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War A to Z ▪️ Abbasid Revolution ▪️ Date- 747 A.D. - 750 A.D. Location - Khorasan province Iran Participants - Umayyads vs Abbasids Key Players - Caliph Marwan, Governor Nasir Ibn Sayyar, Muhammad Ali, Abu Muslim Key Battles - Merv, Nahavand, Isfahan, Mosul ▪️ The Issue - The powerful Umayyad Caliphate, the second of the original four in early Islamic history, had a rocky relationship with its many subjects. The Umayyads were an Arab dynasty but could prove no direct relationship or bloodline to the Prophet’s family, and they had a willingness to tax all subjects at very high rates, Arab and non-Arab alike. Because they treated Arabs better than anyone, and should no preference for non-Arab muslims, the Umayyad’s had few friends in their lands. Some of the more discriminatory policies led to unrest and two leaders started to form an opposition party; Muhammad Ibn Ali, who could boast a blood tie to the Prophet and Abu Muslim, an Iranian leader that gave voice to the over taxed non-Arab and non-muslims. Wearing black and touting a black flag, mirroring the Prophets own battle flag, the Abbasids began their revolution in 745. ▪️ The Result - The ensuing five years saw dozens of battles, from Merv to Nahavand, Isfahan to Mosul. The Abbasid forces crippled the Umayyad power structure and forced the governor of Khorasan to flee from city to city until at last he died in 748 A.D. The ignominious death of Governor Sayyar was to be repeated by the Caliph himself. As Abu Muslim’s forces marched on Harrran, Caliph Marwan ran for safety making it all the way to Egypt. Unfortunately for him, Marwan didn’t live long in the land of the pharaohs, he was murdered in 750 A.D. The resulting power vacuum caused by the Umayyad collapse allowed Abu Muslim to roll up Syria, Iraq, and Iran into the Abbasid Empire. A legitimate Islamic government was installed and tax laws and revenues regulated by the ruling Muslim dynasty. Abu al-Abbas was chosen as their first caliph and he ruled from the new capital of the Islamic world - Baghdad. ▪️ Rate/Review/Subscribe ▪️ Source - MacGill’s Military History

War A to Z ▪️ Abbas I The Great ▪️ Born - January 27 1571, Iran Died - January 19 1629, Iran ▪️ Wars/Battles of Note - Uzbek-Persian Wars, Turko-Persian Wars, Mogul-Persian Wars, Tabriz 1603,Sis 1606, Siege of Baghdad 1624-1626 ▪️ Through a combination of guile, patience, and determination, Abbas the Great ruled a powerful Persian state for over forty years. Upon taking the throne he faced threats from every direction including the vaunted Janissaries of the Turks and the mighty Mogul Empire to the south. Understanding that he could only deal with one enemy at a time, Abbas prioritized each opponent and then in turn dealt with the Uzbeks, Ottomans, Moguls, and even the Portuguese. His was court of culture and when not campaigning he was a powerful patron of the arts and builder of beautiful cities. On his death the Persian Empire ran from the Indus River to the Tigris River. ▪️ Rate/Review/Subscribe

Napoleon Bonaparte is, almost always, in the “Mt. Rushmore” greatest military commanders of all time conversation, and rightfully so. That being said, he wasn’t without a great many flaws, and long before Waterloo, Napoleon suffered his fair share of defeats. Marengo doesn’t fall into the loss column for Bonaparte, but it came pretty damn close. A poor French tactical choice, a drastic French inferiority in artillery, and a ferocious Austrian assault all led to Marengo being a "close run thing" for the First Consul. But as the First Consul said “The fate of a battle is a single moment…the decisive moment arrives, the moral spark is kindled and the smallest reserve force settles the issue.” 

As the title makes clear, this is not the promised battle of Marengo! Nope, it’s still very busy up here in Maine and the tourist season has yet to slow, so getting the new episode written up has been a bit more of a struggle than I anticipated. To hold you guys over while I finish up the Marengo script here is a conversation with Brett from the Whiskey Tango Podcast. Brett came on to chat about Turks, cataphracts, and the Byzantines at the battle of Manzikert and, much like the first time he and I talked, this was a blast. We ran a little long but since it has been over a month since the last show, I figure more is better! Enjoy! 

“For this campaign I see so very ill a prospect that I am extremely out of heart.”  So wrote the man most responsible for today’s battle and one of Britain’s greatest military victories, the battle of Blenheim. Music by DopeBoys Sources Upon Request Follow Along On Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok As Always - Rate/Review/Subscribe And Thanks For Listening!

"I had scarcely finished speaking when the enemy's battery opened fire upon us, and raked us through and through. They concentrated their fire upon us, and with their first discharge carried off Count de la Bastide, the lieutenant of my own company with whom at the moment I was speaking, and twelve grenadiers, who fell side by side in the ranks, so that my coat was covered with brains and blood. So accurate was the fire that each discharge of the cannon stretched some of my men on the ground. I suffered agonies at seeing these brave fellows perish without a chance of defending themselves, but it was absolutely necessary that they should not move from their post.” - Jean Martin de la Colonie The battle of Schellenberg is one of the interesting stops on the Duke of Marlborough’s road to Blenheim. Time was in short supply and the Grand Alliance was in a tight spot, the heights over Donauworth had to be taken, and quickly. A frontal assault was in the offing and the deadly struggle that followed almost cost Marlborough his campaign, reputation, and maybe even the war itself. Let’s go back to the War of the Spanish Succession, the age of Marlborough and muskets. Let’s go back to 1704 and the battle of Schellenberg! Music by DopeBoys Sources Upon Request Follow Along On Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok As Always - Rate/Review/Subscribe And Thanks For Listening!

Let’s go back to the year 1702, a time when Spanish treasure ships still sailed the open seas. Let’s go back to the age of sails and cannon, of Sun Kings and wars of succession. To a time when the Royal Navy was just coming into its own, and the Bourbon navy was about to find out what the cost of maritime power would be. Let’s go back to 1702, 23rd of October, and the battle of Vigo Bay!  Bringing the booty of the Spanish Main with it, a Spanish-French fleet sailed into Vigo Bay to avoid lurking English and Dutch allied ships. Once the Grand Alliance fleet got wind the treasure fleet was penned up in close quarters, they pounced. The end result was a crushing victory that led to Portugal switching sides, Gibraltar becoming an English possession, and Jules Verne's Captain Nemo making his fortune.    Music by DopeBoys Sources Upon Request Follow Along On Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok As Always - Rate/Review/Subscribe And Thanks For Listening!

Let’s go back to the year 1700, a cold, gray late November day in Estonia. Let’s go back to the age of muskets and bayonets, of dragoons and hussars. To a time when the Lion of the North, the Last Viking, young Charles XII of Sweden was sizing up his first meal, Peter the "not yet" Great of Russia. Let’s go back to the battle of Narva!  Facing a vastly numerically superior enemy (that was dug-in) with a well defended position with heavy artillery support, Charles XII of Sweden would have been wise to not attack. But then he wouldn’t have been Charles XII. Using a sudden snow squall to mask his advance, Charles and the Swedish army attacked the dug-in Russian line and the first great victory of The Great Northern War was won.    Music by DopeBoys Sources Upon Request Follow Along On Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok As Always - Rate/Review/Subscribe And Thanks For Listening!

Let’s go back to the year 1014, a late summer in the Balkans where Basil II, of the Byzantine Empire, has brought his army to destroy his oldest foe. Let’s go back to the final days of the Bulgarian Empire of Czar Samuel, seventy years old and still willing (and able) to lead his army into the fight. Let’s go back to the battle of Kleidion! In the mountain passes of the Bulgarian Empire, Basil II used a deceptive ploy to destroy the army of his enemy, Czar Samuel. In the aftermath Basil committed a heinous act of revenge and violence that earned him the epitaph - the Bulgarslayer.    Music by DopeBoys Sources Upon Request Follow Along On Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok As Always - Rate/Review/Subscribe And Thanks For Listening!

A little bit of a pivot this week; instead of the Battle of Kleidion (which will just get pushed back a week) you’ll be listening to a chat between myself and Brett from the Whiskey Tango Podcast. I’ve got a nasty little cold that’s keeping me from recording but Brett and I have been talking about doing a joint show for a while and we finally got one recorded. I had a blast and getting to actually speak to someone instead of the wall of my recording closet was a nice change of pace. Ipsus is a fantastic battle to cover and I think you guys will enjoy it! Make sure you follow/rate/review and subscribe to the Whiskey Tango Podcast guys, and enjoy! Whiskey Tango Podcast Find Brett elsewhere - @brett_james_theincomparable@whiskeytangopodcast      

“They fought then, and each of them endeavored to slaughter the other; and they fell by each other, and the way that they fell was with the sword of each through the heart of the other; and the hair of each in the clenched hand of the other…” - Cogdha This week on cauldron we are going back to good friday, April 23 1014, to the emerald isle itself - Ireland. On the beaches just north of Dublin Brian Boru defeated an uprising and the existential viking threat, saved his kingdom and country, and lost his life. Let’s go back to the Battle of Clontarf. Music by DopeBoys Sources Upon Request Follow Along On Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok As Always - Rate/Review/Subscribe And Thanks For Listening!

The first cycle of episodes in the Cauldron re-boot featured exclusively battles from antiquity and the truly ancient world. This next cycle will see us hop in the imaginary time machine and fast forward from the sandy beach outside of Troy, zooming past the rise and fall of a dozen or more empires, from Persia to Athens to Alexander to Carthage and finally to the powerhouse that was Rome. For a thousand years Rome, in one of its many fashions, ruled much of Modern Europe, and then came the barbarian hordes, plague, rapid and incurable inflation, and a whole myriad of other factors that led to the great city’s fall. With the dying of the light that was Rome, Europe descended into what was once called the Dark Ages, a time in which life was as cheap as it had ever been. Now, most scholars agree that things weren’t nearly as bleak or “Dark” as they used to seem, but when Europe pretty rapidly went from a unified centralized singularity to a shattered constellation of smaller petty kingdoms things certainly became more interesting. A good mark for the beginning of the Early Middle Ages or the Late Antiquity Period is the Huns burning their way through Central Europe and the fall of Rome itself to the Visigoths. We dive into the Huns in one of the earliest episodes so check that out if you want. Both the Early Middle Ages or the Late Antiquity Period are accepted terms used by scholars in lieu of the Dark Ages, which is a bit less fun and dramatic, even if it is more accurate. From roughly 400-500ad to 1000-1100ad these Early Middle Ages were a period of upheaval and change for Europe. A time of turmoil and faith, war and famine, kings and priests. Which, after writing that I realized, is pretty much every period in European and likely World history. But our story today comes in at the tail end of the Early Middle Ages, when the age of the Viking was all but over and the Age of the Knight and Castle was about to begin. Let’s go back to Late Antiquity, to the steel blue waters of the Baltic Sea, where two lines of Long Ships entangled in a desperate struggle, the winner lives, the loser drowns. Let’s go back to September 9, 999/1000A.D., the Age of the Viking and the Battle of Svolder.   Music by DopeBoys Sources Upon Request Follow Along On Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok As Always - Rate/Review/Subscribe And Thanks For Listening!

I am (as you all probably guessed) a huge Dan Carlin fan and I often find myself re-listening to his different series. Recently I put fresh ears on his King of Kings episodes about the ancient Persians. One rough quote, or paraphrase is probably more accurate, from historian Pierre Briant that stuck with me is “you must believe in ancient history, even if it never happened.” As I put this episode on Troy together this idea keeps slamming me in the head. I’m not sure there is an episode in military history that better encapsulates the sentiment Briant is trying to get across than the Trojan War and subsequent fall of the great city itself. There isn’t a hell of a lot of evidence, but, if you don’t believe the siege of Troy occurred, ancient history becomes a much less human, colorful, and tangible world. Now, you don’t need to believe gods like Athena and Apollo fought alongside the Trojans and the Achaeans, but damn if that doesn't make for a hell of a story! Music by DopeBoys Sources Upon Request Follow Along On Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok As Always - Rate/Review/Subscribe And Thanks For Listening!

From Megiddo to Kadesh almost 200 years passed with Egypt at the pinnacle of its power. From modern day Sudan to the southern border of modern day Turkey, Egypt reigned supreme. They weren’t unchallenged and certainly, like their life-giving river itself things where often in flux; uprisings, rebellions, and border fighting happened regularly and territory was lost just as often as it was gained, but even so the people of the Nile maintained their control over much of the modern Middle East. The chariot, brought to Egypt on the conquering tide of the Hyksos invasion and retooled and perfected by the Egyptians themselves, was in large part what brought Egyptian freedom from the foreign oppressors at home and victory and Egyptian dominance abroad. At Megiddo, this engineering marvel, the Egyptian war chariot, showed the world what it could do to an unequal enemy. At Kadesh, the last great clash of chariots showed the world that this unique weapons system had reached its peak and would soon (in relative historical terms) be outdated and surpassed. But for one glorious late May day on the plains outside of Kadesh, the Pharaoh Ramses the 2nd, who would later be known as the Great Ancestor, saved his army and his reputation from the back of his chariot. Or at least that’s what he wanted us to think…   Music by DopeBoys Sources Upon Request Follow Along On Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok As Always - Rate/Review/Subscribe And Thanks For Listening!

Megiddo is an interesting story; by bringing along court scribes Thutmose III allows us to follow along in his footsteps and see the battle as he saw it. Now, obviously we can’t take everything the scribes wrote at face value; propaganda is as old as written history, and probably older, but at least, for the first time, we can paint a historical battle with color instead of just black and white. And the drama of Megiddo is real and intense. The pharaoh’s choice to take the middle route and risk his army being picked off, man by man, would be a bold decision in any time period. The Canaanites fleeing the field and having to be hauled over the city walls is the very picture of comical desperation. At Megiddo, whether it all happened as the scribes said or not, history comes to life.   Music by DopeBoys Sources Upon Request Follow Along On Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok As Always - Rate/Review/Subscribe And Thanks For Listening!

For the re-launch of Cauldron I've chosen the fight between Umma and Lagash as our starting point. Certainly not the first battle in human history but in my humble non-historian opinion the first that we can really get a clear narrative picture of. It’s ancient ancient history, 2,116 years before Alexander crossed the Hellespont, so dates, facts, and numbers are loose when present at all. But, there are character archetypes we’re familiar with; a great and greedy king, a ravenous blood-thirsty god, and there are recognizable themes; revenge, jealousy, pride, and lust for power. All this means is we can only broadstroke the battle given the lack of information and facts, truly a glimpse of the past, our past, through Tuchman’s “distant mirror”. But, a picture can be formed, however loosely, of that long gone version of ourselves and we can start to tell our history, the history of war, if not from it’s beginning then somewhere closeby. So, let's get In Medias Res, and get stuck in with episode one the battle between Umma and Lagash! Thanks for hanging in there if you are an old listener, thanks for joining the audience if you are a new listener! For a list of sources just shoot me an email. Music - VHS 80’s bundle by DopeBoy Kits Rate Review Subscribe and follow along on Instagram Twitter Facebook Tiktok

Each of the contests in this series will showcase a martial failure from generals unfit to command or overly confident of their abilities to simple poor planning and the untimely (often unwanted) intervention of meddlesome politicians.  I'm going to tell the story of the battle, just like a regular Cauldron episode, but I'll be going deeper into the events' command and control aspect. Like the main Cauldron show, this series will bounce through time and travel all over the globe. A Roman army annihilated in Germany's dark forests to a modern French army's surrender in Vietnam's rainforests. From the slaughter of French knights at Crecy to the fearsome floating German paratroopers above Crete, I plan on diving into these fascinating failures, always intending to figure out why or how they happened. 

In this episode, I talked to Dr. Karl James, the head of military history at the Australian War Memorial. The book he edited, Kokoda: Beyond the Legend, was the principal source for this series, and let me tell you, it's a fantastic read! Various contributors, including Antony Beevor, weave together the story of Kokoda, both past and present. A truly comprehensive account of the battle for the Owen Stanley mountains, Kokoda: Beyond the Legend, also contextualizes the campaign within the wider war. Like any fair bit of history, the book tells the story of struggle and endurance, suffering and success, from every angle; Allied, Japanese, and Native giving each their proper due. Dr. James was a blast to chat with, funny, engaged, and a man that knows his stuff; he was kind enough to give me a full hour of his Sunday morning. Give a listen, rate review, subscribe, and click the link in the show notes to pick up a copy of Kokoda: Beyond the Legend! Guest - Dr Karl James is a Senior Historian in the Military History Section of the Australian War Memorial, where he has worked since 2006, and Departmental Visitor with the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre at the Australian National University. A graduate of the University of Wollongong, he specializes in Australia’s involvement in the Second World War, and the history of Australia’s Special Operations Forces. Find him on Twitter @KarlJames_1945 And grab a copy of Kokoda: Beyond the Legend @  https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B06XB1J7CG&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_7028W0ETR0NJ49SSYX2R&tag=cauldronpodca-20 Sources  Kokoda: Beyond the Legend  edited by Dr. Karl James Kokoda by Peter Fitzsimons The Pacific War by William B.Hopkins Battlegrounds by M. Stephenson The West Point Atlas Of War - World War II: The Pacific edited by Brigadier General V. J. Esposito Music - Cinematic Trailer by Scott Holmes Music 

No general can say they will use the central position, and therefore, they will win. There is no plug and play preset list of maneuvers to fit all circumstances that guarantee victory. Victory relies on much more, and Napoleon understood that. His ability to sense the enemy's intention and force them to act against their own will is spooky at times. He had an intuitive feel for combat readiness, not just with the enemy but, maybe more importantly, in his ranks. His innate understanding of the weight and physics of battle, timing, and morale is hard to explain. The vision to see the picture, both strategic and tactical, and react with uncommon speed was unique for the time.  And beyond the general's tent and the map-room, Napoleon displayed what was probably his most remarkable traits as a leader. With a playwright's understanding of men's passions, he could give heart or strike fear with a few well-placed words. His glance, produced at the right moment to the right man, could expose a weakness or inspire courage. Like Hannibal and many others, he was a commander that lived and suffered very much with his men, at least at the beginning of his career. All these things mark Napoleon out as a uniquely gifted general. At the battle of Rivoli in mid-January 1796, we see them all come together at once, on full display for the first time in the "Little Corporal's" career. 100 Decisive Battles: From Ancient Times to the Present by Paul K. Davis The Allure of Battle: A History of How Wars Have Been Won and Lost by Cathal J. Nolan Masters of the Battlefield: Great Commanders From the Classical Age to the Napoleonic Era by Paul K. Davis Strategy by B. H. Liddell Hart The Napoleonic Wars by Gunther E. Rothenberg The Rise Of Napoleon Bonaparte by Robert B. Asprey Fighting Techniques of the Napoleonic Age: Equipment, Combat Skills, and Tactics by Robert B Bruce Wars of Napoleon. West Point Military History Series by Thomas (ed). Griess A Military History and Atlas of the Napoleonic Wars by Brig. Gen. Vincent Esposito Music - At Launch by Kevin McCloud  

I had a great conversation with Josh of the Adventure in Historyland blog and author of the book Wild East: The British in Japan 1854-1868. He knows his stuff, and his passion for history comes through loud and clear! We talked about all things Napoleon, the Italian Campaign, and Rivoli. Josh does a great job explaining interior lines and the central position doctrine as they relate to Rivoli. I had a lot of fun, and we will be sure to have him back for another battle; next time, I'll find a little Wellington engagement for him to chat about! Check Josh out on Twitter and his blog link below, and let's support him independent historians need some love - buy his book! I have my copy coming and maybe we can get him back on to do a deep dive on it! Buy, follow, subscribe, rate, review!  Joshua Provan is a book reviewer, history writer and blogger, the founder of the award winning* Adventures in Historyland blog and contributes regularly to the Britannia Magazine on Facebook. His guest posts can also be found on several respected history blogs and websites. Although all of history fascinates him, he concentrates on British military history from the 17th to the mid-19th century. In addition, he has gained a reputation as a historical consultant and proofreader, an online historical content advisor and a research consultant. https://adventuresinhistoryland.com/about/ https://twitter.com/LandOfHistory?s=20 https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B0894XPQ29&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_a9gaGb319FB5X