Hell On Earth album artwork

From the creators of Hell of Presidents—one of Entertainment Weekly’s best podcasts of 2021—and Chapo Trap House, the political podcast that’s made more people angrier than any other, comes a new history podcast series, Hell on Earth: The 30 Years War and the Violent Birth of Capitalism, launching on Chapo Trap House’s Patreon on January 11th, 2023.

Hell on Earth will tell the story of the Thirty Years War, the cataclysmic outbreak of violence in central Europe that lasted from 1618–1648. It’s the story of the long crisis of the 17th century, the birth of Protestantism and the collapse of Catholic Christendom, and ultimately, the gleaming T-800 Terminator skeleton of Capitalism emerging from the rotting corpse of Feudalism. It’s a story of lurid violence from a bygone age, of hot death on the battlefield, and cool intrigue in the palaces of Kings and Emperors. But it’s also the story of climate change, financial collapse, moral panics, speculative bubbles, pandemic, crisis in institutional legitimacy, of conspiracy theories driving policy, and an information revolution that changes the way everyday people relate to their political leaders. Sound familiar? This is the birth of modernity.

In ten episodes, hosts Matt Christman and Chris Wade will guide listeners from Luther’s 95 Theses to the English Glorious Revolution, and all the blood spilled in between, with their signature mix of historical analysis and ribald humor. Find all episodes of Hell on Earth here.

Hell on Earth is available everywhere you get podcasts.

Stream or download the Hell on Earth soundtrack on Bandcamp.