Fortune's Wheel: A Podcast History of the Late Middle Ages

This podcast loves historical documents, so when one comes along that requires a full episode, we dive in. Pope Gregory VII is about to change the ecclesiastical and political landscapes of Europe forever.

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We conclude Pope Gregory VII’s first year, a man Peter Damian called “the Holy Satan” – a deceiver within the holiest halls of Western Christendom — for how he manipulated and orchestrated his way to the top of the Catholic Church.

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From Hildebrand to Gregory VII -- or what monk Peter Damian called him, "The Holy Satan" -- Matilda’s choice of personal savior is in for one helluva first year. This is the first part of that story.

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A man who was unable to be stopped and a woman who refused to give in — the subjects of this episode are two incredible figures in medieval Italy in the mid- to late-11th century, and would do their level best to change the papal-imperial game going forward. This is their origin story. Oh, and, uh, about Roger Borsa's new role as duke...

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After Palermo, the Hauteville brothers begin to part ways. And it’s doubtful that they were even aware of the time’s historic legacies, much like Christendom at-large wasn’t fully aware of the East-West Schism that occurred in 1054. It just...sorta...happened.

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Palermo once again is in Duke Robert’s crosshairs.

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The Siege of Bari begins and ends in this episode, but it’s not a simple, open-and-shut story. There’s intrigue and emperors and naval battles and trash-talk. This one has it all! Most importantly, though, it has the cunning Duke Robert Guiscard establishing firm control over his long-held but pain in the neck duchy.

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Having rewritten this one and broken it up into two episodes (Episode 116 and this one), including re-recording them both…I really feel like this one works! I’m proud of the revisions (and extremely grateful I never posted the first version) and I hope you enjoy the new-and-improved Episodes 116 and 117! I’d love to hear your thoughts on them.

As for this episode, specifically, it spans four years, but I feel like the transitions between all these events actually work. From Robert Guiscard dealing with Varangians to Roger watching the Muslims duke it out, this episode ends with a bang! 

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Having rewritten this one and broken it up into two episodes (Episodes 116 and 117), including re-recording them both…I really feel like this one works! I’m proud of the revisions (and extremely grateful I never posted the first version) and I hope you enjoy the new-and-improved Episodes 116 and 117! I’d love to hear your thoughts on them.

Robert Guiscard joins his brother, Count Roger, once again on a venture into Sicily. This time, they’re going for the crown jewel of the Emirate of Sicily: Palermo. 

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We break from our history narrative for this episode (which I have purposely not numbered so as to keep the flow of the narrative), and I hope you all make it to the end. I use this time to go off-script and share with you all some of my thoughts about the podcast so far -- where it's been, where it currently is, and where it might go in the future. I feel like we have hit a level of listenership that needs to be acknowledged and celebrated...and, honestly, I don't know what to do next. And I'm all ears.

So, if you have a few extra minutes, please listen. And please reach out with your thoughts, as well. I appreciate every single one of you more than you know.

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This is one of those episodes that creates a benchmark for all the military leaders to come after it. And Roger sets a high benchmark in what amounts to the Thermopylae of the Norman Conquest of Sicily. However, we remember such battles not only for their brilliant military acumen or displays of courage and daring, but for their enduring impacts on the places they occur in, as well as — and arguably most importantly — the people and events they leave in their wake. The Battle of Cerami is one of those battles that show that battles are about far more than merely the fighting.

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1063 was a make-or-break year for Roger’s aspirations in Sicily. On this episode, we will look at how he saved his wife from revolt, survived a devastating siege, and even managed to push further into Sicily than he’d ever done before. 

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An entire civil war…over a girl? What was this, ancient Troy? Nope, this is what happens when two Hauteville brothers have a disagreement. Just another day in Norman Italy!

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It’s all about moving forward when it comes to conquests and life, so that’s what both Robert and Roger do. They move further and further along one of the more important valleys on the mountainous island, a valley that would serve as the Normans’ first proving ground in the larger land-based conquest of Sicily. Roger, needless to say, would learn quite a bit on this foray as he watched his older brother Robert Guiscard do what Robert Guiscard does best.

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Roger learned a lot in the last episode and it was now time to put those lessons to work. Securing Messina was the key to establishing a foothold in Sicily; however, Muslim powers in Sicily flew to Messina’s aid as the Norman threat became real. How did Roger overcome the Muslim challenge to his invasion?

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It’s all about Roger, the baby of the Hauteville brood, as he takes his first real steps into world of international politics and legend-building.

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We begin by catching up with our old friend, Robert Guiscard, before ending it with some serious moves made by a rising power within the Catholic Church. No joke. Major changes occur in this one, so tune in! 

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For centuries, Constantinople served as the frontline bulwark against Muslim expansion. After Manzikert, cracks began forming in those formidable walls, walls that served Christian Europe far more than it ever got credit for. Today, we take a look at the immediate effects of Manzikert. 

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Manzikert! The battle that signaled a wind change for the Eastern Roman Empire.

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For young Michael Doukas, everything was going great...until mom stepped in and ruined everything!

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This episode shows the rare peaceful transition of power in the Middle Ages. However, peaceful though it was, even peace has its drama…

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On this episode, the reign of Isaac I Komnenos.

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On this episode, Constantinople stands on the brink of either great things or absolute collapse. Which will it be?

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No ads on this one. It's the least I can do to repay you all for your incredible patience lately. THANK YOU.

On this episode, from Theodora to Michael IV, Constantinople is still looking for a foothold on stability. Can Michael VI do it? Or will it take someone else?

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On this episode, Constantinople needs some context before continuing our storyline, before we can fully understand the coming dynasty of emperors, before we can grasp exactly what the Normans ran up against during the 1080’s and 1090’s.

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WE'VE HIT DOUBLE DIGITS IN OUR EPISODE COUNT!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT!

On this episode, Constantinople needs some context before continuing our storyline.

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On this episode, we head back south where we remind ourselves about the Normans in southern Italy and their new, ever-shifting role and place in Mediterranean politics and culture. This is the first episode in a new bend in our medieval narrative we’re calling “The Other Norman Conquest.”

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Today, we come to the end of an era, an era that would begin to define one of the most dominant cultures in history.

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Don’t forget to head over to Patreon, as well, to hear an entirely new series on the what’s happening around England and Normandy while William becomes the conqueror of legend! For only a few bucks per month, you can hear these fascinating tales of how seemingly unconnected events and decisions made in places like Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and other places directly affect the eventual Norman Conquest of the region! Every dime donated will be put directly back into the show, so I hope you consider becoming a Patreon member! 

William makes amends with a longtime adversary, and an 11th century lession for all: Normans are always on the move. Always.

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Don’t forget to head over to Patreon, as well, to hear an entirely new series on the what’s happening around England and Normandy while William becomes the conqueror of legend! For only a few bucks per month, you can hear these fascinating tales of how seemingly unconnected events and decisions made in places like Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and other places directly affect the eventual Norman Conquest of the region! Every dime donated will be put directly back into the show, so I hope you consider becoming a Patreon member! 

Today, we learn more about how land ownership during the Norman Conquest upended ancient traditions, and how William was forced to step in and establish precedent, reprimanding his own brother-in-law in the process.

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Don’t forget to head over to Patreon, as well, to hear an entirely new series on the what’s happening around England and Normandy while William becomes the conqueror of legend! For only a few bucks per month, you can hear these fascinating tales of how seemingly unconnected events and decisions made in places like Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and other places directly affect the eventual Norman Conquest of the region! Every dime donated will be put directly back into the show, so I hope you consider becoming a Patreon member! 

Today, William’s haters come out of the woodwork.

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Don’t forget to head over to Patreon, as well, to hear an entirely new series on the what’s happening around England and Normandy while William becomes the conqueror of legend! For only a few bucks per month, you can hear these fascinating tales of how seemingly unconnected events and decisions made in places like Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and other places directly affect the eventual Norman Conquest of the region! Every dime donated will be put directly back into the show, so I hope you consider becoming a Patreon member! 

Just when William had Normandy’s control over Maine situated and England was coming to rest into a nice, easy routine…the guy just can’t catch a break.

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Recent Patreon Episodes:

P12: Was Matilda Really A Monster?

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Don’t forget to head over to Patreon, as well, to hear an entirely new series on the what’s happening around England and Normandy while William becomes the conqueror of legend! For only a few bucks per month, you can hear these fascinating tales of how seemingly unconnected events and decisions made in places like Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and other places directly affect the eventual Norman Conquest of the region! Every dime donated will be put directly back into the show, so I hope you consider becoming a Patreon member! 

CORRECTION: I apologize for the confusion in this episode pertaining to Archbishop Stigand. I was on a roll and inserted the term "simony" for "plurality." To be clear: Archbishop Stigand was guilty of pluralism due to his simultaneous holding of both Canterbury and Winchester.

Today, we build some context for the next episode focusing on the shifting winds from 1070 to 1075.

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Don’t forget to head over to Patreon, as well, to hear an entirely new series on the what’s happening around England and Normandy while William becomes the conqueror of legend! For only a few bucks per month, you can hear these fascinating tales of how seemingly unconnected events and decisions made in places like Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and other places directly affect the eventual Norman Conquest of the region! Every dime donated will be put directly back into the show, so I hope you consider becoming a Patreon member!

Today, the last part in the tale of an outlaw, one created in the wake of William’s disastrous policies in England. Hereward heads to Ely for what would be, unbeknownst to him, his last stand. William responds in a very William-y way.

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Don’t forget to head over to Patreon, as well, to hear an entirely new series on the what’s happening around England and Normandy while William becomes the conqueror of legend! For only a few bucks per month, you can hear these fascinating tales of how seemingly unconnected events and decisions made in places like Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and other places directly affect the eventual Norman Conquest of the region! Every dime donated will be put directly back into the show, so I hope you consider becoming a Patreon member!

Today, the second part in the tale of an outlaw, one created in the wake of William’s disastrous policies in England. This one culminates in the sack of a major abbey in East Anglia, equating to a serious threat to William’s rule there and a shout across the kingdom that rebellion was still alive and well among the English.

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Don’t forget to head over to Patreon, as well, to hear an entirely new series on the what’s happening around England and Normandy while William becomes the conqueror of legend! For only a few bucks per month, you can hear these fascinating tales of how seemingly unconnected events and decisions made in places like Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and other places directly affect the eventual Norman Conquest of the region! Every dime donated will be put directly back into the show, so I hope you consider becoming a Patreon member!

Today, the first part in the tale of an outlaw, one created in the wake of William’s disastrous policies in England. NOTE: Please forgive my voice. It’ll heal and get back to normal in time, but I’ve been struggling with a bout of covid recently hence the delay in recording and publishing episodes. My apologies. Thanks for sticking around. You all are incredibly appreciated. Take care. Stay healthy, friends.

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Don’t forget to head over to Patreon, as well, to hear an entirely new series on the what’s happening around England and Normandy while William becomes the conqueror of legend! For only a few bucks per month, you can hear these fascinating tales of how seemingly unconnected events and decisions made in places like Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and other places directly affect the eventual Norman Conquest of the region! Every dime donated will be put directly back into the show, so I hope you consider becoming a Patreon member!

Episode 89 / Patreon Episode 11: A Scottish Marriage

Something a little special on this one. This is a joint-Patreon Members Only / public podcast episode! We’re taking a look at “circa 1070 Scotland” and how it informs the overall narrative of William’s conquest of England, including Malcolm’s inexpressibly important marriage to Margaret of the House of Alfred, Edgar Aethling’s own sister, who would one day be canonized as St. Margaret. For my Patreon supporters, THANK YOU as always, and for all of my listeners of the public podcast I THANK YOU, as well! I love doing this, and I love even more that I’m providing something you find valuable enough as to give your time. Nothing is more precious than someone’s time. So, again, THANK YOU all.

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Today, another part of the aftermath of the Harrying of the North.

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I won’t pretend that I even came close to a definitive answer to my lingering questions regarding William’s actions in the North during the winter of 1069 - 1070, but these are my thoughts and how I tried to work some of it all out, trying to come to terms with how such a thing could have happened in the first place. I hope I did the general discourse on the subject at least a little justice, however, admittedly, this is hardly a conclusion on the matter. Maybe one day we’ll have a better understanding how such atrocities can happen to our fellow humans. Until then, I suppose just lingering questions…

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Today, it’s a tough day to be a Northumbrian.

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Today, the Normans’ worst defeat in the entire conquest. However, it sets up one of humankind’s worst atrocities.

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Today, tensions die out and then begin to flare…once again!

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Closing

Today…before we continue with our story of the Norman Conquest of England, let’s regroup and build some context for what’s about to happen.

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Today…the year that William was most tested.

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Today…a little Halloween special. Enjoy!

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Today…Matilda fulfills her destiny and one-ups an old “friend.”

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Today…William and Matilda change the whole game, while building a dynasty that will last a thousand years and counting.

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Thank you so much to "Look It's Grandma" for becoming a new Supporting Listener of the podcast. I am very humbled for any generosity I receive, and our Patreon Members and fans are absolutely the best! THANK YOU!

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Don’t forget to head over to Patreon, as well, to hear an entirely new series on the what’s happening around England and Normandy while William becomes the conqueror of legend! For only a few bucks per month, you can hear these fascinating tales of how seemingly unconnected events and decisions made in places like Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and other places directly affect the eventual Norman Conquest of the region! Every dime donated will be put directly back into the show, so I hope you consider becoming a Patreon member!

Today…William - finally! - meets his match.

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Today, the ties that bind…over a millennia. This one’s a doozy. I hope you stay ‘til the end.

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Today…the House of Godwine.

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