This episode dives into the history of saint Nicholas, or Sinterklaas in the Netherlands and Santa in the United States.

Who was the historical figure, what about his companions like Krampus, Belsnickel, Zwarte Piet, Yule lads and how have Christmas celebrations evolved around the world.

The Olmecs are believed to be the first civilization of the Western Hemisphere, and are credited with the invention of chocolate and rubber. They are the parent civilization for later Mesoamerican civilizations (such as Aztecs and Mayas). In a way, they can be thought of as the Sumerians of the Americas, as they are to subsequent Mesoamerican cultures what the Sumerians were to subsequent Middle Eastern cultures. However, a good deal more is known about the Sumerians than the Olmecs, because the Olmec text has yet to be deciphered. Most of what is known about them either comes from others, or is inferred via study of their artifacts.

Sources:
https://historyplex.com/olmecs-history
https://whatmaster.com/what-was-the-olmec-culture/
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/world-history/world-history-beginnings/ancient-americas/a/the-olmec-article

https://www.bibhudevmisra.com/2016/08/olmec-yogis-with-hindu-beliefs-did-they.html

Mary Mallon (September 23, 1869 – November 11, 1938), also known as Typhoid Mary, was an Irish-born cook believed to have infected 53 people with typhoid fever, three of whom died, and the first person in the United States identified as an asymptomatic carrier of the disease pathogen, Salmonella typhi. Because she persisted in working as a cook, by which she exposed others to the disease, she was twice forcibly quarantined by authorities, eventually for the final two decades of her life.

Hyperborea, myths of an arctic civilization appears in the legends of multiple Indo-European cultures. Was it really a myth, and could such a civilization and culture have plausibly existed? The term “Hyperborea” is a Greek word, which means “beyond the north wind.” In this video we examine traditions and myths from Greek, Indian, and Persian culture. I will most likely revisit this topic again in the future, so if you know of any scientific studies, archaeological expeditions, or myths which I did not address please leave a comment.

It should be noted that for the Vedic traditions I relied rather heavily on Balgangadhar Tilak. For the Rig Veda references I just listed them in the same format he listed them in the book (Arctic Home in the Vedas). I don’t actually know Sanskrit and have not read the Rig Veda. Therefore, if something is amiss, do let us know.

Sources:
“Arctic Home in the Vedas” -by Balgangadhar Tilak
“The Histories” -by Herodotus
“Edith Hamilton Mythology Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes” -by Edith Hamilton

https://earth-chronicles.com/histori/mysterious-hyperborea.html
https://www.hlavnydennik.sk/2020/02/06/hyperborea-pravlast-slovanov/
https://mythologysource.com/hyperborea-greek-legend/
https://anomalien.com/the-mysterious-ancient-civilisation-of-hyperborea/
https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-hyperboreans-from-pythian-x/ - Pindar
https://www.pmel.noaa.gov/arctic-zone/gallery_np_seasons.html -length of day at the north pole
https://www.sunrisesunset.com/definitions.asp - types of sunrise
https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/twilight-and-the-myths-of-the-equinox-and-6-month-polar-night/ar-AAOFwZe -length of true night
https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/astronomical-twilight.html
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Mount-Meru-mythology - Meru
https://www.worldhistory.org/The_Vedas/ - the Vedas
https://www.britannica.com/topic/soma-Hinduism - Soma Sacrifice
https://www.quora.com/Why-don%E2%80%99t-Hindus-worship-Lord-Indra -Quora
https://aminoapps.com/c/mythology/page/blog/vritra-the-evil-serpent-of-the-hindu-pantheon/0YQJ_Y0UkuJv8666Vnn1e7jxkeoXvlL36bs7 -Vritra
http://guide.supereva.it/cultura_indiana/interventi/2007/01/284175.shtml

Gerardus Mercator Map - https://arctic.rhewlif.xyz/
Giant Vegetables in Alaska - https://www.amusingplanet.com/2015/10/alaskas-giant-vegetables.html

Coring study -- http://publications.iodp.org/preliminary_report/302/302PR.PDF

In this episode Stilgar tells a bit more about the book of Kells and the role saint Columba of Iona played in the creation of this wonderful piece of art.

Apologies for the audio quality, I had to record in the sauna of my vacation home.

The movie referenced that I highly recommend is the Secret of Kells: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0485601/

Hope you enjoy the episode and please like and subscribe!

Napoleon’s invasion of Russia was a costly campaign which resulted in defeat, and the breaking of his power. Before the start of the conflict, Napoleon read every available book on Russia in an attempt to determine it’s strengths and weaknesses. He also studied the attempts of previous foreign monarchs to conquer this immense country. The campaign took place in 1812.

Sources:
https://www.napoleon.org/en/history-of-the-two-empires/timelines/napoleons-russian-campaign-the-retreat/
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/thisday/jun24/napoleon-invades-russia/
http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/campaign_russia_1812.html
https://www.history.com/topics/france/napoleon

Robert Guiscard started off as a Norman adventurer remembered for the conquest of southern Italy and Sicily. Robert was born into the Hauteville family in Normandy, went on to become count and then duke of Apulia and Calabria, duke of Sicily, and briefly prince of Benevento before returning the title to the papacy.

Shivaji was the founder of the Maratha Empire, and he is considered to be a proto-nationalist and advocate of Indian independence. His father was a general employed by one of the Islamic Deccan Sultanates, and at the age of 15 Shivaji began his own military career by taking possession of forts in his region. He won battles against numerically superior forces by utilizing irregular tactics, and eventually was able to recover territory from the Mughal Empire. The rise of the Maratha Empire was also the turning point of the Mughals, and from then on they would go into a continual decline. Today Shivaji is considered to be a hero of India, as it was mainly due to his efforts that the Islamic conquests were turned back, and statues of him can be found all over the country.
There have also been shows, movies, and songs written about him.

Songs/music videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHePntP0LaA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UMzuhM0nkk

Sources:
https://www.culturalindia.net/indian-history/shivaji.html
https://www.liquisearch.com/deccan_sultanates/cultural_contributions/bijapur_sultanate
https://byjus.com/free-ias-prep/deccan-sultanate/ - Deccan Sultanates
https://www.mapsofindia.com/who-is-who/history/chatrapati-shivaji.html
https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Pratapgarh -Battle of Pratapgarh
https://battlesofbharat.com/2020/08/battle-of-kolhapur-the-impossible-victory-of-shivaji-maharaj/

William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke (1146 or 1147 – 14 May 1219), also called William the Marshal (Norman French: Williame li Mareschal, French: Guillaume le Maréchal), was an Anglo-Norman soldier and statesman. He served five English kings—Henry II, his sons the "Young King" Henry, Richard I, John, and John's son Henry III.

Knighted in 1166, he spent his younger years as a knight errant and a successful tournament competitor; Stephen Langton eulogised him as the "best knight that ever lived." In 1189, he became the de facto Earl of Pembroke through his marriage to Isabel de Clare, though the title of Earl would not be officially granted until 1199 during the second creation of the Pembroke Earldom. In 1216, he was appointed protector for the nine-year-old Henry III, and regent of the kingdom.

How did the English take over India? Today it would be quite difficult; given the difference in size, manpower, and resources between the two countries. However, conditions were quite different in the past, and it did not happen all at once. By the time there was significant or widespread discontent it was too late to do anything about it.

This topic is in response to a request.

Sources:
https://www.dailyhistory.org/Why_was_Britain_able_to_establish_an_Empire_in_India
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Mughal-dynasty
https://www.thoughtco.com/the-mughal-empire-in-india-195498
https://byjus.com/free-ias-prep/maratha-empire-1674-1818/ -Maratha Empire & their defeat
https://brewminate.com/the-maratha-empire-of-early-modern-india/ -Maratha – Anglo Maratha War
https://oxfordre.com/asianhistory/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190277727.001.0001/acrefore-9780190277727-e-356 -Maratha
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Aurangzeb -Aurangzeb
https://www.dailyhistory.org/Why_was_Britain_able_to_establish_an_Empire_in_India
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/empire_seapower/east_india_01.shtml
https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/The-East-India-Company/
the actual EIC? - https://www.theeastindiacompany.com/
https://www.britannica.com/topic/East-India-Company
https://leverageedu.com/blog/revolt-of-1857/
https://leverageedu.com/blog/battle-of-plassey/

Doggerland (also called Dogger Littoral[1]) was an area of land, now submerged beneath the southern North Sea, that connected Great Britain to continental Europe. It was flooded by rising sea levels around 6500–6200 BCE. Geological surveys have suggested that it stretched from what is now the east coast of Great Britain to what are now the Netherlands, the western coast of Germany and the peninsula of Jutland.[2] It was probably a rich habitat with human habitation in the Mesolithic period,[3] although rising sea levels gradually reduced it to low-lying islands before its final submergence, possibly following a tsunami caused by the Storegga Slide.[4] Doggerland was named after the Dogger Bank, which in turn was named after 17th-century Dutch fishing boats called doggers.[5]

The Amazon Women: Is There Any Truth Behind the Myth?
Strong and brave, the Amazons were a force to be reckoned with in Greek mythology—but did the fierce female warriors really exist?

Sources:
“The Book of Marvels and Travels” by Sir John Mandeville
“The Histories” by Herodotus (translated by GC Macauley)
https://www.ancientpages.com/2016/01/13/5-myths-about-the-amazons-ancient-female-warriors/
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/amazon-women-there-any-truth-behind-myth-180950188/
https://www.newyorker.com/books/joshua-rothman/real-amazons
https://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/amazon-warrior-women-background/1466/
https://www.ephesus.us/ephesus/amazons.htm
https://brewminate.com/kurgans-ancient-burial-mounds-of-scythian-elites-in-the-eurasian-steppe/

The St Scholastica Day riot took place in Oxford, England, on 10 February 1355, Saint Scholastica's Day. The disturbance began when two students from the University of Oxford complained about the quality of wine served to them in the Swindlestock Tavern, which stood on Carfax, in the centre of the town. The students quarrelled with the taverner; the argument quickly escalated to blows. The inn's customers joined in on both sides, and the resulting melee turned into a riot. The violence started by the bar brawl continued over three days, with armed gangs coming in from the countryside to assist the townspeople. University halls and students' accommodation were raided and the inhabitants murdered; there were some reports of clerics being scalped. Around 30 townsfolk were killed, as were up to 63 members of the university.

The Ramayana is an ancient Hindu epic of a hero similar in physical properties to Beowulf, Gilgamesh, and Achilles. It is most likely a poetic retelling of an ancient war between kingdoms in India and Sri Lanka.

Primary Source: "Ramayana" translated by RK Narayan

The Crimean War (1853-1856) stemmed from Russia’s threat to multiple European interests with its pressure of Turkey. After demanding Russian evacuation of the Danubian Principalities, British and French forces laid siege to the city of Sevastopol in 1854. The campaign lasted for a full year, with the Battle of Balaclava and its “Charge of the Light Brigade” among its famous skirmishes. Facing mounting losses and increased resistance from Austria, Russia agreed to the terms of the 1856 Treaty of Paris. Remembered in part for Florence Nightingale’s work for the wounded, the Crimean War reshaped Europe’s power structure.

Forced to accept defeat, Russia sought peace in January 1856. It had lost 500,000 troops, mostly to disease, malnutrition, and exposure; its economy was ruined, and its primitive industries were incapable of producing modern weapons.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson "The Charge of the Light Brigade"Wax Cylinder recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zBfwYCILTk

Mauritius is a country consisting of a group of islands to the east of Madagascar. Originally discovered by the Portuguese, the land has no original native population. This is also the home of the Dodo bird, which was wiped out by way of hunting and the introduction of predatory animals by human settlers. After having been the possession of multiple colonial powers, today Mauritius is an independent country.

Sources:
https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/mauritius/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauritius
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-languages-are-spoken-in-mauritius.html
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Bhojpuri
https://a-z-animals.com/animals/dodo/
https://mauritiusattractions.com/mauritius-history-i-79.html
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13882731#:~:text=%20Mauritius%20profile%20-%20Timeline%20%201%20A,India.%20%204%20Chagos%20dispute.%20%20More%20

“Earth is the cradle of humanity, but one can not remain the cradle forever” Konstantin Tsiolkovsky said this in 1895. This episode I want to talk about the three founding fathers of modern rocketry. Konstantin Tsiolkovsky is the oldest, a Polish immigrant in Russia. Hermann Oberth is originally from Romania but from German speaking parents born in 1894 in Transylvania, what is now Romania but at the time part of the great Austro-Hungarian empire. Robert Hutchings Goddard was born in 1882 in Worcester Massachusetts. All three were heavily inspired by Science-Fiction writers like Jules Verne and H.G. Wells. Konstantin Tsiolkovsky started by calculating that using a giant cannon to fire a spacecraft to the moon, utilized in his novel "From the Earth to the Moon," would generate acceleration forces that would kill its passengers.But he and his fellow inventors came up with inventions like space suits, liquid-fueled multi-stage rockets, wind-tunnels and a G-force machine for Chickens???

The “Ice Man” (aka Otzi) is an ancient mummy which was found in the Otztal Alps. This body is from a pre-Roman culture, and because the body was so well preserved it was possible to see what he had eaten, and determine how he died. It was also possible to conduct a genetic analysis, which revealed that he is not an exact genetic match to any modern population. Otzi was found with stone implements and weapons, as well as one axe with a copper blade. He suffered from a number of ailments, was prematurely aged, and died in his 40’s. But in spite of that there is evidence that he managed to have children, and has a number of descendants which are still alive today.

This video was a request from one of our viewers. We are taking requests at this time.

Sources:
https://www.thoughtco.com/the-iceman-lost-in-italian-alps-171387
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%96tzi
https://www.crystalinks.com/otzi.html
https://ursulafrayne.libguides.com/year7/humanities/investigatingtheancientpast/otzitheiceman
https://www.iceman.it/en/equipment/ - museum site
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4775254/
https://www.romeartlover.it/Augusta.html - Venostes tribe
https://www.eupedia.com/europe/Haplogroup_K_mtDNA.shtml - K MDNA
https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms1701 - gene sequence
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6070208/ -G Chromosome associated with Corisica (map)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2717998/
https://www.dnainthenews.com/human-history/otzi-iceman/
https://www.hudsonalpha.org/ancient-dna-reveals-genetic-relationship-between-todays-sardinians-and-neolithic-europeans/ - Autosomal DNA
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-24477038 - modern descendants
https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms1701/figures/3 -took gene comparison image
https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms1701
Info about the movie: https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/iceman-film-review-aardman-early-man-rhaetic-language-a8463011.html
Raeti - https://wiki2.org/en/Rhaetian_people
Rhaetic Language - https://goodmaniac.blogspot.com/2013/06/ancient-italian-tribe-raetic-was-not.html
Raeti (Roman sources) https://www.univie.ac.at/raetica/wiki/Ancient_sources

When American paratroopers in 1945 took possession of the town Berchtesgaden in south Bavaria they made a discovery in an abandoned salt-mine. They found Adolf Hitlers library which was taken from his nearby home in the Alps, the Berghof.

In his possession were many books on topics like runes, Germanic pagan history and the Occult. One book had an exceptional amount of notes, it was a book from Ernst Schertel called Magic.

This episode discusses the link between Nazi ideology and pagan, occult and esoteric theories like the Welt Eislehre, witches and the Thule Island.

The HL Hunley was the first military submarine to successfully sink an enemy ship. The submarine was invented during the American Civil War by Confederate engineers who were looking for a way get around the Union blockade. It was launched in 1864, with George Dixon commanding.

How brave these men of Hunley
Their names, in glory sown
More brave than all before them,
As they, faced the unknown
Yet all we have that`s left of them,
Is button, small and round.
If only she could speak to me
With gentle rolling sound

And talk she does, through history,
A page, now out of time.
Just a moment of adventure
For young men, in their prime.
They never knew just what they did,
Or how they altered war,
A feat, just so momentous
Be spoke of, evermore.

Their vessel now be in plain view,
This Hunley they did sail.
It cause the mind to wonder then,
Just how, in ship so frail.
Remember they who did this deed,
This day in Caroline.
The men who set the standard,
For now, and for all time

sources for HL Hunley:

https://www.history.com/news/confederate-submarine-hunley-sinking-mystery-civil-war
https://www.hunley.org/overview/
https://chstoday.6amcity.com/hl-hunley-charleston-sc/
https://civilwartalk.com/threads/horace-lawson-hunley.150787/

Feeling safe behind the giant walls of Constantinople, Theodosius II refuses to pay Attila the Hun the gold he had previously promised. When a massive earthquake in the year 447 brings down large parts of defense perimeter, it turns into a race against time between Attila the Hun rushing towards Constantinople and two groups of.... Chariot Racing Fans, who compete for the honor of their team to finish their part of the wall first.

Andrew Jackson was the 7th president of the United States. He was the founder of the Democrat party, and the first Democrat to become president. Before becoming president, he was a popular general who was famous for his victory at The Battle of New Orleans, which occurred during the war of 1812 (though technically the war was already over before the battle was fought). He survived duels, as well as an assassination attempt.

The Raid on the Medway in 1667 was a daring Dutch expedition that delivered a decisive blow to England and concluded the second Anglo-Dutch war in the Dutch Republic's favor.
It was one of the biggest defeats of the English Navy costing over 6 billion in today's money and the most successful invasion since the battle of Hastings.
It tells an important story about preparedness, cunning and military production capacity.

Saint Anthony the Great is considered to be the father of Christian monasticism. He belonged to the Coptic Orthodox Church, which is the ancient and original church of Egypt. He lived from 251 to 356 AD, and spent most of his life in the desert living in poverty. He witnessed the split of the Roman Empire, and debated with Greek Philosophers and Arian heretics.

The primary source for this discussion is "The Life of St. Anthony the Great," by Athanasius the Great.

To see more details about his struggles with demons and how it remains relevant today you can find an additional video on Ivor's personal channel:
https://www.bitchute.com/video/jEpMdwS7EnkG/

The Knights Hospitaller/ knights of saint John or Knights of Malta were up against the Ottomans they faced an immense army of over 40,000 men and at least an equal number of slaves. The Ottomans first attempted to take Malta in 1551 but failed. In 1565, Suleiman the Magnificent, the Ottoman Sultan, made a second attempt to take Malta. The Knights, who numbered around 500 together with approximately 6,000 footsoldiers, withstood the siege and repelled the invaders.
This victory became one of the most celebrated events of sixteenth-century Europe, to the point that Voltaire said: "Nothing is better known than the siege of Malta." It undoubtedly contributed to the eventual erosion of the European perception of Ottoman invincibility, although the Mediterranean continued to be contested between Christian coalitions and the Muslim Turks for many years.