https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/child-kings-of-history--7281095
Each episode reconstructs one young reign in full, cinematic detail: the sudden death that put a child on the throne, the regents and uncles maneuvering behind the curtain, the alliances sealed with a child's signature, and the day each of these boy kings either took real power or was swallowed by the people claiming to protect him. No host chatting between clips, no panel debating theories. Just one complete story, narrated start to finish, built from chronicles, court records, and the letters their kingdoms left behind.

You will meet boy kings who vanished into towers and never came out, child rulers who outsmarted the adults circling their thrones, and monarchs whose entire reigns fit inside a childhood. Some episodes follow a single year that decided everything; others trace a whole life lived under a crown too heavy to carry. All of them treat the boy kings as what they were: children standing at the center of deadly games.

If you are drawn to royal history that reads like a slow-burning thriller, this is built for you. New episodes drop regularly. Subscribe now so the next of the boy kings lands the moment it goes live.]]>enScience FictionCopyright OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENThttps://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/75be302b899714d1e73a729fd1474f4d.jpghttps://www.spreaker.com/podcast/child-kings-of-history--7281095Thu, 10 Sep 2026 09:09:40 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTOBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTcreators@obomedia.comBoy kings inherited the most dangerous job on earth before they were old enough to understand it. A crown at nine, a court full of rivals at ten, a war declared in their name at twelve. This show tells the true stories of the boy kings of history, one...
Each episode reconstructs one young reign in full, cinematic detail: the sudden death that put a child on the throne, the regents and uncles maneuvering behind the curtain, the alliances sealed with a child's signature, and the day each of these boy kings either took real power or was swallowed by the people claiming to protect him. No host chatting between clips, no panel debating theories. Just one complete story, narrated start to finish, built from chronicles, court records, and the letters their kingdoms left behind.

You will meet boy kings who vanished into towers and never came out, child rulers who outsmarted the adults circling their thrones, and monarchs whose entire reigns fit inside a childhood. Some episodes follow a single year that decided everything; others trace a whole life lived under a crown too heavy to carry. All of them treat the boy kings as what they were: children standing at the center of deadly games.

If you are drawn to royal history that reads like a slow-burning thriller, this is built for you. New episodes drop regularly. Subscribe now so the next of the boy kings lands the moment it goes live.]]>false101a382a-254e-527d-8783-8d52635f4658episodichttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-latin-stipend-that-kept-him-honored-and-cost-him-a-throne--74834012
The Latin stipend that kept him honored and cost him a throne

This episode explores the life of Lodovico, a Bulgarian prince who spent decades in exile before disappearing from historical records. What led a man of imperial birth to become a mercenary, and what became of him?

Person: Lodovico
Date: October 7, 1363
Location: Sienese prison
Status: Captured mercenary
Period: 14th century

- A Sienese chronicle records the capture of the emperor of Bulgaria and the bishop of Bulgaria among mercenary ranks.
- Lodovico, born before 1324, was the son of Michael Asen III, Emperor of Bulgaria.
- His father divorced his mother, Ana, in 1324, leading to Ana and her sons' removal from court.
- After his father's death in 1330, Lodovico and his family briefly returned to power before a coup forced them into a second exile.
- By 1338, Lodovico was living at King Robert of Naples' court, receiving a monthly stipend as a "distinguished" and "dearest nephew."

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74834012Thu, 10 Sep 2026 09:00:55 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTBorn to a royal bloodline, a Bulgarian prince vanishes from history after being captured as a mercenary. His Latin stipend kept him honored, but cost him a throne. The Latin stipend that kept him honored and cost him a throne This episode...
The Latin stipend that kept him honored and cost him a throne

This episode explores the life of Lodovico, a Bulgarian prince who spent decades in exile before disappearing from historical records. What led a man of imperial birth to become a mercenary, and what became of him?

Person: Lodovico
Date: October 7, 1363
Location: Sienese prison
Status: Captured mercenary
Period: 14th century

- A Sienese chronicle records the capture of the emperor of Bulgaria and the bishop of Bulgaria among mercenary ranks.
- Lodovico, born before 1324, was the son of Michael Asen III, Emperor of Bulgaria.
- His father divorced his mother, Ana, in 1324, leading to Ana and her sons' removal from court.
- After his father's death in 1330, Lodovico and his family briefly returned to power before a coup forced them into a second exile.
- By 1338, Lodovico was living at King Robert of Naples' court, receiving a monthly stipend as a "distinguished" and "dearest nephew."

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1489falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-walnut-shell-he-burned-into-flame-and-the-crown-it-cost-him--74834010
The walnut shell he burned into flame-and the crown it cost him

This episode explores the rise of Eunus, a Syrian slave who became a king in Sicily, leading a massive slave revolt against Roman rule. How did a man who was once property come to challenge the Roman order?

Person: Eunus
Date: 138 BCE
Location: Enna, Sicily
Event: First Servile War

- Eunus, born in Apamea, Syria, was sold into slavery and brought to Enna, Sicily.
- As a household slave, Eunus performed at dinner parties, claiming visions from the goddess Atargatis and breathing fire using a walnut shell.
- His master, Antigenes, and guests found his performances entertaining, often joking about his prophecy of becoming a king.
- Word of Eunus's divine connection and prophecy spread among the slave population on the Enna plateau.
- Eunus strategically aligned Atargatis with Sicily's goddess Demeter, making his message resonate with local slaves.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74834010Wed, 09 Sep 2026 09:01:23 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA slave in Sicily prophesies his own kingdom, breathing fire and claiming divine visions. His master laughs, but the prophecy of a slave rebellion soon comes true. The walnut shell he burned into flame-and the crown it cost him This episode...
The walnut shell he burned into flame-and the crown it cost him

This episode explores the rise of Eunus, a Syrian slave who became a king in Sicily, leading a massive slave revolt against Roman rule. How did a man who was once property come to challenge the Roman order?

Person: Eunus
Date: 138 BCE
Location: Enna, Sicily
Event: First Servile War

- Eunus, born in Apamea, Syria, was sold into slavery and brought to Enna, Sicily.
- As a household slave, Eunus performed at dinner parties, claiming visions from the goddess Atargatis and breathing fire using a walnut shell.
- His master, Antigenes, and guests found his performances entertaining, often joking about his prophecy of becoming a king.
- Word of Eunus's divine connection and prophecy spread among the slave population on the Enna plateau.
- Eunus strategically aligned Atargatis with Sicily's goddess Demeter, making his message resonate with local slaves.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1085falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-twenty-ninth-word-baptismal-name-that-cost-her-a-family-and-a-funeral--74834007
The twenty-ninth-word baptismal name that cost her a family and a funeral

This episode explores the life of a woman who built her identity around a claim to the Byzantine throne, a claim the world refused to confirm. It delves into the quiet, decades-long cost of such a life.

Person: Eugenie Paleologue
Date: August 30, 1934
Location: West Norwood Cemetery, London
Status: Descendant of the Grecian Emperors of Byzantium
Topic: Byzantine succession

- Eugenie's baptismal name was nineteen words long, a declaration of a claim to the Byzantine throne.
- Her father, Theodore, used multiple aliases, a signature of the Palaiologos claim.
- Eugenie traced her lineage to John VIII Palaiologos, who historians agree left no children.
- In 1869, Eugenie married Colonel Edmund Hill Wickham, with her marriage document recording her name as Eugeniue Attard.
- Her first public move in 1898 involved claiming royal honors in Greece, though no official record of these honors exists.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74834007Tue, 08 Sep 2026 09:01:30 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA woman spends her life petitioning European powers for a throne, her identity rooted in a 350-year-old Byzantine claim. What does it cost her? The twenty-ninth-word baptismal name that cost her a family and a funeral This episode explores the...
The twenty-ninth-word baptismal name that cost her a family and a funeral

This episode explores the life of a woman who built her identity around a claim to the Byzantine throne, a claim the world refused to confirm. It delves into the quiet, decades-long cost of such a life.

Person: Eugenie Paleologue
Date: August 30, 1934
Location: West Norwood Cemetery, London
Status: Descendant of the Grecian Emperors of Byzantium
Topic: Byzantine succession

- Eugenie's baptismal name was nineteen words long, a declaration of a claim to the Byzantine throne.
- Her father, Theodore, used multiple aliases, a signature of the Palaiologos claim.
- Eugenie traced her lineage to John VIII Palaiologos, who historians agree left no children.
- In 1869, Eugenie married Colonel Edmund Hill Wickham, with her marriage document recording her name as Eugeniue Attard.
- Her first public move in 1898 involved claiming royal honors in Greece, though no official record of these honors exists.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1078falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-parish-of-bishopwearmouth-funded-a-papal-throne-and-cost-him-rome--74834004
The parish of Bishopwearmouth funded a papal throne - and cost him Rome

In this episode, we follow the late fourteenth-century rise of Robert of Geneva from noble scion to pope and the institutions, incomes, and decisions that propelled him. What does it mean when a parish in County Durham underwrites the man later called the Butcher of Cesena?

Person: Robert of Geneva
Date: 1342 (birth), 1377 (Cesena massacre), 1378 (election)
Location: Bishopwearmouth, County Durham; Cesena; Avignon; Fondi; Rome
Status: Cardinal, papal legate, elected pope (Clement VII)
Topic: Western Schism, Cesena massacre, Church patronage

- Born into the House of Geneva at Château d'Annecy and raised within overlapping noble and ecclesiastical networks.
- Rapid ecclesiastical ascent: Prothonotary Apostolic at 17, Bishop of Thérouanne, Archbishop of Cambrai, made cardinal in 1371.
- Never visited his English rectorship at Bishopwearmouth, yet directed its documented income into his advancement.
- As papal legate in northern Italy he commanded forces and, after losses, authorized the systematic killing of Cesena's civilian population in winter 1377.
- Eighteen months after Cesena, cardinals at Fondi elected him pope (Clement VII), while Urban VI remained in Rome, setting the stage for the Western Schism.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74834004Mon, 07 Sep 2026 09:01:34 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA noble-born churchman who never set foot in England used the income from a County Durham parish to buy a papal throne - but what did it cost him? The parish of Bishopwearmouth funded a papal throne - and cost him Rome In this episode, we follow...
The parish of Bishopwearmouth funded a papal throne - and cost him Rome

In this episode, we follow the late fourteenth-century rise of Robert of Geneva from noble scion to pope and the institutions, incomes, and decisions that propelled him. What does it mean when a parish in County Durham underwrites the man later called the Butcher of Cesena?

Person: Robert of Geneva
Date: 1342 (birth), 1377 (Cesena massacre), 1378 (election)
Location: Bishopwearmouth, County Durham; Cesena; Avignon; Fondi; Rome
Status: Cardinal, papal legate, elected pope (Clement VII)
Topic: Western Schism, Cesena massacre, Church patronage

- Born into the House of Geneva at Château d'Annecy and raised within overlapping noble and ecclesiastical networks.
- Rapid ecclesiastical ascent: Prothonotary Apostolic at 17, Bishop of Thérouanne, Archbishop of Cambrai, made cardinal in 1371.
- Never visited his English rectorship at Bishopwearmouth, yet directed its documented income into his advancement.
- As papal legate in northern Italy he commanded forces and, after losses, authorized the systematic killing of Cesena's civilian population in winter 1377.
- Eighteen months after Cesena, cardinals at Fondi elected him pope (Clement VII), while Urban VI remained in Rome, setting the stage for the Western Schism.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1124falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-crown-he-held-visionary-fraud-or-king--74834002
The Crown He Held: Visionary, Fraud, or King?

This episode explores the life of Roger O'Connor, a man who spent 72 years asserting his royal lineage despite dying in humble circumstances. Was he a visionary, a fraud, or something else entirely?

Person: Roger O'Connor
Date: Died 1834
Location: County Cork, Ireland
Period: 18th-19th Century
Topic: Irish royalty claim

- Roger O'Connor was born into the Protestant Ascendancy in 1762, a time when religion dictated legal status and property rights in Ireland.
- His family claimed descent from Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair, the last High King of Ireland before the Norman invasion.
- Roger, a trained lawyer, had two brothers: Arthur, a revolutionary with the United Irishmen, and Robert, a loyalist sheriff.
- The death of their sister Anne by suicide, after the family refused her marriage to a Catholic man, created a permanent rift between Roger and Robert.
- In 1797, Roger was arrested and imprisoned without trial at Fort George in Scotland for his involvement with a nationalist journal, the Harp of Erin.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74834002Sun, 06 Sep 2026 09:01:34 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA man holds a crown, convinced it belongs to him, even as he dies in a fisherman's cottage. This is the story of a man's lifelong fight for a claim to Irish royalty. The Crown He Held: Visionary, Fraud, or King? This episode explores the life of...
The Crown He Held: Visionary, Fraud, or King?

This episode explores the life of Roger O'Connor, a man who spent 72 years asserting his royal lineage despite dying in humble circumstances. Was he a visionary, a fraud, or something else entirely?

Person: Roger O'Connor
Date: Died 1834
Location: County Cork, Ireland
Period: 18th-19th Century
Topic: Irish royalty claim

- Roger O'Connor was born into the Protestant Ascendancy in 1762, a time when religion dictated legal status and property rights in Ireland.
- His family claimed descent from Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair, the last High King of Ireland before the Norman invasion.
- Roger, a trained lawyer, had two brothers: Arthur, a revolutionary with the United Irishmen, and Robert, a loyalist sheriff.
- The death of their sister Anne by suicide, after the family refused her marriage to a Catholic man, created a permanent rift between Roger and Robert.
- In 1797, Roger was arrested and imprisoned without trial at Fort George in Scotland for his involvement with a nationalist journal, the Harp of Erin.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1252falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-thirteen-cadets-he-promoted-who-returned-as-the-officers-who-toppled-him--74834001
The thirteen cadets he promoted who returned as the officers who toppled him

In this episode, we follow Muhammad al-Badr’s brief transformation from crown prince to king and the pivotal choices he made in the years before his seven-day reign. What did it cost him to modernize, befriend foreign powers, and elevate the men who would one day lead a coup?

Person: Muhammad al-Badr
Date: Reign began September 18, 1962; palace attack September 26, 1962
Location: Yemen; port of Hodeidah; Cairo; Moscow
Event: Promotion of thirteen cadets in 1956; formation of Free Officers Movement in 1960
Decision: Amnesty, abolition of hostage system, cancellation of tax arrears, 50% military pay raise

- He traveled to Cairo in 1954, built a relationship with Gamal Abdel Nasser and accepted Egyptian military training for Yemeni cadets.
- In 1956 he opened Hodeidah port, praised Soviet crews as “brothers,” and traveled to Moscow with twelve ministers for Soviet credit and military cooperation.
- He personally promoted thirteen Egyptian-trained cadets to first lieutenant and greeted them at Hodeidah when they returned.
- Those thirteen cadets later formed the Free Officers Movement in 1960 and were named in planning for the 1962 coup.
- After becoming king on September 18, 1962, he announced sweeping reforms-amnesty, end of hostage system, canceled old taxes, and raised military pay by 50%-during a seven-day reign.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74834001Sat, 05 Sep 2026 09:01:48 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA young king in Yemen opens his country to Soviet aid and promotes thirteen cadets - then watches the officers he raised turn against him. The thirteen cadets he promoted who returned as the officers who toppled him In this episode, we follow...
The thirteen cadets he promoted who returned as the officers who toppled him

In this episode, we follow Muhammad al-Badr’s brief transformation from crown prince to king and the pivotal choices he made in the years before his seven-day reign. What did it cost him to modernize, befriend foreign powers, and elevate the men who would one day lead a coup?

Person: Muhammad al-Badr
Date: Reign began September 18, 1962; palace attack September 26, 1962
Location: Yemen; port of Hodeidah; Cairo; Moscow
Event: Promotion of thirteen cadets in 1956; formation of Free Officers Movement in 1960
Decision: Amnesty, abolition of hostage system, cancellation of tax arrears, 50% military pay raise

- He traveled to Cairo in 1954, built a relationship with Gamal Abdel Nasser and accepted Egyptian military training for Yemeni cadets.
- In 1956 he opened Hodeidah port, praised Soviet crews as “brothers,” and traveled to Moscow with twelve ministers for Soviet credit and military cooperation.
- He personally promoted thirteen Egyptian-trained cadets to first lieutenant and greeted them at Hodeidah when they returned.
- Those thirteen cadets later formed the Free Officers Movement in 1960 and were named in planning for the 1962 coup.
- After becoming king on September 18, 1962, he announced sweeping reforms-amnesty, end of hostage system, canceled old taxes, and raised military pay by 50%-during a seven-day reign.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1014falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-title-that-crowned-a-five-year-old-cost-him-thirty-two-years-of-power--74833999
The title that crowned a five‑year‑old cost him thirty‑two years of power

In this episode, we trace the thirty‑two years that began with a four‑year‑old heir, a dead father, and a mother who steered a fragile regency through war, diplomacy, and courtly maneuvering. We follow the decisions, rivalries, and rituals that shaped a reign that looked sovereign on coins but was contested at every turn - what did that crown demand of him?

Person: Majd al-Dawla (born Abu Talib Rustam)
Person: Sayyida Shirin
Person: Fakhr al-Dawla
Date: 997 (death of Fakhr al-Dawla); 1005 (Majd al-Dawla adopts shahanshah)
Location: Ray
Event: Library burned three days after Mahmud of Ghazni challenged a claim of reading every book

- A five‑year‑old was publicly invested with the title Majd al-Dawla wa‑Falak al‑umma by the Abbasid caliph at Baha al‑Dawla’s arrangement.
- Sayyida Shirin, a Bavandid princess, acted as regent and rejected outside military patrons to keep loyalty centered on her sons.
- Buyid rule in Ray was contested by Ziyarids, Sallarids, and Hasanwayhids who seized territories shortly after Fakhr al‑Dawla’s death.
- Majd al‑Dawla was tutored by the grammarian Ibn Faris until the scholar’s death when the prince was eleven; no surviving works bear the prince’s name.
- In spring 1029, after a confrontation with Mahmud of Ghazni over a claim of having read his library, Ray’s library was burned and Majd al‑Dawla was led away.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833999Fri, 04 Sep 2026 09:01:37 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA young boy crowned in Ray inherits a gilded title while his mother holds the reins, but power slips away and a library burns-what did it cost him? The title that crowned a five‑year‑old cost him thirty‑two years of power In this episode, we...
The title that crowned a five‑year‑old cost him thirty‑two years of power

In this episode, we trace the thirty‑two years that began with a four‑year‑old heir, a dead father, and a mother who steered a fragile regency through war, diplomacy, and courtly maneuvering. We follow the decisions, rivalries, and rituals that shaped a reign that looked sovereign on coins but was contested at every turn - what did that crown demand of him?

Person: Majd al-Dawla (born Abu Talib Rustam)
Person: Sayyida Shirin
Person: Fakhr al-Dawla
Date: 997 (death of Fakhr al-Dawla); 1005 (Majd al-Dawla adopts shahanshah)
Location: Ray
Event: Library burned three days after Mahmud of Ghazni challenged a claim of reading every book

- A five‑year‑old was publicly invested with the title Majd al-Dawla wa‑Falak al‑umma by the Abbasid caliph at Baha al‑Dawla’s arrangement.
- Sayyida Shirin, a Bavandid princess, acted as regent and rejected outside military patrons to keep loyalty centered on her sons.
- Buyid rule in Ray was contested by Ziyarids, Sallarids, and Hasanwayhids who seized territories shortly after Fakhr al‑Dawla’s death.
- Majd al‑Dawla was tutored by the grammarian Ibn Faris until the scholar’s death when the prince was eleven; no surviving works bear the prince’s name.
- In spring 1029, after a confrontation with Mahmud of Ghazni over a claim of having read his library, Ray’s library was burned and Majd al‑Dawla was led away.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1027falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-crown-he-placed-himself-that-earned-him-four-excommunications--74833995
The crown he placed himself that earned him four excommunications

This episode explores the life of Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, from his contested birth to his self-coronation in Jerusalem. It delves into the political and religious landscape that shaped a ruler known as "Stupor mundi."

Person: Frederick II
Date: March 18, 1229
Location: Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem
Status: Excommunicated
Period: 13th Century

- Frederick II, at 34, crowned himself King of Jerusalem in an empty church, having been excommunicated multiple times.
- Born in Jesi in 1194, Frederick's legitimacy was questioned due to his mother Constance's age, leading to rumors of a faked pregnancy.
- Orphaned at age three, Frederick was raised in Palermo, a cosmopolitan city where he learned five languages and observed diverse cultures.
- As a teenager, he crossed the Alps with a small retinue to claim the German kingship from Otto IV, relying on papal support and his strategic mind.
- At 18, Frederick was crowned King of Germany in Mainz Cathedral, having outmaneuvered the reigning emperor.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833995Thu, 03 Sep 2026 09:01:31 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA Holy Roman Emperor crowns himself in Jerusalem, defying every religious authority and facing repeated excommunication. This is the story of a monarch who challenged the very structure of his world. The crown he placed himself that earned him four...
The crown he placed himself that earned him four excommunications

This episode explores the life of Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, from his contested birth to his self-coronation in Jerusalem. It delves into the political and religious landscape that shaped a ruler known as "Stupor mundi."

Person: Frederick II
Date: March 18, 1229
Location: Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem
Status: Excommunicated
Period: 13th Century

- Frederick II, at 34, crowned himself King of Jerusalem in an empty church, having been excommunicated multiple times.
- Born in Jesi in 1194, Frederick's legitimacy was questioned due to his mother Constance's age, leading to rumors of a faked pregnancy.
- Orphaned at age three, Frederick was raised in Palermo, a cosmopolitan city where he learned five languages and observed diverse cultures.
- As a teenager, he crossed the Alps with a small retinue to claim the German kingship from Otto IV, relying on papal support and his strategic mind.
- At 18, Frederick was crowned King of Germany in Mainz Cathedral, having outmaneuvered the reigning emperor.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1314falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-twenty-three-year-old-ordered-212-burned-and-won-three-fragile-crowns--74833993
The twenty‑three‑year‑old ordered 212 burned and won three fragile crowns

In this episode, we trace the sixteen years that lead to a single morning in March 1421 when a precise count-ninety‑two men and one hundred and twenty women-were executed south of Vienna. We follow the young duke’s rise from a child under regency to a ruler balancing piety, politics, and the brutal tools of authority, asking how those choices reshaped his rule and the duchy.

Person: Albert, later called Albert the Magnanimous
Event: Burning of 212 people
Date: March 12, 1421
Location: Field south of Vienna
Context: Assumption of ducal power at age thirteen after a fractious regency

- Inherits the duchy at seven and grows up amid competing uncles and a fragile regency.
- Vienna bears recent plague scars and a burned synagogue in 1406 after riots with little ducal intervention.
- Assumes government at thirteen, displacing the men who ruled in his name and seeking Church backing.
- Funds military campaigns against the Hussites by repeatedly taxing the Jewish community under ducal protection.
- Accusations escalate from alleged collaboration with Hussites to profaning the host, requiring only ducal authority to act.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833993Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:15:19 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA 23‑year‑old duke orders 212 burned south of Vienna; what did it cost him as he fights for power and crowns in the Holy Roman Empire? The twenty‑three‑year‑old ordered 212 burned and won three fragile crowns In this episode, we trace the...
The twenty‑three‑year‑old ordered 212 burned and won three fragile crowns

In this episode, we trace the sixteen years that lead to a single morning in March 1421 when a precise count-ninety‑two men and one hundred and twenty women-were executed south of Vienna. We follow the young duke’s rise from a child under regency to a ruler balancing piety, politics, and the brutal tools of authority, asking how those choices reshaped his rule and the duchy.

Person: Albert, later called Albert the Magnanimous
Event: Burning of 212 people
Date: March 12, 1421
Location: Field south of Vienna
Context: Assumption of ducal power at age thirteen after a fractious regency

- Inherits the duchy at seven and grows up amid competing uncles and a fragile regency.
- Vienna bears recent plague scars and a burned synagogue in 1406 after riots with little ducal intervention.
- Assumes government at thirteen, displacing the men who ruled in his name and seeking Church backing.
- Funds military campaigns against the Hussites by repeatedly taxing the Jewish community under ducal protection.
- Accusations escalate from alleged collaboration with Hussites to profaning the host, requiring only ducal authority to act.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1119falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-crown-put-on-a-three-year-old-that-cost-him-a-lifetime-of-war--74833992
The crown put on a three‑year‑old that cost him a lifetime of war

In this episode, we follow the life of Sigurd Haraldsson from his proclamation as a child-king to the moment violence closes in on him in Bergen. The episode traces the political maneuvers, fosterage, rival claimants and kinship rivalries that made a child’s crown the spark for decades of war and asks what legacy that cost created.

Person: Sigurd Haraldsson (Sigurd Munn)
Date: February 6, 1155
Location: Bergen, Norway
Event: Proclamation as co-king at age three; later killed in a wooden house
Person: Harald Gille (father); Sigurd Slembe (claimant and killer of Harald)

- Proclaimed co-king as a three-year-old at the Eyrathing to serve as a legal focal point for magnates
- Fostered in Trøndelag by a man named Guttorm (Sådegyrd Bårdsson), kept away from the coastal courts
- Faced rival claimants including Sigurd Slembe and Magnus the Blind, leading to battles like Holmengrå (1139)
- Shared the throne with brothers Eystein and Inge amid factional power plays, with Inge’s mother Ingrid acting as a political organizer
- Described in sagas as physically capable with a distinctive mouth; surviving accounts were written by authors with political biases

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833992Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:15:15 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA king crowned at three stands in a Bergen house with too few men while his brother waits outside - what did it cost him? (keyword: medieval Norway) The crown put on a three‑year‑old that cost him a lifetime of war In this episode, we follow the...
The crown put on a three‑year‑old that cost him a lifetime of war

In this episode, we follow the life of Sigurd Haraldsson from his proclamation as a child-king to the moment violence closes in on him in Bergen. The episode traces the political maneuvers, fosterage, rival claimants and kinship rivalries that made a child’s crown the spark for decades of war and asks what legacy that cost created.

Person: Sigurd Haraldsson (Sigurd Munn)
Date: February 6, 1155
Location: Bergen, Norway
Event: Proclamation as co-king at age three; later killed in a wooden house
Person: Harald Gille (father); Sigurd Slembe (claimant and killer of Harald)

- Proclaimed co-king as a three-year-old at the Eyrathing to serve as a legal focal point for magnates
- Fostered in Trøndelag by a man named Guttorm (Sådegyrd Bårdsson), kept away from the coastal courts
- Faced rival claimants including Sigurd Slembe and Magnus the Blind, leading to battles like Holmengrå (1139)
- Shared the throne with brothers Eystein and Inge amid factional power plays, with Inge’s mother Ingrid acting as a political organizer
- Described in sagas as physically capable with a distinctive mouth; surviving accounts were written by authors with political biases

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1368falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/refusing-to-dismiss-goworek-cost-leszek-decades-of-rule--74833989
Refusing to dismiss Goworek cost Leszek decades of rule

In this episode, we follow Leszek the White from a child duke under his mother’s regency to a man defending his claim to Kraków amid factional warfare. We trace the decisions, alliances, and battles that shaped his path and ask what refusing to remove his trusted collaborator cost him and his realm.

Person: Leszek the White
Person: Goworek
Date: 1194-1227
Location: Kraków; Gąsawa; Marcinkowo
Event: Battle of Mozgawa; Gąsawa meeting and attack

- A nine-year-old Leszek inherits the seniorate after Casimir II dies and is protected by his mother Helen of Znojmo acting as regent.
- Mikołaj Gryfita provides military backing that holds Kraków for eight years while Helen builds alliances.
- Leszek fights Mieszko III’s coalition at the inconclusive Battle of Mozgawa, suffering heavy losses and learning the cost of his inheritance.
- Gryfita demands that Leszek dismiss his closest collaborator Goworek to secure control of Kraków; Leszek refuses.
- That refusal triggers a decades-long struggle over Kraków, culminating in a deadly ambush after a peace meeting at Gąsawa.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833989Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:15:11 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA High Duke refuses to dismiss his closest ally at Kraków’s gates and risks everything to keep a promise-what did it cost him? Refusing to dismiss Goworek cost Leszek decades of rule In this episode, we follow Leszek the White from a child duke...
Refusing to dismiss Goworek cost Leszek decades of rule

In this episode, we follow Leszek the White from a child duke under his mother’s regency to a man defending his claim to Kraków amid factional warfare. We trace the decisions, alliances, and battles that shaped his path and ask what refusing to remove his trusted collaborator cost him and his realm.

Person: Leszek the White
Person: Goworek
Date: 1194-1227
Location: Kraków; Gąsawa; Marcinkowo
Event: Battle of Mozgawa; Gąsawa meeting and attack

- A nine-year-old Leszek inherits the seniorate after Casimir II dies and is protected by his mother Helen of Znojmo acting as regent.
- Mikołaj Gryfita provides military backing that holds Kraków for eight years while Helen builds alliances.
- Leszek fights Mieszko III’s coalition at the inconclusive Battle of Mozgawa, suffering heavy losses and learning the cost of his inheritance.
- Gryfita demands that Leszek dismiss his closest collaborator Goworek to secure control of Kraków; Leszek refuses.
- That refusal triggers a decades-long struggle over Kraków, culminating in a deadly ambush after a peace meeting at Gąsawa.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1219falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-armored-carriage-that-stopped-a-bomb-and-cost-him-a-crown-s-faith--74833987
The armored carriage that stopped a bomb - and cost him a crown's faith

In this episode, we follow Alfonso XIII from his birth as a king to the moment an armored carriage shields him and his new wife from a wedding-day bomb. We trace the early influences on his rule, the loss of empire, and the decisions that set his reign on a perilous course-what did it cost him?

Person: Alfonso XIII
Date: May 31, 1906
Location: Madrid
Event: Bomb thrown at wedding carriage
Engineer: Jan Szczepanik

- Born king on May 17, 1886, Alfonso never experienced life outside the crown and was presented to the prime minister minutes after birth.
- Educated by military instructors, a liberal professor Vicente Santamaría de Paredes, and conservative priest José Fernández de la Montaña, producing conflicting instincts.
- At age twelve he witnessed the 1898 loss of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines-Spain’s “disaster” that reshaped national identity.
- He married Victoria Eugenia in 1906 after she converted to Catholicism despite royal opposition; the carriage was armored by Polish engineer Jan Szczepanik.
- A bomb thrown by Mateu Morral during the wedding procession killed dozens in the crowd while Alfonso and Victoria escaped unharmed inside the armored carriage.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833987Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:15:07 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA teenage king rides through Madrid in an armored wedding carriage after a bomb; the question is what his choices cost him. The armored carriage that stopped a bomb - and cost him a crown's faith In this episode, we follow Alfonso XIII from his...
The armored carriage that stopped a bomb - and cost him a crown's faith

In this episode, we follow Alfonso XIII from his birth as a king to the moment an armored carriage shields him and his new wife from a wedding-day bomb. We trace the early influences on his rule, the loss of empire, and the decisions that set his reign on a perilous course-what did it cost him?

Person: Alfonso XIII
Date: May 31, 1906
Location: Madrid
Event: Bomb thrown at wedding carriage
Engineer: Jan Szczepanik

- Born king on May 17, 1886, Alfonso never experienced life outside the crown and was presented to the prime minister minutes after birth.
- Educated by military instructors, a liberal professor Vicente Santamaría de Paredes, and conservative priest José Fernández de la Montaña, producing conflicting instincts.
- At age twelve he witnessed the 1898 loss of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines-Spain’s “disaster” that reshaped national identity.
- He married Victoria Eugenia in 1906 after she converted to Catholicism despite royal opposition; the carriage was armored by Polish engineer Jan Szczepanik.
- A bomb thrown by Mateu Morral during the wedding procession killed dozens in the crowd while Alfonso and Victoria escaped unharmed inside the armored carriage.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1183falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/blinded-by-brotherhood-the-king-who-built-his-own-prison--74833985
Blinded by Brotherhood: The King Who Built His Own Prison

This episode explores the life of Álmos of Hungary, a prince whose ambition to rule led to a decades-long conflict with his brother, King Coloman. It delves into the complex dynamics of power and family in a medieval kingdom.

Person: Álmos of Hungary
Period: 11th-12th Century
Dynasty: Árpád
Location: Hungary
Event: Royal succession crisis

- Álmos and his son were blinded in 1127, fourteen years before Álmos's death.
- Álmos built a monastery at Dömös, which later became his prison.
- The Árpád dynasty, ruling since the late 900s, converted to Christianity under Stephen I.
- Ladislaus I, uncle to Álmos and Coloman, initially named Álmos his heir before changing his mind.
- In 1097, during a military campaign, the armies of Álmos and Coloman refused to fight each other across the Tisza River.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833985Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:15:03 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA Hungarian prince, promised a crown, is instead given a dukedom. His attempts to reclaim his birthright lead to a bitter royal succession struggle. Blinded by Brotherhood: The King Who Built His Own Prison This episode explores the life of...
Blinded by Brotherhood: The King Who Built His Own Prison

This episode explores the life of Álmos of Hungary, a prince whose ambition to rule led to a decades-long conflict with his brother, King Coloman. It delves into the complex dynamics of power and family in a medieval kingdom.

Person: Álmos of Hungary
Period: 11th-12th Century
Dynasty: Árpád
Location: Hungary
Event: Royal succession crisis

- Álmos and his son were blinded in 1127, fourteen years before Álmos's death.
- Álmos built a monastery at Dömös, which later became his prison.
- The Árpád dynasty, ruling since the late 900s, converted to Christianity under Stephen I.
- Ladislaus I, uncle to Álmos and Coloman, initially named Álmos his heir before changing his mind.
- In 1097, during a military campaign, the armies of Álmos and Coloman refused to fight each other across the Tisza River.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1093falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-fifteen-year-old-marriage-that-handed-him-four-fortresses-and-a-lifetime-of-claims--74833983
The fifteen-year-old marriage that handed him four fortresses-and a lifetime of claims

This episode explores the life of Philip of Taranto, a man who spent decades accumulating rights to territories he would never physically possess. It delves into the world of medieval dynastic ambition and the true cost of an empire built on parchment.

Person: Philip of Taranto
Date: July 29, 1313
Location: Fontainebleau, France
Event: Redistribution of the throne of Constantinople
Period: Late 13th to early 14th century

- Philip of Taranto, at 34, held more titles than most kings but had never visited his most important territories.
- Born in Naples in 1278, Philip was a younger son, inheriting distant and difficult territorial claims.
- In 1294, Philip was named Prince of Taranto and married by proxy to Thamar Angelina Komnene.
- Thamar's dowry included four fortresses: Vonitsa, Vrachova, Gjirokastër, and Naupactus.
- At 15, Philip received suzerainty of Achaea, the Kingdom of Albania, and Angevin rights to the Latin Empire.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833983Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:14:59 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA medieval prince inherits an empire of paper, built on dynastic claims and strategic marriages. His life becomes a quest for lands he may never hold. The fifteen-year-old marriage that handed him four fortresses-and a lifetime of claims This...
The fifteen-year-old marriage that handed him four fortresses-and a lifetime of claims

This episode explores the life of Philip of Taranto, a man who spent decades accumulating rights to territories he would never physically possess. It delves into the world of medieval dynastic ambition and the true cost of an empire built on parchment.

Person: Philip of Taranto
Date: July 29, 1313
Location: Fontainebleau, France
Event: Redistribution of the throne of Constantinople
Period: Late 13th to early 14th century

- Philip of Taranto, at 34, held more titles than most kings but had never visited his most important territories.
- Born in Naples in 1278, Philip was a younger son, inheriting distant and difficult territorial claims.
- In 1294, Philip was named Prince of Taranto and married by proxy to Thamar Angelina Komnene.
- Thamar's dowry included four fortresses: Vonitsa, Vrachova, Gjirokastër, and Naupactus.
- At 15, Philip received suzerainty of Achaea, the Kingdom of Albania, and Angevin rights to the Latin Empire.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1032falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-boy-king-erased-a-dynasty-s-bloody-end--74833981
The Boy King Erased: A Dynasty's Bloody End

This episode explores the dramatic events surrounding Prince Gustav, a child who became the unlikely reason an aristocratic faction destroyed itself and took down one of Sweden's most powerful men. What led to a parliament voting to erase a child from history?

Person: Prince Gustav
Date: May 10, 1809
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Event: Parliament votes to erase Prince Gustav from history
Period: Age of Liberty, Gustavian era

- Sweden's "Age of Liberty" in 1719 saw the Riksdag, or parliament, hold significant power after Charles XII died without an heir.
- Gustav III staged a coup in 1772, restoring absolute monarchy and marginalizing aristocrats who thrived under parliamentary power.
- Gustav III, a monarch with a love for theater and French culture, reformed the Swedish military uniform and built a court mirroring Versailles.
- Axel von Fersen the Younger, a close associate of Gustav III, witnessed the French Revolution and returned to Sweden with its lessons.
- Gustav III was assassinated at a masked ball in 1792 by Jacob Johan Anckarström, an act tied to the aristocratic opposition.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833981Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:14:56 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA ten-year-old Swedish prince is erased from history by parliament, becoming the focal point of a political struggle that consumes a dynasty. The Boy King Erased: A Dynasty's Bloody End This episode explores the dramatic events surrounding...
The Boy King Erased: A Dynasty's Bloody End

This episode explores the dramatic events surrounding Prince Gustav, a child who became the unlikely reason an aristocratic faction destroyed itself and took down one of Sweden's most powerful men. What led to a parliament voting to erase a child from history?

Person: Prince Gustav
Date: May 10, 1809
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Event: Parliament votes to erase Prince Gustav from history
Period: Age of Liberty, Gustavian era

- Sweden's "Age of Liberty" in 1719 saw the Riksdag, or parliament, hold significant power after Charles XII died without an heir.
- Gustav III staged a coup in 1772, restoring absolute monarchy and marginalizing aristocrats who thrived under parliamentary power.
- Gustav III, a monarch with a love for theater and French culture, reformed the Swedish military uniform and built a court mirroring Versailles.
- Axel von Fersen the Younger, a close associate of Gustav III, witnessed the French Revolution and returned to Sweden with its lessons.
- Gustav III was assassinated at a masked ball in 1792 by Jacob Johan Anckarström, an act tied to the aristocratic opposition.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1053falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-face-that-cost-andriscus-his-life-and-a-crown--74833979
The Face That Cost Andriscus His Life and a Crown

This episode explores the story of Andriscus, a man who claimed to be the son of the last Macedonian king, Perseus, and the profound identity crisis his appearance caused in the ancient world. How did a common fuller come to threaten the most powerful empire on earth?

Person: Andriscus (Philip the Sixth)
Date: 168 BC (Battle of Pydna)
Location: Macedon, Adramyttium, Rome
Status: Self-proclaimed king
Event: Macedonian Wars

- Andriscus, a fuller from Adramyttium, claimed to be the illegitimate son of King Perseus of Macedon.
- He arrived in royal courts carrying a sealed parchment allegedly from Perseus and two addresses for treasure hoards, both of which he located.
- Rome had defeated Perseus at Pydna, ending the Macedonian kingdom and dividing the territory into four republics.
- The Roman Senate initially dismissed Andriscus as an imaginary figure, sending him back to the East.
- Andriscus's physical resemblance to Perseus was a powerful credential in ancient courts, where visual recognition held significant authority.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833979Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:14:51 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA cloth-worker from a provincial town crowns himself king of Macedon, challenging Rome's authority. His claim to the throne rests on a striking resemblance to a dead king. The Face That Cost Andriscus His Life and a Crown This episode explores...
The Face That Cost Andriscus His Life and a Crown

This episode explores the story of Andriscus, a man who claimed to be the son of the last Macedonian king, Perseus, and the profound identity crisis his appearance caused in the ancient world. How did a common fuller come to threaten the most powerful empire on earth?

Person: Andriscus (Philip the Sixth)
Date: 168 BC (Battle of Pydna)
Location: Macedon, Adramyttium, Rome
Status: Self-proclaimed king
Event: Macedonian Wars

- Andriscus, a fuller from Adramyttium, claimed to be the illegitimate son of King Perseus of Macedon.
- He arrived in royal courts carrying a sealed parchment allegedly from Perseus and two addresses for treasure hoards, both of which he located.
- Rome had defeated Perseus at Pydna, ending the Macedonian kingdom and dividing the territory into four republics.
- The Roman Senate initially dismissed Andriscus as an imaginary figure, sending him back to the East.
- Andriscus's physical resemblance to Perseus was a powerful credential in ancient courts, where visual recognition held significant authority.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1235falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-debt-he-signed-in-desperation-emptied-his-throne-and-exile--74833976
The debt he signed in desperation emptied his throne and exile

This episode explores the life of Ahmed Zogu, a man who survived numerous assassination attempts and political upheavals, yet faced an insurmountable challenge from a desperate debt. It delves into the contradictions of his life, from a powerful leader to a man in exile.

Person: Ahmed Zogu
Date: 1895 (birth)
Location: Burgajet Castle, Albania
Event: Albanian Declaration of Independence (1912)
Status: Youngest Prime Minister in Albanian history (1922)

- Ahmed Zogu was born in 1895 into a world governed by the Kanun, an ancient code of customary law in the Albanian highlands.
- Approximately six hundred blood feuds were registered against him over his lifetime, reflecting the turbulent world he inhabited.
- At 17, he represented the Mat District in the 1912 declaration of Albania's independence from the Ottoman Empire.
- In 1922, he became the youngest Prime Minister in Albanian history at 27, changing his name from Zogolli to Zogu as a signal of new intent.
- In 1924, he survived two close-range bullet wounds in the Albanian Parliament, an event that highlighted the volatile political landscape.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833976Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:14:47 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA king who was never formally crowned carries his country's gold out of its national bank, only to face a debt that threatens his throne and exile. The debt he signed in desperation emptied his throne and exile This episode explores the life of...
The debt he signed in desperation emptied his throne and exile

This episode explores the life of Ahmed Zogu, a man who survived numerous assassination attempts and political upheavals, yet faced an insurmountable challenge from a desperate debt. It delves into the contradictions of his life, from a powerful leader to a man in exile.

Person: Ahmed Zogu
Date: 1895 (birth)
Location: Burgajet Castle, Albania
Event: Albanian Declaration of Independence (1912)
Status: Youngest Prime Minister in Albanian history (1922)

- Ahmed Zogu was born in 1895 into a world governed by the Kanun, an ancient code of customary law in the Albanian highlands.
- Approximately six hundred blood feuds were registered against him over his lifetime, reflecting the turbulent world he inhabited.
- At 17, he represented the Mat District in the 1912 declaration of Albania's independence from the Ottoman Empire.
- In 1922, he became the youngest Prime Minister in Albanian history at 27, changing his name from Zogolli to Zogu as a signal of new intent.
- In 1924, he survived two close-range bullet wounds in the Albanian Parliament, an event that highlighted the volatile political landscape.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1143falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-exile-that-kept-him-crowned-but-cost-him-a-country--74833972
The exile that kept him crowned but cost him a country

This episode explores the life of Otto von Habsburg, born into an empire that vanished before he turned six. It delves into the costs of outliving the world that shaped you.

Person: Otto von Habsburg
Date: November 20, 1912 (baptism)
Location: Villa Wartholz, Austrian Alps
Status: Crown Prince, exile
Event: Assassination of Archduke Franz Joseph

- Otto von Habsburg was baptized with twenty-two names, each carrying a saint, dynasty, bloodline, and political alliance.
- His godfather was Emperor Franz Joseph I, who had reigned since 1848 over the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
- After the assassination of Archduke Franz Joseph and the death of Emperor Franz Joseph, Otto's father, Archduke Charles, became Emperor Karl I.
- In 1919, the Habsburg Law stripped the dynasty of its Austrian properties and exiled the family, barring male Habsburgs from returning unless they renounced their claims.
- Rudolf Hess issued a personal order for Otto von Habsburg's immediate execution if caught on German-controlled territory.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833972Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:14:43 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA boy crowned at four becomes a man sentenced to death at twenty-five. A stateless exile, he must navigate a continent at war. The exile that kept him crowned but cost him a country This episode explores the life of Otto von Habsburg, born into...
The exile that kept him crowned but cost him a country

This episode explores the life of Otto von Habsburg, born into an empire that vanished before he turned six. It delves into the costs of outliving the world that shaped you.

Person: Otto von Habsburg
Date: November 20, 1912 (baptism)
Location: Villa Wartholz, Austrian Alps
Status: Crown Prince, exile
Event: Assassination of Archduke Franz Joseph

- Otto von Habsburg was baptized with twenty-two names, each carrying a saint, dynasty, bloodline, and political alliance.
- His godfather was Emperor Franz Joseph I, who had reigned since 1848 over the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
- After the assassination of Archduke Franz Joseph and the death of Emperor Franz Joseph, Otto's father, Archduke Charles, became Emperor Karl I.
- In 1919, the Habsburg Law stripped the dynasty of its Austrian properties and exiled the family, barring male Habsburgs from returning unless they renounced their claims.
- Rudolf Hess issued a personal order for Otto von Habsburg's immediate execution if caught on German-controlled territory.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>993falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-blinding-that-kept-him-prince-and-cost-his-heirs-thirty-years--74833971
The blinding that kept him prince and cost his heirs thirty years

In this episode, we trace how a ten-year-old heir, a decades-old testament, and a death in Lithuania set off a dynastic struggle. We follow the decisions, battles, exiles, and the brutal political logic that kept Vasily II on the throne and fractured his family for decades - but what price did his rule extract?

Person: Vasily II
Date: 1425-1445 (key events)
Location: Moscow, Kolomna, Suzdal
Event: Succession dispute after Vasily I’s death
Topic: Blinding as political removal

- A testament by Dmitry Donskoy appointed horizontal succession to Yuri, creating a legal claim against Vasily I’s son.
- Sophia of Lithuania used her father Vytautas’s military shadow to protect her ten-year-old son for five years.
- Yuri of Zvenigorod waited until Vytautas died in 1430 before moving on Moscow and captured Vasily II in 1433, exiling him to Kolomna.
- After Yuri’s sudden death in 1434, his sons fought over Moscow; Vasily II and Dmitry Donskoy captured and blinded Vasily Kosoy in 1435.
- In 1445 Vasily II was captured at Suzdal by Ulugh Muhammad, held for about five months, and returned to Moscow after an enormous ransom paid by boyars, church, and merchants.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833971Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:14:39 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA blinded Grand Prince rules Moscow from darkness while rival claimants circle his throne - what did it cost him? The blinding that kept him prince and cost his heirs thirty years In this episode, we trace how a ten-year-old heir, a decades-old...
The blinding that kept him prince and cost his heirs thirty years

In this episode, we trace how a ten-year-old heir, a decades-old testament, and a death in Lithuania set off a dynastic struggle. We follow the decisions, battles, exiles, and the brutal political logic that kept Vasily II on the throne and fractured his family for decades - but what price did his rule extract?

Person: Vasily II
Date: 1425-1445 (key events)
Location: Moscow, Kolomna, Suzdal
Event: Succession dispute after Vasily I’s death
Topic: Blinding as political removal

- A testament by Dmitry Donskoy appointed horizontal succession to Yuri, creating a legal claim against Vasily I’s son.
- Sophia of Lithuania used her father Vytautas’s military shadow to protect her ten-year-old son for five years.
- Yuri of Zvenigorod waited until Vytautas died in 1430 before moving on Moscow and captured Vasily II in 1433, exiling him to Kolomna.
- After Yuri’s sudden death in 1434, his sons fought over Moscow; Vasily II and Dmitry Donskoy captured and blinded Vasily Kosoy in 1435.
- In 1445 Vasily II was captured at Suzdal by Ulugh Muhammad, held for about five months, and returned to Moscow after an enormous ransom paid by boyars, church, and merchants.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1105falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-birthmark-that-made-him-the-boy-king-and-cost-him-a-childhood--74833969
The birthmark that made him the boy king and cost him a childhood

In this episode, we trace the early life of James II of Scotland from his birth at Holyrood to the castle where he was crowned and kept. We follow the people, places and power plays that surrounded his childhood and ask how a crown became a cage.

Person: James II of Scotland
Date: 16 October 1430 (birth); 26 March 1437 (coronation)
Location: Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh; Edinburgh Castle; Stirling Castle; Dunbar Castle
Event: Assassination of James I (21 February 1437); coronation of James II (26 March 1437)
Status: Crowned at age six; mother Joan died 15 July 1445 while besieged

- Born a twin at Holyrood with a conspicuous “fyre mark” on his face that defined how contemporaries remembered him.
- His father James I was assassinated in Perth after a sealed escape route trapped him, leaving the six-year-old as king.
- Coronated inside Edinburgh Castle because the streets were too dangerous, and the execution of the alleged murderer happened the same day.
- First guardian John Spens had ties to the man executed for the king’s father’s murder, then was expelled while others with divided loyalties filled the household.
- Queen Joan tried to move James to Stirling but Alexander Livingston intercepted them, detained the queen and kept the boy under his control as she later died besieged.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833969Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:14:35 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA six-year-old crowned inside a fortress, marked by a birthmark and hunted by guardians who betrayed him - what did it cost him? (keyword: Scottish king) The birthmark that made him the boy king and cost him a childhood In this episode, we trace...
The birthmark that made him the boy king and cost him a childhood

In this episode, we trace the early life of James II of Scotland from his birth at Holyrood to the castle where he was crowned and kept. We follow the people, places and power plays that surrounded his childhood and ask how a crown became a cage.

Person: James II of Scotland
Date: 16 October 1430 (birth); 26 March 1437 (coronation)
Location: Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh; Edinburgh Castle; Stirling Castle; Dunbar Castle
Event: Assassination of James I (21 February 1437); coronation of James II (26 March 1437)
Status: Crowned at age six; mother Joan died 15 July 1445 while besieged

- Born a twin at Holyrood with a conspicuous “fyre mark” on his face that defined how contemporaries remembered him.
- His father James I was assassinated in Perth after a sealed escape route trapped him, leaving the six-year-old as king.
- Coronated inside Edinburgh Castle because the streets were too dangerous, and the execution of the alleged murderer happened the same day.
- First guardian John Spens had ties to the man executed for the king’s father’s murder, then was expelled while others with divided loyalties filled the household.
- Queen Joan tried to move James to Stirling but Alexander Livingston intercepted them, detained the queen and kept the boy under his control as she later died besieged.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1150falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-marriage-that-made-lambert-possessor-of-her-rights-cost-claudine-her-rule--74833966
The marriage that made Lambert possessor of her rights cost Claudine her rule

In this episode, we follow the legal and familial maneuvers that made Claudine Grimaldi the linchpin of Monaco’s succession and the marriage that shifted her legal personhood into another man’s title. What did it take - and who paid - to keep the Grimaldi name in power?

Person: Claudine Grimaldi
Person: Lambert (Lamberto Grimaldi di Antibes)
Date: 29 August 1465 (marriage)
Event: Pomellina’s conspiracy and confinement (March 1458)
Location: Vintimille; Mentone; Monaco

- Catalan Grimaldi’s 1457 will named six‑year‑old Claudine as heir and ordered her marriage to Lambert.
- Pomellina Fregoso signed a co‑regency with Lambert then plotted to replace him, offering Claudine’s hand as payment.
- Lambert crushed the 1458 coup, confined Pomellina, and proclaimed himself “possessor of the rights of Claudine.”
- For years Monaco’s sovereignty legally rested on Claudine’s name while she remained excluded from power.
- At about age fourteen, Claudine married Lambert in Vintimille, formalizing the transfer embedded in her father’s will.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833966Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:14:30 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA young nobleman declares himself possessor of a seven‑year‑old heir’s rights in Monaco; what does that marriage cost Claudine’s claim to rule? The marriage that made Lambert possessor of her rights cost Claudine her rule In this episode, we...
The marriage that made Lambert possessor of her rights cost Claudine her rule

In this episode, we follow the legal and familial maneuvers that made Claudine Grimaldi the linchpin of Monaco’s succession and the marriage that shifted her legal personhood into another man’s title. What did it take - and who paid - to keep the Grimaldi name in power?

Person: Claudine Grimaldi
Person: Lambert (Lamberto Grimaldi di Antibes)
Date: 29 August 1465 (marriage)
Event: Pomellina’s conspiracy and confinement (March 1458)
Location: Vintimille; Mentone; Monaco

- Catalan Grimaldi’s 1457 will named six‑year‑old Claudine as heir and ordered her marriage to Lambert.
- Pomellina Fregoso signed a co‑regency with Lambert then plotted to replace him, offering Claudine’s hand as payment.
- Lambert crushed the 1458 coup, confined Pomellina, and proclaimed himself “possessor of the rights of Claudine.”
- For years Monaco’s sovereignty legally rested on Claudine’s name while she remained excluded from power.
- At about age fourteen, Claudine married Lambert in Vintimille, formalizing the transfer embedded in her father’s will.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>957falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-baptismal-name-peter-cost-yaropolk-eleven-years-of-exile--74833965
The baptismal name Peter cost Yaropolk eleven years of exile

In this episode, we follow Yaropolk Iziaslavich - called Peter in Latin sources - and the extraordinary choices that sent him from Kiev to Rome and back into dynastic war. The episode traces his pilgrimage, the papal correspondence that restored his father, and the ripples that followed: what does a prince trade when he uses his baptismal name as a pledge?

Person: Yaropolk Iziaslavich (baptismal name Peter)
Person: Iziaslav (father), Gertruda (mother)
Pope: Gregory VII
Date: July 15, 1077 (Iziaslav re-enters Kiev)
Event: Yaropolk’s mission to Rome offering the Ruthenian kingdom to Saint Peter

- Yaropolk was sent to Rome in 1075 after his father’s appeal to Emperor Henry IV failed.
- His mother Gertruda gave him the Latin baptismal name Peter, used in papal correspondence.
- Gregory VII addressed Iziaslav as Demetrius and sent legates who pressured Poland over seized money.
- On July 15, 1077, Iziaslav returned to Kiev with papal backing after the correspondence and legates’ intervention.
- Eleven years after Yaropolk’s Roman pledge, Neradets rode out of Zvenigorod and killed a prince on a road to Peremyshl.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833965Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:14:26 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA Rurikid prince kneels before Pope Gregory VII and offers the Ruthenian kingdom to Saint Peter - what did it cost him? The baptismal name Peter cost Yaropolk eleven years of exile In this episode, we follow Yaropolk Iziaslavich - called Peter...
The baptismal name Peter cost Yaropolk eleven years of exile

In this episode, we follow Yaropolk Iziaslavich - called Peter in Latin sources - and the extraordinary choices that sent him from Kiev to Rome and back into dynastic war. The episode traces his pilgrimage, the papal correspondence that restored his father, and the ripples that followed: what does a prince trade when he uses his baptismal name as a pledge?

Person: Yaropolk Iziaslavich (baptismal name Peter)
Person: Iziaslav (father), Gertruda (mother)
Pope: Gregory VII
Date: July 15, 1077 (Iziaslav re-enters Kiev)
Event: Yaropolk’s mission to Rome offering the Ruthenian kingdom to Saint Peter

- Yaropolk was sent to Rome in 1075 after his father’s appeal to Emperor Henry IV failed.
- His mother Gertruda gave him the Latin baptismal name Peter, used in papal correspondence.
- Gregory VII addressed Iziaslav as Demetrius and sent legates who pressured Poland over seized money.
- On July 15, 1077, Iziaslav returned to Kiev with papal backing after the correspondence and legates’ intervention.
- Eleven years after Yaropolk’s Roman pledge, Neradets rode out of Zvenigorod and killed a prince on a road to Peremyshl.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1041falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-boy-king-s-last-council-how-an-axe-erased-forty-years-of-peace--74833962
The Boy King's Last Council: How an Axe Erased Forty Years of Peace

In this episode, we trace Óláfr Guðrøðarson’s forty-year reign from wardship in Henry I’s court to his program of chartered kingship and monastic foundations, and the council where a single axe changed everything. How did his methods of ruling and the decisions he made build to that morning?

Person: Óláfr Guðrøðarson
Period: 1094-circa 1134 (forty-year reign)
Location: Mann and the Isles
Event: Death at a council by an axe
Institution: Foundation of Rushen Abbey; right to elect the Bishop of the Isles

- Óláfr spent his formative years under the wardship of King Henry I of England and learned charters, monastic patronage, and administrative governance.
- After Domnall mac Taidc’s regency collapsed, Henry installed Óláfr as king between 1112 and 1115 to stabilize an archipelago of competing loyalties.
- Óláfr’s sole surviving charter styles him rex insularum dei gratia, signaling a program of rule by ecclesiastical legitimation rather than mere force.
- Around 1134 he founded Rushen Abbey, a Savigniac daughter house of Furness, and granted the monks the right to elect the Bishop of the Isles.
- Despite forty years framed by chronicles as peaceful, Óláfr was struck down at a council by one swing of an axe, abruptly undoing the structures he’d built.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833962Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:14:23 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA king raised in Henry I’s court returns to rule the Isles by charter and monastery-then dies by an axe at a council; what did it cost him? The Boy King's Last Council: How an Axe Erased Forty Years of Peace In this episode, we trace Óláfr...
The Boy King's Last Council: How an Axe Erased Forty Years of Peace

In this episode, we trace Óláfr Guðrøðarson’s forty-year reign from wardship in Henry I’s court to his program of chartered kingship and monastic foundations, and the council where a single axe changed everything. How did his methods of ruling and the decisions he made build to that morning?

Person: Óláfr Guðrøðarson
Period: 1094-circa 1134 (forty-year reign)
Location: Mann and the Isles
Event: Death at a council by an axe
Institution: Foundation of Rushen Abbey; right to elect the Bishop of the Isles

- Óláfr spent his formative years under the wardship of King Henry I of England and learned charters, monastic patronage, and administrative governance.
- After Domnall mac Taidc’s regency collapsed, Henry installed Óláfr as king between 1112 and 1115 to stabilize an archipelago of competing loyalties.
- Óláfr’s sole surviving charter styles him rex insularum dei gratia, signaling a program of rule by ecclesiastical legitimation rather than mere force.
- Around 1134 he founded Rushen Abbey, a Savigniac daughter house of Furness, and granted the monks the right to elect the Bishop of the Isles.
- Despite forty years framed by chronicles as peaceful, Óláfr was struck down at a council by one swing of an axe, abruptly undoing the structures he’d built.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1003falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-handprint-that-humiliated-him-became-the-crown-he-won--74833960
The handprint that Humiliated Him Became the Crown He Won

In this episode, we follow the eleven-year arc from a single slap in a Byzantine camp to a bid for restored rulership and the campaigns that followed. The episode traces who Ivan Asen and his brothers were, what they asked for, and the choices that turned frontier skill into military leverage - but why did it lead to murder?

Person: Ivan Asen (baptismal name Ioan; nickname Belgun)
Person: Theodor (throne name Peter)
Location: Paristrion; Kypsela; Tarnovo; Preslav; Constantinople
Event: 1185-1186 rebellion and subsequent campaigns over eleven years
Supply: Ivan Asen managed a horse farm supplying 60-100 horses per year to the imperial army

- Ivan Asen and Theodor came from the Paristrion, a mixed Danube-Balkan borderland of Bulgars, Vlachs, and Cumans
- They petitioned Isaac II’s camp at Kypsela for pronoia or a governorship and were expelled after John Doukas struck Asen
- Returning to the frontier, the brothers recruited predominantly Cuman cavalry through kinship and payments
- In autumn 1186 they mustered a force and installed an icon of Saint Demetrius in a new chapel at Tarnovo to lend sacred legitimacy
- Before major sieges, they attempted Preslav, failed, and then pursued a series of fortress-by-fortress campaigns that pressured the Byzantine state

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833960Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:14:19 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA man struck for asking land returns years later with an army he helped feed, and the Byzantine camp that humiliated him will face the costs of that affront. What did it cost him? The handprint that Humiliated Him Became the Crown He Won In this...
The handprint that Humiliated Him Became the Crown He Won

In this episode, we follow the eleven-year arc from a single slap in a Byzantine camp to a bid for restored rulership and the campaigns that followed. The episode traces who Ivan Asen and his brothers were, what they asked for, and the choices that turned frontier skill into military leverage - but why did it lead to murder?

Person: Ivan Asen (baptismal name Ioan; nickname Belgun)
Person: Theodor (throne name Peter)
Location: Paristrion; Kypsela; Tarnovo; Preslav; Constantinople
Event: 1185-1186 rebellion and subsequent campaigns over eleven years
Supply: Ivan Asen managed a horse farm supplying 60-100 horses per year to the imperial army

- Ivan Asen and Theodor came from the Paristrion, a mixed Danube-Balkan borderland of Bulgars, Vlachs, and Cumans
- They petitioned Isaac II’s camp at Kypsela for pronoia or a governorship and were expelled after John Doukas struck Asen
- Returning to the frontier, the brothers recruited predominantly Cuman cavalry through kinship and payments
- In autumn 1186 they mustered a force and installed an icon of Saint Demetrius in a new chapel at Tarnovo to lend sacred legitimacy
- Before major sieges, they attempted Preslav, failed, and then pursued a series of fortress-by-fortress campaigns that pressured the Byzantine state

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1131falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-sealed-letter-he-carried-ordered-his-execution-and-cost-him-his-life--74833956
The sealed letter he carried ordered his execution and cost him his life

This episode explores the reign of Amr ibn Hind, a Lakhmid king who ruled a buffer kingdom between two empires and was known for his patronage of poets, including one he sent to his death. It delves into the complexities of his rule and the cultural significance of the court of al-Hira.

Person: Amr ibn Hind
Period: 554-569/570 CE
Location: al-Hira, southern Iraq
Topic: Pre-Islamic Arabic poetry

- Amr ibn Hind, also known as Muharriq or "The Burner," was named after his mother, an unusual inversion in a culture built on paternal descent.
- The Lakhmid kingdom, located in what is now southern Iraq, served as a client state to the Sasanian Empire, managing the desert frontier.
- Amr inherited a kingdom with complex challenges, including a mixed tribal inheritance from his Kindite mother and the lingering consequences of a defeat against the Aksumite kingdom at Haliban.
- The court of al-Hira was a significant cultural center where poets competed and tribal chiefs sought patronage, fostering the pre-Islamic Arabic literary tradition.
- Two poets, Tarafa and al-Mutalammis, received sealed letters from King Amr, both ordered to deliver them to a governor in Bahrayn.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833956Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:14:15 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA Lakhmid king sends two poets with sealed letters across the desert. One delivers his own execution order, while the other destroys his and lives. The sealed letter he carried ordered his execution and cost him his life This episode explores...
The sealed letter he carried ordered his execution and cost him his life

This episode explores the reign of Amr ibn Hind, a Lakhmid king who ruled a buffer kingdom between two empires and was known for his patronage of poets, including one he sent to his death. It delves into the complexities of his rule and the cultural significance of the court of al-Hira.

Person: Amr ibn Hind
Period: 554-569/570 CE
Location: al-Hira, southern Iraq
Topic: Pre-Islamic Arabic poetry

- Amr ibn Hind, also known as Muharriq or "The Burner," was named after his mother, an unusual inversion in a culture built on paternal descent.
- The Lakhmid kingdom, located in what is now southern Iraq, served as a client state to the Sasanian Empire, managing the desert frontier.
- Amr inherited a kingdom with complex challenges, including a mixed tribal inheritance from his Kindite mother and the lingering consequences of a defeat against the Aksumite kingdom at Haliban.
- The court of al-Hira was a significant cultural center where poets competed and tribal chiefs sought patronage, fostering the pre-Islamic Arabic literary tradition.
- Two poets, Tarafa and al-Mutalammis, received sealed letters from King Amr, both ordered to deliver them to a governor in Bahrayn.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>880falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-marriage-without-a-papal-dispensation-cost-him-a-kingdom-s-independence--74833955
The marriage without a papal dispensation cost him a kingdom's independence

In this episode, we follow the years when Louis of Taranto moved from second son to power behind Queen Joanna I, tracing the marriage, exile, and political bargains that shaped their rule. What price did his illegal marriage and seizure of administration extract from him and the kingdom?

Person: Louis of Taranto
Person: Joanna I
Date: 22 August 1347
Event: Marriage without papal dispensation; sale of Avignon to Pope Clement VI
Location: Kingdom of Naples

- Louis, born 1320, was the second son who became Prince of Taranto after his mother's death in October 1346.
- Joanna inherited the Neapolitan throne as a teenager; her rule was contested by male relatives and foreign claimants.
- Andrew, Duke of Calabria, Joanna’s first husband, was strangled on 18 September 1345; suspicion fell on Joanna, Louis, and Robert without proof.
- Louis and Joanna married on 22 August 1347 as cousins without seeking the required papal dispensation, a deliberate legal choice.
- Fleeing Louis I of Hungary’s invasion, Joanna sold Avignon to Pope Clement VI for 80,000 florins; the pope accepted the marriage and brokered protection.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833955Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:14:11 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA prince marries his cousin without a papal dispensation and seizes his queen's power-what did it cost him? The marriage without a papal dispensation cost him a kingdom's independence In this episode, we follow the years when Louis of Taranto...
The marriage without a papal dispensation cost him a kingdom's independence

In this episode, we follow the years when Louis of Taranto moved from second son to power behind Queen Joanna I, tracing the marriage, exile, and political bargains that shaped their rule. What price did his illegal marriage and seizure of administration extract from him and the kingdom?

Person: Louis of Taranto
Person: Joanna I
Date: 22 August 1347
Event: Marriage without papal dispensation; sale of Avignon to Pope Clement VI
Location: Kingdom of Naples

- Louis, born 1320, was the second son who became Prince of Taranto after his mother's death in October 1346.
- Joanna inherited the Neapolitan throne as a teenager; her rule was contested by male relatives and foreign claimants.
- Andrew, Duke of Calabria, Joanna’s first husband, was strangled on 18 September 1345; suspicion fell on Joanna, Louis, and Robert without proof.
- Louis and Joanna married on 22 August 1347 as cousins without seeking the required papal dispensation, a deliberate legal choice.
- Fleeing Louis I of Hungary’s invasion, Joanna sold Avignon to Pope Clement VI for 80,000 florins; the pope accepted the marriage and brokered protection.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1168falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-arrow-to-his-throat-that-ended-a-thirty-five-year-reign--74833954
The arrow to his throat that ended a thirty‑five‑year reign

In this episode, we follow the life and career of Harald Sigurdsson from his youth in inland Norway to the battlefields of Kievan Rus' and Constantinople, and finally to Stamford Bridge in Yorkshire. We trace the decisions, movements, and fortunes that built a thirty‑five‑year reign and ask how each choice accumulated into the moment an arrow ended it.

Person: Harald Sigurdsson
Date: 25 September 1066
Location: Stamford Bridge, Yorkshire
Origin: Ringerike, Norway
Service: Varangian Guard (Constantinople)

- Born circa 1015 in Ringerike as son of chieftain Sigurd Syr and half‑brother to Olaf Haraldsson.
- At age 15 raised six hundred men, fought at Stiklestad on 29 July 1030, was severely wounded and carried from the field.
- Took refuge with Yaroslav the Wise in Kievan Rus', learned siege warfare and commanded troops along river routes.
- Traveled c.1033-1034 to Constantinople and served in the Varangian Guard, fighting in eastern campaigns and Sicily, accruing vast gold.
- Returned to Norway having given away half his wealth for a throne, then sailed that throne into the battle where an arrow struck his throat.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833954Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:14:07 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA Viking warlord returns to claim Norway - then an arrow at Stamford Bridge finds his throat; what did it cost him? The arrow to his throat that ended a thirty‑five‑year reign In this episode, we follow the life and career of Harald Sigurdsson...
The arrow to his throat that ended a thirty‑five‑year reign

In this episode, we follow the life and career of Harald Sigurdsson from his youth in inland Norway to the battlefields of Kievan Rus' and Constantinople, and finally to Stamford Bridge in Yorkshire. We trace the decisions, movements, and fortunes that built a thirty‑five‑year reign and ask how each choice accumulated into the moment an arrow ended it.

Person: Harald Sigurdsson
Date: 25 September 1066
Location: Stamford Bridge, Yorkshire
Origin: Ringerike, Norway
Service: Varangian Guard (Constantinople)

- Born circa 1015 in Ringerike as son of chieftain Sigurd Syr and half‑brother to Olaf Haraldsson.
- At age 15 raised six hundred men, fought at Stiklestad on 29 July 1030, was severely wounded and carried from the field.
- Took refuge with Yaroslav the Wise in Kievan Rus', learned siege warfare and commanded troops along river routes.
- Traveled c.1033-1034 to Constantinople and served in the Varangian Guard, fighting in eastern campaigns and Sicily, accruing vast gold.
- Returned to Norway having given away half his wealth for a throne, then sailed that throne into the battle where an arrow struck his throat.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1199falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-fake-1650-genealogy-cost-him-a-lifetime-living-as-two-men--74833951
The fake 1650 genealogy cost him a lifetime living as two men

In this episode, we follow how a businessman from Syros navigated commerce, citizenship, and high society to pursue an imperial identity across London and Athens. The story traces the documents, decisions, and networks he used to turn a single printed source into a public claim - and asks what it demanded from the man who lived under two names.

Person: Demetrius Rhodocanakis
Date: 1840-1895 (birth 3 December 1840; Legrand’s cataloguing 1895)
Location: Ermoupoli, Syros; London (Bishopsgate, New Bond Street), Athens
Document: passport issued 1867 naming holder "His Imperial Highness the Prince Demetrius Rhodocanakis"
Source: Historia Genealogica... purportedly published 1650 (no library listing found)

- Born in Ermoupoli to merchant parents, studied in Athens, London, Oxford, and Heidelberg before returning to trade.
- Founded Rhodokanachi Brothers in Manchester and London in 1862, later bankrupt in 1874-75 while maintaining a princely persona.
- Applied for and received a British passport in 1867 using the imperial title, supported by submitted documentation.
- Constructed a genealogy linking a real Constantine Rhodocanakis to invented figures via a single 1650 book he cited as foundational.
- Public life split between Bishopsgate business dealings and residence at the Clarendon Hotel as an imperial claimant in London and Athens.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833951Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:14:03 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA Greek merchant’s son receives a British passport naming him "Prince" and builds a 1650 genealogy to claim Byzantine blood-what did it cost him? The fake 1650 genealogy cost him a lifetime living as two men In this episode, we follow how a...
The fake 1650 genealogy cost him a lifetime living as two men

In this episode, we follow how a businessman from Syros navigated commerce, citizenship, and high society to pursue an imperial identity across London and Athens. The story traces the documents, decisions, and networks he used to turn a single printed source into a public claim - and asks what it demanded from the man who lived under two names.

Person: Demetrius Rhodocanakis
Date: 1840-1895 (birth 3 December 1840; Legrand’s cataloguing 1895)
Location: Ermoupoli, Syros; London (Bishopsgate, New Bond Street), Athens
Document: passport issued 1867 naming holder "His Imperial Highness the Prince Demetrius Rhodocanakis"
Source: Historia Genealogica... purportedly published 1650 (no library listing found)

- Born in Ermoupoli to merchant parents, studied in Athens, London, Oxford, and Heidelberg before returning to trade.
- Founded Rhodokanachi Brothers in Manchester and London in 1862, later bankrupt in 1874-75 while maintaining a princely persona.
- Applied for and received a British passport in 1867 using the imperial title, supported by submitted documentation.
- Constructed a genealogy linking a real Constantine Rhodocanakis to invented figures via a single 1650 book he cited as foundational.
- Public life split between Bishopsgate business dealings and residence at the Clarendon Hotel as an imperial claimant in London and Athens.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1059falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-rapid-ordinations-that-made-him-pope-cost-leo-his-standing-in-rome--74833950
The rapid ordinations that made him pope cost Leo his standing in Rome

In this episode, we follow the sudden rise of Leo of the Clivus Argentarius from layman and protoscriniarius to pope in two days, and the immediate political fallout that followed. The episode traces the ceremonies, the players in Rome and at the imperial court, and asks how such a rapid elevation could reshape his authority and legitimacy.

Person: Leo of the Clivus Argentarius
Date: December 4-6, 963
Location: Rome
Event: Ordained layman→priest→bishop→pope in 48 hours
Authority: Otto I convened the synod that elected him

- Leo was a layman and protoscriniarius, a chief of the papal chancery, before December 4, 963.
- On December 4, 963 a synod convened by Emperor Otto I elected Leo pope while John XII was declared deposed in absentia.
- Cardinal‑bishop Sico of Ostia administered six lower orders to Leo in one day and consecrated him bishop the next, compressing the usual progression.
- Leo had previously traveled to Otto’s camp in 963 as a diplomatic envoy carrying contradictory messages on behalf of Pope John XII.
- After Otto left Rome around January 12, 964, Romans moved against Leo, who had held noble hostages in the Lateran Palace as guarantees of loyalty.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833950Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:13:59 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA lay scribe from the Clivus Argentarius rose to pope at the emperor's call - but Rome resisted; what did it cost him? The rapid ordinations that made him pope cost Leo his standing in Rome In this episode, we follow the sudden rise of Leo of...
The rapid ordinations that made him pope cost Leo his standing in Rome

In this episode, we follow the sudden rise of Leo of the Clivus Argentarius from layman and protoscriniarius to pope in two days, and the immediate political fallout that followed. The episode traces the ceremonies, the players in Rome and at the imperial court, and asks how such a rapid elevation could reshape his authority and legitimacy.

Person: Leo of the Clivus Argentarius
Date: December 4-6, 963
Location: Rome
Event: Ordained layman→priest→bishop→pope in 48 hours
Authority: Otto I convened the synod that elected him

- Leo was a layman and protoscriniarius, a chief of the papal chancery, before December 4, 963.
- On December 4, 963 a synod convened by Emperor Otto I elected Leo pope while John XII was declared deposed in absentia.
- Cardinal‑bishop Sico of Ostia administered six lower orders to Leo in one day and consecrated him bishop the next, compressing the usual progression.
- Leo had previously traveled to Otto’s camp in 963 as a diplomatic envoy carrying contradictory messages on behalf of Pope John XII.
- After Otto left Rome around January 12, 964, Romans moved against Leo, who had held noble hostages in the Lateran Palace as guarantees of loyalty.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1039falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-carpentry-he-learned-that-made-him-refuse-scorched-earth-retreats--74833949
The carpentry he learned that made him refuse scorched‑earth retreats

This episode explores the life of Rupprecht of Bavaria, a man born into a dynasty that defined a nation, yet whose life was marked by personal tragedy and the collapse of empires. What kind of man emerges when history continually pulls the floor out from under him?

Person: Rupprecht of Bavaria
Date: May 18, 1869 (birth)
Location: Bavaria, Lorraine
Event: World War I
Period: Late 19th to mid-20th century

- Rupprecht was the first Wittelsbach to attend public school and learn a trade, choosing carpentry.
- He commanded the German Sixth Army in Lorraine during World War I.
- On August 20, 1914, Rupprecht launched an unauthorized counterattack against French lines.
- His eldest son, Prince Luitpold, died at age thirteen in August 1914 while Rupprecht was at war.
- Rupprecht's first wife, Duchess Marie Gabrielle of Bavaria, died in 1912 at age thirty-four.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833949Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:13:55 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA crown prince, shaped by carpentry and public school, defies orders on the battlefield, setting him on a path of impossible choices. The carpentry he learned that made him refuse scorched‑earth retreats This episode explores the life of...
The carpentry he learned that made him refuse scorched‑earth retreats

This episode explores the life of Rupprecht of Bavaria, a man born into a dynasty that defined a nation, yet whose life was marked by personal tragedy and the collapse of empires. What kind of man emerges when history continually pulls the floor out from under him?

Person: Rupprecht of Bavaria
Date: May 18, 1869 (birth)
Location: Bavaria, Lorraine
Event: World War I
Period: Late 19th to mid-20th century

- Rupprecht was the first Wittelsbach to attend public school and learn a trade, choosing carpentry.
- He commanded the German Sixth Army in Lorraine during World War I.
- On August 20, 1914, Rupprecht launched an unauthorized counterattack against French lines.
- His eldest son, Prince Luitpold, died at age thirteen in August 1914 while Rupprecht was at war.
- Rupprecht's first wife, Duchess Marie Gabrielle of Bavaria, died in 1912 at age thirty-four.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1117falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-boy-king-who-joined-the-sa--74833946
The Boy King Who Joined the SA

This episode explores the life of Karl Friedrich, a prominent figure in German Catholic life whose past actions during the Nazi era came to light decades later. It delves into the complex decisions he made and the contradictions that defined his public and private life.

Person: Karl Friedrich Fürst zu Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg
Date: 1967
Location: West Germany
Organization: Central Committee of German Catholics
Event: Revelation of SA membership

- Karl Friedrich's family, the Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenbergs, had a long history of influence, tracing their lineage back to Friedrich I, Elector of the Palatinate.
- His grandfather founded the Central Committee of German Catholics in 1868, an influential body that organized the Catholic Day.
- Karl Friedrich received a doctorate in law in 1928, specializing in inheritance renunciation and settlement contracts.
- In 1931, at the Catholic Day in Nuremberg, he publicly criticized the extreme excesses of Nazi racial theory.
- By 1934, Karl Friedrich had joined the SA, the Nazi paramilitary, and encouraged students of the Unitas Association to follow his example.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833946Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:13:50 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA Catholic prince, born into a powerful dynasty, navigates the rise of Nazism, making choices that will haunt his legacy in post-war Germany. The Boy King Who Joined the SA This episode explores the life of Karl Friedrich, a prominent figure in...
The Boy King Who Joined the SA

This episode explores the life of Karl Friedrich, a prominent figure in German Catholic life whose past actions during the Nazi era came to light decades later. It delves into the complex decisions he made and the contradictions that defined his public and private life.

Person: Karl Friedrich Fürst zu Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg
Date: 1967
Location: West Germany
Organization: Central Committee of German Catholics
Event: Revelation of SA membership

- Karl Friedrich's family, the Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenbergs, had a long history of influence, tracing their lineage back to Friedrich I, Elector of the Palatinate.
- His grandfather founded the Central Committee of German Catholics in 1868, an influential body that organized the Catholic Day.
- Karl Friedrich received a doctorate in law in 1928, specializing in inheritance renunciation and settlement contracts.
- In 1931, at the Catholic Day in Nuremberg, he publicly criticized the extreme excesses of Nazi racial theory.
- By 1934, Karl Friedrich had joined the SA, the Nazi paramilitary, and encouraged students of the Unitas Association to follow his example.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>897falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-ledger-entry-that-doubled-his-revenue-and-bought-him-a-crown--74833945
The ledger entry that doubled his revenue and bought him a crown

In this episode, we follow how Matthias Corvinus rose from a hostage to a king who rebuilt Hungary’s finances and power. We trace the decisions, reforms, and people that transformed a 250,000 florin treasury into 500,000, and ask what was sacrificed to make it happen.

Person: Matthias Corvinus
Date: 1458-1476 (early reign and fiscal reforms)
Location: Hungary (Buda, Danube)
Event: Reworking the tax system and administrative reforms
Figure: John Ernuszt (appointed to royal customs and salt mines)

- Elected king at fifteen after being ransomed for sixty thousand gold florins and riding into Buda without a crown.
- Faced a powerless throne: no standing army, a regency-minded uncle, and a fractious nobility gathered on the frozen Danube.
- Removed his uncle Michael Szilágyi from power that same summer and began centralizing authority through appointed administrators.
- Doubled annual royal income from ~250,000 to ~500,000 florins by reorganizing taxes, customs, and exploiting state-controlled salt revenues.
- Built fiscal structures-ledgers, appointed officials like John Ernuszt, and state-run revenue sources-that funded wars, a library, and royal prestige while reshaping Hungary’s political economy.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833945Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:13:47 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA boy king seizes a fractured Hungary and doubles royal revenue with a ledger entry-what did it cost him? The ledger entry that doubled his revenue and bought him a crown In this episode, we follow how Matthias Corvinus rose from a hostage to a...
The ledger entry that doubled his revenue and bought him a crown

In this episode, we follow how Matthias Corvinus rose from a hostage to a king who rebuilt Hungary’s finances and power. We trace the decisions, reforms, and people that transformed a 250,000 florin treasury into 500,000, and ask what was sacrificed to make it happen.

Person: Matthias Corvinus
Date: 1458-1476 (early reign and fiscal reforms)
Location: Hungary (Buda, Danube)
Event: Reworking the tax system and administrative reforms
Figure: John Ernuszt (appointed to royal customs and salt mines)

- Elected king at fifteen after being ransomed for sixty thousand gold florins and riding into Buda without a crown.
- Faced a powerless throne: no standing army, a regency-minded uncle, and a fractious nobility gathered on the frozen Danube.
- Removed his uncle Michael Szilágyi from power that same summer and began centralizing authority through appointed administrators.
- Doubled annual royal income from ~250,000 to ~500,000 florins by reorganizing taxes, customs, and exploiting state-controlled salt revenues.
- Built fiscal structures-ledgers, appointed officials like John Ernuszt, and state-run revenue sources-that funded wars, a library, and royal prestige while reshaping Hungary’s political economy.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1179falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-sword-girding-that-forced-him-to-fight-at-sixteen-and-cost-his-childhood--74833942
The sword-girding that forced him to fight at sixteen and cost his childhood

In this episode, we follow the early reign of Géza II of Hungary and the events that forced a child into the instruments of rulership and war. We look at the decisions, ceremonies, family legacies, and border threats that shaped his transition from boy king to battlefield commander and ask what that upbringing demanded of him.

Person: Géza II of Hungary
Date: September 11, 1146
Location: River Fischa
Event: sword-girding and battlefield command on the same day
Family: father Béla (blinded), mother Helena, uncle Beloš (regents)

- At age eleven Géza was crowned three days after his father Béla died, with regents Helena and Beloš governing in his name.
- His grandfather Álmos and father Béla had been blinded on royal orders, making mutilation a formative political fact of his family history.
- As a child, Géza’s name appeared on royal charters and his reign was tested by claimants like Boris Kalamanos who seized Pressburg in 1145.
- On the morning of September 11, 1146, the sixteen-year-old received the sword-girding ceremony that declared him of age.
- That same afternoon Géza personally commanded an army across the Fischa and routed Henry Jasomirgott’s forces.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833942Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:13:42 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA sixteen-year-old king girded with a sword leads men to the Fischa by afternoon - what did it cost him to be king so young? The sword-girding that forced him to fight at sixteen and cost his childhood In this episode, we follow the early reign...
The sword-girding that forced him to fight at sixteen and cost his childhood

In this episode, we follow the early reign of Géza II of Hungary and the events that forced a child into the instruments of rulership and war. We look at the decisions, ceremonies, family legacies, and border threats that shaped his transition from boy king to battlefield commander and ask what that upbringing demanded of him.

Person: Géza II of Hungary
Date: September 11, 1146
Location: River Fischa
Event: sword-girding and battlefield command on the same day
Family: father Béla (blinded), mother Helena, uncle Beloš (regents)

- At age eleven Géza was crowned three days after his father Béla died, with regents Helena and Beloš governing in his name.
- His grandfather Álmos and father Béla had been blinded on royal orders, making mutilation a formative political fact of his family history.
- As a child, Géza’s name appeared on royal charters and his reign was tested by claimants like Boris Kalamanos who seized Pressburg in 1145.
- On the morning of September 11, 1146, the sixteen-year-old received the sword-girding ceremony that declared him of age.
- That same afternoon Géza personally commanded an army across the Fischa and routed Henry Jasomirgott’s forces.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>982falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-plague-that-felled-alfonso-xi-ended-a-king-s-conquests-and-his-life--74833940
The plague that felled Alfonso XI ended a king's conquests and his life

This episode explores the life of Alfonso XI of Castile, a king who faced a fractured regency and constant threats from a young age. It delves into the challenges he overcame and the unique circumstances of his death.

Person: Alfonso XI of Castile
Date: March 25, 1350
Location: Outside Gibraltar
Age: 38
Birthplace: Salamanca

- Alfonso XI was born in 1311, becoming king at approximately one year old after his father's death.
- His early reign was marked by a highly fractured regency with four claimants vying for power.
- His mother, Constance of Portugal, and his grandmother, María de Molina, both served as regents before their deaths.
- The Disaster of the Vega in 1319 led to the deaths of two powerful regents, Infante John and Infante John.
- At age nine, Alfonso's kingdom was divided among three competing figures: Philip, Juan Manuel, and Juan the One-eyed.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833940Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:13:39 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA king who never lost a battle falls to a plague, leaving his army stranded in enemy territory. His rival makes an unprecedented decision. The plague that felled Alfonso XI ended a king's conquests and his life This episode explores the life of...
The plague that felled Alfonso XI ended a king's conquests and his life

This episode explores the life of Alfonso XI of Castile, a king who faced a fractured regency and constant threats from a young age. It delves into the challenges he overcame and the unique circumstances of his death.

Person: Alfonso XI of Castile
Date: March 25, 1350
Location: Outside Gibraltar
Age: 38
Birthplace: Salamanca

- Alfonso XI was born in 1311, becoming king at approximately one year old after his father's death.
- His early reign was marked by a highly fractured regency with four claimants vying for power.
- His mother, Constance of Portugal, and his grandmother, María de Molina, both served as regents before their deaths.
- The Disaster of the Vega in 1319 led to the deaths of two powerful regents, Infante John and Infante John.
- At age nine, Alfonso's kingdom was divided among three competing figures: Philip, Juan Manuel, and Juan the One-eyed.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1039falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-chronicle-of-ioannina-remembered-him-precisely-and-hated-him--74833938
The Chronicle of Ioannina remembered him precisely, and hated him

This episode explores the reign of Thomas Preljubović, Despot of Ioannina, who was assassinated in 1384. It delves into the complex question of whether he was a tyrant who deserved his fate or a ruler unfairly remembered by his enemies.

Person: Thomas Preljubović
Date: December 23, 1384
Location: Ioannina, Greece
Source: The Chronicle of Ioannina
Period: Medieval Balkans

- Thomas Preljubović was the son of a Serbian caesar and a princess, giving him a prestigious but ultimately powerless bloodline after his father's death.
- After his father's violent death, Thomas was left without territory or soldiers, forcing his mother to seek protection for him through remarriage.
- Thomas gained his first foothold by converting military pressure into a dynastic marriage and a city, Kastoria, at around age 14 or 15.
- He was invited to rule Ioannina in 1367 by its citizens, who sought a military governor to defend against Albanian raids.
- Early in his rule, Thomas imposed an "intolerable" taxation regime, seized church properties, established monopolies, and forcibly remarried Greek noblewomen to Serbs.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833938Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:13:35 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA medieval ruler in Greece is stabbed to death by his own bodyguards, with his wife's involvement. Was he a tyrant or a desperate man? The Chronicle of Ioannina remembered him precisely, and hated him This episode explores the reign of Thomas...
The Chronicle of Ioannina remembered him precisely, and hated him

This episode explores the reign of Thomas Preljubović, Despot of Ioannina, who was assassinated in 1384. It delves into the complex question of whether he was a tyrant who deserved his fate or a ruler unfairly remembered by his enemies.

Person: Thomas Preljubović
Date: December 23, 1384
Location: Ioannina, Greece
Source: The Chronicle of Ioannina
Period: Medieval Balkans

- Thomas Preljubović was the son of a Serbian caesar and a princess, giving him a prestigious but ultimately powerless bloodline after his father's death.
- After his father's violent death, Thomas was left without territory or soldiers, forcing his mother to seek protection for him through remarriage.
- Thomas gained his first foothold by converting military pressure into a dynastic marriage and a city, Kastoria, at around age 14 or 15.
- He was invited to rule Ioannina in 1367 by its citizens, who sought a military governor to defend against Albanian raids.
- Early in his rule, Thomas imposed an "intolerable" taxation regime, seized church properties, established monopolies, and forcibly remarried Greek noblewomen to Serbs.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1237falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-infant-crown-that-forced-him-to-trade-his-freedom-for-a-fifty-one-year-reign--74833936
The infant crown that forced him to trade his freedom for a fifty‑one‑year reign

In this episode, we follow the early life and reign of Tridé Tsuktsen (Mé Aktsom), placed on the Tibetan throne as an infant and guided by a regent while ruling an empire at war. The episode traces the silk seizure, a secret letter, and a carved peace pillar to ask what kind of king he became and what his world demanded of him.

Person: Tridé Tsuktsen (Mé Aktsom)
Date: crowned at one year old; reign lasted fifty-one years
Location: Tibetan Empire, seat in Lhasa (pillar in front of the Potala)
Event: 727 silk seizure; 734 peace treaty carved in stone; 755 internal plot by two ministers
Person: Thrimalö (empress dowager and regent from 704-712)

- Thrimalö deposed Lha Balpo at Pong lag-rang, executed some rivals, and installed the infant Mé Aktsom to secure her control.
- Mé Aktsom was married at about six to Princess Jincheng (Kim Sheng), an adoptive daughter of the Tang emperor, in a formal political alliance.
- In 727 Tibetan troops seized a Chinese fortress and walked away wearing imperial Chinese silk that disappeared from records but remained recorded.
- A peace treaty carved on a pillar was erected in 734, yet envoys continued to travel for fifteen more years despite the pillar’s removal.
- A secret letter from a Chinese princess in Tibet pleaded for escape from a marriage she did not choose; the correspondence left no surviving resolution.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833936Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:13:31 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA one-year-old king inherits an empire at war and must make the crown his own - what did it cost him? The infant crown that forced him to trade his freedom for a fifty‑one‑year reign In this episode, we follow the early life and reign of Tridé...
The infant crown that forced him to trade his freedom for a fifty‑one‑year reign

In this episode, we follow the early life and reign of Tridé Tsuktsen (Mé Aktsom), placed on the Tibetan throne as an infant and guided by a regent while ruling an empire at war. The episode traces the silk seizure, a secret letter, and a carved peace pillar to ask what kind of king he became and what his world demanded of him.

Person: Tridé Tsuktsen (Mé Aktsom)
Date: crowned at one year old; reign lasted fifty-one years
Location: Tibetan Empire, seat in Lhasa (pillar in front of the Potala)
Event: 727 silk seizure; 734 peace treaty carved in stone; 755 internal plot by two ministers
Person: Thrimalö (empress dowager and regent from 704-712)

- Thrimalö deposed Lha Balpo at Pong lag-rang, executed some rivals, and installed the infant Mé Aktsom to secure her control.
- Mé Aktsom was married at about six to Princess Jincheng (Kim Sheng), an adoptive daughter of the Tang emperor, in a formal political alliance.
- In 727 Tibetan troops seized a Chinese fortress and walked away wearing imperial Chinese silk that disappeared from records but remained recorded.
- A peace treaty carved on a pillar was erected in 734, yet envoys continued to travel for fifteen more years despite the pillar’s removal.
- A secret letter from a Chinese princess in Tibet pleaded for escape from a marriage she did not choose; the correspondence left no surviving resolution.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>961falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-duchy-of-schleswig-handed-abel-the-castles-that-cost-eric-his-crown--74833934
The Duchy of Schleswig handed Abel the castles that cost Eric his crown

In this episode, we follow the political and familial moves that reshaped a medieval Danish kingdom: early coronations, territorial cessions, wars between brothers, and the fateful morning a body was hauled from the fjord. How did the transfer of Schleswig and its stronghold at Gottorp set the stage for the crisis that followed?

Person: Eric IV of Denmark
Person: Abel
Date: August 10, 1250
Location: Schlei fjord
Event: Cession of the Duchy of Schleswig to Abel (1232)

- Eric was crowned co-king in 1232 and ceded the Duchy of Schleswig to his younger brother Abel the same day.
- The duchy included Gottorp, a strategic stronghold at Jutland’s neck where German influence met Denmark.
- Abel married the daughter of Adolfo IV of Holstein and allied with Counts John I and Gerhard I, bringing German military support into the duchy.
- Eric and Abel fought a first war (1242-1244), agreed to join a crusade that never happened, then resumed conflict leading to a second war beginning in 1246.
- In 1247 Eric captured his brothers Christopher and Canuto at Arreskov and spared them, a decision that affected subsequent claims to the throne.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833934Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:13:26 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA king’s brother was given the duchy and its castle; years later a headless body drifted in the Schlei-what did Eric’s cession of Schleswig cost him? The Duchy of Schleswig handed Abel the castles that cost Eric his crown In this episode, we...
The Duchy of Schleswig handed Abel the castles that cost Eric his crown

In this episode, we follow the political and familial moves that reshaped a medieval Danish kingdom: early coronations, territorial cessions, wars between brothers, and the fateful morning a body was hauled from the fjord. How did the transfer of Schleswig and its stronghold at Gottorp set the stage for the crisis that followed?

Person: Eric IV of Denmark
Person: Abel
Date: August 10, 1250
Location: Schlei fjord
Event: Cession of the Duchy of Schleswig to Abel (1232)

- Eric was crowned co-king in 1232 and ceded the Duchy of Schleswig to his younger brother Abel the same day.
- The duchy included Gottorp, a strategic stronghold at Jutland’s neck where German influence met Denmark.
- Abel married the daughter of Adolfo IV of Holstein and allied with Counts John I and Gerhard I, bringing German military support into the duchy.
- Eric and Abel fought a first war (1242-1244), agreed to join a crusade that never happened, then resumed conflict leading to a second war beginning in 1246.
- In 1247 Eric captured his brothers Christopher and Canuto at Arreskov and spared them, a decision that affected subsequent claims to the throne.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>996falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-queen-who-quietly-built-a-throne-no-one-could-bury--74833932
The Queen Who Quietly Built a Throne No One Could Bury

In this episode, we follow Mary of Hungary’s six-decade effort to build a dynastic claim through marriage, children, negotiation and strategic gifts. We trace key moves in her quiet political life and ask how she kept her claim alive amid contested succession and shifting alliances.

Person: Mary of Hungary
Date: born c. 1257; died spring 1323
Event: declared claim to Hungarian crown April 1291
Location: Provence, Naples, Hungary
Family: daughter of Stephen V of Hungary and Cuman princess Elizabeth

- Married at age twelve to Charles of Anjou’s son (future Charles II of Naples) on 6 August 1270.
- Bore fourteen children across roughly twenty-five years, using kinship as political currency.
- Released Beatrice of Hohenstaufen in 1284 as a unilateral move to open negotiations and secure Charles II’s ransom.
- Faced Ladislaus IV’s assassination (10 July 1290) and the swift coronation of Andrew III, which prompted her claim.
- Formally declared her own claim to the Hungarian throne in April 1291, rallying Croatian and Slavonian magnates to her cause.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833932Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:13:23 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTMary of Hungary stakes a dynastic claim from Provence to Naples after her brother’s death-what did it cost her? The Queen Who Quietly Built a Throne No One Could Bury In this episode, we follow Mary of Hungary’s six-decade effort to build a...
The Queen Who Quietly Built a Throne No One Could Bury

In this episode, we follow Mary of Hungary’s six-decade effort to build a dynastic claim through marriage, children, negotiation and strategic gifts. We trace key moves in her quiet political life and ask how she kept her claim alive amid contested succession and shifting alliances.

Person: Mary of Hungary
Date: born c. 1257; died spring 1323
Event: declared claim to Hungarian crown April 1291
Location: Provence, Naples, Hungary
Family: daughter of Stephen V of Hungary and Cuman princess Elizabeth

- Married at age twelve to Charles of Anjou’s son (future Charles II of Naples) on 6 August 1270.
- Bore fourteen children across roughly twenty-five years, using kinship as political currency.
- Released Beatrice of Hohenstaufen in 1284 as a unilateral move to open negotiations and secure Charles II’s ransom.
- Faced Ladislaus IV’s assassination (10 July 1290) and the swift coronation of Andrew III, which prompted her claim.
- Formally declared her own claim to the Hungarian throne in April 1291, rallying Croatian and Slavonian magnates to her cause.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1052falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/his-banned-birth-title-cost-him-five-years-barred-from-austria--74833930
His banned birth title cost him five years barred from Austria

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833930Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:13:19 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTNo description available. His banned birth title cost him five years barred from Austria
His banned birth title cost him five years barred from Austria

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1419falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-goat-s-skin-that-won-two-towns-and-cost-him-exile--74833927
The goat's skin that won two towns and cost him exile

This episode explores the peculiar story of a man who, wearing a goat's skin, claimed a powerful name in the Byzantine Empire. What allowed a stranger to rally support and challenge an emperor?

Person: Alexios I Komnenos
Date: 1095
Location: Constantinople
Primary Source: Anna Komnene's Alexiad
Topic: Byzantine history

- A man arrived in Constantinople from "the East" wearing a goat's skin and claiming to be a Diogenes.
- The Diogenes name, by 1095, represented a dynasty of losses and grievances after Emperor Romanos IV Diogenes's capture, blinding, and death.
- Romanos IV Diogenes was captured by Seljuk Turks at Manzikert in 1071, then blinded by political enemies.
- His sons, Constantine and Leo Diogenes, died in battle, while Nikephoros Diogenes was imprisoned for conspiracy.
- Theodora, the widow of the real Constantine Diogenes, publicly protested the pretender's claim, forcing Emperor Alexios I Komnenos to act.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833927Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:13:15 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA man in a goat's skin claims a dangerous name in the Byzantine Empire, and two cities open their gates. But the emperor's widow recognizes the costume. The goat's skin that won two towns and cost him exile This episode explores the peculiar...
The goat's skin that won two towns and cost him exile

This episode explores the peculiar story of a man who, wearing a goat's skin, claimed a powerful name in the Byzantine Empire. What allowed a stranger to rally support and challenge an emperor?

Person: Alexios I Komnenos
Date: 1095
Location: Constantinople
Primary Source: Anna Komnene's Alexiad
Topic: Byzantine history

- A man arrived in Constantinople from "the East" wearing a goat's skin and claiming to be a Diogenes.
- The Diogenes name, by 1095, represented a dynasty of losses and grievances after Emperor Romanos IV Diogenes's capture, blinding, and death.
- Romanos IV Diogenes was captured by Seljuk Turks at Manzikert in 1071, then blinded by political enemies.
- His sons, Constantine and Leo Diogenes, died in battle, while Nikephoros Diogenes was imprisoned for conspiracy.
- Theodora, the widow of the real Constantine Diogenes, publicly protested the pretender's claim, forcing Emperor Alexios I Komnenos to act.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1136falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-name-he-stole-from-his-uncle-that-cost-him-a-bohemian-childhood--74833925
The name he stole from his uncle that cost him a Bohemian childhood

In this episode, we trace the life of the man who ruled as Holy Roman Emperor while carrying the title King of Bohemia and King of Italy, following his childhood sent to Paris, his multilingual education, and the political choices that shaped his reign. How did taking a French name and a transnational upbringing become central to his power and identity?

Person: Charles (born Wenceslaus)
Date: April 17, 1355
Location: Rome; Saint Peter's Basilica; Tiber
Event: Sent to Paris at age seven in 1323; returned to Bohemia in 1333
Topic: Name change, multilingual upbringing, Landbuch registry

- Sent west to Paris at age seven as part of his father John of Luxembourg’s diplomatic strategy.
- Spent seven years in Paris and left fluent in Latin, Czech, German, French, and Italian.
- At seventeen he led a campaign in Italy, founded Montecarlo, and learned governance amid defeat.
- Returned to Bohemia to govern a depleted kingdom, created the Landbuch and reclaimed mortgaged estates.
- By 1346 he became the Pope-backed candidate against Louis IV and was dubbed the "Priests' King."

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833925Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:13:11 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA crowned prince leaves Rome at sunset the day he becomes Holy Roman Emperor. What did it cost him? The name he stole from his uncle that cost him a Bohemian childhood In this episode, we trace the life of the man who ruled as Holy Roman Emperor...
The name he stole from his uncle that cost him a Bohemian childhood

In this episode, we trace the life of the man who ruled as Holy Roman Emperor while carrying the title King of Bohemia and King of Italy, following his childhood sent to Paris, his multilingual education, and the political choices that shaped his reign. How did taking a French name and a transnational upbringing become central to his power and identity?

Person: Charles (born Wenceslaus)
Date: April 17, 1355
Location: Rome; Saint Peter's Basilica; Tiber
Event: Sent to Paris at age seven in 1323; returned to Bohemia in 1333
Topic: Name change, multilingual upbringing, Landbuch registry

- Sent west to Paris at age seven as part of his father John of Luxembourg’s diplomatic strategy.
- Spent seven years in Paris and left fluent in Latin, Czech, German, French, and Italian.
- At seventeen he led a campaign in Italy, founded Montecarlo, and learned governance amid defeat.
- Returned to Bohemia to govern a depleted kingdom, created the Landbuch and reclaimed mortgaged estates.
- By 1346 he became the Pope-backed candidate against Louis IV and was dubbed the "Priests' King."

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1218falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-promise-he-broke-swearing-first-cost-wladyslaw-his-crown-s-sanctity--74833923
The Promise He Broke: Swearing First Cost Władysław His Crown's Sanctity

In this episode, we follow the life and disappearance of Władysław III from his contested childhood coronation through the decisions that shaped his short reign and led him to Varna. What price did his altered anointing and the men who ruled around him extract from the young king?

Person: Władysław III
Date: November 10, 1444
Location: Varna, outside the Bulgarian port
Event: Battle against Ottoman forces
Age: 19

- Crowned at age nine after a coronation where he swore before anointment, a sequence reversed by Cardinal Zbigniew Oleśnicki.
- Raised under the effective control of a council of provisors and Oleśnicki, with the queen mother denied regency.
- At fourteen he independently ordered the return and restoration of Spytko III of Melsztyn’s body and family, a rare recorded act of personal authority.
- He rode more than a thousand miles to Varna commanding 16,000 soldiers against some 60,000 Ottoman fighters on the morning of November 10, 1444.
- Contemporary Turkish sources describe a blonde-haired head on a lance, while all Latin descriptions portray Władysław with dark hair and dark eyes, an unresolved discrepancy.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833923Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:13:07 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA nineteen-year-old king rode to Varna and vanished, leaving Poland without a crowned successor - what did it cost him? The Promise He Broke: Swearing First Cost Władysław His Crown's Sanctity In this episode, we follow the life and...
The Promise He Broke: Swearing First Cost Władysław His Crown's Sanctity

In this episode, we follow the life and disappearance of Władysław III from his contested childhood coronation through the decisions that shaped his short reign and led him to Varna. What price did his altered anointing and the men who ruled around him extract from the young king?

Person: Władysław III
Date: November 10, 1444
Location: Varna, outside the Bulgarian port
Event: Battle against Ottoman forces
Age: 19

- Crowned at age nine after a coronation where he swore before anointment, a sequence reversed by Cardinal Zbigniew Oleśnicki.
- Raised under the effective control of a council of provisors and Oleśnicki, with the queen mother denied regency.
- At fourteen he independently ordered the return and restoration of Spytko III of Melsztyn’s body and family, a rare recorded act of personal authority.
- He rode more than a thousand miles to Varna commanding 16,000 soldiers against some 60,000 Ottoman fighters on the morning of November 10, 1444.
- Contemporary Turkish sources describe a blonde-haired head on a lance, while all Latin descriptions portray Władysław with dark hair and dark eyes, an unresolved discrepancy.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1309falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-rope-he-asked-for-that-led-a-blind-king-into-battle-and-into-death--74833921
The rope he asked for that led a blind king into battle-and into death

In this episode we follow John of Bohemia from his youth in Luxembourg and education at the French court to the political and personal choices that carried him to Crécy. We outline the constraints of his Bohemian crown, his blindness, and the single moment-asking to be led into the fight-that defines his legacy and demands the question: what drove him to that rope?

Person: John of Bohemia
Date: August 27, 1346
Location: Crécy
Age: 50
Origin: Luxembourg

- Born August 10, 1296 in the County of Luxembourg and raised in Paris, shaped by French chivalric culture.
- Crowned King of Bohemia at age 14 (February 7, 1311) after a marriage arranged by his father Henry VII to Elizabeth of Bohemia.
- The inaugural diplomas forced concessions: nobles retained election rights, taxation control, property protections, and refused foreign appointments.
- Blind since 1336, he spent decades often away from Prague-on campaigns and at courts across Europe-while the Czech nobility ran the kingdom.
- At Crécy his men lashed horses together with a rope at his request so he would not turn back; his recorded words were "Lead me where the fighting is loudest."

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833921Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:13:04 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA blind king asks to be led into the loudest part of battle at Crécy, tying his horse to others with a rope-what did that choice cost him? The rope he asked for that led a blind king into battle-and into death In this episode we follow John of...
The rope he asked for that led a blind king into battle-and into death

In this episode we follow John of Bohemia from his youth in Luxembourg and education at the French court to the political and personal choices that carried him to Crécy. We outline the constraints of his Bohemian crown, his blindness, and the single moment-asking to be led into the fight-that defines his legacy and demands the question: what drove him to that rope?

Person: John of Bohemia
Date: August 27, 1346
Location: Crécy
Age: 50
Origin: Luxembourg

- Born August 10, 1296 in the County of Luxembourg and raised in Paris, shaped by French chivalric culture.
- Crowned King of Bohemia at age 14 (February 7, 1311) after a marriage arranged by his father Henry VII to Elizabeth of Bohemia.
- The inaugural diplomas forced concessions: nobles retained election rights, taxation control, property protections, and refused foreign appointments.
- Blind since 1336, he spent decades often away from Prague-on campaigns and at courts across Europe-while the Czech nobility ran the kingdom.
- At Crécy his men lashed horses together with a rope at his request so he would not turn back; his recorded words were "Lead me where the fighting is loudest."

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1120falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-coronation-at-two-that-cost-him-four-decades-of-power-and-a-lifetime-waiting--74833919
The coronation at two that cost him four decades of power and a lifetime waiting

In this episode, we follow the life of Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus from his birth in the Purple Room to decades spent powerless on the imperial throne. We trace the rituals, regency councils, and court maneuvers that kept him a nominal emperor while others governed, and ask what his long wait for real power meant for his legacy.

Person: Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus
Date: Born May 17 or 18, 905; died November 9, 959
Location: Great Palace of Constantinople, Purple Room
Event: Coronation as co-emperor on May 15, 908 at age two
Topic: Four decades of titular rule, regency, ceremonial authority, and literary legacy

- Born "in the purple" to Zoe Karbonopsina, his birth was a legal bid to secure dynastic legitimacy despite his mother's irregular marriage.
- Crowned co-emperor at age two in a full coronation that functioned as a legal defense against future rivals.
- After Leo VI's death, regency councils led by figures like Patriarch Nicholas Mystikos governed in his name, negotiating treaties and making compromises.
- Power shifted through court removals and appointments-Nicholas negotiated a humiliating peace with Tsar Simeon, was removed, and Zoe later stepped into the regency.
- Constantine spent decades cataloguing ceremonies, writing diplomatic advice and agricultural knowledge, leaving records that outlived the armies of his time.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833919Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:12:58 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA boy crowned emperor at two-how did the coronation at two shape Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus, and what did it cost him? The coronation at two that cost him four decades of power and a lifetime waiting In this episode, we follow the life of...
The coronation at two that cost him four decades of power and a lifetime waiting

In this episode, we follow the life of Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus from his birth in the Purple Room to decades spent powerless on the imperial throne. We trace the rituals, regency councils, and court maneuvers that kept him a nominal emperor while others governed, and ask what his long wait for real power meant for his legacy.

Person: Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus
Date: Born May 17 or 18, 905; died November 9, 959
Location: Great Palace of Constantinople, Purple Room
Event: Coronation as co-emperor on May 15, 908 at age two
Topic: Four decades of titular rule, regency, ceremonial authority, and literary legacy

- Born "in the purple" to Zoe Karbonopsina, his birth was a legal bid to secure dynastic legitimacy despite his mother's irregular marriage.
- Crowned co-emperor at age two in a full coronation that functioned as a legal defense against future rivals.
- After Leo VI's death, regency councils led by figures like Patriarch Nicholas Mystikos governed in his name, negotiating treaties and making compromises.
- Power shifted through court removals and appointments-Nicholas negotiated a humiliating peace with Tsar Simeon, was removed, and Zoe later stepped into the regency.
- Constantine spent decades cataloguing ceremonies, writing diplomatic advice and agricultural knowledge, leaving records that outlived the armies of his time.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>859falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-sister-he-sent-to-bayezid-s-harem-cost-him-his-realm--74833915
The sister he sent to Bayezid's harem cost him his realm

This episode explores the reign of Ivan Shishman, a Bulgarian emperor who inherited a fractured realm and navigated the rising power of the Ottoman Empire. What choices did he make to preserve his kingdom, and what were the consequences?

Person: Ivan Shishman
Date: 1350 (approximate birth)
Location: Bulgaria
Event: Battle of Maritsa (1371)
Status: Vassal of Ottoman Empire

- Ivan Shishman was born into a Bulgarian court where his father, Emperor Ivan Alexander, had disinherited his older son in favor of Shishman's mother, Sarah-Theodora.
- His half-brother, Ivan Sratsimir, declared himself emperor of Vidin, fracturing Bulgaria into three separate entities.
- In 1371, a Christian coalition led by Serbian brothers Vukašin and Uglješa Mrnjavčević was annihilated by the Ottomans at the Battle of Maritsa.
- Two years later, Ivan Shishman signed a vassalage treaty with Sultan Murad I, ceding territory and sending his sister, Kera Tamara, to the Ottoman harem.
- Despite becoming a vassal, Ivan Shishman notably refused to pay tribute or provide military aid to the Ottoman Empire, unlike other Balkan rulers of the era.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833915Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:12:54 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA Bulgarian emperor, facing Ottoman expansion, sends his sister to the Sultan's harem as a peace offering. But his refusal to fully serve his new overlords sets him on a collision course. The sister he sent to Bayezid's harem cost him his realm...
The sister he sent to Bayezid's harem cost him his realm

This episode explores the reign of Ivan Shishman, a Bulgarian emperor who inherited a fractured realm and navigated the rising power of the Ottoman Empire. What choices did he make to preserve his kingdom, and what were the consequences?

Person: Ivan Shishman
Date: 1350 (approximate birth)
Location: Bulgaria
Event: Battle of Maritsa (1371)
Status: Vassal of Ottoman Empire

- Ivan Shishman was born into a Bulgarian court where his father, Emperor Ivan Alexander, had disinherited his older son in favor of Shishman's mother, Sarah-Theodora.
- His half-brother, Ivan Sratsimir, declared himself emperor of Vidin, fracturing Bulgaria into three separate entities.
- In 1371, a Christian coalition led by Serbian brothers Vukašin and Uglješa Mrnjavčević was annihilated by the Ottomans at the Battle of Maritsa.
- Two years later, Ivan Shishman signed a vassalage treaty with Sultan Murad I, ceding territory and sending his sister, Kera Tamara, to the Ottoman harem.
- Despite becoming a vassal, Ivan Shishman notably refused to pay tribute or provide military aid to the Ottoman Empire, unlike other Balkan rulers of the era.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>930falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-king-who-died-for-a-broken-betrothal--74833912
The King Who Died for a Broken Betrothal

This episode explores the unexpected path of Philip of Swabia, a man destined for the Church who found himself at the center of a dynastic struggle for the German throne, only to face a sudden and personal end.

Person: Philip of Swabia
Date: 1177-1208
Location: Bamberg
Event: Royal assassination
Topic: Medieval German kingship

- Philip was the fifth and youngest surviving son of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, initially intended for a life in the Church.
- He held the office of Provost at Aachen Cathedral and was elected Prince-bishop of Würzburg before his brothers' deaths altered his destiny.
- Philip was pulled from ecclesiastical life to become Margrave of Tuscany and Duke of Swabia, a role that led to his excommunication.
- He married Irene Angelina, daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Isaac II, who took the Germanic name Maria.
- After the death of his brother Henry VI, Philip was elected German King in 1198, leading to a decade-long conflict with rival claimant Otto IV.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833912Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:12:51 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA king on the cusp of empire is slain at a wedding by a vengeful count-will the German lands recover? The King Who Died for a Broken Betrothal This episode explores the unexpected path of Philip of Swabia, a man destined for the Church who found...
The King Who Died for a Broken Betrothal

This episode explores the unexpected path of Philip of Swabia, a man destined for the Church who found himself at the center of a dynastic struggle for the German throne, only to face a sudden and personal end.

Person: Philip of Swabia
Date: 1177-1208
Location: Bamberg
Event: Royal assassination
Topic: Medieval German kingship

- Philip was the fifth and youngest surviving son of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, initially intended for a life in the Church.
- He held the office of Provost at Aachen Cathedral and was elected Prince-bishop of Würzburg before his brothers' deaths altered his destiny.
- Philip was pulled from ecclesiastical life to become Margrave of Tuscany and Duke of Swabia, a role that led to his excommunication.
- He married Irene Angelina, daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Isaac II, who took the Germanic name Maria.
- After the death of his brother Henry VI, Philip was elected German King in 1198, leading to a decade-long conflict with rival claimant Otto IV.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1267falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-solemn-oath-that-cost-john-his-life--74833908
The Solemn Oath That Cost John His Life

This episode explores the life of John of Burgundy, a man whose calculated decisions and ruthless ambition shaped his destiny. It delves into the events that led him to a fateful encounter on a bridge, questioning the true cost of power and trust.

Person: John of Burgundy
Date: November 1407
Location: Paris
Event: Murder of Louis I of Orléans
Period: Hundred Years' War

- John of Burgundy was born in 1371 into a France embroiled in the Hundred Years' War, a conflict that had been ongoing for 34 years.
- At 14, John married Margaret of Bavaria in a strategic alliance orchestrated by his father, Philip the Bold, to stabilize Burgundy.
- In 1396, John participated in the Nicopolis crusade, where his reckless courage earned him the name "the Fearless" after being captured and ransomed.
- John inherited the Duchy of Burgundy at 32, becoming sovereign of the most powerful territorial block in France outside the crown itself.
- In 1407, John and Louis I of Orléans swore an oath of peace, but three days later, Louis was found dead in a Paris street.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833908Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:12:47 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA powerful 15th-century French prince swears peace - then his rival is murdered three days later. What will this change? The Solemn Oath That Cost John His Life This episode explores the life of John of Burgundy, a man whose calculated decisions...
The Solemn Oath That Cost John His Life

This episode explores the life of John of Burgundy, a man whose calculated decisions and ruthless ambition shaped his destiny. It delves into the events that led him to a fateful encounter on a bridge, questioning the true cost of power and trust.

Person: John of Burgundy
Date: November 1407
Location: Paris
Event: Murder of Louis I of Orléans
Period: Hundred Years' War

- John of Burgundy was born in 1371 into a France embroiled in the Hundred Years' War, a conflict that had been ongoing for 34 years.
- At 14, John married Margaret of Bavaria in a strategic alliance orchestrated by his father, Philip the Bold, to stabilize Burgundy.
- In 1396, John participated in the Nicopolis crusade, where his reckless courage earned him the name "the Fearless" after being captured and ransomed.
- John inherited the Duchy of Burgundy at 32, becoming sovereign of the most powerful territorial block in France outside the crown itself.
- In 1407, John and Louis I of Orléans swore an oath of peace, but three days later, Louis was found dead in a Paris street.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1086falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-fifteen-men-that-rewrote-a-king-s-destiny--74833907
The Fifteen Men That Rewrote a King's Destiny

This episode explores the early life of Brian mac Cennétig, from his birth as the twelfth son of a minor king to the pivotal moments that shaped his path to power. What choices did he make when faced with devastating loss?

Person: Brian mac Cennétig
Date: Good Friday, April 23, 1014
Location: Clontarf, north of Dublin
Period: 9th-11th century Ireland
Event: Battle of Clontarf

- Brian was born around 941 into a fractured Ireland, a patchwork of kingdoms and territories, with Norse settlers establishing powerful cities like Dublin and Limerick.
- His people, the Dál gCais, were a minor tribe in County Clare, under the influence of the Norse of Limerick.
- Brian was educated at the monastery of Innisfallen, where he learned about both scripture and the workings of kingdoms.
- At roughly ten years old, Brian's parents were killed in a Viking raid, leaving him to return home to his older brother Mathgamain, who inherited the kingship.
- Brian rejected his brother's choice of negotiation and launched a guerrilla campaign against the Norse, starting with a small band of men that dwindled to just fifteen.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74833907Wed, 02 Sep 2026 22:12:43 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTAn old Irish king kneels in a tent as battle rages outside-how did he become an emperor? The Fifteen Men That Rewrote a King's Destiny This episode explores the early life of Brian mac Cennétig, from his birth as the twelfth son of a minor king...
The Fifteen Men That Rewrote a King's Destiny

This episode explores the early life of Brian mac Cennétig, from his birth as the twelfth son of a minor king to the pivotal moments that shaped his path to power. What choices did he make when faced with devastating loss?

Person: Brian mac Cennétig
Date: Good Friday, April 23, 1014
Location: Clontarf, north of Dublin
Period: 9th-11th century Ireland
Event: Battle of Clontarf

- Brian was born around 941 into a fractured Ireland, a patchwork of kingdoms and territories, with Norse settlers establishing powerful cities like Dublin and Limerick.
- His people, the Dál gCais, were a minor tribe in County Clare, under the influence of the Norse of Limerick.
- Brian was educated at the monastery of Innisfallen, where he learned about both scripture and the workings of kingdoms.
- At roughly ten years old, Brian's parents were killed in a Viking raid, leaving him to return home to his older brother Mathgamain, who inherited the kingship.
- Brian rejected his brother's choice of negotiation and launched a guerrilla campaign against the Norse, starting with a small band of men that dwindled to just fifteen.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1291falsefull