In this episode, I explore the myriad reasons for the fall of the Bronze Age.

Now in complete control in Geneva, John Calvin sought to forge a Protestant alliance with first Strasbourg, then Saxony, and finally with Bullinger in Zurich. While dealing with foreign issues, within Geneva itself, things were getting rough. The situation in France had deteriorated for Protestants, leading thousands to flee. Many of these refugees found their way to Geneva. But the influx of hundreds of foreigners always causes issues and, in the case of Geneva in the Sixteenth Century, the issue was thorny and struck right at the heart of Calvin's church.

Check out the website for more content.

Become a Patron and support the show.

Want more Western Civ? Check out the Subscription Feed.

Sources:

Calvin

John Calvin

In this episode, John Calvin makes his triumphant return to Geneva where he can all his plans into action. Here he will build his Godly society and found his famous "Consistory": designed to regulate human moral conduct. As you can imagine, it was controversial. 

Check out the website for more content.

To support the show become a PATRON or check out our PREMIUM FEED.

Sources:

The Institutes of the Christian Religion

Calvin

John Calvin

John Calvin is famous for putting together the first concise and complete doctrine for Reformed Christianity. His Institutes of the Christian Religion laid out precisely what it meant to be Calvinist in a way that Martin Luther and Ulrich Zwingli never did - they both left that task to their successors.

Check out the website for more content. 

Become a Patron or join us on Glow for bonus content.

Sources:

John Calvin

The Institutes of the Christian Religion

Calvin

Try out Audible for a FREE TRIAL and support the show!

Today we meet our final early reformer: John Calvin. Calvin was significantly younger than Luther or Zwingli and does not even begin his reformation efforts in Geneva until the latter had died. But John Calvin and his Institutes of the Christian Religion are probably more important in the long run than Luther or Zwingli. Calvin, unlike either of those two, took the time to create a completely reformed doctrine. In this first episode, we meet Calvin and discuss his early life. 

Check out the WEBSITE for more content.

Become a PATRON to support the show and get bonus content.

Sources:

John Calvin

The Institutes of the Christian Religion

Calvin

Last time, Zwingli rose to prominence in Zurich, creating his model for the perfect Reformed Christian community. For him, this was nothing less than the revelation of a prophecy foretold millennia earlier. The Swiss were to be the New Israelites and the Swiss Confederation a New Israel. And then, in shocking speed, it all came crashing down. Within less than a decade of his success in 1525, Zwingli would lay dead on the battlefield, a causality of his own aggression. Today Zwingli remains a bit of a mixed bag. A national hero in Switzerland, some still regard the reformer as "the ugly side" of the Reformation. 

Check out more content on the WEBSITE.

Become a Patron and support the show plus get tons of bonus content.

Sources: 

Zwingli: God's Armed Prophet

For God and His People

Zwingli (For fun here is that movie I mentioned.)

Today I sit down with the author of Persians: The Age of Great Kings, Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones. This masterful new work of scholarship revisits our favorite Persian dynasty, the Achaemenids, but this time from THEIR point of view. It is a wonderful book and it is about time we got Cambyses' side of the story.

Buy a copy of the book HERE. 

Visit our WEBSITE.

Want to hear the whole Western Civ story again but with more detail? Ever get enough of Rome? (I know I don't.) Check out the Premium Feed.

Support the show on PATREON.

Last time, we introduced Ulrich Zwingli and walked through his initial struggles with the Roman Church and his transition to Zurich. This time, we follow Zwingli as he changes the Zurich Church, creating arguably the most reformed church in Reformation Europe at the time. 

Check out the WEBSITE for more content.

Consider becoming a Patron and supporting the show.

Sources:

Zwingli: God's Armed Prophet

For God and His People

Having finished with Martin Luther, we now shift our gaze to the Swiss Confederation, Zurich, and Ulrich Zwingli. Zwingli is another of our early reformers. His efforts in Zurich took place around the same time as Luther though the men, while both opposed to Rome, did not see eye to eye on much else. Yet, like Luther, Zwingli began his career within the Roman Catholic Church. Today we begin his story. 

Check out the WEBSITE for more content.

Become a PATRON today and support the show. 

Ulrich Zwingli: Life and Legacy

Life of Ulrich Zwingli

Try out Audible for a FREE TRIAL and support the show!

Today we finish with Martin Luther, the man credited with beginning the Reformation. Luther's final years are filled with increasingly angry battles with everyone from the Anabaptists to the Pope in Rome and, lastly, with Europe's Jewish population.

Check out the WEBSITE for more content.

Become a PATRON for bonus content and to support the show.

Sources:

Martin Luther: Renegade and Prophet

Martin Luther: A Life Inspired

While Martin Luther thought his reformation was about theology and humankind's relationship to God, many people felt it was about a great deal more. The peasants of Germany, for example, heard Luther's words and thought this meant the time was right for REAL change on earth, not in heaven, but here in Germany and right now. Luther sides with the princes during the rebellion and, in the midst of all the chaos, Martin Luther gets married. 

Check out the WEBSITE for more content.

Become a PATRON today and support the show.

Sources:

Martin Luther: The Man Who Rediscovered God and Changed the World

Martin Luther: Renegade and Prophet

Cinco de Mayo is Mexican Independence Day, right? Nope. Mexican Independence is nearly four decades before the battle from which we get Cinco de Mayo. The true story is soooo much more delicious than just an independence day. The real Cinco de Mayo is about Napoleon III's bizarre attempt to put an Austrian Archduke on the throne of a new Mexican Empire. 

If you liked this episode, you will LOVE the book. But it HERE.

Check out our website for more content.

In this bonus interview, I sit down with Jon Marshall and talk about his latest book: CLASH: Presidents and the Press in Times of Crisis. The book itself covers numerous United States Presidents all the way from John Adams to Donald Trump. Obviously the question of how the press treats each President and vice versa has been a hot topic of late, making Marshall's book extraordinarily topical and relevant. 

Pick up a copy of the book HERE.

Check out our WEBSITE for more content. 

Want to support the show? Become a PATRON today and for two dollars per month get access to over fifty hours of bonus content with at least three more hours of bonus content per month.

I enjoy the narrative format we usually use but I wanted to do something different this time when covering a topic that is more thematic than chronological: the United States President and the Press. United States Presidents have famously, some infamously, fought with members of the press over the centuries. Today I ramble on a bit about three of those Presidents: John Adams, Abraham Lincoln, and Woodrow Wilson, and talk about what this all means. If you enjoy the format, check out the PATRON feed where we do this much more often.

Check out the WEBSITE for more content. 

Consider ordering CLASH by Jon Marshall for more information about the topic.

Andreas Karlstadt and Martin Luther began the Reformation as fast friends. Karlstadt and Luther faced off against Eck together in the Leipzig Debates. But over time the two slowly fell out over a variety of issues including the Eucharist. Karlstadt's relationship with Luther became emblematic as to how Luther's personality would impact the Reformation in his later years. 

Check out the WEBSITE for more content.

Become a PATRON to support the show.

Try a free trial of AUDIBLE and help to support the show.

Martin Luther's early Reformation built to one moment: the Diet of Worms. Held in the spring of 1521, the Diet of Worms offered Luther his first chance to lay out his faith before the Princes of Germany and the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V. Before doing so, however, Luther wrote three crucial works that will define the early evangelical movement in Germany, the most important of which was On the Freedom of a Christian, which, theologically, is denser than his 95 Theses. 

For tons more content check out the website.

Become a PATON to support the show and get over one hundred additional hours of content.

Sources:

Martin Luther: A Life Inspired

The Freedom of a Christian

Martin Luther: The Man Who Rediscovered God and Changed the World

In this bonus episode, I sit down with author and historian Joan DeJean and discuss her new book: Mutinous Women. When we tell the story of the settlement of North America, so often we focus entirely on the Thirteen Original Colonies which will become the United States of America. But when I found out that the French hatched a scheme in the early Eighteenth Century to populate the Gulf Coast with French convicts, and women at that, I simply had to learn more. In her book, DeJean covers the insane miscarriage of justice that leads nearly two hundred women from Paris to the Gulf Coast where, above all odds, many of them not only thrive but found dynasties that continue to this day. 

To purchase the book, click HERE or just go literally wherever books are sold. 

Check out our WEBSITE for more content.

Become a PATRON of the show and support Western Civ while getting over one hundred hours of bonus content.

The world changed forever on October 31, 1517. On that day a hitherto unknown monk named Martin Luther posted Ninety-Five Theses meant for debate. And oh would they be debated. The Ninety-Five Theses begin a period of western history known as the Reformation. But, as we shall see, a schism in the western church was not certain at this point, nor did anyone take Luther's criticisms too seriously. 

For more content check out our website HERE.

To support the show and have access to over eighty hours of bonus content, check out our Patreon Page.

And at last, we have made it. I "began" the Reformation in January. It's April. And at last, we are at Martin Luther. You simply cannot discuss the Reformation and not begin with Martin Luther. While the Reformation is going to fracture fairly quickly, it begins with Martin Luther and his Ninety-Five Theses. Today we start the story, learn about Luther's origins and family, and how his upbringing forged the man brave enough to challenge the might of the Roman Catholic Church.

For more content, check out our WEBSITE. 

For bonus content and to support the show, consider becoming a Patron for as little as $1 per month.

In our final episode, before we (finally) get to Martin Luther, we cover the papacies of Julius II, the Warrior Pope, and Leo X, the Medici Pope.

Check out the WEBSITE for more content.

Become a PATRON and support the show.

Sources:

Julius II: The Warrior Pope

The House of Medici

All good things must come to an end, as they say. And, for some, the Borgia Age was actually a good thing. Just not for the Catholic Church in general. In this episode, the deaths of Rodrigo Borgia and his son Cesare bring the "promise" of the Borgia Age to an unexpected end. Meanwhile, in Ferrara Lucrezia Borgia comes into her own outliving both her father and brother.

Sources:

The Borgias: Power and Fortune

The Borgias: The Hidden History

The Borgias and Their Enemies

Become a PATRON and support the show.

Pope Alexander VI, Rodrigo Borgia schemes to make his son Cesare the unrivaled master of Italy. Forming an alliance (and then unforming it before forming it again) with the French King Louis XII, Pope Alexander almost succeeds at making Cesare the duke of Naples and Romagna... almost.

Sources:

The Borgias: Power and Fortune

The Borgias: The Hidden History

The Borgias and Their Enemies

Become a PATRON and support the show.

Pope Alexander VI, Rodrigo Borgia, had plans for his son Cesare. Big plans. Like, Roman Empire-sized plans. No joke on that one. In this episode, Cesare Borgia sets his sights on Romagna with the intention of creating a permanent Borgia empire in Italy.

Sources:

The Borgias: Power and Fortune

The Borgias: The Hidden History

The Borgias and Their Enemies

Become a PATRON and support the show.

While Pope Alexander VI, Rodrigo Borgia, could have created a mystique in his own right, we know the Borgia family just as much for the children as the father. Lucrezia and Cesare Borgia would have made fascinating case studies in psychology then and they still do now. In this episode, the Borgias begin to make their name synonymous with ambition at any cost.

Sources:

The Borgias: Power and Fortune

The Borgias: The Hidden History

The Borgias and Their Enemies

Become a PATRON and support the show.

Just like the last bonus episode I released, this is another episode off of my Patron's feed that I thought, in light of current events, was worth sharing with the larger audience. 

The history of Ukraine is complex and, decidedly, not synonymous with the history of Russia. In fact, many ethnic Ukrainians suffered greatly under Stalin and Moscow's iron grip. This is a condensed history of Ukraine that sets its unique history and story in perspective. Ukraine has always straddled east and west and I hope this short history explains that.

If you are interested in more show content, you visit the website HERE.

If you would like to support the show and have access to all our bonus content, check out our PATREON PAGE.

Support the show for free by trying a free thirty-day trial of Audible.

In light of current events, I decided to release an interview I completed last year with Professor Serhii Plohky discussing his book: The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine. We talk about the early history of Kyiv, the Cossacks, the differences between ethnic Ukrainians and Russians, and even talked about what the future for Ukraine might be if Putin continued his aggressions, which, clearly, he has. Ukrainian history is complicated and, in this difficult time, it is important to remember its history is certainly not the same as Russia's history. 

If you are interested in the book you can buy a copy HERE.

This is an example of the types of bonus author interviews available on my Patrons' Feed. If you are interested in supporting the show, check out the site HERE. 

Want to support the show for free? Try an Audible Free Trial and the show gets five bucks. Not bad.

Last time, Rodrigo Borgia climbed the ladder up the Papal Curia. In this episode, he outmaneuvers his opponents and manages to secure the unthinkable: the throne of St. Peter. Borgia takes the name Alexander VI and immediately begins setting forth his vision for a Borgia Italy.

Sources:

The Borgias: Power and Fortune

The Borgias: The Hidden History

The Borgias and Their Enemies

Become a PATRON and support the show.

Decided to have fun with this one. Rather than do the same old author interview, I sit down with author Scott Rank and conduct my first ever Presidential Draft. We take turns each of us drafting a United States President and justifying our reasons. If you like United States History and certainly US Presidents. You will enjoy the show.

Happy Presidents Day!

Full Disclosure: The audio did not come out perfect on this one. 

Books by Scott Rank:

History's 9 Most Insane Rulers

The Age of Illumination: Science Technology and Reason in the Middle Ages

Want to enjoy Audible for free and support the show? Click HERE for a free trial.

The Borgias is a name infamous for treachery, naked ambition, and depravity. But how did a relatively unknown Cardinal from Spain manage to will his way to becoming Pope Alexander VI? Today, we begin the story of the Borgia family and watch Rodrigo Borgia climb the ladder of the Curia, positioning himself for that final step.

Sources:

The Borgias: Power and Fortune

The Borgias: The Hidden History

The Borgias and Their Enemies

Become a PATRON and support the show.

Check out the WEBSITE for more content.

In this episode, we cover the first several Renaissance Popes. The Avignon Papacy did plenty of damage to the reputation of the Holy Roman Catholic Church. But, unfortunately, those Renaissance Popes who came afterward did not help the situation. 

Check out our website for more: www.westerncivpodcast.com

Become a Patron today and support the show: www.patreon.com/westerncivpodcast

In this bonus episode, I sit down with Jason Voiovich and talk about his most recent book: "Marketer in Chief". In this unique American history, Jason explains how each United States President sold the idea of America. We talk about Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. 

Buy the book here: <iframe style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=westerncivpod-20&marketplace=amazon&amp;region=US&placement=B094YK7XCQ&asins=B094YK7XCQ&linkId=457aeb3912939b6ac22d6d064de07ddf&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=true&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff"> </iframe>

Consider supporting the show by becoming a Patron at www.patreon.com/westerncivpodcast 

Realizing that I have referenced "Christendom" and "Europe" interchangeably for a bit, I figured I needed to correct any misunderstandings. So in this "half" episode, I walk through what Christendom was the main factors that brought it down: the Renaissance, the Reformation, growing nationalism, economic disruptions, and the discovery of the New World.

Check out www.westerncivpodcast.com for more.

Beginning in the early Fourteenth Century, the Papacy went through a period of protracted exile from Rome. The Popes changed the seat of the Papal Government to Avignon, on the Rhone River in modern-day France. This period of exile coincided with the further decline and secularization of the Roman Catholic Church in ways that would hurt the overall reputation of the church in the decades to come. 

For more, check out our website at: westerncivpodcast.com

Become a Patron today and support the show at: patreon.com/westerncivpodcast

Sources:

Avignon and Its Papacy

The Avignon Papacy Contested

The Avignon Papacy and the Crusades

The Church of the West and the Middle Ages

Here's a super quick review of about one thousand years of church history. This will take us up to the tragic years of the Avignon Papacy. 

Check out more at our website: westerncivpodcast.com

Become a Patron at patreon.com/westerncivpodcast

Sources:

The Medieval Church

Going to Church in Medieval England

Medieval Christianity

A History of the Church in the Middle Ages

I sit down with Virginia Postrel and talk about her new book: "The Fabric of Civilization: How Textiles Made The World". We discuss how the development of textiles has often been overlooked in historical study and why that is such a crucial mistake.

Buy the book here: The Fabric of Civilization

Become a Patron of the show here: www.patreon.com/westerncivpodcast

Today we examine the ways in which Roman Catholicism impacted the lives of everyday European in the Late Middle Ages and early Renaissance period to better understand the impact that the Reformation will have on normal early modern Europeans.

Check out our website for more content at westerncivpodcast.com

Become a Patron today and support the show at patreon.com/westerncivpodcast

Interested in learning more about the Middle Ages? Check out the following excellent work by Dan Jones: Powers and Thrones