History Loves Company

When last we left our...heroes? Anti-heroes? Villains? Anyway, when last we left the Donner Party, they had rejoined the Oregon Trail after the disastrous "shortcut" that had been the Hastings Cutoff. But their troubles were only just beginning, as we'll discover in this week's episode, part two of the Donner Party.

We in the 21st Century have it decidedly easy as far as travel is concerned. With cars, trains, and airplanes at our disposal, we've the luxury of traveling in comfort, style, and with enough provisions to ensure our satisfaction. But those in 19th Century America weren't as fortunate, making long overland crossings that caused them to face starvation, attacks from hostile Native Americans, and other perils. One such group of pioneers to make the westward journey was the so-named Donner Party, whose name has become synonymous with some of humanity's darker practices. Tune in this week for part one of their notorious journey, though you might want to hold off on the fava beans and Chianti when you do.

The primary purpose of language is to communicate, though with the variety of tongues spoken throughout the world, understanding is somewhat complicated. But in the late 19th Century, an ophthalmologist from a town in what's now Poland sought to bridge these linguistic gaps by creating a universal language. How did he do it? What inspired him to do so, despite his decidedly non-linguistic career path? And what place does his language hold in our contemporary world? Tune in this week to discover the answer to these and other questions, all about the language known as Esperanto!

As far as 20th Century German art is concerned, the German capital of Berlin tends to overshadow all others, especially In regards to the Weimar Republic of the late 1910s through the early 1930s. But at the beginning of the 20th Century, Munich was the undisputed art capital of Germany when many avant-garde artists converged there and formed a group known as Der Blaue Reiter ("the Blue Rider"). Tune in this week for a comprehensive look at this highly influential artistic movement. Jawohl!

It's known as America's Pastime. For about eight months each year, from March to November, baseball grips the nation in which fans root for their favorite teams for their chance to play in the World Series, the event that culminates the season. But while the sport is intrinsically linked with America and the Americab identity, it enjoys a fanbase overseas as well, though perhaps none with quite as dedicated and passionate a following as that which hails from the Land of the Rising Sun. Join me this week as we travel to the Far East to explore the history of baseball in Japan!

Along with the Bronze Age Sea Peoples and the Early Medieval Vikings, no other seafarers were as feared and reviled as the Barbary Pirates. Hailing from homelands in Northern Africa, they disrupted trade and commerce in the Mediterranean, leaving devastation and destruction in their wake. Find out how they did it in this week's enthralling episode!

Depending upon who you ask and where you ask them, May Day can have a few different meanings. As a one-word phrase, it's the notorious code for help. As a two-word proper noun, it can refer to the first day of summer in several European cultures whose origins date back to Pre-Christian times. But it's the other meaning as a two-word proper noun--that of a labor holiday--that is the subject of this week's episode. As today is May Day proper, tune in to learn all about the history of this intriguing holiday!

The influence of Greece and Rome on Western governance can't be understated. But what of the Norse, the other great Western society whose intrepid nature continues to shape Northern Europe to this very day? Most governments would consider themselves lucky to have survived for two centuries (as America has, for instance), yet the subject of this week's episode has endured for a thousand years and them some. Get ready to learn "all the things" about the Althing, the oldest parliament in the world!

There were a number of factors which contributed to the Greek Junta's downfall, which we'll discuss this week in part three, the third and final chapter, on this epic three-part event on one of the darker chapters of Modern Greek history. Tune in to find out how it, quite literally, all went down.

No sooner had the Colonels assumed command of the country after their coup did they completely change the Greek political landscape. In Part Two on the Greek Junta, we'll be exploring what life was like under their iron rule and what those opposed to it were doing behind the scenes.

Greece has a long (and sometimes troublesome) political past. Despite being the birthplace of democracy, little in the way of democratic values extended to the Greek populace until relatively recently. Having been ruled throughout the centuries by such disparate powers as the Ottoman Empire, several foreign kings after gaining independence, and even Fasicst Italy and Nazi Germany during World War Two, the country's political troubles reached their boiling point following the parliamentary elections of 1964, when a middle-of-the-aisle political party was slated to win for the first time ever. What happened next might surprise you (or not). Tune in this week to see for yourself!

"Well behaved women rarely make history." So goes a famous adage used by many feminist scholars and historians and one that most certainly applies to the subject of this week's episode. Who was the Syrian queen who led a rebellion against one of the greatest empires of all time? How did she form an empire of her own? And how did it all come crashing down? Find out this week in a truly riveting episode all about Queen Zenobia of Palmyra!

The two World Wars, the Korean Conflict, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf War...these are some of the 20th Centuries greatest conflicts, yet they pale in comparison to the Emu War, a skirmish that erupted in the state of Western Australia in 1932, pegging farmers and soldiers of the Australian Army against an indigenous species of flightless bird--the emu. Feathers will fly in this informative (and sometimes amusing) episode!

It goes without saying that the Civil War remains an indelible stain on American history. For four years, the nation was torn asunder by cultural and political differences, differences that indeed had rocked the country since its foundation. And yet, it nonetheless remains a fascinating period, for it produced a cast of colorful characters that have shaped our understanding of the conflict and its aftermath. One such figure was Newton Knight, a resident of Jones County, Mississippi who, disillusioned with the Confederacy and its policies, ultimately deserted from the Confederate Army and took matters into his own hands. Tune in to learn all about this Robin Hood-like figure and his daring deeds!

The Heian Period (794-1185) is seen as a golden age in Japanese history. The arts flourished, written Japanese was invented, and great works of literature were penned. But it was also a time of political turmoil as two rival factions fought for control over the imperial court and, in turn, the country. Join me for a bloodbath worthy of 'Game of Thrones' this week on the 'History Loves Company' podcast.

Today, the Australian Outback is crisscrossed with roads and highways, having been mapped and charted by braver, more intrepid, individuals in earlier days. But in the 19th Century, it presented a formidable barrier between the country-continent's eastern settlements and its interior. Several people set about exploring this vast expanse, but perhaps none was as interesting as the story surrounding the German explorer who set about completing an east-west crossing, only to never be seen or heard from again. Join me for a look at the expeditions and mysterious disappearance of Ludwig Leichhardt, this week on the 'History Loves Company' podcast!

With the execution of Andrés Bonifacio, revolutionary fervor died down a bit, with disillusioned rebels succumbing to defeat at the hands of the Spanish. But in the tumultuous period that followed, his rival, Emilio Aguinaldo, would return from a brief exile in Hong Kong and be lauded as a hero. While this was going on, war had broken out between Spain and the United States and it wouldn't be long before this even larger conflict would arrive at the Philippines' doorstep. Find out how it all played out in the exciting conclusion of the Philippine Revolution!

Dissention, deceit, personal squabbles...these are just some of the factors that led to the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution. Tune in this week to find out how and what lit the fuse of the conflict.

Ask anyone who's been to the Philippines and they'll tell you it's an island paradise, the "Pearl of the Orient," as one of its most famous writers, José Rizal, put it. But things weren't always peaceful and bright for that beautiful island nation. For three centuries, it was under the Spanish colonial yoke and most of its population enjoyed few rights and civil liberties. But by the 19th Century, there were talks of independence, of revolution, not just amongst its commoners, but its native-born intelligentsia as well. Tune in this week for part one of the story, in which we explore the history of the Philippines and the circumstances that led up to its war for freedom.

We tend to think, rather arrogantly, that we live in an enlightened age, that we and our immediate forebears invented reason and logical thought. The truth of the matter is that this is far from the case. In fact, some two-and-a-half millennia prior to our own time, logic and reason were the driving forces behind Western thought and philosophy, even before great minds like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle ever even dreamt up their own ideas. Tune in to the first episode of 2025 to discover the initial stirrings of reason and logic by the brilliant minds of the so-named Pre-Socratic Philosophers!

With the ratification of the 18th Amendment on January 17th, 1920, Prohibition went into effect throughout America. So began what's since become known as the greatest failed social experiment in this country's history. Drinking levels doubled (tripled even), crime rose to astronomical heights, and the general feeling of lawlessness that ensued was only rivaled by that of the Wild West some forty or fifty years prior. Join me for the exciting conclusion on the "intoxicating" history of Prohibition this week! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support

It's difficult to imagine now, but there was a time in American history when the production and sale of alcohol was a criminal offense. Known as Prohibition, it was ratified as the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1919 and would prove to be the greatest failed social experiment in this country's history. But its origins date back to even before the nation's founding and it would be a long road before it would go into effect at the federal level. Find out how it all began in Part One of Prohibition, this week on the 'History Loves Company' podcast! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support

There was a time when Britain ruled much of the world. But long before that, the opposite was true, when outside forces invaded and colonized the British Isles as their own. The Romans were first, then the Normans, and between these two time periods, the Norse. The last of these three came from Scandinavia in the late 8th and early 9th Centuries with the intent of setting up permanent shop, giving rise to a unique Viking state known as Jórvík, better known in English as York. Find out how they did it in this week's episode! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support

No sooner was young Baldwin crowned king did he set his sights on taking down Saladin, his Muslim adversary. What ensued were a series of conflicts and skirmishes, each led by the new monarch, despite his ever-worsening leprosy. Family drama, bloodshed, and a war of succession are just some of the things he'd face, as you'll discover in the second half of his truly epic story! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support

As an important center for the three Abrahamic faiths (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), the Holy Land has been hotly contested for centuries. Since time immemorial, it's been under the jurisdiction of several rulers and empires, though perhaps none was as famous and renowned as the subject of this week's episode. Find out how the so-called Leper King, Baldwin IV, assumed command in this, the first part of his epic life story! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support

Since at least the Age of Exploration, Africa has been referred to as "the Dark Continent." It's, naturally, a dated and controversial term, though to me, it refers to the mysterious interior of the continent, which wasn't seen by European eyes until the 19th Century. But in this podcaster's opinion, it's a moniker that could just as easily be applied to South America, whose Amazonia region in Brazil wasn't even fully mapped until the 20th Century, a feat achieved by none other than former American president Theodore Roosevelt. Tune in to find out how he did and what transpired on that fateful expedition! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support

The game of Telephone many of us played in childhood is indeed fun, though it's also a fascinating study as to how information changes from one person to the next and reveals just how muddled the truth can become when filtered through the broader public. Such, perhaps, is the case with this week's episode, in which a man from a mysterious and unknown country turned up at a Japanese airport in the 1950s. Who was the so-called Man from Taured? What ultimately became of him? And is there any truth to this seemingly weird story? Pull up a chair, cozy up by the fireplace, and give it a listen! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support

Ghosts, goblins, trick-or-treating, candy. These and several other symbols and practices are hallmarks of Halloween. It's difficult to think of a more universally-beloved holiday and it seems that people brighten up a bit the closer it gets. But the origins of this fun and festive holiday run much deeper, and older, than you might expect. Tune in this week as we discover the spooky origins of Halloween! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support

What defines a golden age? Google, that most invaluable of sources, defines it as "an idyllic, often imaginary past time of peace, prosperity, and happiness." But the period of time we're discussing today was anything BUT imaginary. Scientific achievements, religious tolerance, and some of the greatest works or art ever created are just some of the things for which this era was known. Find out how it all came about in this week's episode! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support

Individually, the Germanic Norse and Celtic Gaels were two of the richest and most fascinating cultures of Late Antiquity and the Early Medieval Period. But when combined, they became a force to be reckoned with and went on to conquer much of Ireland, the British Isles, and the islands of the North Sea and North Atlantic under their control. What gave birth to the rise of this distinct hybrid culture? And how are its influences still being felt today? Find out in this week's episode! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support

A few episodes ago, I covered the first pharaoh of Egypt. This week, we discuss the last and his tragic downfall as brought about by the man who would become Rome's first emperor. Full of political intrigue and behind-the-scenes drama, this is the story of Caesarion, today on the 'History Loves Company' podcast. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support

Like 'Gilgamesh' or Homer's 'Odyssey,' the legend of King Arthur is one of the Western World's foundational stories, one whose tales of triumph, glory, and virtue have inspired such disparate factions as the Tudors and the Kennedys. But is there any truth to the story? Was Arthur a real person? And what, if any, historical accounts from this shadowy period of British history survive to corroborate his existence? Find out in this week's episode! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support

As kids, we often dreamed of visiting a land made of candy or other sugary substances. But for people living in Boston's North End in 1919, this fantasy became a terrifying reality, as a giant wave of molasses swept through the neighborhood, injuring some 150 people and claiming 21 lives as a result. Just what caused this industrial disaster? Who or what was at fault? And how was it that the North End smelled sickly-sweet for decades afterward? Tune in this week to find out. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support

No ancient civilization has so captured the public imagination quite like Egypt. For a staggering thirty centuries, this mighty empire held sway on much of Northeastern Africa and the Mediterranean World, influencing every culture within its orbit. But even it had to start somewhere. Tune in this week for its humble origins and the man responsible for it all! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support

There have been a number of (in)famous mutinies throughout history, but perhaps none was harrowing, as human, as that of the Spanish schooner-turned-slaver, La Amistad. One fateful day in 1839, her human cargo cast off their proverbial and literal shackles and revolted against their overseers. A series of court cases ensued in the United States, but would the captives be found guilty of murder or would they get off Scott free? Find out in this week's all new episode! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support

Throughout much of history, the copying of printed material was a long and tedious and process that took the writer several days, weeks, months, even years, to complete. Particularly in Medieval times, places known as scriptoria saw scribes, usually monks, spending hours of back-breaking work hunched over illuminated manuscripts. While beautiful works of art in their own right, something had to be done to make the copying of texts quicker, more efficient and less labor-intensive. Enter Johannes Gutenberg, a German goldsmith and printmaker who changed the course of publishing forever and even ushered a revolution in printing. Tune in to this week's brief segment to learn all about it! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support

With the insurrection against the Roman Republic well underway, we witness the behind-the-scenes actions taken to quell this most treasonous act. But will Catiline emerge victorious? Or will Cicero, the consul, and the Senate be able to stop him in his tracks? Find out in the exciting conclusion of the Catiline Conspiracy! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support

The history of Rome is perhaps best known and most famous for its days as a vast empire, the largest of the Ancient World. But before Augustus Caesar declared himself its first emperor, it was a republic and had been for some five centuries. Though it served its people well, it soon became steeped in corruption and political turmoil, perhaps none more so than in the subject of this week's episode. Join me for the first part of a two-parter all about the greatest political event of the Roman Republic...the notorious Cataline Conspiracy! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support

Anyone who's been to the United States knows that each state has its own flag. Texas has the Lone Star Flag, a remnant of its days as an independent nation. Hawaii's has the Union Jack in its upper left-hand corner, a reminder that a Brit, Captain Cook, was the first European to "discover" the islands in the 18th Century. And California has the so-called "Bear Flag." Depicting the now extinct California grizzly Bear on a patch of grass, the words "California Republic" are written in black letters underneath. But the Golden State was never its own self-governing nation...or was it? Find out in this week's episode! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support

Last week, we discussed the long and lengthy origins of the tank, right up to their initial use in the Great War (World War One). Today, we examine just how far they've come in the over a century since then, so be sure strap in and tune in for the fascinating conclusion! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support

In the years since their introduction during World War One, the tank has become an integral part of war and conflict. These machines forever changed the tactics of battle, but did you know that their roots go back to ancient times? Join me again this week for part one of yet another transportation-themed episode, this time about the tank! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support

While the boat may be the oldest form of man-made transportation to be made into a reality, it's quite possible that humans have been thinking about flight even longer, noting birds, flying insects, and other species that could take to the skies with ease. As such, humans have been experimenting with flight since civilization began and it was the fruit of their labors and research that contributed to the vehicle we now know as the airplane. Join me as we take to the skies for an epic look at the history behind flight and how it led to the creation of the mode of transportation we now take for granted. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support

Planes, trains, and automobiles...people will tell you they're faster, more efficient, and save travel time, but what if you'd like to experience the freedom (to say nothing of grandeur) of the open sea? For eons, boats and ships have allowed us to do just that, while also providing practical uses in the form of trade, exploration, even war. Set sail with me this week as we embark on an epic journey that will take us from the so-called "Caveman Days" through now, all about the oldest form of man-made transportation! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support

There's arguably not a more romantic mode of transportation than the train. Since their inception in the early 19th Century, various writers, singers, and artists have depicted and idealized this most unique and exciting form of transit. But it was born of a very practical, even ancient, practice: to simply move things from point A to point B in a timely and easy manner. Present your tickets to the conductor because we're about to go on a sentimental journey, all about the train! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support

It marked a turning point World War Two. Had history played out differently, the outcome may very well have been different. Tens of thousands died and those who survived pushed on until all of Europe was wrenched from Nazi control. Tune in for this special short segment to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support

Tom Cruise in the classic film 'Top Gun' may have had "the need for speed," but so have generations of motorists, particularly the ones known as bikers. Indeed, the motorcycle has evolved into the vicious, powerful, and awesome two-wheeled vehicle we all know and love today, but where exactly did it originate? What fuel sources did it rely upon prior to gasoline? And what exactly defines a motorbike? Find out in this week's truly sick episode! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support

The James Bond film series has inspired several knockoffs and parodies since its inception in 1962, but prior to that, the suave Agent 007 began life on the page in a series of novels by British writer, Ian Fleming. But did you know that this seemingly ordinary man drew upon his own experiences for Bond's action-packed exploits? Find out in this week's episode how Fleming's work during World War Two led him to become the man behind Bond. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support

Vietnam is a country with a rich (albeit complicated) history. Before communism, it was torn apart by civil strife, pegging northern forces against southern. Prior to that, it was under the colonial yoke, when France claimed it as part of its overseas empire. But before all this, a power known as the Champa Kingdom ruled over the country's southern half, leaving behind the hallmarks of its civilization in the form of temple complexes and palaces. Join me this week for an extensive look at this oft-overlooked Southeast Asian power! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support

If you've ever seen the Disney film 'Encanto,' then you're familiar with the backstory as to how the Madrigal family came to be at their magical mountain refuge. It involves a conflict, a very real conflict, in fact, that shook the country of Colombia to its core in the final year of the 19th and the first years of the 20th Centuries respectively. Be sure to catch this week's episode all about the conflict known as the Thousand Days' War. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support

When it comes to Africa's vast history, people tend to focus on Egypt, the Kerma and Kush kingdoms of Sudan, or else the Mali Empire of Mansa Musa. But what of Sub-Saharan Africa? Surely, there must have been great cities and civilizations there too, right? Well, I'm happy to say that there were, perhaps none more impressive than that now known as Great Zimbabwe. Tune in this week to learn all about it! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support

The 1930s were marked by economic toil both abroad and in the United States, as the Great Depression took a toll on the world economy. To add insult to injury, an environmental calamity of both natural and man-made factors, rocked the American Heartland and had devastating effects that would take years to rectify. Tune in this week for a bleak, albeit ultimately uplifting, tale of one of the most harrowing events in American history: the Dust Bowl. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/historylovescompany/support