History Loves Company

If you've ever seen the Disney film 'Encanto,' then you're familiar with the backstory as to how the Madrigal family came to be at their magical mountain refuge. It involves a conflict, a very real conflict, in fact, that shook the country of Colombia to its core in the final year of the 19th and the first years of the 20th Centuries respectively. Be sure to catch this week's episode all about the conflict known as the Thousand Days' War.

When it comes to Africa's vast history, people tend to focus on Egypt, the Kerma and Kush kingdoms of Sudan, or else the Mali Empire of Mansa Musa. But what of Sub-Saharan Africa? Surely, there must have been great cities and civilizations there too, right? Well, I'm happy to say that there were, perhaps none more impressive than that now known as Great Zimbabwe. Tune in this week to learn all about it!

The 1930s were marked by economic toil both abroad and in the United States, as the Great Depression took a toll on the world economy. To add insult to injury, an environmental calamity of both natural and man-made factors, rocked the American Heartland and had devastating effects that would take years to rectify. Tune in this week for a bleak, albeit ultimately uplifting, tale of one of the most harrowing events in American history: the Dust Bowl.

Religion is one of humanity's oldest practices and likely stems from our need to explain the natural phenomena that surrounds us as well as our place among it. But while the religions to which we now adhere are attested to via sacred texts penned by their earliest worshippers or else by their founders themselves, nothing survives of the earliest religious practices in human history. Join me for a look Göbekli Tepe, the formidable yet mysterious site in Southern Turkey, that's the oldest known spiritual center in the world, this week on the 'History Loves Company' podcast!

"Pay your surgeon very well to break the spell of aging." So goes a lyric in the Red Hot Chili Peppers' hit song, "Californication." But what if you didn't have to go under the knife to get your youth back? Such has been the quest for many people throughout history, searching for a way to turn back the clock on the forward advancement of time. Does such a place exist? And if it does, why aren't we all flocking to it to regain our youth? Find out in this week's episode, all about the legendary Fountain of Youth!

If you've ever been down to Louisiana, chances are you've noticed a great many French place names. Indeed, for a time in the 17th and 18th Centuries, this part of America was under French jurisdiction. But the people of French ancestry there who call themselves Cajuns are a decidedly newer arrival, though their reasons for being there are marred by a history of trauma, violence and exile. Tune in to this week's sobering episode to find out how their ancestors faced expulsion, even genocide, in the early days of American and Canadian histories.

Today, chocolate is beloved the world over as a delicious sweet treat that's best enjoyed at the end of a long and stressful day. But did you know that there was a time when it was made solely into a drink? Or that its origins can be traced back to Mesoamerica? Tune in to this week's "sweet" episode to learn all about this delectable delicacy!

In the West, snakes have a reputation, thanks to the Bible, of mistrust and deception, as it was a serpent in the Garden of Eden that tempted Eve to taste the forbidden fruit, thus leading to the Fall of Man and her and Adam's banishment. It's because of this that, according to tradition, the man who would one day be known as Saint Patrick banished all snakes from Ireland. Or so they say. Tune in to find out the true reason why these slithery reptiles aren't found on the Emerald Isle.

Today, Hollywood is deemed the entertainment capital of the world and is, without question, the most famous section of Los Angeles. But did you know that it didn't begin life with the intent of becoming associated with the movies? Tune in this week for a look into Hollywood's origins, which will surely surprise you.

2024 is a leap year, and as this episode falls on the extra day in question, I thought it would be fun to examine the history of this most fascinating (and, at times, complicated) occasion. Celebrate February 29th with me by tuning in to this week's episode!

When last we joined our (anti-)hero, Jean Laffite had been imprisoned for the crime of piracy. But even bars couldn't keep this legendary figure at bay (maritime pun once again intended here). Tune in this week for the second part, and exciting conclusion, on his incredible story--how he became entangled in a conflict, set up yet another smuggling racket, and ended up in a South American navy, this week on the 'History Loves Company' podcast!

Pirates have been romanticized in literature, film, and various forms of media since at least the 19th Century, but the truth is that the life or activities of a pirate were anything but romantic. Just ask Jean Laffite, the subject of this week's episode, whose smuggling operation on Louisiana's southeastern coast was interrupted time and again by war, politics, and the law. This isn't to necessarily in a good or positive light, though he was indeed regarded as a hero by the general public of the day, who'd benefitted greatly by his illicit activities. Tune in for part one of the man known as "the Terror of the Caribbean," this week on the 'History Loves Company' podcast!

Since at least the 12th Century, there has been a Swedish presence in Finland, so much so that they've since become known as a distinct ethno-linguistic group from the Finns. But this history has been far from easy and has, in fact, proven to be something of a bumpy road for them. Join me this week for a look at the resilient and tenacious Finland Swedes.

Early Christians called him "the Scourge of God." Romans, the most powerful military force in the Ancient World, feared him. Every land from China to Italy experienced his wrath firsthand. He was Attila, leader of the Huns, and he's the subject of today's epic episode. Tune in to learn all about this fascinating character and if he really was as bloodthirsty as history remembers.

There were several cradles of civilization throughout the world. The Nile in Egypt, the Tigris and Euphrates in Mesopotamia, the Yellow River in China...the list goes on and on. But in Mesoamerica, one noteworthy cradle of civilization was born on what's now Mexico's Caribbean Coast and would go on to influence future civilizations throughout the region. These were the mighty Olmec and for 1200 years, they would reign supreme. Find out how in this week's episode!

Oxford University is considered one of the most prestigious institutions for higher learning in the world, but did you know that it was also the first university in England? Founded, in some form or other, in 1096, just thirty years after the famed Battle of Hastings, it has since blossomed into a world-class university with a rocky, tumultuous history. Tune in this week to find out all about it!

The 19th Century was a tremendously exciting time for Japan. By then, the island country had been isolated from the rest of the world for some three centuries. But now, having been forced to open its doors by the Americans, Japan was exposed to both the wider world as a whole as well as Western ideals. But not everyone welcomed such changes. One who was perhaps the most resistant to such changes was Saigo Takamori, better known to history as Saigo-san, and he'd ultimately lead a rebellion against the Japanese government. But how did this conflict come about? Who was Saigo-san exactly? And how did he and his cause become an enduring symbol of opposition to government tyranny? Find out in the first episode of the new year!

Wreaths, gift-giving, elaborate feasting...these are just some of the traditional practices associated with Christmas. But it might surprise you to learn that the Christian holiday was by no means the first to incorporate such practices. That's because they were borrowed from an earlier, pagan holiday celebrated each year by the Romans: Saturnalia. How exactly did this ancient holiday come about? What were some of its traditions and characteristics? And how did it ultimately disappear? Find out in this brief winter solstice and Christmas special!

For the better part of a millennium, the city of Paris was more or less the same. A crowded, Medieval city of narrow, twisting streets and people living virtually on top of one another, it was, by the 19th Century, mired in rampant crime and disease and was in desperate need of an overhaul. But who would rise up to accept such a monumental task? Find out in this week's episode!

Today, the 18th Amendment, better known to history as Prohibition, is seen as one of greatest (to say nothing of disastrous) social experiments in American history. In that volatile thirteen-year period, the production and sale of alcohol was banned, at least on paper, in the United States. Initially, crime syndicates, especially the mob, turned to Canada and Mexico for help, smuggling whiskey, beer, and other potent potables into the country. But what happened when the Canadians and Mexicans were taken out of the equation? The answer will almost certainly surprise you!

For centuries, Africa was known to Europeans as "the Dark Continent," not so much for the complexion of many of its native inhabitants inasmuch as for the fact that its interior remained largely unexplored. With the Age of Exploration came the full exploration of the interior of Africa, though little, if any, of the Europeans who mapped it likely knew that they weren't the first outsiders to do so. Long before such European countries were even concepts, a group of hearty and intrepid seafarers originally from the Middle East set off from their base of operations in what's now Tunisia to do just that. Tune in to find out how they did it in this week's enthralling episode!

In the autumn of 1620, a rickety old ship made landfall just off the coast of what's now Massachusetts. Having been blown way off course on the journey over and as well as losing nearly half its crew on the voyage, the survivors now found themselves far removed from civilization and deeply afraid of the uncertain fate that awaited them. Half the survivors were talking of venturing out on their own, which would prove disastrous as the crew simply needed to stick together if they were going to survive in this rugged and potentially hostile new environment. Find out what they did next in this week's special Thanksgiving episode!

Strategically located in the northwest and northeast corners of Italian Peninsula respectively, Genoa (or Genova) and Venice were, historically, two independent republics who grew rich through maritime trade. But as their wealth and power continued to grow, they soon each other as a threat to their dominance, which quickly escalated into war. But unlike other conflicts, this series of skirmishes would stretch well over a century. Find out how exactly they came about, and how they ultimately ended, this week on the 'History Loves Company' podcast!

What do 17th Century England, the Devil, aliens and unusual weather patterns all have in common? They're linked to the mysterious and unusual phenomenon we now know as crop circles. What are some of the events from history regarding these most curious and, oftentimes, unsettling monumental creations? What causes them? And of these causes, are any of them definitive? You'll have to listen to find out in this, the final installment on our month-long series on the spooky and mysterious, this week on the 'History Loves Company' podcast!

Few monumental sculptures throughout the world have captured humanity's collective imagination quite like the Sphinx. Now part of a vast archaeological complex at Giza in Egypt, it's served as a curiosity to several generations of visitors and even thinkers and statesmen. But what is it about this mysterious sculpture that enthralls us? How and why was it made? And, most importantly, how did it lose its nose? Find out the answers to these, and other, questions, this week in part three of our spooky October series!

These days, people dance 'til they drop for fun, often at competitions for prize money or other rewards. But in early 16th Century Strasbourg, a town now situated along the French-German border, dancing 'til one dropped took on an entirely new meaning when a so-called dance outbreak swept through the city and its environs, affecting hundreds of people and even claiming the lives of several victims. What caused this mysterious outbreak? Was it, as they thought at the time, the work of the Devil? And how did it finally end? Discover the answers to these and other questions in this week's truly unsettling episode.

For the most part on this podcast, we've focused on the factual. History is, of course, chock full of a near-infinite selection of interesting stories that bear repeating. But what of the fictional? Surely, there's history behind such things that never were, as fantasy writers Michael Page and Robert Ingpen once referred to them. In this, the first installment in a series of spooky-themed topics throughout the month of October, we'll be leaving the factual behind for a look at the history behind the greatest civilization that never was: the mythic lost (or eighth) continent of Atlantis!

The Southern Colombian and Northern Ecuadorian coasts are home to a large rainforest, likely one of the wettest in the world. With average annual rainfall exceeding over forty feet (around thirteen meters) per year, it hardly seems the place for a great civilization to emerge. And yet, in the mid-4th Century BC, it did in the form of the amazing Tumaco Culture. Tune in this week to find out how they lived and the incredible artifacts they left behind!

Everyone knows about the October Revolution, the genesis of the greater Russian Revolution that took place in the final days of the Great War (World War One). But what many people don't realize is that this wasn't the first revolution to grip the country. Almost a century earlier, a failed revolt led by generals and military leaders attempted to bring an end to the absolute monarchy, one of the last of its kind in Europe. Join me as we explore this forgotten revolt, this week on the 'History Loves Company' podcast!

Last time, we charted Vlad the Impaler's ascent to the Wallachian throne and how he earned his notorious moniker. But even he couldn't rule forever and the latter half of his life reflects this as he became embroiled in conflict after conflict, not just with those longing for his own throne, but with outside forces as well. Find out what ultimately became of Vlad in part two of his amazing story!

In the years since the late 19th Century, the name Dracula has conjured up images of a vampire living in a secluded castle, but what if I told you that the name comes directly from an actual historical figure? Not a vampire, mind you, but someone who was just as bloodthirsty. Join me this week for a look at the meteoric, albeit chaotic, rise of Vlad the Impaler, one of the most notorious figures in all of history.

The human desire to create art isn't a new one. In fact, it dates back to our very beginnings, when various hunter-gatherer societies wandered the world in search of food and proverbial greener pastures. One such work to survive from that metaphorically dark period of human history is the so-named Venus of Willendorf. Discovered during an archaeological dig in Austria in 1908, she's become legendary in the years since, though she's still just as mysterious to us now as she was then. Find out more about her in this week's episode!

With the Great Famine in 1845 in Ireland, millions of destitute Irish fled to the United States in search of a better life. But their arrival on these shores was anything but warm and welcome. So harshly were they treated and severely discriminated against that, by the time the country entered into a war with Mexico, several troops of Irish ancestry defected to the other side. But this is more than just a tale of bigotry and injustice. It's one of courage, tenacity and, above all, standing up for what's right. Tune in to learn more.

With both societal and government acceptance of homosexuality in Britain these days, it's hard to imagine that there was ever a time when such expressions were outlawed. And yet, throughout much of that country's history, gay men were chastised, shunned, even arrested simply because of who they loved. Join me this week for a look at the steps the British government took towards decriminalizing homosexuality, a series of landmark decisions whose consequences and effects are still being felt today.

We use them every day. Whether on foot or bicycle, by car or bus, the traffic signal has become so integral to our daily lives that we're hardly conscious of them anymore. But did you know that several makes and models were implemented before the final form we use today? Find out just how many (and how many equally brilliant people) were involved in their creation, development and evolution, this week on the 'History Loves Company' podcast!

Chances are, you heard it in school, or else used it yourself so as not to have your other classmates (or worse, the teacher) eavesdrop. And yet, while it may have played a fundamental, to say nothing of fun, role in our childhoods, the history of Pig Latin is complex and, above all, amusing. Une-tay in-nay (tune in) to this week's episode to learn more about it!

No longer safe in the United States with so many local law enforcement agencies hot on their trail, Butch Cassidy, Harry Longabaugh and the latter's girlfriend, Etta Place, make for South America, where they plan to start life anew. But old habits, as they say, die hard and they're soon back in the robbery business. But what ultimately becomes of the trio in this new, exotic locale? Find out in Part Two of Butch Cassidy's hard-to-believe story!

Several outlaws shaped and defined the myth of the American West, though were as wild and tenacious as the man known to history as Butch Cassidy. From humble beginnings in the wilds of Utah, he'd go on to gain notoriety on, not just one, but two continents. Tune in to part one of his incredible but absolutely true story.

The artistic movement known as Impressionism conjures up specific ideas and images. It's most commonly associated with France, where it was born in around 1870. But by the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, it had made its way to America, but perhaps nowhere in this great nation did it take off quite like it did in California. The 'History Loves Company' podcast is back this week with a look at the school known as California Impressionism. Check it out!

While not the inventor of Armenian literature, the 18th Century poet, Sayat-Nova, is considered to be one of its greatest and most important contributors. Still, this legendary figure remains elusive, even little known, outside his Georgian homeland as well as Armenia. If you're curious to learn more about him, then sit back and check out this week's episode!

Youth subcultures are nothing new. It seems that each generation has its group of youngsters who see to it to rebel against conformity and the status quo. But one of the most surprising and daring of these came about at a time when fascism gripped Europe in a chokehold. Tune in this week for a look at the Zazous, the jazz-mad, umbrella-wielding, wildly-dressed youths who openly challenged the Nazis.

Today, tea is known the world over for its many health benefits as well as its rich taste. There are also countless varieties from all corners of the globe, but where did this mysterious drink come from? Pull up a chair and join me for a not-so-mad tea party, right here on the 'History Loves Company' podcast to find these answers to these questions!

While there were six great nations who officially squared off against one another during World War One, it's important to remember that it was, in fact, a global conflict, meaning that several other nations, whether willingly or unwillingly, became involved. One such country was Italy, who joined the side of the Triple Entente (Britain, France and Russia). Quick to defend their homeland, they squared off against the Austro-Hungarian Empire in a pivotal battle that's nearly been forgotten outside of Italy. Tune in to this special Memorial Day episode of the 'History Loves Company' podcast as we explore this amazing underdog story.

Ask any child and they'll likely tell you that schooling's both a bore and a chore. Based on the subject of today's episode, it's a sentiment that hasn't changed all that much. Join me as we take a look at a child's homework from 13th Century Russia and see how he coped with the "boredom" of learning, today on the 'History Loves Company' podcast!

Paleontology was still a new science in the early 19th Century. The largely male-dominated field yielded some truly fantastic studies, but of these, none were as spectacular as those made by a woman from Southern England. Tune in this week to find out all about the wondrous life and discoveries of Mary Anning!

The holiday known as Cinco de Mayo (Fifth of May) is often misconstrued as being the holiday in which Mexicans celebrate their country's independence from Spain. That day doesn't fall until September 16th, the anniversary of the day when, in 1821, the country officially declared itself independent from Spain. So what, then, does Cinco de Mayo commemorate? Tune in to this brief episode to find out!

It was the greatest "return to the homeland" venture since the return of the Hebrews to the Promised Land in the Book of Exodus. The only difference is, in this scenario, the people had help from the government they were leaving. As tensions between North and South mounted in America in the decades leading up to the Civil War, the question of what to do with the country's freed and free-born Black population became the subject of much debate by those on both sides of the political spectrum. One of the solutions was quite surprising indeed, as you'll see in this week's fascinating episode!

Greece and China were two of the ancient world's great powers, but never interacted with one another due to the vast distance that separated them...right? They indeed had knowledge of one another, but what if I told you that they actually met under the most peculiar of circumstances? Find out how in this week's bizarre episode!

In contemporary times, it's difficult to imagine crop shortages (at least in so-called developed countries). But not all that long ago, just such an incident occurred in a country then ruled by one of the foremost powers in the entire world. I'm speaking, of course, about the Potato Famine that ravaged Ireland in the mid-19th Century. How did it happen? How were its consequences ultimately felt throughout the world? And how did it change the nation forever? Join me in this sobering episode to find out.

The Near and Middle East saw a great many empires throughout Antiquity, but perhaps one of the greatest was that of Assyria. At its height, it stretched from Egypt in the West to Persia in the East and was ruled by a man who's since come to be known as its greatest king. Ashurbanipal was one of many in a long line of Assyrian royalty, but what made him stand out? Find out in this new episode!