When Diplomacy Fails Podcast

By 1640, two rebellions shook Madrid to its core, and had a dramatic knock on effect on Spain's ability to support its Habsburg cousins in Vienna. In summer, Catalonia erupted in revolt after years of provocations and intransigence. When Portuguese soldiers were sent to quell the rising, those soldiers took home news of Spanish weakness, and by December, Portugal had broken away, and declared itself independent under King John IV. It was plain that Spain couldn't suppress the original Dutch revolt with this disaster on its doorstep, and its war against France was also in doubt, as Richelieu took the opportunity to take Catalonia under French protection. The writing was on the wall, the wheels were coming off, but even with this maiming, Spain was not done yet.**DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW THESE LINKS!**1) To support the podcast financially in return for some extra audio content, check out Patreon!2) To find a community of history friends, look at our Facebook page and group!3) To keep up to date with us, follow us

In this episode I'm joined for a great conversation about Frederick the Great's 1740 invasion of Silesia, by a guy who knows a whole lot about it - Alec Avdakov from the Life and Times of Frederick the Great Podcast! Listen in and make sure you find Alec's show by clicking below. Thanksss Alec!Follow on Spotify Subscribe on Apple Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

By 1640, both the Habsburgs and their foes had reached something of a crisis. There were opportunities to be had, if a new campaign could be pursued, but where to find the money, and how to support the soldiers in lands no longer suitable for massive armies? As they sized each other up, diplomacy continued in the background. Could the Swedes and French finally achieve that seizmic victory they desperately needed? Could anything plug the gaping hole in Habsburg financial and military resources long enough to reclaim the Empire for the Emperor? If Vienna could not rely on Madrid, and Stockholm could not depend on Paris, there was no guarantee that a new campaign would be in the offing at all. But this is only 1640, so you know we've eight more years to go. They were destined to be arguably the longest years of all.**DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW THESE LINKS!**1) To support the podcast financially in return for some extra audio content, check out Patreon!2) To find a community of history friends, look at our Facebook p

War is hell, as the saying goes, but just how bad was the war by the late 1630s, after two decades of fighting? As we learn here, the worst aspects of the conflict didn't come from the deaths in battle, but what went along with the battle - armies that marched over aching, increasingly desolate lands; the ruination of the delicate agricultural system; the acute crisis of starvation that followed, and the spread of disease that followed it. The picture was depressing, but it tells a story of a continent that grew more desperate for peace by the month. Could the Holy Roman Emperor make it happen? Let's find out...**DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW THESE LINKS!**1) To support the podcast financially in return for some extra audio content, check out Patreon!2) To find a community of history friends, look at our Facebook page and group!3) To keep up to date with us, follow us on Twitter!4) Matchlock and the Embassy, our new historical fiction novel, is out NOW! Get it here5) Researcher? Student? Podcaster? Use Perlego to ac

King Philip IV of Spain and King Charles of Britain had a surprising amount in common by the late 1630s. Both were presiding over a deteriorating situation domestically and abroad, and during the Battle of the Downs in October 1639, both came off worse than before. For Charles, the problem was one of authority, which had suffered terribly following years of wrong headed religious and political policies. With Scotland in revolt, and only pacified with painful concessions by spring 1639, Charles needed a win, and nothing said defeat like the prospect of watching a Spanish-Dutch naval battle off the coast of Dover. Having presented himself as the Sovereign of the Seas, this was a sharp strike against Charles' honour, and things were soon to get worse.Many miles away in Madrid, King Philip IV's greatest problem was the intractable Dutch, followed by the equally intractable Catalans. Even after Count Olivares had asked them really nicely, the Catalans had not agreed to aid and supply the defending Spanish gar

Want to do some research? Want to nerd out on a massive selection of history books? Perlego has you covered, and you can get your first week for free and 50% off your first month by signing up here!After ten years of podding, we've seen a wide range of fascinating guests brave enough to nerd out with yours truly, but who is my favourite? Find out here, in this long-delayed episode, to see if your fave made the cut, and don't forget to track them down in our large back catalogue! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The war which began in the Habsburg humiliation at Prague had arguably crystallized by the late 1630s, and thus begins perhaps my favourite period of the conflict! We now have battles raging in Northern Germany, where Johan Baner's Swedish-German force faced down Matthias Gallas' Imperials. Further towards the Rhine, Octavio Piccolomini watched the border near the Spanish-Dutch war, where Spain poured its resources into a never ending grinder of men and money. With Portugal and Catalonia showing worrying signs of disloyalty, what did the future hold for Spain as the anchor of the Habsburg alliance? Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand III was just 29 when he assumed the throne. His 'gift' from his foes was to learn of the new Franco-Swedish alliance, signed in Hamburg in March 1638. Meanwhile, along the upper Rhine, the capture of Breisach gave the French a crossing on the German side of the river, and threatened the integrity of Bavaria. The flag of appeal was waved at Madrid, but the Spanish had little sympath

Get 50% off your first month and a week's free trial when you sign up to Perlego with my link! Use the code WDF2022 and access an incredible catalogue of academic and library books - I'd be lost without Perlego, and I think you'll be really excited and impressed when you check them out. Their history collection has saved me $ and time!EPISODE: With the passing of Emperor Ferdinand II in February 1637, the moment seems right for a lay of the land by this eventful new year. The challenges for both sides were formidable, yet limited flurries of peace initiatives could only go in one direction, so long as each believed they could gain more on the battlefield. The French were stabilising after a nail bitingly close call. The Dutch were exorcising their demons, with a campaign aimed at clawing back the town of Breda, lost so painfully in 1625. The Swedes had restored their reputation, but little else. In Vienna, there may have been confidence in eventual victory, but that victory was clearly going to come at great

Having looked at Sweden's failed plans for Poland, and then at Richelieu's ultimate survival, we return here to the Swedish theatre - this time, the pressure is all on the Swedish Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna, who somehow had to turn everything around, and keep Sweden's war in Germany going. As 1635 turned to 1636, Oxenstierna's desperation moved him to approach Cardinal Richelieu, cap in hand, for a renewal of the Franco-Spanish alliance of 1631. Lacking leverage, Ax Ox was still willing to swallow his pride and do what was necessary, but he knew that what Sweden needed most of all was a victory - a triumph on the battlefield could change everything, and show her foes and friends alike that Sweden was not yet lost.Enter, Johan Baner.**DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW THESE LINKS!**1) To support the podcast financially in return for some extra audio content, check out Patreon!2) To find a community of history friends, look at our Facebook page and group!3) To keep up to date with us, follow us on Twitter!4) Matchlock an

Since my laptop died, I would REALLY appreciate your support in getting a new one. RIP my twelve year old lappy!After so many years of cold war, finally, by 1635, France and Spain were destined to face each other in the battle - and what a battle it was! As defensive and offensive plans collided, and each side verged from crisis to stability and back to crisis again, the world shivered with nervous excitement. This was a test for the ages, a great power confrontation like no other, which would dramatically affect the future of the continent. Would it Richelieu's France, or Olivares' Spain? There could be only one.**DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW THESE LINKS!**2) To find a community of history friends, look at our Facebook page and group!3) To keep up to date with us, follow us on Twitter!4) Matchlock and the Embassy, our new historical fiction novel, is out NOW! Get it here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sweden's strategic situation was pretty desperate by early 1635, but to appreciate just how desperate it was, we have to look away from the Holy Roman Empire, and towards the East, where in Poland, the truce was about to expire with Sweden's dynastic enemy. Worse, for Swedish Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna, the grand plan of distracting Poland by orchestrating a Russian war had failed as well, leaving the Poles vengeful, the Russians weakened, and everything apparently in the air. Before the French could arrive on the scene, Sweden would have to fend for itself, and salvage what remained of Gustavus Adolphus' legacy. How could they fare? Axe Ox wasn't feeling particularly optimistic...**DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW THESE LINKS!**1) To support the podcast financially in return for some extra audio content, check out Patreon!2) To find a community of history friends, look at our Facebook page and group!3) To keep up to date with us, follow us on Twitter!4) Matchlock and the Embassy, our new historical fiction novel, is

What's your favourite podcast series under WDF's umbrella? We've covered an awful lot, and a wide range of history, from the obscure, to the famous and infamous, to the shockingly misunderstood. We've come a long way in these ten years, and picking ten of my faves was a difficult task, but after a brutal process of elimination, here it is - complete with music to get you all nostalgic. Do you agree with my choice? Were you surprised by my number one? Thanksss again for a brilliant decade of history podcasting!**DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW THESE LINKS!**1) To support the podcast financially in return for some extra audio content, check out Patreon!2) To find a community of history friends, look at our Facebook page and group!3) To keep up to date with us, follow us on Twitter!4) Matchlock and the Embassy, our new historical fiction novel, is out NOW! Get it here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After ten years of history podcasting, I've come across many remarkable and fascinating historical figures, but can I pick a favourite? The task is a difficult one, so to make it easier for myself, I picked ten. Find out here which figures make the cut, as I rank them from number ten all the way down to number one.Did my choices surprise you? Do you feel a particular character was unfairly maligned or skimmed over? The debate can continue in the WDF Facebook group, so I hope to see you there...soon!Thankssss again for a brilliant decade of podding - you guys are the best! **DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW THESE LINKS!**1) To support the podcast financially in return for some extra audio content, check out Patreon!2) To find a community of history friends, look at our Facebook page and group!3) To keep up to date with us, follow us on Twitter!4) Matchlock and the Embassy, our new historical fiction novel, is out NOW! Get it here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On 18 May 2012, When Diplomacy Fails Podcast broke into the history podcast scene, and the rest is history! For more than a decade, this show has granted me opportunities and experiences I never dreamed possible. It made me who I am today, from my past jobs, to my education, literally down to where I am professionally and personally right now. This is the story of how something as simple as a history podcast can radically change a young guy's life, and although this episode is basically me talking about myself for over an hour, I hope it'll prove to you how ANYONE can do something like this. All you need is passion, and a lot of patience. I cannot thank you enough for helping me get this far, and I can't wait to see where we take WDF in the next decade! Thanksss for an incredible ten years!**DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW THESE LINKS!**1) To support the podcast financially in return for some extra audio content, check out Patreon!2) To find a community of history friends, look at our Facebook page and group!3) T

As spring 1635 approached, France had a choice to make. She could remain neutral, and allow the Imperial-Spanish triumph to overwhelm the Swedish and Dutch. Or, she could join their struggle, and end once and for the Bourbon-Habsburg cold war that had lasted a generation. It's decision time for Cardinal Richelieu...**DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW THESE LINKS!**1) To support the podcast financially in return for some extra audio content, check out Patreon!2) To find a community of history friends, look at our Facebook page and group!3) To keep up to date with us, follow us on Twitter!4) Matchlock and the Embassy, our new historical fiction novel, is out NOW! Get it here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Get your tickets to Intelligent Speech Conference now! It's on Saturday 25 June, so don't delay! Matchlock and the Rebel is out NOW! Grab your copy of this Thirty Years' War historical fiction series here.Wallenstein exhausts Emperor Ferdinand's patience, the Battle of Nordlingen ushers in a new era of Habsburg supremacy, and an Austro-Spanish alliance is forged just in time to meet France on the battlefield. 1633 may have been quiet, but 1634 would prove the most consequential year of the war yet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're ten years old! Wish WDF a happy birthday by buying the NEW and IMPROVED edition of Matchlock and the Embassy! The death of Gustavus Adolphus at Lutzen cast a long shadow over the year 1633. Could the Swedes rebound, and consolidate their gains, or would the Emperor avenge himself on his ungrateful subjects, after a worrying season of setbacks? As it turned out, nothing came easy to either side in the new year. But as Gustavus' ghost was joined by another, even more consistent actor in the conflict, one thing was clear - the Thirty Years' War had turned a corner, and Europe would never be the same again... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After going on a tear for 18 months, Gustavus Adolphus had finally caught Wallenstein, in a town just outside of Leipzig. Considering the enormous amount of men under recruitment, their army sizes were somewhat small, but that didn't make the battle any less ferocious. Indeed, Lutzen can be viewed as a turning point, not merely in the conflict here, but also in early modern warfare. The Swedish cause would never be the same again, but the Thirty Years War was only just entering its second half...**DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW THESE LINKS!**1) To support the podcast financially in return for some extra audio content, check out Patreon!2) To find a community of history friends, look at our Facebook page and group!3) To keep up to date with us, follow us on Twitter!4) Matchlock and the Embassy, our new historical fiction novel, is out NOW! Get it here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Real quick - turns out Indira Ghandi is NOT related to Ghandi at all, and is in fact the daughter of Nehru. What are the odds of that? Thanks to Andrew Mence for the correction!For this bonus interview episode, I'm very excited to be joined by Dr Jennifer Sciubba! Here she talks about her new book, 8 Billion and Counting: How Sex, Death and Migration Shape our World - which you can get here! We have a fascinating conversation about population; the impact which a declining population can have on a country's foreign policy (hello Russia!), and the pros and cons of a youth-heavy vs an elderly-heavy population. Is the world's population destined to grow forever? Is there reason to be positive about the future? For all this and more, do yourself a favour and geek out with us on population - the underlying factor which is WAY too important to ignore.Want to know more about my wonderful guest? Dr Sciubba is an internationally recognized expert in the field of demographic security. She frequently advises the US Gover

With Breitenfeld changing the balance of power in the Empire, Gustavus had much to do as 1631 became 1632. First was the matter of Count Tilly's battered survivors from the battle, who had since been reinforced, and guarded the entrance to Bavaria. But over the horizon was an even greater threat to the Swedish King - Albrecht of Wallenstein, the Holy Roman Emperor's last hope. The two titans faced off throughout the summer of 1632, with dramatic (and disgusting) results. Get a load of all that waste!**DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW THESE LINKS!**1) To support the podcast financially in return for some extra audio content, check out Patreon!2) To find a community of history friends, look at our Facebook page and group!3) To keep up to date with us, follow us on Twitter!4) Matchlock and the Embassy, our new historical fiction novel, is out NOW! Get it here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.