Between the Seas: History of Central Europe

Apr 07 2025 20 ep. 37 mins 5

Between the Seas: History of Central Europe Podcast artwork

Between the Seas is a podcast which aims to explore the fundamental questions of human development through a chronological look at the history of Central Europe, or as we call it in the podcast, "Inner Europe". This is a vast and complicated region, acting sometimes as a borderlands, and sometimes as a whole world in and of itself. We will trace its stories from the Early Medieval Period through to the present day, trying to understand what happened, why, and what it can tell us about the saga of human development in general. We will learn the origins of its many rich cultures and follow them through their highs and lows. In it, we'll gain an intimate union with the histories of modern day Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary, Slovakia, Czechia, Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland.

New episodes every Monday!

Have questions or comments? Contact me at [email protected]

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Episode 15: Vlastimirovic Serbia and the First Bulgarian Empire

Apr 07 2025 66 mins

In this final episode of the Trial and Error Series on the 9th and early 10th centuries, we focus on two Balkan identities which are created in the tumultuous wars of the era: the Serbs and the Bulgarians. Both will find a way to unite many Slavic tribes of the Balkans, and both will incorporate Christianity into their new identity, though one will be built for autonomy, and one fo

Episode 14: Great Moravia

Mar 31 2025 46 mins

In this episode, we introduce the Rise and Fall of Great Moravia, a 9th century Slavic "Imperial Confederacy" which would attempt to unify several of the frontier slavic tribes of Pannonia and the Carpathians into an organization set against both the East Franks and the Bulgarians. Unlike previous confederacies, this one would be organized also around Christianity, which the missio

Episode 13: The Gord System / White Croatia

Mar 24 2025 45 mins

In this episode, we pivot north, onto the great plains and swamps of the Riverlands. Here, we examine the Pagan Slavic culture and the patterns of its settlement. The 9th and 10th centuries would bring change to all aspects of the tribal societies, as international trade reopens, a force which will invite both wealth and increased attention from foreign threats on all sides. These

Series 5: Trial and Error (832 - 927 AD)

Mar 17 2025 15 mins

In this 5th series introduction, we talk about some of the more abstract foundations of state formation, specifically two types of "order", the state, and culture. Both present stated or unstated limitations that promote cooperation between groups of people, but in different ways. Only the state can be changed directly. The 9th and 10th centuries for Inner Europe will be a time of

Episode 12: Marches of the Sava Anarchy

Mar 10 2025 47 mins

In this episode, we take a focused look at the tribes and alliances which take place in the fall of the Avar confederacy, specifically along western Pannonia and the Dinaric Range. Here, societies are fully introduced to Frankish institutions, Christianity, and back and forth great power conflict. We also cover origins of political organization among Croats, Dalmatian cities, and t

Episode 11: Fall of the Carolingians

Mar 03 2025 42 mins

In this episode, we dissect Charlemagne's Empire, along with the aristocracies of the time. We look at how his successors attempted to hold it together, and the blend of formal institution and traditional ritual which would dominate its politics. We also follow its inevitable fragmentation, and the tell the story of the final Carolingians of East Francia.New episodes every Monday!H

Episode 10: Charlemagne's Imperium

Feb 24 2025 50 mins

In this extended episode, we take a look at the life and influence of Charlemagne, the Frankish hegemonic leader who would create the Frankish Empire. HIs reign will overhaul the structure of the Catholic church, kickstart the spread of writing, forge a new christian identity across Europe, and bring the power of the plateau to the level of the Byzantines. We will look at how Charl

Series 4: The Question of Empire (774 - 911 AD)

Feb 17 2025 10 mins

Today, we introduce the 4th series of the podcast, where we will look at the history of the Frankish Empire, focusing specifically on what ideas led to its creation, and how these ideas will interact with the changing Inner European world around them. Would Charlemagne succeed in restoring Rome, the seeming standard for civilization? Or would he, the church, and the rising aristocr

Episode 9: Austrasia and the Carolingians

Feb 10 2025 45 mins

We turn back to the Franks in this episode, in order to see how Clovis' successors utilize the new political formula which has been created. The Merovingians will have several devastating and fratricidal civil wars, and yet the influence of their civilization will solidify and spread all the same. We will also compare the Merovingians to the Carolingians, who will begin to gain pow

Episode 8: The Avars and their Time

Feb 03 2025 44 mins

In this episode, we rejoin the drama of Carpathia, as the Avars face a serious internal crisis during the 7th century. From this crisis, we get the birth of several states and cultures, some of which will last, and some of which won't. Regardless, their stories will inspire the future of Inner Europe, especially for the Western and Southern Slavs. We also talk about the 250 year re