x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

Fortune"s Wheel: A Podcast History of Our Medieval Story

Jonathon LaRosa

The Middle Ages—a time often dismissed, yet it is the crucible where the foundations of our modern world were forged. This era, full of brutal power struggles, explosive change, and unexpected alliances, laid the borders, cultures, and traditions we live by today. Through relentless research and gripping storytelling, this podcast resurrects the forgotten world of our medieval ancestors, unraveling the tangled web spanning innumerable stories. The modern world was never born in isolation—it was

history

All Episodes

00:32:30

205: Antioch & the Winter in Hell

Fortune"s Wheel: A Podcast History of Our Medieval Story ·

2026/02/09

SEASON 8: The First CrusadeEPISODE 205: Antioch & the Winter in HellWinter descends on Antioch like a verdict. Starvation, disease, and desertion hollow out the Crusader camps while Ridwan of Aleppo and Duqaq of Damascus circle like patient predators, turning every foraging run into a blood tax. This episode lives in the season where faith freezes, hope thins, and survival becomes the only prayer still answerable.No More Paywalls! How?If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared

en

00:42:45

204: Antioch & the Edge of Damnation

Fortune"s Wheel: A Podcast History of Our Medieval Story ·

2026/02/02

SEASON 8: The First CrusadeEPISODE 204: Antioch & the Edge of DamnationThe Crusaders reach Antioch in October of 1097 and begin the uneasy work of surrounding one of the greatest fortified cities in the eastern Mediterranean, probing its roads, rivers, and defenses to see where it might break. Over the ensuing weeks, camps harden into positions, violence escalates on both sides, and the siege takes on a darker, more personal character as Antioch and its attackers lock eyes and wait.No More

en

00:35:59

203: Before the Walls of Antioch

Fortune"s Wheel: A Podcast History of Our Medieval Story ·

2026/01/26

SEASON 8: The First CrusadeEPISODE 203: Before the Walls of AntiochWhat was Alexios and the Romans doing while the main army swept through Cilicia and the Taurus Mountains? This beef forming between Tancred and Baldwin…is it going to boil over or fizzle away? How is the main army doing as they approach the mighty walls of Antioch? Hey, where’s Baldwin go–? Can someone see what Baldwin’s up to now? Every ball is in the air at this point in the First Crusade.No More Paywalls! How?If you believe in

en

00:49:11

202: Routes & Ruptures

Fortune"s Wheel: A Podcast History of Our Medieval Story ·

2026/01/19

SEASON 8: The First CrusadeEPISODE 202: Routes & RupturesSteel meets panic at Dorylaeum in 1097, where the Crusade nearly collapses before clawing its way back from annihilation. From that chaos, Tancred and Baldwin peel off and barrel into Cilicia, turning the march southeast into a ruthless side-quest of ambition, betrayal, and opportunistic warfare. This episode follows the moment the holy army stops pretending it’s unified and starts revealing the knives behind the vows.No More Paywalls

en

00:50:36

201: The Secret Drama of Treachery

Fortune"s Wheel: A Podcast History of Our Medieval Story ·

2026/01/05

SEASON 8: The First CrusadeEPISODE 201: The Secret Drama of TreacheryNicaea.May – June, 1097.Anna Komnene writes about “the secret drama of treachery,” a hint as to how this formidable Seljuk capital of the new Sultanate of Rum would return to Roman hands. Would it fall by Western efforts…or by some other way? It’s a fascinating story about the opening salvos of the First Crusade, showcasing Western cooperation, Seljuk ferocity, and Byzantine statecraft.No More Paywalls! How?If you believe in what’s

en

00:54:05

200: God's Mercs, Pt2

Fortune"s Wheel: A Podcast History of Our Medieval Story ·

2025/12/29

SEASON 8: The First CrusadeEPISODE 200: God’s Mercs, Pt. 2Last time, we introduced (or reintroduced) ourselves to Hugh of Vermandois, Godfrey of Bouillon, Baldwin of Boulogne, and, of course, the incomparable Bohemond and his lightning bolt of a nephew, Tancred. This time, we round out these introductions and end right at the beginning, the moment these armies meet and cross the Bosporus. No More Paywalls! How?If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts and

en

00:47:15

199: God's Mercs, Pt1

Fortune"s Wheel: A Podcast History of Our Medieval Story ·

2025/12/29

SEASON 8: The First CrusadeEPISODE 199: God’s Mercs, Pt. 1On this episode, we begin a two-parter laying out the principle leaders of the First Crusade. Who were they? What were their stories? What connections did they share? I can’t wait to unpack this part of the series. No More Paywalls! How?If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts and all, free to the public with absolutely no more paywalls…ever…please consider donating to my caffeine-mediated research

en

00:43:45

198: Poor People's Crusade

Fortune"s Wheel: A Podcast History of Our Medieval Story ·

2025/12/01

SEASON 8: The First CrusadeEPISODE 198: Poor People’s CrusadeA tidal wave of zealots, doomsday preachers, and broke knights surges across Europe in the so-called Poor People’s Crusade—burning bright, burning fast, and mostly burning down. From Emicho’s disastrous rampage along the Rhine to the ragged march of Walter Sans Avoir straight into the jaws of Kilij Arslan at Civetot, this is the First Crusade’s explosive prologue. A movement born in frenzy ends in annihilation, leaving a smoking warning

en

00:27:37

197: The Fez Massacre

Fortune"s Wheel: A Podcast History of Our Medieval Story ·

2025/11/29

SEASON 8: The First CrusadeEPISODE 197: The Fez MassacreThis is an older Patreon episode about another Jewish pogrom taking place in Fez in modern Morocco decades before the Rhineland massacres during the Poor People's Crusade. This serves as a bonus episode and not a direct part of my research into the First Crusade.A new episode will be released in a couple days getting us back on track!No More Paywalls! How?If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts

en

00:46:50

196: Blood on the Rhine

Fortune"s Wheel: A Podcast History of Our Medieval Story ·

2025/11/24

SEASON 8: The First CrusadeEPISODE 196: Blood on the RhineThe First Crusade hadn’t even started yet, so why was the Rhine flowing red? No More Paywalls! How?If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts and all, free to the public with absolutely no more paywalls…ever…please consider donating to my caffeine-mediated research and writing through the website/app Buy Me A Coffee! With opportunities for one-time donations and even a monthly donation plan, you can

en

00:40:50

195: Did God Will It?

Fortune"s Wheel: A Podcast History of Our Medieval Story ·

2025/11/17

SEASON 8: The First CrusadeEPISODE 195: Did God Will It?Where does a pope get off telling thousands of armed men to march across the known world with a promise of eternal salvation? This wasn’t a whim. It was centuries in the making. Welcome to the origin story of Christian holy war.No More Paywalls! How?If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts and all, free to the public with absolutely no more paywalls…ever…please consider donating to my

en

00:46:45

194: Deus Vult!

Fortune"s Wheel: A Podcast History of Our Medieval Story ·

2025/11/03

SEASON 8: The First CrusadeEPISODE 194: Deus Vult!Clermont., France.November 27, 1095.Pope Urban II lit the match that set Europe ablaze. This episode dives into the conflicting accounts of that speech—where “Deus Vult” became both a prayer and a war cry.No More Paywalls! How?If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts and all, free to the public with absolutely no more paywalls…ever…please consider donating to my caffeine-mediated research and writing

en

00:53:10

193: Eastern Rome on the Eve of Crusade

Fortune"s Wheel: A Podcast History of Our Medieval Story ·

2025/10/27

SEASON 8: The First CrusadeEPISODE 193: Eastern Rome on the Eve of CrusadeOn this episode, we hear from Dr. Warren Treadgold -- retired professor, historian, and author -- who has spent a decades-long career studying Byzantine history. In the show's first interview, we discuss Alexios Komnenos, differences between the Christian East and the Latin West, and whether the Crusades themselves were a net positive or net negative. Be sure to Share, Subscribe, and Leave A Comment!No More Paywalls

en

00:30:59

192: The World of the First Crusade

Fortune"s Wheel: A Podcast History of Our Medieval Story ·

2025/10/24

SEASON 8: The First CrusadeEPISODE 192: The World(view) Behind the First CrusadeLet’s take a moment to survey Europe by 1095. What was the world like on the Eve of the First Crusade? What were the various political and economic ideas that flooded out of Western Europe and into the Holy Land? What kinds of technology were these westerners skilled in using, both militarily and in other parts of life? What was trade like? There are endless avenues to go down, and it would behoove us all to do a

en

00:44:55

191: Chapter 9: The Pecheneg Problem

Fortune"s Wheel: A Podcast History of Our Medieval Story ·

2025/10/20

Patreon Series: Book of AlexiosEpisode 191: The Pecheneg ProblemNOTE: This is the last episode in our Patreon episodes covering the rise and early reign of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos! But his story continues well into the First Crusade...and beyond, so stay tuned, my friends! Alexios Komnenos' story is only beginning!Guiscard is dead, and the Byzantine Empire breathes a short-lived sigh of relief. But from the north, a new storm brews. The Pechenegs, nomadic raiders of the steppes, have pierced

en

00:43:50

190: Chapter 8: The Wolf's Mouth

Fortune"s Wheel: A Podcast History of Our Medieval Story ·

2025/10/17

Patreon Series: Book of AlexiosEpisode 190: Chapter 8: The Wolf's MouthToday, two future legends meet. Bohemond of Taranto meets the Byzantine living legend Emperor Alexios I—a moment that will ignite a complicated and world-shaping rivalry. It’s a tense encounter, but not all is war and scheming: somewhere nearby, a child is born. A girl who is destined to leave her own mark on history.No More Paywalls! How?If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts and

en

00:37:46

189: Chapter 7: Appointments, Penance, Delegation &...

Fortune"s Wheel: A Podcast History of Our Medieval Story ·

2025/10/13

Patreon Series: Book of AlexiosEpisode 189: Chapter 7: Appointments, Penance, Delegation & ThreatsThe purple robes are his, but the work has only begun. In his first month on the throne, Emperor Alexios I Komnenos must navigate a Byzantine Empire under siege—externally and internally. A divided capital, looming threats across the Bosporus, and guilt that whispers louder than any enemy… Welcome to the real beginning of his reign.No More Paywalls! How?If you believe in what’s happening here –

en

00:54:20

188: Chapter 6: April 4, 1081

Fortune"s Wheel: A Podcast History of Our Medieval Story ·

2025/10/10

Patreon Series: Book of AlexiosEpisode 188: Chapter 6: April 4, 1081NOTE: This is a repeat of Episode 132, but in the interest of the flow of this series, I've decided to include it for continuity.The empire is on fire—figuratively and nearly literally—as Alexios Komnenos makes his bold play for the throne. With the capital in chaos, loyalties split, and Eastern Rome teetering, one man dares to seize it all. Welcome to the storming of Constantinople.No More Paywalls! How?If you believe in what’s

en

00:50:30

187: Chapter 5: Cheese Week

Fortune"s Wheel: A Podcast History of Our Medieval Story ·

2025/10/06

Patreon Series: Book of AlexiosEpisode 187: Chapter 5: Cheese WeekNOTE: This is a repeat of Episode 131, but in the interest of the flow of this series, I've decided to include it for continuity.In this episode, we explore the dangerously creamy days leading up to the rise of Alexios Komnenos—because nothing says imperial coup like dairy. Before he seizes the throne of Eastern Rome, the empire simmers in chaos, conspiracy... and cheese. But not just any cheese—this is Cheese Week, the final

en

01:03:05

186: Chapter 4: The Writing on the Wall

Fortune"s Wheel: A Podcast History of Our Medieval Story ·

2025/10/03

Patreon Series: Book of AlexiosEpisode 186: Chapter 4: The Writing on the WallNOTE: This is a repeat of Episode 130, but in the interest of the flow of this series, I've decided to include it for continuity.Emperor Nikephoros III watches his empire crumble like dry parchment. With rebellion brewing and a once-loyal general rising in fame, the old emperor can’t ignore the writing on the wall—literally and figuratively. In this episode, we explore the origins of that ominous phrase…before the pace

en

213 results

Similar Podcasts

The Old Front Line

Paul Reed

Today In History with The Retrospectors

The Retrospectors

جنود خلدهم التاريخ

ALSUMOOD PODCAST

Film History - Daily

Inception Point Ai

Madonna - Biography Flash

Inception Point Ai