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PODCAST

History of Venice Podcast

A journey through the history of the city of Venice, meeting a host of colourful characters along the way.

history

All Episodes

36:43

RH02B. Cause Without a Rebel - Anna Comnena (2/2)

History of Venice Podcast ·

2025/09/23

We conclude our investigation into the life of historian Anna Comnena. This week, we look at what The Alexiad is like as a book of history, and we discuss her alleged plot to overthrow her brother and take the crown for herself. Did that really happen, or is it pure slander?Email us at histvenicepod@gmail.com, or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram. Intro and outro music is Inverno from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org

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33:15

RH02A. Writing History While Female - Anna Comnena...

History of Venice Podcast ·

2025/09/16

We’ve quoted at length from The Alexiad in the past few narrative episodes. But who was its author, Anna Comnena, and how did she come to write this 500-page history? We look into the life of this extraordinarily talented polymath to understand more about the background to one of the most important contemporary historical sources for the era that we’ve recently been talking about. And we look at some of the obstacles that she faced as a woman working in a world that was dominated by men.The book by

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42:10

First Birthday Special

History of Venice Podcast ·

2025/09/09

It's our first Podcast Anniversary, so we tried summarising the past year's worth of content in three minutes and then chatted about our favourite stories so far and what we're looking forward to most in the future of the show. Also, Simon was confused about how Venice's (arguably) most famous son became a swimming pool game in the US. What is that all about, anyway?Email us at histvenicepod@gmail.com, or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram. Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s

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31:00

Casanova Part 6. Punching Gift Horses in the Mouth

History of Venice Podcast ·

2025/09/05

We’re back with Casanova this week, as he finishes his teenage years and reaches his early 20s. For this mercurial young man, every risk is an opportunity, and every opportunity is a chance to make a complete mess of things. Within two years, he has screwed up two potential careers, lost a couple of small fortunes, and ended up right back where he started. Find out how as we follow his life and get beneath the legend. Email us at histvenicepod@gmail.com, or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and

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37:34

032. The Palindrome Doxe

History of Venice Podcast ·

2025/08/27

Ordelaf Faledro is an unusual name, whether you're reading it forwards or backwards. He was Doxe of Venice for about 16 years in the early 1100s, when the city suffered a series of devastating natural disasters. With neighbours looking to exploit this moment of weakness, the city had to get back on its feet quickly. This week we look at how they managed.Email us at histvenicepod@gmail.com, or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram. Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro

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36:27

031. Bird's Eye View

History of Venice Podcast ·

2025/08/18

This week the Venetian lagoon is the star of the show. These muddy, marshy islands are the home of something extraordinary. It’s easy to assume that Venice has always looked the way it does now, or at least as it did in the many splendid Renaissance maps that you can find. But as we head into the 12th century, the city is only just starting to take on an appearance that we would recognise today. Join us as we fly over Venice’s amphibious territory as it might have looked in 1100.Email us at

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38:10

030. Profits and Prophets

History of Venice Podcast ·

2025/08/11

We're looking at Venice's contribution to the First Crusade and its aftermath. The crusading movement had set out to recover lost territory for the Christian Byzantine Empire. But within a couple of years, it had become a means of establishing a series of Latin Christian states in the MIddle East, which were quickly at loggerheads with the Byzantines. Venice had a delicate path to tread between these frenemies. She didn’t want to miss out on new commercial opportunities, but she didn't want to

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56:47

Art & Culture 05. Venetian Historical Fiction with...

History of Venice Podcast ·

2025/08/05

This week we talk to another historical novelist who uses Venice as a setting for her work. We focus in particular on the lives of 16th century women, from nuns to courtesans.You can find out more about Gina’s latest work here: https://ginabu.com/the-virgins-of-venice/ To contact the podcast, email us at histvenicepod@gmail.com, or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram. The music used in this episode is from Vivaldi’s Gloria, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org

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45:32

029. Top Doxe (11th Century)

History of Venice Podcast ·

2025/07/28

Before we move into the pivotal 12th century, we spend some time on a recap of the 11th century by focusing on the seven men who held the top job in the city. Which of them do we think had the most lasting impact, and best fits our five criteria to be acclaimed as the century’s Top Doxe? Will it be: Teenage Doxe; Two-names Doxe; Reform Doxe; Church-building Doxe; Golden Bull Doxe; First Gondola Doxe; or Big Navy Doxe? Find out what we think, and see whether you agree. Email us at

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32:58

028. Never get involved in a land war in Asia Minor

History of Venice Podcast ·

2025/07/18

With the 11th century nearly at an end, Venice’s economy is motoring thanks to her hugely favourable trade deal with Constantinople and the relentless hard work of thousands of ordinary Venetians. But the international situation is volatile for the lagoon dwellers, with their main ally looking increasingly precarious. In the 1090s, Emperor Alexios’s call for western help against the Turks unleashes a new force that will rearrange the international chessboard dramatically, shaking up some of Venice’s

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23:35

027. Food Glorious Food

History of Venice Podcast ·

2025/07/11

You can see the legacy of Venice's mighty commercial prowess everywhere around the city. This week we look at how those international trading influences helped to shape a couple of her most characteristic foods: the fritole that have become a classic Carnevale sweet treat; and the iconic creamed cod of baccala mantecato -- a dish that is so important that it recently gained its own Ducal Confraternity to protect and promote it.Email us at histvenicepod@gmail.com, or find us on Bluesky, Facebook,

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41:41

Art & Culture 04: Venetian Historical Fiction with...

History of Venice Podcast ·

2025/07/03

This week we talk to historical fiction author Christian Cameron, whose recent novel "The Venetian Heretic" takes place in Venice in 1651. We discuss some of Christian's favourite Venetian characters and stories, and look at how he researched some of the scenes in the novel.You can find out more about Christian's novel here: https://christiancameronauthor.com/book/the-venetian-heretic/ To contact the podcast, email us at histvenicepod@gmail.com, or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram. Music

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38:33

026. Trading Places

History of Venice Podcast ·

2025/06/23

In 1082, Venice won valuable trading concessions from Emperor Alexios in Constantinople. We live in a world where leaders often talk up the importance of trade deals without it ever being clear what the tangible benefits are. But this Golden Bull was genuinely significant. This week we look at what it meant not just for the rich and powerful in Venice, but for the whole community.Email us at histvenicepod@gmail.com, or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram. Intro and outro music is Primavera

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41:03

Casanova Part 5. Roman Holiday

History of Venice Podcast ·

2025/06/14

A woman meets a charming but mercurial young stranger on a coach trip from Naples to Rome. With the apparent connivance of her husband, their relationship blossoms into a delightful, but fleeting, Roman Holiday before she returns to her daily life back in Naples. As the years go by, their recurring meetings will mark out the passing decades of Casanova’s life. But is any of it true? Or is he just fantasising and setting out to shock us? This week we investigate the story of Lucrezia.Email us at

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37:17

025. Norman Wisdom

History of Venice Podcast ·

2025/06/03

The maelstrom of Mediterranean chaos that we described last week comes crashing into Venice, with the Investiture Controversy raging on her doorstep and the terrifying Robert Guiscard threatening to destroy the city’s oldest and most stable ally, the Eastern Roman Empire. The city will need wisdom, skill, and some well timed good fortune, but in the end Venice will emerge from this moment of peril stronger than ever, laying the foundations for a future golden age of commerce and prosperity.Email us

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37:54

024. Noisy Neighbours

History of Venice Podcast ·

2025/05/23

Venice’s neighbours on all sides were in various stages of turmoil by the early 1070s. To understand the impact of all this on our little independent maritime Republic, we need to pull the camera back a little and examine this sea of troubles that all of her neighbours seemed resolutely determined to stir up or swim in. The century is boiling up towards a dramatic climax and Venice needs to be ready for anything. This week, we map out the nexus of forces that are shifting the tectonic plates of

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26:20

023. Long Live The Doxe

History of Venice Podcast ·

2025/05/16

In the spring of 1071, Venice celebrated the appointment of a new Doxe*. And for the first time we have a surviving eye witness account of the event. Today we look at how that election of 1071 went down, and what Domenico Tino’s account tells us about the society that his namesake, new Doxe Domenico Selvo, was now in charge of.*For the time being we’ve adopted an old Venetian spelling, since the more standard “Doge” currently has other unfortunate connotations. Email us at histvenicepod@gmail.com,

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35:57

022. The Calm Before The Storm

History of Venice Podcast ·

2025/05/09

After a quick recap of Venice’s ups and downs in the 1020s and early 1030s, we watch the city continue to navigate a delicate diplomatic route between her powerful neighbours. With peace and stability returning to the city, renewed trading wealth brings an outburst of church building, including the jewel in the crown, the Basilica of San Marco, which begins to take its final shape under Doxe Domenico Contarini starting in 1061. There may be ominous signs of trouble ahead in the wider world, but for

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34:41

Casanova Part 4b. Fate Finds a Different Way

History of Venice Podcast ·

2025/05/02

18-year-old Casanova has a job offer as an assistant Bishop (Assistant to the Bishop, that is). But before he can take his first step on this road to the fame, fortune and social prestige that surely await him in a glittering church career, he is desperate to take revenge on his enemy, Antonio Razzetta. Once that is accomplished, he faces a lengthy journey to the south of Italy, which will involve poor decision-making, a couple of bouts of venereal disease, some very dubious company, and a steep

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21:42

Casanova Part 4a. Fate Will Find a Way

History of Venice Podcast ·

2025/04/28

At the age of 17, Casanova suddenly lost his grandmother, his house, and his chief patron / stand-in father figure. Feeling rootless, he started to lash out and ended up being sent to a seminary in an attempt to keep him on the straight and narrow. This was a predictably terrible idea. But help was on the way, in the unlikely shape of a Bishop who would soon take Casanova away and set him on the road to a brilliant career in the Church. Young Giacomo even dreamt of becoming Pope one day. Don't hold

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72 results

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