Explaining the 1500s: The West's Rubedo
Explaining the 1500s: The West's Rubedo  
Podcast: History 102 with WhatifAltHist's Rudyard Lynch and Austin Padgett
Published On: Mon Oct 05 2026
Description: In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett discuss the economic and political shifts of 16th-century Europe, the evolution of military tactics during the rise of capitalism, and the cultural movements of the Renaissance and Protestant Reformation. -- SPONSOR: ZCASH The right technology reshapes politics and culture toward freedom and prosperity. Zcash—the "machinery of freedom"—delivers unstoppable private money through encryption. When your wealth is unseen, it's unseizable. Download Zashi wallet and follow @genzcash to learn more: ⁠⁠https://x.com/genzcash⁠⁠ -- FOLLOW ON X: @whatifalthist (Rudyard) @LudwigNverMises (Austin) @TurpentineMedia -- TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Introduction (00:16) 16th vs 17th Century Europe (05:20) European Breakthrough and Capitalism (10:30) Evolution of Medieval Chivalric Honor (25:49) Geopolitics Across the European Continent (31:42) Nation Building in Early Modern Spain (01:08:01) Sandbox Warfare of the Italian Wars (01:38:00) Major Movements Shaping the Age Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices