In this episode of History For Weirdos, we dive into one of the most bizarre conflicts in medieval history: the War of the Bucket. Set in 14th-century northern Italy, this seemingly ridiculous war between the city-states of Modena and Bologna is famously said to have started over a stolen wooden bucket—yes, a bucket. But as we peel back the layers, we uncover a much deeper story rooted in political rivalries, ideological warfare between the Guelphs and Ghibellines, and centuries of escalating tensions that finally exploded into open battle in 1325.

We explore how this short but brutal war culminated in the Battle of Zappolino, where Modena, despite being outnumbered, outmaneuvered Bologna in a decisive victory that left thousands dead and one wooden bucket as the war’s most enduring trophy. Along the way, we unpack the roles of major figures like Passerino Bonacolsi, Pope John XXII, and Cardinal Bertrand du Pouget, and examine how the absurdity of this conflict masks serious lessons about human pride, political symbolism, and the irrational causes of war. This is history at its weirdest—and most revealing.

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Sources for this week:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_the_Bucket

https://allthatsinteresting.com/war-of-the-bucket

https://www.historynet.com/what-we-learned-from-the-battle-of-zappolino-1325/

https://historyfacts.com/world-history/fact/war-of-the-bucket/

https://oddfeed.net/the-war-of-the-bucket-when-two-italian-city-states-fought-over-a-pilfered-pail/

https://www.historicmysteries.com/videos/war-of-the-bucket/39131/

https://www.slashlore.com/war-of-the-bucket-1325/

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Episode 156: The War of the Bucket

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