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201: The Secret Drama of Treachery

201: The Secret Drama of Treachery

Author: Jonathon LaRosa January 5, 2026 Duration: 50:36
Fortune's Wheel: A Podcast History of Our Medieval Story
History

SEASON 8: The First Crusade

EPISODE 201: The Secret Drama of Treachery

Nicaea.

May – June, 1097.

Anna Komnene writes about “the secret drama of treachery,” a hint as to how this formidable Seljuk capital of the new Sultanate of Rum would return to Roman hands. Would it fall by Western efforts…or by some other way? It’s a fascinating story about the opening salvos of the First Crusade, showcasing Western cooperation, Seljuk ferocity, and Byzantine statecraft.


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Jonathon LaRosa hosts Fortune's Wheel: A Podcast History of Our Medieval Story, a series dedicated to pulling the medieval period out of the shadows of misconception. It’s an exploration of how the brutal power struggles, explosive changes, and surprising alliances of that distant time directly shaped the borders, cultures, and traditions we navigate in the present. Each episode is built on a foundation of relentless research, but it’s delivered as gripping narrative, letting you hear the clash of swords and the whispers in royal courts as if you were there. This isn't just a dry recounting of dates and kings; it's about resurrecting the lived experience of our ancestors, the forgotten people whose decisions and dramas set our world in motion. By untangling the intricate web of stories that span continents and centuries, the podcast reveals the medieval era for what it truly was: the essential, volatile crucible of modernity. Tune in to discover how the turning of fortune’s wheel in the past still echoes in our politics, our conflicts, and our identities today.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

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Fortune's Wheel: A Podcast History of Our Medieval Story
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