#29 Hildebold and Charlemagne – a lifelong friendship

#29 Hildebold and Charlemagne – a lifelong friendship – The History of Cologne

A fateful encounter at the end of the 8th century. A young priest named Hildebold is celebrating mass in a small village church just outside the city of Cologne. A huntsman enters the church and is immediately taken by the priest's modesty and piety. What Hildebold does not know, however. This man is not a hunter. He is Charlemagne. Why does the King of the Franks disguise himself as a hunter here in Cologne? You will find out in this episode.

A fateful encounter at the end of the 8th century. A young priest named Hildebold is celebrating mass in a small village church just outside the city of Cologne. A huntsman enters the church and is immediately taken by the priest’s modesty and piety. What Hildebold does not know, however. This man is not a hunter. He is Charlemagne. Why does the King of the Franks disguise himself as a hunter here in Cologne? You will find out in this episode.

Charlemagne and Kunibert of Cologne become best friends in the 780s. With the king’s help Hildebold gets appointed as the new bishop of Cologne. Together they reform the Frankish Empire. The so-called Carolingian Renaissance would reform the Frankish Empire and the whole of Western Europe forever.

#101 Founding of Düsseldorf and the Aftermath of Worringen – The History of Cologne

In this episode, we explore the aftermath of the Battle of Worringen and the bold move by Count Adolf V of Berg that changed the Rhineland forever. Discover how a power vacuum—created by the imprisonment of the Archbishop of Cologne—led to the birth of Düsseldorf as a town on August 14, 1288. We dive into the tactical errors and turning points of one of the Middle Ages' greatest knightly battles, where the forces of Brabant, Berg, and the citizens of Cologne triumphed over the Archbishop’s coalition. The discussion covers the long-term consequences of this victory, including the de facto independence of Cologne, the rise of the House of Berg as a sovereign power, and how these events shaped the enduring rivalry between Cologne and Düsseldorf.