Relevant History

Often called the “Springtime of Nations,” the year 1848 is one of turmoil throughout Europe. Revolutions are everywhere, from France to Romania.

In Germany, Prussia is ascendant. Rather than fight calls for German nationalization, savvy King Friedrich Wilhelm IV puts himself at the head of the revolution. Austria watches helplessly from the sidelines, distracted by trouble at home and abroad.

In Italy, King Charles Albert of Piedmo...

At the end of the Napoleonic Wars, the victorious allied powers restore Central Europe to its pre-war status: a bunch of small, semi-independent German and Italian states, dominated by more powerful neighbors. But the idea of nationalism, spread by Napoleon’s armies, is a genie you can’t put back in the bottle.

In the German Confederation, 38 tiny countries try to establish their legitimacy, but are overshadowed by the Austrian Emp...

In the first century BC, the Roman Republic is expanding rapidly across the Mediterranean basin. As the legions venture eastward into Anatolia, the Romans are able to divide and conquer all of their enemies, except for one: Mithridates VI of Pontus, also known as the Poison King.

Mithridates is more than a mere historical figure; he’s a mythic hero, born under the sign of a shooting star and nearly murdered by his own mother befo...

Bonus Episode – Why Capitalists Make the Best Communists

In this bonus episode, Dan delves into the nitty-gritty of far-left politics and the history of various ideologies dedicated to the establishment of communism.

Then he asks the question: What if the best way to build an egalitarian utopia is via the power of capitalism?

Apologies for the constant birdsong in the background. It was a gorgeous day and I decided to record with t...

In the sixth and final installment on the French Revolution, Dan takes a deep dive into one of history’s most influential and controversial figures: Napoleon Bonaparte.

After winning victory for France in Northern Italy, the brilliant young general has the attention of the French Directory. A campaign in Egypt and victory in another war will put Napoleon in a position to become Emperor. But across the English Channel, Great Britain...

The Reign of Terror reaches a climax when the French Revolutionaries begin to turn on one another. Jacques Hébert and Georges Danton are executed, and Robespierre rules briefly as a dictator, verging on a god-king. After the Festival of the Supreme Being, he too will face the guillotine.

A new government takes power, ruled by men like the corrupt Paul Barras, who have survived the Reign of Terror. Meanwhile, a new generation of m...

When the young French Republic declares war on the Netherlands, all hell breaks loose. Within a month, the French find themselves facing a coalition that includes Austria, Prussia, Great Britain, Spain, Portugal, and most of Italy.

At home, a counter-revolution in the rural Vendee region threatens to tear the country in two, and smaller federalist revolts break out in several major cities. In Paris, Robespierre and the Mountain sei...

After the Flight to Varennes, the Parisian public turns decisively against Louis XVI. The French constitutional monarchy teeters on the brink, reliant on a war with Austria to maintain public confidence. When the war turns against France, the French people turn against their government and overthrow the King for good.

A new legislature is formed, and the revolutionaries struggle to achieve their goals on the battlefield and in poli...

After the Storming of the Bastille, the French Revolution shifts into high gear. The Constituent Assembly quickly abolishes feudal reforms and promotes the foundation of a new government with a document: the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.

1790 is a quieter year, but under the surface, divisions harden as the Paris political clubs metamorphosize into modern political parties. Meanwhile, the Assembly faces unexp...

The French Revolution is a watershed moment not just in the history of France, but for all of humanity. Old ideas of class, hierarchy, and the divine right of kings are being challenged. For the first time since the classical era, an urban proletariat is starting to demand its own voice in politics. But the Revolution doesn’t start that way.

What begins as a financial crisis for the French government requires a legislative body to ...

What do the Kennedy assassination, the Martin Luther King assassination, and the Iraq War all have in common? Maybe nothing. Or maybe they were all orchestrated by a shadow government that has quietly taken over the United States.

In this bonus episode, Dan delves into the realm of conspiracy theory and asks whether everything we thought we knew about US history since 1960 was wrong.

CONTENT WARNING: This episode gets political, an...

The British surrender at Yorktown isn’t the end of the American War for Independence, but it’s the end of the war in North America, and within another year the war overseas is also finished. With peace comes an end to the bloodshed, a chance to rebuild, and a turning point in many people’s lives.

But the end of the war is not the end of the American Revolution. Now that independence has been won, a new nation struggles to find its ...

In 1780, the American War for Independence is at a stalemate. The British, eager to crush the rebellion once and for all, decide to change strategies and invade the American south. There, they will face not just the Continental Army, but also the backwoods militia who dominate the inland United States.

Meanwhile, the French and the Spanish will deal blow after blow to the British Empire, threatening not just Britain’s status in N...

In this bonus episode, Dan discusses the trend of historical presentism – judging past figures by present-day standards. Should we hold yesterday’s figures to today’s ethical norms? Or does history require a broader approach? Dan breaks down the case against presentism, along with a few points in its favor.

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Is History History? - https://www.historians.org/research-and-public...

In the years 1778 and 1779, the American revolutionaries work to keep the British army bottled up in New York City. At the same time, the British open a second offensive in the southern states, and encourage their Native American allies to open up a series of small frontier wars in the American West.

The American revolutionaries are also aided by new friends. For the first time, the French take an active role against the British. S...

In July of 1776, even as the ink on the Declaration of Independence is still drying, a British invasion force invades New York, forcing George Washington and the Continental Army to retreat into New Jersey and leave America’s largest port in British hands. By winter, the cause of the United Colonies appears lost.

But 1777 is a new year, and brings with it new opportunities. Will the colonists be able to turn things around and beat ...

In the aftermath of the French and Indian War, Great Britain struggles to manage her enlarged North American holdings. In an effort to fund necessary garrison troops, Parliament levies a series of taxes on the 13 Colonies, who have previously held the right to manage their own taxes.

This leads to a series of protests and back-and-forth exchanges that culminates in an organized group of angry Bostonians pitching thousands of pounds...

Dan dives into current events once again, with an update on the war in Ukraine. Here’s where things stand in December 2022, along with some warnings for the future.

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At the dawn of 1761, Frederick the Great’s Kingdom of Prussia is on the brink of collapse. Under attack by the Russians and Swedish in the north and the Austrians in the south, it would take a miracle for Prussia to survive. Meanwhile, the war in the west spreads to the Iberian peninsula, where Spain joins France in a surprise attack on British-allied Portugal.

In the conclusion of World War Zero, Dan talks about the final stages...