Podcast – The History of Byzantium: Recent Episodes
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Pic: Silver basilikon coin of Andronikos II and Andronikos III
When Andronikos’ son dies he ponders whether to disinherit his Grandson Andronikos III. This prompts two bouts of civil war as the younger generation try to force change on their elders.
Period: 1310-1328
Stream: The Next Generation
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The Union of Lyons had unleashed bitter division within Byzantium. We follow Michael and his son Andronikos as they try to make peace with the various factions that had opposed them.
Period: 1281-1310
Pic: Andronikos II Palaiologos from the manuscript of George Pachymeres’ ‘Historia‘
Stream: Healing the Divisions
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Left Pic: Michael VIII Palaiologos from ‘Rulers of the Byzantine Empire’ by Kibea. Right pic: Statue of Charles of Anjou by Arnolfo di Cambio c. 1277
The Pope responds with despair to the news of Constantinople’s fall. He calls for a Crusade to restore the Latin position. The man who answers is the brother of the King of France, Charles of Anjou. Michael Palaiologos is willing to do whatever it takes to stop them. This means he must agree to church union.
Period: 1261-82
Stream: Church Union
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With Constantinople back in Roman hands we explore the one vantage point we’ve ignored: the last Latin Emperor Baldwin II. Dr John Giebfried returns to give us Baldwin’s biography.
Pic: Seal of Baldwin II
John completed his PhD in Medieval History at St Louis University in 2015 and has subsequently worked at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Georgia Southern University, East Georgia State College, and since 2022 has been a faculty member at the University of Vienna, where he teaches History and Digital Humanities. His academic work focuses on the Crusades, the Crusader-States, and European interactions with the Mongols.
Period: 1215-61
Stream: Baldwin II with John Giebfried
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Map: The Nicaean Empire in 1257 from The Byzantine Hellene by Dimiter Angelov
Theodore Laskaris II beds down his father’s conquests in Europe. But his early death sees his family sidelined by Michael Palaiologos. The new Emperor needs some victories to legitimise his seizure of power and the fates reward him beyond all expectations.
Period: 1255-61
Stream: The Providence of God
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Picture: Silver Coin (Aspron trachy) of John III Vatatzes
With the Bulgarians and Turks hobbled by the Mongols the field is clear for Nicaea. John Vatatzes annexes a huge swathe of European territory and is widely recognised as the true Roman Emperor.
Period: 1237-54
Stream: The Rise and Rise of Nicaea
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We talk to Dr Nicholas Morton about the arrival of the Mongols into the Byzantine world. Their confrontation with the Seljuks of Anatolia will have serious consequences.
Dr Morton is Associate Professor in Middle Eastern and Global history at Nottingham Trent University in the UK. His new book The Mongol Storm: Making and Breaking Empires in the Medieval Near East is available now.
In it he offers a panoramic account of the Mongol invasions of the Middle East during the thirteenth century, examining these wars from the perspectives of the many different societies impacted by their conquests, including of course Byzantium.
Stream: The Mongol Storm
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Michael Komnenos Doukas would have had a forgettable career if it wasn’t for the chaos which followed Manuel Komnenos’ death.
But the twists of fate allowed him to found a new state in Epirus (Western Greece) which would eventually seize huge parts of the Roman world.
Period: 1204-15
Stream: Episode 291 – Michael Doukas of Epirus
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We follow Theodore Laskaris as he escapes from Constantinople and establishes a new state at Nicaea. Crowned as the new Roman Emperor he must face down rivals on every side including the Turks.
Map: The Empire of Nicaea
Period: 1204-12
Picture: Laskaris’ forked beard on his coins (Dumbarton Oaks)
Stream: Episode 290 – The Despot, Theodore Laskaris
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With Baldwin and Boniface dead the Bulgarians run riot across Thrace. Their Tsar Kaloyan attempts to capture Thessalonica and ponders whether he could become the new Roman Emperor.
Picture: St. Demetrius Killing Kaloyan. Mosaic from Visoki Dečani Monastery in Kosovo
Period: 1204-07
Above: Statue of Kaloyan in Varna, Bulgaria
Stream: Episode 289 – Kaloyan, Tsar of Bulgaria
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After throwing a huge strop Boniface, the Marquis of Montferrat, is made King of Thessalonica.
He sent his men to conquer most of Greece but the Bulgarians were on his tail.
Picture: The Acrocorinth where Leo Sgouros took refuge from Boniface
Period: 1204-07
Stream: Episode 288 – Boniface, Marquis of Montferrat
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The Latins agree to stay for another year and to conquer the whole of the Roman Empire. They elect Count Baldwin of Flanders and Hainaut to be their Emperor and all seems well. It only takes a year for everything to fall apart.
Picture: Statue of Baldwin I in Mons (capital of Hainault), Belgium
Period: 1204-05
Stream: Episode 287 – Count Baldwin of Flanders and Hainaut
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The narrative returns as we head back to 1204 and the sack of Constantinople. The arrival of the Latins had actually splintered the Roman world into at least 13 different states.
With a little help from the 2008 film ‘Vantage Point’ we will be following the different perspectives of these actors as they deal with the fallout from the sack.
We begin with the story of Alexios V Doukas who fled the city just before it fell.
Period: 1204
Stream: Episode 286 – Vantage Point
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I speak to Rob and Jamie from the podcast Totalus Rankium. Their show is a light hearted ranking of every Roman Emperor from Augustus to Constantine XI. It’s a really fun listen and they include all the amusing stories which I edited out of Byzantine history.
They have a sister show where they rank American Presidents. Find both shows here.
Stream: Episode 285 – Totalus Rankium
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Alexander Christie-Miller was the Turkish correspondent for the Times Newspaper between 2010 and 2017. He has written a book called ‘To the City’ about the people who live along the Theodosian Walls in Istanbul today. He tells the story and charts the sweeping changes they’ve experienced in Turkey over the past 50 years. It’s a brilliant read, ideal for those of you who have visited Istanbul or plan to.
Alexander Christie-Miller is from Wiltshire in the UK, studied in Dublin and was then in Istanbul for 7 years. He was the Times Turkish correspondent during that period and his writing has also appeared in Newsweek, The Atlantic, Der Spiegel and the White Review amongst other publications.
Stream: Episode 284 – To The City with Alexander Christie Miller
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Professor Kaldellis’ new history of Byzantium is out now in the USA and on Kindle everywhere.
In the final episode in this series he answers more of your questions. Amongst the topics we cover are citizenship, class, counter-factuals, academia and AI.
Stream: The New Roman Empire with Anthony Kaldellis. Part 5 – More Questions
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50 episodes ago Dr Maximilian Lau came on the podcast to talk about John II Komnenos. Max kindly shared his book with me before publication to guide the podcast through John’s reign.
Now he is back on the show to catch up on the next century of Byzantine history and to give us the great news that the book has been published.
The book is ‘Emperor John II Komnenos: Rebuilding New Rome 1118-1143’. You can buy the book here and if you use the discount code AAFLYG6 you can 30% off.
Stream: Catching up with Max Lau
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Professor Kaldellis’ new history of Byzantium is out now in the USA and on Kindle everywhere. He has kindly agreed to talk to us about it across 4 episodes!
In this first conversation we discuss the new Roman government that Constantine established in 330AD. What was the ‘personality’ of government? How did it achieve legitimacy in the eyes of the people? Was it really a Republican Monarchy?
Stream: The New Roman Empire with Anthony Kaldellis. Part 1 – Government
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Tom Holland is the author of half a dozen brilliant books on the ancient world. He has now written three on the Roman Empire. The latest ‘Pax’ takes the story from the death of Nero to that of Hadrian. It’s the golden age of Roman power and yet insecurity and anxiety lie under the surface. I talk to Tom about how he gains insight into people so utterly different to us.
Stream: Pax: War and Peace in Rome’s Golden Age with Tom Holland
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American author Robert Bruton takes us through his Master’s thesis on the role of climate change and plague in the decline of Roman fortunes in the 6th century.
He is also writing a trilogy of historical fiction novels about the life of Belisarius.
Find out more about Robert and his work here.
Stream: Climate Change in the 6th Century with Robert Bruton
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I talk to Katherine Pangonis about her new book – Twilight Cities: Lost Capitals of the Mediterranean. In it she travels to Tyre, Carthage, Syracuse, Ravenna and Antioch to tell their stories and experience what remains. It’s a fantastic book for those who want to learn more about these ancient power centres and be inspired […]
We take a look at the pros and cons of the Komnenian system. Then trace why it was causing enough resentment to lead to provincial separatism.
We then move on to discuss the army and the bureaucracy and the people of Constantinople. Looking at how each was affecting political stability in the run up to the Fourth Crusade.
Pic: The remains of the Church of St John at Philadelphia (modern Alaşehir). Philadelphia was one of the centres which broke away from Constantinople to go it alone.
Stream: The Collapse of the Komnenian System
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More questions to tackle this week. Comparing the sack of 1204 to the sack of Rome in 410. Questioning the Byzantine system of succession and the routes of their decline. And pondering whether other Emperors rose to power like Alexios Angelos – on the back of a foreign army.
Pic: The Sack of Rome by the Barbarians in 410 by Joseph-Noël Sylvestre, 1890
Stream: Questions XII
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Professor Anthony Kaldellis has just completed a new history of Byzantium which will be published in October 2023. So I cheekily asked him if he would list his 10 greatest Emperors. Graciously he agreed to apply his immense knowledge to this frivolous topic.
He is a Professor in the Department of Classics at the University of Chicago. This is his third interview on the History of Byzantium. I talked to him about two of his books ‘The Byzantine Republic’ and ‘Streams of Gold, Rivers of Blood: The Rise and Fall of Byzantium, 955 A.D. to the First Crusade.’ But he is the author of over a dozen books on Byzantium along with translations of texts and many articles. Find out more here.
Stream: The 10 Greatest Emperors with Anthony Kaldellis
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I answer more questions about the Fourth Crusade and the sack of Constantinople. What was the reaction of other nations? Did people see it as sign of the end times? What did the Byzantines think of the Templars and Hospitallers? What were the religious differences between the Orthodox and the Catholics?
Pic: A member of the Knights Templar in the popular imagination
Stream: Questions XI
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I answer more questions about the Fourth Crusade and the sack of Constantinople. We talk about why the Roman response was so feeble and if anything else could have been done? Along with questions about the tombs of the Emperors, statues, coins and ships.
Pic: Baldwin of Flanders enters Constantinople by Eugène Delacroix (1840)
Stream: Questions X
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Antakya after the earthquake (ABCNews.go.com)
This is a special episode to urge listeners to donate to the ongoing relief effort in Turkey and Syria. I interview two expert guests about the situation with a particular focus on the city of Antakya (Byzantine Antioch).
Andrea De Giorgi is a Professor of Classical Studies at Florida State University. He specializes in Roman urbanism and visual culture and has written many books and articles on the subject. He co-authored the fantastic book Antioch. A History which I thoroughly recommend. Dr. De Giorgi has also directed excavations and surveys in Turkey, Syria, Georgia, Jordan, and the UAE. Since 2013, he has codirected the Cosa Excavations in Italy and, since 2021, the Coastal Caesarea Archeological Project in Israel; currently, he is studying the 1930s Antioch and Daphne collections at the Princeton University Art Museum.
Katherine Pangonis is a historian and author of the book ‘Queens of Jerusalem’ who I interviewed back in episode 238 of the podcast. Her second book – to be published this summer – is called ‘Twilight Cities: Lost Capitals of the Mediterranean.’ In it she explores famous cities from antiquity like Tyre, Carthage and Ravenna. Cities who once ruled whole Empires and were littered with magnificent buildings but have been somewhat forgotten. One of the cities she covers is Antioch. She also hosts the podcast – Women Who Dared to Write.
Stream: Antakya Appeal
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This is an appeal for you to donate to one of the various charities who are rushing to the scene at this moment to help the survivors. You have a number of options. You may have campaigns being run in your country by reputable organisations. So here in the UK the Disaster Emergency Committee have launched an appeal that has raised millions. This is an organisation which brings a group of charities together. In this case Oxfam, Save the Children, Tearfund and Islamic Relief amongst many others.
dec.org.uk/appeals/
To help specific groups directly:
The White Helmets are volunteers who have been operating in Syria for many years. They help evacuate people from dangerous areas and offer medical help.
https://www.whitehelmets.org/en/
AKUT Search and Rescue Association. They are a non-governmental organisation offering emergency and disaster relief to people caught up in natural disasters in Turkey.
https://www.akut.org.tr/en/donation
AHBAP an independent civilian organisation who offer disaster relief to communities in need across Turkey. This is the organisation that the kind listener who prompted me to make this appeal recommends.
https://ahbap.org/disasters-turkey
International Red Cross
https://www.icrc.org/en/donate/syria-emergency
Isaac Angelos does his best to secure his position and confront the Bulgarians. But he is overthrown by his brother at the head of a coalition of aristocratic families.
Period: 1189-95
Pic: Alexios III Angelos (Miniature portrait from a 15th-century codex containing a copy of the Extracts of the History by Joannes Zonaras)
Stream: What Could Be More Trustworthy than a Brother?
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I speak to author Ben Duval, author of the book: “Saladin the Strategist: How the Crusaders Lost the Holy Land.”
We go through Saladin’s career starting with how he captured Egypt. Then how he built the coalition which defeated the Crusaders. Finally we watch on as he traps them at Hattin and then sweeps across the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
Buy the book here, follow Ben on twitter @byzantinemporia and find out more about his work here.
Stream: Saladin the Strategist with Ben Duval
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Isaac Angelos begins his reign by defeating the Normans and making as many alliances as he can to secure his position. Unfortunately he rejects an offer from two Vlach Chieftains Peter and Asen. They turn on the Romans and found the Second Bulgarian Empire north of the Haemus Mountains.
Period: 1185-87
Pic: Isaac II Angelos (Miniature portrait from a 15th-century codex containing a copy of the Extracts of the History by Joannes Zonaras)
Stream: The Second Bulgarian Empire
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Killing of Stephen Hagiochristophorites by Isaac Angelos, c. 1473, miniature by Jean Colombe in Les Passages d’outremer, BNF.
A 15th century depiction of the death of Andronikos. Original in the Bibliothèque Nationale, France.
Andronikos continues to terrorise his relatives. Many leave Byzantium seeking help from foreign courts. One arrives in Sicily and calls on the Normans to help him. They launch an invasion and sack the city of Thessalonica.
Period: 1184-85
Stream: The Sack of Thessalonica
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When Manuel Komnenos died he left an 11 year old son as his heir. The Regency Council set up to protect him fails. Manuel’s cousin Andronikos seizes the throne instead and begins a reign of terror.
Period: 1180-83
Pic: Andronikos I Komnenos. Miniature portrait from a 15th-century codex containing a copy of the Extracts of the History by Joannes Zonaras
Stream: A Lion Pouncing on a Large Prey
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I answer listener questions about Manuel’s reign. Period: 1143-80 Stream: Means and Ends Download: Means and Ends RSS Feed: The History of Byzantium If you want to send in feedback to the podcast: – Either comment on this post. – Or on the facebook page. – Leave a review on Itunes. – Follow me on […]
Manuel launches a Crusade against the Turks of Iconium. Period: 1174-76 Stream: The Battle of Myriokephalon Download: The Battle of Myriokephalon RSS Feed: The History of Byzantium If you want to send in feedback to the podcast: – Either comment on this post. – Or on the facebook page. – Leave a review on Itunes. […]
While his armies were fighting in the Balkans Manuel’s diplomats and fleets were busy elsewhere. Komnenos poured money into Italy to try and gain influence there. He considered alliances with the Germans, the Pope and the Normans but ultimately lost them all. He made war on Venice and tried to capture an Egyptian port. Pic: […]
Manuel spends the 1160s at war with Hungary. During these campaigns the Emperor adopts the Hungarian King’s brother making him his heir. This enables the Romans to seize Sirmium and parts of Dalmatia. The Hungarian elites won’t stand for it and try to throw the Romans out. Period: 1161-72 Stream: Hungary for Security Download: Hungary […]
When Alexios Komnenos came to power his family decided to marry their way out of the civil wars which threatened the state. By Manuel’s day this meant that a new aristocracy had grown up who dominated the organs of the Byzantine state. We discuss this development and how Manuel managed his family. As well as […]
Today we talk to historian Katherine Pangonis about her book ‘Queens of Jerusalem.’ Not only do we talk about the fascinating lives of the women of Outremer but we also pick up Andronikos’ story as he manages to scandalise all of Christendom. Find out more about Katherine at her website To listen to the book […]
We pause the narrative briefly to learn more about Manuel’s world. Today we talk about the Emperor’s personality and relatives. Including his cousin, friend and rival Andronikos. Period: 1143-61 Pic: Maria of Antioch, Manuel’s second wife (Manuscript miniature, Vatican Library) Stream: Manuel and Andronikos Download: Manuel and Andronikos RSS Feed: The History of Byzantium If […]
With Italy and the Balkans at peace Manuel turns his attention to Anatolia. He marches to Antioch to punish those who’d wronged him. He then campaigns against the Turks with surprisingly positive results. Pic: The Tomb of Kilij Arslan II in the courtyard of Alâeddin Mosque, Konya Period: 1158-1161 Stream: Why Make Peace? Download: Why Make Peace? RSS […]
Manuel’s Italian campaign begins brightly but ends in failure. Meanwhile his cousin Andronikos tries to kill him and more bad news arrives from Antioch. Period: 1152-1158 Stream: Sundered by Gold Download: Sundered by Gold RSS Feed: The History of Byzantium If you want to send in feedback to the podcast: – Either comment on this […]
A ‘Second’ Crusade is called in response to the fall of Edessa in 1144. The French and German monarchs sign up leaving the Byzantines with multiple headaches to deal with. Pic: The Crusaders arrive at Constantinople by Jean Fouquet Period: 1144-1147 Stream: The Second Crusade, Part 1 Download: The Second Crusade, Part 1 RSS Feed: […]
Robin discusses ‘Byzantium and Italy’ with Marco Capelli. Marco is the brilliant host of Storia d’Italia – a podcast telling the story of the History of Italy – in Italian. This interview is in English. Please do tell any Italian speakers you know about Storia d’Italia (italiastoria.com). Stream: Discussion with Marco Capelli about Byzantium and […]
Today we talk to the man whose research has guided our last few podcasts Dr Maximilian Lau. Dr Lau is Adjunct Professor of Economic History at Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo, and also a Research Associate in History at St Benet’s Hall, University of Oxford. He has been studying 12th century Byzantine history for many years now […]
Last time we watched as John Komnenos attempted to untangle the Gordian knot which Anatolia had become. After campaigning against the Danishmends – John moved on to Cilicia and Antioch. The Emperor attempted to enforce his rights without angering the Latins. A trick which he failed to pull off. Today John will be forced to […]
John II Komnenos is finally free to campaign in Anatolia. If he can keep the Turks quiet then he can make it to Antioch where his real goal lies. But once there will he risk outraging Latin opinion by assaulting the city or will he negotiate a deal to bring the city back into the […]
When I announced I would be taking a break back in the Autumn I received an email from listener Brian Sherry offering to produce an episode of the show for me. He told me about the metal band Judicator recording an entire album about Belisarius. And he very kindly offered to interview them on my behalf. […]
Period: 1081-1118 Download: The Coup of Anna Komnene with Leonora Neville RSS Feed: The History of Byzantium If you want to send in feedback to the podcast: – Either comment on this post. – Or on the facebook page. – Leave a review on Itunes. – Follow me on Twitter or Instagram
Period: 1081-1118 Download: Questions VIII RSS Feed: The History of Byzantium If you want to send in feedback to the podcast: – Either comment on this post. – Or on the facebook page. – Leave a review on Itunes. – Follow me on Twitter or Instagram
Hello everyone, There are currently two ways to get your hands on all the bonus episodes I’ve produced over the years. One is to buy them from thehistoryofbyzantium.com. The other is to become a Patron of the show at Patreon.com. I am making plans to switch entirely to Patreon from October 2021. The sale system […]
Alexios tries to forge a coalition against Antioch but has to abandon his plans when Anatolia comes calling again. The Emperor leaves this world frustrated by his failure to outmanoeuvre the Normans but his record in office is impressive nonetheless. Period: 1108-1118 Download: The Good Helmsman RSS Feed: The History of Byzantium This beautiful drawing […]
Bohemond heads back to Western Europe to recruit a new army. He leads them back to the Balkans to capture Dyrrhachium but Alexios is waiting for him. Period: 1105-1108 Download: The Triptych RSS Feed: The History of Byzantium If you want to send in feedback to the podcast: – Either comment on this post. – […]
Basil the Bogomil (from ‘Rulers of the Byzantine Empire’ published by KIBEA)
More armed pilgrims arrive at Constantinople in the wake of the fall of Jerusalem. Alexios advises them to avoid the Turks of Anatolia but they ignore him. Meanwhile Alexios’ attempts to put pressure on Antioch are thwarted by Bohemond’s nephew Tancred. Finally we return to Constantinople to check in with the Komnenian regime and watch a man get burnt to death.
Period: 1097-1104
Download: The Crusade of 1101
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Anatolia and Armenia 1100 AD. Turkic and Latin capitals in red.
Jerusalem falls by Emile Signol (1847)
The Crusader march to Jerusalem (from Victory in the East by J France)
The Siege of Jerusalem (from Victory in the East by J France)
After their victory at Antioch the Crusaders agree to pause for a few months to rest. Bohemond and Raymond argue over who will keep the city. When neither Alexios or Urban will come to help them out they have to make decisions for themselves. These choice hinge on whether Raymond of Toulouse can both lead the Crusade and carve out a piece of the Levant for himself. In the process Raymond will lose all credibility and be forced to rely on Godfrey of Bouillon to help him get to Jerusalem. Once there the Latins end up in a race against time. They must take the city before an army from Cairo arrives or they run out of water.
Period: 1098-9
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Engraving of Antioch by William Miller from a sketch by Byam Martin in 1866
Battle outside Antioch from ‘Passaiges d’outremer’ (Voyages to Palestine) illuminated by Sebastian Marmoret (c1490)
Antioch and Vicinity (from Victory in the East by J France)
Siege of Antioch. Oct 1097 – Mar 1098 (from Victory in the East by J France)
Siege of Antioch. Mar-May 1098 (from Victory in the East by J France)
The Defeat of Kerbogah (from Victory in the East by J France)
The Crusaders set up a siege of Antioch. The vast size of the city makes it impossible to fully encircle. What follows is a battle of attrition as the Crusaders wait for the Turkic garrison to make a mistake and the garrison await reinforcements. Meanwhile Alexios makes his way to the centre of the Anatolian plateau to consolidate the return of Byzantine power. He also awaits news from Antioch.
Time Stamps – each section is broken up by our drum sound effect
00.00-03.05 Introduction
03.06-08.47 Why did the Crusaders have to capture Antioch?
08.48-14.22 Baldwin at Edessa
14.23-17.14 The political fragmentation of Syria
17.15-27.35 The geography of Antioch
27.36-33.52 Early stages of the siege
33.53-46.35 Winter stalemate. Suffering and desertions. Bohemond and Robert of Flanders drive off forces from Damascus
46.36-54.42 Victory over the forces of Aleppo
54.43-62.18 More fully surrounding the city
62.19-77.09 Antioch falls
77.10-84.24 The Crusaders besieged. Kerbogah attacks from the Citadel
84.25-87.46 Desperation and talk of surrender
87.47-92.03 Alexios goes home
92.04-100.19 The final battle
100.19-107.00 Conclusion
Period: 1097-8
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The route of the First Crusade (bad squiggly lines by Robin)
The Byzantines recover the West Coast of Anatolia while the Crusaders cross the plateau. As they travel the Westerners begin dropping like flies and come to hate the land they’ve come to liberate.
Period: 1097
Download: Diverging Paths
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