A History of Europe Key Battles

52.1 King James I of England (VI of Scotland)

14 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Part 1 on the English Civil War. The reign of the first Stuart king of England, James I (James VI of Scotland) was relatively calm, but there were rel...

51.7 Peace of Westphalia

17 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Last decade of the Thirty Years War - French, Swedish, Spanish, German, and imperial armies fight to gain strategic advantage in a central Europe alre...

51.6 The French Enter the Thirty Years War

10 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The French, her foreign policy led by Cardinal Richelieu, enter the Thirty Years War after the Battle of Lutzen 1632Music: Giovanni Paolo Cima - O Dul...

51.5 Battle of Lutzen 1632

03 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, launches a stunning attack into Germany and dramatically turns the tide of the Thirty Years War, concluding at the ...

51.4 Early Wars of Gustavus Adolphus

19 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Before Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, got involved in the 30 Years War, he had already fought wars against Denmark, Poland and Russia Hosted ...

51.3 Invasion of Christian IV of Denmark

12 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Warfare engulfs central Europe as Spain and the Dutch renew their war and Christian IV of Denmark invades the Holy Roman empire. Ferdinand II declares...

51.2 The Bohemian Revolt, Defenestration of Prague 1618

05 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The Thirty Years war is triggered by a revolt in Bohemia, and the famous Defenestration of Prague 1618. Frederick V of the Palatinate accepts the rebe...

51.1 Thirty Years War 1618-48, Background

29 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The 17th century was one of the most bloody of European history. The Thirty Years War in particular is notorious for the sustained carnage and destruc...

50.4 Battle of Khotyn 1621

29 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Sultan Osman II leads a massive invasion force to Poland, confident of victory after defeating a Christian army the year before. The Ottomans mee...

50.3 Build-up to the Battle of Khotyn 1621

21 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Cossacks raid the Black Sea coast as far as Kaffa and Istanbul. King Sigismund III of Poland vies for control of Moldavia, today a region in Romania w...

50.2 Ottoman Empire - Beginning of the Decline

14 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

A succession of weak rulers begins the gradual decline of the Ottoman Empire. Their fight with the Habsburgs for control of Hungary continues with the...

50.1 The Cossacks

07 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Background to the Battle of Khotyn 1621. The Cossacks occupy a central place in the history of Ukraine and surrounding region. They were not so much a...

49.5 Anglo-Spanish War 1585-1604

09 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The famous Spanish Armada of 1588 was only one of several battles in the Anglo-Spanish War of 1585-1604. Elizabeth hoped to take advantage of her vict...

49.4 The Spanish Armada 1588

02 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The famous attempted invasion of England by the Spanish Armada in 1588 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

49.3 Spain Fights Back against the Dutch Rebels

19 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The Duke of Parma (pictured), sent by Philip II of Spain, makes good progress putting down tough resistance in the Dutch Revolt. Spanish success promp...

49.2 The Dutch Revolt Begins

05 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Origins of the Dutch Revolt (1568–1648). Philip II of Spain inherits the Netherlands, the Kingdom of Naples and the newly discovered Americas as wel...

49.1 The Reign of Mary of England and Philip Habsburg

28 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The kingdoms of England and Spain are allies during the reign of Mary I of England and her husband Philip Habsburg, son of Emperor Charles V. Mary, ho...

48.1 Interview with Jacob F. Field

26 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Something different this week - an interview with historian and author Jacob F. Field, whose works include:One Bloody Thing After Another: The World's...

47.4 French Wars of Religion - Conclusion

19 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Conclusion of the French Wars of Religion. On the death of all four sons of Catherine de Medici, the Valois dynasty dies out, leaving a committed Prot...

47.3 St Bartholomew's Day Massacre

12 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Fighting breaks out in France between Protestants and Catholics in a series of conflicts known as the French Wars of Religion. The most infamous event...

47.2 French Wars of Religion - Background

04 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The Protestant Faith is spreading fast when Henry II (pictured) ascends to the throne of France in 1574. His early death destabilizes the French Crown...

47.1 Martin Luther, the Reformation and the Printing Press

29 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Beginnings of the Reformation, triggered in 1517 by Martin Luther, whose ideas spread quickly thanks to the recent invention of the printing press. Al...

46.4 Livonian Wars 1558-1583

22 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The final years of Livonia Wars, the struggle for control of the southern Baltic coastline between Sweden, Denmark, Poland-Lithuania and Russia. ...

46.3 Ivan the Terrible and the Oprichnina

15 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Ivan the Terrible, convinced of treachery all around him, orders the execution of anyone he suspects of disloyalty. He then creates the Oprichnina, a ...

46.2 History of Medieval Scandinavia and Hanseatic League

08 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The History of Medieval Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea, and rivalries between the Hanseatic League (a naval merchant alliance), Denmark, Sweden and Po...

46.1 Battle of Ermes 1560, Fall of the Livonian Order

01 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The Livonian Order, in decline for years, suffers defeat at the Battle of Ermes 1560 against an army of Ivan the Terrible, triggering a conflict to fi...

45.5 Battle of Lepanto 1571

04 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The Battle of Lepanto - the largest naval battle in Western history since classical antiquity. A clash for supremacy of the Mediterranean between the ...

45.4 Ottoman Invasion of Cyprus

21 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Sultan Selim II directs an Ottoman invasion against the Venetian controlled island of Cyprus, leading to the siege of Famagusta which lasted almost a ...

45.3 Siege of Malta

14 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Philip II of Spain suffers a major setback by the failure to capture the port of Tripoli. Then in 1565 the Ottomans, in the ascendancy in the Mediterr...

45.2 Charles V and Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent

30 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Ottoman Turks and their Barbary Pirate allies fight against Emperor Charles V and Italians for influence in the Mediterranean but form an alliance...

45.1 Conflict in the Mediterranean

23 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Barbary Pirates fill a political vacuum in North Africa in the 1400's. Then in the 1500's, after the capture of Cairo, the Ottomans expand into the Me...

Podcast Update, 11 June 2018

11 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Unfortunately I must put the podcast on hiatus for 4 months. Having been elected to represent my local village of Eynsham, for a period I will not rea...

44.3 Siege of Kazan 1552

25 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Siege of Kazan 1552. The conquest of Kazan and Astrakhan by Muscovy can be seen as the birth of a Russian Empire. It had profound consequences for...

44.2 Ivan the Terrible - Early Years

18 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Early years of Ivan IV, the Terrible. On his reaching maturity, Moscow resumes its bid for control of the neighbouring khanate of Kazan, already weake...

44.1 Muscovy and her Asiatic neighbours 1400s-early 1500s

11 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The story of the complex relationship between the Russians and their southern and eastern neighbours in 1400s-early 1500's. Those neighbours were the ...

43.2 Battle of Mohacs 1526

06 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Suleiman the Magnificent leads a huge army across the Balkans to confront the leadership of the Kingdom of Hungary. The Battle of Mohacs proved to be ...

43.1 Battle of Mohacs 1526 Background

30 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Expansion of the Ottoman Empire in the early 1500's. Conquest of the Balkans and Mamluk-controlled Egypt, and rivalry with Shia Persia. Also, the...

42.4 Battle of Diu 1509

16 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The fight for naval supremacy of the lucrative spice trade of the Indian Ocean between the Mamluk Sultanate based in Cairo and the Portuguese.www.hist...

42.3 Portuguese Conquests in India

09 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Portuguese begin to seize control of the spice trade of the Indian Ocean, by a mixture of diplomacy and brute force. For King Manuel of Portugal, ...

42.2 Portuguese Discovery of India

02 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The epic voyage of Vasco Da Gama 1497-1499, who sailed from Portugal, around the southern tip of Africa, along the eastern coast of Africa and then on...

42.1 Portuguese Voyages of Discovery

26 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Portugal, having established its position in Iberia, begins to make conquests in Morocco. At the same time the Portuguese prince Henry the Naviga...

41.2 Russo-Lithuanian Wars 1500-1503

29 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Russo-Lithuanian Wars 1500-1503. Ivan III the Great (pictured) continues the expansion of Muscovy by the capture of Lithuanian territories Hosted on A...

41.1 Conquest of Novgorod by Ivan III of Moscow

22 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Russia in the 1400's. The Conquest of Novgorod by Ivan III the Great, Grand Prince of Moscowwww.historyeurope.netwww.patreon.com/historyeurope Hosted ...

40.5 Battle of Fornovo 1495

24 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

King Charles VIII of France, following his conquest of Naples, heads back through Italy to France but is attacked on his way back by a combined Veneti...

40.4 Charles VIII of France Invades Naples

17 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Charles VII leads his army into Italy to invade the Kingdom of Naples. He is invited into the peninsula by Ludovico Il Moro of Milan, concerned about ...

40.3 Lorenzo the Magnificent, Florence

10 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Lorenzo il Magnifico, ruler of Florence 1469-1492. In the so-called Pazzi Conspiracy Pope Sixtus IV organises an assassination attempt on Lorenzo and ...

40.2 Renaissance Florence & Medici

04 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Rise of the Medici dynasty in Florence. Renaissance Italy sees a remarkable flourishing of art and literature, with such writers as Dante, Bocaccio an...

40.1 Italy in 1400's

27 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Overview of Italy in the 1400's in the lead-up to the Renaissance and Italian Wars. The 5 main powers were The Papacy, Milan, Florence, Naples and Ven...

39.3 Battle of Nancy 1477, Fall of Burgundy

29 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The Burgundian Wars 1474-1477. Charles the Bold of Burgundy captures the Duchy of Lorraine. But he faces fierce resistance from his neighbours who for...

39.2 Burgundy in the 1470's

22 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Charles the Bold of Burgundy imposes his will on the citizens of Low Countries but, in so doing, creates resentment. Meanwhile, stoked by Louis XI of ...

39.1 Western Europe in late 1400's

15 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Survey of Western European powers around 1460's, including England, France, Burgundy, Switzerland, Savoy, and the major antagonists; King Louis XI of ...

38.2 The Hussite Wars 1419-1434

18 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The Hussite Wars; a series of crusades in the Kingdom of Bohemia (Czech Republic) against religious dissidents, prepared to go to war to protect their...

38.1 Early History of Bohemia (Czech Republic)

11 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Early History of Bohemia (approx modern day Czech Republic). The Golden Age of Prague (pictured) under Emperor Charles IV, and execution of Jan Hus fo...

37.4 Battle of Castillon 1453, End of the Hundred Years War

21 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Culmination of the Hundred Years War at the Battle of Castillon 1453. The French rapidly advance into English-held territory in Normandy and Aquitaine...

37.3 French Recovery Begins (100 Years War)

14 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The English fail to capture Orleans, famously defended by Joan of Arc. Charles the Dauphin makes gains against the English and is crowned at the Cathe...

37.2 The English Kingdom in France

07 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

After the death of Henry V, the English, under the leadership of John Duke of Burgundy, attempt to consolidate their hold on northern France and push ...

37.1 History of Burgundy, French Civil War in 1400's

30 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

A History of Burgundy through the centuries. Civil war and the assassination of John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy leaves France vulnerable to invasi...

36.2 Battle of Agincourt 1415

26 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Agincourt 1415 - the most famous battle of The Hundred Years War. An army led by King Henry V of England achieves a resounding victory over the French...

36.1 Hundred Years War, Build-up to Agincourt 1415

19 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Relations between England and France after the Battle of Poitiers 1356 and in the lead-up to the Battle of Agincourt 1415. I briefly cover the reigns ...

35.4 Battle of Grunwald/Tannenberg 1410

06 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The Battle of Grunwald/Tanneberg 1410 - an important battle in the history of Poland and the Baltic Region. Fought between the Teutonic Knights with g...

35.3 Battle of Grunwald 1410 Part 3, Lithuania

28 Apr 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In the 14th century Lithuania became a major European power under the leadership of Algirdas, his brother Kęstutis, and their respective sons Jogaila...

35.2 Teutonic Knights and Medieval Poland

20 Apr 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Struggle for Pomerania and Danzig/Gdansk between the native population, Teutonic knights and Kingdom of Poland. Teutonic knights move base to Marienbe...

35.1 Baltic Region in 13th Century

14 Apr 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Baltic Region in the 13th Century. Origins of the Teutonic Knights. Expansion of the Duchy of Lithuania as far south as the Black Sea at the expense o...

34.2 Battle of Kulikovo 1380

17 Mar 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In September 1380 Grand Prince Dmitri of Moscow led an army which confronted an invasion force of Mongols on the banks of the River Don. After his vic...

34.1 Rise of Muscovy. Russia under the 'Tatar Yoke'

10 Mar 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Build up to the Battle of Kulikovo, fought between Russian and Mongol armies in 1380. Covers the rise of Muscovy, and Russia under the 'Tatar Yoke' Ho...

33.1 Battle of Poitiers 1356, Hundred Years War

17 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Edward the Black Prince, son of King Edward III of England, wins the Battle of Poitiers 1356. The French King, John II, is captured and ransomed, whil...

32.1 Battle of Crecy 1346, Hundred Years War

03 Feb 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The Battle of Crecy was the first major land battle of the Hundred Years War - an important victory for the English and a landmark moment in European ...

31.1 Battle of Sluys 1340. Hundred Years War

13 Jan 2017

Contributed by Lukas

One of the greatest naval battles of the European Middle Ages, the English victory at The Battle of Sluys, fought at the coast of Flanders, was crucia...

30.2 Hundred Years War Introduction Part 2

30 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

King Edward III of England declares war on France to begin The Hundred Years Warwww.historyeurope.netPicture: King Edward III of England Hosted on Aca...

30.1 Hundred Years War Introduction Part 1

23 Dec 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Background to The Hundred Years War (1337-1453). Thirteenth century France thrives; King Philip IV the Fair of France; Avignon Papacy beginswww.histor...

29.3 Battle of Rio Salado, Gibraltar Crusades (Rio Salado Part 3)

02 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

The Battle of Rio Salado 1340 and the subsequent Siege of Algeciras were the key moments in the struggle for the Straits of Gibraltar between Christia...

29.2 Gibraltar Crusades, Castile, Granada and Morocco (Rio Salado Part 2)

26 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

The Gibraltar Crusades is the name given to the struggle for control of the Straits between Spain and Morocco in the 13th and 14th centuries. Castile ...

29.1 Thirteenth Century Spain (Rio Salado Part 1)

19 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

After the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa 1212 the Christians of Iberia, especially the Castillians, are able to conquer much territory from the Muslims...

28.3 Battle of The Kalka River 1223, Mongols vs Kievan Rus

23 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

The princes of Kievan Rus gather an army to confront a Mongol force which has invaded the Pontic Steppe. The two sides meet at the Battle of The Kalka...

28.2 The Mongols Invade Eastern Europe

15 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

After conquering northern China the Mongols of Genghis Khan launch a campaign westwards through Persia and the Caucasus Mountains and into Europewww.h...

28.1 Golden Age of Kievan Rus 988-1200. Rise of Vladimir Suzdal and Novgorod

08 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

For two centuries after Vladimir the Great's conversion to Christianity Kievan Rus enjoyed a golden age. A common culture and sense of identity formed...

27.5 Siege of Cherson 988, Conversion of Russians to Christianity

17 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Vladimir the Great is credited with transforming Kievan Rus into a true medieval state with Christianity at the heart of its sense of identity. The st...

27.4 Early Kievan Rus. Rurik to Svyatoslav

10 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

The dynasty of Rurik builds the foundations of a new power in eastern Europe - Kievan Rus. Princess Olga takes vengeance on a rebel town by burning it...

27.3 Slavs, Their Origins and Early History

04 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

The origins of the Slavs are shrouded in uncertainty. We rely on scraps of contemporary writings and later writings such as The Primary Chronicle of K...

27.2 Crimea and Black Sea 500BC-800AD

27 May 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Brief history of Crimea and North Black Sea region 500BC-800 AD, during which time many different peoples having left their mark, including Greeks, Sc...

27.1 Early History of The Black Sea, Perspectives on Ukrainian and Russian History

20 May 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Intro is the Russian Presidential Address of 2014. Then an outline of different perspectives on Ukrainian and Russian History, and next a description ...

26.1 Albigensian Crusade, Second Half 1215-1229

30 Apr 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Simon de Montfort probably hoped to quickly finish off the last pockets of resistance after the Battle of Muret. Instead conflict continued for anothe...

25.3 Battle of Muret 1213, Part 3, Simon de Montfort vs King Peter II of Aragon

24 Apr 2016

Contributed by Lukas

In September 1213 in southwestern France two Christian armies faced each other off. One was led by King Peter II of Aragon, who after his glorious vic...

25.2 Albigensian Crusade in Languedoc, France Meets Resistance

15 Apr 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Simon de Montfort becomes leader of the Albigensian Crusade against the Cathars of Languedoc. He meets resistance from Count Raymond VI of Toulouse an...

25.1 Cathars, Albigensian Crusade in Southern France

08 Apr 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Background to the Cathars and the Albigensian Crusade in Languedoc, southern Francewww.historyeurope.netPicture: The Albigensian massacre, chronicle o...

24.3 Battle of Bouvines 1214, Part 3, Decisive Battle in Medieval France

18 Mar 2016

Contributed by Lukas

A powerful league unites against Philip II Augustus of France, including King John of England, Emperor Otto IV, and numerous counts of France. Histori...

24.2 King John of England prepares to Invade France

11 Mar 2016

Contributed by Lukas

King John prepares to invade France and recover his lost territories. In the meantime King Philip Augustus of France consolidates his gains on the con...

24.1 German Emperors Frederick I, Henry VI, Otto IV Brought into Capetian-Plantagenet Conflict

04 Mar 2016

Contributed by Lukas

In the year 1204, Philip Augustus of France wrested control of the duchy of Normandy from King John of England. The long Capetian-Plantagenet struggle...

23.5 Las Navas de Tolosa 1212, Part 5

12 Feb 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa. Caliph al-Nasir, also known as Miramamolin invades Spain with a huge Muslim army which is met in the Sierra Nevada moun...

23.4 Las Navas de Tolosa 1212, Part 4

05 Feb 2016

Contributed by Lukas

The Almohads invade Spain from North Africa while the Christian kings bicker among themselves. Alfonso VIII suffers a heavy defeat at the Battle of Al...

23.3 Las Navas de Tolosa 1212, Part 3, Medieval Spain, Rise of the Almohads

29 Jan 2016

Contributed by Lukas

The Almohads arrive in Spain from North Africa and threaten to overwhelm the peninsula. The greatest resistance comes not from the Christian kingdoms,...

23.2 Las Navas de Tolosa 1212, Part 2

22 Jan 2016

Contributed by Lukas

The birth of the kingdom of Portugal, the Siege of Lisbon, and the Union of Aragon and Catalonia - the political map of the peninsula begins to formww...

23.1 Early Muslim Medieval Spain

16 Jan 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Before 1085 in Spain there was little question that it was the Muslims who had the upper hand in the balance of power. But after King Alfonso VI captu...

22.1 End of The Hundred Years War, Guest Episode on History of England Podcast

06 Jan 2016

Contributed by Lukas

A recent guest episode for the History of England podcast on the End of the Hundred Years War, in brief the years after Agincourt 1415, but focusing o...

21.4 Chateau Gaillard 1203-04, Part 4, King John, Philip II Augustus

12 Dec 2015

Contributed by Lukas

King John of England in his first year or two of rule achieved some successes, but his lack of tact and diplomacy, plus poor decision-making lost him ...

21.3 Sons of King Henry II of England Rebel, Encouraged by Philip II of France

03 Dec 2015

Contributed by Lukas

The sons of King Henry II of England, impatient for power of their own and encouraged by Louis VII and then Philip II Augustus of France, rebel agains...

21.2 Louis VII of France Builds a Power Base

27 Nov 2015

Contributed by Lukas

The story of France in the High Middle Ages, the reigns of Louis VI and Louis VII. As the twelfth century opened the kings of France barely controlled...

21.1 Chateau Gaillard 1203-04, Part 1, Angevin Empire

21 Nov 2015

Contributed by Lukas

William the Conqueror's conquest of England in 1066 and the division of his lands between England and Normandy sowed the seeds for centuries of Anglo-...

20.2 Constantinople 1204, Part 2, Fourth Crusade

24 Oct 2015

Contributed by Lukas

When crusaders arrived at Constantinople in 1203 they gazed in wonder, having never imagined that there could be so fine a place in the world. The 'Qu...

20.1 Constantinople 1204, Part 1, Fourth Crusade

17 Oct 2015

Contributed by Lukas

In the year 1204, Constantinople, the largest and most splendid city by far in Europe was sacked, not by Muslims but by fellow Christians - and not on...