Human Circus: Journeys in the Medieval World

The 15th-century Russian merchant and traveller journeys back from India. If you like what you hear and want to chip in to support the podcast, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠my Patreon is here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. I'm on BlueSky ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@a-devon.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@humancircuspod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and I have some things on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Redbubble⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Sources: Afanasy Nikitin's Voyage Beyond The Three Seas, 1466–1472. Geografgiz, 1960. Alam, Muzaffar and Subrahmanyam, Sanjay. Indo-Persian Travels in the Age of Discoveries, 1400-1800. Cambridge University Press, 2007. Belkov, Gregory. The Journey Beyond Three Seas of Afanasij Nikitin in A.D. 1466-1472 : Establishment of Text, Translation and Commentary. University of British Columbia, 1950. Paulau, Stanislau. “Embodying the World beyond Three Seas: India in the Imagination of the Mediaeval Rus," in Body, Emotion and Mind. ‛Embodying’ the Experiences in Indo-European Encounters, edited by Martin Tamcke and Gladson Jathanna. LIT Verlag, 2013. Romano, John. Medieval Travel and Travellers: A Reader. University of Toronto Press, 2020. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Afanasy Nikitin, a 15th-century Russian merchant, sets out from Tver and immediately runs into trouble before travelling to India. If you like what you hear and want to chip in to support the podcast, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠my Patreon is here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. I'm on BlueSky ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@a-devon.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@humancircuspod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and I have some things on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Redbubble⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Sources: Afanasy Nikitin's Voyage Beyond The Three Seas, 1466–1472. Geografgiz, 1960. Alam, Muzaffar and Subrahmanyam, Sanjay. Indo-Persian Travels in the Age of Discoveries, 1400-1800. Cambridge University Press, 2007. Belkov, Gregory. The Journey Beyond Three Seas of Afanasij Nikitin in A.D. 1466-1472 : Establishment of Text, Translation and Commentary. University of British Columbia, 1950. Paulau, Stanislau. “Embodying the World beyond Three Seas: India in the Imagination of the Mediaeval Rus," in Body, Emotion and Mind. ‛Embodying’ the Experiences in Indo-European Encounters, edited by Martin Tamcke and Gladson Jathanna. LIT Verlag, 2013. Romano, John. Medieval Travel and Travellers: A Reader. University of Toronto Press, 2020. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Osman flees Vienna and reaches freedom, with success and suffering on the other side. If you like what you hear and want to chip in to support the podcast, ⁠⁠⁠⁠my Patreon is here⁠⁠⁠⁠. I'm on BlueSky ⁠⁠⁠⁠@a-devon.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠, Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠@humancircuspod⁠⁠⁠⁠, and I have some things on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Redbubble⁠⁠⁠⁠. Sources: Osman Aga of Timisoara. Prisoner of the Infidels. Edited, translated, and introduced by Giancarlo Casale. University of California Press, 2021. Olin, Timothy. The Banat of Temesvar: Borderland Colonization in the Habsburg Monarchy. Stanford University Press, 2025. Yaycıoğlu, Ali. "On the Ottoman Arguments during the Congress of Karlowitz (1699)," in Territorial Imaginaries: Beyond the Sovereign Map, edited by Kären Wigen. University of Chicago Press, 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Osman's time in the city of Vienna is punctuated by violent misadventure, an unlikely career in sweets, and an ethical failing. If you like what you hear and want to chip in to support the podcast, ⁠⁠⁠my Patreon is here⁠⁠⁠. I'm on BlueSky ⁠⁠⁠@a-devon.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠, Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@humancircuspod⁠⁠⁠, and I have some things on ⁠⁠⁠Redbubble⁠⁠⁠. Sources: Osman Aga of Timisoara. Prisoner of the Infidels. Edited, translated, and introduced by Giancarlo Casale. University of California Press, 2021. An Ottoman Traveller: Selections from the Book of Travels of Evliya Çelebi. Translation and commentary by Robert Dankoff and Sooyong Kim. Eland, 2010. Finkel, Caroline. Osman's Dream: The History of the Ottoman Empire. Basic Books, 2005. Robertson, Angus. The Crossroads of Civilization: A History of Vienna. Simon and Schuster, 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The story of Osman of Timisoara continues, and on this episode we follow him out of his initial adventures in captivity and into the years that came after, years of "toil and misery," he would say, along with hunger and sickness, but also of surprising moments of friendship and intimacy. If you like what you hear and want to chip in to support the podcast, ⁠⁠my Patreon is here⁠⁠. I'm on BlueSky ⁠⁠@a-devon.bsky.social⁠⁠, Instagram ⁠⁠@humancircuspod⁠⁠, and I have some things on ⁠⁠Redbubble⁠⁠. Sources: Osman Aga of Timisoara. Prisoner of the Infidels. Edited, translated, and introduced by Giancarlo Casale. University of California Press, 2021. Büsching, Anton Friedrich. A New System of Geography, Volume 4. A. Millar, 1762. Finkel, Caroline. Osman's Dream: The History of the Ottoman Empire. Basic Books, 2005. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a fit of extreme absentmindedness, I forgot to upload this episode after recording it and then did the same thing for part 3 in the series! Osman of Timisoara 3 and 4 will follow this over the next few days. Within the larger life-travels of Osman's book, this is going to be a relatively short journey, but as you'll hear, it will still be quite a stressful one. Osman needed to get to Timisoara, collect the payment for his freedom, and then bring that money back to his captor. You will not be shocked to learn that there would be misadventures along the way. If you like what you hear and want to chip in to support the podcast, ⁠my Patreon is here⁠. I'm on BlueSky ⁠@a-devon.bsky.social⁠, Instagram ⁠@humancircuspod⁠, and I have some things on ⁠Redbubble⁠. Sources: Osman Agha of Timisoara. Prisoner of the Infidels. Edited, translated, and introduced by Giancarlo Casale. University of California Press, 2021. Finkel, Caroline. Osman's Dream: The History of the Ottoman Empire. Basic Books, 2005. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A departure from our usual historical period for the 17th-century story of Osman Agha of Timisoara, an Ottoman soldier taken prisoner in the years after the Battle of Vienna. If you like what you hear and want to chip in to support the podcast, my Patreon is here. I'm on BlueSky @a-devon.bsky.social, Instagram @humancircuspod, and I have some things on Redbubble. Sources: Osman Agha of Timisoara. Prisoner of the Infidels. Edited, translated, and introduced by Giancarlo Casale. University of California Press, 2021. Finkel, Caroline. Osman's Dream: The History of the Ottoman Empire. Basic Books, 2005. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A 12th-century execution and the mixed messages in the chronicles around how things had gotten to that point. Did William with the Long Beard offer a better life to those unhappy in Richard I's London, or did he just take advantage of their misery to serve his own vices? If you like what you hear and want to chip in to support the podcast, my Patreon is here.I'm on BlueSky @a-devon.bsky.social, Instagram @humancircuspod, and I have some things on Redbubble.Sources: The Annals of Roger de Hoveden, translated by Henry T. Riley. Henry G. Bohn, 1853. The Church Historians of England, volume IV, part II, translated by Joseph Stevenson. Seeley's, 1861. Roger of Wendover's Flowers of History, translated by J. A. Giles. Henry G. Bohn, 1849. Alexander, Dominic. "'The People are the Waters': Social Revolt in London, 1196-1381," Counterfire. May 30, 2021. Dennis, David E P. "The Rise and Fall of William Fitz Osbert." McEwan, John. "William FitzOsbert and the Crisis of 1196 in London," Florilegium. Volume 21, 2004. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The conclusion of Nasir Khusraw's pilgrimage is filled with harrowing and enlightening moments. He faces physical and spiritual challenges while traveling through drought-stricken areas and deserts. The journey to Mecca includes rich landscapes and dangerous encounters with factions. Post-pilgrimage, Nasir reflects on his contrasting views of Taif, revealing the subjectivity of travel. Amid his hard journey toward home, he establishes a center of learning in exile, making profound contributions to philosophy and poetry.

Embark on an 11th-century adventure with philosopher Nasir Khosrow as he journeys from Jerusalem to vibrant Fatimid Egypt. Experience the hospitality at the shrine of Abraham and the bustling markets of Tinnis, known for its textiles. Discover the architectural wonders and daily life of Cairo, while contrasting the optimism of Al-Mustansir’s era with the brewing crises. Delve into the peace and justice of the caliphate that fostered trade and religious welfare, all set against the backdrop of a fascinating medieval landscape.