On a dark October night in 1268, a secret tunnel, a betrayed alliance, and a struggle for power would decide the fate of medieval Cologne. What began as a feud between wealthy families turned into a bloody street battle beneath the city walls. Who dug the hole—and who paid the price? Join us as we uncover the forgotten story of the Battle of Ulrepforte.
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39:40
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39:40
#92 Retrospective: High Medieval Cologne and the Rise of the Citizenry
In this retrospective episode, we explore how medieval Cologne’s citizens gradually challenged the authority of their archbishops, built their own institutions, and laid the foundations for urban independence in the High Middle Ages.
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33:33
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33:33
#91 From a Dance in the Streets to Chaos at the City Walls in 1265
Cologne, 1265 — a city under siege, its streets brimming with unrest and uneasy alliances. When political grudges spill over into the night, strange visions, whispered plots, and a deadly dance leave their mark on the medieval metropolis. In this episode, we follow an archbishop who can’t stop picking fights, a city that won’t bow, and the shadowy hands fanning the flames in between.
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40:04
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40:04
#90 Broken Promises - Engelbert II von Falkenburg's War on His Own City
In 1263, Cologne stood at a crossroads — again. Just a year after forcing Archbishop Engelbert II von Falkenburg into a peace agreement, the city found itself betrayed. Oaths had been made, sealed, and sworn before God. But behind the scenes, the archbishop plotted revenge — aided by papal absolution and secret plans to arrest the city’s leaders.
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28:48
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28:48
#89 Hermann Gryn's Fight against a Lion
This episode is a gripping historical legend set in the year 1262 in Cologne, during a time of political upheaval and civic rebellion. At the heart of the tale is Hermann Gryn, a prominent city leader, who finds himself in a perilous and unexpected confrontation that tests his courage, skill, and loyalty to the city.
The History of Cologne is a podcast that tells the story of Cologne, Germany. It’s a city with 2,000 years worth of history and it has so much to tell! Listen to the city growing. Dive into the early history of the city being founded by the Romans. How did it become a bustling medieval city? How did Cologne perform during Napoleon and the Industrial Revolution? And how about the Nazi time? Triweekly schedule, going chronological from the Roman roots up until today.
Where is this podcast now in the chronology: 1198
South Africa