History of Venice Podcast

Episoade

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  071. Genoa Salami 17.09.2026 50min

  War. What is it good for? Well, in Venice’s case, it’s good for expanding your commercial networks and, just as importantly, keeping your rivals out of the best ports and trade routes. After the death of Frederick II in 1250, the Republic’s uneasy alliance with Genoa frays dramatically at the edges. The arena of the conflict is Acre – the most significant trading port in the remnants of the Crusader state of Outremer. Get ready for the War of St Sabas. Key background reading for this episode: A general book on Venetian history will always be a good place to start for a broad overview. In Italian, try “La Repubblica del Leone” by Alvise Zorzi. In English, try “A History of Venice” by John Julius Norwich, or “Venice: The remarkable history of the lagoon city” by Dennis Romano. Or plenty of others. For more on the specifics of this episode, the resources that I used the most were: “Il Grifo e il Leone: Genova e Venezia in Lotta per il Mediterraneo” by Antonio Musarra “Genoa and the Genoese: 928 to 1528” by Steven Epstein “Le Repubbliche Marinare” by Ermanno Orlando “City of Fortune: How Venice won and lost a naval empire” by Roger Crowley “Les Chroniques des Veneciens” by Martin da Canal, which you can read in its original old French, with a fairly old-fashioned Italian translation, here: https://archive.org/details/lacronacaveneta00zongoog/page/268/mode/2up   Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram. Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
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  070. The Big Recap 2nd Birthday Episode 09.09.2026 55min

  It's two years today since we released our four-minute introduction episode into the world of podcasts. Today we try to recap the whole of Venetian history (up to 1250, where our narrative has reached) in about half an hour. Just in case you feel as though you've forgotten some of the key stuff from the past two years. We also pick our favourite episode from the past 12 months, and answer a few questions about both the past and the future of the show. Huge thanks to everyone for helping us to get this far. Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram. Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org  
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  Casanova Part 10. Viennese Whirl 26.08.2026 38min

  After an enjoyable but ultimately financially draining two years in Paris, and a brief visit to his mother in Dresden, Casanova is making his way back home. But en route, he stops off in Vienna, the glittering home of the Hapsburg monarchy, headed by Empress Maria Teresa. What life lessons will he learn and what stories will he tell in the Austrian capital? Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram. Intro and outro music is Estate from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
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  069. The Lottery Winner 17.08.2026 50min

  “The great Doge of Venice, Giacomo Tiepolo, was brave, wise and energetic. He was a winner. Before he became Doge, he had obtained victories over his enemies everywhere he went. And once he was the Doge, whenever and wherever there was a war he came out victorious”. That’s quite a write-up from our hype-man chronicler Martin da Canal. Does Doge Giacomo Tiepolo live up to it? Today, we consider his life and works, trying to draw together the political and cultural narratives that we’ve been talking about over the past few episodes. Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram. Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
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  068. The Bloody Tyrant 10.08.2026 38min

  Ezzelino da Romano is remembered in the mythology of north-eastern Italy as a cruel and vicious ruler who inflicted inhuman punishments on his enemies. And maybe he was. But the more that you look at the surrounding situation, the harder it becomes to separate fact from fiction, and heroes from villains. As the wars between the Pope and the Western Emperor heat up again, Venice’s interests require her to pick a side. Things are going to get messy. Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram. Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
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  067. The Wonder of the World 03.08.2026 32min

  In 1232, Venice received a visit from a short, ginger-haired man in his late 30s. But this was no ordinary visitor. This was the most powerful man in the known world; the convenor of the most brilliant court in Europe; the man who was referred to by an English chronicler as “Stupor Mundi” – the Wonder, or Astonishment, of the World. It's Emperor Frederick II's world, and we're all just living in it. Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram. Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
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  066. Beat It 24.07.2026 37min

  In the autumn of 1260, a new fashion arrived in Venice from the continental European mainland. It had started just a few months earlier in the central Italian city of Perugia, and somehow it had caught the mood of a worried, uncertain population, concerned about the capricious nature of human existence and eager to atone for the evils of a fallen society. The flagellants were in town. Seemingly out of nowhere, ordinary people were going around in groups whipping themselves in a frenzy of piety. Suddenly, hurting yourself for Jesus was all the rage.  What in the name of all that is holy was going on? This week we’re looking at religious devotion in 13th century Venice, and tracing the social and cultural legacy that it left on the Republic, some of which you can still see today.   Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram. Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
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  Art and Culture 09. The Artisans of Venice 16.07.2026 1h 10min

  We're joined by Monica Cesarato this week to discuss the artisan tradition in the city of Venice. In our main narrative, we're reaching the mid-13th century, when dozens of professional guilds start to appear in the city, defining the working landscape for ordinary Venetians. Monica talks to us about the background to some of those crafts, and how that artisan legacy still persists in the city today.  You can find Monica's website here: https://www.monicacesarato.com/blog/ Her podcast, Venice Talks, is available wherever you get your podcasts, and you can also find it here: https://www.monicacesarato.com/blog/venice-talks-podcast/ Her book "Andar per Bacari" looks at some of the best locations and recipes for typical Venetian cicchetti, and is available in English here, (or probably at another well-known online bookseller near you): https://editorialeprogramma.it/shop/regioni/veneto/andar-per-bacari-english-version/ And as ever, you can Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram. Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Gloria, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
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  065. The Peace-Loving Doge of Many Wars 10.07.2026 47min

  Today we’re looking at the life of Doge Pietro Ziani – the man who picked up the baton after the death of Enrico Dandolo and presided over the chaotic situation that we’ve been narrating over the past few episodes. Contemporary Venetian writers praise his wisdom, his fairness, and his desire for peace. Are they right, or are they just blowing smoke in our eyes? Join us as we examine the life of the wealthiest man in this increasingly wealthy city. Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram. Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
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  064. Rivals 02.07.2026 37min

  This week we're looking around the Mediterranean at the international political events that provide the wider context to the stories that we’ve been telling lately. We’ll be travelling to Genoa, Sicily, Nicaea, Epirus, Outremer, and, very briefly indeed, introducing a new threat from the East that’s about to burst into our story. Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram. Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
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  063. The Castle of Love 25.06.2026 47min

  Easter 1214. In Treviso, about 20 miles north of Venice, the city’s governors have decided to set up a week-long “court of solace and mirth”. There will be dancing and jousting, feasting and fine fooling. And the symbolic heart of the celebrations will be the splendid Castle of Love, which the area’s finest ladies, wearing their most ostentatious hats, will be defending against the symbolic assaults of teams of young men brandishing flowers, fruits, and spices. The whole game is an idiosyncratic fusion of ancient springtime celebrations of courtship, and the latest fashions of courtly love which have been taking hold in respectable societies across the chivalric states of western Europe.  It’s a welcome distraction from the trials and tribulations of high politics and foolish wars. Until things go wrong. Tune in to find out more. Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram. Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
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  062. A Place in the Sun 11.06.2026 34min

  1205. Venice wasn’t the only mercantile vulture who was looking at the carcass of the Eastern Roman Empire and realising that if she didn’t take advantage of this mess, someone else would. And if that someone else – most likely Genoa – turned out to be more effective at seizing the opportunities, then Venice’s hopes of commercial dominance would be severely dented. The Crusade had shaken the kaleidoscope and the pieces were still in flux. These were dangerous times for everyone, even for the apparent winners. Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram. Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
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  Casanova Part 9. Giacomo in Paris 04.06.2026 56min

  1750. The dream is over. The love of his life has gone. Casanova picks up the pieces and, after a pause to reflect, heads for Paris. But in sophisticated French high society, our smooth-tongued, charming Venetian will soon find out that he’s little more than a bumbling ingénue. Will he make a name for himself, or will he continue to flounder out of his depth in the capital of European culture?  Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram. Intro and outro music is Estate from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
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  Art and Culture 08. Pin Floi 22.05.2026 45min

  It’s an unexpected change of direction for us this week. We’ll explain why in the episode. Stand by for a Venetian story of music, spectacle, and poor decision-making, as we explain what on earth “Pin Floi” is and why it's an indelible memory for anyone who was there. You can listen to Pitura Freska’s “Pin Floi” here, with the lyrics on screen in Venetian. Sing along with the chorus when you feel confident: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dImVV5yQv9g There’s plenty of footage of the event available online. If you can make it through the adverts, this is a two and a half minute piece that aired on the TG2 news on the day after the concert. I don’t have the space for a full translation, but the pictures tell their own story for those who don’t understand the words. The “toilet” scene that we mention at the start of the episode is right at the end of the piece: https://www.ilgazzettino.it/video/nordest/pink_floyd_venezia_25_anni_dopo_tg_rai_raccontarono_evento_2-145557.html   Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram. Intro and outro music is from Vivaldi’s Gloria, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
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  061. Booty Call 15.05.2026 56min

  Today we want to try to understand what kind of place Venice was as the 13th century dawned; how much it had changed in the hundred years since we last took a close look at it, back in Episode 31; and how the arrival of fresh artworks and spoils of war from the east would fuel both its own ongoing beautification and the historical narratives and myths that the city’s public appearance was aiming to promote. Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram. Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
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  060. Top Doge (12th Century) 06.05.2026 41min

  Sebastiano Ziani and Enrico Dandolo battle it out for our vote as the Top Doge of the 12th Century. Find out who we pick and tell us whether you agree. Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram. Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
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  059. Did that just happen? 29.04.2026 1h

  We're away on holiday this week, so there's no time to research and write a normal episode. So we've quickly rounded up what eventually happened to most of the characters we've been following on the Crusade story, and then had a final broad chat about what on earth just happened. Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram. Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
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  058. Putting Humpty Together Again 22.04.2026 40min

  The Crusade was over. The Crusaders had won. They had pushed Humpty Dumpty off the wall, and now they were the kings of all the broken pieces. If this had been their plan all along, then whoever was responsible for working out what came next had been asleep at the wheel. Once the celebrations of Easter Week 1204 brought an end to the initial rush of looting and vandalism, all semblance of this being a united force with a common goal vanished into the springtime air like dandelion seeds in the breeze. Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram. Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
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  057. The View from Constantinople 15.04.2026 1h 32min

  We're joined by two very special guests this week to discuss what the Fourth Crusade looks like from the perspective of Constantinople. Marco Cappelli from Storia d'Italia podcast and Robin Pierson from the History of Byzantium podcast share their fascinating and well researched perspectives. You can find Marco's show at: https://italiastoria.com/ You can find Robin's show at: https://thehistoryofbyzantium.com/ Both are highly recommended by much more discerning sources than us, and are well worth your time and support. You know where to find us, of course.  Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram. Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org
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  056. Downfall 08.04.2026 44min

  April 1204. Constantinople. The story of this ridiculous crusade finally reaches its climax. You probably know how it ends, but for the participants the peril is off the scale as both sides fight for their survival. Email us at [email protected], or find us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram. Intro and outro music is Primavera from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org