When Diplomacy Fails Podcast

Matchlock is a historical fiction series set during the Thirty Years' War, beginning in 1622, when Matthew Lock lands in Europe to investigate the brutal murder of his parents. Order your copy of Matchlock and the Embassy by clicking here. King James of Britain was a complex fellow, and while his son is arguably more infamous, the father had some issues of his own to get through too. Most particularly, in the Spanish Match, the king's quest to balance Europe with a Palatine Protestant marital alliance on one hand and a Spanish Catholic on the other. Had it worked, Europe may have been spared the 30 Years War, and we could be talking about the Great Peacemaker. Unfortunately, this was a fantasy land only the King himself appeared to live in, and he would have to be rudely shaken out of it before that dodgy Spanish ambassador makes his move...********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 his

Matchlock is a historical fiction series set during the Thirty Years' War, beginning in 1622, when Matthew Lock lands in Europe to investigate the brutal murder of his parents. Order your copy of Matchlock and the Embassy by clicking here. What happened when the most intensive, bitter conflict Europe had to offer spilled over into the other conflict between the Holy Roman Emperor and the Elector Palatine? The Spanish and Dutch had fought for many decades, but the latest chapter in their war looked set to change everything, as the two branches of the Habsburg family merged their wars together, with dramatic consequences for all involved. Why did the Dutch feel they had to resume the war? Why did the Spanish believe they had no choice at all? Find out here, as the two theatres of war cross over, changing Europe and the Thirty Years War forever...**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 histor

Matchlock is a historical fiction series set during the Thirty Years' War, beginning in 1622, when Matthew Lock lands in Europe to investigate the brutal murder of his parents. Order your copy of Matchlock and the Embassy by clicking here. In today's episode we look at the story of the Dutch in a time of peace and tranquility - or at least, peace - and ask what went wrong. The problem was that the United Provinces were not so united after all, and were in fact beset by divisions on numerous levels. A state which had been forged in war, and which found its identity in war, suddenly had to cope without war, and it was harder than expected.Between 1610-19, the Dutch Republic was struck by a new religious dispute which was soon folded into the political and societal tensions. The two camps became inflamed, and with the Spaniard always the subject of suspicion, it became clear that blood would have to be paid, for the crisis to pass...**DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW THESE LINKS!**1) To support the podcast financially in

Matchlock is a historical fiction series set during the Thirty Years' War, beginning in 1622, when Matthew Lock lands in Europe to investigate the brutal murder of his parents. Order your copy of Matchlock and the Embassy by clicking here. After many episodes examining Frederick's woes, here we change our focus and look at that conflict long in the background - the Spanish Dutch War, which was resuming after twelve years of truce, in 1621. What had the truce done for both parties, and why did the Spanish feel particularly eager to resume war after going all in in Germany already? Could Madrid afford the extra expense? Probably not, but now that they held to the Rhine, the war against the Dutch could be brought to bear as a way to save the regions where Spain was truly hurting, as the professional piracy of the Dutch simply had to be stopped. Whether it as the last gasp or a desperate strike, either way, Spain had no choice but go on, even if that meant going down fighting...**DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW THESE LIN

Matchlock is a historical fiction series set during the Thirty Years' War, beginning in 1622, when Matthew Lock lands in Europe to investigate the brutal murder of his parents. Order your copy of Matchlock and the Embassy by clicking here. Welcome to our coverage of the 30 Years War, where we cover the period 1622-23. It was a time of significant defeats and changes, but also of moments of great triumph and success for the Holy Roman Emperor.In the aftermath of his enemy's disaster, Ferdinand was now free to shape Bohemia in his own image, in the process undoing centuries of history and traditions, all in the name of force, and through force alone. The country was effectively recast as a loyal Catholic dependency of Vienna, losing its independence and character, but Ferdinand wasn’t finished there. As his agents worked overtime to realise his victory, several prominent profiteers began to loom into view.Among these new Bohemian men was a relatively minor noble by the name of Albrecht of Wallenstein, who playe

Matchlock is a historical fiction series set during the Thirty Years' War, beginning in 1622, when Matthew Lock lands in Europe to investigate the brutal murder of his parents. Order your copy of Matchlock and the Embassy by clicking here. In this episode, we examine the years between roughly 1620-22, as Frederick moved into his new home in The Hague, just as the war between Spain and the Dutch was about to resume. Like many others at the time, Frederick believed that the Eighty Years War had the potential to erupt into something more, and he banked that before long, all the wars in Europe would become one war. But this impression - which was also a statement later made by the King of Sweden, interestingly enough - did not happen quite yet, even though there were Spanish soldiers occupying his homeland.The ravaging of the Palatinate was only one issue which Frederick would have to contend with though. Plans were afoot which would ensure that Frederick would be persona non grata in Germany, and in this despera

Matchlock is a historical fiction series set during the Thirty Years' War, beginning in 1622, when Matthew Lock lands in Europe to investigate the brutal murder of his parents. Order your copy of Matchlock and the Embassy by clicking here. In this episode, the Battle of White Mountain shatters Frederick's regime, but how did we get here? Let's roll back the clock a bit....Frederick’s prospects were fair so long as his allies came to aid him against the Emperor. Yet, once these allies refused to pick up the phones, once his new subjects refused to pony up what was needed for defence, and once the Emperor called in HIS favours with the Spanish and several other electors, it was only a matter of time before Frederick’s mistake was brought home to in full. It began with a Spanish invasion of the Palatinate, alongside a Bavarian invasion which followed. Frederick had probably never expected or imagined such an act – after all, Spain was not at war with him, and Maximilian of Bavaria was a distant cousin for crying

Matchlock is a historical fiction series set during the Thirty Years' War, beginning in 1622, when Matthew Lock lands in Europe to investigate the brutal murder of his parents. Order your copy of Matchlock and the Embassy by clicking here. The Winter King had to carry on, and over November 1619- April 1620, he did just that. Frederick embarked on his royal progress, doing his best to persuade those he met that he was legit, and that his regime was here to stay. He had no other choice - Emperor Ferdinand was gathering his allies, and on the Habsburg side of the ledger, the omens were not good for the Elector Palatine. One by one, as 1620 progressed, his allies left his side.Frederick was unfortunate to have to rely on people who had their own agendas. The Dutch were preparing for the resumption of the war with Spain; Brandenburg was terrified into quiescence, and his own father in law James I and VI was doing his best to arrange a grand partnership with a Spanish match. In short, the Winter King was alone, wit

Great news history friends - I've finally done it, and taken a large weight off my shoulders by joining up with Teepublic, a podcaster's favourite merchandise company! This is where you come in, because you guys can now make this a success by heading over to our Teepublic storefront. As an added incentive, we arranged to launch when a 35% off sale was already on!All you have to do is click here! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matchlock is a historical fiction series set during the Thirty Years' War, beginning in 1622, when Matthew Lock lands in Europe to investigate the brutal murder of his parents. Order your copy of Matchlock and the Embassy by clicking here. Last time in our 30 Years War story, Frederick V, a big time German ruler with small time power, accepted the Crown of Bohemia, and Europe seemed to breathe a sigh of shock. Some were shocked of course, but others were positively bouncing, and excited for the potential of what Freddy could achieve. All that was required to happen was for his friends and allies and relatives to stand up and be counted, and Emperor Ferdinand wouldn't stand a chance. Against the combined forces of England, Denmark, the Netherlands and countless Protestants in Germany, what chance did Emperor Ferdinand have? In fact, the Emperor was as cynical as he was fortunate - fortunate to have friends who depended on him as much as he depended on them. Bavaria and Spain, motivated by much more than religi

Matchlock is a historical fiction series set during the Thirty Years' War, beginning in 1622, when Matthew Lock lands in Europe to investigate the brutal murder of his parents. Order your copy of Matchlock and the Embassy by clicking here. Almost exactly 401 years to the day since Frederick accepted the Bohemian Crown, we return to our 30 Years War narrative, with episode #19!In this episode, we reach the long-awaited moment when Frederick decided, after all, to accept the Bohemian Crown. Was it a terrible mistake? In retrospect, YES! However, as I explain in this installment, things were not so black and white in the summer and autumn of 1619. For one, the Habsburgs appeared to be on their last legs, and it's worth considering whether Frederick, seeing Vienna under siege for the second time in two years - felt pressure to act before the spoils had all been siezed.But what about the other side. Was Ferdinand's military arm really as frail as Frederick seemed to believe? Granted, Ferdinand had only Spanis

I have a question for you - why don't you check out our new historical fiction series set during this very era - Matchlock! Our first instalment, Matchlock and the Embassy, is out NOW! Order your copy of Matchlock and the Embassy by clicking here. Welcome to our Q&A! Herein we answer loads of questions, including...Who was the best diplomacy player in the conflict? How many in Bohemia actually wanted Freddy as King? What narrative of the war is my fave? What was the story with the Ottoman-Persian wars which kept the Turks so preoccupied during the war? What impact did climate change have on the war? What would have happened if Gustavus Adolphus had lived through Lutzen? What would have happened if Richelieu had died in obscurity from pneumonia, as he nearly did, thereby missing his later career as premier of France?These q's are all here and there are more besides, so if you want some a's, you know where to go! The last four weeks have been great for bringing this show to new people, and you have all been

Order the book now! For God or the Devil is finally out! After enduring Ferdinand’s repression, throwing off his yolk, formally deposing him and marching an army to Vienna, the Bohemians sought to go one better than all previous revolts had done. With Ferdinand deposed, this meant the crown of Bohemia was vacant, and it meant that someone else should be offered it. But whom? Someone, ideally, who was anti-Habsburg enough, but also powerful, wealthy and well-connected enough to defend the kingdom. Someone, ideally, who had a deep-seated hatred for the Habsburg influence. Who better to fit these criteria than Frederick V, the Elector Palatine? In this episode we answer that question, delving into the impressive connections Frederick had, as well as the root of his anti-Habsburg sentiments, which distinguished him as the ideal candidate… Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matchlock is a historical fiction series set during the Thirty Years' War, beginning in 1622, when Matthew Lock lands in Europe to investigate the brutal murder of his parents. Order your copy of Matchlock and the Embassy by clicking here. Here we cover the years 1618-1619, when the fortunes of rebels, Hungarians, Habsburgs and everyone else in between would rise and fall. In this episode, we also see a critical milestone come to pass – Ferdinand, the new King of Bohemia, is formally deposed by his subjects, in protest at the heinous extent of his efforts to control their freedoms in violation of the Letters of Majesty. Our episode opens with the revolver pointed at Ferdinand's head, but his saviour was not far away.Ferdinand focuses on stabilising his position after the unsettling events of spring and summer 1619, when Vienna seemed close to succumbing and was at the mercy of the rebels. Aid from Spain was en route, but so was an attack from that troublesome quarter, Transylvania, as Bethlen Gabor set off to

Matchlock is a historical fiction series set during the Thirty Years' War, beginning in 1622, when Matthew Lock lands in Europe to investigate the brutal murder of his parents. Order your copy of Matchlock and the Embassy by clicking here. Here we ask an important question – how did the Bohemia revolt become the Thirty Years War? After throwing the Habsburg magnates out the windows of the town hall in Prague, what was next for the rebels? First and foremost, the kingdom had to be brought together to fight as one, and the three estates were assembled, determining on resistance to their new King’s inflammatory policies of repression and intolerance. Bohemians must fight for their rights, but could they hope to defeat the powerful Habsburgs? Further, could they risk losing to Ferdinand when their very freedoms were on the line?In such desperate times, desperate measures were sought out, and these were pursued in the foreign connections Bohemian officials had built up over the years. Publishing their Apologia to

Matchlock is a historical fiction series set during the Thirty Years' War, beginning in 1622, when Matthew Lock lands in Europe to investigate the brutal murder of his parents. Order your copy of Matchlock and the Embassy by clicking here. Episode 15 - what's in the box?Well, Bohemia continues to descend into rebellion, but its activism did not stop merely on the local, national level. Instead, Bohemians contacted known advocates of an anti-Habsburg conspiracy, and they landed on Ferdinand’s arch-rival, Frederick V, the Elector Palatine and sworn foe of the Habsburg supremacy. In the years since he had come to the office of Elector Palatine, Frederick’s regime had distinguished itself thanks to the policies of Christian of Anhalt, a radical anti-Habsburg, and charger of policy in Frederick’s stead. Anhalt arranged the more controversial agreements, and guaranteed that the British marriage went ahead, but Frederick was very far from his puppet. The Elector Palatine was more than willing and able to make moves

Want to show your appreciation for Bismarck Rise? Oddly enough, you can do so by heading in a completely different direction! Matchlock is a historical fiction series set during the Thirty Years' War, beginning in 1622, when Matthew Lock lands in Europe to investigate the brutal murder of his parents. Fans of intrigue and drama, in addition to battles and complex characters, will love it!Order your copy of Matchlock and the Embassy by clicking here. Make sure you head over to Patreon if you want more podding goodies, and to stamp your ticket for more Bismarck!Blood and iron, the Alvensleben Convention, and then the Congress of Princes – Bismarck’s first year as Minister President was certainly a busy one, yet it was about to become busier still. As a happy accident, the Danish crown became vacant upon the death of its king, and with this succession looming, Danish control over its German duchies, Schleswig and Holstein, loomed to the forefront of European politics once again, in a manner which it hadn’t done

Get your tickets to Intelligent Speech online! Only $10 until 16 June, and catch your faves including me, as I do a Q&A!Make sure you head over to Patreon if you want more podding goodies, and to stamp your ticket for more Bismarck!Episode 7 – Domination and Manipulation: 1863-64.He had made his fair share of errors, but it was fair to say at the same time that Bismarck wasn’t going anywhere. By the summer of 1863, the Polish business was mostly forgotten, and Bismarck could look further afield and see what developments in foreign affairs provided an opportunity to wipe the slate clean. He didn’t have to wait long. The Austrian Emperor Franz Josef claimed to desire a new constitution, one which all Germans should cooperate in crafting. To learn more, my fellow Germans, I wish to summon you to Frankfurt, where we can discuss the pending unification of Germany under Austrian control in more detail. This initiative had been on the cards for some time, but once it was announced, it was obvious to Bismarck wha

You know what those Bohemians needed? Historical fiction! Matchlock is a historical fiction series set during the Thirty Years' War, beginning in 1622, when Matthew Lock lands in Europe to investigate the brutal murder of his parents. Order your copy of Matchlock and the Embassy by clicking here. Episode 14 of the Thirty Years War, 'Bohemian Rampancy', is out NOW!Other than the ingenious title, what else does this episode offer? First and foremost, it offers and unparalleled look at Bohemia in the second decade of the 17th century. It is here that the Thirty Years War would be touched off, but precisely how would this transpire? At the heart of Bohemia’s problems, Wedgewood claimed, was a ‘dismal confusion’, but it certainly didn’t help that Bohemia itself was at the centre of the Habsburg hereditary lands. There could be no rest, and no relenting, from creating in Bohemia the kind of Kingdom Ferdinand II had always envisioned. Unfortunately for Ferdinand, the Bohemians had seen him coming.Years of chafing un

Get your tickets to Intelligent Speech online! Only $10 until 10 June, and catch your faves including me, as I do a Q&A!In this episode we examine the opening six months of Bismarck’s regime, and what a regime it was. It began, to Bismarck’s surprise, with a somewhat bumpy road. In the course of his first speech before the Landtag as Minister President, Bismarck discovered that his very reputation might prove the greatest danger to his premiership. In the course of this ‘Iron and Blood’ or blood and iron speech, Bismarck simply set forth the ideas and principles which he had always held dear, and which he had never tried to hide. Later, he would claim that he was trying to bring the deputies round to his way of thinking, in that they might see the need to place power in the Prussian army’s hand, thereby giving Prussia the chance to seize the day. To his contemporaries though, Bismarck’s speech was like the denunciation of Christian, moral principles, a rejection of the political independence which liberal