Reconquista

Episode 103 - Christian expansion Dec 20, 2024

During the 1240s, the Kingdom of Aragon and the Kingdoms of Leon and Castile go on the offensive against al-Andalus, in a campaign known as 'the great game'.

Episode 102 - The Conquest of Valencia Part 2 Dec 06, 2024

In a major milestone for the Reconquista, King James I of Aragon conquers the city of Valencia in 1238.

Episode 101 - The Conquest of Valencia Part 1 Nov 22, 2024

King James I of Aragon commences his conquest of Valencia and we welcome a new player to the narrative - King Thibaut I of Navarre.

Episode 100 - The Conquest of Cordoba Part 2 Nov 08, 2024

The Christians succeed in taking one of the most important cities in al-Andalus - the city of Cordoba which surrendered in 1236.

Episode 99 - The Conquest of Cordoba Part 1 Oct 25, 2024

As the Muslims of al-Andalus fight each other, King Fernando of Leon and Castile takes advantage of an opportunity to strike Cordoba.

Episode 98 - Christian conquests Oct 11, 2024

We follow King James I of Aragon and King Alfonso IX of Leon as they go on the offensive.

Episode 97 - Too many Caliphs Sep 27, 2024

As Caliphs come and go at a dizzying rate, Almohad rule in al-Andalus crumbles - giving rise to a new ruler, ibn Hud.

Episode 96 - The Crusade of King Fernando III Sep 13, 2024

King Fernando III of Castile embarks on his first crusade, while one of the contenders for Caliph forms an unlikely alliance with Castile.

Episode 95 - More crusading Aug 30, 2024

As crusading fever sweeps across Europe, a number of crusades are launched against the Almohads - with mixed results.

Episode 94 - The Crusade of Alcacer do Sal Aug 16, 2024

We welcome a new King to the throne of Castile and join the Portugese in a crusade to seize a Muslim stronghold to the south of Lisbon.

Episode 93 - A bunch of deaths Aug 02, 2024

A bunch of consequential deaths in the years following the battle of Las Navas de Tolosa, upend the politics of the Iberian peninsula.

Episode 92 - The Crusade of Las Navas de Tolosa Part 2 Jul 19, 2024

We conclude our look at the battle of Las Navas de Tolosa, which ends in a decisive victory for the crusaders.

Episode 91 - The Crusade of Las Navas de Tolosa Part 1 Jul 05, 2024

It's crusade time! A major crusading expedition leaves Toledo in June 1212 under the command of King Alfonso VIII of Castile. It heads directly southwards, intending to confront the Caliph's forces.

Episode 90 - Salvatierra Jun 21, 2024

After a decade-long period of peace, the Christians and Muslims of the Iberian peninsula clash once again, with the Caliph targetting the Christian stronghold of Salvatierra.

Episode 89 - Peace with the Almohads Jun 07, 2024

A decade long period of peace between the Almohads and the Christians commences, leaving the Christian kings free to do what they do best - fight each other.

Episode 88 - Castile in the crosshairs May 24, 2024

Following its loss at the Battle of Alarcos, the Kingdom of Castile faces an existential threat in 1196 as it is attacked simultaneously by Leon, Navarre and the Almohads.

Episode 87 - Alarcos May 10, 2024

The truces between the Christian rulers and the Caliph expire and both sides clash at the Battle of Alarcos in 1195.

Episode 86 - Confrontations Apr 26, 2024

During the years 1190 and 1191, the Caliph launches a number of military campaigns against the Kingdom of Portugal, intent on reclaiming the town of Silves.

Episode 85 - A bunch of Alfonsos Apr 12, 2024

Following the bunch of deaths which occurred in the last episode, we have a bunch of new Christian kings - most of whom are named Alfonso.

As the Third Crusade is launched, we see the new king of Portugal, King Sancho I, join with a fleet of crusaders to attack the Muslim town of Silves.

Episode 84 - A bunch of deaths Mar 29, 2024

We cover the Caliph's campaign against the Christians in 1184 and wave goodbye to three major players from our narrative.

Episode 83 - The rise of the young Alfonsos Mar 15, 2024

We track the progress of the two new kids on the block in Christian Spain - King Alfonso VIII of Castile and King Alfonso II of Aragon.

Episode 82 - The Caliph's campaign Part 2 Mar 01, 2024

We continue to follow the Caliph on his less than optimal military campaign against the Christians in 1172.

Episode 81 - The Caliph's campaign Part 1 Feb 16, 2024

In 1172 the Caliph embarks on an ambitious campaign to conquer Christian Spain.

Episode 80 - Almohad consolidation Dec 22, 2023

The Almohads finally achieve their goal, becoming the uncontested rulers of al-Andalus. Their next move will be to focus on defeating the Christians.

Episode 79 - The Wolf King and Geraldo the Fearless Dec 08, 2023

When the new Caliph turns his attention to al-Andalus, he concentrates on two threats - the Portugese freelancer Geraldo the Fearless and the Almohad's traditional foe the Wolf King.

Episode 78 - A new Caliph Nov 24, 2023

Ambitious plans by the Almohads to dominate al-Andalus are interrupted by the death of the Caliph.

Episode 77 - Setbacks all around Nov 10, 2023

Some unexpected deaths among the leaders of Christian Spain, result in two kingdoms being ruled by children named Alfonso. Meanwhile, over in the Almohad camp, things aren't going much better with the Caliph and his armies preoccupied in northern Africa.

Episode 76 - The Kingdom of Leon and the Kingdom of Castile Oct 27, 2023

Following the fateful decision by the late King Alfonso VII to split his kingdom in two, we meet his sons - King Sancho III of Castile and King Fernando II of Leon.

Episode 75 - Exit King Alfonso VII Oct 13, 2023

King Alfonso VII of Leon and Castile becomes seriously ill just as the Almohads begin to go on the offensive.

Episode 74 - Christian progress slows Sep 29, 2023

King Alfonso VII's attempts to conquer al-Andalus falter, causing him to search far and wide for extra troops.

Episode 73 - Christian conquests Sep 15, 2023

At the same time as the King of Portugal is besieging Lisbon, King Alfonso VII and the Count of Barcelona are embarking on conquests of their own.

Episode 72 - The Kingdom of Portugal and the Second Crusade Part 4 Sep 01, 2023

We bring the siege of Lisbon to its conclusion.

Episode 71 - The Kingdom of Portugal and the Second Crusade Part 3 Aug 18, 2023

The siege of Lisbon commences, with the crusaders attacking the suburbs outside the city walls. Construction then begins on some impressive siege equipment.

Episode 70 - The Kingdom of Portugal and the Second Crusade Part 2 Aug 04, 2023

The fleet of crusaders makes its way southwards to discuss its participation in the siege of Lisbon with King Alfonso I of Portugal.

Episode 69 - The Kingdom of Portugal and the Second Crusade Part 1 Jul 21, 2023

King Alfonso I of Portugal decides to take advantage of the crusading movement for his campaign to attack Lisbon.

Episode 68 - The arrival of the Almohads Jul 07, 2023

As Almoravid rule collapses, the Almohads arrive on the Iberian peninsula.

Episode 67 - The decline of the Almoravids Jun 23, 2023

We switch our focus to the southern portion of the Iberian peninsula, where Almoravid influence is waning.

Episode 66 - Succession Drama Part 3 Jun 09, 2023

The succession drama following the death of Alfonso of Aragon finally comes to an end with the Christian parts of the Iberian peninsula forming themselves into four separate kingdoms - the Kingdom of Leon & Castile, the Kingdom of Aragon/Catalonia, the Kingdom of Navarre and the Kingdom of Portugal.

Episode 65 - Succession Drama Part 2 May 26, 2023

As the succession drama following the death of Alfonso of Aragon continues, the Kingdom of Aragon struggles to survive.

Episode 64 - Succession Drama Part 1 May 12, 2023

Fall out from the death of Alfonso of Aragon leaves leaders from across the region scrambling to take advantage of the situation.

Episode 63 - Exit Alfonso of Aragon Apr 28, 2023

After an action-packed life, Alfonso of Aragon dies in 1134. However, the terms of his will leave the Kingdom of Aragon facing an uncertain future.

Episode 62 - French troubles Apr 14, 2023

In an unexpected turn of events, King Alfonso of Aragon finds himself bogged down by events in France.

Episode 61 - King Alfonso VII Mar 31, 2023

Following the death of Queen Urraca in 1127, a scramble for power takes place in the north - resulting in the coronation of King Alfonso VII.

Episode 60 - Alfonso of Aragon - Valencia and beyond Mar 17, 2023

Fresh from his conquest of Zaragoza, Alfonso of Aragon embarks on an ambitious campaign pushing deep into Almoravid territory in 1125.

Episode 59 - Alfonso of Aragon - Zaragoza Mar 03, 2023

We check in on Alfonso of Aragon who is attempting to secure the taifa of Zaragoza.

Episode 58 - Queen Urraca encounters some difficulties Feb 17, 2023

Queen Urraca finds herself in conflict with Rome following her imprisonment of Archbishop Gelmirez of Santiago de Compostela in 1120.

Episode 57 - Queen Uracca makes some moves Dec 23, 2022

While King Alfonso of Aragon is occupied in Zaragoza, Queen Uracca embarks on a misson to defeat her enemies in the north of the peninsula.

Episode 56 - Zaragoza Dec 09, 2022

King Alfonso of Aragon embarks on an ambitious campaign to conquer Zaragoza in 1118.

Episode 55 - Portugal Nov 25, 2022

The Kingdom of Portugal emerges while Queen Urraca endures one of the worst experiences of her reign in the town of Santiago de Compostela.

Episode 54 - Truce Nov 11, 2022

The warring monarchs in the Christian north finally decide to set their differences aside.

Episode 53 - Family dramas Oct 28, 2022

After the breakdown of the marrage between Queen Urraca and Alfonso of Aragon, events threaten to spiral out of control.

Episode 52 - Alfonso of Aragon & Urraca Oct 14, 2022

The marriage of King Alfonso I of Aragon to Urraca of Leon and Castile gets off to a rocky, gravelly and croaky start - just like my voice in this episode unfortunately.

Episode 51 - Yes, another episode about succession issues Sep 30, 2022

Just when King Alfonso VI believes he has his succession issues all sorted, an unexpected event throws everything up in the air.

Episode 50 - Some more succession issues Sep 16, 2022

While a looming succession crisis emerges for both king Alfonso VI and the Almoravids, a shift in popular consciousness begins to take place following the death of El Cid.

Episode 49 - Succession issues Sep 02, 2022

The Kingdom of Leon and Castile and the Christian territory of Valencia both grapple with succession issues.

Episode 48 - El Cid Aug 19, 2022

Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar (aka El Cid) scores a memorable victory against the Almoravids at the battle of Cuarte in 1094.

Episode 47 - Valencia Aug 05, 2022

El Cid manages to conquer the wealthy taifa of Valencia.

Episode 46 - The Almoravid advance Jul 22, 2022

The Almoravids invade al-Andalus in 1090 and begin to conquer the taifas.

Episode 45 - Another interlude Jul 08, 2022

Between the departure of the Almoravids in 1088 and their return in 1090, a number of significant events take place.

Episode 44 - Interlude Jun 24, 2022

In the period of interlude between the departure of the Almoravids and their return to al-Andalus, some significant events take place.

Episode 43 - The Almoravids Jun 10, 2022

The Almoravids of northern Africa arrive in al-Andalus and clash with King Alfonso VI at the battle of Sagrajas in October 1086.

Episode 42 - A serpent in the basket May 27, 2022

As King Alfonso VI and Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar prepare to face off in Zaragoza, a new threat emerges to the south.

Episode 41 - The struggle for Toledo May 13, 2022

As King Alfonso's attentions turn to the east, different factions inside Toledo struggle for supremacy.

Episode 40 - Toledo Part 3 Apr 29, 2022

In the first major victory of the Reconquesta, Toledo falls to King Alfonso VI.

Episode 39 - Toledo Part 2 Apr 15, 2022

The taifa of Toledo hits a rocky patch which King Alfonso VI swings to his advantage. Meanwhile, Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar (later known as El Cid) makes a couple of bad choices and ends up in exile.

Episode 38 - Toledo Part 1 Apr 01, 2022

During the 1070s, two assassinations - one in al-Andalus and one in the Christian north - send shockwaves across the Iberian peninsula.

Episode 37 - Barbastro Part 2 Mar 18, 2022

Christian armies from France and beyond, hit some speed humps in their attempts to conquer parts of the taifa of Zaragoza.

Episode 36 - Barbastro Part 1 Mar 04, 2022

We turn our attentions to the Christian Kingdoms in the Pyrenees where the King of Aragon has been attempting to conquer territory in Muslim Zaragoza.

Episode 35 - Succession Feb 18, 2022

Following the death of King Fernando I of Leon and Castile, his heirs embark on a messy succession journey.

Episode 34 - King Fernando I of Leon and Castile Part 2 Dec 24, 2021

We follow the exploits of King Fernando I until the end of his reign in 1065.

Episode 33 - King Fernando I of Leon and Castile Part 1 Dec 10, 2021

Taking advantage of conflict between the Taifas, King Fernando begins his policy of raiding into and extracting tribute from, regions across al-Andalus.

Episode 32 - The Taifas Nov 26, 2021

Following the collapse of the Caliphate, a number of regional kingdoms called Taifas, emerge across al-Andalus.

Episode 31 - Galicia, Leon & Castile Nov 12, 2021

We complete our look at the Christian kingdoms by examining the Christian North.

Episode 30 - Aragon & Catalonia Oct 29, 2021

We continue our focus on the Christian states by taking a look at the establishment of Catalonia and the rise of the Kingdom of Aragon.

Episode 29 - The Kingdom of Navarre Oct 15, 2021

We track developments in the Kingdom of Navarre, up to the end of the Caliphate in the 1030s.

Episode 28 - The end of the Caliphate Oct 01, 2021

The chaos in al-Andalus continues, with the Caliphate eventually stumbling and coming to an end.

Episode 27 - Sanchuelo Sep 17, 2021

We take a look at the short but disastrous rule of Sanchuelo.

Episode 26 - After al-Mansur Sep 03, 2021

We look back on al-Mansur's legacy following his unexpected death in the year 1002. Then we examine the rule of his son and successor, Abd al-Malik.

Episode 25 - Al-Mansur Part 3 Aug 20, 2021

Al-Mansur reaches the pinnacle of his power and celebrates by launching an audacious attack on Santiago de Compostela.

Episode 24 - Al-Mansur Part 2 Aug 06, 2021

Having assumed control of the administration of al-Andalus, al-Mansur turns his attention to the Caliphate's military forces.

Episode 23 - Al-Mansur Part 1 Jul 23, 2021

When a child is invested as the new Calpih of al-Andalus, al-Mansur manipulates events to his advantage.

Episode 22 - Trouble brewing Jul 09, 2021

After al-Hakam II suffers a health setback, a palace official moves to take advantage of the situation.

Episode 21 - al-Hakam II Jun 25, 2021

We take a look at the rule of Abd al-Rahman's successor, al-Hakam II. We also explore the impact of one of the most prominent Jewish residents of al-Andalus, Hasdai ibn Shaprut.

Episode 20 - The Caliph Part 2 Jun 11, 2021

Abd al-Rahman III continues his wildly successful period of rule.

Episode 19 - The Caliph Part 1 May 28, 2021

Having catapulted himself onto the world stage, Abd al-Rahman III builds a palace to match his new status.

Episode 18 - Abd al-Rahman III May 14, 2021

We welcome a new Emir to al-Andalus.

Episode 17 - Abd-Allah Apr 30, 2021

Al-Andalus has had a solid run of competent, energetic Emirs...until now. We examine the disastrous rule of Abd-Allah.

Episode 16 - The rebel of Bobastro Apr 16, 2021

While King Alfonso III continues his campaign of expansion in the north of the Iberian peninsula, Emir Muhammad faces a new threat to his reign.

Episode 15 - King Alfonso III of Asturias Apr 02, 2021

While the Emir of al-Andalus Muhammad I is trying to stamp out rebellions within his territory, a new threat emerges, in the form of King Alphonso III of Asturias.

Episode 14 - Muhammad I Mar 19, 2021

We examine the beginning of the period of rule of the new Emir of al-Andalus, Muhammad I.

Episode 13 - Christianity during the rule of Abd al-Rahman II : outside al-Andalus Mar 05, 2021

We examine how Christians who left al-Andalus during the reign of Abd al-Rahman II for the northern parts of the Iberian peninsula, left their influence on the Christian states.

We also zoom in for a closer look at the Basque region.

Episode 12 - Christianity during the rule of Abd al-Rahman II : inside al-Andalus Feb 19, 2021

We take a look at the effect of the colourful reign of Abd al-Rahman II on the Christians of al-Andalus.

Episode 11 - Abd al-Rahman II Dec 11, 2020

We return to the narrative in 822 and welcome a new Emir to al-Andalus - Abd al-Rahman II.

Episode 10 - The early 800s: a snapshot Nov 27, 2020

We take a look at the Iberian peninsula in the first few decades of the 9th century.

Episode 9 - The Kingdom of Asturias Nov 13, 2020

We take a look at the establishment and rise of the rebel Christian Kingdom of Asturias.

Episode 8 - al-Hakam Oct 30, 2020

We take a look at the lengthy reign of al-Hakam then travel to the northern coastline of the Iberian peninsula where some independent Christian states are beginning to emerge.

Episode 7 - Hisham Oct 16, 2020

Abd al-Rahman died in the year 788. Which one of his sons will rise to power?

Episode 6 - Abd al-Rahman Oct 02, 2020

The last surviving member of the Umayyad dynasty makes his way to the Iberian peninsula, a move which will have long-reaching consequences.

Episode 5 - Shifting power: 740-750 Sep 18, 2020

The Muslim rulers of Al-Andalus face a Berber revolt and the arrival of some troublesome newcomers.

Episode 4 - Securing Muslim rule Sep 04, 2020

Within a few years following the Battle of 711, the Muslim invaders had consolidated their rule over the Iberian peninsula. How did they manage to do this? Listen in to find out.

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