Geekery by Joe Pranevich

07/10/2025

I presented at Intelligent Speech 2025! I gave a great talk about the great lies of Prime Ministers: That Robert Walpole was the first one, that Prime Ministers exist, and that Robert Walpole advanced democracy in Britain. Give it a listen!

https://www.primefactorspodcast.com/e/prime-lies-robert-walpole-intelligent-speech-2025-presentation/

12/07/2024

Abram and I published our 13th episode, about John Stuart, a theater-loving, bug-collecting Scottish noble that befriended a prince and became an unexpected political powerhouse.

Few things made John Stuart happier than the theater or collecting specimens on the banks of the Thames. Just as he was settling in to a quiet life, a chance meeting with Prince Frederick set the Earl of Bute on an unexpected collision course with British politics.

11/02/2024

With the collapse of the Newcastle and Devonshire governments amid failures in the Seven Years War, King George II needed a leader who could right the ship of state. Instead, he chose James Waldegrave, a man whose primary qualification was that he was the young Prince George's former babysitter. It went about as well as you'd expect.

And for those of you that wanted to hear me sing (poorly) parodies of Mary Poppins songs about the corruption in 1750s Britain, this episode is for you.

With the collapse of the Newcastle and Devonshire governments amid failures in the Seven Years War, King George II needed a leader who could right the ship of state. Instead, he chose James Waldegrave, a man whose primary qualification was that he was the young Prince George's former babysitter. It....

10/11/2024

William Cavendish never wanted to be Prime Minister. But in 1756, Britain was in crisis: France was winning the Seven Years' War, the Newcastle government had collapsed, and George II was in a panic. He needed someone to hold the country steady until a more permanent government could be formed. That man was William Cavendish.

William Cavendish never wanted to be Prime Minister. But in 1756, Britain was in crisis: France was winning the Seven Years' War, the Newcastle government had collapsed, and George II was in a panic. He needed someone to hold the country steady until a more permanent government could be formed. That...

09/12/2024

We have a promo slot for our podcast! It sounds really great. We're working with other history podcasts to include our promo and I hope that brings a few new listeners.

09/08/2024

Prime Factors now has its own page as well! Please follow us over there for Prime Factors-specific stuff, and we will be positing images and maps from our episodes as we release them.

09/06/2024

We made it! We did our 10th episode!

Thomas Pelham-Holles aimed for a quiet term as Prime Minister, hoping to reduce taxes, combat smuggling, and avoid major conflicts. But when a 22-year-old George Washington accidentally ignited the Seven Years War, Pelham-Holles quickly found himself in deeper trouble than he could have imagined.

Thomas Pelham-Holles aimed for a quiet term as Prime Minister, hoping to reduce taxes, combat smuggling, and avoid major conflicts. But when a 22-year-old George Washington accidentally ignited the Seven Years War, Pelham-Holles quickly found himself in deeper trouble than he could have imagined.

08/22/2024

Thomas Pelham-Holles, heir to two fortunes, may have been spectacularly bad at managing money, but he excelled in 18th-century Whig politics. Entering the House of Lords at 21, he quickly rose to become a Duke, Lord Chamberlain, and eventually Secretary of State—despite never having stepped outside of England. Alongside his brother, Prime Minister Henry Pelham, the siblings became an unbeatable force in British politics. But after his brother's death, can the duke notorious for financial mismanagement really be trusted with the British Treasury?

Thomas Pelham-Holles, heir to two fortunes, may have been spectacularly bad at managing money, but he excelled in 18th-century Whig politics. Entering the House of Lords at 21, he quickly rose to become a Duke, Lord Chamberlain, and eventually Secretary of State—despite never having stepped outsid...

07/27/2024

Some light beach reading.

07/27/2024

Two days. William Pulteney was one of the greatest orators of his generation. After his relationship with Robert Walpole soured, he became Walpole’s fiercest critic. Crusading against corruption in the press and parliament, Pulteney even turned down the role of Prime Minister. However, when George II called upon him during a crisis, he stepped into the highest role in the land... for two days.

This episode was recorded on location at Tarleton Castle in Bath, New Hampshire. Following the episode, we have a brief interview with Tim Dailey, the Executive Director of Tarleton Castle Arts. You can find out more about the project at https://tarletoncastle.org/.

https://www.primefactorspodcast.com/e/uk-special-1-william-pulteney-1st-earl-of-bath/