Greetings fellow time travelers, great to have you with me as we journey through history, the history of the world together.

Before we get started on today's episode, once again a big thank you to the people who show their support for the podcast series that Paul and I do together by

subscribing to my Patreon.com site. It's that support there that makes the free

love letters possible so thank you to everyone who's part of the Patreon.com family. If you're not a family

member yet and you'd like to be, just go to Patreon.com, look for me by name, sign up, part with a little bit of cash,

become a member. You cash, become a member.

You get access to a weekly Q&A, a vaudcast,

competitions, really all the various things that Paul and I come up with

as we go along.

It'd be great to have his part of our family of light-minded curious questioning types.

Okay, now it's time to strap ourselves into the time machine as we set off towards the next stop on my love letter to the world.

Recorder, microphone, action. An island race who see themselves a special and uniquely blessed,

warring families and the rise of new religions, shifting alliances, assassination plots and deadly

power games, court politics and the real power behind the throne.

A clandestine meeting beneath breathtakingly beautiful with Styria trees as players move into position,

as loyalty to family above emperors or kings sets this island nation on its unique path.

Endeveering to understand history in hopes of illuminating the world.

I'm Neil Oliver and this is my love letter to the world.

Hi Neil, in last week's episode we found ourselves towards the end of the 6th century

AD and we watched as a new religion was born, grew and then swept across the world.

Which moment in history we're traveling to this week? to

the world. Which moment in history we're traveling to this week?

...