History Rage

Think the Crusades were the defining conflict of the medieval Middle East? Think again.

In this opening special for the Gloucester History Festival, host Paul Bavill welcomes back Associate Professor of History at Nottingham Trent University, Dr Nicholas Morton, to tear down one of history’s most persistent misconceptions. While popular memory draws a neat line down the Middle East dividing Crusaders and Islamic forces in endless war, the reality was far richer, more complex, and endlessly fascinating.

While Western crusaders captured only a handful of cities, massive nomadic powers like the Seljuk Turks forged vast empires stretching from Central Asia across Iran, Iraq, and Syria. Far from a permanent warzone, the medieval Middle East served as the global crossroads for trade, culture, and technology. From knightly rivalries turning into unexpected friendships to shared siege catapult designs, international currency trading, and mobile artisans crossing borders, Dr Morton reveals why the Crusades were merely one small piece of a much grander Eurasian mosaic.

Guest Information & Book

Guest: Dr Nicholas Morton (Associate Professor of History, Nottingham Trent University)
University Profile: https://www.ntu.ac.uk/staff-profiles/arts-humanities/nicholas-morton
New Book: The Crusader Storm
Buy the Book: Support the podcast and pick up your copy from the History Rage Bookshop at https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781399818728
Live Event: Dr Nicholas Morton is speaking at the Gloucester History Festival (running 12th–20th September) on Thursday, 17th September at 12:00 PM. Book tickets now at https://www.gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk

Recommended Episodes Mentioned

Episode 214: Dr Nicholas Morton rages that the Mongols are a civilization, not a rabble.
Episode 267: Rory McClellan rages that the Hospitallers are way more important than the Templars.

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Were Italian soldiers really cowards in World War Two? Think again!

In this episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill is joined by author, former journalist, and WWII enthusiast Karen Farrington to challenge the widespread myth of "Italian cowardice" during the Second World War.
Together, they dive deep into the overlooked history of Italian soldiers, the harsh realities of the Allied prisoner-of-war camps in Italy, and the incredible, highly dangerous escape network that saved thousands of Allied troops following the September 1943 armistice.

Key Takeaways & Historical Myths Debunked

The Myth of "Italian Cowardice": Karen dismantles the long-standing stereotype that Italian forces simply ran away or lacked courage. She highlights the severe logistical handicaps, poor leadership, obsolete equipment, and disease that crippled Italian troops in North Africa.
Bravery on the Eastern Front: Over 200,000 Italians were sent to Stalingrad, fighting in brutal conditions alongside German forces, often receiving recognition for their courage despite inadequate equipment like faulty red devil grenades.
The Scale of the Italian POW Network: Italy held roughly 80,000 Allied prisoners of war from across the British Empire. The Italian-run camps were remarkably secure, with almost no successful escapes prior to the 1943 armistice.
The "Stay Put" Order & The 1943 Armistice: Following Mussolini's fall, Allied High Command ("Whitehall") issued controversial orders for POWs to stay inside the camps. Despite this, around 50,000 men escaped, with roughly 10,000 staying on the run for extended periods.
Italian Civilian Selflessness: Thousands of ordinary, impoverished Italian civilians risked (and lost) their lives, homes, and freedom to feed and shelter Allied escapers from German occupiers.
The Role of the Church & Vatican: Figures like Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty organized complex escape lines in Rome, hiding fugitives with support from both local clergy and wealthy citizens.
A-Force & Bold Escape Operations: Special Allied units like "A-Force" operated behind enemy lines—sometimes marching down occupied roads in full British battle dress—to recover POWs via beach extractions like Operation Darlington 2.

Guest Information & Featured Book

Guest: Karen Farrington (Writer, journalist, and WWII author)
Book: The Great Italian Breakout

Support the Podcast: Please use the link in these show notes to buy the book via the History Rage Bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781837733736! Ordering through this link helps support the show with a small commission and supports independent bookshops.

Social Links:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karen.farrington.9237
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/karenfarrington.bsky.social

Related Episodes & Further Reading

History Rage Ep. 169: James Holland on why Italy was not a soft target.
History Rage Ep. 211: Keith Lowe on the liberation of Naples.
Organization Highlight: The Monte San Martino Trust (representing the history of escaped POWs in Italy).

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The Byzantine Empire didn’t have to fall—history simply chose differently.

The fall of Constantinople in 1453 is often presented as the inevitable end of a decaying empire—but what if that narrative is completely wrong? In this episode of History Rage, historian and author Laura Bolick dismantles one of history’s most persistent myths: that the Byzantine Empire was doomed long before the Ottoman cannons fired.

Drawing on her book Saving Byzantium: The Struggle to Salvage an Empire, Laura reveals a world full of missed opportunities, fragile alliances, political infighting, and last-minute efforts that nearly changed history. Rather than a slow collapse caused by decadence, the Byzantine story is one of diplomacy, survival, and desperate attempts to rally Western support that very nearly worked.

At the heart of this story are two remarkable figures—Cardinal Johannes Bessarion and Isidore of Kiev—who risked everything to secure military aid from Western Europe. Their mission to unite the Orthodox and Catholic Churches was intended to bring the crusading forces that might have saved Constantinople. Incredibly, Ottoman commanders themselves nearly abandoned the siege before a final breakthrough changed the course of history forever.

This episode explores the deeper causes behind the fall of Byzantium, including Western complacency, internal European conflicts, and the dangerous assumption that great cities could never truly fall. It’s a powerful reminder that history isn’t predetermined—it's shaped by decisions, timing, and human choices.

In This Episode, We Discuss:
Why the fall of Constantinople was not historically inevitable
How Western Europe failed to support Byzantium when it mattered most
The political and religious tensions between Orthodox and Catholic Churches
The role of crusades in late medieval diplomacy
How the Ottomans engineered one of history’s most remarkable sieges
What Byzantium’s fall teaches us about modern geopolitical complacency

About the Guest
Laura Bolick is an art historian and researcher specialising in late medieval Byzantium and Renaissance intellectual culture. Her work focuses on the cultural survival of Byzantium and the figures who fought to preserve its legacy.

Book: Saving Byzantium: The Struggle to Salvage an Empire
Buy from the History Rage Bookshop:
https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781398122192
(Using this link supports independent bookshops and the podcast.)

Follow Laura Bolick
Check your preferred bookseller for Saving Byzantium: The Struggle to Salvage an Empire
Look out for talks, articles, and appearances connected to Byzantine and Renaissance history

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Why This Episode Matters
History often looks inevitable in hindsight—but as this episode reveals, the fall of Byzantium was anything but certain. From near-abandoned sieges to failed crusades and shifting alliances, the fate of Constantinople hung on fragile moments and human decisions. Understanding those moments doesn’t just reshape medieval history—it challenges how we think about the future.
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Think the First World War was just the Western Front and incompetent Eastern armies? Think again!

In this explosive episode of History Rage, First World War historian, Trustee of the Great War Group, and Ring of Fire co-author Nicolai Eberholst tears down the persistent myths surrounding the Russian and Austro-Hungarian armies. Nicolai breaks down why dismissing these powers as "bad armies" or useless corpses is wrong, proving how vital they were to the conflict.

What You’ll Discover:
The Russian Army: Beyond the "steamroller" and Tannenberg myths—how Russia inflicted devastating casualties and bound German forces until 1918.
The Austro-Hungarian Empire: Why fighting a 1.3-front war with an 8-million-man army was essential for Central Power survival.
Post-War Myths: How interwar bias, post-imperial storytelling, and Western-centric history buried the real story of the Eastern Front.

Don't miss Nicolai speaking live at the Great War Group Conference from 9th – 11th October at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds! Grab your conference tickets here: https://greatwargroup.com/product-category/conference/

Recommended Episodes
Episode 210: The Great War is a Global War (with Nicolai Eberholst & Alex Churchill)
Episode 154: The Indian Army Contribution (with Adam Prime)

Books & Referral Details
Buy Ring of Fire: A New Global History of the Outbreak of the First World War at the History Rage Bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781035903412

Guest Information
Guest: Nicolai Eberholst
Social Media: @pikegrey1418
Great War Group: https://greatwargroup.com

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Was the legendary B-17 really brilliant—or dangerously overrated wartime myth?
The B-17 Flying Fortress is one of the most iconic aircraft of the Second World War—but what if its reputation doesn’t match reality?

In this explosive episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill welcomes aviation historian and YouTube creator Will Carver to challenge one of the biggest myths of Allied air power. Known for his sharp analysis and uncompromising views, Will argues that the B-17’s legendary status owes more to storytelling, culture, and Hollywood than battlefield performance.

From its origins in 1930s military theory to the brutal realities of daylight bombing over Germany, this episode digs into why the aircraft that symbolised American courage may not have delivered the technical superiority it promised.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode
Why the B-17 Flying Fortress became such a powerful cultural icon
The real limitations of its bomb load, range, and survivability
How daylight precision bombing proved far harder than planners expected
The truth about the Norden bombsight and its controversial testing history
Why raids like Schweinfurt exposed devastating weaknesses
How aircraft design decisions limited bomb capacity and effectiveness
Why the courage of crews matters even more when the technology struggles

Despite its fearsome reputation, the B-17 often carried smaller bomb loads than British heavy bombers and struggled to defend itself against increasingly capable German fighters. Its reliance on formation flying reduced speed, altitude flexibility, and survivability—sometimes with catastrophic results.

Why This Episode Matters
This episode isn’t about mocking history—it’s about understanding it properly.
Will makes a powerful point: praising equipment as flawless risks overshadowing the extraordinary bravery of the crews who flew it. Many airmen climbed aboard knowing the risks were immense, flying into intense flak and fighter opposition regardless. Their courage deserves recognition grounded in truth, not mythology.

If you love Second World War aviation, strategic bombing history, or myth-busting history podcasts, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

Guest Details — Will Carver
YouTube Channel:
▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@HardThrasher
Follow Will on Social Media:
Instagram: @lordhardthrasher
X (Twitter): @lordhardthrashe
Bluesky: @lordhardthrasher.bsky.social
Threads: @lordhardthrasher

Will produces engaging aviation history content that blends humour, research, and critical analysis to challenge long-held assumptions about military aircraft and wartime strategy.

Listen to More from History Rage
If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like:
Episode 23 — Matt Bone challenges Spitfire worship
Episode 163 — Jane Gulliford Lowe asks: What about the Halifax?
History Rage is the podcast where historians and experts challenge the myths we think we know—and replace them with evidence-based history.

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