Hello everyone, this is Robin Pearson from the History of Byzantium podcast. If you're one of those

people who loves Roman history but thinks it all ends in the 5th century, then do I have a treat for you?

Roman history has only just begun. Come to Constantinople with me and hear about the second Roman millennium,

which is filled with some of the

greatest stories in history. Find the history of Byzantium wherever you get your podcasts or visit

the history of Byzantium.com. But for now, it's back to Dirk and the history of the Germans.

Hello and welcome to the history of the Germans. Hello and welcome to the history of the Germans.

Episode 52, the honors of the empire.

This week we finally get our narrative going.

Barbarossa will boost the honor of the empire

by burning cities, hanging heretics,

slaughtering rebel-rousing Romans, and inventing the concept of the empire by burning cities, hanging heretics, slaughtering rebel-rousing Romans and inventing the concept of the university. But before we start, just a reminder,

the history of the Germans podcast is advertising free thanks to the general support from patrons.

And you can become a patron too and enjoy exclusive bonus episodes and other privileges

from the price of a latte per month. All you have to do is sign up at patreon.com slash

History of the Germans or on my website, history of the Germans.com. You find all the links in the

show notes. And thanks a lot to Elliot, Otto and Craig who have already signed up.

Last week we talked amongst other things about the new generation of princes who surrounded Barbarossa.

These young men, and I'm afraid they're all men, had a very different outlook from their forefathers. They saw the provincial

kings of France and England rising up in the world, whilst their ruler, Conrad III,

could not even acquire the imperial crown, let alone be the universal monarch his title made him

out to be. The weakness of the king reflected the weakness of the empire, and that by extension meant that

...