The Treaty of Westphalia

Treaty of Westphalia

[@Mediados]

"We don't hate anybody." "Well you should. Makes life more fun." Truly the French spirit.

[@Blank-lp4fz]

It's actually wrong, we hate the Danes.

[@Baba_Bahebal]

just hate the french it's that easy

[@JustinCase99999]

... as seen by the Brits *

[@kevingarnero2765]

Very funny indeed. However, in reality, it's just Germany (enemy) and England (rival), at least nowadays lol

[@Mediados]

@@kevingarnero2765 Don't forget Austria. We mountain people also like to dunk on you for existing.

[@kodyw2960]

England: we're going to have to opt out of that one This has aged magnificently

[@Gambit771]

England opted out of the Euro before it was introduced. So it aged fine as it was accurate then and is now.

[@martinbudinsky8912]

@@Gambit771 The whole saying was "one state and one currency" so the state part... Not so much. :D

[@jacqirius]

Uh... *breathes infrequently* ihhh ufff *gasps* i ... hooo my goodness I came *phew* all the way from *taking last deep breath* sanctuary to tell you *A N O T H E R S E T T L E M E N T N E E D S Y O U R H E L P*

[@mpcc2022]

"I'm alright with that...it'll give future journalist something to write about."

[@Vletra]

@@martinbudinsky8912 is it? the eu effectively acts as a state diplomatically and as a government politically, especially in the eurozone where it sets monetary policy, though spending and such is still run by the local states and governments the eu is kinda diplomatically a single entity

[@daysofhalcyon]

It's amazing to see archival footage of the signing so well preserved.

[@Sirinwara]

This should be a top comment instead of itchy history buffs correcting a comedy scetch

[@Timbone07]

@@Sirinwara Hahah you are right

[@neglesaks]

This is doctored footage though. Napoleon Bonapetite isn't on it

[@bowskiaws5432]

Even the laughing crowd in the back is accurate

[@franciscovarela7127]

sentient oven Yes, amazing it is in color, I thought they only had black and white film in those days. In any case, just proves that diplomacy and international relations hasn’t changed since then.

[@PhantomSavage]

You can 100% tell from the reaction of Hugh's face that "high grade narcotic you're so fond of" was adlibbed.

[@njb1126]

Vicodin?

[@TechnoEstate]

...and probably true.

[@00BillyTorontoBill]

@@njb1126 no... cocaine.,..its always coke. but this was 15 yrs before house... hed be dead if he kept it up..

[@TBrl8]

Nope. Check the outtakes.

[@NostalgicGamerRickOShay]

Was Hugh an addict in real life, and if so, what was it?

[@Eamonshort1]

"We just knew it on the continent and didn't give a toss really" is one of the most British things I've heard

[@JasonFightsCrime]

That's one thing that was passed on to the Americans who adopted whole heartedly.

[@gradualdecay]

apart from all the times they invaded france lol

[@astrolillo]

@@JasonFightsCrime Adopted it by invading and robbing every single poor country with resources

[@willemthijssen1082]

@@astrolillo Sounds like they have truly lived up to their British roots

[@evanjohnson1299]

@@JasonFightsCrime yeah but we have the advantage of 2 oceans and militarily weak economically dependent neighbors to separate us from all that drama.

[@hikari1690]

The dedication those painters had painting this scene frame by frame to preserve this historic moment

[@ArgaAnders]

Too right! I was thinking the same myself, but then I became distracted by a pickled herring!

[@obiwankenobi661]

yes, 25 frames for every second

[@laurenzpelster2499]

And even painting the soundwaves of their conversation!

[@ismeza76]

truly a revolutionary period for painters

[@JM-mh1pp]

@@ismeza76 Some say it took them their entire lives, to that I say, what is a greater gift than a life well spent!

[@1975CEES]

As a Swede i must say it was a pity we never got Luxemborg for storing our lovely pickled hering.

[@Republic-A-Mapper]

Don't forget the shop that sells little things made of straw

[@notgadot]

Universe Bless Sweden

[@Listembourg_out_of_Molvania]

As a neighbouring Belgian I'm more than happy Sweden never got Luxembourg for storing your revoltive pickled hering

[@ThomasCorfield]

Bit racist. 😉 (@@Listembourg_out_of_Molvania

[@thenablade858]

@@Listembourg_out_of_MolvaniaThat’s it. I’m starting to think the French really did invent fries.

[@bradyswanson1041]

What's even funnier is that in political science, the Treaty of Westphalia is literally when the basis for what constitutes a sovereign nation-state was created. It's almost universally understood to be one of the biggest milestones in human political development. ...and Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry still made me giggle like a little kid.

[@ForgeBall]

​@Krupa You're confusing two different debates in political science: attributing Westphalia as the first step towards 1) perpetual peace and 2) nationhood. Brady is seemingly talking about the latter, which is a lot more central to our modern understanding of political development. National sovereignty (also called westphalian sovereignty, go figure) essentially means that each nation is free to govern as it sees fit, and no other nation has the right to meddle in another's internal affairs. It might not seem like much, but the idea that each prince has the right to chose their own religion was pretty unheard of in the 1600's. The idea of a nation state in itself was very novel in comparison to the shared sovereignty of feudal monarchies.

[@Turambar_499]

@@ForgeBall The idea that the Peace of Westphalia created an international recognition of a state's sovereign right to its affairs falls apart pretty quickly. The religious rights of German feudal lords did not grant them further practical autonomy within the Imperial Estates. In fact the next 200 years would be marked by the dissolution of nearly all those "sovereign" principalities. At best it reaffirmed the precedent made at Augsburg 90 years earlier. And the period between Westphalia and the Congress of Vienna was marked by endless international meddling in the Franco-Dutch War, the Nine Years War, the War of the Spanish Succession, the War of the Polish Succession, the War of the Austrian Succession, the Seven Years War, the American Revolution, and the French Revolution.

[@ForgeBall]

@@Turambar_499 There's a reason why I referred to it as a debate. I never claimed this was settled science, I just gave a short description of the theory to Krupa since he seemed to be unfamiliar with it. Unless you think I gave a poor description, we don't disagree.

[@APsupportsTerrorism]

Extreme Eurocentrism has entered the chat. Like the concept of nation states didn't exist outside Europe.

[@bramvanduijn8086]

@@APsupportsTerrorism I see a lack of even the tiniest hint of a search term, link, or, you know, actual knowledge, to substantiate your point. I'm not saying I don't believe you, China comes to mind, but it would really really help if you did more than just sneer. You'll never be as good at sneering as Dick Dastardly, so stop trying to be cool and actually join the conversation.

[@cryptidian3530]

The real hero is the cameraman who caught this great event on film.

[@stalinsmum6475]

and managed not to laugh too hard to save it

[@kassandraofodyssey6475]

What do you mean cameraman? That clearly was a wizard.

[@domainofthesun4400]

I nominate the time machine inventor... thanklessly working away and the cameraman gets all the glory

[@rextransformation7418]

Here's the 600th like für du. 😁👍

[@coced]

What a good day to invent cinema !

[@suzbone]

4:11 "Oh coitus, we forgot the Balkans" is history worth remembering.

[@thekinginyellow1744]

Lance Geiger would like to speak with you. edit (added last name to remove any doubt)

[@kielajellopecjo2153]

History guy?

[@VersusARCH]

As a guy from the Balkans I confirm that we habitually feel like assasinating some heirs to the throne whenever we get forgotten.

[@Anon26535]

*angry Yugoslavian noises*

[@wayzUX]

Yeah that seemed to work out fine 😂

[@dandragland825]

" 'We don't hate anybody.' Well you should! Makes life more fun." The 1600s in a nutshell.

[@avinotion]

2000s* in a nutshell

[@4600norm]

Human history in a nutshell

[@marmorealcandors]

French history in a nutshell

[@zabaoth]

Dr. House in a nutshell.

[@michelvanderlinden8363]

more like "all of european history in a nutshell" XD

[@DefinitelyNattox]

“We don’t hate anybody- well you should. Makes life more fun” is probably the most French thing I’ve heard in my life.

[@japphan]

As a swede, I'm offended by the lack of pickled herring in this sketch.

[@djcfb2889]

3:56 check again

[@Megadriver]

Me too, I'm not swedish, but I do love pickled herring.

[@edvindenbeste2587]

I'm offended by how the Swedish ambassador didn't say "We don't hate you we only hate the danes" instead of "We don't hate anybody"

[@japphan]

@@edvindenbeste2587 Are you suggesting the Danes are somebody?

[@katebradshaw9280]

Don't listen to them, pickled herring is awesome!

[@HarmeetSinghWaliaHSW]

From the show, "The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything" in case anyone wishes to watch it.

[@Steampunkkids]

Harmeet Singh Walia, thank you. I had no idea

[@rachard]

Thx m8

[@thekinginyellow1744]

Ah thanks, I had assumed it was from "A bit of Fry and Laurie"

[@felipepvistaiv]

Thanks so much for this info :D

[@yeahyeahyeah4488]

YOu're the real hero here, thank you!

[@TheLockon00]

"You should hate somebody. It makes life more fun!" A very Greg House line from Hugh Laurie.

[@mtcicero3]

I was watching this scene with my brain on life saving mode, not focusing at all, but that was the moment i realized the Frech was indeed Hugh Laurie...

[@zyaicob]

@@mtcicero3 SAME OMG I LITERALLY WENT "HOUSE?"

[@Burning_Dwarf]

Forshadowing

[@t.c.thompson2359]

Very French too.

[@thibaudduhamel2581]

A vey FRENCH line from Hugh Laurie. Let’s not kid ourselves. We hate the brits for a millenia, and the germans for even more than that. And we had honestly a quite fun history.

[@Trendyflute]

One of the best Fry and Laurie sketches, and that's high praise. What really helps this sketch is the three other actors are every bit as good as Hugh and Stephen. The english guy particularly nails it!

[@torstenscholz6243]

It's actually from a different show called The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything.

[@michaelw2816]

Robert Bathurst

[@railgap]

They rattle these witticisms off so cleanly it makes me wonder how much was written and how much was ad-libbed. These guys are all comedic geniuses.

[@renerpho]

"That new high-grade narcotic you're so fond of" was clearly ad-libbed, judging from Laurie's reaction. Hard to tell for most of the rest.

[@wadedewell]

I want to see more stuff like this. What show was this from? Where can I see more comedy like this?

[@Overhemd]

It really annoys me how people always overestimate how much is improv. It's kinda insulting to the script writer(s)

[@superdupertyson]

​@@wadedewell looks like Blackadder but I'm not sure

[@EebstertheGreat]

The entire scene is scripted.

[@louisxiv631]

"Plague victims crawl elegantly"

[@xynn3rx116]

@Juni Post Oh no! the brits will leave the EU whatever shall the rest of us europeans do without you?I guess that we will go back to the dark ages without the *strong*british empire guiding us :(

[@leonorf2730]

As long as you Brits keep your weak chins and your mangled teeth to yourselves it must be considered an upgrade.

[@hishamseddiqee9528]

XYNN3R X, and the funny thing is these inbred retards think that the 4% Muslims in Europe will be the cause of the “downfall” of Europe

[@namingisdifficult408]

Tokso Plaxmocis keep living in your delusions.

[@uhhh4714]

Tokso Plaxmocis me when I see people with more melanin than me: 😡

[@TheGoldenFluzzleBuff]

2 months later "France has broken your alliance" "France desires your province: Eastern Luxemburg (-200)"

[@Otterly_luna]

TheGoldenFluzzleBuff So true :D.

[@Paul-A01]

TheGoldenFluzzleBuff I said FOREVER!

[@ViridianVictoria]

+TheGoldenFluzzleBuff You forgot something. France no longer considers Austria to be a rival. France has announced Sweden as their new rival.

[@cocochanelleke]

+SparkStop "Oh coitus, you've forgotten the Balcans".

[@cocochanelleke]

+spudnic88 I thought that was self-explaining (?!) - but never mind dear ;)

[@mema0005]

“Well we just knew it was on the Continent and didn’t give a toss really” So many great lines here

[@torstenscholz6243]

British policies on Continental Europe in a nutshell. 🤣

[@AmeeliaK]

Meanwhile, the town's people became so skilled at making cute little tax evasion companies out of straw that nowadays everyone would like to have Luxembourg. Or be Luxembourg.

[@tobyforrester]

I think that is sort of what they referred to as using it as storage. It's storage for money, a bank economy.

[@BosonCollider]

@@tobyforrester The one country that manages to have 7000 registered corporations for each lawyer. Meaning that everyone wants to be registered there because no one will look too closely at the paperwork

[@herauthon]

tax straw evasion.. flax jobs

[@herauthon]

grass rooted

[@herauthon]

wanting a shrubbery

[@Zzyzzyzzs]

54 offended Luxembourgers downvoted this. So that's all of them, then.

[@KeeperofthePeace]

Zzyzzyzzs Hah!

[@tyler89557]

They made babies and now it's 185.

[@RYN988]

French or Swedish ones?

[@itsJojoCha]

Luxembourger here, and I am here to confirm that there are no more than two hundred citizens in this country, and that the French/Swedish ratio is at a clean 50/50 split. And, yes, 90+% of them can be really butthurt, and all of them have watched this video, even the babies. Please take these jars of pickled herring away from us. They do not make for good house building material, and they are *EVERYWHERE*.

[@jekubfimbulwing5370]

I'm pretty sure a couple of them voted twice!

[@markdunham9634]

"We're going to have to opt out of that one." That aged well.

[@generalerica4123]

Mark A. Dunham, Jr. I mean, technically he was referring to Stephen Fry's (The Ambassadors) comment upon the single currency, saying that England would opt out of it (for you see, they pay in pound, not in euro), and not what many here seem to think, Brexit. I, however, would contend that this here sketch becomes even more brilliant with recent British political revelations in mind.

[@Gambit771]

@@generalerica4123 Spot on.

[@josephstalin7353]

@@generalerica4123 *unsure* about opting out

[@tommerker8063]

@@generalerica4123 to be fair brexxit wasn't realy that hard to predict, england never realy wanted the eu in the first place and basicaly just joint out of peer pressure(fear of european isolationism)

[@foximacentauri7891]

@@tommerker8063 European isolationism? Isolate from what? The Russians? The americans? The Chinese? All of them are quite nationalist countries. Work together in order to not let them surpass you economically is not isolationism.

[@Riley_Mundt]

2:32 "Oh really? You didn't just fancy kicking some German arse?" This line defined the 20th Century.

[@JamaicanCastle]

And the 19th century, and the 18th century, and the 17th century. And much of the 16th century.

[@johnpetersen7848]

Ihr seit Feiglinge ohne Ehre ! ... mal ehrlich ... fast die ganze Welt gegen uns und wir hätten trotzdem beinahe gewonnen ! :D

[@SirDankleberry]

Dr House wants to kick German arse.

[@johnpetersen7848]

Hoffentlich bekommt ihr eines Tages " AUCH " eine angemessene Antwort auf eure Heuchelei !

[@GespenstDesKommunismus]

It works for the first world war, not so much for the second.

[@MrStilios]

And peace was had forever after, especially in the Balkans!

[@xanpenguin754]

Lol, as Yuri Orlov said "When the Balkans say their going to have a war, they mean it!"

[@stalinsmum6475]

Xan penguin As a balkan i can only say: We dont war all the time but when we do we war all the way.

[@stalinsmum6475]

Broman Yes we had 2 revolutions, multiple wars and two great wars just to kick you out XD

[@tincondra4307]

@@stalinsmum6475 man it is the lack of diplomatic tendencies between countries. Everybody is just very xenophobic.

[@alexandrugheorghe5610]

@@tincondra4307 too much emotional volatility. 😕🤷🏻‍♂️😔😐

[@punn213]

*meanwhile in Sweden* "My King! France, Brandenburg, the Commonwealth and Russia have joined the coalition against us!" ... ...... ......... ............ ............... "Worrisome..."

[@DaDunge]

We won didn't we? Well for a while.

[@jakalordarkblood4331]

Well it would have been Saxony that entered the Coalition, due to them having a sort of Personal Union over the PLC.

[@Derna1804]

+Fredrik Dunge Knocked out in the fourth round fighting in the corner of the ring.

[@YuiFunami]

it'd be some random shitty HRE nation that starts the war

[@eliotwessang9915]

They will find no safety in numbers...

[@leoheart6298]

"Is it truely wise to divide a land in so wild and ragged a fashion . . . ." "Oh I don't know I think it will give journalists of the future something to write about." *Remembers basic history of Ireland, Germany, the continent of Africa* Oh I felt that

[@antokarman2064]

Also middle east

[@Alystas]

@@antokarman2064 And the Balkans... and to be honest any foreign land Europe has been involved in.

[@secularmonk5176]

@@Alystas What's important to remember is that the colonized people weren't just sitting around, perfectly content with their boundaries with neighboring cultures ... there was low-key warfare at all times, testing each others' resolve. Colonization suppressed communication and movement of the native population ... enforcing a sort of truce. Then, when decolonization was complete, the ethic groups could get back into "negotiations" with each other ... now with Western industrial weaponry.

[@kenshin4113]

*Israel and Palestine stares in the distance*

[@Ravi9A]

@@secularmonk5176 -turns sparks into conflagrations -There was always a fire! Sure, in the most meaningless usage of term.

[@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

Fun fact: Luxembourg remains the smallest country to host Eurovision. They've hosted the contest four times in 1962, 1966, 1973, and 1984. But Monaco was the smallest to win in 1971. They also would've been the smallest to host in 1972 but because Prince Rainier III couldn't provide a venue and the rest of the requirements to host, BBC decided to step in and host the contest in Edinburgh. And another thing, the restaurant with the *LONGEST* wine list is also in Luxembourg...ask for a drink at Restaurant Chiggeri and you could pick from *2,200 different wines*

[@prointernetuser]

This is so random, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[@ryankelly9032]

Didn’t Iceland win this a couple of years ago?

[@bobbyhill3323]

Wouldn't have had the room for all the wine if the Swedes got to store their pickled herring there.

[@scorpixel1866]

@@ryankelly9032 Uhhh, how small do you think Iceland is? There's not a lot of people but it sure is a sizeable island.

[@ryankelly9032]

@@scorpixel1866 my comment had nothing to do with the size of Iceland. It was a reference to the movie Eurovision with Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams.

[@bbenjoe]

"Let's just use it for storage!"

[@johnhaynes6761]

We need it for our pickled herring. Plagues victims crawl, etc

[@kxmode]

Luxembourg comes from Lucilinburhuc (medieval for "Little Fortress") or Bockfiels (German for "fortified promontory"). Basically, it's a big storage bin. :P

[@torstenscholz6243]

Well, that's what Amazon and many other companies thought too, which is why they nowadays use Luxembourg for storing lots of money.

[@johnmauer1974]

Peeyew 😄😄

[@vinny9868]

Now they store their money.

[@superchargerone]

"America that gave us .... that new high grade narcotics that you are so fond of" love the jab and the way hugh laurie reacted to it.

[@eriksunden4704]

What narcotic ia referred too?

[@deadpan904]

@@eriksunden4704 It could be opium or tobacco. Something else I can't remember except marijuana.

[@tyrrhenamaxus]

cocaine

[@NapoleonBonaparde]

@@deadpan904 Opium isn't from the New World but i believe India,Pakistan that area.

[@mkadoza]

@@NapoleonBonaparde Opium was primarily from Afghanistan. Heroin and opium are both mainly Afghani crops. They were referring to cocaine.

[@dlein93]

"Plague victims crawl elegantly" is a 2020 mood

[@alexandrugheorghe5610]

😔

[@alexandrugheorghe5610]

Unfortunately.

[@dlein93]

@@selinesbeau *pose unmasked with guns

[@TheVorket]

We're all Luxemburgers now

[@imperiumoccidentis7351]

​@@dlein93 Yeah, they should be degenerate bootlickers and trust everything the state and media tells them, because if anyone is trustworthy it's them and their useful idiots.

[@SgtPepperForever]

I'm Luxembourgish, and I approve this message.

[@ArgaAnders]

Have you got room for a barrel of herring or two? The kingdom of Sweden would be ever so gratefull if you do! We´ll even employ your humorous dwarf as a herring pickler if you do! What a boon to your local economy!

[@ghostbuddy6004]

eis Streihpoppen sinn halt Legendär

[@astrophonix]

More accurate than the History Channel.

[@nemou4985]

History Channel: And thats how nazi aliens divided europe

[@thetrustysidekick3013]

"Why can't you store them in Sweden?" "Oh the whiff" Had me dying.

[@GreenMetalicDevil]

Not as badly as if you lived here and could smell them! Surströmming is not for sane people!

[@celestinekhasatsili9814]

What is 'whiff'?

[@mgg5418]

CELESTINE KHASATSILI it’s the bad smell! My favorite line too 😂😂😂😂😂

[@tttc]

@@GreenMetalicDevil Surströmming is fermented herring though, not pickled. Just saiyan

[@GreenMetalicDevil]

@@tttc Ok, did I say anything else?

[@Laughing_Orca]

EU4Multiplayer.mp4

[@gadget850]

'The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything' is a collection of television comedy sketches, produced in 1999, broadcast in two parts on 2 and 4 January 2000 on BBC One. Based on well-known historical events, it took its title and concept from the 1969 London Weekend Television series 'The Complete and Utter History of Britain'. Treaty of Westphalia * Patrick Barlow - Advisor * Robert Bathurst - English Ambassador * James Dreyfus - Swedish Ambassador * Stephen Fry - Ambassador * Hugh Laurie - French Ambassador

[@boointhelotus5332]

Thank you! I was wondering when this was made!

[@SuperLeica1]

The sad fact is that those negotiators spent 4 years to end up with most of the borders of 1618 unchanged. The changes were just a few places for the Swedes to stash their herring.

[@ulvschmidt7174]

Mostly river outlets that we could tax

[@perto1970]

We do need a good place to stash it before easter, midsummer, christmas. It is a miracle that we dont eat on New Year as well.

[@qp9vp]

That was, in the end, the most important result.

[@snazzypazzy]

Well and the Alsace-Lorraine or Elsaß-Lothringen area. That messed things up for many years to come. If WW3 ever happens I half expect Germany and France to start fighting over it once more just for the hell of it. Even if they start out on the same side.

[@flemingmggmail]

I've seen it commented somewhere that there have been many global conflicts, but a war cannot count as a true World War unless Germany invades France through Belgium.

[@ShearsOfAtropos]

ha I like the little bit of actual political satire, the rushed and indifferent dividing up of the Balkans

[@IllusiveSerb]

Except they never made "greater Serbia". But in all fairness, Serbia *is* always great...

[@filipkralj2618]

yes they did, after WW1, Serbian ruled state by Serbian king with Serbian police beating Croats, Slovenes and other non-Serbs. Doesnt get much better that that

[@johnvictorengland7703]

I'ts not supposed to be realistic, it's simplistic satire. Very good satire at that.

[@KoeSeer]

meh, it's just a collective region of savages and weird women with head scarf. Whatever could happen from that region, anyway?

[@staaannar1295]

...no

[@JediJaras]

2:24 "We don't hate anybody" The Danes, Norwegians, Poles, Lithuanians and Russians of the time would have to disagree with you, Mr Swedish Amabassador.

[@TosothYaKnow]

>_>

[@torstenscholz6243]

So would every Ikea customer today (so pretty much the whole of mankind).

[@mr.normalguy69]

We do like Islam though.

[@Erik-sw3tc]

JediJaras That was what I was thinking too. I thought he would atleast have pointed out that we hate the Danes.

[@Schmorgus]

@@mr.normalguy69 Your comment made me laugh so hard I almost made accidental Halal!

[@NJTDover]

Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie have always been top-notch comedians as well as Rowan Atkinson. British humor at its finest 😂

[@sovietunion7643]

"oh we forget about the balkans" *proceeds to draw random lines for borders "thats good, lets all go get some tea now" this about sums every re-drawing of the balkans ever, since the beginning of time

[@horstschlemmer9578]

While funny, its not like you can actually make borders in the Balkans without pissing off somebody, since everybody claims each others territotry.

[@NapoleonBonaparde]

@@horstschlemmer9578 Its peaceful these days excluding Kosovo and that sleeping disaster which is Bosnia

[@nuperaa6617]

At least Hungary is little and Turkey limited to a city in Balkans

[@AtaMarKat]

NapoleonBonaparte Is that what we’ve got planned for June then? Another war in the Balkans?

[@NapoleonBonaparde]

@@AtaMarKat Well i hope not those countries cant wage a war without outside financial aid.

[@jreiland07]

"I'm going to have to opt out over that one, I'm afraid." - England No kidding XD

[@Yora21]

Was this before or after the shit hit the fan in the Balkans?

[@althesmith]

Hasn't that been happening continuously in the Balkans since the 15th century?

[@markomihajlovic7091]

Continuously since there have been people in the Balkans covers it better. I do not think you could find a period longer than 50 years when there have been no major border changes or uprisings in the Balkans since the fall of Rome.

[@methamphetamememcmeth3422]

I want some titty, 'cause England is my city.

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

+Maintenance Renegade - 'several' is more imprecise than it should've been. This was filmed in the same ten-year span as the Balkan conflicts - as in the conflicts of the former-Yugoslavia.

[@kliosarchive3569]

Oh coitus. We forgot the Balkans.

I'll have to remember that one, just wonderful alternative if you don't wont to use the f-word. :D

[@josephglatz25]

GIVE IT ALL TO SERBIA, are you mad! That will give them control of access to the Black Sea.

[@iliyaaleksov6397]

we, Bulgarians have the black sea!! stay away serbs!! muhaha

[@JamaicanCastle]

They could've given it all to the Ottomans and waited ten or twenty years...Too soon?

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

You time-table's a bit off there, mate.

[@somebodysomewhere2850]

As a guy from Bosnia and Herzegowina i feel like this is totally accurate... we have always been kicked around by bigger powers, as a side deal or small gift :D

[@cloud42269]

Pa tako je zato što bi radije da imamo nacionalni ponos i budemo sluge ostalih sila, nego da se držimo zajedno i budemo svoji na svome. Na Balkanu i ovako malo pameti ima, a sada je još izvozimo po svetu...

[@somebodysomewhere2850]

@@cloud42269 nema to veze sa tim što si napisao

[@ND-bf8qs]

Pa na kraju za Savage land of Balkans, svi se slože da "Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo go to Great Serbia", ahahaha i kažu "All satisfied! This will guarantee peace forever. Forever!" :)

[@newtonwhatevs]

Yes, but you see, we needed that drink.

[@jamespfitz]

Hmmmm, as an American, all I know is "Balkanized" is not a complimentary descriptor.

[@jenshep1720]

Category: *E D U C A T I O N*

[@LuisAldamiz]

Hey, you learn there's a country (or whatever) called Luxemburg. That's educative indeed.

[@jacqirius]

It's quite educating in comedy if you ask me Look at the "humorous" content on tv nowadays

[@Cjnw]

*L U X E M B O U R G*

[@giovanniacuto2688]

@@LuisAldamiz I thought it was just a radio station

[@chissstardestroyer]

I'm with you on that categorization of this video, though I think I remember it from my first college history course, come to think of it.

[@mikejennette8478]

This is EU4 to a tee

[@olstar18]

Unfortunately not. EU4 had politics that made much more sense. This video is more like the real thing than anything put into a grand strategy game.

[@TheNaturalnuke]

Nah it's like the first hoi4 peacedeal ai.

[@1973Washu]

Europe , how it used to be...

[@rapportlebon4823]

So hot

[@flyingpirate0456]

Especially if you promise your allies land

[@randomuploadsism]

"I MAY have to opt out of that one" - England, uncertain about opting out since the 1600s.

[@LuisAldamiz]

They have finally opted out of everything... in the worst possible time.

[@foximacentauri7891]

@@LuisAldamiz on the best way to opt out of great Britain.

[@whynottalklikeapirat]

@@LuisAldamiz One wonders what they opted inTO ... I am sure they don't know ...

[@LuisAldamiz]

@@whynottalklikeapirat - They opted to be the US Trojan Horse inside the EU. That's why most of EU isn't really worried about Brexit, it is good for us, at least not bad.

[@whynottalklikeapirat]

@@LuisAldamiz Good point

[@lorenzozordan725]

I am delighted to discover that the Rocher ad was quoted in this comedic masterpiece. The reason for this is that I am te one who wrote the original, Italian version of the commercial when I was a young copywriter in the '80s. It seems to have reached a cult status as the ultimate corny (or idiotic) advertising. My life wasn't useless, after all.

[@asicdathens]

The Ferrero ad was played to death in Greece especially before Christmas and New Year

[@user-ii9bl6de2j]

And I'm the Pope.

[@Marksman_12]

You made a mark on this world, sir.

[@dudanunesbleff]

If you are who you say, you have left a mark on this world, my friend.

[@RO8s]

Legend! I have no idea how it sounds in Italian, but as for English - legendarily dreadful! But as a copywriter for thirty years, hats off to you, sir! What joy!

[@state_song_xprt]

Love the reference to Belgium, a country which wouldn't come into existence until nearly 200 years after this sketch takes place.

[@thenoblepoptart]

The name for that part of the Benelux is old, it comes from the “Belgae” tribe of Gauls, which was mentioned in Caesar’s book The Gallic Wars

[@ArkadiBolschek]

The French ambassador is wearing the tricoleur, so...

[@Game_Hero]

Wasn't Luxembourg part of Belgium once?

[@roc7880]

indeed. but the irony persists still since there is no certainty it will endure still

[@Tuning3434]

​@Game_Hero Not really, both regions where part of the Spanish Habsburg empire, and then transferred to Austrian Habsburg rule. After the Napoleon Wars both became part of the Dutch Kingdom. However, during the formation. Of Belgium a large chunk of the Luxembourg was transferred to Belgium and another part (soon after, or part of the same treaty?) to Prussia. Luxembourg remained in a personal union with the King of the Netherlands untill King William III died with his only living (official) heir the Princess Wilhelmina of Orange.

[@hugoberresford385]

[CAST] Patrick Barlow - Advisor Robert Bathurst - English Ambassador James Dreyfus - Swedish Ambassador Stephen Fry - Ambassador Hugh Laurie - French Ambassador Thanks for the info, Ben Toth!

[@joshua333ify]

I knew I recognized Dr. House in this video!!!

[@Steampunkkids]

Oh my, didn’t recognize Stephen Fry. How lovely

[@mattl5797]

The fact that you know him now as "Dr House" and not for skits like this and for Blackadder says a lot about are SoCiEtY

[@DaDunge]

I assumed Stephen Fry was the Dutch ambassador.

[@DaDunge]

@Batman The Dark Knight What's this about?

[@StorytellerOfTheDead]

In Westphalidelphia born and raised...

[@alexanderfoelkel8316]

So....?

[@Rougarou99]

Chillin’ out, maxin’, relaxin’ all cool, eating pickled herring in my neighborhood.

[@Trazyn_the_Infinite_40K]

@@alexanderfoelkel8316 WHOOSH!

[@baithinmartel]

When the reformists started agitatin', they were up to no good. I had one little revolt and the nobility got scared, they said "We need a constitutional monarchy, so put your signature there."

[@mDevavex]

Begged and pleaded with them, they said: ooh we're gonna kamikaze your tail.

[@nimascolari1508]

Everything done by this group especially blackadder aged so well. Absolute genius.

[@JayLeePoe]

_Hugh's break when Fry tosses him that one about "*high-grade narcotics (๑•̀ㅂ•́)✧*"_

[@q-tuber7034]

Priceless

[@jimmyjames417]

Totally

[@galengness5965]

The joke was too funny he had turn and find the person who wrote the script 🤣🤣🤣

[@rockstopsthetraffic]

Coffee.

[@DanDownunda8888]

@JZ's Best Friend North America wasn't mentioned, just America. Many modern countries make no distinction between North and South and and South Americans will say that they are Americans. :)

[@potaterjim]

That "Ohhh, she's _back."_ was delivered so perfectly

[@Ayy_Doll_Fiddler]

The "owhhh" from a lady in the audience is icing on the cake.

[@vonteflon]

The whole sketch is awesome, but the bit that really made me lose it was "Oh coitus, we forgot the Balkans!"

[@AymanB]

vonteflon Yeah they really go bonkers with the writing.

[@raisingwings2913]

Well it's one funny way to say oh fuck , we forgot

[@SuddenReal]

@@raisingwings2913 One of my favourite lines of all time is from Monty Python "oh, intercourse the penguin!"

[@dorianphilotheates3769]

vonteflon - f@%#, no one should EVER forget the Balkans - that’s where the bloody problems always start!

[@martavdz4972]

@@dorianphilotheates3769 Not true anymore, they start in Russia nowadays...

[@BT-km7nl]

Simply legendary! If this sketch continued an hour, i would watch it and rewatched it.

[@Tina06019]

“And England.....gets this lovely carriage clock.” “Oh, thank you very much, how very kind.” “Oh really? You didn’t just fancy kicking some German arse?” “That’s what rather appealed to us, too.” Best lines ever.

[@idc5309]

“Oh coitus we forgot the Balkans” and “She’s back”

[@mel_energy]

“In future years there will be Swedish Luxembourgers and French Luxembourgers - Protestant and Catholic - _both_ at each other’s throats!” - “Oh, I dunno, I think that’ll give journalists in the future something to write about”

[@CSLucasEpic]

That was weird, right? One would think that the English would fancy to kick some French arse.

[@dillonwarcup6426]

England, Agent of Chaos

[@FakeAssHandsomeMcGee_]

@@dillonwarcup6426 Indeed. There is a funny quote _If two fish are fighting in a river an Englishman must have passed by._

[@caphalor08]

I may have to opt out of that one... prophetic words right there

[@e.a.1161]

He didn't mean opt out of European Union. He referred to the single currency. Britain was a member of the EU when the sketch was broadcast but had not replaced its currency. So, I think it's a joke about the euro :-)

[@geekoborabora]

Oh That was surely what was intended.... but prophetic words are so often veiled, no?

[@GastonBoucher]

Well, Sweden never changed currency either.

[@danendrahartawan9268]

Britain joined the EEC quite late, not right away

[@TheNaturalnuke]

You mean when Greece set the ball on fire.

[@ianbrudnakvoss3126]

“What’s wrong with pickled herring?” “Nothing if you’re Swedish”

[@ann-carolinemorner6405]

Pickled herring is all right. Fermented herring is ... well I have had it and I survived.

[@JonatasAdoM]

@@ann-carolinemorner6405 Some of you has survived.

[@ann-carolinemorner6405]

@@JonatasAdoM Ha ha.

[@tomf3150]

@@ann-carolinemorner6405 Who doesn't like rollmops.

[@efcpl]

Its like a biochemical weapon.

[@Pan_Z]

It speaks to astounding talent that they could make 17th-century geopolitics hilarious to a 21st-century audience.

[@SamuelKristopher]

Germany: "...one state, and probably with a single currency." England: "I'm afraid I think we'll opt out of that one." He's not feckin joking is he?

[@manojoogo5003]

That wasnt Germany tho. Germany didnt exist until 1871.

[@SamuelKristopher]

Manojoogo I know, I'm just simplifying for the sake of the joke :)

[@James-th2oo]

It wasn't Germany at all. That was either Belgium or the Netherlands.

[@brahms63]

James Witteveen indeed, Germany or more likely Prussia and Austria lost the thirty wars hence they gave territories to the winners mainly France and Sweden

[@James-th2oo]

It was the 30 year war, and Germany/Prussia didn't exist at this time. In a way, Austria lost, yes, but the territory that they are giving up here is not Austria's territory itself.

[@hectoriiibongconuqui7106]

"You didn't fancy kicking some German arse?" Why is that delivery so hilarious and entertaining?

[@TheRedKing247]

Thats what rather appealed to us too.

[@KarakNornClansman]

Because it's true.

[@Itachi951000]

@BlackDeathViral03 France had been regularly throwing parties on german soil for centuries.... long before "that Corsican bloke" buttraped Prussia though lmao. They got more than great times. Almost half of metropolitan France currently was part of the HRE at some point... and look where all those lands are now.

[@martinivanovs]

@BlackDeathViral03 It hasn't been all down hill for the French since Napoleon. Indeed Germany kicked their asses in 1871, but in WW1 France performed just as well as the British against Germany. In WW2 it was the new superpowers the US and USSR that decided the war. Also, ever since the end of WW2, France has been the only real military power in Western Europe. The British and German armies of nowadays are mere shadows of what they used to be and rely heavily on NATO (US).

[@ablethreefourbravo]

What @@KarakNornClansman said.

[@Burgerzaza]

"We did it boys, we've ended Continental European warfare forever!"

[@CSLucasEpic]

And then Napoleon shows up. And they made more treaties that will end Continental European warfare forever. But then came the German Empire, and again more treaties that were to end Continental European warfare forever. Except for this one very angry Austrian with a stupid mustache, who was angry at the Jews for existing...

[@PeterDivine]

@@CSLucasEpic To be fair, if anyone was stupid enough to actually believe the Treaty of Versailles was stable enough to end WW1 by just saying "Germany admits they suck and pays for everything everyone broke AFTER we take basically half its territory," then they totally deserve what they set up. At least the lesson got learned: desperation breeds radicalism, radicalism causes war. If you want to stop a war, stop desperation.

[@DarthFhenix55]

​@@CSLucasEpicThis happened more than a century before that tho.

[@AddMoreQuarters]

"We don't hate anybody. Well you should. It makes life more fun." That would be such a House MD thing to say.

[@thewaraboo2824]

"Luxemburg is up for grabs; anybody want it?" Europe through most of history: "Nah man, we're good" Germany in 1914: *"I'lL taKe YOUr eNtiRE sTocK!"*

[@Wickedonezz]

Luxemburg was essentially a satellite state anyways

[@LSPD1909]

@@Wickedonezz was?

[@Wickedonezz]

@@LSPD1909 in ww1 yes

[@Yingyanglord1]

@@Wickedonezz for the most part Germany had nothing to gain from ww1 except colonies

[@MrKozeljko]

@@Yingyanglord1 what about diplomatic and economic dominance in Europe?

[@peaceforever8755]

Bosnia, Herzegovina, Kosovo and Greater Serbia. Hilarious, since they overlap.

[@rudranshu65sengupta14]

Peace Forever BREAK UP OF YUGOSLAVIA INTENSIFIES.

[@setmason1510]

@@rudranshu65sengupta14 Yugoslavia was a terrible totalitarian mess. It's a good thing it broke up.

[@filipkopec525]

Back when greater serbia was still a possible thing

[@SidneyBroadshead]

@@setmason1510 The former Yugoslavia was one of the few countries that could stand up to Russia. Tito kept that mess together with pure force of will and maintained ties with the western world.

[@jeremiaas15]

Not to mention, Stettin is in Western Pommerania

[@argosytheband]

"We don't hate anyone." "Well you should. Makes life more fun." "That new high-grade narcotic you're so fond of." Points at Hugh. Hugh smirks. He's like a 17th century French version of Dr. House.

[@MrChillerNo1]

Cocaine was big in the 70-90ies So I guess Hugh smiked because he used cocaine at that time...

[@Gottenhimfella]

@@MrChillerNo1 I rather had the impression it was Stephen who had the cocaine habit. Didn't he once adjourn to the toilets at Buck House for a refresher?

[@Crimethoughtfull]

Those two points about hating people making life more fun and "that high grade narcotic", I find, are foreshadowing one Dr. Gregory HOUSE. ;-)

[@MrDeVooluff]

Bleeding coffee addicts... they're everywhere!

[@drewbishop3531]

Absolute genius in evoking great laughter out of centuries old facts. I bet if history were taught like this in school, more kids would understand the roots of many of our issues as well as hopefully figure out now to not repeat them.

[@waynemarvin5661]

Naw. Most kids, as always, don't care.

[@bcj842]

@@waynemarvin5661 We’d be in geography class like, “Well, we just knew it was on the continent and didn’t give a toss, really…”

[@chrisdawson1776]

@@bcj842 🤓❄️🇮🇱🤡👃🔰

[@kishinasura1504]

Or hate even more people because its fun...

[@Gibbsian36]

Actually, when the Peace of Westphalia was concluded, all of the Balkans were firmly in the hands of the Ottoman Empire (i.e., the Turks). And they would stay that way for another two hundred years.

[@davidduchesne8421]

Cool, I was actually wondering when it was mentioned. Thanks

[@gemininosferatu]

Was that around when Constantinople got the works?

[@gemininosferatu]

You know what? Never mind - I shouldn't have asked. That's nobody's business but the Turks.

[@briankleinschmidt3664]

shut up.

[@andrewjohnston5608]

Really glad you pointed that out. Also impressed that you rightly used the term "Peace" of Westphalia instead of "treaty", in so far as it was composed of two treaties signed in two different Westphalian cities. There are other historical idiosyncrasies (England having anything to do with it, for one), but none that take away from its humour. It's very funny precisely because it's more about the modern EU than the Thirty Years War.

[@TheIfifi]

"We will have one large state, probably with a single currency!" "Oh, we'll have to opt out of that one, I'm afraid." -Brexit 2008

[@Gambit771]

Try harder. The UK has never adopted the Euro and no part of Brexit was about opting out of the Euro.

[@vidia7400]

@@Gambit771 I've seen this argument before, pay attention to what England says next. It references the Americas, addressing an area of political control not a currency.

[@martinbudinsky8912]

@@Gambit771 Well technicaly some part was... Scotland would very much love it.

[@LFHiden]

Well, it's more true than ever

[@Tukemuth]

As someone from the savage land of the Balkans, this actually sounds quite plausible.

[@idiot4always]

Don't forget the American narcotics he loves so much.

[@jamesburk8145]

'that'll give journalists of the future something to write about" is a beautiful line

[@TnseWlms]

And 200 years later, down a mineshaft in Wales, coal miners will get into a fight over what year the treaty was signed in.

[@mkozlinski]

***** You don't know the difference between the Battle of Borodino and a tiger's bum. ;)

[@roodborstkalf9664]

That's interesting, that would not happen now, since then the so called "common people" have lost their interest in history.

[@Celrador]

+Roodborst Kalf They're referencing a Monty Python sketch...

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

The "common people" are usually too busy trying to make a living to give a toss about history on any analytical level. "Common people" everywhere - whichever country - are disincentived from those sorts of pursuits, and always have been. If they weren't then they'd be able to see through the facade of Nationalized history that their governments use to control them, and we can't have that now can way?

[@thespamdance311]

Superb reference!

[@asrieldreeemurr7315]

This is 100% how the original signing of the Treaty of Westphalia went.

[@thedirtbagstash]

Pretty sure my history teacher showed us this

[@neighborhoodmusicsnob5517]

Yep. A bunch of aristocrats drawing imaginary lines based on what chunks of land with diverse populations they liked to own. What could go wrong?

[@Soliy87]

Ahh this reminds me of Playing EU4

[@Reddsoldier]

Solidus327 I imagine this being every peace treaty!

[@Madcapredcap]

The funny thing about this sketch is that everybody actually wanted Luxembourg, because of the bloody great fortress in the middle of it that commanded the high ground well into surrounding countries. The reason the city and the domain exist is because of that fortress. And I speak of it in the past tense, because the Luxemburgers got rid of it so that surrounding countries would stop trying to take it by force.

[@leondarcy7367]

Partly true. The dismantling of the fortress was decided by the European powers in the Treaty of London. It had the desired effect that Luxemburg lost its strategic significance. The former fortified area is today the city park.

[@Madcapredcap]

@@leondarcy7367 So it was less "We dismantled this thing to make our city less of a target" and more like the 19th-century equivalent of a strategic arms limitation treaty?

[@antoniasinfield1762]

"Well, we just knew it was somewhere on the continent and didn't give a toss, really."

[@ERRandDEL]

England's attitude towards anything not-England for about 99% of its documented history.

[@JamesJJSMilton]

@@ERRandDEL more like 60% of history. they spent like 300 years bothering the world over the crown of France, Hannover, and the Nazis,

[@threenumbnuts]

@@JamesJJSMilton Hanoverians when Queen Victoria ascended the throne: "We're really sorry, Britain, but we just cannot allow a woman to hold our crown. If you'd like, we can try to change our constitution or find another arrangement to continue our personal union?" Leaders of the UK: "Oh thank the heavens, you're finally leaving? We'll throw in the Isle of Man if you do it before the next war explodes. From now on we'll *demand* that our heirs marry commoners so they won't accidentally inherit more impossible-to-defend territories."

[@ploptart4649]

"Oh, I don't know, I think it'll give journalists, in future, something to write about." Hilarious and also totally believable that a peer would dismiss a topic like that.

[@logosfaber179]

We just knew it was on the continent and didn't give a toss - Diplomacy in action!

[@torstenscholz6243]

The British policies on Continental Europe in a nutshell. E.g. Brexit.

[@summushieremiasclarkson4700]

I mean, to be honest, who gives a shit about Luxembourg anyway?

[@LuisAldamiz]

@@summushieremiasclarkson4700 - It has the highest GDP per capita of Europe and maybe the World, also it hosts the CJEU, which kicks ass when the Spaniards or the Poles want to play fascist... although admittedly it is presided by a Belgian.

[@kinngrimm]

Even as a german i never get tired of rewatching this, just brilliant.

[@Tiger74147]

"Let us not unravel the tapestry of this treaty ere the shuttle has crossed the loom!" ...what? "I mean, 'let's not cock it up now, we're so close.'" Oh right of course!

[@Cjnw]

Zoomers: LOL, he said "cOcK" ‼️‼️👁️😜👁️OMG💯🥒🍩

[@screamsinrussian5773]

@@Cjnw kinda cring

[@blobber51]

@@screamsinrussian5773 e

[@screamsinrussian5773]

@@blobber51 no

[@blobber51]

@@screamsinrussian5773 why

[@THE16THPHANTOM]

Brits don't make comedy like this anymore. those guys are legends.

[@VinnyMartello]

We’ve all become too politically correct.

[@skandababy]

Brits? No one does. That can be said of every comedy style ever invented.

[@AdmiralJota]

That's because Hugh decided to go off and have a serious acting career, with House MD and all. He and Stephen Fry need to get back together again!

[@torstenscholz6243]

Yeah, true, British comedy at its best, they just don't make em like this anymore. The 70s, 80s and 90s were the golden age of British comedy: Monty Python, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Rowan Atkinson, Steve Coogan, Spitting Image, etc. - such fun times. Today most comedy is just boring as it's overly politically correct and mostly consists of toilet humor, sex jokes and pop cultural references, but truly funny stuff like this is truly missed.

[@lizardlenny]

​@@torstenscholz6243 I agree our sketches and sitcoms have become too safe. I would argue the 00's had some good sitcoms with IT Crowd, Inbetweeners, Peep Show, Black Books and The Mighty Boosh. I haven't seen a good British sitcom for 10 years now. Our panel shows are still strong though; mostly because they're improvised and therefore there's no script that needs to pass screening standards.

[@Mprator]

This is from "The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything"

[@jiriuhricek1866]

Didn't they shoot 2nd part as well? I cannot find it anywhere...:(

[@Socasmx]

Thank you!

[@loganb7059]

“‘We don’t hate anyone!’ Well you should! Makes life more fun.” 😂

[@tvsinesperanto7446]

This is some of the best comedy writing that I've ever seen, clever, historically aware, and funny AF!

[@EverTM]

Also eerily prescient of future events "We're going to have to opt out of that one." for example

[@renerpho]

@@EverTM It is a very clever joke, on so many levels! It makes fun of Germany being a rag rug. Britain opting out of a common German currency makes fun of them as being ruled by Germans. It reflects their later decision to not join the Euro (which was quite recent when this was filmed, I believe). And of course, it works with Brexit, too. Genius!

[@bendover9862]

Sweden is the most bizarre country in Europe, they claim to love everybody but don't talk to each other and stand 10 feet apart at bus stops.

[@kenns9]

if you bathed infrequently as the swedes do, would you not stand 10' apart?

[@StillRooneyStarcraft]

Meh, Russia is kind of the same, is it not? People aren't unfriendly to strangers but it's not common to chitchat with them.

[@SuperGereng]

You got your remark rather twisted up, pal!

[@Quinntus79]

Sounds like a nice place to live. Think they'd be okay with a Yank like me, staying for, oh, 4-8 years?

[@bendover9862]

Quinntus79 I don't think you have anything to fear from Mr Trump. Underneath his bluster and bravado seems like a reasonable guy. Not a warmonger at least, unlike Clinton.

[@GreveElof]

Hard to belive this treaty, The allies did not have a sufficent ammount of warscore against the austrians. 3/10.

[@sugarstalker]

seperate peace

[@OstblockLatina]

Absolute perfection, I can't get enough of it after so many years and views. They should make one about the drawing of the borders of Africa, or even better, of the Middle East too.

[@Jaxymann]

As an International Relations student, this is *painfully* accurate.

[@borgue]

I thank you for your insight and expertise.

[@ricebeansrockroll882]

@Jimmy Jazz ahhhw someone needs a nap

[@ricebeansrockroll882]

@Jimmy Jazz have a glas of water. And I hope you feel better soon. Im really sorry for whatever is hurting you.

[@politicallycorrectredskin796]

Sort of. But Westphalia was also the first proclamation of national sovereignty as an ideal to block large empires, which is the part people generally aren't told about anymore. It didn't work of course, because apparently the drive for empire was relentless; ultimately leading to the world wars and the post-91 unipolar disaster we're living in now. But Westphalia was a well-meant anti-imperialist treaty, and we should never have abandoned those principles.

[@NVanHiker]

As an English major, I cringe at your sentence structure.

[@BETMARKonTube]

This never gets old... it even gets more relevant every year.

[@joshuamalaki2316]

"we're going to have to opt out over that one I'm afraid." They've only gone and pulled the double...

[@kingbolo4579]

And what a cast! Five comic actors at the top of their games.

[@beenaplumber8379]

Fry & Laurie, Constable Goody, and I'm sure I know the other two but my brain is all fog right now. Their faces are so familiar!

[@trainknut]

3:15: "I think that'll give journalists in the future something to write about" Pretty much every European treaty in history in one sentence.

[@MellonVegan]

This is so much funnier if you've seen the painting of that congress (hangs in the city museum Münster, Northrhine-Westphalia, Germany. Well worth the visit). One dude on the far left is Stephen's spitting image!

[@komalahayes1535]

NERRRD!!! ☺😍

[@sibyahmar1358]

Münsteeeer is where i was born. Only thing that city is famous

[@Berniewahlbrinck]

@@sibyahmar1358 You might want to add "for"

[@traceythompson1092]

@@sibyahmar1358 what about your cheese???

[@sibyahmar1358]

@@traceythompson1092 rip off from Holland tbh

[@colinjones439]

Did these guys just call Brexit in the 80's

[@gandaruvu]

If you understand about EU-UK relations, no, no they didn't

[@lostindixie]

They reference was to having a single European currency, which Britain never joined. It was not so prescient as to predict Brexit.

[@vanhovemare]

Another suggestion on this: the discussions in Yes Minister on Europe.

[@codycrawford7842]

@@lostindixie Not a prediction, but evidence of euro-skepticism even at that time.

[@Gambit771]

@@codycrawford7842 There's so much evidence of Euro-skepticism in the UK that it goes without saying that it existed before the English created the English language.

[@americancaesar6065]

I love how England is just there to vibe, not giving a darn and just having fun going to war

[@rodolfonetto118]

I never get tired of this: "what about the Balkans? Oh ... let's divide it with some lines" ... and there never was war in Europe ever again and the Balkans became an example of peace through time.

[@torstenscholz6243]

The same could be said about now the West treated Africa at the end of colonialism.

[@Trollioli]

I feel like the high grade narcotic comment was ad libbed.

[@metacob]

That smile from Hugh Laurie definitely looked pretty surprised and genuine

[@christophergauthier991]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/fYrXmH-qnb9rl9E

[@Trollioli]

@@christophergauthier991 Good find!

[@yt-sh]

@@christophergauthier991 This was funny

[@ladykoiwolfe]

@@metacob I thought that was him.

[@talibani2011]

sweden ambassador:"we don't hate anybody!!" french ambassador:" well, you should! makes a lot fo fun!!" looooooooooooool

[@Mercure250]

makes life more fun*

[@paxromana1841]

Lack rivals

[@Jaceric2]

@some boby We buildt a nuclear powerplant with bad safety rutines ( greenpeace broke in a few years ago haha ) about 4 miles from their capital Köpenhamn so its all good, we have them in check :)

[@Jaceric2]

@some boby Yeah pretty much. The bridge and roads connecting Köpenhamn and the swedish city Malmö in skåne ( scania ) across Öresund strait is about 15,9km. The whole county of scania used to belong to Danmark. Thats probobly why the scanian accent sounds danish. Or as the rest of Sweden thinks, it sounds like they try to talk with their mouths full of porridge.

[@tsartodd]

actually, the Swedes weren't overly fond of the Poles around the time of the Treaty of Westphalia.

[@celorfiwyn8193]

I had missed this old gem. This is absolutely on point and hilarious at the same time, Good satire.

[@no-ge9gd]

Where is it from?

[@celorfiwyn8193]

@@no-ge9gd The BBC produced a show called "The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything" of different sketches, with as one can see comedians of its time like Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry.