Super moody on the Malaren this morning (even if our Dorsetshire Jack Russell can’t help but lighten the mood).

En route back to Stockholm from Cornwall. Lovely to enjoy the wild shores of my home county for a few days, and to see my latest piece and the wonderful work of the History Today picture editors just now in T2!

The Vatican’s survival has always depended on a precarious balancing act between the #pope’s religious and secular powers. 🔒 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗪𝗮̈𝗿𝗻𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗴’𝘀 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 buff.ly/41rJG0Z

My latest for History Today: how the popes became princes of states stretching across the Italian peninsula, and why the pope remains sovereign of the world’s smallest state today.

The #pope’s survival has always depended on a precarious balancing act between his religious and secular powers. 🔒 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗪𝗮̈𝗿𝗻𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗴’𝘀 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 buff.ly/41rJG0Z

For me, this is the enduring image of the Papacy. May Pope Francis rest in peace.

Dan Snow's History Hit episode "A History of Popes": podfollow.com/dan-snows-hist…. "Dan is joined by Jessica Wärnberg, author of City of Echoes". Jessica Wärnberg

Very happy to be back on the History Show on RTÉ Radio 1 Irish national radio, talking about the history of papal elections at 6pm Irish time today! RTE History Show

On tonight's show: @JessicaWarnberg talks to Myles about the origins of the Papal Conclave. Tune in to RTÉ Radio One from 6PM.

With the conclave on the horizon and the anniversary of Catherine of Siena (d.1380) today, I can't help but recall her fiery admonition of the cardinals who elected and then abandoned Urban VI, whom she denounced as 'wretched and cowardly knights’ and 'columns, worse than straw'.

The Papal Conclave • @JessicaWarnberg discusses the origins of the Papal Conclave with @mylesdungan1 on @rtehistoryshow. ~ Timely context buff.ly/Bt3VsMt #history #conclave #edchatie

I interviewed Cardinal Arborelius for The Catholic Herald when he was elevated to the cardinalate: thecatholicherald.com/meet-swedens-f…

The election of the Pope has always been a blend of the sacred, the political, and the downright theatrical. In today's Gone Medieval, Dr. Eleanor Janega and Jessica Wärnberg look into the fascinating medieval origins of the Conclave: eu1.hubs.ly/H0jMhv30 Dr Eleanor Janega

This was a really stimulating conversation - and incredibly fun to record!

If you have historical papal conclave questions *we have answers*. Jessica Wärnberg was an absolute peach and we say bring back election via dove. 🕊️

As we enter the next Conclave tomorrow, get an excellent historical perspective via this History Hit💥 podcast with Jessica Wärnberg....❤🙏 I would also recommend her book #CityOfEchoes...👏

Good morning from Stockholm, where spring has deigned to show herself!

Spanish vs Swedish claims to Gothic heritage: The 🇪🇸 and 🇸🇪 claims of Gothic origins led to a clash at the Council of Basel in 1434. Before the assembled cardinals and delegations could engage in theological discussion, they had to decide how to sit during the proceedings.