History of Africa

Season 3 Episode 7 - Kusi Obodom - The Enlightened King of Ashanti?

When the old Asantehene passes away, the regional governors and bureaucrats of the Ashanti Empire find that their tensions can no longer be contained to political meddling. The Ashanti are soon engulfed in a true civil war for the first time. The man who emerges from this war the victor, Kusi Obodom, will prove to be one of Ashanti's most well regarded, if not necessarily its most effective, ruler. Notre Dame StoriesStories highlighting Notre Dame’s work to be a force for good in the world.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season 3 Episode 6 - Opoku Ware - The Empire Builder

With Osei Tutu killed in action, the Ashanti descend into an extended succession dispute. As chaos envelopes the Ashanti, their capital is sacked by a foreign invasion, leading to a compromise to enstool a new king. The new asantehene was a teenager named Opoku Ware. While nobody knew it yet, the teenage king would eventually go on to double the empire's territory and lead the Ashanti to an early peak.Notre Dame StoriesStories highlighting Notre Dame’s work to be a force for good in the world.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season 3 Episode 5 - The Ashanti Empire is Born at Feyiase

At the small village of Feyiase, the Ashanti and Denkyira armies would clash. The outcome changed the history of Ghana and the world.However, while Osei Tutu's leadership on the battlefield would be his most famous trait, his legacy runs even deeper than that. Join us as we discuss not only his conquests, but his forward thinking civic reforms that ensured that his empire would outlive him.Notre Dame StoriesStories highlighting Notre Dame’s work to be a force for good in the world.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season 3 Episode 4 - A New Ashanti Army

After returning to his capital of Kumasi after years in exile, the new king of the Oyoko Tribe, Osei Tutu, begins constructing a new army to fight the inevitable war against his Denkyira foes. He will be aided by his own group of Akwamu advisors and bodyguards, and will succeed in turning the Ashanti army from a collection of feudal mercenaries into a united, professional, tactically modern military. But what did this new Ashanti Army look like?Support the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season 3 Episode 3 - The Kingdom of Kumasi

On this episode, we look at the humble beginnings of what would eventually become the Ashanti empire, including the origins of its dominant tribal family, the beginnings of Ashanti unity, and the foundation of its most important city. At this early state in the Ashanti Empire's metamorphosis, the Ashanti were still ruled by independent city states. However, one city state, Kumasi, was slowly establishing itself as the political, economic, and military hegemon of the Ashanti. Apologies if there was anymore background noise than usual, or if there are problems related to volume. As mentioned last episode, I'm undergoing a pretty intense change in my life right now, so your support of the show, whether financially or through your patience with these changes, is greatly appreciated.Support the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season 3 Episode 2 - The Denkyira Empire

During this episode, we will track the evolution of the town of Jukwaa from small trading post into the capital of the largest empire that southern Ghana had ever seen. We'll also closely examine and dissect the impact of the arrival of European merchants on the Ghanaian coast, the economic effect of trade with Europe on West Africa, and the origins of the slave trade.Notre Dame StoriesStories highlighting Notre Dame’s work to be a force for good in the world.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season 3 Episode 1 - Ghana’s Migration Period

Before the meteoric rise of the Ashanti Empire of southern Ghana could begin, first the region of Ghana had to be peopled. And, throughout the 10th to 14th centuries, the region was settled by multiple waves of new migrants, including the ancestors of the Akan, Dagomba, and Ga-Dangbe. Learn how, why, and to what affect these people migrated to Ghana, as well as the implications that these migrations had on the rest of West African history.Support the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season 2 Episode 20 - Closing the Book + Season 3 announcement!

This is just a short little episode that answers some viewer questions about Aksum, including questions about the Ge'ez language, the Aksumite-Roman relationship, and Ethiopian saints.Also features an announcement regarding next season.Support the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season 2 Episode 19 - Gudit, The Woman Who Destroyed An Empire

Gudit, the princess of a cadet branch of the Aksumite Royal family, was betrayed, tortured, and exiled from the city of Aksum. In exile, she plots a scheme to take her revenge. At Gudit's hands, the Aksumite empire will collapse not with a whimper, but with a bang.Notre Dame StoriesStories highlighting Notre Dame’s work to be a force for good in the world.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season 2 Episode 18 - The Fall of the Aksumite Empire part 1: Anbasa Wedem, Wise Regent or Cruel Usurper?

After decades of restoring the Aksumite Empire to glory, Nigusa Nagast Degna Djan is dead, and his system will not last. However, what happened to his sons is mired in unreliable histories and later propaganda. Join us for the latest episode of the History of Africa Podcast, where we attempt to dissect and navigate the historical minefield of late Aksum to determine what really happened in the Ethiopian Highlands of the 10th Century.How do great civilizations fall? In this three part sub-season on the final fall of the Aksumite Empire, we will examine the causes, effects, and legacy of the fall of the Aksumite state.Support the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices