The Chronicles of Crisis

23/02/2023

In the meantime, please be aware of the following fundraiser. The writer and narrator of this series, Rob Ferguson, has been busy cobbling together a project to construct non-profit housing in Ukraine for refugees when the war is over.

As listeners to this series know, crises like wars of conquest lead to enormous refugee crises. We intend to build a family-friendly community of 36 townhomes outside of Kyiv for those displaced by the war. We know inflation has taken a bite out of everyone’s budgets, but if you can find a few bucks to donate to this it would be most appreciated. Thanks! And look out for more content from us in 2023!

My name is Rob Ferguson and I am fundraising to begin construction on a to… Robert Ferguson needs your support for Townhouse Community for Ukrainian Refugees

23/02/2023

Hello All!

Though we have been dormant for a while, please know we have not disappeared. I promise there will be new and glorious content sometime in 2023. I feel a little like George R R Martin saying that, but it’s true! We have recorded several more hours of excellent content, but need to retrieve it from a hard drive with some tech issues. This will be resolved sometime this year and so a lot of content will be dumped at once. Thanks for your patience!

27/08/2020

Good News Everyone,

Chronicles of Crisis is now on Spotify! You can now reach back into the deep distance past (April) to listen to our entire first miniseries on the Black Death..... The Invisible Enemy.

18/08/2020

Good news Comrades,

Our glorious Marxist theoreticians have decided that owning pets is a Bourgeois indulgence. Therefore, all Comrades with pets are guilty of capitalist thinking and must surrender their dogs immediately.

Also good news for our comrades, those same theoreticians have determined that it is consistent with Proletarian consciousness to have your own luxury train, horse racing track, beachside villas, Dennis Rodman’s phone number, and harems. Therefore, our workers will not be required to surrender any of those things that they might own.

Your Pal and Glorious Leader,

Kim-Jong Un

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/news.sky.com/story/amp/north-koreans-forced-to-give-up-pet-dogs-for-restaurant-meat-amid-food-shortages-12051212

The move by leader Kim Jong Un is apparently aimed at appeasing public discontent amid a dire economic situation, a report says.

06/08/2020

After seeing the horrible explosion in Beirut this week, I was reminded of the chilling scenes from Halifax over a century ago.

I cannot imagine the pain and anguish that is coursing through Beirut right now, and hope that the city will manage to rebuild its infrastructure and it’s community. Like Halifax did after that terrible accident.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IHJBv2HAMDw

On Dec. 6, 1917, an immense explosion wiped out much of the port city of Halifax, Nova Scotia, killing more than 1,800 people, when a French ship carrying to...

15/07/2020

I don’t know if you guys saw this, but apparently a squirrel was diagnosed with Black Plague in Colorado....

America is prepared for this, right?

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/abcnews.go.com/amp/US/squirrel-tests-positive-bubonic-plague-colorado/story%3fid=71769840

Public health officials have announced that a squirrel in Colorado has tested positive for the bubonic plague.

15/07/2020

This is a really good cartoon of the Peasant’s Revolt in 1381, the origins of which lie in the Blck Death period of the 1340s and 1350s. You should check out this video, and then be sure to listen to Episode 4 of our Invisible Enemy mini series.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=y9HpDlv0rGc

In this video we look at the outbreak of the Great Revolt of 1381, more popularly known and the Peasants' Revolt. Where did the revolt start? How did it spre...

03/07/2020

Hey All,

Long time no chat. So the global lockdowns appear to be ending and we seem to be heading into the much anticipated “new normal.” Who knows what the results of that might be.

The “new normal” after the Black Death exacerbated existing tensions and led to tremendous amounts of social and economic change. You can listen to all of that in episodes 2,3, and 4 of the Invisible Enemy mini-series posted below. I hope you enjoy!



https://www.buzzsprout.com/963832

An in-depth mini-series on the histories of the most catastrophic crises to shake civilization.

01/06/2020

Do you have questions about the Hundred Years War? Do you want to know an awful lot about a small part of the war? Check out episode 3...... it’s all about power politics and foreign affairs 🙂

https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/963832.rss

Written and performed by: Robert FergusonIntroductory music by: SisterBlaze Closing music by: BenSoundEdited by: Hillary Vaughan]]>

26/05/2020

“What’s new with the plague?” Is a really Gossipy headline.

Still, an interesting recent interview with a real expert on these things.

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/medicalxpress.com/news/2020-04-plague.amp

Pandemics of the past are getting new attention and the plague of the 14th century was among the most consequential. Known as the Black Death, it was medieval, European, bubonic and spread by rats – at least that's what most of us think. Much of that needs adjustment, however, in large part due to...

12/05/2020

Are you tired of reading, watching, and listening to all things Covid-19, but still feel like you can’t turn away from pandemics?

Try the Chronicles of Crisis “Invisible Enemy” mini-series.

You can find the ENTIRE 4 Episode mini-series below. 3 whole hours of engaging social, cultural, political, scientific, military, and economic history.

https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/963832.rss

Written and performed by: Robert FergusonIntroductory music by: SisterBlaze Closing music by: BenSoundEdited by: Hillary Vaughan]]>

12/05/2020

Hey Loyal Listeners,

Check the article below about how the Blck Death affected musical styles in Europe. I sure wish I had gotten into this in Episode 2! Oh well... Episode 2 is still pretty cool if you haven’t listened to it yet.

https://www.wqxr.org/story/weird-classical-history-black-death-music-parties/

The Black Death ravaged continental Europe during the middle of the 14th century. But while some fled death's grip, others made it a musical party.

07/05/2020

Hey Everybody!

We have been up for a whole week and have had hundreds of downloads from ALL OVER THE WORLD!

The feedback we have received has been extremely positive. If you haven’t listened to us yet, you are missing out. Check out the link below to see what you have missed!

https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/963832.rss

Written and performed by: Robert FergusonIntroductory music by: SisterBlaze Closing music by: BenSoundEdited by: Hillary Vaughan]]>

04/05/2020

I’d really like to thank Yaroslav Kovalchuk for this extremely generous review.

01/05/2020

Happy Friday Everyone!

In the Middle Ages that means that its a Fast Day.

I tried fasting, but only made it until Brunch.

https://www.medievalists.net/2019/11/why-people-medieval-were-fasting-on-fridays/

In British Library MS Harley 2253, there exists a short passage which explains 'Reasons for Fasting on Friday'

30/04/2020

This is a reminder that the ENTIRE mini-series on the Black Death is already available.

Subscribe at the link below:

https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/963832.rss

Written and performed by: Robert FergusonIntroductory music by: SisterBlaze Closing music by: BenSoundEdited by: Hillary Vaughan]]>

30/04/2020

For those of you keeners who have already finished episode 2, I though this might be of interest.

It’s a piece on touring the Papal Palace at Avignon. The spot from which the Papacy lived a life of luxurious exile during the 14th century.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/api.nationalgeographic.com/distribution/public/amp/travel/destinations/europe/france/Avignon/historic-center-papal-palace-world-heritage-site

This picturesque city was once the seat of power for the Catholic Church.

29/04/2020

Lockdown Happy Hour #1:

Feeling adventurous, yet terrified of disease? Try "Plague Party," a cocktail made by in Minneapolis. This was believed to help cure Black Plague in the 17th century. The recipe is actually pretty simple:

1 Ounce Green Chartreuse
1/2 Ounce Becherovka
1/2 Ounce Pineapple Juice
1/4 Ounce Honey Sage Syrup (see article on how to prepare)
1/4 Ounce Lime juice.

I have been told that it pairs well with Episodes 1 and 2 of the Chronicles of Crisis; "Invisible Enemy".

You can read about this drinks' fun history by following the link.

Thanks to Tattersall Distilling and the Minneapolis Institute of Art for all of their hard work.

https://artsmia.github.io/alcohols-empire/recipes/plague-water/

29/04/2020

A warm good morning to all of our new fans. I have received word that the link to THE ENTIRE MINI-SERIES that I sent out is not working for a couple of people. Check out this other link below:

Happy listening!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/963832

An in-depth mini-series on the histories of the most catastrophic crises to shake civilization.

28/04/2020

I would like to thank everyone who liked our page today! Already over 20 likes. Wow!

Thank you so much for supporting great podcast content!

28/04/2020

Episode Listing:

Episode 1: The Pale Rider: 45 mins.
- An intro to the Black Death. Epidemiological and scientific origins and approaches. (includes Mongols!)

Episode 2: Plague and Piety: 59 mins.
- Religious and cultural consequences of the Black Death. (A whole bunch of Medieval Christian and cultural history).

Episode 3: Power and Pestilence: 46 mins.
-Politics of the Black Death in England. How do you wage a war when 40% of your population are dying of Plague? (Edward III, The Black Prince, The Hundred Years War, and even a few Braveheart references.)

Episode 4: Outbreak of Modernity: 39 mins.
-Institutions crumble as the Black Death wreaks havoc on the Medieval economy, leading to revolts and massive institutional change. (Malthus, Adam Smith, and capitalism?)

Check it out below:

https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/963832.rss

Written and performed by: Robert FergusonIntroductory music by: SisterBlaze Closing music by: BenSoundEdited by: Hillary Vaughan]]>

28/04/2020

It’s here!

The Invisible Enemy launches..... Right Now.

The link below should let you listen to it in your favorite podcast listening software.

Make sure to Subscribe!

The introduction and all 4 episodes are available immediately!

https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/963832.rss

Written and performed by: Robert FergusonIntroductory music by: SisterBlaze Closing music by: BenSoundEdited by: Hillary Vaughan]]>

28/04/2020

27/04/2020

Ibn Khaldun was a Fourteenth Century Islamic historian whose parents were both lost to the Black Death. He gets a brief mention in both episodes 1 and 2 of "The Invisible Enemy." He was an excellent scholar and really warrants considerably more discussion than I devoted to him in the Podcast. Check him out on Wikipedia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibn_Khaldun

Ibn Khaldun (/ˈɪbən kælˈduːn/; Arabic: أبو زيد عبد الرحمن بن محمد بن خلدون الحضرمي‎, Abū Zayd ‘Abd ar-Raḥmān ibn Muḥammad ibn Khaldūn al-Ḥaḍramī; 27 May 1332 – 17 March 1406) was an Arab Muslim historiographer and historian.[8] He was a fore...

27/04/2020

In both episodes 1 and 2 of "The Invisible Enemy", Boccaccio's book "The Decameron" is discussed. For those interested in reading the Decameron, you can find it for free here.

https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Decameron_of_Giovanni_Boccaccio/oTU3AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&printsec=frontcover

27/04/2020

Announcement:

We are proud to announce that the first miniseries of The Chronicles of Crisis will be released on Tuesday April 28, 2020.

It will be called "The Invisible Enemy" and is a four episode in-depth examination of the history of the Black Death in Europe between 1347-1352. Total run-time is about 3 hours.

Get ready for the newest history podcast!

27/04/2020

Welcome to The Chronicles of Crisis podcast page. Through this page you can get recent updates on the next Chronicles of Crisis releases, get in touch with us, and find some really cool additional info on the histories of the crises we undertake.