58. Bishops' Gambits

567 to 577 Part one of life of Brunhilda, the Visigothic princess who was regent for three generations of Merovingian rulers. Autochthonous : adj. Native to the place it is found, i.e. indigenous. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/12/12/61-queen-energy/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Logo Art by Jonas Lau Markussen @jonaslaumarkussen Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/  

561 to c. 590 We take a look at the utterly baffling fraternal struggles as the descendants of Clovis continue to be unable to get along with each other or their neighbors. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/11/18/60-carry-on-my-wayward-sons/  Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

547-561 The two remaining Merovingian kings, Chlothar and Childebert, rule the now vast lands of the Franks, while warily eying each other. The question of inheritance hangs over everything, and one son decides to betray his father. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/11/19/59-the-life-and-lusts-of-chlothar-the-first/  Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

It has been almost exactly six months since the last time I posted an episode. I think we can agree that it has been too long, and that you all deserve an explanation. This short announcement sums it up, but to put it even more briefly, flood, bad, long repair, school, kids, life. Thank you to all of you who have kept up with the cast, and welcome to newcomers who may or may not know about the long absence. See you tomorrow!

c. 500 to 590 "Bishops move diagonally. That's why they often turn up where the kings don't expect them to be." - Terry Pratchett, Small Gods   Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/05/05/58-bishops-gambits/   Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Additional Music: Hildegard of Bingen, “Antiphon for St. Ursula” Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

516 - 548 One of the strongest of the early Merovingians, Theudebert built a powerful kingdom while squabbling with his uncles and carrying on a complicated personal life. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod   Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/04/16/57-the-life-and-loves-of-theudebert-i/   Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/  

511-532 Out of the four sons of Clovis, not one of them was the type to stay at home, or to be content with what he had. In this episode, we’ll abandon chronological accuracy for the moment, to tell stories of each of these kings. Violence, mostly. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod   Webpage for this Episode: Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

c. 450 - c. 600 When Clovis, king of the Franks, died in 511, he passed on to his sons a huge territory, containing many millions of people. In this episode, we take a look at those people, how they made their livings, and how they organized society around them. Links: www.instagram.com/darkagespod https://www.museedestempsbarbares.fr/le-village-franc/ Webpage for this Episode: https://darkagespod.com/2025/03/03/the-kingdoms-of-francia/     Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/  

Basque-ing in Glory 4000 BCE to c. 700 CE The Western Pyrenees are home to the Basques, a mysterious community who speaks a unique language, and who have been there … for as long as anyone can tell. In this episode we’ll explore their history up through the seventh century, and their relationship to the people who have come and gone around them. Webpage for this Episode https://darkagespod.com/2025/01/31/54-basque-ing-in-glory/ Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

Of Outstanding Goodness 586 to 601 CE Reccared takes the throne and makes a momentous change. The Visigothic kingdom becomes unified under one religion and climbs to a new level of stability and security. Webpage for this Episode Buy me a coffee with ko-fi.com/darkagespod Title Music: "The Britons" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sound effects from freesound.com And https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/