A History of Italy
Join history buff, Mike Corradi on a journey through time as he unfolds the rich tapestry of the Italian peninsula's history. This chronological story starts with the collapse of the Western Roman Empire and leads you through the most iconic events, influential figures, and cultural milestones that have shaped Italy into what we see today. It’s all serious stuff, but we do take time to stop and laugh at battles over a bucket, rude names, naughty priests and popes, rabbits winning sieges, doves winning battles, bits of dead bodies as tokens of love, and whole series of real historical silly situations that no comedian could think of.
Come along every other week for a compelling and insightful glimpse into A History of Italy.
- Update frequency
- every 11 days
- Average duration
- 21 minutes
- Episodes
- 288
- Years Active
- 2017 - 2025
020 – Annoying anarchy
888- 926 We look at the anarchy Italy fell into after the end of the Carolingians with the dealings of such men as Berengarius of Friuli and Guy of Spoleto, intersperse with some more foreign kings a…
00:22:31 |
Wed 13 Jun 2018
019 – Feudal fun with the Franks
843- 887 We finish off the last of th Carolingians in Italy and take a look at the feudal system they brought with them into the county.
00:22:01 |
Fri 08 Jun 2018
Special: Republic Day and an unprecedented institutional crisis
We look back over the history of the upcoming cementation of Republic Day, 2nd June and look at the current political situation in the light of the constitution that cam out of that historical moment…
00:20:17 |
Wed 30 May 2018
018 – A clear-up on kingdoms and back up the boot in the ninth century
We first cleat up the concept of the "Kingdom of Italy" and then make our way back up from the Arab Emirate of Sicily to look at the Principality of Benevento, the Duchy of Naples and the Duchy of Sp…
00:20:06 |
Thu 24 May 2018
017 – Some silly Syracusans, some Saracens and Sicily, plus pirates
827-840 We leave the north for a while and take a look at Sicily. First we have a quick peak at the start of the Arab raids on the island in the early seventh century and then head back to the ninth …
00:16:57 |
Thu 17 May 2018
016 – Italy after Charlemagne
800 - 840 We look at what happened up to and after the death of Charlemagne to see what his sons got up to.
00:16:31 |
Wed 09 May 2018
Special: A load of baloney from Bologna part 2
The second part of a two-part episode on the history of the city of Bologna. Her ewe cover the modern and contemporary eras of the regional capital of Emilia Romagna
00:17:08 |
Wed 02 May 2018
Special: A load of baloney from Bologna Part 1
This is the first part of a two-part series on the history of the city of Bologna, from pre-history to the end of the Middle Ages.
00:24:43 |
Thu 26 Apr 2018
015 – A Confusing Christmas Coronation
795 - 800 We look at the election and tumultuous adventures of pope Leo III before he goes on to crown Charlemagne, thus determining the relations between the papacy and the budding Holy Roman Empire…
00:13:45 |
Wed 18 Apr 2018
014 – Carolingian Italy
We have a look at the system that Charlemagne set up in Italy, the administration, the economy and the educational reform
00:17:22 |
Wed 11 Apr 2018
Recap 01 Episodes 001 – 013 from the fall of the Western Roman Empire to the fall of the Lombards
A recap of the first thirteen episodes that acts as a refresher before we move on to the Carolingian reign in Italy and the growing power of the papcy and the Holy Roman Empire
00:14:56 |
Wed 04 Apr 2018
013 - A look at the Catholic church
We take a look back at the Catholic church as it's role in Italy increases with the arrival of the Franks.
00:18:23 |
Wed 28 Mar 2018
Interview – Dario Pedrazzini on the Lombards
An interview with Dario Pedrazzini on the daily lives of the Lombards at the time of king Rothari from his book on the topic
00:18:22 |
Wed 28 Mar 2018
012 – Here come the Franks
771-774 The Franks make their definitive entrance into Italy and the existence of the Lombard kingdom hangs in the balance. We take a look at how the events really went and then go back, following th…
00:17:15 |
Wed 21 Mar 2018
011 – The Lombards' last linger in the limelight
744 - 770 From the endow the reign of Aistulf in 756 to the hight of power of king Desiderius, who by 770 gad taken the Lombards to their maximum expansion and influence
00:16:40 |
Wed 14 Mar 2018
Special: The 2018 Italian election
An explanation and recap of the 2018 Italian election
00:24:28 |
Wed 07 Mar 2018
010 – Getting tired of living with the Lombards
712 - 744 Liutprand, one of the top 3 Lombard kings and his successors, Ratchis and Aistulf with the pope becoming more of a player and the Franks looming as ever
00:20:49 |
Wed 28 Feb 2018
009 – A crazy confusing conundrum of kings
652-712 From the death of Rothari through a series of kings to the reign of Ansprand in 712 as usual with some Franks and Byzantines thrown in
00:17:46 |
Wed 21 Feb 2018
008 – The Lombards get comfy and some laws
590 - 643 The end of the reign of Agilulf, through Adaloald and Airport through to Rothari and his historical edict
00:20:16 |
Wed 14 Feb 2018
007 – Living with the Lombards
575-589 The Lombards start to settle down and get to know the neighbourhood and the troublesome neighbours as they go through an interregnum of the Dukes before they get back to electing a king and b…
00:20:50 |
Wed 07 Feb 2018
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