Prompt Cast
The End of the Soviet Union and the Coronation of Charlemagne: A Tale of Two Christmases
TLDR This podcast episode explores the events of December 25th, 1991, when Mikhail Gorbachev resigned as president of the Soviet Union, marking the end of the state and the Cold War, and the coronation of Charlemagne on Christmas Day, which revived the line of emperors and marked the dawn of the Holy Roman Empire. These two events, separated by centuries, symbolize the collapse of one empire and the rise of another, and the subsequent chaos and tragedy that followed in both cases.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
The first episode of the 12 Days of Christmas podcasts discusses the end of the Soviet Union on December 25, 1991, and the coronation of Charlemagne on Christmas Day.
04:09
The Franks emerged as the most powerful kingdom in the West after the collapse of the Roman Empire, with the Emperor in Constantinople and the Bishop of Rome as other significant players in Christian Europe.
08:01
Leo III, the new Pope, is ambushed and blinded by his predecessor's relatives, but miraculously regains his sight and speech, and then meets with Charlemagne in Paderborn before returning to Rome, where Charlemagne legitimizes Leo's papacy and convenes a synod, while in Constantinople, Irene blinds her own son to become Empress.
12:12
Charlemagne is crowned as Emperor in Rome, reviving the line of emperors that had been extinguished since the fifth century, and this marks the dawn of the Holy Roman Empire.
15:50
On December 25, 1991, Mikhail Gorbachev resigns as president of the Soviet Union, marking the end of the state and the Cold War, despite the belief that the Soviet Union would not dissolve.
19:36
Gorbachev's simultaneous economic and political reforms have alienated both ordinary Russians and elites, leading to a situation where he is caught between liberals and conservatives, resulting in a coup by hardliners who lock him up in his dacha in the Crimea and seize power in Moscow, but the coup ultimately collapses due to the actions of Boris Yeltsin, leading to a rush of events including the outlawing of the Communist Party in Russia and Ukraine asserting its sovereignty.
23:04
The collapse of the Soviet Union becomes inevitable as more republics declare their independence and Gorbachev agrees to hand over power to Yeltsin on Christmas Day.
26:35
The collapse of the Soviet Union leads to a symbolic moment where the red flag is taken down and the white, blue, and red tricolor of Russia is raised, marking the end of the Soviet era and the beginning of a tumultuous period for the Russian people.
30:28
The collapse of the Soviet Union and the subsequent chaos and tragedy that followed is seen as a moment of disaster for many ordinary Russians, leading to the rise of leaders like Putin who are seen as better alternatives to the tumultuous 1990s.
Categories:
History
