Footnoting History

(Host: Lucy) 

The second through fourth centuries C.E. saw a profound transformation, and profound upheavals, in the Roman world as a result of the rise of Christianity as a universal religion. Religion, flexible and syncretic, was a powerful source of identity for the Romans, from the temples of misty Britain to the mystery cults of the Middle East. The growing numbers of Christians, as a minority incapable of assimilation, were a...

(Host: Josh) 

In the 14th century, Pope Clement V sent several missionary friars to Khanbaliq (modern-day Beijing) to consecrate fellow missionary Franciscan John of Montecorvino the new archbishop of a new archdiocese that included most of China and India. Who was John of Montecorvino and why did the Latin Church feel an archdiocese was necessary in a place so far from Europe? Find out on this episode of Footnoting History.

For fu...

(Host: Lucy)

The Iliad and The Odyssey dramatize not only war, but how challenging it can be to return from war, and how war separates those who fight from their families and communities — even when there aren’t angry gods involved. Figuring out the history behind these beloved poems has a long and complicated history of its own. Scholars have used archaeology to find cities and palaces made famous by Homer. And historians debate t...

(Host: Josh) 

At the height of America’s Gilded Age, two men William F Howe and Abraham Hummel practiced criminal law in New York City. These unscrupulous lawyers represented some of the most notorious of NYC criminals of the era using theatrics and loopholes to find “justice” for their clients. On this episode of Footnoting History, come learn all about their misdeeds and misadventures as we explore the underbelly of American hist...

(Host: Christine)

When England's King Henry I died in 1135, his nephew Stephen usurped the throne. Had Stephen's reign been an accepted success, his son Eustace would have been recognized as the next in line to become king, but that did not come to pass. Here, Christine recounts Eustace's story, from growing up during a period called 'The Anarchy' to the aftermath of learning he would never wear the crown.

For further reading sug...

(Host: Kristin)

Hundreds of years before Dante took us on a tour through the afterlife, there was Thurkill, an English peasant from the 13th century, who described his journey into hell and the edge of paradise. What was it like and what can we learn from his story? Come on a vision quest with Kristin, in this episode of Footnoting History! 

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(Christine) In 1812, while France’s Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was on a military campaign in Russia, he learned of trouble back home: General Claude-François de Malet and several co-conspirators had tried to take control of the French government. Part of their plan centered around telling people that Napoleon had died - except, of course, he hadn’t. Learn all about the attempted coup from Christine in this episode.

For further re...

(Josh) In 1527, Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca set off as a part of the Narvàez Expedition to conquer Florida. The expedition ended in disaster for the Spanish after several encounters with Native Americans defending their lands. Using makeshift boats, Cabeza de Vaca and a handful of other survivors drifted across the Gulf of Mexico before landing near modern day Galveston, TX. Cabeza de Vaca and three other men would spend the next 8 ...

(Host: Lucy) 

Who were medieval midwives and what did they do? As imagined in novels and films, the medical expertise of such women might be secret, mystical, persecuted, or some combination of all three. In the archives, traces of their activities can be tantalizingly hard to find. This podcast looks not only at the history of midwives in medieval Europe, but at the history of how scholars have tried to recover and reconstruct tha...

(Hosts: Christine and Kristin) 

Since the Middle Ages, the Tower of London has fulfilled many roles including hosting the Crown Jewels. It has, more infamously, also been a prison for many who were viewed as threats or criminals–leading to no shortage of fascinating stories tied to this property. In this episode, Christine and Kristin each share one of their favorite stories about riveting historical figures who found themselves ca...