A History of Europe, Key Battles
A podcast on European conflicts from the perspective of each side to provide an alternative to the traditional national narratives. Going chronologically from the Ancient Greeks onwards I will describe to some extent how each battle was won or lost by particular decisions, tactics, technology or fortune. But the aim of each main narrative will be to place each battle in the context of the overall history of Europe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
74.6 Italian Invasion of Libya 1911-12
The Italian invasion of Libya 1911.After initial successes, the Italians face strong resistance against the Ottomans and Libyanswww.patreon.com/historyeuropewww.historyeurope.netMusic composed by Edward Elgar (The Crown of India, March of the Mogul Emperors)Picture - Italian landing at Tripoli Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
74.5 Battle of Adowa 1896, Italian Invasion of Ethiopia
Following their countries independence in the mid 19th century, the Italians hoped to establish their status among the Great European Powers by acquiring colonial possessions. Their first main attempt was an unsuccessful invasion of Ethiopia, with a defeat at the Battle of Adowa in 1896www.patreon.com/historyeuropewww.historyeurope.netMusic composed by Frederic ChopinPicture - Battle of Adwa Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
74.4 The Annexation of Bosnia 1908
In the first years of the 20th century the Austrian Empire faced numerous problems, most of all the rising sense of nationalism among its various peoples. Attempting a more assertive foreign policy, the Austrians set about a plan to formally annex Bosnia and Herzegovina, which since 1878 had been administered by Vienna but still remained under nominal Ottoman suzerainty. However, this decision backfired terribly, triggering a six month diplomatic crisis which almost led to general war www.patreon.com/historyeuropewww.historyeurope.netMusic: Gustav Mahler's Fourth …
74.3 The Red Sultan and the Young Turks Revolution
The Ottoman Empire is in disarray and its treasury bankrupt. Under Sultan Abdul Hamid, the Red Sultan, there are violent suppression of uprisings of the Armenians in Anatolia. And in the Balkans the Macedonians and Albanians appeal for independence. A rebellion in Macedonia leads to the The Young Turk revolution and the overthrow of the sultan.www.patreon.com/historyeuropewww.historyeurope.netMusic: Mazurkas by ChopinPicture - Sultan Abdul Hamid Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
74.2 The Russo-Japanese War and Revolution of 1905
Tsar Alexander II of Russia is assassinated in March 1881. He was probably the most liberal of all tsars of Russia, but succeeded by reactionary leaders Alexander III and then Nicholas II. Nicholas unwisely provokes Japan into a war, and is defeated, which is a catalyst for an attempted revolution in Russia in 1905www.patreon.com/historyeuropewww.historyeurope.netMusic composed by Petr Tchaikovsky (Symphony nr 6 in B Minor)Picture - Russian battleship Oslyabya, the first warship sunk in the battle of Tsushima /Bombardment during the …
74.1 First World War - Introduction, and Treaty Of Berlin 1878
A summary of the main events from the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 to the beginning of the First World War in 1914At the end of the nineteenth century the Balkans had multiple crises. The Treaty of Berlin 1878 was an attempt by the Great Powers of Europe to find a framework for stability in a region with various competing interests, many of them incompatible with each other. In effect, it created two spheres of influence in the …
73.3 Russo-Turkish War 1877-78
In April 1877, two Russian armies invaded the Ottoman empire. The focus of the war became the siege of Plevna in Bulgaria. The strong resistance there gave the Turks real hope for a final victory, or at least holding off the enemy and forcing a more favourable diplomatic solution. www.patreon.com/historyeuropewww.historyeurope.netMusic composed by Rimsky-Korsakov: Polonaise, and Russian Easter Festival OverturePicture - The defeat of Shipka_Peak, Bulgarian War of Independence Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.73.2 Russo-Turkish War 1877-78
In April 1876 news spread across Europe of appalling atrocities being committed in Bulgaria, by Turks against local uprisings. These occurred soon after similar events elsewhere in the Balkans region – in Bosnia and Serbia. The strongest reaction came from Russia where widespread sympathy for their fellow Slavs led to a nationwide surge in patriotismA new sultan in Constantinople, Abdul Hamid II, rejects any concessions, leading to warwww.patreon.com/historyeuropewww.historyeurope.netMusic composed by Frederic Chopin - Mazurkas in C sharp minorPicture...
73.1 Russo-Turkish War 1877-78 - Background
In 1875, the Balkans entered a period of turmoil as various nationalities (Serbians, Bulgarians, Macedonians, Albanians and Romanians) struggled for independence from the Ottoman Turks. Uprisings quickly spread across the region and resulted in a major war between the Ottomans and Russians from 1877 to 1878.Meanwhile, Constantinople was suffering a renewed period of political instability which led to the overthrow of Sultan Abdülaziz in May 1876www.patreon.com/historyeuropewww.historyeurope.netMusic composed by Bedrich Smetana - Ma Vlast (My Fatherland), and Frederic Chopin- Nocturne in …
72.1 Philippa Gregory Interview
Philippa has written novels set in several different historical periods, especially the Tudor period. We discussed the period around the Glorious Revolution 1688 when the Prince of Orange invaded England from Holland and replaced James II as king, and the Battle of Sedgemoor 1685 three years before.Some of Philippa's novels have won awards and have been adapted into television dramas. The most successful of her novels has been The Other Boleyn Girl, published in 2001. Philippa has also published a …