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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.

history music history

All Episodes

33:47

Radioactive Genius: The Triumph, Tragedy, and Legacy...

pplpod ·

2025/12/28

In this episode, we explore the extraordinary life of Maria Salomea Skłodowska-Curie, a Polish-French physicist and chemist who fundamentally changed our understanding of the universe. Born in Warsaw under the Russian Empire, Marie overcame poverty and gender barriers to become the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and remains the only person to win Nobel Prizes in two different scientific fields.Join us as we trace her journey from the clandestine "Flying University" in Poland to her pioneering

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29:39

Ferdinand the Handsome: Scandal, War, and the End of...

pplpod ·

2025/12/28

In this episode, we explore the tumultuous reign of Ferdinand I of Portugal (1367–1383), a monarch remembered by history as both "the Handsome" and "the Inconstant". We trace his ambitious attempts to claim the throne of Castile and his alliances with the English Duke John of Gaunt, which plunged the kingdom into a series of conflicts with Henry II of Castile.Discover the scandalous romance that shook the Portuguese court when Ferdinand abandoned a strategic marriage treaty to wed Leonor Teles, the

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36:25

The Beloved and The Mad: The Tragic Reign of Charles VI

pplpod ·

2025/12/28

In this episode, we examine the turbulent life of King Charles VI of France, a monarch whose reign tragically shifted from promise to chaos. Ascending to the throne at age 11 in 1380, Charles was initially nicknamed "the Beloved" after freeing himself from the control of his corrupt uncles,. However, his legacy was forever altered in 1392 during a military expedition in the forest of Le Mans, where a sudden bout of delirium caused him to attack his own men,.We discuss the harrowing details of

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38:08

Grozny: The Rise, Madness, and Legacy of Russia’s...

pplpod ·

2025/12/28

Was Ivan IV truly "terrible," or was he simply "formidable"? In this episode, we dismantle the myths surrounding the first Tsar of all Russia, whose reign transformed the nation from a medieval state into a fledgling empire. We explore the nuance behind his famous epithet, Grozny, which historically meant "awe-inspiring" or "keeping enemies in fear" rather than evil.Tune in as we chart Ivan’s traumatic childhood as an orphan neglected by feuding boyars and his rise to power at age 16. We discuss his

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30:42

The Original Knickerbocker: Washington Irving, The...

pplpod ·

2025/12/28

In this episode, we explore the life of Washington Irving, the first American writer to earn international acclaim and the first to make a living solely by his pen. From the Hudson Valley to the palaces of Spain, we trace the journey of the man who gave us "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," "Rip Van Winkle," and the nickname "Gotham" for New York City.Episode Highlights:• The Man of Many Names: We discuss Irving’s early satirical work under pseudonyms like Jonathan Oldstyle and the fictional Dutch

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42:00

The Reluctant Revolutionary: Charles Darwin and the...

pplpod ·

2025/12/28

In this episode, we explore the life and legacy of Charles Darwin, the English naturalist whose theory of natural selection revolutionized our understanding of the natural world. We trace his journey from an indifferent medical student who preferred beetle collecting, to the celebrated scientist buried in Westminster Abbey.Join us as we discuss:• The Voyage of the Beagle: How a five-year journey around the world, particularly observations of fossils in Patagonia and wildlife in the Galápagos,

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37:30

Leonardo da Vinci: The Renaissance Universal Genius

pplpod ·

2025/12/28

This episode provides a comprehensive biography of Leonardo da Vinci, the quintessential Italian Renaissance polymath. It chronicles his life from his early training in Verrocchio’s workshop to his final years in France under the patronage of King Francis I. The text highlights his unparalleled contributions to Western art, specifically through iconic masterpieces like the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. Beyond his painting, the source details his tireless scientific inquiries into human anatomy,

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22:29

Rembrandt: Master of the Dutch Golden Age

pplpod ·

2025/12/28

This episode provides a comprehensive biography of Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, widely regarded as a premier master of Western art. It details his origins in Leiden, his rise as a prominent portraitist in Amsterdam, and the personal tragedies and financial insolvency that defined his later years. The text categorizes his vast creative output, including iconic oil paintings, detailed etchings, and an extensive collection of autobiographical self-portraits. Beyond his personal history, the sources

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47:04

Nelson Mandela: The Life and Legacy of a Liberator

pplpod ·

2025/12/28

This episode chronicles the life of Nelson Mandela, the prominent revolutionary who became the first black president of South Africa. The text details his journey from a royal Thembu upbringing and legal studies to his leadership within the African National Congress, where he fought against the oppressive apartheid system. Following decades of political imprisonment on Robben Island and elsewhere, he emerged to lead peaceful negotiations that transitioned the nation toward a multiracial democracy

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50:57

Mahatma Gandhi: The Architect of Satyagraha and...

pplpod ·

2025/12/28

This episode provides a comprehensive biography of Mahatma Gandhi, the influential leader who steered India’s movement for independence from British rule through nonviolent resistance. The text chronicles his transition from a London-educated lawyer and activist in South Africa to a central political figure and spiritual icon known as the "Father of the Nation." It details significant historical milestones, including the Salt March, the Quit India movement, and the tragic religious violence

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35:42

Joseph Stalin: The Man of Steel

pplpod ·

2025/12/28

From a poverty-stricken childhood in Georgia to the absolute ruler of a global superpower, this episode examines the life of Joseph Stalin. Born Ioseb Jughashvili, the man who would later adopt the pseudonym meaning "Man of Steel" began his career not as a statesman, but as a seminary student turned revolutionary bank robber.We explore how Stalin outmaneuvered rivals like Leon Trotsky to succeed Vladimir Lenin, consolidating power to become the Soviet Union's unchallenged dictator by the 1930s. We

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46:32

Napoleon Bonaparte: The Corsican Outsider Who...

pplpod ·

2025/12/28

He was a reserved student bullied for his accent who grew up to become one of history’s greatest military commanders and the self-proclaimed Emperor of the French,. In this episode of pplpod, we dissect the meteoric rise and catastrophic fall of Napoleon Bonaparte.Join us as we explore how a young artillery officer from a minor noble family in Corsica navigated the chaos of the French Revolution to seize power in the Coup of 18 Brumaire,. We break down his military genius, from his decisive victory

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42:36

Alexander the Great: The King Who Conquered the World

pplpod ·

2025/12/28

In this episode, we traverse the extraordinary life of Alexander III of Macedon, the warrior-king who ascended the throne at age 20 and forged one of history's largest empires, stretching from Greece to northwestern India. We examine his unparalleled military record—undefeated in battle—and the strategic genius that allowed him to dismantle the Achaemenid Persian Empire through decisive victories at Issus and Gaugamela.Beyond the battlefield, we analyze the complex character of a man tutored by

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41:31

Crossing the Rubicon: The Rise, Reign, and...

pplpod ·

2025/12/28

In this episode, we profile Gaius Julius Caesar, the Roman general and statesman whose actions dismantled the Roman Republic and paved the way for the Roman Empire. We trace his journey from a young patrician claiming descent from the goddess Venus to his formation of the First Triumvirate, a political alliance with Pompey and Crassus that dominated Rome.Join us as we cover Caesar’s legendary military campaigns in the Gallic Wars, where he conquered Gaul and led the first Roman invasions of

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34:34

The Architect of Harmony: The Life and Legacy of...

pplpod ·

2025/12/28

Join us as we explore the monumental life of Johann Sebastian Bach, the German composer whose mastery of counterpoint and harmonic organization defined the High Baroque era,. In this episode, we trace Bach’s journey from an orphaned child in a multi-generational family of musicians to his rise as the Thomaskantor in Leipzig, where he composed for the city’s principal churches and university,.We dive deep into the distinct phases of his career, including his time in Weimar—where he expanded his organ

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39:41

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: From Child Prodigy to...

pplpod ·

2025/12/28

In this episode, we explore the life and legacy of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a prolific composer who created over 800 works and defined the Classical period despite living only to age 35. We trace his journey from his birth in Salzburg, where he displayed prodigious talent on the keyboard and violin by age five, to his extensive tours of European courts under the tutelage of his father, Leopold.Key topics covered in this episode:The Salzburg Conflict: Mozart’s growing dissatisfaction with court

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36:59

The Gadfly of Athens: Unraveling the Mystery of Socrates

pplpod ·

2025/12/28

Join us as we step into the streets of Classical Athens to explore the life of Socrates, the enigmatic figure recognized as the first Western moral philosopher. Despite authoring no texts himself, Socrates changed the course of history, leaving behind a legacy known as the "Socratic problem"—the difficult task of reconstructing his philosophy from the contradictory accounts of his students, Plato and Xenophon, and the playwright Aristophanes.In this episode, we dissect:The Man Who Knew Nothing: We

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36:24

Il Divino: The Art, Agony, and Architecture of...

pplpod ·

2025/12/28

In this episode, we examine the life of Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, the archetype of the "Renaissance man" and a figure whose influence on Western art is unparalleled. Known to his contemporaries as Il Divino ("the divine one"), Michelangelo achieved fame early, sculpting two of the world’s most renowned masterpieces, the Pietà and David, before the age of thirty. We trace his journey from the Medici gardens in Florence to the heart of the Vatican, exploring how a man who claimed to

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31:44

Raphael: The High Renaissance’s Master of Grace

pplpod ·

2025/12/28

In this episode, we profile Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino—better known as Raphael—the artist who stands alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo as one of the traditional trinity of High Renaissance masters. Join us as we explore the life of a painter known for his visual achievement of the Neoplatonic ideal and the "sprezzatura"—or effortless grace—of his compositions,.Key topics in this episode include:• The Prodigy of Urbino: Raphael’s beginnings as the son of a court painter, his training under

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36:09

The Master of Those Who Know: The Life and Legacy of...

pplpod ·

2025/12/28

Join us as we explore the life of the ancient Greek polymath Aristotle, a figure so influential that medieval scholars simply referred to him as "The Philosopher". From his twenty years at Plato’s Academy to his time tutoring the future conqueror Alexander the Great, we trace the journey of the man who founded the Lyceum and the Peripatetic school of philosophy.In this episode, we dive into Aristotle's massive body of work, which spans logic, biology, ethics, politics, and rhetoric. We break down

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1,314 results

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