The History of Cologne Podcast

26/01/2025

🏰 In 1257, the city of Cologne becomes the stage for a dramatic clash between its powerful Erzbischof, Konrad von Hochstaden, and the influential Cologne Kleingedank family.

💪What begins as a calculated act of revenge soon spirals into a citywide conflict, testing the fragile balance of power between the city ruler, the archbishop, and the citizens of Cologne.

16/12/2024

🎯 1252: When Siege Engineers Built the Biggest Trebuchets... and the Rhine Won. Sorry for the Canva Skills of a 12 year old. 😂 Lack of historical images made me do this.

Hugo and his crew spent hours building massive siege engines, commissioned to bring Cologne to its knees. But when they fired, the stone projectiles soared through the air… and splashed harmlessly into the Rhine. 🦆 The birds were startled. Cologne? Not so much.

💰 Why did it happen? A bitter dispute over money. The Cologne Penny, the backbone of North-West Europe’s trade, was being devalued by Archbishop Konrad von Hochstaden. Merchants fought back, and what started as a coin controversy turned into one of Cologne’s greatest stand-offs.

🎙️ Want to know how a financial feud turned into flying stones and open rebellion? Tune in to the latest podcast episode! Learn why medieval power struggles weren’t all swords and glory—sometimes they were trebuchets, rivers, and an epic miss.

👉 Listen now! Link in bio.

04/12/2024

⚔️ In 1252 the citizens of Cologne are fighting each other against their city lord, the Archbishop, again.

⛵ This time even with warships and trebuchets firing at the city!

🤑 The topic of the dispute? Money! But not a certain amount, but money in general. The currency of Cologne, the Cologne Penny, a key currency in northwestern Europe is in danger!

🩸 Will it end in a great bloodshed? Find out in the latest episode of The History of Cologne. Listen in your favorite podcast app!

15/11/2024

😇 Feast Day of Albertus Magnus and why he is important for the city of Cologne

🎙️ Learn more about him in #79 of The History of Cologne Podcast

17/10/2024

🏰 One of a kind of his time

⛪️ Albertus Magnus, born around 1200, spent significant time in Cologne during his life. He became a Dominican friar and was appointed to teach at the newly established Dominican house of studies in Cologne in 1248.

🎓 There, he mentored notable students, including Thomas Aquinas. Albertus also served as the provincial of the Dominican Order in Germany and later as bishop of Regensburg, but he returned to Cologne, where he continued his scholarly work.

👨‍🏫 His time in the city marked a period of significant intellectual activity, blending Aristotle’s philosophy with Christian theology, and establishing Cologne as an important center of learning during the Middle Ages.

🎙️ Learn more about it in the latest episode. „The History of Cologne“ is everywhere available where you can find podcasts.

11/09/2024

🏗️ Why the Old Cologne Cathedral was demolished in 1248:

🔥 A deliberately lit fire destroys the the 500 year old Cathedral. It was a dramatic end of Cologne’s Old Cathedral in 1248. Discover how a catastrophic fire brought down this medieval masterpiece of a building, clearing the way for the iconic Gothic structure that would redefine the city’s skyline up until today.

🔗Link to the podcast episode in bio

26/08/2024

⛓️ How a Captured Archbishop Outmaneuvered His Enemies in 1242

⚔️ The events leading to Konrad’s capture were rooted in a fierce power struggle. As the Archbishop of Cologne, Konrad wielded immense influence, both spiritually and politically. But his switch of allegiance from the emperor to the papacy made him many enemies, particularly among the local nobility. The Count of Jülich, seeing an opportunity to challenge Konrad’s authority, defeated him in battle near Lechenich and took him prisoner.

🏰 For nine long months, Konrad remained a captive in Nideggen Castle, while his enemies demanded his surrender to the Staufer king, Konrad IV. But the Count of Jülich, motivated by his own ambitions, refused to hand him over. Instead, Konrad managed to negotiate his freedom through a hefty ransom of 4,000 silver marks and political concessions, ensuring he would not seek revenge against his captors. This dramatic escape from captivity only solidified Konrad’s determination to strengthen his position and reclaim his authority, setting the stage for his continued rise as one of Cologne’s most formidable leaders.

🔗 Learn more about it in the recent podcast episode. Link in profile.

📸 photos of the castle by: Wikimedia Commons Von Wolkenkratzer – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 4.0.

31/07/2024

⚔️ 🏰 The Overstolzenhaus in Cologne, Germany, is a notable example of Romanesque architecture and one of the oldest preserved patrician houses in the city, dating back to the 13th century. Inside, it houses a remarkable collection of medieval paintings, including depictions of knights. These paintings provide valuable insights into the medieval period, reflecting the social and military aspects of the time.

🎙️ Learn more about Cologne‘s patricians in the new episode. Link to the podcast in the profile. 🔗

15/07/2024

🎙️ A new episode❗️

☀️ Remember: this episode marks the start of my summer break until August 12th. ⛱️

12/07/2024

🔍 Where is it? Once the fountain depicting the legend of Hermann Josef and the Apple 🍎 stood prominently in the middle of Waidmarkt square as for example in 1907. But nowadays? Well… it is still there but can’t really be seen well.
🚗🚌 Cars, bus stop and a wider road makes it look like the well is wrong in the place. In the today picture you can hardly see it.

🎙️ More about the legend or Hermann Josef and the apple you can listen to in podcast episode #66.

📸 first photo: rba_d029792

29/06/2024

⚔️🔥 Street battle in Cologne, 1237
Dietrich Weise is on the run! After a heated court hearing in the House of the Rich where he attended just as a spectator, he was brutally attacked and had to run for his life to get to his house in the Mühlengasse.

☠️ He used a club to defend himself in the shadow of the cathedral and smashed the skull of an opponent. Now the city lord, the archbishop, is hunting him down and wants to drag him to court as a murderer.

👑 But Dietrich won’t give up! Together with his brothers, he flees across the Rhine to seek help from the emperor in Vienna. Will he succeed in escaping and can he save his family? Listen now in my podcast. Link in profile! ⚔️🔥

15/05/2024

🏰 Burg Castle was the second ancestral seat of the old von Berg dynasty (1160-1225) in what is now Solingen on the River Wupper.

🐉 As a child (and also as an adult) I had wonderful times in this castle. It is largely a reconstructed castle with romantic and historicising elements from the late 19th/20th century. But a reconstructed castle is better than no castle at all. 🙂

⚔️ Who were these Lords of Berg who ruled here in the immediate neighbourhood of Cologne? And what did they contribute to the history of Cologne? Spoiler: a lot, so listen to the latest podcast episode! Link in the profile.

06/05/2024

🩸 A shrine for a slain Archbishop

⚱️ The Engelbert shrine in Cologne is a significant religious and historical artifact located in the Cologne Cathedral Treasury. It is a beautifully crafted shrine from 1633.

☠️ The shrine houses the relics of Saint Engelbert of Cologne, a prominent figure in the city’s history and the Archbishop of Cologne from 1216-1225. Engelbert was known for his efforts to promote his direct authority in the Archbishopric of Cologne. He was one of the most powerful medieval rulers of Cologne. But not to everyone’s pleasure: in 1225 he was murdered by a relative while traveling.

🎙️ To learn more about this affair, check out the new podcast episode 71.

01/05/2024

🛞 Not far away from today’s Severin’s Gate, Friedrich of Isenberg, the murderer of Archbishop Engelbert I, was executed with a wheel in 1226.

🩸Why did Friedrich von Isenberg kill his uncle Engelbert? Find out in the latest podcast episode!

29/04/2024

⚔️ 😇 From wielding both spiritual and secular authority to navigating treacherous political landscapes, Engelbert’s (1185-1225) story is one of ambition, intrigue, and enduring fascination. Join us as we unravel the captivating saga of this enigmatic historical figure in the latest podcast episode of The History of Cologne.

11/04/2024

🏰 One of the last big chunks of the medieval city wall of Cologne can be found at Sachsenring in the southwest corner of the Old Town.

Learn more about Cologne’s medieval city wall in the latest podcast episode. Link in bio!

04/04/2024

29/03/2024

✝️ On Good Friday, Christians commemorate the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. His resurrection after three days is considered one of the central messages of their faith.

😇 In „Holy Cologne“, this was of course also the case. Dutch artists from the first half of the 14th century created this artistic masterpiece from wood, which you can also see at over Easter.

🎨 People were prepared to go to great lengths to create such works of art. The wood came from the Baltic region and was imported to the Netherlands for this purpose. As part of an altar in a French church, it was offered on the art market in 1960 and purchased for the Schnütgen Museum in 1963. Missing female figures followed in 2012.