Best Teutons Podcasts (2024)

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Ep. 145 How to make Friends and Influence People – The Luxemburgs become Kings of Bohemia 29:46

5d ago29:46

29:46

Henry, the new king of the Romans, just 30 years of age, tall and blond, every inch his forebearer the great Charlemagne had a one track mind. There was one thing he wanted and that was the imperial crown. It is now 60 years since there last had been a crowned emperor. We had such an interregnum before, in the 10th century between the death of empe…

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Ep. 144 - The Rise of the House of Luxembourg - The election of Emperor Henry VII 23:35

8d ago23:35

23:35

On November 27th, 1308 the prince electors chose Henry VII, count of Luxemburg to be their new king of the Romans and future emperor. Little did they know that this decision will give rise to a dynasty that will rule the empire for as many decades as the Ottonian, the Salian and the Hohenstaufen had. A dynasty that featured such emblems of chivalri…

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Ep. 143 – The Murder of a King - Albrecht I von Habsburg. 34:45

15d ago34:45

34:45

The late 13th century was the sniper’s alley for many a powerful family. The disappearance of great dynasties, the Arpads of Hungary, the Premyslids of Bohemia, the Zaehringer, Babenbergs, the counts of Holland to name just a few wasn’t down to lack of fertility but down to violence. Murder became so common, even those who did not have swords stick…

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Ep. 142 Adolf von Nassau - A Shadow of a King 30:05

22d ago30:05

30:05

After the death of Rudolf von Habsburg the Prince Electors chose another, now truly impecunious count, Adolf von Nassau to be king. They chose him over Rudolf’s son Albrecht and over the overwhelmingly most powerful prince in the empire, King Wenceslaus II of Bohemia. This cultured and competent man became known to German history as a Schattenkönig…

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Ep. 141 Rudolf von Habsburg Semper Augustus - Allezeit Mehrer des Reiches 32:59

29d ago32:59

32:59

Martin Rady in his highly amusing and exceptionally well written book on the Habsburg said: “The remainder of Rudolf’s reign up to his death in 1291 was a failure. He did not manage to have himself crowned emperor by the pope and had to make do with the title of king…it was a false dawn, both for the Holy Roman empire and for the Habsburgs” I most …

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Ep. 140 – Rudolf von Habsburg and the Golden King Ottokar II of Bohemia 34:48

1M ago34:48

34:48

This week we will look at what the poor count Rudolf of Habsburg does once he had been elected King of the Romans. This is not the first time the electors have chosen a man of much more modest means than themselves. William of Holland and Hermann von Salm had failed to leverage their elevated status into tangible gains. But Rudolf is different. Thr…

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Ep. 139 – The End of the Interregnum - The Election of Rudolf von Habsburg in 1273 37:01

1M ago37:01

37:01

On October 1, 1273 seven princes elected a new king of the Romans. Their choice was a momentous one that set European history further down its path away from a universal empire to separate kingdoms and principalities. The pope had demanded that they come to a unanimous decision so that the empire could again participate in a crusade to stop the rem…

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Catch-up Episode - The Empire from 919 to 1250 50:44

2M ago50:44

50:44

This episode is something I never thought I would do, it is a run through the history of the Holy Roman Empire from 919 AD to 1250, pretty much most of the periods I have covered so far. Why do it? If you’re one of those who have listened religiously to all 137 episodes so far and feel completely up to date with what happened in the past, this will…

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Episode 1o (137) The Conversion 29:18

3M ago29:18

29:18

This week we will talk about the end of the rule of the Teutonic Knights in Prussia. Instead of a land ruled by a chivalric order answering to the pope, Prussia became a secular state, ruled by a protestant prince and run by a newly created class of land-owners, the famous Prussian Junkers whose impact on German history stretched well into the 20th…

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Ep. 137 – The Conversion - Albrecht, Grand Master of the Teutonic Order becomes a protestant duke 29:18

3M ago29:18

29:18

This week we will talk about the end of the rule of the Teutonic Knights in Prussia. Instead of a land ruled by a chivalric order answering to the pope, Prussia became a secular state, ruled by a protestant prince and run by a newly created class of land-owners, the famous Prussian Junkers whose impact on German history stretched well into the 20th…

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Episode 9 (136) 13 Years of War 28:24

3M ago28:24

28:24

The theocratic state of the Teutonic Knights had survived the devastating defeat at Tannenberg with most of its territory intact. But underneath the foundations of the edifice are crumbling. The economy is in tatters, the theological justification for their existence has disappeared and their power as a military force has failed to keep up with the…

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Ep. 136 – 13 Years of War - The Prussian League shifts allegiance 28:24

3M ago28:24

28:24

The theocratic state of the Teutonic Knights had survived the devastating defeat at Tannenberg with most of its territory intact. But underneath the foundations of the edifice are crumbling. The economy is in tatters, the theological justification for their existence has disappeared and their power as a military force has failed to keep up with the…

1
Episode 8 (135) - After Tannenberg 31:56

3M ago31:56

31:56

Last week we ended with the famous battle of Tannenberg or as the Poles would call it Grunwald. This battle is not just famous for its outcome but also for the various accounts of what happened. There is a Polish version there is a Lithuanian version and there's obviously a German version, actually 2 German versions. Though the one German version t…

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Ep. 135 - After Tannenberg - The rule of the Teutonic Knights in Prussia weakened 26:51

3M ago26:51

26:51

Last week we ended with the famous battle of Tannenberg or as the Poles would call it Grunwald and the Lithuanians Zalgiris. This battle is not just famous for its outcome but also for the various accounts of what happened. There is a Polish version there is a Lithuanian version and there's obviously a German version, actually 2 German versions. Th…

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Episode 7 (134) Tannenberg 41:11

3M ago41:11

41:11

This week we look at the reasons the golden age of the Teutonic knights came to an abrupt end at the beginning of the 15th century. It is a sequence of events that involve some remarkable Polish and Lithuanian princes, the Templars, and of course – The brothers of the house of St. Mary of the Germans in Jerusalem. Ah, and a very famous battle. The …

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Ep. 134 – Tannenberg / Grunwald / Žalgiris - A battle of many names 41:11

3M ago41:11

41:11

This week we look at the reasons the golden age of the Teutonic knights came to an abrupt end at the beginning of the 15th century. It is a sequence of events that involve some remarkable Polish and Lithuanian princes, the Templars, and of course – The brothers of the house of St. Mary of the Germans in Jerusalem. Ah, and a very famous battle. Epis…

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Episode 6 (133) - The Order of the Order 31:43

3M ago31:43

31:43

In the century that followed the last of the Prussian and Livonian uprisings the states of the Teutonic Order in the Baltic experienced a period of economic growth and internal and external stability that is almost unique in the chaotic 14th century. Whilst Europe was in the grip of the Hundred-Years War, an incessant merry go round of internecine …

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Ep. 133 – The Order of the Order - The organisational structure of the Teutonic Knights 31:43

3M ago31:43

31:43

In the century that followed the last of the Prussian and Livonian uprisings the states of the Teutonic Order in the Baltic experienced a period of economic growth and internal and external stability that is almost unique in the chaotic 14th century. Whilst Europe was in the grip of the Hundred-Years War, an incessant merry go round of internecine …

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Episode 5 - The Battle on the Ice 38:17

4M ago38:17

38:17

This week we look at the activities of the Teutonic order in Livonia during the 13th century. The situation in Livonia was profoundly different to Prussia and posed a number of new challenges for the brothers. In Livonia there were the powerful bishops of Riga to contend with who had led the crusade there since its inception in the 1180s. The Hanse…

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Ep. 132 – The Battle on the Ice - Alexander Nevsky, Sergei Eisenstein and what really happened 38:17

4M ago38:17

38:17

This week we look at the activities of the Teutonic order in Livonia during the 13th century. The situation in Livonia was profoundly different to Prussia and posed a number of new challenges for the brothers. In Livonia there were the powerful bishops of Riga to contend with who had led the crusade there since its inception in the 1180s. The Hanse…

1
Episode 4 – The Conquest of Prussia (Part II) 31:59

4M ago31:59

31:59

Last week we left the action after the Teutonic Knights had signed the peace of Christburg in 1249 to put an end to the first Prussian revolt. The local population had risen up with the help of duke Swantopolk of Pomerelia who feared for the commercial success of his main city, the city of Danzig/Gdansk. After 7 years of war and devastation the pop…

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Ep. 131 – The Conquest of Prussia (Part II) - The second, third and n-th Prussian uprising 31:59

4M ago31:59

31:59

Last week we left the action after the Teutonic Knights had signed the peace of Christburg in 1249 to put an end to the first Prussian revolt. The local population had risen up with the help of duke Swantopolk of Pomerelia who feared for the commercial success of his main city, the city of Danzig/Gdansk. After 7 years of war and devastation the pop…

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Episode 3 – The Conquest of Prussia Part 1 35:30

4M ago35:30

35:30

Last week we heard about Konrad of Masovia’s offer of the Kulmer Land to the Teutonic knight. This week we will talk about what they did once they had accepted the offer. The first knights arrived in 1226 but it would take almost 6o years before their new principality of Prussia was fully established. The Prussians, despite initially being lightly …

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Ep. 130 – The Conquest of Prussia (Part I) - from Konrad of Masovia's offer to the first Prussian revolts 35:30

4M ago35:30

35:30

Last week we heard about Konrad of Masovia’s offer of the Kulmer Land to the Teutonic knight. This week we will talk about what they did once they had accepted the offer. The first knights arrived in 1226 but it would take almost 6o years before their new principality of Prussia was fully established. The Prussians, despite initially being lightly …

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Episode 2 - Hermann von Salza 38:22

5M ago38:22

38:22

“.. the far-sighted planning of Grand Master Brother Hermann von Salza had so strengthened the Teutonic Order that it had many members and such power, riches and honour that word of its fame and good reputation had spread the length and breadth of the empire.” So describes the chronicler Nicolaus von Jeroschin the role of the fourth and arguably mo…

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Ep. 129 - Hermann von Salza - Diplomat and Grand Master of the Teutonic Order 38:13

5M ago38:13

38:13

“.. the far-sighted planning of Grand Master Brother Hermann von Salza had so strengthened the Teutonic Order that it had many members and such power, riches and honour that word of its fame and good reputation had spread the length and breadth of the empire.” So describes the chronicler Nicolaus von Jeroschin the role of the fourth and arguably mo…

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Episode 1 - A Chivalric Order 41:21

5M ago41:21

41:21

Hello and welcome to a new season of the History of the Germans, the Teutonic Knights or to give them their full title, the knights of the hospital of St. Mary of the House of the Germans in Jerusalem. Even though the state they had created in Prussia has been wiped off the map with all its cultural markers, the Teutonic Knights are not forgotten. …

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Ep. 128 - A Chivalric Order - The beginnings of the Teutonic Knights 41:21

5M ago41:21

41:21

Hello and welcome to a new season of the History of the Germans, the Teutonic Knights or to give them their full title, the knights of the hospital of St. Mary of the House of the Germans in Jerusalem. Even though the state they had created in Prussia has been wiped off the map with all its cultural markers, the Teutonic Knights are not forgotten. …

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An Interview with Carsten Jahnke 39:57

5M ago39:57

39:57

Professor Carsten Jahnke, one of the leading historians on the Hanse has kindly granted us an interview where we discuss how the Hanse network functioned and how the perception of the Hanse has changed dramatically over the last 200 years, a story that almost as interesting as the history of the Hanse itself. As listeners of the last season of the …

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Ep. 127: The Art and Culture of the Hanse 25:21

6M ago25:21

25:21

Our history of the Hanse has come to an end, not with a bang but with a whimper. Of the things that have remained we have already talked a lot, the ideal of the honourable Hanseatic merchant, the cultural and political links to Scandinavia and the stories. The stories of the famous pirates, Klaus Störtebecker and Hans Benecke, the heroics of the wa…

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Ep. 126 - A Brief History of Bremen 33:01

6M ago33:01

33:01

Bremen was geographically and politically quite different from the other cities, ploughing its own furrow. In response the other Hansards did not trust the citizens of Bremen. There is also the minor issue that Bremen sheltered a lot of pirates. Still as the Hanse declined politically, Bremen took on an ever-larger role until becoming one of the la…

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Ep. 125 – The Rise of Hamburg in the 16th century and beyond 34:22

6M ago34:22

34:22

The last two episodes may have left you with a sense of gloom and foreboding about the great Hanseatic cities. But here is the counterintuitive fact, the Hanse may continuously loose political power and economic relevance, but the cities that make up the association are flourishing. Not all of them but some, Hamburg and Danzig in particular. Why it…

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Ep. 124 – Decline and Fall (Part 2) - Jürgen Wullenwever's and Lübeck's last stand 41:49

6M ago41:49

41:49

1531-1535, a period of just 4 years is enough to capsize Lübeck’s position as the diplomatic heart of the Baltic Sea, general secretary of the Hanse, ally of both the king of Denmark and the king of Sweden and early member of the Schmalkaldic League. How can that happen? As Edward Gibbon would say: History, in fact, is no more than a list of crimes…

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Ep. 123 – Decline and Fall (Part 1) - Emperors, kings and princes are closing in on Hanse cities 37:07

7M ago37:07

37:07

1474-1531 was a time of immense change and upheaval for the Hanseatic League, and not just for them. The Habsburg empire is bedded into being, England’s war of the Roses is over, in the North the Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth stretches all the way from Kyiev to Gdansk. The kingdoms and princes are getting stronger. Columbus tries to sail to India …

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Ep. 122 – Calamitous Victories open the Baltic to English merchants 27:48

7M ago27:48

27:48

In 1435 the Hanse can look back at a string of successes. Another war with Denmark won, the patrician regime in Lübeck and elsewhere restored, conflicts with Burgundy and England settled in their favour. But as Winston Churchill once remarked, “The problems of victory are more agreeable than those of defeat, but they are no less difficult.” And the…

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Ep. 121 – A Constitutional Crisis - The lower classes in the Hanse cities are rising up 29:34

7M ago29:34

29:34

By the end of the 14th century the Hanse is at the top of its game. The Cologne Confederation had shown that they could act in unison if the need arises, can defeat the largest and best run kingdom in Scandinavia. And even the mighty duke of Burgundy had to yield to the power of the merchant cities. But just 10 years into the new century the associ…

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Ep. 120 - Money, Money, Money...how it worked in the Hanseatic League 34:43

7M ago34:43

34:43

This was supposed to be an episode where we talk about the challenges the Hanse was facing after the victory over the Danes and the Peace of Stralsund. But that is not to be. Listeners Mehmet and Nina pointed out a few gaps in what I had been talking about last week and now these need to be filled. It is all good talking about the trading network a…

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Ep. 119 – What is the Hansa? - A crocodile whose main body is concealed below the water? 29:54

8M ago29:54

29:54

That was the question king Edward IV asked the representatives of the Steelyard in 1469. And he had a good reason to ask, because tensions between the English and the Hansa had escalated, ships were captured, and people got killed. He wanted to know who to negotiate with and in particular, who could sign a binding agreement that would put an end to…

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Ep. 118 – Pirates - Did Klaus Störtebecker even exist, and if so, did he matter? 44:57

8M ago44:57

44:57

In 1878 workmen building the Speicherstadt, the magnificent city of warehouses in the harbour of Hamburg made a gruesome discovery. In the mud of the Grasbrook, an island at the entrance of the medieval harbour of Hamburg emerged two piles of wood connected by a wooden bar. An ancient beacon guiding ships. What made it so special was what was naile…

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Ep. 117 – Embargoes or how the Hanse forced Norway, Novgorod and even Bruges to grant privileges 35:23

8M ago35:23

35:23

The Hanseatic League undergoes a fundamental transformation in the second half of the 14th century. It turned from a guild of merchants trading across the Baltic and the North Sea into an alliance of trading cities. An alliance that has proven that it can fight and win wars against major territorial powers. That sits quite uncomfortably with the ex…

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Ep. 116 – The War with Denmark Part 2 - The Peace of Stralsund 33:52

8M ago33:52

33:52

The Hanseatic League is first and foremost an organisation driven by commerce and commerce rarely sees the necessity of war. But in 1360 the organisation that had only just transitioned from a community of merchants to an alliance of cities found itself in gridlock with Waldemar Atterdag, Waldemar Dawn, king of Denmark. Waldemar’s objective through…

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Ep. 115 – The War with Denmark Part I - Waldemar Atterdag's attack on Gotland 36:36

9M ago36:36

36:36

By the end of the 13th century the key foundations of the Hanseatic League are laid. The trade routes that connect the Baltic to Western Europe are largely under the control of merchants who had come from Northern Germany and settled along the Baltic shore. Four great Kontors in Novgorord, Bergen, Bruges and London have been set up. The cities that…

1
Featuring The Scandinavian History Podcast 33:03

9M ago33:03

33:03

As you sure know there are many exceptional history podcasts out there and I occasionally mention them here. And one of those is the Scandinavian History Podcast by Mikael Shankman. What is great about Mikael’s podcast is that it covers quite a few of the events we discuss here as well, but from the Scandinavian perspective. So, I thought you may e…

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Ep. 114 - The London Steelyard.......and the Hanse trade in Wine 20:48

9M ago20:48

20:48

If like many of you, you are listening to this podcast on your morning or evening commute and you happen to live in London, you may be one of the 20 million souls going through Cannon Street Station every year. Few of them will be aware that under their feet lay the vestiges of the great Hanseatic Kontor in London that goes back to 1176. If people …

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Ep. 113 – Bergen and Bruges - The Kontors of the Hanseatic League 33:53

9M ago33:53

33:53

Today we will talk about the Bryggen, the famous Hanseatic Kontor or trading post in Bergen in western Norway. Bergen itself was never a member of the Hanseatic League, but like The St. Peter’s yard in Novgorod, the steelyard in London and the Kontor of Bruges, the Bryggen in Bergen was a key element of the Hanseatic trading network. The trade in s…

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Ep. 112 - Grain and Beer - The Hanse's Trade in Beer and Cereals 39:19

9M ago39:19

39:19

This week we will kick off with the string of cities along the Baltic Coast from Lübeck up to Königsberg (modern day Kaliningrad). Who founded them and why? And why so many? Who were the people who came to live there, how did they organise themselves and most importantly, what did they produce and what did they trade? We will dwell on the most sple…

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Ep. 111: Hewing and Herring - The Copper Mines of Falun and the Fisheries of Skane 29:51

10M ago29:51

29:51

“on its eastern side the sea breaks through and cuts off the western side of Skaane; and this sea commonly yields each year an abundant haul to the nets of the fishers. Indeed, the whole sound is apt to be so thronged with fish that any craft which strikes on them is with difficulty got off by hard rowing, and the prize is captured no longer by tac…

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Ep. 110 - Livonian Cities - Riga, Reval/Tallinn, Dorpat/Taru, Narva 28:45

10M ago28:45

28:45

“In the monastery of Segeberg there was a man of worthy life, and with venerable gray hair, Meinhard by name, a priest of the Order of Saint Augustine. He came to Livonia with a band of merchants simply for the sake of Christ and only to preach. For German merchants, bound together through familiarity with the Livonians, were accustomed to go to Li…

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Ep. 109 – The Gotlandfahrer - the Beginnings of the Hanseatic League 38:14

10M ago38:14

38:14

If I put the word Hanseatic into Google Search I get as result number 4 “Hanseatic King’s Lynn -Visit West Norfolk”. I can say with absolute confidence that there is not a single German individual, place or organisation that a small town in England would choose to not just associate with but incorporate itself into its history, safe for the Hanseat…

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Ep. 108 – From Saxony to Saxonies - The fragmentation of the great stem duchy of Henry the Lion 33:25

11M ago33:25

33:25

These last few episodes you may have wondered how all this hangs together. This week we will try to resolve this question. What we will talk about is how the great stem duchy of Saxony fell apart. And there are two stories about that. One is the story of Henry the Lion and his fall in 1180. That story has been repeated over and over again and put i…

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