peasant rebellion

The Peasants’ War Part 1: Before the Bloodbath

This is the story of the biggest peasant uprising prior to the French Revolution. Inspired by the writing of Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation, it was a shocking challenge to the social order. Serfs occupied castles, executed nobles, and plundered monasteries.  Events that lasted less than a year would result in thousands of peasant…

Read More

The Peasants’ War Part 1: Before the Bloodbath

Both the Germans and the French trace their origins to Charlemagne and the Franks. But who were the Franks, and how did they have such a powerful effect on the shape of Western Europe? This episode is a family drama gone wild, as the warriors of Charlemagne’s family compete for land and status. Blindings, treachery…

Read More

The Peasants’ War Part 1: Before the Bloodbath

The Crusaders have taken Jerusalem but they face one final battle.  When the men start to head home, the legend of the First Crusade is born, and a massive new wave of Crusaders heads east.  Not everyone wants to go home however; Godfrey of Bouillon becomes ruler of Jerusalem.  His brother Baldwin manages to take…

Read More