4: The Arrival of the Anglo-Saxons

You have heard “Timbuktu” as a stand-in for the ends of the earth, but this episode opens with West Africa at the center of wealth, learning and trade. Chris Spangle and Matt Wittlief trace the rise of the Mali Empire, from Sundiata Keita to Mansa Musa, whose famed pilgrimage to Mecca becomes a lens for how gold, scholarship and Islamic trade networks connected the medieval world.

In Episode 2 of Season 2 of The History of Modern Politics, Chris Spangle and Matt Whitlow trace the Edwardian period from Edward I’s legal reforms and Parliament’s growing role through Edward II’s favorites, Queen Isabella’s coup and Edward III’s rise. The episode also connects the Crusades era to shifting powers across Wales and Scotland, the wool-tax finance that fueled war, and the opening phase of the Hundred Years War in 1337. Cold open: the Nizari state, the Order of Assassins, Mongol expansion and the story’s link to Edward I and the late Crusader world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Spangle and Matt Wittlief open Season 2 with essential background for the late 1200s, tracing how the Holy Roman Empire’s electoral system emerged after the Carolingians, how the Great Interregnum unfolded and how the Habsburgs entered European politics. They also outline parallel developments in Wales, Scotland, the Low Countries, international trade, banking and the origins of English common law to set the stage for the reigns of Kings Edward I, II and III.

Chris Spangle and Matt Wittlief reunite to bring back History of Modern Politics after a long hiatus. In this episode, they explain why the show is returning, how seasons two and three are already underway, and what listeners can expect as they continue tracing political thought from the Roman Republic to the American founding. Chris and Matt share behind-the-scenes updates on research, writing, episode structure, and how their work connects ancient history to today’s political shifts. They also discuss season one, the path ahead through the Middle Ages and the Glorious Revolution, and their plans to cover the first American political systems in future seasons.

I recently attended a talkshop by historian Dan Miller on five past Presidential elections that could inform the contest in 2024. I sat down with him to discuss parts of this fascinating presentation. Visit Dan's website - https://historicalsolutions.com/ Transcript - https://share.descript.com/view/TlaNaGBl4Jw https://youtu.be/ihug5M9BIKs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices