Sigismund (1400-1437)
The late 14th and early 15th century was a period of upheaval, the certainties of the Middle Ages, that the pope ruled the world and that knights were invincible were crumbling away, the long period of economic growth, of eastward expansion and conversion of the pagans made way for war, plague and famine. The church was split in half and the Ottomans were coming.
This was an age that called forth larger-than-life characters: Joan of Arc, fierce and holy; Henry Bolingbroke, seizing a throne; Jadwiga and Jogaila, uniting kingdoms; the audacious Gian Galeazzo Visconti and fiery Cola di Rienzo; the ever-scheming John the Fearless and Jacob van Artevelde; the tragic Ines de Castro and the unflinching Jan Žižka.
Into this glittering and turbulent lineup steps a man whose reputation has not exactly been polished by time. Despised in his kingdoms of Hungary and Bohemia and even Constance, the city that owes him so much, decided to remember him as a fat naked crowned guy with skinny arms and legs, worn-out face, forked beard and disproportionate genitalia balancing on the hand of a nine-meter-tall sex worker. No, I am not making this up.
This is the last episode of this season and it is time to say goodbye to Karl IV, Ludwig the Bavarian, Henry VII, Albrecht of Habsburg, Adolf von Nassau and Rudolf of Habsburg. These have been some eventful 138 years.
When Karl IV died in 1378 he left behind an impressive list of achievements but also a number of failures. And he left behind a son, Wenceslaus he had invested with so much hope and so many crowns, it not only broke the bank but even chunks of the political edifice he had so patiently built.
How and why is what we will discuss in this episode.
The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.
As always:
Homepage with maps, photos, transcripts and blog: www.historyofthegermans.com
If you wish to support the show go to: Support • History of the Germans Podcast
For do it yourself merchandise go to: Merchandise • History of the Germans Podcast
Facebook: @HOTGPod
Threads: @history_of_the_germans_podcast
Bluesky: @hotgpod.bsky.social
Instagram: history_of_the_germans
Twitter: @germanshistory
To make it easier for you to share the podcast, I have created separate playlists for some of the seasons that are set up as individual podcasts. they have the exact same episodes as in the History of the Germans, but they may be a helpful device for those who want to concentrate on only one season.
So far I have:
Salian Emperors and Investiture Controversy
Fredrick Barbarossa and Early Hohenstaufen
The Holy Roman Empire 1250-1356
The Reformation before the Reformation
The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.
#163 Succession and Legacy
Emperor Karl IV gets his son Wenceslaus IV crowned king of the Romans
Karl IV had hugele expanded his possessions, stabilised the empire and scored some major international successes. But now it is time to talk about his Achilles heel, his obsession with his son and heir, Wenceslaus.
#168 From Osman to Nicopolis
The Rise of the Ottoman Empire
For over 400 years, ever since the battle on the Lechfeld in 955, Western Europeans did not have to fear an enemy on their eastern flank. That is about to change…
#169 Sigismund, not yet Emperor
The Chaotic Succession to Louis the Great of Hungary and Poland
Sigismund of Luxembourg emerges as a pivotal figure in the late Middle Ages, grappling with the dual crises of the Schism and the Ottoman threat…
#171 Cleaning House
Council of Constance Part 1
The Council of Constance gets rid of surplus popes making it a pivotal moment in the history of the Catholic Church and of Europe in general.
#172 A World Event
 The Council of Constance Part 2
The Council of Constance was more than burning of Hus or the papacy; book hunting, prostitution, political violence and human rights all played a role
#173 Ending the Schism
The Council of Constance – Part 3
The Council of Constance could have been the moment that turned the papacy into a constitutional monarchy and implemented much needed reform, but…
#174 The Trial of Jan Hus
The Council of Constance – Part 4
Jan Hus was burned at the stake on Jul 6th, 1415, the only one of the great reformers to do so. Why did he die? was he set up?
#175 Death and Defenestration
The Hussite Revolution Begins
The burning of Jan Hus and the ban on Utraquist communion makes the Bohemian’s blood boil – and 13 royal councillors fall out of windows
#176 A Great Idiot of History?
How Emperor Sigismund Pours Oil into the Fire of the Hussite Revolt
Every revolution needs a Storm of the Bastille and a Louis XVI. We had a Defenestration, but do we have a “Great Idiot of History”?
#177 The Day after the End of Days
Jan Zizka Appears Out of Nowhere to Save the Revolution
Calling the end of world for a particular day is always problematic, choosing one only 3 months away is foolish….
#178 No Hill to Die On
The Battle for Prague
Two important Hills in medieval Czech history – Tabor and Vitkov, one the birthplace of a new society, the other a place of national destiny
#179 Meanwhile in the Empire
The Beginnings of Imperial Reform
The German Lands are in dire straits, the emperor goes from defeat to defeat, it is high time to kick off Imperial reform
#180 Nude Dissenters and Blind Innovators
The Adamites and the Battle of Kutna Hora
We will hear about an accelerating spiral of brutality and attempts at reconciliation, about austere dress and debauched dancing in the woods. This is another one of these episodes that has it all, and some.
#181 Zizka’s Drum
The Revolution Devours it’s Children
We talk about the military genius of Jan Zizka, his victories in the Hussite Wars, and the internal conflicts that divided the Hussites.
#182 The Return of the King
Reconciliation Between Hussites and the Catholic Church
The war between Hussites and Catholics raged for 15 years. The ideological gap seemed unbridgeable until the ageing king Sigismund sees the way out…
#183 The Aftermath of a Revolution
The Consequences of the Hussite Wars 1419-1434
What happens after a revolution that killed 10% of the population has ended. Who wins, who loses? What lives on?
#184 A German Messalina? Barbara of Celje
A story of slander
Barbara of Celje, second wife of emperor Sigismund was called a German Messalina, a Black Queen of Croatia and even a lesbian vampire. Find out the truth whilst listening to some papal erotic literature….