CONTENT WARNING: The following episode includes discussion of war, with references to physical and sexual violence. Listener discretion is advised. This multi-episode series is about the history of relations between the United States and the Middle East, including both US foreign policy and the Middle Eastern immigrant experience. This episode is a brief history of the Middle East and Mediterranean regions, from the decline of the Roman Empire to the rise of the Ottoman Empire. In the first episode of Potstirrer Podcast not to center on US politics or culture, Jaye discusses the Great Schism, the rise and fall of the Byzantine Empire, the Crusades, and more. Featured Content: Dearborn Girl Podcast: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/dearborn-girl YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC14-ifYl5e4PDohYUHVAW5Q Twitter: @potstirrercast IG: @potstirrerpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/potstirrerpodcast/ Website: PotstirrerPodcast.com Source Material: https://www.vox.com/world/2018/6/19/17469176/roman-empire-maps-history-explained https://www.historyhit.com/divorce-and-decline-the-division-of-east-and-west-roman-empires/ https://istanbulclues.com/byzantine-empire-map-information-facts/ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Christianity/The-Schism-of-1054 https://www.britannica.com/biography/Michael-Cerularius https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Leo-IX https://www.britannica.com/event/Crusades https://www.history.com/topics/middle-ages/crusades https://www.warhistoryonline.com/medieval/9-factors-caused-first-crusade.html https://www.historynet.com/fourth-crusade-the-second-siege-of-constantinople.htm https://newrepublic.com/article/154170/owns-crusades https://www.ancient.eu/article/1249/the-crusades-causes--goals/ http://www.umich.edu/~marcons/Crusades/timeline/summaries/fourth_crusade.htm https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zjbj6sg/revision/1 https://www.history.com/news/why-muslims-see-the-crusades-so-differently-from-christians http://www.allaboutturkey.com/ottoman.htm https://www.britannica.com/place/Ottoman-Empire/Osman-and-Orhan https://www.history.com/topics/middle-east/ottoman-empire http://www.allaboutturkey.com/janissary.htm Music: Potstirrer Podcast Theme composed by Jon Biegen from Stranger Still http://strangerstillshow.com/ http://jonathanbiegen.com Blue Moon composed by JVNA Dreaming in 432Hz composed by Unicorn Heads Destination Unknown composed by Ugonna Onyekwe Your Suggestions composed by Unicorn Heads Mist composed by Odonis Odonis Epic Battle Speech composed by Wayne Jones