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PODCAST

pplpod

pplpod is a podcast about people, places and lots of other stuff. Each episode takes a deep dive into the lives, choices, and legacies of fascinating figures from history, culture, music, and beyond. From icons who shaped entire generations to hidden stories that deserve the spotlight, pplpod brings you closer to the people behind the headlines and the legends.Thoughtful, engaging, and story-driven, pplpod explores what makes these lives extraordinary—and what we can learn from them today.

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All Episodes

27:46

Menelik II: The Emperor Who Defeated Italy and Forged...

pplpod ·

2026/01/20

In this episode of pplpod, we explore the life of Emperor Menelik II, a defining figure who expanded the Ethiopian Empire and secured its independence by crushing Italian colonial forces at the Battle of Adwa in 1896. Born Sahle Maryam, Menelik escaped imprisonment under Emperor Tewodros II to become the King of Shewa before claiming the imperial throne. We discuss his drive to modernize the nation, from introducing electricity and the first bank to establishing the Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway. The

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28:43

Reza Shah Pahlavi: The Soldier Who Built Modern Iran

pplpod ·

2026/01/20

In this episode of pplpod, we dive into the turbulent life and legacy of Reza Shah Pahlavi, the military strongman who founded the Pahlavi dynasty and reshaped the Middle East. Join us as we trace his journey from an orphaned soldier in the Persian Cossack Brigade to the "King of Kings" who ended the Qajar dynasty,,.We explore the two distinct sides of his sixteen-year reign. On one hand, Reza Shah was a radical modernizer who built the Trans-Iranian Railway, established the University of Tehran,

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25:12

Leopold II: The Builder King’s Private Hell in the Congo

pplpod ·

2026/01/20

In this episode of pplpod, we examine the dual legacy of Leopold II, the longest-reigning monarch in Belgian history. Known domestically as the "Builder King" for his grand urban projects and public works in Brussels and Ostend, Leopold is far more infamous on the global stage as the founder and sole owner of the Congo Free State.We explore how a constitutional monarch managed to acquire a private colony 76 times larger than his own country under the guise of philanthropy. We discuss the horrific

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24:17

Anwar Sadat: The Hero of the Crossing and the Price...

pplpod ·

2026/01/20

In this episode of pplpod, we profile Anwar Sadat, the military officer who rose from a poor family in the Nile Delta to become the third president of Egypt,. We track his journey from a revolutionary "Free Officer" plotting to overthrow King Farouk to his surprising succession of Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1970,.Tune in to learn about:• The "Corrective Revolution": How Sadat consolidated power by purging Nasserist officials and expelling Soviet military advisors,.• The Yom Kippur War: The 1973 surprise

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29:04

The Iron Lady of Israel: Golda Meir Biography

pplpod ·

2026/01/20

In this episode of pplpod, we explore the formidable life of Golda Meir, Israel’s first and only female prime minister. Born in Kiev and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Meir transformed from a local schoolteacher into a Zionist activist, eventually emigrating to a kibbutz in Mandatory Palestine in 1921,,. We discuss her rapid ascent through the political ranks, from her critical fundraising of millions of dollars for the nascent state of Israel to her tenure as Labor Minister, where she oversaw the

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24:07

Sargon of Akkad: From Humble Gardener to King of the...

pplpod ·

2026/01/19

In this episode of pplpod, we journey back to the 24th century BC to profile Sargon of Akkad, the man often identified as the first person in recorded history to rule an empire. We examine how a figure of uncertain origins founded the "Sargonic" dynasty and became the model for Mesopotamian kings for two millennia.Key topics discussed in this episode:• The Legend of the Basket: We analyze the Neo-Assyrian "birth legend" in which Sargon is born to a high priestess in secret, sealed in a

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31:36

Peter the Great: The 6’8” Carpenter Tsar Who Forced...

pplpod ·

2026/01/19

In this episode of pplpod, we tackle the massive life of Peter I, the first Emperor of Russia who stood a reported 6 feet 8 inches tall and physically reshaped his nation. We explore how Peter transformed Russia from a traditional tsardom into a major European power through a blend of radical reform, scientific curiosity, and sheer brute force.Join us as we discuss:• The Grand Embassy: Peter’s legendary 18-month "incognito" tour of Western Europe, where he worked as a carpenter in Dutch shipyards,

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27:32

Charles V: The Emperor on Which the Sun Never Sets

pplpod ·

2026/01/19

Join us on this episode of pplpod as we explore the colossal life of Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor who revitalized the concept of "universal monarchy" and ruled the first domain to be called "the empire on which the sun never sets". From his birth in Ghent to the height of the Renaissance, Charles controlled a vast collection of realms including Spain, the Holy Roman Empire, the Netherlands, and the Americas.In this episode, we cover:• The Ultimate Inheritance: How a series of dynastic marriages

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26:14

Simón Bolívar: The Liberator Who "Plowed the Sea"

pplpod ·

2026/01/19

In this episode of pplpod, we explore the explosive life of Simón Bolívar, the Venezuelan military officer and statesman known colloquially as "El Libertador" and the "George Washington of South America". We trace his journey from a wealthy, orphaned childhood in Caracas to his education in Europe, where the tragic death of his young wife spurred him to swear an oath in Rome to end Spanish rule in the Americas.Tune in to hear how Bolívar launched the "Admirable Campaign" and the ruthless "War to the

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32:01

Pancho Villa: The Bandit General Who Invaded America

pplpod ·

2026/01/19

Was he a Mexican Robin Hood or a ruthless warlord? In this episode of pplpod, we track the explosive life of José Doroteo Arango Arámbula, better known to the world as Pancho Villa,. Born into poverty as a sharecropper, Villa transformed from a local bandit into the commander of the feared División del Norte, becoming a decisive force in ousting the dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz,,.We explore Villa’s complex legacy, including his brief, radical tenure as the provisional Governor of Chihuahua, where

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27:15

Elizabeth I: The Survivor Who Became Gloriana

pplpod ·

2026/01/19

In this episode of pplpod, we explore the remarkable life of Elizabeth I, the last and longest-reigning monarch of the House of Tudor. We trace her journey from a perilous youth—where she was declared illegitimate following the execution of her mother, Anne Boleyn, and later imprisoned in the Tower of London—to her accession to the throne in 1558.Join us as we discuss how Elizabeth navigated a male-dominated world by cultivating the image of the "Virgin Queen," claiming to be married to her subjects

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27:01

Bread or the Bludgeon: The Rise and Fall of Porfirio...

pplpod ·

2026/01/19

In this episode of pplpod, we explore the life of Porfirio Díaz, the military hero who became Mexico’s longest-serving ruler and established the era known as the Porfiriato. We trace his journey from a liberal general fighting the French at the Battle of Puebla to his rise to the presidency via a coup based on the principle of "no re-election".Tune in to learn how Díaz stabilized Mexico through a policy of "pan o palo" (bread or the bludgeon), balancing modernization and foreign investment with

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28:38

Al-Khwarizmi: The Father of Algebra and the Namesake...

pplpod ·

2026/01/19

In this episode of pplpod, we explore the life and legacy of Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, a scholar from the Islamic Golden Age who worked at the House of Wisdom in Baghdad around 820 CE. We discuss why historians consider him the father or founder of algebra, a title earned by his treatise Al-Jabr, which presented the first systematic solution of linear and quadratic equations. You will learn how the English word "algebra" is actually derived from the title of his book, specifically the term

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24:29

The "Mother of Democracy": Corazon Aquino

pplpod ·

2026/01/19

In this episode of pplpod, we profile Corazon "Cory" Aquino, who made history as the first female president of the Philippines and the first female president in Asia,. We trace her journey from a housewife supporting her husband, opposition leader Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., to becoming the figurehead of the anti-Marcos movement following Ninoy's assassination in 1983,,.Join us as we discuss the dramatic 1986 snap election—where dictator Ferdinand Marcos dismissed Aquino as "just a woman"—and the

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30:12

Henry VIII: The Renaissance Tyrant

pplpod ·

2026/01/19

In this episode of pplpod, we explore the reign of Henry VIII, a monarch described as one of the most charismatic yet tyrannical rulers to sit on the English throne. We trace his transformation from an athletic, intellectual "Renaissance man" who composed music and excelled at jousting, into a severely overweight and paranoid king.Join us as we break down the defining events of his life, including:• The Six Marriages: We discuss his desperate quest for a male heir, the annulment of his marriage to

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31:50

David Ben-Gurion: The Pragmatic Revolutionary and...

pplpod ·

2026/01/19

In this episode of pplpod, we dive into the life of David Ben-Gurion (born David Grün), the preeminent Zionist leader who became the primary founder and first Prime Minister of the State of Israel. We trace his journey from his childhood in Płońsk, Poland, to his immigration to Ottoman Palestine in 1906, where he worked as a laborer and rose to lead the Histadrut labor federation and the Jewish Agency.We explore Ben-Gurion’s decisive, often "Leninist" leadership style, which drove his acceptance of

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30:44

Otto von Bismarck: The Iron Chancellor

pplpod ·

2026/01/19

In this episode, we explore the life of Otto von Bismarck, the Prussian statesman known as the "Iron Chancellor" who oversaw the unification of Germany and served as its first chancellor from 1871 to 1890. Born into the Junker landowning class, Bismarck utilized a strategy of Realpolitik and "blood and iron" to provoke three decisive wars against Denmark, Austria, and France, successfully uniting the German states under Prussian rule,,. We discuss his complex domestic legacy, ranging from his

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30:56

Averroes: The Commentator and the Harmony of Reason

pplpod ·

2026/01/19

Join us on this episode of pplpod as we explore the life and legacy of the 12th-century Andalusian polymath Ibn Rushd, better known to the West as Averroes,. Born in Córdoba in 1126, Averroes was a jurist, physician, and philosopher whose influence spanned from the Islamic Golden Age to the European Renaissance,.In this episode, we discuss:• The Commentator: How his extensive commentaries on Aristotle reignited Western European interest in Greek thought and earned him the title "The Commentator"

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33:17

Mehmed II: The Boy Sultan Who Became Caesar of Rome

pplpod ·

2026/01/19

In this episode of pplpod, we explore the life of Mehmed II, the Ottoman ruler who ascended to the throne at age 12 and went on to conquer Constantinople at just 21, ending the Byzantine Empire,. We discuss his military genius, including his use of massive artillery to breach city walls and his relentless campaigns against rivals like Vlad the Impaler and the Albanian leader Skanderbeg,,. Beyond the battlefield, we examine Mehmed’s intellectual pursuits, from his collection of Christian relics and

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27:57

Francis I: The Renaissance Knight-King

pplpod ·

2026/01/19

In this episode of pplpod, we explore the reign of Francis I (1494–1547), the monarch known as the "Father and Restorer of Letters" who is credited with bringing the Italian Renaissance to France. We discuss his role as a prodigious patron of the arts, notably his support of Leonardo da Vinci—who brought the Mona Lisa to France—and his construction of architectural marvels like the Château de Chambord and the expanded Château de Fontainebleau.We also dive into the "Knight-King's" military obsession

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2,136 results

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