In today's episode, we'll take a look at the evidence from early Minoan history, beginning with pre-history and working up to the Neo-Palatial period. While the items we'll discuss are beautiful and tell us a lot about the artistic focus of Minoan culture, we'll also try to discern the line between fact and fiction when it comes to theories of a Minoan thalassocracy, or, the so-called Minoan 'empire of the sea.'

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This episode originally aired on David Crowther's wonderful History of England podcast. Please check it out here if you haven't yet. His episodes regarding Henry V may help put this specific episode in context, as well.

This episode covers the military aspirations of King Henry V, with a particular focus on his use of naval power. The story of his flagship, the Grace Dieu, serves as a fitting indicator of the dynamics at play during the period and the decline of naval power following Henry V's death.