History 102 with WhatifAltHist's Rudyard Lynch and Austin Padgett Explaining 17th Century Eastern Europe
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Oct 11, 2024 Dive into the intriguing world of 17th century Eastern Europe, where the rise and fall of Poland-Lithuania and Russia’s ascent as a great power unfold. Discover Sweden's unexpected dominance and the impact of the Cossacks and Ottoman Turks. The podcast also reveals how climatic crises affected society and explores the balance of power, freedom, and oppression, drawing parallels between historical events and modern challenges. Engaging stories and scholarly insights bring this transformative century to life!
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Rudyard's early interest in 17th Century Eastern Europe
- Rudyard Lynch developed a strong interest in 17th-century Eastern Europe after creating a video game about it in high school.
- He coded the game, where players ruled Poland-Lithuania, entirely in Python.
Three Frontiers of Western Civilization
- Western Civilization, post-intellectual breakthrough, expanded across three frontiers: Germanic (North America), Romance (South America), and Slavic (Eastern Europe).
- Each frontier reflects a distinct aspect of European civilization, with the common thread being the struggle between freedom and slavery.
Eastern Europe as a Frontier
- Eastern Europe's frontier nature is often overlooked, with colonization of some areas occurring even later than that of North America.
- Unlike the democratic outcome in North America and the corrupt entropy of South America, Eastern Europe resulted in autocracy.