struggled against each other for control of territory. The Franks became the dominant power in Gaul, but Greater Frankia repeatedly broke apart during wars between rival claimants for the throne. Finally, Charlemagne united the Franks, and greatly expanded the size of the kingdom. However, his grandsons proved unwilling to share the empire, and divided it in 843, laying the foundations for France and Germany. Episode Thirty explains that the release of Arichis' son Grimoald ensured the failure of an imperial invasion of southern Italy. Since Saxony and northern Italy were stable, Charles decided that it was time to annex nearby Bavaria, which was merely the first step in a large-scale expansion east. The real target was the lands controlled by the Avars. Charles led several armies deep into Avar territory, but was forced to retreat when his supply chain became dangerously stretched. Meanwhile, a new emir in al-Andalus saw an opportunity since the Franks had moved most of their army far east.
Cast of Characters:
Charles-king of the Franks and the Lombards
Pepin the Hunchback-Charles' eldest son, illegitimate
Charles the Younger-Charles' eldest legitimate son
Pippin-king of Italy, Charles' second-eldest legitimate son, formerly Carolman
Louis-king of Aquitaine, Charles' third-eldest legitimate son
Gerold-prefect of Bavaria (788-799), brother-in-law of Charles
Tassilo III-duke of Bavaria (748-788)
Hadrian I-Pope (772-795)
Arichis II-prince of Benevento (774-787), duke of Benevento (758-774)
Grimoald III-prince of Benevento (788-806)
Adelchis-eldest son of Desiderius, brother-in-law of Arichis
Abd al-Rahman I-emir of al-Andalus (756-788)
Hisham I-emir of al-Andalus (788-796), second-eldest son of Abd al-Rahman
Sulaymin-eldest son of Abd al-Rahman
Abd Allah-third eldest son of Abd al-Rahman
Sources:
Charlemagne-Derek Wilson
Charlemagne: Father of a Continent-Alessandro Barbero, translated by Allan Cameron
Charlemagne-Johannes Fried, Translated by Peter Lewis
Becoming Charlemagne: Europe, Baghdad, and the Empires of A.D. 800-Jeff Sypeck
Emperor of the West: Charlemagne and the Carolingian Empire-Hywell Williams
The Carolingians: A Family Who Forged Europe-Pierre Riche, Translated by Michael Idomir Allen
The Frankish Kingdoms Under the Carolingians, 751-987-Rosamond McKitterick
The Restoration of Rome: Barbarian Popes and Imperial Pretenders-Peter Heather
The Inheritance of Rome: A History of Europe from 400 to 1000-Chris Wickham
Before the Normans: Southern Italy in the Ninth and Tenth Centuries-Barbara M. Kreutz
Ravenna: Capital of Empire, Crucible of Europe-Judith Herrin
The Popes: A History-John Julius Norwich
The Republic of St. Peter: The Birth of the Papal State, 680-825-Thomas F. X. Noble
Kingdoms of Faith: A New History of Islamic Spain-Brian A. Catlos
God's Crucible: Islam and the Making of Europe, 570-1215-David Levering Lewis
Muslim Spain and Portugal: A Political History of al-Andalus-Hugh Kennedy
Image Credit
By Unknown author - [1] 'Grandes Chroniques de France, Mandragore, BNF, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=723625
Wednesday Oct 08, 2025
Wednesday Oct 08, 2025
A series of civil wars and repeated invasions by Germanic tribes caused the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. Following the end of imperial authority, several Germanic tribes struggled against each other for control of territory. The Franks became the dominant power in Gaul, but Greater Frankia repeatedly broke apart during wars between rival claimants for the throne. Finally, Charlemagne united the Franks, and greatly expanded the size of the kingdom. However, his grandsons proved unwilling to share the empire, and divided it in 843, laying the foundations for France and Germany. Episode twenty-nine explains that the Frankish kingdom had expanded close to the border of the eastern Roman Empire. Conflict seemed likely until King Charles and Empress Irene negotiated a marriage alliance between their children. Recognizing that the former Lombard kingdom and Aquitaine needed time to adapt to Frankish control, Charles appointed his two youngest sons sub-kings of the two regions. Once the border regions had been resolved, Charles could focus his energy on the subjucation of the Saxons. Fighting was fierce, but the last major resistance ended when the Saxon leader Widukind bent the knee. When the empire tried to place Desiderius' son Adelchis on the throne of Benevento after Arichis died suddenly, Charles backed Arichis' son Grimoald because he would not be an imperial puppet.
Cast of Characters:
Charles-king of the Franks and the Lombards
Pepin the Hunchback-Charles' eldest son, illegitimate
Charles the Younger-Charles' eldest legitimate son
Pippin-king of Italy, Charles' second-eldest legitimate son, formerly Carolman
Louis-king of Aquitaine, Charles' third-eldest legitimate son
Hadrian I-Pope (772-795)
Desiderius-king of the Lombards (756-774)
Arichis II-prince of Benevento (774-787), duke of Benevento (758-774)
Grimoald III-prince of Benevento (788-806)
Adelchis-eldest son of Desiderius, brother-in-law of Arichis
Widukind-king of the Saxons
Sources:
Charlemagne-Derek Wilson
Charlemagne: Father of a Continent-Alessandro Barbero, translated by Allan Cameron
Charlemagne-Johannes Fried, Translated by Peter Lewis
Becoming Charlemagne: Europe, Baghdad, and the Empires of A.D. 800-Jeff Sypeck
Emperor of the West: Charlemagne and the Carolingian Empire-Hywell Williams
The Carolingians: A Family Who Forged Europe-Pierre Riche, Translated by Michael Idomir Allen
The Frankish Kingdoms Under the Carolingians, 751-987-Rosamond McKitterick
The Restoration of Rome: Barbarian Popes and Imperial Pretenders-Peter Heather
The Inheritance of Rome: A History of Europe from 400 to 1000-Chris Wickham
Before the Normans: Southern Italy in the Ninth and Tenth Centuries-Barbara M. Kreutz
Ravenna: Capital of Empire, Crucible of Europe-Judith Herrin
The Popes: A History-John Julius Norwich
The Republic of St. Peter: The Birth of the Papal State, 680-825-Thomas F. X. Noble
Image Credit
By Unknown author - [1] 'Grandes Chroniques de France, Mandragore, BNF, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=723625