History of the Germans
By Dirk Hoffmann-Becking
The podcast that does what it says on the tin: a narrative history of the German people that starts in the year 919 AD and hopes to get all the way to 1991. Episodes are 25-35 min long and drop on Thursday mornings. As Gregory of Tours (539-594) said: "A great many things keep happening, some good, some bad" .
The show is now entering its 8th season. So far we have covered:
The Ottonian Emperors (Ep. 1- 21)
- Henry the Fowler (Ep. 1)
- Otto I (Ep. 2-8)
- Otto II (Ep.9-11)
- Otto II (Ep. 11-14)
- Henry II (ep. 15-17)
- Germany in the Year 1000 (ep. 18-21)
The Salian Emperors and the Investiture Controversy (Ep. 22-42)
- Konrad II (Ep. 22- 25)
- Henry III (Ep. 26-29)
- Henry IV & Canossa (Ep. 30-39)
- Henry V and the Concordat of Worms (Ep. 40-42)
Barbarossa and the early Hohenstaufen (Ep. 43-69)
- Lothar III (Ep. 43-46)
- Konrad III (Ep. 47-49)
- Frederick Barbarossa (Ep. 50-69)
Frederick II and the later Hohenstaufen (Ep. 70-94)
-Henry VI (Ep. 70-72)
- Philipp of Swabia (Ep. 73-74)
- Otto IV (Ep. 74-75)
- Frederick II (Ep. 75-90)
- Epilogue (ep. 91-94)
Eastern Expansion (Ep. 95-108)
The Hanseatic League (Ep. 109-127)
The Teutonic Knights (Ep. 128-137)
The Interregnum and the early Habsburgs (Ep. 138 ff
The show is now entering its 8th season. So far we have covered:
The Ottonian Emperors (Ep. 1- 21)
- Henry the Fowler (Ep. 1)
- Otto I (Ep. 2-8)
- Otto II (Ep.9-11)
- Otto II (Ep. 11-14)
- Henry II (ep. 15-17)
- Germany in the Year 1000 (ep. 18-21)
The Salian Emperors and the Investiture Controversy (Ep. 22-42)
- Konrad II (Ep. 22- 25)
- Henry III (Ep. 26-29)
- Henry IV & Canossa (Ep. 30-39)
- Henry V and the Concordat of Worms (Ep. 40-42)
Barbarossa and the early Hohenstaufen (Ep. 43-69)
- Lothar III (Ep. 43-46)
- Konrad III (Ep. 47-49)
- Frederick Barbarossa (Ep. 50-69)
Frederick II and the later Hohenstaufen (Ep. 70-94)
-Henry VI (Ep. 70-72)
- Philipp of Swabia (Ep. 73-74)
- Otto IV (Ep. 74-75)
- Frederick II (Ep. 75-90)
- Epilogue (ep. 91-94)
Eastern Expansion (Ep. 95-108)
The Hanseatic League (Ep. 109-127)
The Teutonic Knights (Ep. 128-137)
The Interregnum and the early Habsburgs (Ep. 138 ff
Latest episode
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History of the Germans - Trailer
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Prologue - Part 1
A condensed summary of German(ic) history from Julius Caesar to the end of the Roman Empire. Prologue to the History of the Germans Podcast -
Prologue - Part 2
Part 2 of our Prologue to the History of the Germans kicks off with the last western emperor, Romulus Augustulus handing over the insignia of his reign to Odoacer and ends with the coronation of Pippin the Not Really That Short. The Dark Ages at ligh… -
Prologue - Part 3
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Episode 1 - A New Beginning
The year is 919 AD and things are not going well. The mighty empire of Charlemagne has splintered into a multitude of puny kingdoms. Its feeble rulers are being pushed around by their formidable barons. The frontiers are breached. Cometh the time, co… -
Episode 2 - A Dog's Breakfast
Henry the Fowler ended the tradition of splitting the kingdom amongst the male heirs. So far, so wise. But, and there is always a but, what he did not work out was what to do with the spares. -
Episode 3 - A Series of Fortunate Events
His brother and his biggest vassals are rebelling, the kingdom remains under threat from Hungarians and Slavs - and now the king of France comes in on the side of the opposition. Only a series of very fortunate events can rescue king Otto, or a man o… -
Episode 4 - A Foe Wherever You Go
After the civil war Otto gets to reorganise the kingdom and focuses on foreign policy. There is conflict on all borders, with the Slavs, the Bohemians, the Hungarians, and the French. The most interesting story plays out in Italy where we find a beau… -
Episode 5 - The Father, the Son and the Uncle
Adelheid's rescue creates tension not only in the family of king Otto but across the realm. Younger members of the powerful families feel cheated out of the gains of the Italian campaign and worry about their prospects. And the Otto makes one of thes… -
Episode 6 - A Conversation with Swords
The devastation of the civil war lures in the largest Hungarian army anyone had ever seen anywhere. Enticed by the disinherited sons of former Bavarian dukes, the mighty host makes for Augsburg, a city whose walls are as weak as their defender is ste…