The Russian Empire History Podcast
A weekly podcast covering the history of all the peoples of the Russian Empire, from its origins to its fall. Each episode explores different aspects of the empire's diverse cultures, politics, and conflicts. The show aims to provide a comprehensive look at the vast territory that was once the Russian Empire.
Episodes
1.110 - Civil War in Moscow
With the death of Vasily I, Moscow sees its first contested succession in generations.
1.109 - Horodło and Constance
Following their success at Tannenburg, Jogaila and Vytautas enter another agreement, this time more or less as equals. Does it create a genuine union, or an independent Lithuania? At the Council of Constance, Poland defeats the Teutonic Order again.
1.108 - Grunwald/Tannenberg/Zalgiris
Jogaila and Vytautas finally manage to work together, leading to a game changing battle with the Teutonic Order.
1.107 - Vasily, Vytautas, and Edigu
Vasily tries not paying tribute while Edigu is distracted, but gets caught out. Vytautas and Jogaila reach a new agreement.
1.106 - After Toqtamish
Timur’s defeat of Toqtamish and ravaging of the Horde’s territory is often referred to as the end of the Horde. But that’s not quite the case.
1.105 - Vasily I, Vytautas, and Toqtamish
The three rulers of Moscow, Lithuania and the Horde find themselves in a period of cooperation. It does not end as well as they might have hoped.
1.104 - Vytautas
Taking the crown of Poland gives Jogaila a new problem - how to govern Lithuania.
1.103 - Baptizing Lithuania
With his own baptism, marriage, and coronation out of the way, Jogaila moves on to the other parts of his deal.
1.102 - To Kreva
When Algirdas dies, he leaves his heir several problems. Their neighbors in Poland also have problems. Maybe they can help each other.
1.101 - After Kulikovo
Dmitry Donskoy finds out that his victory was rather Pyrrhic.
1.100 - The Battle of Kulikovo Part II
Was the Battle of Kulikovo the beginning of liberation from the Mongols?
1.99 - The Battle of Kulikovo
The stand off with Mamai reaches its inevitable conclusion and Dmitry of Moscow earns himself a new name.
1.98 - Mamai
As the Anarchy gets underway in the Horde, the Mamai, the commander of the western wing, tries to make himself the power behind the throne.
1.97 - Dmitry Donskoy
Metropolitan Aleksey helps Ivan’s son Dmitry claim his father’s throne, but faces new challenges to his own authority..
1.96 - Algirdas
Meanwhile in Lithuania, Gediminas divides his realm among his seven sons.
1.95 - After the Plague
As the plague ends, Moscow needs a new knyaz, and the Horde needs a way to recover.
1.94 - The Black Death and the Great Horde
Life in the steppe was different to sedentary Europe, and the effects of the plague were also different.
1.93 - So that Our Candle Does Not Go Out
Ivan’s son Simeon take the throne, but soon faces a new threat - the Black Death.
1.92 - Gediminas, Ozbek, and Ivan
This episode completes the story of these three contemporaries and their legacies.
1.91 - Gediminas Part II
Lithuania begins its expansion to the south.
1.90 - Lev Daniilovich and Yuri Lvovich
This episode catches up on what has been happening in Galicia and Volhynia after Daniil of Galicia.
1.89 - Gediminas Part I
Gediminas follows his brother to establish a new dynasty in Lithuania.
1.88 - Lithuania vs the Teutonic Order
With the Prussian Crusade over, the Order immediately launches a new crusade against Lithuania.
1.87 - The Baltic Crusades III
By the end of the thirteenth century, the Teutonic Order has established Prussia and Livonia, new Catholic states running from Poland to Estonia.
1.86 - The Emergence of Lithuania
Following the death of Mindaugas, Lithuania goes through a period of instability before beginning to annex Rus territory.
1.85 -Ivan I “the Moneybag"
Khan Ozbeg changes his policy and makes Ivan of Moscow his man in the northeast.
1.84 - Ozbek and the Knyazes
Ozbek continues to interfere with the knyazes, and to secure his control over his other frontier regions.
1.83 - Khan Ozbeg
Toghrilcha’s son returns to take the throne and make the Horde officially Muslim.
1.82 - Moscow and Tver
A new century finds Moscow and Tver ready to stake their claim.
1.81 - Goodbye to the Thirteenth Century
And good riddance, most of the Rus would probably say. As Toqtoa defeats Nogay, Andrei continues trying to make himself a truly grand knyaz.
1.80 - Dmitry, Andrey, and Nogay
The last two decades of the thirteenth century is a time of turmoil for both the Great Horde and the knyazes of Suzdalia.
1.79 - The Great Horde IV - Living in the Horde
When the Great Horde integrated conquered peoples, it did not mean they had to become nomads.
1.78 - The Great Horde III - Mongke-Temur
Following the death of Berke, the Quriltai chooses Batu’s grandson Mongke Temur as the new khan.
1.77 - The Great Horde II - Berke
As Hulegu’s stand off with the Horde continues, the first Muslim khan finds new allies in the Mamelukes.
1.76 - The Great Horde I
In this episode, we begin a look at how the Ulus of Jochi developed into the Great Horde.
1.75 - Succession under the Mongols
Aleksandr Nevsky is dead. His brother Andrey already blew his chance to succeed, but submission to the Mongols means the rules are changing.
1.74 - Aleksandr Nevsky II - Aleksandr and the Mongols
Aleksandr has used the Mongols to claim his throne, now he has live with them.
1.73 - Aleksandr Nevsky I - A Turning Point
Hero? Collaborator? Both? In 2008, Russians voted him their greatest historical hero, but does his life justify the acclaim?
1.72 - Suzdalia and the Mongols
We return to the Northeast to cover the succession to Vsevolod Big Nest, the struggle for Novgorod, and the arrival of the Mongols.
1.71 - Daniil of Galicia II - Galicia and the Mongols
After decades fighting for his birthright, Daniil must face a new enemy.
1.70 - Daniil of Galicia I - The Galician Succession
Roman Mstislavich had united Volhynia and Galicia, but his early death leaves his kingdom open to Rus and foreign pretenders. It will take his son, Daniil, years to recover.
1.69 - Batu Consolidates
Batu continues his campaign westwards. Despite winning his battles, circumstances force him to return to the Volga to consolidate his rule.
1.68 - A ‘Mongol Yoke’?
From the chroniclers seeing them as God’s punishment, to Tsarist historians trying to push them out of Russian history altogther, to Stalinists banning any mention of them other than as predatory parasites, this episode looks at some of the ways Russian historians have struggled to come to grips with the Mongols.
1.67 - The Mongol Western Campaigns II - The Fall of Rus
Batu continues his western campaigns and brings about the end of Rus.
1.66 - The Mongol Western Campaigns Part I - The Fall of Bulgaria
The Mongol Empire continues its campaigns of expansion. Chingis Khan has given his son Jochi the west, but first he must conquer it.
1.65 - Enter the Mongols
Word comes from the Polovtsi that there is a new force on the steppe. The Rus join them to fight them off.
1.64 Mindaugas the One and Only
Under pressure from Teutonic knights, Rus, and Poland, a new kingdom emerges from the Lithuanian tribes.
1.63 - The Baltic Crusades Part II - The Teutonic Order
In this episode, we look at how the Teutonic Knights went from hospitals in the Holy Land to conquering Prussia.
1.62 - The Baltic Crusades Part I
Through the second half of the 12th century, the pieces start to fall into place for the conquests of the 13th century.
1.61 - The Hanseatic League
The Baltic crusades were not the only force driving German colonisation in the Baltic. In this episode we look at the rise of the Hanseatic League, a new commercial network across Northern Europe.
1.60 - Rus and the Baltic Crusades
Big claims have been made for the impact of the Baltic Crusades on Russia’s relationship with the West. This episode looks at whether they stand up to scrutiny.
SE7 - Who Are the Mongols?
In this special episode I am joined by Jack Wilson, AKA The Jackmeister: Mongol History to talk about who the Mongols were, where they came from, why they set out to conquer the west, and more.
1.59 - Big Nest and the Rest
Vsevolod Big Nest continues to try to impose his will on the Rostislavichi and Olgovichi as Rus enters the thirteenth century.
1.58 - The Downward Spiral
Svyatoslav’s death leaves Ryurik as sole ruler in Kyiv, but he soon finds that Vsevolod Big Nest thinks he’s really the guy in charge.
1.57 - Svyatoslav III
As the twelfth century draws to a close, Svyatoslav of the Olgovichi makes another play for Kyiv, but finds himself forced to share power with Rurik Rostislavich.
1.56 - Andrey Bogolyubsky Asserts Himself
His troops have sacked Kyiv and his brother sits on the throne. What next?
1.55 - Volga Bulgaria before the Mongols
By the twelfth century, Bulgaria had become the regional power on the Volga. Conflict with the emerging and ambitious Suzdalia was inevitable, but the Bulgars proved quite capable of holding their own.
1.54 - Life in Medieval Volga Bulgaria
In this episode, we catch up on the Bulgars and see how life on the Volga compares to Rus.
1.53 - The Balts and the Origins of the Baltic Crusades
Northwest of Rus live the Baltic peoples. After centuries of relative isolation, they are attracting unwanted attention from their neighbours.
1.52 - The Qipchaks
We have already met the Qipchaks as the Polovtsi, the steppe enemies of the Rus. But they are more than just that.
1.51 - Life in Rus
In this episode, we look at what we know about how the ordinary people of Rus lived.
1.50 - Q&A
A special fiftieth episode answering questions from listeners. What was the Rus army like, what languages were spoken in Rus, marriages and diplomacy, and more.
1.49 - Go and take Kyiv
As the next generation of rulers begins to contest the throne of Kyiv, one of them has a different idea.
1.48 - The Sons of Monomakh Part III
Concluding this series, the youngest of the sons of Vladimir Monomakh, Yuri Dolgoruky of Suzdalia, gets his time in Kyiv.
1.47 - The Sons of Monomakh Part II
Vyacheslav, the man who never wishes to leave Turov, takes the throne in Kyiv. But for how long?
1.46 - The Sons of Monomakh Part I
Vladimir Monomakh’s long and eventful life has ended. As he intended, the throne of Kyiv passes to his son Mstislav, but that does not mean that the path of succession is settled.
1.45 - Vladimir II Monomakh
Vsevolod’s son, Vladimir Monomakh, finally accepts the people of Kyiv’s call to take the throne.
1.44 - Svyatopolk II
As the ruling family expands, Rus faces another succession. Will there be war? Or a new agreement?
1.43 - The Yaroslavichi
The sons of Yaroslav divide Rus among themselves. How long will they live in peace?
1.42 - The Testament of Yaroslav
As Yaroslav reaches the end of his life, an attempt is made to set the rules of succession in Rus.
SE6 - Rus in Medieval Europe with Christian Raffensperger
Christian Raffensperger is Professor of History and Chair of the Department, Kenneth E. Wray Chair in the Humanities, and Director, Emarth Institute for the Public Humanities at Wittenberg University covering Medieval Europe, Russia, and Ukraine. His works include ‘Reimagining Europe: Kievan Rus in the Medieval World, 988-1146’, ’Ties of Kinship: Russian Genealogy and Dynastic Marriage’, ‘The King
1.41 - Yaroslav the Wise
As the last brother standing, Yaroslav has finally become the sole ruler of Rus. What will he do now?
1.40 - The Vladimirovichi
Vladimir’s death plunges Rus into chaos as his sons fight over the succession.
1.39 Vladimir the Great IV - Building Rus
This episode looks at Vladimir’s reign from the baptism of Rus until his death. Did he manage to do anything else noteworthy?
1.38 Vladimir the Great III - The Baptism of Rus
What happened at the baptism of Rus, and inventing St. Vladimir/Volodymyr from the Tale of Bygone Years to Vladimir Putin.
1.37 Vladimir the Great Part II - Sacrifices and Choices
Vladimir continues to expand his territory and to consider the role of religion in his kingdom.
1.36 - Vladimir the Great Part I - the Rise to Power
The death of Svyatoslav found Rus unprepared for the succession. The three sons he left in charge of Kyiv, the Drevlians, and Novgorod, soon turn to fighting among themselves.
1.35 - Imaginary Khazars Part III - New Khazaria
In the late Soviet period and in post-Soviet Russia, Lev Gumilev’s passionary theory of ethnogenesis and pseudo-historical ideas of a Jewish-Khazar chimera gained enormous popularity, leading to elaborate conspiracy theories of shadowy forces behind contemporary events.
Read the blog post at: https://therussianempirehistorypodcast.com/blog/133-135-imaginary-khazars
Subscribe on Patreon, Spotify
1.34 Imaginary Khazars Part II: Gumilev’s Chimera
Vladimir Putin says he believes in the “passionary theory”. What does he mean, and where do the Khazars come in?
1.33 Imaginary Khazars Part I: The Thirteenth Tribe
Part I of a short series looking at the Khazars after the fall of Khazaria. Was there a connection between the Khazars and East European Jews?
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