History of Venice Podcast

Funeral epitaph of Venetian Doge Domenico Michiel.

Ep 34 "Friends Reunited". Domenico Michiel's tomb calls him "The terror of the Greeks". The Historia Ducum Venetorum calls him "a warlike man ... who slaughtered many enemies". But he also invented municipal street lighting. A man of many talents, then.👑
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/034-friend...

The ceiling and walls of the Sala dello Scrutinio in the Palazzo Ducale, Venice.

Domenico Michiel features three times in the artwork of the Venetian Hall of Fame in the Palazzo Ducale. What did he do that was worth painting? Find out in this week's episode, "Raiders of the Lost Crusade", available wherever you get your podcasts. 👑
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/033-raider...

YouTube video by History of Venice Pod Anna Comnena Episodes Trailer

This week we conclude a two-parter on our favourite Byzantine historian, Anna Comnena. Did she plot to murder her brother and take over the Roman Empire? Or is that utter nonsense? We have a view. 👑
youtu.be/QFqfUsru_KM
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/rh02b-caus...

Book cover image of Anna Comnena, the subject of this week's podcast.

This idealised face of Anna Comnena / Komnene has been staring at me from my Kindle for several weeks. Today we begin a mini-series on this brilliant 12th century polymath. How did she become the first published female historian of the Roman Empire?👑
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/rh02a-writ...

5,000 Podcasts. 3,000 Episodes a Week. $1 Cost Per Episode — Behind an AI Start Up’s Plan Former Wondery exec Jeanine Wright is leading a new firm, Inception Point AI, that's betting on flooding the zone with audio content: “I think that people who are still referring to all AI-generated c...

Tech bros must be stopped before we drown in an ocean of AI slop
www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/dig...

Struggling to respond to this without copious swearing.

Thanks. So many books to read, so little time.

It's our first birthday as a podcast! We celebrate with a special episode featuring a 3-minute summary of our story so far, some chat about favourite moments and what we're looking forward to in future episodes - next week's 2-parter being top of that list.👑
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/first-birt...

An 18th century view of Corfu.

Corfu, 1745. One of those Venetian ships in the harbour has brought the 20-year-old Casanova for a posting during his brief military career. He has money in his pocket and a track record of poor decision-making. Find out how it went in this week's episode.👑
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/casanova-p...

I'm currently in around 1118, so my C19th sources are limited, but this pic is the hilarious result of the referendum on unification in 1866 in the Veneto. If you've ever watched (or read) il Gattopardo / The Leopard, you'll recognise a similar thing there.

Boring? Noooo.

The Pala d'Oro in San Marco, Venice.

For context, here's a wider angle on that detail of the Pala d'Oro. The Doxe is on the bottom row, almost in the centre, next to the virgin Mary and the Byzantine Empress Eirene Doukaina.

Detail from the Pala d'Oro in San Marco, showing early 12th century Doxe Ordelaf Faledro (Ordelaffo Falier)

The horsemen of the apocalypse were beating a path for Venice in the early 1100s, but among the chaos there was money for some massive ecclesiastical bling. The lower part of the Pala d'Oro dates from this time, featuring Palindrome Doxe Ordelaf Faledro. 👑
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/032-the-pa...

New episode out now! 👑

It's all come to this, Khosrow II Parviz or Darius I the Great! To help us decide, we are joined by Trevor from the History of Persia and Plumas from Las Plumas de Simurgh, who will sponsor their champions. And listen to the end for a special announcement...

A map of Venice from 1500

This week we talk about what the Venetian lagoon looked like in 1100 -- four centuries before this iconic map was made. 👑
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/031-birds-...

Illustration from a medieval manuscript showing a ship from the First Crusade.

Profits & Prophets. By 1099, the Crusader states were at loggerheads with Byzantium as well as the Muslims. Venice found herself on both sides of this rift in the Christian world. But that didn't stop her taking the opportunity to steal some Holy Bones. 👑
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/030-profit...

Poor behaviour from Cosimo. You wouldn't catch a Venetian doing that.

New episode out now! 👑

The group has been narrowed to only four contestants, and today we are facing off Darius I and Seleucus I. Both somewhat founders of empires in a time of turmoil, who will gain an edge over the other?

The eternal question when it comes to illuminated manuscripts: Is King García Iñiguez of Pamplona holding a pita, the Host, or an orb of power? 👑

Episode out now: spanisharpoda.podbean.com/e/62-garcia-...

16th Century portrait of an 11th Century Doge of Venice.

This Doxe looks glum, but his portrait was painted before he found out that he's the winner of our 11th century Top Doxe contest. Find out who he was, and how he triumphed over his rivals, by tuning in to this week's episode wherever you get your podcasts.👑
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/029-top-do...

Fascinating stuff.

New episode out now! 👑

We have made it to the last of our rounds, it's only champions from here on out! Tune in to find out which of these rulers will gain a seat in the semifinals: Seleucus I, Kavad I, Bahram VI, Antiochus III, Musa.

The Mappa Mundi, from Hereford Cathedral, showing a medieval European view of the world, with Jerusalem at the centre.

The medieval European worldview had Jerusalem at the centre. When Byzantium's request for help in retaking lost territory unleashed the crusades in the 1090s, Venice's key marketplace was significantly disrupted. This week we look at the background. 👑
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/028-never-...

The Rialto fish market in Venice. April 2025.

We're looking at food this week. Venice has a long-lasting seafood tradition, but her historic status as an international trading city means that some of the most characteristic Venetian culinary specialities have significant outside influences. 👑
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/027-food-g...

Ooh, we're going there today.

One of the last remaining gondola repair yards in the city of Venice, the Squero San Trovaso.

Almost every aspect of 11th century Venice's economy supported the city's maritime trading business, which expanded rapidly after the 1082 commercial treaty with Byzantium. Shipbuilding was everywhere. Today, only a few gondola yards like this remain. 👑
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/026-tradin...

Bernini's elephant statue in Piazza della Minerva, Rome.

Bernini's elephant would have seen Casanova's visits to his paramour "Lucrezia", with whom he had a relationship on their Roman Holiday in 1744. We have no idea whether Casanova is telling us the truth, but elephants never forget. Jess asked him about it. 👑
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/casanova-p...

Extract from the script of a History of Venice Podcast episode about the Investiture Crisis of the 1070s.

"History doesn't repeat itself, but it often rhymes". On which subject, here is an extract from the script of this week's episode of the History of Venice Podcast, about the impact of the Investiture Crisis 950 years ago.
histvenicepod.podbean.com/e/025-norman...

I think Dan Jones usually does on "This is History", although there may have been adverts first. I haven't tried it yet, but maybe I'll give it a shot sometime.

Also featuring a hostile warlord called "Friend", some epic squabbling between Pope and Emperor, and deja vu all over again for some Anglo Saxons.