Relevant History

In 1756, the French and British war over North America spills over to Europe. Prussian leader Frederick the Great, a British ally, takes the opportunity to make a pre-emptive attack on French-allied Austria, Poland, Saxony, and Russia. Soon, Sweden joins the counterattack against Prussia, and virtually all of Europe is at war. But the Seven Years’ War will continue to spread. The French and British fight battles in West Africa, and the French and British East India Companies struggle for dominance in India. In North America, fighting goes on, with the British assaulting key French forts along the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River, to cut them off from their inland colonies. But who will dominate? The French alliance and their overwhelming land power in Europe, or the British alliance with their sea power and financial might? At this phase of the war, it remains an open question. MAP OF EUROPE IN 1756: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bf/Europe_1748-1766_en.png/1280px-Europe_1748-1766_en.png SUBSCRIBE TO RELEVANT HISTORY, AND NEVER MISS AN EPISODE! Relevant History Patreon: https://bit.ly/3vLeSpF Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/38bzOvo Subscribe on Apple Music (iTunes): https://apple.co/2SQnw4q Subscribe on Google Music: https://bit.ly/30hUTRD RSS feed: https://bit.ly/2R0Iosz Relevant History on Twitter: https://bit.ly/3eRhdtk Relevant History on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2Qk05mm Relevant History SubscribeStar: https://www.subscribestar.com/relevant-history Official website: https://bit.ly/3btvha4 Episode transcript (90% accurate): https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTjito9Cf2Fhm4gRuJE_3pYDC9blnCJrEh6PmhB0SBKZF1s8FXrlUwK2B2KbgrZqfZGWOZfg99BrVk-/pub Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

In this episode, Dan traces the origins of the Seven Years’ War, starting with a seemingly-insignificant skirmish commanded by a young George Washington. This 1754 clash between British and French colonial forces will eventually turn into a global conflict. But what are the stakes in North America? Why are the French and the British willing to risk a world war? And why will these far-flung events lead to a global war? Here’s how it all got started. MAP: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/French_and_Indian_War_map.png SUBSCRIBE TO RELEVANT HISTORY, AND NEVER MISS AN EPISODE! Relevant History Patreon: https://bit.ly/3vLeSpF Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/38bzOvo Subscribe on Apple Music (iTunes): https://apple.co/2SQnw4q Subscribe on Google Music: https://bit.ly/30hUTRD RSS feed: https://bit.ly/2R0Iosz Relevant History on Twitter: https://bit.ly/3eRhdtk Relevant History on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2Qk05mm Relevant History SubscribeStar: https://www.subscribestar.com/relevant-history Official website: https://bit.ly/3btvha4 Episode transcript (90% accurate): https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTjito9Cf2Fhm4gRuJE_3pYDC9blnCJrEh6PmhB0SBKZF1s8FXrlUwK2B2KbgrZqfZGWOZfg99BrVk-/pub Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

With the War of the Austrian Succession slowed to a crawl in Europe, the conflict spreads around the globe. In North America, French and British colonists fight in battles from Nova Scotia to Upstate New York. In the plains of east India, the French and British East India Companies wage a proxy war, aided by their nations’ warships. Back in Europe, peace breaks out in 1748. But after eight years of war, politics, and intrigue, there’s just as much bad blood between allies as there is between former enemies. The next few years would give rise to a realignment called the Diplomatic Revolution, which would lay the groundwork for more conflict. SUBSCRIBE TO RELEVANT HISTORY, AND NEVER MISS AN EPISODE! Relevant History Patreon: https://bit.ly/3vLeSpF Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/38bzOvo Subscribe on Apple Music (iTunes): https://apple.co/2SQnw4q Subscribe on Google Music: https://bit.ly/30hUTRD RSS feed: https://bit.ly/2R0Iosz Relevant History on Twitter: https://bit.ly/3eRhdtk Relevant History on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2Qk05mm Relevant History SubscribeStar: https://www.subscribestar.com/relevant-history Official website: https://bit.ly/3btvha4 Episode transcript (90% accurate): https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTjito9Cf2Fhm4gRuJE_3pYDC9blnCJrEh6PmhB0SBKZF1s8FXrlUwK2B2KbgrZqfZGWOZfg99BrVk-/pub Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

At the end of 1743, Europe is divided in two. On the one side, Austrian Archduchess Maria Theresa struggles to hold on to her ancestral lands, supported by her allies in Britain, the Netherlands, and Piedmont-Sardinia. On the other side, France and Spain are trying to conquer the old Habsburg lands, while Frederick the Great in Prussia continues to pose a real threat. Meanwhile, the French and Spanish are also trying to start a rebellion in Great Britain. The War of the Austrian Succession is among the most chaotic in history. In this episode, Dan untangles the various threads of the war, and how it would change geopolitics forever. SUBSCRIBE TO RELEVANT HISTORY, AND NEVER MISS AN EPISODE! Relevant History Patreon: https://bit.ly/3vLeSpF Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/38bzOvo Subscribe on Apple Music (iTunes): https://apple.co/2SQnw4q Subscribe on Google Music: https://bit.ly/30hUTRD RSS feed: https://bit.ly/2R0Iosz Relevant History on Twitter: https://bit.ly/3eRhdtk Relevant History on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2Qk05mm Relevant History SubscribeStar: https://www.subscribestar.com/relevant-history Official website: https://bit.ly/3btvha4 Episode transcript (90% accurate): https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTz5W4ah3YlDIvs5z4jPoTZYqGpXeiyJdpDjBrdSJ1RMYoF0jDZAVOqgL68r7WJSkOr_7lVJMfeNUt2/pub Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

The War of the Austrian Succession marks the beginning of the transition from dynastic politics to a more modern sense of nationalism. At the time, though, it merely seems like a calamity. What begins as a personal land grab by the young Prussian King Frederick the Great turns into a general European war, as multiple powers try to grab land from the vulnerable Austrian Archduchess Maria Theresa.   This war won’t remain confined to Europe. Thanks to the involvement of colonial powers, the war spreads throughout the globe. In the Caribbean, a British fleet under Edward Vernon terrorizes the Spanish Main in the War of Jenkins’ Ear. From the coast of South America to the mountains of central Europe, Prussian aggression shakes up the world’s geopolitical order.   SUBSCRIBE TO RELEVANT HISTORY, AND NEVER MISS AN EPISODE!   Relevant History Patreon: https://bit.ly/3vLeSpF Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/38bzOvo Subscribe on Apple Music (iTunes): https://apple.co/2SQnw4q Subscribe on Google Music: https://bit.ly/30hUTRD RSS feed: https://bit.ly/2R0Iosz Relevant History on Twitter: https://bit.ly/3eRhdtk Relevant History on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2Qk05mm Relevant History SubscribeStar: https://www.subscribestar.com/relevant-history Official website: https://bit.ly/3btvha4   Episode transcript (90% accurate): https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vT7oCdxuhqpBvWyMai_TOOihUSLqOTXbtd_Ft-jb5vYEKQVVHQJM5CcbOQYdmZIrb5Rf0Osl5zw75XK/pub   Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

At the mid-point of the first season, Dan takes a breather to recap what we’ve learned, and discuss nationalism more broadly. SUBSCRIBE TO RELEVANT HISTORY, AND NEVER MISS AN EPISODE! Relevant History Patreon: https://bit.ly/3vLeSpF Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/38bzOvo Subscribe on Apple Music (iTunes): https://apple.co/2SQnw4q Subscribe on Google Music: https://bit.ly/30hUTRD RSS feed: https://bit.ly/2R0Iosz Relevant History on Twitter: https://bit.ly/3eRhdtk Relevant History on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2Qk05mm Relevant History SubscribeStar: https://www.subscribestar.com/relevant-history Official website: https://bit.ly/3btvha4 Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

Following Commodore Matthew Perry’s expedition to Japan, the floodgates to foreign trade are open. British, French, and even Russian merchants come to Japan, introducing foreign ways of life. Rebellious daimyos, worried about losing their way of life, resort to extreme measures; they overthrow the Shogunate and restore the Emperor of Japan to a position of real power. When even the Emperor cannot eliminate foreign influence, restive samurai launch a series of rebellions. Can the new government maintain its authority, and bring Japan fully into the modern era? Or will the old ways continue to dominate? SUBSCRIBE TO RELEVANT HISTORY, AND NEVER MISS AN EPISODE! Relevant History Patreon: https://bit.ly/3vLeSpF Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/38bzOvo Subscribe on Apple Music (iTunes): https://apple.co/2SQnw4q Subscribe on Google Music: https://bit.ly/30hUTRD RSS feed: https://bit.ly/2R0Iosz Relevant History on Twitter: https://bit.ly/3eRhdtk Relevant History on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2Qk05mm Relevant History SubscribeStar: https://www.subscribestar.com/relevant-history Official website: https://bit.ly/3btvha4 Episode transcript (90% accurate): https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vS-TQxp2-HZPWF_iIwPdwIXK62jBrmJcMRl4JhbegAlUhyzDNEYvAWYLeCz-OXslwqLjCZWlG-RFaDy/pub Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

In the year 1853, Japan is an isolationist, feudal society. By 1877, she’s a modern nation, with a centralized government and burgeoning national industry. This process, called the Meiji Restoration, is one of the most remarkable national transformations in all of history. But how does it happen? In this episode, Dan discusses the first part of the story. We’ll start out with the Tokugawa Shogunate and its policy of Sakoku – isolation. Then we’ll talk about the Japanese experience in the 19th century, and how American Commodore Matthew Perry’s expedition changes Japan, and the world, forever. Dan’s new interview with Ben from The History Voyager: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4EVcbeJhWQtnlp36jJI2L4 SUBSCRIBE TO RELEVANT HISTORY, AND NEVER MISS AN EPISODE! Relevant History Patreon: https://bit.ly/3vLeSpF Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/38bzOvo Subscribe on Apple Music (iTunes): https://apple.co/2SQnw4q Subscribe on Google Music: https://bit.ly/30hUTRD RSS feed: https://bit.ly/2R0Iosz Relevant History on Twitter: https://bit.ly/3eRhdtk Relevant History on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2Qk05mm Relevant History SubscribeStar: https://www.subscribestar.com/relevant-history Official website: https://bit.ly/3btvha4 Episode transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vQ_LZO-uyQSprOn-mKgPzYoULDrTkU0-ahVlGzkRqVEs8xTEHOv_mvZnrNelvy_Bq2EpIioDwlodo0g/pub Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

After the founding of Russia’s Romanov Dynasty, the settlement of Siberia is ready to begin in earnest. Intrepid explorers push east across Asia, eventually coming into contact with the Chinese Qing Dynasty. There, Russia’s land borders will be established, as both sides try to avert a major Asian war. Beyond the Eurasian landmass, Russian explorer Vitus Bering ranges even further, searching for a route to North America. Can Russia extend her empire across the Pacific, and span three continents? And what does the Siberian conquest mean for Russia’s future? Map of Siberia’s river basins: https://www.freeworldmaps.net/russia/rivers.html Dan’s new interview with Ben from The History Voyager: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4EVcbeJhWQtnlp36jJI2L4 SUBSCRIBE TO RELEVANT HISTORY, AND NEVER MISS AN EPISODE! Relevant History Patreon: https://bit.ly/3vLeSpF Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/38bzOvo Subscribe on Apple Music (iTunes): https://apple.co/2SQnw4q Subscribe on Google Music: https://bit.ly/30hUTRD RSS feed: https://bit.ly/2R0Iosz Relevant History on Twitter: https://bit.ly/3eRhdtk Relevant History on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2Qk05mm Relevant History SubscribeStar: https://www.subscribestar.com/relevant-history Official website: https://bit.ly/3btvha4 Episode transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vRiq_c3JKacPyBSSUHk1D46dD8FxuaPnctiP1Af51H8c_p9TXyPOkcoiQzmqLqJF8zbsZ_88FmALMYw/pub Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

In a rare twist, Dan dives into current events, evaluating the Russian invasion of Ukraine from a historical perspective. In the epic showdown between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who will come out victorious? Here’s the situation on the ground right now, how things might shake out, and, of course, the relevant history behind the invasion.   SUBSCRIBE TO RELEVANT HISTORY, AND NEVER MISS AN EPISODE! Relevant History Patreon: https://bit.ly/3vLeSpF   Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/38bzOvo Subscribe on Apple Music (iTunes): https://apple.co/2SQnw4q Subscribe on Google Music: https://bit.ly/30hUTRD RSS feed: https://bit.ly/2R0Iosz Relevant History on Twitter: https://bit.ly/3eRhdtk Relevant History on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2Qk05mm Relevant History SubscribeStar: https://www.subscribestar.com/relevant-history   Official website: https://bit.ly/3btvha4   Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

Siberia is the world’s largest wilderness and last frontier. The Russian conquest this vast territory begins in the 1500s, but will take more than a century complete. By the end of Russian expansion, the Tsar rules not just all of Siberia, but also Alaska and even parts of California. How did a regional power in far-eastern Europe come to control such a vast land? And why did they do it? Here, Dan tells the first half of the story, from Russia’s medieval origins until the opening of the frontier and the founding of the Romanov dynasty. SUBSCRIBE TO RELEVANT HISTORY, AND NEVER MISS AN EPISODE! Relevant History Patreon: https://bit.ly/3vLeSpF Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/38bzOvo Subscribe on Apple Music (iTunes): https://apple.co/2SQnw4q Subscribe on Google Music: https://bit.ly/30hUTRD RSS feed: https://bit.ly/2R0Iosz Relevant History on Twitter: https://bit.ly/3eRhdtk Relevant History on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2Qk05mm Relevant History SubscribeStar: https://www.subscribestar.com/relevant-history Official website: https://bit.ly/3btvha4 Episode transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vRQYSSR91oAy-_2_2BQ5wjI01GWSWvtUWn0ZCkQBMuQhSikJwqyId2HlWg_bQiTZ7YrS-T7Fz6gnFWb/pub?lsrp=1 Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

The Iroquois people, properly known as the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, are one of the largest and most influential of Native American groups. So, who are these people? What were they doing before European colonization, and how did this affect their society? Dan starts with an overview of colonization, then delves into the founding myth of the Haudenosaunee. When the Europeans show up, the Iroquois people are practically a modern nation. But as more and more colonists arrive on their borders, they will need to adapt if they want to preserve their nationhood. SUBSCRIBE TO RELEVANT HISTORY, AND NEVER MISS AN EPISODE! Relevant History Patreon: https://bit.ly/3vLeSpF Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/38bzOvo Subscribe on Apple Music (iTunes): https://apple.co/2SQnw4q Subscribe on Google Music: https://bit.ly/30hUTRD RSS feed: https://bit.ly/2R0Iosz Relevant History on Twitter: https://bit.ly/3eRhdtk Relevant History on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2Qk05mm Relevant History SubscribeStar: https://www.subscribestar.com/relevant-history Official website: https://bit.ly/3btvha4 Episode transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vQ9AdxwjQ8EtmzEu6a7jFIyOFO_X4rtF-wCvXdXM_4KUd31a5Z8tKgpaSWUEw9NRoWzVA4iWtRD4DqW/pub Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

In the ending days of the Thirty Years’ War, both sides struggle desperately for any advantage. Under First Minister Cardinal Mazarin, France is fighting a war on three fronts. But military heroes like the Prince de Condé give her an advantage over the stagnant Spanish Empire. Meanwhile, Swedish general Lennart Torstensson leads his army into the very heartland of the Austrian Empire. Can the Habsburg powers of Spain and the Holy Roman Empire withstand this assault? Will the fledgling Dutch Republic finally gain their independence once and for all? One way another, the end of the war and the Peace of Westphalia will change the world forever. SUBSCRIBE TO RELEVANT HISTORY, AND NEVER MISS AN EPISODE! Relevant History Patreon: https://bit.ly/3vLeSpF Subscribe on Apple Music (iTunes): https://apple.co/2SQnw4q Subscribe on Google Music: https://bit.ly/30hUTRD Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/38bzOvo RSS feed: https://bit.ly/2R0Iosz Relevant History on Twitter: https://bit.ly/3eRhdtk Relevant History on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2Qk05mm Relevant History SubscribeStar: https://www.subscribestar.com/relevant-history Official website: https://bit.ly/3btvha4 Episode transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vRta8zistDAzRl4uauNzkdZeIU6aoiQc6JqrAbhNL0SCtPES5JhZjlvEhZmHGuKo9ixZn7IU3qFcsx9/pub Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

France’s entry into the Thirty Years’ War did not happen in a vacuum; decades of political sparring and power politics led to that point. To fully understand why and how France got into the war, it’s important to see France through the eyes of Louis XIII, or better yet, through the eyes of his most important advisor, Cardinal Richelieu. Born as Armand Jean du Plessis, Richelieu is one of the most influential – and overrated figures in all of history. He’s a priest, a general, a scholar, a diplomat, and a brilliant politician. It will take all of his skills to hold France together, and stand against the combined Habsburg powers of Spain and the Holy Roman Empire. SUBSCRIBE TO RELEVANT HISTORY, AND NEVER MISS AN EPISODE! Relevant History Patreon: https://bit.ly/3vLeSpF Subscribe on Apple Music (iTunes): https://apple.co/2SQnw4q Subscribe on Google Music: https://bit.ly/30hUTRD Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/38bzOvo RSS feed: https://bit.ly/2R0Iosz Relevant History on Twitter: https://bit.ly/3eRhdtk Relevant History on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2Qk05mm Relevant History SubscribeStar: https://www.subscribestar.com/relevant-history Official website: https://bit.ly/3btvha4 Episode transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTOX-pLT7cTHQtRNZofjsK9GgNmZgjZccjq89dJxft9OjCUVd0gR9BWn6a3Ajy5_neXXLDWgwZ0718l/pub Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan

In 1626, King Christian IV of Denmark-Norway joined the Thirty Years’ War as a champion of the Protestant cause. Within four years, he would be sent home with his tail between his legs. But the Protestants would gain a new champion: the Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus. In a few short years, the Lion of the North would forge a military reputation equaled by only a handful. Just as importantly, he would keep the Protestants in the fight, forcing the Catholic Habsburg monarchy to continue a costly, draining war. Here is Gustavus Adolphus’ story, and how he shaped the course of history. SUBSCRIBE TO RELEVANT HISTORY, AND NEVER MISS AN EPISODE! Relevant History Patreon: https://bit.ly/3vLeSpF Subscribe on Apple Music (iTunes): https://apple.co/2SQnw4q Subscribe on Google Music: https://bit.ly/30hUTRD Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/38bzOvo RSS feed: https://bit.ly/2R0Iosz Relevant History on Twitter: https://bit.ly/3eRhdtk Relevant History on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2Qk05mm Relevant History SubscribeStar: https://www.subscribestar.com/relevant-history Official website: https://bit.ly/3btvha4 Episode transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTyEbrFsmM2A3B5A5hJ9xBQ-IM4EeR0GFov0_xL7CUIB2rsD8-HxOUD_0fvYqAIqC543Q9NXg10qlmD/pub Music credit: Sergey Cheremisinov - Black Swan