Come explore the Galloway Hoard with me, a Viking era treasure hoard found buried beneath a field in Galloway, Scotland back in 2014. Silver Viking arm bands, a rock crystal jar dating back to ancient Rome, a silver vessel from 4,000 miles away in present day Iran - these treasures hidden around the year 900 are incredible. But, upon closer inspection, they raise more questions than answers. Is this actually Viking treasure? Arm bands are very Viking. But then why do they have inscriptions on them written in Anglo-Saxon runes, a form of Old English? Why is there a Christian cross? Reference to a Bishop? And what does the mysterious inscription "DIS IS IIGNA F" mean? We'll uncover all of this and more to reveal a tumultuous time in an ever changing world.

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Sources:

• National Museums Scotland "Discover the Galloway Hoard"
• Smithsonian Magazine "A Proposed Translation Hints at the Origins of the Mysterious Galloway Hoard"
• NorthLink Ferries "The Galloway Hoard - an interview with Martin Goldberg"
• Wikipedia "Galloway Hoard"

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In the early morning hours of January 30, 1889 Crown Prince Rudolf, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, murdered his 17 year old mistress and then took his own life at his hunting lodge in Mayerling, Austria. The details of this apparent murder suicide were pretty straightforward. But, in the confusion that followed, much was done to cover up the details of what actually happened. Evidence was covered up, misinformation was spread, and medical records were falsified. In the end, a seemingly cut and dry murder suicide was twisted into a complete mystery. That is, until 2015 when a hand written letter was discovered inside of a brown leather folder in a safety deposit box in Vienna. Let’s fix that.

Sources:

• The History Blog “Mary Vetsera’s Suicide Notes Found in Vienna Bank”
• Wikipedia “Mayerling Incident”
• Czech Center Houston Museum “The Mayerling Incident”
• Encyclopedia Britannica “Archduke Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria”
• Wikimedia Commons “Mayerling Final Letter”

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This week we're delving into the assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, on June 28, 1914. This death was especially significant because it's often cited as the catalyst that started World War I. But that's never really made sense to me. Why would the death of this one man compel over 100 countries to involve themselves in the most horrific war the world had ever known, the Great War? Let's fix that.

Support the show!

• Join the Patreon (patreon.com/historyfixpodcast)
• Buy some merch
• Buy Me a Coffee
• Venmo @Shea-LaFountaine

Sources:

• History.com "The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand"
• Norwich University "Six Causes of World War I"
• The National WWI Museum and Memorial "June 28, 1914"

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