The History Extra podcast brings you gripping stories from the past and fascinating historical conversations with the world’s leading historical experts.
Produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine, History Extra is a free history podcast, with episodes released six times a week. Subscribe now for the real stories behind your favourite films, TV shows and period dramas, as well as compelling insights into lesser-known aspects of the past.
We delve into global history stories spanning the ancient world right up to the modern day. You’ll hear deep dives into the lives of famous historical figures like Cleopatra, Anne Boleyn and Winston Churchill, and explorations of intriguing events from the past, such as the Salem witch trials, the battle of Waterloo and D-Day.
Expect fresh takes on history, helping you get to grips with the latest research, as we explore everything from ancient Roman archaeology and Viking mythology to Renaissance royals and Tudor kings and queens.
Our episodes touch on a wide range of historical eras – from the Normans and Saxons to the Stuarts, Victorians and the Regency period. We cover the most popular historical subjects, from the medieval world to the Second World War, but you’ll also hear conversations on lesser-known parts of our past, including black history and women’s history.
Looking at the history behind today’s headlines, we consider the forces that have shaped today’s world, from the imposing empires that dominated continents, to the revolutions that brought them crashing down. We also examine the impact of conflict across the centuries, from the crusades of the Middle Ages and the battles of the ancient Egyptians to World War One, World War Two and the Cold War.
Plus, we uncover the real history behind myths, legends and conspiracy theories, from the medieval murder mystery of the Princes in the Tower, to the assassination of JFK.
Featuring interviews with notable historians including Mary Beard, Tracy Borman, James Holland and Dan Jones, we cover a range of social, political and military history, with the aim to start conversations about some of the most fascinating areas of the past.
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Secrets of medieval manuscripts
On first glance, what might you notice about a medieval manuscript? Maybe the material it's made from, the elaborate script, or ornamental illustrations. But, look a little closer, and there's a lot more to discover. In fact, as historian and curator Michelle P Brown explains, these medieval artefacts offer a portal to the past. Emily Briffett speaks to Michelle to unravel some of their secrets and find out what they can tell us about the Middle Ages.
(Ad) Michelle P Brown is the author of Illumino: A History of Medieval Britain in Twelve Illuminated Manuscripts (Reaktion, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fillumino%2Fmichelle-p-brown%2F9781836390374.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Owain Glyndŵr: life of the week
Famed for his dramatic and determined revolt against English rule in the early 15th century, as well as his bold vision for an independent Wales, Owain Glyndŵr has gone down in history as a symbol of Welsh resistance and a national hero. Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian Gideon Brough charts the medieval nobleman's emergence as a warrior and a statesman, to uncover the man behind the enduring myth.
(Ad) Gideon Brough is the author of The Rise and Fall of Owain Glyn Dŵr: England, France and the Welsh Rebellion in the Late Middle Ages (I.B. Taurus, 2017). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rise-Fall-Owain-Glyn-D%C5%B5r/dp/1784535931/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Magic beakers & Roman helmets: artefacts that shaped history
Metal detectorists and members of the general public have contributed hugely to our understanding of Britain's past, through the artefacts they have found hidden in the ground. Speaking to David Musgrove, Michael Lewis and Ian Richardson revisit some of the everyday discoveries that have reshaped history – from a Bronze Age cup with magical properties and a Roman cavalry helmet that would have been very hard to see out of, to a hoard of gold coins that tells us a lot about resistance to the Normans after 1066.
(Ad) Michael Lewis and Ian Richardson are authors of Beneath our Feet: Everyday Discoveries Reshaping History (Thames & Hudson, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beneath-our-Feet-Discoveries-Reshaping/dp/0500027528/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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SOE: everything you wanted to know
From parachuting into Nazi-occupied France to silent assassinations and exploding rats, many of the missions undertaken by the Special Operations Executive during the Second World War sound like the events of a high-octane spy thriller. Dr Kate Vigurs tells Elinor Evans more about the organisation dubbed 'Churchill's Secret Army', answering listener questions on the men and women trained to take on these dangerous, high-stakes secret operations.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Sisi & Eugénie: the empresses who redefined royalty
In the latter half of the 19th century, Europe was dazzled by the beauty, charm and sensibility of two empresses: Eugénie, Empress of the French via her marriage to Napoleon III; and Elisabeth (or 'Sisi'), consort to the Austrian emperor, Franz Joseph. Author Nancy Goldstone speaks to Danny Bird about the lives of these two women, revealing how they broke boundaries and redefined what a royal consort could be.
(Ad) Nancy Goldstone is the author of The Rebel Empresses: Elisabeth of Austria and Eugénie of France, Power and Glamour in the Struggle for Europe (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rebel-Empresses-Nancy-Goldstone/dp/139960399X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Ghosts, vampires & Abba holograms: an uncanny history of London
Millions of tourists flock to London each year, eager to snap a selfie in front of Buckingham Palace or Big Ben. But beyond the crowds lies a darker – and distinctly stranger – side to the city: a gothic metropolis haunted by tales of demons, poltergeists and murders most foul. Jon Bauckham talks to author and historian Clive Bloom about some of the capital’s spookiest stories, and why he believes that the eeriest encounters tend to unfold in the most mundane of places.
(Ad) Clive Bloom is the author of London Uncanny: A Gothic Guide to the Capital in Weird History and Fiction (Bloomsbury, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Flondon-uncanny%2Fclive-bloom%2F9781350424036.
From the terror of being strangled by violent thieves to tales that the sewers were infested with a squealing band of pigs, 19th-century Londoners spent much of their time living in fear. Here, Emma Butcher and Tim Blythe reveal what seven such scare-mongering stories can tell us about the psyche of the capital: https://www.historyextra.com/membership/victorian-london-dangers-what-was-life-like/.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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International security & rough sleeping: history behind the headlines
In the latest episode of our monthly series charting the historical background of current news events, regular panellists Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter look back at centuries of challenges to international security – and how previous generations tackled rough sleeping and homelessness.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Make Mercia Great Again
The Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Mercia played an important role in the development of England. Although it was sandwiched between the other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of Northumbria and Wessex, unlike those two places, it lacks a great historical chronicle. And, according to Max Adams, this means it's been somewhat overlooked in the story of the birth of the Anglo-Saxon state. Talking to David Musgrove, Max explains why we ought to know more about Mercia.
(Ad) Max Adams is the author of The Mercian Chronicles: King Offa and the Birth of the Anglo-Saxon State, AD 630–918 (Bloomsbury, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-mercian-chronicles%2Fmax-adams%2F9781838933258.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Merovingians: everything you wanted to know
Professor James Palmer guides us through the 300-year reign of the Merovingians, the Frankish dynasty whose legacy helped birth the very idea of France. Speaking to Kev Lochun, he explores how they used violence, myth, and immaculate hair to maintain power – until the pope brought the dynasty to its knees.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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How the Allies won WW2
This summer it's 80 years since the greatest conflict in human history came to an end. To mark the anniversary, the military historian, author and broadcaster James Holland has co-written a book that tells the story of the final moments of The Second World War through the Axis surrenders that brought the conflict to a close. In this episode James revisits these dramatic episodes in the company of Rob Attar.
(Ad) James Holland is the author of Victory '45: The End of the War in Eight Surrenders (Bantam, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fvictory-45%2Fjames-holland%2Fal-murray%2F2928377317966.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Ancient tips for health and happiness
The science of health and wellbeing is a hot topic of modern life, and it was no different for the ancient civilisations of Greece and Rome. From what you should eat, to how you should exercise, and when you should (and shouldn't) have sex, these cultures developed their own highly specific set of rules to live by to maximise health and happiness. In this episode, Claire Bubb examines the logic behind these health tips alongside James Osborne, and reveals what insights they give us into the Greco-Roman mindset.
(Ad) Claire Bubb is the author of How to Eat: An Ancient Guide for Healthy Living (Princeton University Press, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Eat-Ancient-Healthy-Readers-ebook/dp/B0DNGXR1VQ/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Thomas Aquinas: life of the week
Thomas Aquinas was a 13th-century Dominican theologian whose groundbreaking ideas set medieval Europe aflame – and continue to resonate today. As 2025 marks the 800th anniversary of Aquinas's birth, Emily Briffett speaks to Professor Robert Pasnau to find out more about the man behind some of medieval Europe's most significant philosophical and theological works.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Barmier than Bond: Ian Fleming's extraordinary wartime escapades
Bogus sex parties, fake corpses, exploding tin cans and belligerent pigs. If you thought that James Bond's fictional escapades were outrageous, then the real-life experiences of his creator, Ian Fleming, are arguably even more extraordinary. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Edward Abel Smith reveals how Fleming's work as a wartime intelligence officer inspired the plotlines in his world-famous spy novels.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Fatherhood: a short history
What does it mean to be a father? When did people first start talking about men as 'father figures'? And how has the concept of fatherhood changed over the millennia? In conversation with David Musgrove, Augustine Sedgwick charts the story from the ancient near east right through to the modern father figure today.
(Ad) Augustine Sedgwick is the author of Fatherhood: A History of Love and Power (Picador, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fatherhood-History-Power-Augustine-Sedgewick/dp/103503574X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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CIA book smugglers of the Cold War
During the Cold War, the CIA book programme was a covert campaign to smuggle books into the Eastern Bloc using everything from balloon drops to baked bean tins. But why was literature such a significant weapon in the culture wars between east and west? Lauren Good speaks to author Charlie English about his book The CIA Book Club: The Gripping New History of the Best-Kept Secret of the Cold War.
(Ad) Charlie English is the author of The CIA Book Club: The Gripping New History of the Best-Kept Secret of the Cold War ( William Collins, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-cia-book-club%2Fcharlie-english%2F9780008495121.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Renaissance: not such a golden age?
From Michelangelo's David and Machiavelli's The Prince to the plays of Shakespeare, the Renaissance produced some of history's most astounding works of culture, art and innovation. But can focusing on these glittering creations obscure the messy and often violent reality of actually living through the era? Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Ada Palmer highlights the complexities of this so-called 'golden age' – including corrupt popes, devastating plagues and why Michelangelo hated painting.
(Ad) Ada Palmer is the author of Inventing the Renaissance: Myths of a Golden Age (Bloomsbury, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Finventing-the-renaissance%2Fada-palmer%2F9781035910120.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Archimedes: life of the week
He’s best known for his Eureka moment, but Archimedes was far more than a naked man in a bathtub. Speaking to Kev Lochun, Professor Michael Scott takes us through the wild imagination of this Ancient Greek polymath, who dreamt up war machines, water screws and a giant claw – but not, as legend has it, a death ray.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Third Reich's first genocide
Between 1939 and 1945, the Nazis killed nearly 300,000 people with learning disabilities or psychiatric illnesses. Some 400,000 more were forcibly sterilised. Historian Dagmar Herzog speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about how decades of eugenic theorising and propaganda led so many institutions to become complicit in this programme of sterilisation and mass murder – and why Germany took so long to fully recognise it as a crime.
(Ad) Dagmar Herzog is the author of The Question of Unworthy Life: Eugenics and Germany’s Twentieth Century (Princeton University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Question-Unworthy-Life-Eugenics-Twentieth/dp/0691261709/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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English folklore: everything you wanted to know
What happens when you step inside a fairy ring? Where did the figure of the Green Man come from? And why have so many East Anglians been terrorised by a menacing, dog-like creature called Black Shuck? Emily Briffett speaks to folklorist and historian Francis Young to uncover more about the myths and historical traditions of England – from iconic characters such as Robin Hood and King Arthur to fantastical tales of shapeshifters and mermaids.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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What happened in Shakespeare's "lost years"?
Shakespeare is now a towering figure of global theatre. But in the 1590s, he was just an up-and-coming young playwright, trying to scratch out a living in Shoreditch's emerging theatre scene. Daniel Swift revisits this early stage of the Bard's career in his new book The Dream Factory, linking it with the story of a long-lost Shoreditch playhouse simply called 'The Theatre'. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Daniel reveals what it would have been like to see one of Shakespeare's original productions, and how he may have been inspired by a terrible play called Hamlet.
(Ad) Daniel Swift is the author of The Dream Factory: London's First Playhouse and the Making of William Shakespeare (Yale University Press, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-dream-factory%2Fdaniel-swift%2F%2F9780300263541.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Plague, famine and chivalry: a human history of the 14th century
Plague, war, regicide, famine, revolt – during the 14th century, life for people in England was turned on its head. Historian Helen Carr charts this extraordinarily turbulent period through the lives of three very different monarchs, each with their own idea of what it meant to wield power. Exploring the humanity of those on the throne, she speaks to Emily Briffett to shed new light on this pivotal period of English history, and the people who lived through it.
(Ad) Helen Carr is the author of Sceptred Isle: A New History of the Fourteenth Century (Hutchinson Heinemann, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=1657&awinaffid=489797&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fsceptred-isle%2Fhelen-carr%2F9781529151657&clickref=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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WW2 legacies and Magna Carta: history behind the headlines
In the latest episode of our monthly series charting the past behind the present, historians Rana Mitter and Hannah Skoda explore the ways the Second World War continues to shape the world of today. Plus the medieval manuscripts hitting the headlines, and an express history of rail nationalisation.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Drink, dance, death: wine in ancient Egypt
From merriment to mummification, new year revelries to funerary rites, wine played a key role in ancient Egyptian culture. Islam Issa speaks to Matt Elton about why the alcoholic drink was so important – and how it inspired everything from a wine vending machine to the Festival of Drunkenness.
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The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Scottish Enlightenment: everything you wanted to know
In everything from the social sciences and technology to art and architecture, 18th-century Scotland saw a flowering of ideas and innovation. But what made the Enlightenment in Scotland different to the rest of Europe? Who were some of its key thinkers? And why were so few women involved? Historian Craig Smith, from the University of Glasgow, runs Ellie Cawthorne through the key inventions and individuals of the Scottish Enlightenment.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Deadly skies: the WW2 mission to fly over the Himalayas
During the Second World War, a promise by President Roosevelt to provide supplies to nationalist China led to the creation of an ill-fated air supply route from India, across a perilous stretch of the Himalayan foothills known as 'the hump'. Caroline Alexander tells Elinor Evans about the young American pilots who braved the world’s most dangerous skies, facing deadly weather, jungle crashes, and psychological collapse.
(Ad) Caroline Alexander is the author of Skies of Thunder: The Deadly World War II Mission Over the Roof of the World (Bonnier Books, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/skies-of-thunder/caroline-alexander/9781804189870.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Royal sisters: the tragic lives of Queen Victoria's granddaughters
Victoria, Ella, Irene and Alix of Hesse were four young European princesses and granddaughters of Queen Victoria, whose marriages would change the face of early 20th-century Europe. Speaking to Elinor Evans, Frances Welch introduces the four sisters. She explores their relationships with one another, and reveals how their stories stretch from the court of their respected 'Grandmama Queen', to revolutionary Russia.
(Ad) Frances Welch is the author of The Lives and Deaths of the Princesses of Hesse: The Curious Destinies of Queen Victoria's Granddaughters (Hachette, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lives-Deaths-Princesses-Hesse-granddaughters/dp/1780725213#:~:text=Drawing%20on%20hundreds%20of%20previously,Revolution%2C%20and%20through%20both%20World.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Calamity Jane: life of the week
Calamity Jane roars into the popular imagination atop the Deadwood Stage with a 'whip-crack-away' and her pistol ready-loaded. A bold and resourceful frontierswoman, Calamity held her own among the men of the American West. But she was also instrumental in the making of her own myth. Emily Briffett spoke to historian Karen Jones to piece together what is known about the humble origins of the woman who became the “heroine of the plains”.
(Ad) Karen Jones is the author of Calamity: The Many Lives of Calamity Jane (Yale University Press, 2020). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Calamity-Many-Lives-Jane/dp/0300212801/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Spiritual showmen: the 1920s occult
Tahra Bey became a celebrity with his apparent ability to control his pulse, stab himself without pain and even bury himself alive. Dr Dahesh, meanwhile, was a spiritualist who sparked an entire religious movement. Speaking to Lauren Good, Raphael Cormack explores the lives of these two figures who made a name for themselves in the occult scene of the 1920s – and what their stories can reveal about the anxieties of the age.
(Ad) Raphael Cormack is the author of Holy Men of the Electromagnetic Age: A Forgotten History of the Occult (C Hurst & Co, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fholy-men-of-the-electromagnetic-age%2Fraphael-cormack%2F9781805262749.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Cheese history: everything you wanted to know
Nothing beats a well-loaded cheeseboard. But while so many of us enjoy a stinky stilton and ripe brie, or chuck a reliable old cheddar into our basket at the supermarket each week, what do we actually know about the history of the cheese we eat? From sustaining Roman troops to becoming a staple in lunchboxes across the globe, the history of cheese is a fascinating - and surprising - story that spans thousands of years and many continents. In this 'everything you wanted to know' episode, Isabel King is joined by cheesemonger and author Ned Palmer to explore the development of various flavourful fromages and how they have shaped societies worldwide.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Taking sides: how the Civil War turned friends into enemies
As 17th-century Britain edged ever closer to civil war, two friends, Bulstrode Whitelock and Ned Hyde, found their relationship under increasing strain. Minoo Dinshaw tells Ellie Cawthorne about how these two companions found themselves on opposite sides of a political and ideological divide, and reflects on how the Civil War caused painful ruptures in many personal relationships.
(Ad) Minoo Dinshaw is the author of Friends in Youth: Choosing Sides in the English Civil War (Penguin Books, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Ffriends-in-youth%2Fminoo-dinshaw%2F9780241312827.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Were Roman women done dirty by modern translations?
The stories of ancient Rome are littered with despicable women, and those of the Julio-Claudian dynasty are especially infamous. But where do these stories come from? And why have they endured for centuries? Speaking to Elinor Evans, Joan Smith explores how Roman misogyny, mistranslations, and modern historians have shaped a distorted narrative – casting influential historical women as villains, nags and nymphomaniacs.
(Ad) Joan Smith is the author of Unfortunately, She was a Nymphomaniac: A New History of Rome's Imperial Women (William Collins, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=6388&awinaffid=489797&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Funfortunately-she-was-a-nymphomaniac%2Fjoan-smith%2F9780008638801&clickref=historyextra-social-histboty.
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Otto von Bismarck: life of the week
Few 19th-century leaders have a CV quite like Otto von Bismarck's. This formidable statesman's cunning, charisma and eye for an opportunity helped him drive the unification of Germany and engineer a stunning defeat of France in 1871. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Katja Hoyer introduces a man whose rise would change the face of European geopolitics forever.
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The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Einstein murders
In the summer of 1944, as the German forces were retreating in northern Italy, a small group of soldiers made a detour to a remote villa in search of Albert Einstein's cousin. Robert Einstein posed no threat to the Nazi regime, but nonetheless they were determined to hunt him down. The tragic events that followed are the basis of a new book by the bestselling author Thomas Harding – he spoke to Rob Attar about an appalling crime and the decades-long hunt for justice that followed.
(Ad) Thomas Harding is the author of The Einstein Vendetta: Hitler, Mussolini, and a True Story of Murder (Michael Joseph, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-einstein-vendetta%2Fthomas-harding%2F9780241658482.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Beaker People: everything you wanted to know
Who were the Beaker People? What was their contribution to the building of Stonehenge? And did their arrival in Britain really lead to the obliteration of the indigenous population? Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Mike Parker-Pearson answers the most pressing questions on the prehistoric culture that changed Britain for good.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Gods, demons, witches and exorcists: inside an ancient Assyrian library
In the seventh century BC, the ancient Assyrian king Ashurbanipal created a gigantic library in his capital city – one that contained centuries of wisdom. And this vast wealth of ancient knowledge can reveal a lot about how the people of the Near East thought about their gods. Dr Selena Wisnom tells David Musgrove more about the Assyrians' religious views, including how they tried to keep gods – and other supernatural entities – happy.
(Ad) Selena Wisnom is the author of The Library of Ancient Wisdom: Mesopotamia and the Making of History (Penguin, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-library-of-ancient-wisdom%2Fselena-wisnom%2F%2F9780241519639.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Peaks, perils, and pioneers: the deadly history of mountaineering
What has prompted humans throughout history to risk life and limb to conquer some of the world's highest mountains? Author and climber Daniel Light talks to Rachel Dinning about why humans have always been drawn to mountains, the evolution of mountaineering as a sport, and the stories of the individuals who risked everything to make it to the top of nature’s most formidable peaks.
(Ad) Daniel Light is the author of The White Ladder: Triumph and Tragedy at the Dawn of Mountaineering (Oneworld, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-white-ladder%2Fdaniel-light%2F9780861548163.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Josephine Baker: life of the week
Showbusiness, spying and civil rights - the extraordinary life of Josephine Baker had it all. From difficult beginnings, Baker transformed herself into the world's first black superstar, before turning her talents to espionage on behalf of the French Resistance. Hanna Diamond tells Ellie Cawthorne more about Baker's showbiz lifestyle, tireless campaigning, troupe of 12 adopted children and pet cheetah.
(Ad) Hanna Diamond is the author of Josephine Baker's Secret War: The African American Star Who Fought for France and Freedom (Yale University Press, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Josephine-Bakers-Secret-War-American/dp/0300279981/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Women who ruled over Africa
From rainmaking queens to dogged isolationists, the lives and reigns of Africa’s female rulers have long been shrouded in mystery, misunderstanding and misogyny. Over the centuries and throughout the continent, these individuals navigated the rigid traditions of their own cultures to wield power – even to the detriment of their subjects. Speaking to Danny Bird, Paula Akpan traces the lives of 12 influential African women, challenging prevailing narratives to reveal a continent shaped by matriarchy and contested memories.
(Ad) Paula Akpan is the author of When We Ruled: The Rise and Fall of Twelve African Queens and Warriors (Trapeze, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/When-We-Ruled-African-Warriors/dp/1398719897/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Taiping Rebellion: everything you wanted to know
It's considered to be the bloodiest civil war in history, but there's a fair chance you've never heard of it. The Taiping Rebellion convulsed China from 1850 to 1864, leading to over 20 million deaths and severely weakening the Qing dynasty, but it remains little known outside of China today. Speaking to Rob Attar, Professor Stephen R Platt answers listener questions about the rebellion and explains why it hasn't received the attention it deserves.
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The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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How to choose a pope
All eyes have been on the Vatican in recent days, as the conclave have decided who will be the next pope. But how does the process today compare to that of past centuries? What have been some of the most dramatic papal elections down the centuries? And was there ever really a female pope? Matt Elton caught up with expert in papal history Rebecca Rist to find out more.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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VE Day: a people's history
Nazi Germany had finally been defeated. And, for 24 hours, Britons could let their hair down and celebrate. But not everyone was in the mood to party. As 2025 marks the 80th anniversary, John Willis tells the story of VE Day via the experiences of ordinary Britons who lived through it. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, he discusses what these testimonies reveal about the state of mind of a nation after six long years of war.
(Ad) John Willis is the author of The People’s War: Unheard Voices: Life on the Battlefront and at Home in World War II (BBC Books, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-peoples-war%2Fjohn-willis%2F9781785949005.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Nikola Tesla: life of the week
Nikola Tesla is remembered as an enigmatic, eccentric genius who harnessed the power of electricity. But if we strip away some of this myth, what can we really say about the inventor's life and legacy? For this Life of the Week episode, Iwan Morus joins Ellie Cawthorne to reveal how Tesla believed he could invent a death ray, whether he was really a recluse, and how he would feel about Elon Musk's company using his name today.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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What caused the Irish Famine?
In the 1840s, famine hit Ireland with devastating consequences. But what were the circumstances that turned a potato blight into a catastrophe that shattered societal structures and caused around a million deaths? Padraic X Scanlan speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about the causes and impact of the famine, linking the disaster to the economic structures of the British empire.
(Ad) Padraic X Scanlan is the author of Rot: A History of the Irish Famine (Basic Books, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rot-History-Padraic-X-Scanlan/dp/1472146875/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The unification of Italy: everything you wanted to know
In 1861, the kingdom of Italy was proclaimed, unifying the various Italian states under one national banner. But what did it mean to be 'Italian' in the mid-19th century? How did the pope react to the concept of a united Italy? And why did so many British women fall in love with Garibaldi? In conversation with Spencer Mizen, historian David Laven answers listener questions on the campaign to unify Italy: the Risorgimento.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Public vs private: history behind closed doors
What's the difference between private and public life – and where should we draw the line between the two? Over the centuries, these boundaries have often been blurred, as Tiffany Jenkins explores in her book Strangers and Intimates. In this episode, she speaks to Lauren Good about everything from the rigid separation of public and personal spheres in ancient Athens, to the privacy-busting spectacle of Big Brother.
(Ad) Tiffany Jenkins is the author of Strangers and Intimates: The Rise and Fall of Private Life (Pan Macmillan, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fstrangers-and-intimates%2Ftiffany-jenkins%2F9781529034165.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The rise of James VI & I: when Britain went global
Was Elizabeth I holding England back from establishing itself upon the global stage? Speaking to James Osborne, Professor Anna Whitelock explores how the accession of the new king James VI & I, and the arrival of the Jacobean era, tilted the Britain's gaze toward the future.
(Ad) Anna Whitelock is the author of The Sun Rising: James I and the Dawn of a Global Britain (Bloomsbury, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sun-Rising-Dawn-Stuarts/dp/1408863510/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Papal elections and tariff troubles: history behind the headlines
In the latest episode of our monthly podcast series, regular panellists Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter are joined by Frank Trentmann to discuss the historical parallels behind recent developments in the global trade war – plus the tumultuous history of papal elections, and the surprising connection between Katy Perry and Alexander the Great.
Hear more from Frank Trentmann on the history of tariffs: https://link.chtbl.com/3is-MbBu
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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How the English took Manhattan
How did the English take Manhattan from the Dutch in the 17th century without firing a single shot? Speaking to Elinor Evans, historian Russell Shorto explains a many-layered colonial history, including pragmatic deals, personal rivalries, and ideological divides, that led to the ultimately peaceful takeover of New Amsterdam in 1664.
(Ad) Russell Shorto is the author of Taking Manhattan: The extraordinary events that created New York and shaped America (Swift Press, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Ftaking-manhattan%2Frussell-shorto%2F9781800754966.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Troubadours: everything you wanted to know
Composing songs of courtly love and war in the High Middle Ages, the troubadours were the poet-musicians of western and southern Europe – especially southern France. But were they really the lovesick wandering minstrels popular culture would have us believe? Or was there more to their artistry? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Linda Paterson answers your top questions on the troubadours and their enduring poetic and musical legacy.
(Ad) Linda Paterson is the author of The Troubadours (Reaktion Books, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-troubadours%2Flinda-m-paterson%2F9781789149197.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The 93 penises of the Bayeux Tapestry
Historians have counted lots of things in the Bayeux Tapestry – animals, ships, hands and plants. But nobody had counted the number of penises it contained until Oxford historian Professor George Garnett decided to take on the challenge. David Musgrove invites George to discuss his findings, and explain why this is, in fact, serious research that helps us better understand this vital account of the Norman Conquest of 1066.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The great siege of Malta: Knights Hospitaller vs the Ottoman empire
In the summer of 1565, the might of the Ottoman empire faced off against a few hundred Knights Hospitaller and their allies on the island of Malta. The outcome might have seemed inevitable but the events of the subsequent siege were far from predictable, as the defenders waged a desperate battle for their home and their lives. Speaking to Rob Attar, Professor Marcus Bull chronicles the events of a dramatic clash with far-reaching consequences.
(Ad) Marcus Bull is the author of The Great Siege of Malta (Penguin Books, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-great-siege-of-malta%2Fmarcus-bull%2F9780241523650.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Joanna Plantagenet: life of the week
Richard the Lionheart is well-known for his travels to distant lands, time on crusade, and wrangling with international politics… But, less well known is the fact that his sister, Joanna Plantagenet (otherwise known as Joan of England, Queen of Sicily) led a life of adventure and danger to rival that of her famous brother. A princess, queen, prisoner and power player, she navigated the turbulent world of medieval politics with resilience and careful judiciousness. Emily Briffett speaks to author and historian Catherine Hanley to chart Joanna’s extraordinary life and uncover why she deserves the title of the medieval 'Lionessheart'.
(Ad) Catherine Hanley is the author of Lionessheart: The Life and Times of Joanna Plantagenet (The History Press, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Flionessheart%2Fcatherine-hanley%2F9781803995168.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Suleyman the Magnificent's bid for world domination
Henry VIII lorded it over England. Francis I dominated France. Charles V was the main man in central Europe. Yet arguably none was as powerful as Ottoman sultan Suleyman the Magnificent – a true heavyweight of the 16th century. Speaking to Spencer Mizen, author Christopher de Bellaigue discusses a man who had designs on becoming 'world emperor', only to be hamstrung by bloody infighting among his own family.
(Ad) Christopher de Bellaigue is the author of The Golden Throne: The Curse of a King (Bodley Head, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Golden-Throne-Curse-King/dp/1847927424/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Etruscans: everything you wanted to know
Lasting from the ninth century BC right up until Roman conquest in the first century BC, the Etruscans were a powerful ancient civilisation who inhabited Etruria in ancient Italy, and rubbed shoulders with the other iconic ancient cultures of their day. Often painted as a mysterious people whose culture has now largely vanished from view, researcher Lucy Shipley instead presents us with a very different picture. Speaking to Emily Briffett, she delves into the archaeological and written records to bring us closer to this fascinating civilisation – and uncover why it captivated the likes of the Medici, DH Lawrence and the Roman emperor Claudius.
(Ad) Lucy Shipley is the author of The Etruscans: Lost Civilizations (Reaktion Books, 2017). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Etruscans-Lost-civilizations-Lucy-Shipley/dp/1780238320/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Lexington and Concord: 250 years on
On 19 April 1775, American militia and British regulars clashed at Lexington and Concord in what would become the first battles of the Revolutionary War. But, as historian George Goodwin reveals, the significance of the fighting lay as much in how it was reported as in what actually happened. To mark the 250th anniversary of the 'the shot heard around the world', Elinor Evans spoke to him to find out more.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The botanists of besieged Leningrad
Cut off from the outside world and with food and other essentials dwindling, it's estimated that upwards of one million people died. Yet throughout this ordeal, a group of indomitable scientists risked their lives to protect the world's first seed bank. Danny Bird speaks to writer Simon Parkin about the Plant Institute's pioneering work and the astonishing fortitude of the men and women who laboured to preserve a unique botanical collection amid unimaginable conditions.
(Ad) Simon Parkin is the author of The Forbidden Garden of Leningrad: A True Story of Science and Sacrifice in a City under Siege (Sceptre, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Forbidden-Garden-Leningrad-Science-Sacrifice/dp/1399714554/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Brothers Grimm: life of the week
From Snow White to Sleeping Beauty, the Brothers Grimm are best known for collecting and curating fairy tales. But, as Ann Schmiesing reveals, recording these stories for posterity was only one of their ambitious projects. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, she charts the lives of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, exploring their extremely close relationship, love of folklore, political leanings and attempts to create a German dictionary.
(Ad) Ann Schmiesing is the author of The Brothers Grimm: A Biography (Yale University Press, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Brothers-Grimm-Biography-Ann-Schmiesing/dp/0300221754/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Could the US have won the Vietnam war?
When US forces entered Vietnam, the nation's leaders believed they could contain communism and secure victory. Instead, they found themselves trapped in a war that drained resources, divided the country, and ultimately ended in failure. Geoffrey Wawro explains to Elinor Evans how flawed strategies doomed the US campaign from the start, and why Nixon’s secret plan to end the war failed to achieve lasting 'peace with honour'.
(Ad) Geoffrey Wawro is the author of The Vietnam War: A Military History (Basic Books, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vietnam-War-Military-History/dp/1541606086/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Teutonic Order: everything you wanted to know
Emerging from crusading endeavours in the Holy Land, the Teutonic Order was one of great military orders established in the 12th century. Its influence spread far and wide, and its members negotiated with popes and emperors. Speaking to Emily Briffett, Aleks Pluskowski explores how a humble field hospital went on to establish itself as one of the most significant religious corporations of medieval Europe – and left an indelible mark on history in the process.
(Ad) Aleks Pluskowski is the author of The Teutonic Knights: Rise and Fall of a Religious Corporation (Reaktion Books, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-teutonic-knights%2Faleksander-pluskowski%2F9781789148688.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The women's orchestra of Auschwitz
Amid the horrors of Auschwitz, a group of female musicians were forced to play for their lives. Author Anne Sebba joins Lauren Good to discuss this women's orchestra, exploring how music was used as an instrument of control, how the players fought for their own survival, and what their fates were after liberation.
(Ad) Anne Sebba is the author of The Women's Orchestra of Auschwitz: A Story of Survival (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Womens-Orchestra-Auschwitz-Story-Survival/dp/1399610732/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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JFK: the man behind the myths
John F Kennedy remains one of America’s most iconic presidents – his life and untimely death wrapped in both mythology and conspiracy. But how much of his legacy is based in reality, and how can his reputation be understood more than 60 years after his presidency ended? Speaking to Elinor Evans, historian Mark White unpacks JFK’s leadership, his glamorous carefully curated image, and the stark contrast between his private and political life.
(Ad) Mark White is the author of Icon, Libertine, Leader: The Life and Presidency of John F. Kennedy (Bloomsbury Academic, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Icon-Libertine-Leader-Presidency-Kennedy/dp/1350426121/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Fulvia: life of the week
She super-charged Mark Antony's rise to power, whipped up gang violence, went to war with Octavian – and may, just may, have abused Cicero's decapitated head with a hairpin. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Jane Draycott explores the life of Fulvia, the extraordinary figure who rewrote the rulebook of what a woman could achieve in the cut-throat world of ancient Roman politics.
(Ad) Jane Draycott is the author of Fulvia: The Woman Who Broke All the Rules in Ancient Rome (Atlantic Books, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Ffulvia%2Fjane-draycott%2F9781805464877.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Simon Schama on the Holocaust
Sir Simon Schama is one of the world's leading historians, a bestselling author and a renowned documentary maker. In his latest documentary film, The Road to Auschwitz, he tells the story of the Holocaust, arguing that it was a crime of complicity across Europe. In this episode, Simon explains to David Musgrove what it was like to visit the Nazi extermination camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau for the first time, and how deep-rooted prejudice was weaponised to turn people against their Jewish neighbours before the Nazis put their genocidal plans in place.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The 'Scramble for Africa': everything you wanted to know
Between the 1870s and the First World War, European colonialists set their sights on the Africa, making territorial land grabs that consumed nearly the entire continent. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Professor Richard Reid explains how the so-called 'Scramble for Africa' played out, and explores its immense impact on Africa and its peoples.
(Ad) Richard Reid is the author of The African Revolution: A History of the Long Nineteenth Century (Princeton University Press, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://www.amazon.co.uk/African-Revolution-History-Nineteenth-Century/dp/0691187096/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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A Nazi in Chile: did an SS commander work for Pinochet?
What connects a notorious Chilean dictator with an SS commander who played a key role in the Holocaust? This is the question at the heart of a book by the author and lawyer Philippe Sands, which follows the twin stories of Augusto Pinochet's sensational arrest in London in 1998 and the postwar career of Walter Rauff, who spent many years in Pinochet's Chile. Philippe was joined by Rob Attar to explore a tangled tale of law and mass murder in Europe and South America.
(Ad) Philippe Sands is the author of 38 Londres Street: On Impunity, Pinochet in England and a Nazi in Patagonia (Orion, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2F38-londres-street%2Fphilippe-sands%2F9781399632812.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Tariffs and trade wars: a history of economic warfare
Trade wars and tariffs have once again been making headlines in recent weeks, as US president Donald Trump's government adopts combative economic policies. But are such approaches really that unusual? Speaking to Matt Elton, Frank Trentmann looks back at centuries of economic warfare – and reveals the historical factors that have sparked it.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Funding cuts and culture wars: history behind the headlines
In the latest episode of our monthly series, Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter discuss recent headlines about funding cuts to history departments in the UK’s universities - and we hear from Lucy Noakes, president of the Royal Historical Society, with her take on the situation.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Why we shouldn't see museum artefacts as 'stolen'
Debates about whether museum artefacts should be returned to the cultures that made them have made headlines several times in recent years. But historian and author Justin M Jacobs explains to Matt Elton why he believes that calls for these objects to be repatriated often overlook the wishes of the people who made them in the first place.
(Ad) Justin M Jacobs is the author of Plunder?: How Museums Got Their Treasures (Reaktion Books, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fplunder%2Fjustin-m-jacobs%2F9781789149487.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Belle Époque: everything you wanted to know
Paris's Belle Époque – or 'Beautiful Era' – conjures up images of cafés, can-can dancers and sunny walks along the River Seine. But was life in the French capital in the late 19th and early 20th-century really as exciting as the scenes painted by Toulouse-Lautrec? Jon Bauckham talks to Dr Mike Rapport about the real history behind the Belle Époque, revealing why there was also a darkness to the 'city of light'.
(Ad) Mike Rapport is the author of City of Light, City of Shadows: Paris in the Belle Époque (Bridge Street Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/City-Light-Shadows-Paris-%C3%89poque/dp/0349128162/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Body in the basement: Dr Crippen and the 'crime of the century'
In 1910, music hall performer Belle Elmore went missing. Her husband Dr Hawley Harvey Crippen claimed Belle had gone to America to visit a dying relative. But before long, Crippen's stories began to unravel and the doctor went on the run, triggering an international manhunt. Hallie Rubenhold re-examines Crippen's crimes in her new book Story of a Murder, and she spoke to Ellie Cawthorne about what this infamous case can reveal about medicine, the music hall and women's lives at the time.
(Ad) Hallie Rubenhold is the author of Story of a Murder: The Wives, the Mistress and Dr Crippen (Transworld Publishers, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fstory-of-a-murder%2Fhallie-rubenhold%2F2928377304799.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Philadelphia gun-runners who supplied the IRA
In the 1970s, as the Troubles divided Northern Ireland, hundreds of armalite guns were sent to the IRA from across the Atlantic. Reporter Ali Watkins follows the smuggling operations of a ragtag group of Irish American gunrunners from Philadelphia in her new book The Next One is for You. She spoke to Ellie Cawthorne about their impact on the conflict over the ocean.
(Ad) Ali Watkins is the author of The Next One Is for You: A True Story of Guns, Country, and the IRA's Secret American Army (Little Brown, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Next-One-You-Country-American/dp/0316538272/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Thomas Becket: life of week
Thomas Becket is probably medieval England's most famous martyr and saint – yet the circumstances of his life are overshadowed by his infamous feud with King Henry II, and his shocking murder in Canterbury Cathedral one winter's evening in 1170. Emily Briffett speaks to historian and author Michael Staunton to chart how Becket rocketed to power from humble origins, before dramatically switching from close royal ally to the thorn in Henry II's side.
(Ad) Michael Staunton is the author of Thomas Becket and His World (Reaktion Books, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thomas-Becket-World-Medieval-Lives/dp/183639070X?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.MTvDup6huJD2pesd63URgHlHzJsj9v2mzEUQDBADoJrosLeuGDQ0lnK5a8uakRmrUFhj7Y3yF-qgeE073i2yDP6L9nsaWDygmfrXuvEIWH-WI1hpY2SA31iJw_VSNtMPcfW6FzUJhNHruLcqDe5zZycr4zBJ6PJa_8098f5WqkgFyXzcv8NrODBILSMwzj8N3FxN_DzxW2AXJPq7l7-W_L_WVGlzkdHEPGtUg8-Se9A.PF4sbYGf_bMvm0wEHNE6QZ2ylq3kDsx7lnU_cD__1NI&dib_tag=se&qid=1741605380&refinements=p_27%3AMichael+Staunton&s=books&sr=1-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Why Africa's history is more than just the slave trade
Has our focus on the impact of the transatlantic slave trade blinded us to the diversity and complexity of Africa's past? That's one of the arguments at the heart of Luke Pepera's new book Motherland, which spans 500,000 years of the continent's history. Luke speaks to Matt Elton about some of the stories that shine the spotlight back on African people.
(Ad) Luke Pepera is the author of Motherland: A Journey through 500,000 Years of African Culture and Identity (Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fmotherland%2Fluke-pepera%2F9781398707368.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Great Stink: everything you wanted to know
Why, in the 1850s, was the excrement of thousands of people being deposited straight into the Thames? How lethal were Victorian London's cholera outbreaks? And why is Joseph Bazalgette one of the most heroic figures in London's history? Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Rosemary Ashton answers the most pressing questions on an infamous pollution event caused by soaring temperatures and huge amounts of human waste.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Handel's Messiah: the scandalous birth of a classical masterpiece
Even if you're not a fan of classical music, chances are you will have heard Handel's Messiah. Going behind the scenes of its creation, Charles King delves into the shifting politics of the Hanoverian court, the sex scandals of London’s West End, and the surprising role of the transatlantic slave trade in financing the arts. Speaking to Elinor Evans, he reveals why, despite the complex circumstances of its creation, this legendary composition still resonates today.
(Ad) Charles King is the author of Every Valley: The Story of Handel’s Messiah (Bodley Head, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Every-Valley-Story-Handels-Messiah/dp/1847928455/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Women killers of the early modern era
From true crime pamphlets to reports from the scaffold, early modern Britain was gripped by tales of women who killed. But were these cases as common as they seemed, or was something else at play? Speaking to Lauren Good, historian Blessin Adams explores the obsession with female murderers in this period, and what this tells us about historical attitudes to gender, justice and power.
(Ad) Blessin Adams is the author of Thou Savage Woman: Female Killers in Early Modern Britain (Harper Collins, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthou-savage-woman%2Fblessin-adams%2F9780008500177.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Rosa Luxemburg: life of the week
While the Suffragettes were fighting to win the vote, over in Germany, Rosa Luxemburg was focused on overthrowing the entire system. A committed Marxist revolutionary and a fervent advocate of internationalism, Luxemburg believed that true freedom lay beyond ‘bourgeois democracy’. Her sharp intellect and uncompromising stance made her a formidable force in the politics of early-20th century Europe. Mark Jones speaks to Danny Bird about Luxemburg’s extraordinary biography – from her rebellious youth and opposition to the First World War to her brutal execution in 1919.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Women's hidden role in religious reformation
The histories of religious reformations across the globe have largely focused on men. But women were also integral to these major transformations. Speaking with Emily Briffett, historian Merry Wiesner-Hanks explains how early modern women strove to shape the world around them – as wives, mothers, missionaries, mystics and migrants.
(Ad) Merry Wiesner-Hanks is the author of Women and the Reformations: A Global History (Yale University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Women-Reformations-History-Merry-Wiesner-Hanks/dp/0300268238/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The history of British homes: everything you wanted to know
What was history's worst furnishing trend? Why, in 1953, were you more likely to own a television than a fridge? And how can you learn more about the history of your own house? Deborah Sugg Ryan joins Ellie Cawthorne to talk about the history of British homes, taking listeners on a whistle-stop tour through garden gnomes, deadly gas irons, dodgy DIY and carpeted bathrooms.
(Ad) Deborah Sugg Ryan is the author of Ideal Homes: Uncovering the History and Design of the Interwar House (Manchester University Press, 2020). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ideal-Homes-Uncovering-Manchester-University/dp/1526150670/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Wolfmen and amazons: why did the Greeks and Romans demonise their neighbours?
Fearsome Amazons. Men who turned into wolves. Tribes who never grew old. Ancient Greek and Roman sources are packed with extraordinary descriptions of the peoples living beyond their borders. Speaking to Spencer Mizen, Dr Owen Rees explores these classical superpowers' sense of cultural superiority and reveals what we can learn about the ancient world by exploring life on the frontiers of empires.
(Ad) Owen Rees is the author of The Far Edges of the Known World: A New History of the Ancient Past (Bloomsbury, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Far-Edges-Known-World-History/dp/1526653788/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Reform and rebellion in the reign of Henry III
With accusations of favouritism, poor spending and unrealistic international plans, resentment against Henry III simmered among his barons throughout the 1250s. This frustration came to a head in a coup at the Oxford Parliament of 1258 – where some rebel barons saw the opportunity not just to get what they wanted from their king, but to completely transform medieval society. Speaking to Emily Briffett, Luke Foddy explores what this reform movement meant for the average person living in England during those turbulent years.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Emily Hobhouse: life of the week
Pacifist. Humanitarian. Whistleblower. From humble roots growing up in Cornwall, Emily Hobhouse went on to challenge the societal issues of her day and expose the horrors of British concentration camps during the Second Anglo-Boer War. Speaking to Emily Briffett, biographer Elsabé Brits uncovers the story of a woman who was branded a 'traitor' for defying the British establishment, but saved thousands of Boer women and children.
(Ad) Elsabé Brits is the author of Rebel Englishwoman: The Remarkable Life of Emily Hobhouse (Little Brown, 2019). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Frebel-englishwoman%2Felsabe-brits%2F9781472140920.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Cheese-rolling, horse skulls & morris dancers: Britain's strange folk customs
From green men and jolly horse skulls, to chasing cheese down hills and morris dancing, Britain has a rich tradition of folk customs. Some are strange, some downright silly. But, as Liz Williams tells Ellie Cawthorne, some of these traditions can also have a darker aspect, based on shame, judgement and social conformity.
(Ad) Liz Williams is the author of Rough Music: Folk Customs, Transgression and Alternative Britain (Reaktion Books, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Frough-music%2Fliz-williams%2F9781836390602.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Roman medicine: everything you wanted to know
What were your chances of surviving illness in ancient Rome? How did the Roman army deal with ailments and injuries on the go? And in what way were the medical practitioners of this ancient civilisation similar to the snake-oil peddlers of the American Wild West? Emily Briffett speaks to Dr Patty Baker to get the answers to your questions about the treatments, cures and surgical practices of ancient Rome.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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What's the state of women's history in 2025?
What is new research revealing about women's lives in the past? Does all women's history have to be feminist? And why do we need to be cautious about the 'girlbossification' of historical figures? To mark International Women's Day, Ellie Cawthorne speaks to three expert historians – Sarah Richardson, Hannah Skoda and Hannah Cusworth – to get their thoughts on the biggest trends and challenges in the field of women's history at the moment.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Medieval murder mystery: who killed King James III?
On 11 June 1488, King James III of Scotland was hunted down and slain as he fled the field of battle. And more than 500 years later, the identity of his killer remains shrouded in uncertainty. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, historian Gordon McKelvie explores this most enduring of royal murder mysteries. How, he asks, had James made so many enemies – and could the killer have been his own son?
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Virginia Woolf: life of the week
From To The Lighthouse to Mrs Dalloway, the writing of Virginia Woolf shook up literary norms and challenged societal ideas about what it meant to be a woman. In this 'life of the week' episode, Francesca Wade discusses the impact of Woolf's work, and the key moments of her life – from her late-night soirées with the Bloomsbury Group and love affair with Vita Sackville-West, to her long struggles with her mental health.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Medieval murders most foul
How violent were towns and cities in the Middle Ages? And how did medieval citizens deal with cases of murder? Drawing on detailed coroner's reports, Professor Manuel Eisner has mapped out cases of murder across three English cities – London, Oxford and York. In this episode, he revisits some notable crimes with David Musgrove, offering up some fascinating insights into the mean streets of medieval cities.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Assyrians: everything you wanted to know
Why were Assyrian armies so powerful? Did the Assyrians produce the ancient world's greatest cultural treasure? And what should we make of claims that they forged the world's first empire? In conversation with Spencer Mizen, Paul Collins, curator at the British Museum, answers listener questions on this ancient civilisation.
(Ad) Paul Collins is the author of The Assyrians: Lost Civilizations (Reaktion, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Assyrians-Lost-Civilizations-Paul-Collins/dp/1789149231/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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King Leopold's elephant expedition: a story of colonialism in Congo
In 1879, King Leopold of Belgium commissioned an expedition to transport Asian elephants from India to the African interior, with a vision of using them as working animals to unlock the continent's resources. Ellie Cawthorne speaks to journalist Sophy Roberts, who has retraced the route of this mammoth and ill-conceived voyage for her book A Training School for Elephants.
(Ad) Sophy Roberts is the author of A Training School for Elephants (Doubleday, 2025). Buy now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Training-School-Elephants-Sophy-Roberts/dp/0857528378/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Introducing History's Greatest Battles | New Podcast
Vicious civil wars. Gruelling sieges. Rebellious provinces, galling betrayals and tribes seeking revenge… Join us for the first series of History’s Greatest Battles, where we’re heading back to the Roman empire. Emily Briffett is joined by historian Dr Adrian Goldsworthy to look back at five of the most fascinating clashes of this ancient civilisation, taking in the action blow by blow and identifying the major moments and key commanders that shaped events. They’ll also be uncovering what the military engagements of this mighty superpower can reveal about the age of the emperors, and asking: how history might have turned out differently had things gone the other way?
Series 1 is live now.
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/historys-greatest-battles/id1794311126
Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ph7KUocWnqPREhTZa44Mb
Listen everywhere else by searching: History's Greatest Battles
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What did the Romans wear?
What did a Roman wear under their tunic? What was the best occasion to wear socks with sandals? And what might land you in trouble with the ancient Roman fashion police? Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian Ursula Rothe heads back to the ancient world to uncover what the Romans wore, and why they were so obsessed with what everybody else did.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Frederick Barbarossa: life of the week
Frederick Barbarossa has gone down in history as one of medieval Europe's most formidable rulers. He waged ruthless wars in Italy, clashed with the papacy, and came to an ignominious end on crusade. Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian Graham Loud explores the life and many afterlives of the legendary red-bearded emperor.
(Ad) Graham Loud is the author of Frederick Barbarossa (Reaktion Books, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Ffrederick-barbarossa%2Fg-a-loud%2F9781836390220.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Sexuality on trial in colonial America
In 1774, as Britain’s colonies in America teetered on the brink of revolution, one regiment was torn apart by the trials of a British army chaplain – Robert Newburgh – who was accused of having sex with another man. In this episode, John Gilbert McCurdy examines evolving attitudes to sexuality and liberty in the colonies on the eve of revolutionary war, and explores how Newburgh's trials became a flashpoint for wider fears of moral and political disorder.
(Ad) John Gilbert McCurdy is the author of Vicious and Immoral: Homosexuality, the American Revolution, and the Trials of Robert Newburgh (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vicious-Immoral-Homosexuality-American-Revolution/dp/142144853X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Mining history: everything you wanted to know
Historically, how much would a British miner have earned for a hard day's work? Did women and children also work underground? And why were canaries taken down the pits? In conversation with Lauren Good, Professor Robert Colls explores the history of mining in Britain – and explains that, despite the work being 'brutal hard', there was also beauty to be found in mining communities.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Bruisers and bare knuckles: the brutal world of Victorian boxing
Men fighting pumas. Brutal prize-fights in sacred chapels. A pair of sisters who could pack a punch. In Victorian Britain, boxing offered up edge-of-your-seat entertainment to all levels of society. A new Disney Plus show A Thousand Blows transports viewers back to the ringside in Victorian London, and in this episode, Ellie Cawthorne speaks to the show's historical consultant Sarah Elizabeth Cox to uncover some of the extraordinary real stories that inspired the drama.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Did Britain really rule the waves?
It's often proclaimed that British sea power was at its pinnacle in the years following the French and Napoleonic wars. But was this really a time when Britain 'ruled the waves'? And how did the rise of steam, development of international communication and establishment of naval air services reshape Britain's strength and strategy at sea? Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian Nicholas A M Rodger sketches out the history of the British navy, from the early 19th century up until 1945.
(Ad) Nicholas A M Rodger is the author of The Price of Victory: A Naval History of Britain: 1815 – 1945 (Penguin Books, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-price-of-victory%2Fn-a-m-rodger%2F9780713994124.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Jane Austen: life of the week
Jane Austen remains one of the most influential novelists in English literature. Her sharp social commentary, wit, and exploration of love, class, and gender continue to captivate readers. This year marks the 250th anniversary of the author's birth, and a new BBC One drama, Miss Austen, is currently exploring her relationship with her sister Cassandra. Emily Briffett spoke to historian Lizzie Rogers to piece together Austen's life, from her cultured upbringing in a rural Hampshire village, to the turbulent Bath years and beyond.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The princess who fled Romanov Russia
Born in 1781, Princess Juliane of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld grew up in a world convulsed by the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars. And her life proved to be as tempestuous as the age she inhabited. Wed to Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich of Russia when she was just 14, her deeply unhappy marriage pushed Julie to make an audacious bid for freedom, in defiance of the social expectations placed on women of her social status. Now, her little-known story has been brought to life in a new book by historian Helen Rappaport, who speaks to Danny Bird about the unconventional life of Queen Victoria’s trailblazing aunt.
(Ad) Helen Rappaport is the author of The Rebel Romanov (Simon & Schuster, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rebel-Romanov-Helen-Rappaport/dp/1398525960/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Opium Wars: everything you wanted to know
Why did Britain go to war with China in the 19th century to protect the interests of drug dealers? Speaking with Elinor Evans, Stephen R Platt discusses the web of economics, addiction, and imperial ambition that led to two devastating 19th-century wars to protect Britain's lucrative opium trade in Qing China. From the desperate efforts of Chinese officials to eradicate opium, to Britain’s naval dominance, Stephen uncovers how these conflicts shaped China’s future and perceptions of western imperialism.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Rome's most scandalous emperors
How cruel was Caligula? How depraved was Tiberius? And how monstrous was Nero? The dark reputations of these emperors owe a great deal to the Roman writer Suetonius, whose 121 AD work Lives of the Caesars offered intimate portraits of 12 rulers of Rome – from Julius Caesar to Domitian. The popular historian and podcaster Tom Holland has just produced a new translation of the Lives and he speaks to Rob Attar about the profound influence of Suetonius' work – and whether it's an example of ancient fake news.
(Ad) Tom Holland is the translator of The Lives of the Caesars (Penguin, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=3090&awinaffid=489797&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-lives-of-the-caesars%2Fsuetonius%2Ftom-holland%2F2928377309039&clickref=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The royal threesome that rocked Anglo-Saxon England
In the year 955, Eadwig became king of England – and, according to 10th-century sources, he celebrated in quite a salacious fashion. These stories claim that at his coronation feast, Eadwig left the hall to have a sex romp with his wife... and her mother. Speaking to David Musgrove, historian Katherine Weikert explains why this sensational story caught on, despite the fact that it probably never actually happened – and what it reveals about English kingship in the early Middle Ages.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Are we celebrating the wrong Magna Carta?
The history books tell us that Magna Carta was sealed on 15 June 1215. But, according to Professor David Carpenter, that's not actually the date we should commemorate. He explains to David Musgrove why we ought to remember a different issue of the charter – 800 years ago on 11 February 1225. It was in 1225 that John's son Henry III willingly agreed to a reissue of the charter and, argues David, this was the one with the lasting legacy.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The forgotten JFK assassination plot
In December 1960, as president-elect John F Kennedy made his way to church in Florida, a would-be assassin waited nearby, preparing to detonate a bomb that would end the Democrat's presidency before it began. Elinor Evans speaks to Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch, authors of The JFK Conspiracy, to discuss this little-known assassination attempt, and what it tells us about tensions in the United States at the time of his election.
(Ad) Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch are the authors of The JFK Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Kennedy - And Why It Failed (Flatiron Books, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/JFK-Conspiracy-Secret-Kennedy-Failed/dp/1250790573/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Indian Rebellion of 1857: everything you wanted to know
What ignited resentment at British rule in India into outright violence? How brutal was British troops' suppression of the uprising? And how did the events of 1857 poison relations between the British administration and the people of the Indian subcontinent? Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Saul David answers your questions on the Indian Rebellion of 1857.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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From dinosaurs to Godzilla: a 15,000-year history of monsters
What makes a monster, and why do they fascinate us? Dr Natalie Lawrence unravels 15,000 years of human storytelling through the tales of creatures like dragons, Medusa, and even Godzilla. Speaking to Rachel Dinning, Natalie explores how monsters have embodied our fears, projected our desires, and bridged the natural and supernatural worlds.
(Ad) Natalie Lawrence is the author of Enchanted Creatures: Our Monsters and Their Meanings (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Enchanted-Creatures-Monsters-Their-Meanings/dp/1474619010/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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How monasteries powered medieval Europe
Monasteries and convents were a common sight throughout medieval Europe and beyond. But who were they for? What did they do? And how did religious life there change over the centuries? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Professor Andrew Jotischky traces the history of monastic life from its early origins in the fourth century right up to the 16th century. He explores the pivotal role these religious houses played as society's 'prayer factories', and examines the experiences of the monks and nuns who lived in them.
(Ad) Andrew Jotischky is the author of The Monastic World: A 1,200-Year History (Yale University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-monastic-world%2Fandrew-jotischky%2F9780300208566.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Greenland, forest fires and presidential power: history behind the headlines
Historians Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter look at the shifting dynamics of presidential power and discuss the history behind President Trump's stated desire to acquire Greenland, in 2025's first instalment of our monthly podcast series looking at the historical currents running beneath current affairs.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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George Villiers: from royal favourite to enemy number one
George Villiers, the Duke of Buckingham, had charm and political ambition by the bucketload – and his rise as a favourite of King James I and VI in the late 16th century was meteoric. Speaking to Elinor Evans, Lucy Hughes-Hallett discusses the brief but action-packed life of Villiers, whose dazzling beauty and political influence brought him from obscurity to the highest ranks of power in the courts of two kings – before seeing him fall foul of public anger.
(Ad) Lucy Hughes-Hallett is the author of The Scapegoat: The Brilliant Brief Life of the Duke of Buckingham (HarperCollins, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-scapegoat%2Flucy-hughes-hallett%2F9780008126551.
Benjamin Woolley introduces listeners George Villiers and his mother Mary, the mother-and-son duo who changed the face of the royal court in the early 17th century: https://link.chtbl.com/C-FlqINi.
Joe Ellis explores the life and dual reign of King James VI of Scotland and I of England: https://link.chtbl.com/bVjgtoXy.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Extinct animals: everything you wanted to know
From the depths of the Ice Age to the 20th century, why – and how – have species gone extinct? And are humans always to blame? In conversation with James Osborne, Dr Ross Barnett unpacks how the causes of extinction have shifted through time, and how looking back at the history of these lost species might help us tackle extinction in the future.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Agony and ecstasy: the lives of mystics
From medieval mystic Julian of Norwich to countercultural figures of the 1960s, various individuals down the centuries have felt they have access to spiritual forces beyond human understanding. But what drives these transcendent – and often ecstatic – sensations? And how were people with a deep connection to the divine regarded by wider society? In today's episode, philosopher and author Simon Critchley speaks to Charlotte Hodgman about his new book On Mysticism: The Experience of Ecstasy.
(Ad) Simon Critchley is the author of On Mysticism: The Experience of Ecstasy (Profile Books, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mysticism-Experience-Ecstasy-Simon-Critchley/dp/1800816936/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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How medicine became a moneymaker
How did we go from sharing homegrown cures free of charge to buying medicine from strangers on the open market? This transition is more complex than you might think, and it's something that Karen Bloom Gevirtz explores in her book The Apothecary's Wife. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Karen revisits some traditional remedies, explores women's overlooked role in medical history, and considers the lessons that modern pharmaceuticals could learn from the past.
(Ad) Karen Bloom Gevirtz is the author of The Apothecary's Wife: The Hidden History of Medicine and How It Became a Commodity (Apollo, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Apothecarys-Wife-History-Medicine-Commodity/dp/1803286997/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Carolingians in crisis: the medieval civil war that shaped Europe
History is full of dysfunctional families, but few more so than the Carolingian ruling clan. The empire was at the height of its power under renowned ruler Charlemagne. But just two generations later, in the year 841 AD, his grandsons were locked in a vicious contest for power and control. This jockeying culminated in the bloody pitched battle of Fontenoy – a key moment in a civil war that shattered an empire and reshaped Europe, according to Professor Matthew Gabriele and David M Perry in their new book, Oathbreakers. David Musgrove spoke to them to find out more about the shocking aftermath of this crisis.
(Ad) Matthew Gabriele and David M Perry is the author of Oathbreakers: The War of Brothers That Shattered an Empire and Made Medieval Europe (HarperCollins, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Oathbreakers-Brothers-Shattered-Empire-Medieval/dp/0063336677/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The Carolingian king Lothar II was embroiled in a scandal that destroyed his reign and ended his kingdom – Professor Charles West shares the story: https://link.chtbl.com/v2GgAvSP.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Charles Dickens: life of the week
Charles Dickens is one of the most famous figures in literary history. But, there's lots about the author that you might not know, from his obsessive workaholism and marital strife, to the fact he was involved in a train crash. In this 'Life of the week' episode, Ellie Cawthorne speaks to Dickens' expert Peter Orford to chart the life and work of the author who colourfully chronicled the Victorian age.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Murder in WW2 London
In September 1940, the German Luftwaffe began raining bombs on British cities, causing death and destruction on a scale never before seen. But, in the capital, the Blitz wasn’t the only threat to people's safety. Amy Helen Bell tells Jon Bauckham about London's Second World War crime wave, exploring dark moments that challenge the rosy idea of 'Blitz Spirit', and revealing how serial killers such as Gordon Cummins and John Christie exploited the chaos of war to carry out their heinous acts.
(Ad) Amy Helen Bell is the author of Under Cover of Darkness: Murders in Blackout London (Yale University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Under-Cover-Darkness-Murders-Blackout/dp/0300270054/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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British TV history: everything you wanted to know
From early shows that looked as if they were filmed "in a heavy and persistent shower of rain" to today's multi-platform streaming world, the history of television has been marked by rapid innovation and huge transformation – and has reflected equally rapid social change. In this 'everything you wanted to know' episode, historian David Hendy joins Matt Elton to answer listener questions on a century of British TV.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The big questions of the Holocaust
How did the Nazis’ poisonous antisemitic rhetoric eventually culminate in the systematic mass-murder of millions? Speaking to Rachel Dinning back in 2023, historian Laurence Rees charts the course of the Holocaust – from its origins to its devastating conclusion.
Holocaust Memorial Day is Monday 27 January. For more resources and information on upcoming events, head to hmd.org.uk.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Happiness: history of an emotion
The word 'happiness' came into common usage in around the 17th century, but the concept has a much longer history. So how have people conceptualised happiness over time – and how have they sought to attain it? Historian Katie Barclay is one of the editors of The Routledge History of Happiness, and she joins Ellie Cawthorne to explore historical ideas about the most desirable of emotions.
(Ad) Katie Barclay is one of the editors of The Routledge History of Happiness (Taylor & Francis, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-routledge-history-of-happiness%2Fkatie-barclay%2Fdarrin-mcmahon%2F9781032323190.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The 1453 fall of Constantinople: capturing the Byzantine capital
In 1453, the once grand and formidable city of Constantinople fell to the hands of the Ottoman Turks – bringing over a millennium of Byzantine rule to a dramatic close, and heralding the rise of the Ottoman empire. But what caused this seismic moment? And how did the attack play out? Together with Emily Briffett, Professor Jonathan Harris journeys back to the 15th century to unravel how the Byzantine capital was seized – recounting the action and exploring the ramifications up to the modern day.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Inside the mind of the Third Reich
What drives people to commit atrocities? Few periods in history confront this question as starkly as the rise of the Nazis, whose crimes stand as a chilling testament to humanity’s capacity for darkness. By investigating the psychological and social forces that enabled such evil, can we uncover vital warnings about how prejudice, conformity and obedience can escalate into unimaginable cruelty? Historian and film-maker Laurence Rees explores these ideas in his latest book The Nazi Mind and in today's episode, he discusses the topic further with Danny Bird.
(Ad) Laurence Rees is the author of The Nazi Mind: Twelve Warnings from History (Viking, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inside-Nazi-Mind-Laurence-Rees/dp/1541702336/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
Laurence Rees explains some of the short and long term causes of the Second World War: https://link.chtbl.com/ft3CDdo8.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Sacagawea: life of the week
Sacagawea is remembered in US history as the Shoshone Native American woman who acted as interpreter to the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the early 19th-century mission to chart territory in the American West after the Louisiana Purchase. But what impact did her contributions have on the success of this eventful journey? How did her presence influence interactions with the various Native American tribes the expedition party encountered? And how has her legacy been interpreted and commemorated in the years since? Speaking to Rebecca Franks, Stephenie Ambrose Tubbs delves into the life of Sacagawea – from what we know about her early years to what her story can reveal about broader cultural attitudes toward Indigenous people in American history.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Women's bodies: an unreliable history
The history of women's bodies is far from simple. Female anatomy and the ideas surrounding it – from breastfeeding to virginity – still cause contention today. From the surprising original Pandora myth to intact hymens being used as evidence in the court of law, Professor Helen King takes Lauren Good on a journey through the ever-changing cultural history of women's bodies.
(Ad) Helen King is the author of Immaculate Forms: Uncovering the History of Women's Bodies (Profile Books, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fimmaculate-forms%2Fhelen-king%2F9781788163873.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Ancient Mesopotamia: everything you wanted to know
Do you know your Sumerians from your Babylonians and your Akkadians? All these civilisations formed part of the story of ancient Mesopotamia, where city states were formed, writing flourished, the wheel was possibly invented, mathematics was practiced, and dogs were gods, pets and warriors. Speaking to David Musgrove for today's 'everything you wanted to know' episode, Dr Moudhy Al-Rashid answers listener questions on the ancient region.
(Ad) Moudhy Al-Rashid is the author of Between Two Rivers: Ancient Mesopotamia and the Birth of History (Hodder & Stoughton, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fbetween-two-rivers%2Fmoudhy-al-rashid%2F9781529392128.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Who moulded Winston Churchill?
Later this week marks 60 years since the death of Winston Churchill, on 24 January 1965. So we thought it would be interesting to bring back this episode with Professor David Reynolds from 2023. In it, he explores how Winston Churchill’s remarkable career saw him interact with other great figures of the age, many of whom had a profound impact on Britain’s wartime leader. Speaking to Rob Attar, David examines Churchill’s relationships with the likes of Stalin, Mussolini, Gandhi and Clement Attlee – and considers how these figures left their mark on the statesman.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Elizabethan London: a multicultural melting pot
London today is a bustling, multicultural city. But what about in the past? Emily Briffett spoke to Dr John Gallagher to find out more about the vibrant and exciting melting pot of languages and cultures that was Elizabethan London, exploring what life looked like for the migrant population and those who lived alongside them.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Strange stories of medieval saints
What can Saint Augustine tell us about attitudes to grief in the Middle Ages? What made women steer clear of the shrine of Saint Cuthbert? And why did pilgrims bring gifts of wax to the dead saint William of Norwich? In his new book Medieval Saints and their Sins, Luke Daly examines the lives and afterlives of venerated holy people. Speaking to Emily Briffett for today's episode, he reveals what saints can tell us about the thoughts and fears of the Middle Ages.
(Ad) Luke Daly is the author of Medieval Saints and their Sins: A New History of the Middle Ages through Saints and their Stories (Pen & Sword, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fmedieval-saints-and-their-sins%2Fluke-daly%2F9781399050623.
Listen to Johanna Dale explore how the seventh-century Northumbrian king Oswald became an important medieval saint: https://link.chtbl.com/Io_79S1C.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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What is the greatest historical movie of all time?
What makes a great historical movie? An accurate portrayal of a period, a nostalgic look back at the past, or simply a ripping yarn? Well, on our website HistoryExtra.com, we've been running a poll to crown the greatest historical movies of all time – nominated by historians and then voted for by you. The results are in, and in this episode, Kev Lochun speaks to historians and cinephiles Roger Luckhurst and Alex Von Tunzelmann to get their take on it all – from why Bill & Ted is a historical movie but Sense & Sensibility isn't, to whether the winning movie deserves the top spot.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Nell Gwyn: life of the week
Nell Gwyn epitomised the wild spirit of the Restoration era. An orange-seller turned actress, turned royal mistress of King Charles II, she hustled her way to the very top with charm, wisecracks and withering putdowns. Sophie Shorland tells Ellie Cawthorne more about Gwyn's rags-to-riches story in this 'life of the week' episode.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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How pigs caused a stink in medieval England
They attacked children. They exhumed dead bodies. They were even thought to be in league with the devil. And yet, despite this long list of misdemeanours, pigs were an indispensable part of urban life in the Middle Ages. Speaking to Spencer Mizen, Dolly Jørgensen reveals why medieval city-dwellers were so dependent on swine – and explains what city authorities did to prevent rogue pigs from running riot.
(Ad) Dolly Jørgensen is the author of The Medieval Pig (Boydell Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Medieval-Pig-Nature-Environment-Middle/dp/183765168X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
Listen to an audio version of Dolly's BBC History Magazine article on medieval pigs here: https://link.chtbl.com/OUgQYYSL.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Hanseatic League: everything you wanted to know
The Hanseatic League was often compared to a crocodile, because it was a shadowy, somewhat sinister entity that kept its true intentions concealed. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Professor Sheilagh Ogilvie answers listener questions on this medieval trading federation. She considers whether it was a precursor to the European Union, what tactics it employed to intimidate nation states and how it helped King Edward III secure the English throne.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Secret forceps & pig bladders: medical objects through time
What was it like to undergo an operation in a world with no anaesthetic? How was the stethoscope invented? And when did surgeons first operate on a human heart? Talking to Lauren Good, Dr Carol Cooper explores the history of medicine through 12 pivotal objects – from the bone saw to the heart-lung machine.
(Ad) Carol Cooper is the author of The History of Medicine in Twelve Objects (Quarto Publishing PLC, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/History-Medicine-Twelve-Objects/dp/0711294623#:~:text=An%20award%2Dwinning%20non%2Dfiction,Carol%20is%20also%20a%20novelist./?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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How Roman roads transformed Europe
They spanned a continent, offered a conduit for soldiers and pilgrims alike – and may not have been as straight as legend suggests. Roman roads played a formative role in Europe's development for centuries, and have inspired its leaders right up to the present day. Catherine Fletcher, author of The Roads to Rome tells Matt Elton more about the long-lasting influence of these ancient highways.
(Ad) Catherine Fletcher is the author of The Roads To Rome: A History (The Bodley Head, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Roads-Rome-History-Catherine-Fletcher/dp/184792803X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
Hear Catherine Fletcher discuss the history of Florence, and offer her tips on Renaissance sites to visit in the city here: https://link.chtbl.com/I4AXl_kl.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Hotel Lux: the guesthouse of world revolution
History is often told through the epic struggles of famous personalities or grand movements. Yet sometimes the voices of ordinary people break through. In this episode, Maurice J Casey speaks to Danny Bird about his new book, Hotel Lux, which follows three connected families through the upheavals of the 20th century. Bound by idealism, friendship and love, their journey begins in 1920s Moscow, inside a hotel that was once a sanctuary for international revolutionaries drawn to the Soviet Union’s bold vision for a better world.
(Ad) Maurice J Casey is the author of Hotel Lux: An Intimate History of Communism's Forgotten Radicals (Footnote Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hotel-Lux-Intimate-Communisms-Forgotten/dp/180444099X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Introducing History's Greatest Scandals | New Podcast
Poisoned sweets. Criminal misdeeds. And a sex scandal involving… the prime-minister.
Listen to HistoryExtra's new podcast History’s Greatest Scandals, delving into the murky underworld of The Victorians. Ellie Cawthorne and historian Professor Rosalind Crone take a journey through the backstreets of 19th-century Britain to explore the darker side of Victorian life. Sneaking into private parlours, descending into candlelit mines, frequenting grim workhouses and paying a visit to an unscrupulous confectioner, uncovering some of the biggest scandals of the day – and explore what they can reveal about Victorian age.
Series 1 launches today, 7 Jan 2025.
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/40kQYTz
Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/33plhOIkO9rtli5btfziHE
Listen everywhere else by searching: History's Greatest Conspiracy Theories
You can listen ad-free, access episodes early and more by subscribing to HistoryExtra Plus here: https://apple.co/4fgRA1d.
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Susan B Anthony: life of the week
The name Susan B Anthony is inextricable from any history of the American movement for women's suffrage. Yet the life of the woman herself can be obscured by her status as a campaigner and figurehead. Speaking Elinor Evans, Susan Ware answers questions on the American social reformer and women's rights activist.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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How the compass became a political weapon
Why did early Islamic cartographers place south at the top of their maps? Who invented the magnetic compass? And why has 'the west' become an intensely political term, as well as a geographical one? Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Jerry Brotton answers the most intriguing questions on the history of the four cardinal points: north, east, south and west.
(Ad) Jerry Brotton is the author of The Four Points of the Compass: The Unexpected History of Direction (Allen Lane, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Four-Points-Compass-Unexpected-Direction/dp/0241556872/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
Hear more from Jerry Brotton on the life and legacy of extraordinary cartographer Marie Tharp: https://link.chtbl.com/ZbHzAbh8.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Medieval towns: everything you wanted to know
What was it like to live in a British town or city in the Middle Ages? Were they filthy hotbeds of crime and violence? How often did fires break out? And where could you get a good slap-up meal if you were hungry? In this 'everything you wanted to know' episode, historian Professor Carole Rawcliffe speaks to David Musgrove to answer listener questions about medieval urban life – from filth and fire, to fast food, foreigners and fighting on the streets.
Professor Carole Rawcliffe explores the keep-fit trends of the Middle Ages: https://link.chtbl.com/vIShX27F.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Harold Wilson: the rock 'n' roll prime minister
Harold Wilson is as central to the story of sixties Britain as the Beatles, Profumo and miniskirts. Admirers applauded the social reforms he introduced while in office; his critics accused the prime minister of being Machiavellian. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, former home secretary Alan Johnson – who has just written a biography of Wilson – reveals how he rode the wave of the cult of youth sweeping the nation.
(Ad) Alan Johnson is the author of Wilson: Twentieth Century Man/ (Swift Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Harold-Wilson-Ministers-Alan-Johnson/dp/1800753322/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
Check out our series in which historians nominate who they think was Britain's greatest prime minister here: https://www.historyextra.com/membership/britains-greatest-prime-minister-historyextra-podcast-series/
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Who is buried at Sutton Hoo?
The Sutton Hoo ship burial is one of the most famous discoveries in British archaeological history. But who is actually buried there? Or perhaps a better question is: why was the man buried with such a wealth of exotic goods? Dr Helen Gittos has a fascinating new theory that may alter our understanding of this major archaeological discovery. David Musgrove spoke to her to find out more.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Sex and Christianity: 2,000 years of love and fury
What were Jesus's views on sex? Why did so many Christians choose a life of celibacy? Has the church ever been tolerant of homosexuality? These are some of the questions explored by Professor Diarmaid MacCulloch in his new book Lower than the Angels, a sweeping 2,000-year history of sex and Christianity, which he expects will annoy a great many people. In today's episode, Rob Attar catches up with Diarmaid to find out why.
(Ad) Diarmaid MacCulloch is the author of Lower than the Angels: A History of Sex and Christianity (Penguin, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Flower-than-the-angels%2Fdiarmaid-macculloch%2F9780241400937.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Catherine the Great: life of the week
Catherine the Great stands out from the rulers of Imperial Russia – a 'philosopher empress' whose wit, political savvy, and unyielding ambition transformed her empire into a European powerhouse. Seizing the throne through an audacious coup against her own husband, Catherine wielded her authority with an iron grip, balancing the volatile ambitions of her court while nurturing her vision of enlightened rule. Historian Janet Hartley speaks to Danny Bird about how Catherine corresponded with the era's leading philosophers, navigated scandalous love affairs and earned her glittering but contentious reputation — not just as an innovator but as the architect of Russia’s might.
Here, Simon Sebag Montefiore answers listener questions about the history of imperial Russia’s formidable rulers: https://link.chtbl.com/QWPY1LAC.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Second Norman Conquest
William of Normandy famously invaded England in 1066 – but, he didn't quite conquer it all. In fact, the duty of leading a second assault was left to his son William Rufus almost 30 years later. Speaking to David Musgrove, Sophie Ambler and Fiona Edmonds reveal how the second Norman Conquest came about in the 1090s, and explain how this story played out in little-studied kingdom of Cumbria.
Listen to our podcast with Marc Morris, The Normans: Everything you wanted to know, here: https://link.chtbl.com/PFBA-VhF
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Carolingians: everything you wanted to know
The early medieval Carolingian empire played a crucial role in the development of Europe throughout the Middle Ages. Though the dynasty itself was not that long-lived, it was star-studded with famous rulers such as Charles Martel and Charlemagne, and its legacy stretched far and wide. In this 'everything you want to know' episode, Professor Matthew Gabriele speaks to David Musgrove to answer listener questions about this influential Frankish empire.
(Ad) Matthew Gabriele is the co-author with David M Perry of Oathbreakers: The War of Brothers That Shattered an Empire and Made Medieval Europe (HarperCollins, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Oathbreakers-Brothers-Shattered-Empire-Medieval/dp/0063336677/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The Carolingian king Lothar II was embroiled in a scandal that destroyed his reign and ended his kingdom – Professor Charles West shares the story: https://link.chtbl.com/v2GgAvSP.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The SAS in WW2: everything you wanted to know
Series two of SAS Rogue Heroes hits our screens later this week, so we're bringing you an episode to get you up to scratch on the WW2 escapades of Britain’s elite special forces. Why was the SAS – or Special Air Service – first founded? Who was responsible for its creation? And what impact did a parachuting padre have on the morale of its men in the aftermath of D-Day? In this episode, which first aired in 2023, author and broadcaster Joshua Levine answers listener questions on the SAS during the Second World War, in conversation with Jon Bauckham.
The second series of SAS Rogue Heroes begins on BBC One on Wednesday 1 January at 9pm.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Arnhem: 24 hours that shattered Allied dreams
The morning of Tuesday 19 September 1944 was ripe with possibility for Allied forces at Arnhem, says Al Murray. Just 24 hours later, the die of defeat had well and truly been cast. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, the comedian and history buff discusses the failure of this bold attempt to deliver a crushing blow to Nazi Germany – and considers how poor planning, over-confidence and strong German resistance came home to roost in 24 fateful hours.
(Ad) Al Murray is the author of Arnhem: Black Tuesday (Bantam, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Arnhem-Tuesday-Classic-Battle-Before/dp/0857506560/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
Hear more from Al Murray here: https://link.chtbl.com/x2R-SHj_.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Tudor England | 5. The wider world
The 16th century is often seen as a 'golden age' of exploration, which witnessed England's emergence as a major player on the European stage. But it was also a period in which the English became embroiled in international wars and slave trading. In this fifth and final episode of our series Tudor England: the big questions, Emily Briffett and Tracy Borman venture out in search of unknown lands and riches – and come face to face with Tudor England’s major allies and rivals.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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2024 in review: history behind the headlines
Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter look back at the history behind some of the year's biggest news stories in this special episode of our monthly series
From the rise of AI to a plethora of elections and life-saving vaccines, it's been a busy 12 months. Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter look back at the history behind some of the biggest stories of the year – and pick their favourite books of 2024, in this special episode of our monthly series.
Interested in the podcasts Hannah and Rana mentioned? Listen to our conversations with the authors here:
Gary Bass discusses his book //Judgement at Tokyo// – https://link.chtbl.com/gv8g8Rg8
Kathleen DuVal on her book //Native Nations// – https://link.chtbl.com/s8f1ON-e
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Shipwrecks: a porthole to the past
From a sunken Tudor flagship brought back to life by the wonders of osteoarchaeology, to the tales of bravery and endurance surrounding the tragic fate of WW2's SS Gairsoppa, shipwrecks can reveal far more about human history than you might initially expect. Drawing on his experience as a diver and maritime archaeologist, David Gibbins speaks to Emily Briffett about the riches that lie beneath the waves, which can act as a porthole to the past.
(Ad) David Gibbins is the author of A History of the World in Twelve Shipwrecks (Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fa-history-of-the-world-in-twelve-shipwrecks%2Fdavid-gibbins%2F9781399603485.
Delve into the story of one of Britain's most famous shipwrecks, the Mary Rose: https://link.chtbl.com/W-qwGtLG.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Quaker history: everything you wanted to know
Radical rabble-rousers, trusted bankers and conscientious objectors; the Quakers have been viewed in many different ways down the centuries. Their non-conformist origins and unique religious principles have long set them apart from the rest of society, but their story touches on some of central themes of British and American history. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Quaker scholar and historian Ben Pink Dandelion answers the key questions on the history of the religious movement.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Christmas history: everything you wanted to know
Did Oliver Cromwell ban mince pies? When did people first give Christmas presents? And why does Santa wear red? Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne in this episode first aired in 2020, George Goodwin, historian and author of Christmas Traditions: A Celebration of Festive Lore, answers listener questions about the history of the festive period.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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How convict labour forged empires
Think of the transportation of convicts, and your mind probably goes to the arrival of the First Fleet in Australia in 1788. But, as historian Clare Anderson reveals in this episode, convict transportation is actually a much wider historical phenomenon. Speaking to Elinor Evans, Clare dives into the lesser-known aspects of this story, revealing how Britain’s penal system extended far beyond Australia to colonies across south-east Asia and beyond, revealing a complex network of forced labour, colonisation, and racial hierarchies that reshaped entire regions.
(Ad) Clare Anderson is the author of Convicts: A Global History (Cambridge University Press, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Convicts-Global-History-Clare-Anderson/dp/1108814948/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
From criminal sentencing to colonial settlement, Nancy Cushing answers listener questions on the transportation of British convicts to Australia here: https://link.chtbl.com/pvs5BrKN.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Tudor England | 4. Religion and superstition
The English Reformation and the dissolution of the monasteries were major milestones in 16th-century England, shaking the very foundations of Tudor religious belief. But while the nation moved back and forth between Catholicism and Protestantism, how much did ordinary people continue to rely on age-old customs and folklore? In this fourth episode of our series Tudor England: the big questions, Emily Briffett and Tracy Borman unpick the complex web of Tudor beliefs – from the devout to the superstitious – and explore how religious upheaval rocked the nation.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Secrets of medieval churches
Churches were central to life in the Middle Ages. But with the Reformation wreaking havoc on religious buildings, nowadays it's hard to get a sense of what a medieval church would actually have looked like. As a stonemason and conservator, Andrew Ziminski has spent his working life restoring medieval churches, and he is the author of a new book, Church Going, all about the ins and outs of these historic religious buildings. Andrew speaks to David Musgrove about how churches originally looked and worked – and explains some of their oddities.
(Ad) Andrew Ziminski is the author of Church Going: A Stonemason's Guide to the Churches of the British Isles (Profile Books, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fchurch-going%2Fandrew-ziminski%2F9781800818682.
Hear more from Andrew Ziminski, as he talks about some of Britain’s most impressive stone buildings and monuments: https://link.chtbl.com/vxYSMNqA.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Isabella of Castile: life of the week
From the fall of Granada to the issuing of the Alhambra decree, Isabella of Castile's reign was one that saw an extraordinary amount of history-altering events and, as such, has earned her a complex legacy. Speaking to Emily Briffett, Giles Tremlett introduces the woman who helped launch the Spanish Inquisition and financed Columbus' journey to the 'New World'.
Giles Tremlett answers your questions about the Spanish Inquisition here: https://link.chtbl.com/lwH4DDc7.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The massacre that shattered the old Ottoman world
In 1860, the diverse Ottoman city of Damascus witnessed the massacre of thousands of Christians. The killings, combined with Constantinople’s hardline response, shattered the city’s tolerant society and it took 25 years for Damascus to recover its stability and prosperity. In this episode, historian Eugene Rogan speaks to Danny Bird to explain why these shocking events proved to be a watershed in the modern history of the Middle East. Please note this episode was recorded prior to the recent overthrowing of the regime of Bashar al-Assad.
(Ad) Eugene Rogan is the author of The Damascus Events: The 1860 Massacre and the Destruction of the Old Ottoman World (Allen Lane, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Damascus-Events-Massacre-Destruction-Ottoman/dp/0241646901/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.IapvBEKCIqhQm-BbjKftljRk1TA_VBpZ7bXCg7threSN0bj6MPRltJGlS73YwU1CTss6Nc7uBxaLRCwrWnt2zcCrwloA-t6mMO1ojfST9HSOm-Ec9Hen0zY5TptmqLz0Z7G2ctxcDl6MxeUG3lWwXG_amqwTEMG0VZE9wR0ibxQobkXOhI6BklFEzoQJRGEI.SvyjmxOllS3heTUkDz-TdWlTflyf7JTwIsSmiD8DWMY&qid=1721830311&sr=1-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Underwear history: everything you wanted to know
When did people first start wearing underwear? What's the difference between drawers and bloomers? Did medieval women wear bras? Were Victorian corsets really as uncomfortable to wear as you might imagine? And why did men wear codpieces? In this 'everything you wanted to know' episode, Dr Serena Dyer answers listener questions on the history of underwear, in conversation with David Musgrove.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Medieval relic hunters: the quest for Notre-Dame's crown of thorns
The crown of thorns was one of the greatest medieval relics, supposedly pressed into the head of Jesus Christ by mocking Roman soldiers. Hunted down by an intrepid pair of Dominican friars, it was brought to Paris by French king Louis IX in the 13th century, and paraded through the streets. As the relic returns to its home in the rebuilt Notre Dame cathedral this week, Emily Guerry speaks to David Musgrove about the fabulous ceremony that marked its first arrival in the city, and reveals how it was almost destroyed by fire in 2019.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Tudor England | 3. Culture and innovation
Why were festivals and feasts such major events in the Tudor age? What toxic beauty products did Elizabeth I plaster her face with? And were the works of the celebrated playwright William Shakespeare smash hits in their time? In this third episode of our series Tudor England: the big questions, Emily Briffett and Tracy Borman sample the cultural delights of the Tudors - touching on art and theatre, fashion and festivals, science and innovation.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Tempting treats & festive feats: christmas shopping down the ages
As we get closer to Christmas, many people will be heading out to the shops to look for the perfect presents. And this mad dash in search of festive gifts is nothing new. In this episode, Annie Gray, author of The Bookshop, The Draper, The Candlestick Maker: A History of the High Street, takes Emily Briffett on a tour of our historical festive spending habits, from the horrors of visiting a Victorian butcher's shop to enormous seasonal turkey parades and outrageous stunts involving elephants.
(Ad) Annie Gray is the author of The Bookshop, The Draper, The Candlestick Maker: A History of the High Street (Profile Books, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bookshop-Draper-Candlestick-Maker-History/dp/1800812248/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
Annie Gray takes listeners on a shopping trip through the history of Britain's high streets: https://link.chtbl.com/kTqN1EaD.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Robert the Bruce: life of the week
Robert the Bruce may be lauded as a Scottish national hero, a noble warrior who fended off the English and claimed a spectacular victory at the battle of Bannockburn. But how to true to life is this glowing image? This year marks the 750th anniversary of Robert's birth, and Emily Briffett spoke to Fiona Watson to reveal how Robert's path to the throne was more ruthless and murky that it may initially seem.
Helen Carr tells the story of the battle of Bannockburn here: https://link.chtbl.com/-qmj0G5R.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Germany's postwar reinvention
In 1945, Germany lay in ruins – both physically and morally. Nearly 80 years after the Second World War, it has since been transformed into an economic powerhouse and a leader on the world stage. Historian Frank Trentmann discusses this remarkable journey with Danny Bird, exploring Germany's Cold War division, guilt over its Nazi past, the nation's deep-rooted approach to environmental matters, and the evolving political landscape since Reunification.
(Ad) Frank Trentmann is the author of Out of the Darkness: The Germans, 1942-2022 (Allen Lane, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Out-Darkness-1942-2022-Frank-Trentmann/dp/0241303494/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
Listen to Daniel Cowling on Germany in the immediate aftermath of WW2 here: https://link.chtbl.com/Zn-AW5OQ.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Robot history: everything you wanted to know
When did automatons first emerge? Which science-fiction depiction of robots is the most accurate? And why did so many people fall for a hoax machine called the "Mechanical Turk"? In conversation with Spencer Mizen, author and academic Kerry McInerney answers some of the most pressing questions on the history of robots.
Michael Wooldridge explores our fascination with – and fear of – AI: https://link.chtbl.com/vUZSSfjm.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Britain's wild republican decade
For some, it's hard to imagine Britain without a king or queen. Yet, nearly 400 years ago, that prospect became a reality. In January 1649, after a bloody civil war, King Charles I was put on trial, found guilty and beheaded. The 11 years that followed witnessed a bold republican experiment that dominated the lives of those across Britain and Ireland. In this episode, Danny Bird speaks to Alice Hunt about her new book on this revolutionary chapter in history. She discusses a transformative decade which saw some of the 17th century's greatest literary and scientific minds cut their teeth, busts some myths about Cromwell's puritan cronies, and reveals how Britain’s republican decade has left an indelible mark on its modern monarchy and constitution.
(Ad) Alice Hunt is the author of Republic: Britain’s Revolutionary Decade, 1649-1660 (Faber & Faber, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Republic-Britains-Revolutionary-Decade-1649-1660/dp/0571303196/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
Ronald Hutton answers listener questions on Cromwell’s Protectorate: https://link.chtbl.com/9rP72VAb.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Tudor England | 2. Daily life
What was the most popular pastime of the Tudor age? Why was bathing even once a month considered dangerous? And how could living alongside your pets help save on your heating bill in the 16th century? In this second episode of our series Tudor England: the big questions, Emily Briffett and Tracy Borman roam the towns and villages of Tudor England, painting a vivid picture of daily life – from fun and games to your chances of surviving the sweating sickness.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Kublai Khan: ruler of the waves
Genghis Khan may have built a formidable land empire, but his grandson Kublai Khan mastered the seas. So how did a nomadic leader come to have such a formidable navy – and conquer China in the process? Emily Briffett spoke to Jack Weatherford about his new book on the subject, Emperor of the Seas, to find out more.
(Ad) Jack Weatherford is the author of Emperor of the Seas: Kublai Khan and the Making of China (Bloomsbury Continuum, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Emperor-Seas-Kublai-Making-China/dp/1399417738/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Princes in the Tower: could this new discovery solve the mystery?
The disappearance of the princes in the Tower in 1483 is one of British history's most enduring mysteries. But a brand new discovery made by Professor Tim Thornton may offer some more clues about what happened to the young royals – and who was responsible. Tim's findings are the subject of a new documentary Princes in the Tower: A Damning Discovery, airing on Channel 5 this evening. Joined by the show's presenter Tracy Borman, Tim shares more details of his discovery, and what it means for this centuries-old cold case, with Ellie Cawthorne.
Find out more about the findings in Princes in the Tower: A Damning Discovery, which airs Tuesday 3 December, 9pm on Channel 5 & My5. Or you can find the full academic overview of Professor Thornton’s research and discovery here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1468-229X.13430
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The murders at Rillington Place: postwar London's grisliest crimes
On 24 March 1953, a tenant of 10 Rillington Place, Notting Hill made a gruesome discovery. Inside the walls of the downstairs flat, he uncovered the bodies of three women. More were to follow. A nationwide manhunt was launched for the prime suspect, Reg Christie, and the murders quickly became a cause célèbre. In her new book The Peepshow, Kate Summerscale revisits this infamous case, and she speaks to Ellie Cawthorne to explore what it can tell us about life on the margins in postwar London.
(Ad) Kate Summerscale is the author of The Peepshow: The Murders at 10 Rillington Place (Bloomsbury, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-peepshow%2Fkate-summerscale%2F9781526684721.
Here, Laura Thompson examines the mysterious disappearance of Lord Lucan in 1974: https://link.chtbl.com/W9qSj_zv.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Tudor explorers: everything you wanted to know
By the time the Tudors took to the waves, much of the world had already been mapped by Europeans. So what was left for Tudor explorers to uncover – and should we call them 'explorers' at all? Historian Jerry Brotton doesn't think so. In this episode, he tells Kev Lochun how the Reformation drove the Tudors to sea, how Ireland became their Vietnam, and why some of the era's most famous names were little more than pirates.
Jerry Brotton takes listeners on a whistle-stop tour around the world in AD 1500: https://link.chtbl.com/bddeD3xn.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Nelson & Winnie: inside the Mandelas' marriage
Nelson and Winnie Mandela were one of the most famous couples of the 20th century. Their relationship became a powerful symbol of the freedom struggle in apartheid South Africa, but it was also dogged by infidelity, violence, Nelson's long imprisonment and the oppressive weight of the regime they fought against. In Jonny Steinberg's recent book, Winnie & Nelson: Portrait of a Marriage, the South African writer chronicles a tragic love story that was both personal and deeply political. The book has recently been shortlisted for the Wolfson History Prize and Rob Attar caught up with Jonny to find out more.
(Ad) Jonny Steinberg is the author of Winnie & Nelson: Portrait of a Marriage. Buy it now from Amazon:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Winnie-Nelson-Portrait-Jonny-Steinberg/dp/0008353816/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.KmlN3sG4q3MKXm4phhQXI0qL8CcrgGDdiVixMr6o5ljMCll4lG4iGfx_X9u-NA-eNhkb3jIHmQg8SuMBFHAHHA.7Lsc1sl0JyqIFd_6XD8Gopg5x2pRKfrW9Cv9wh5w-CY&qid=1732185976&sr=8-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
Hear our interviews with other Wolfson Prize-nominated authors here:
Andrew Seaton discusses the history of the NHS: https://link.chtbl.com/X8o4qJLu
Nicholas Radburn discusses trans-Atlantic slave traders: https://link.chtbl.com/QpkyndNR
Nandini Das discusses England's first embassy to India: https://link.chtbl.com/jW3oyUkb
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Tudor England | 1. Power and politics
The Tudor world was a turbulent one, with momentous decisions reliant on the whims of those in power. But how was authority felt by the average person? And what were the consequences of losing favour with those in charge? In this first episode of our series Tudor England: the big questions, Tracy Borman introduces Emily Briffett to the movers and shakers of the Tudor royal court, exploring what it took to run the country - and escape the monarch’s wrath.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Tudor England: the big questions | Trailer
From vicious court politicking and cultural innovation, to global voyages of discovery and total religious upheaval, Tudor England was a turbulent – and exciting – place to be. In this HistoryExtra podcast series, we’re heading right into the beating heart of the era to uncover what life was really like for those who lived through it – all in the company of author, historian and broadcaster, Tracy Borman.
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A Victorian cult: inside the strange world of the Agapemone
In the 1840s, a strange, secretive community known as the Agapemonites set up camp in Spaxton, Somerset. Presided over by a rogue Anglican priest who believed he had a hotline to god, this religious cult attracted wealthy members in search of a deeper connection to the Lord. But once they had handed over their worldy possessions in order to join, the Agapemonites found it was rather harder to leave. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Stuart Flinders explores their story, from triple marriages and spiritual wives, to financial exploitation and suicide.
(Ad) Stuart Flinders is the author of A Very British Cult: Rogue Priests and the Abode of Love (Icon Books, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Very-British-Cult-Rogue-Priests/dp/1837731470/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
Hear Stephen Talty tell the story of the 1993 Waco siege, a standoff between a religious cult and the FBI:https://link.chtbl.com/cIi5wFEw.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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History behind the headlines: Trump's win – parallels with the past
In the latest episode of our monthly series charting the past behind the present, historians Rana Mitter and Hannah Skoda explore the historical episodes that have most to tell us about Donald Trump's win in the US presidential election, and consider the political role of archbishops through the centuries.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Sport's strangest tales
Humans have been infatuated with sport for thousands of years. But what drove this obsession in the first place? And how did ancient pursuits evolve into the games we know and love today? Jon Bauckham speaks to QI researchers and hosts of the podcast No Such Thing as a Fish James Harkin and Anna Ptaszynski about their new book on sporting history, discussing everything from doping to David Attenborough’s impact on snooker.
(Ad) James Harkin and Anna Ptaszynski are the authors of A Load of Old Balls: The QI History of Sport (Faber & Faber, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Load-Old-Balls-History-Sport/dp/0571372546/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
Listen to David Horspool discuss how sport has embedded itself in the fabric of British life: https://link.chtbl.com/RQsMQw5V.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Ancient Egyptian warfare: everything you wanted to know
Ancient Egypt conjures up images of pharaohs, pyramids and hieroglyphics – but what about soldiers, generals and military campaigns? In today's episode, Jon Bauckham talks to Egyptologist Nicky Nielsen about the evolution of ancient Egyptian warfare – from the conquests of Thutmosis III to the pros and cons of the chariot.
Listen to Nicky Nielsen discuss the battle the Megiddo, and how it supercharged the rise of one of Egypt's most formidable pharaohs: https://link.chtbl.com/4hV5FfY_.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The bloody road to Rome: liberating Italy from the Nazis in WWII
When the Allies invaded Italy in the summer of 1943 they hoped to be in Rome by Christmas. Instead, it wasn't until June 1944 that the Italian capital was liberated, following a gruelling march up the peninsula that ended with what James Holland describes as "five months of hell". In his new book, the historian, author and podcaster zones in on these months and in particular the brutal battle of Monte Cassino. Rob Attar caught up with James to find out more.
(Ad) James Holland is the author of Cassino '44: Five Months of Hell in Italy (Transworld Publishers, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fcassino-44%2Fjames-holland%2F9780857505538.
Hear more from James Holland on the bloody Italian campaign of WW2: https://link.chtbl.com/UQm9agKC.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The invisible tracks that have shaped the world
Each ocean voyage through history has laid down a track that tells a story. These invisible pathways across the seas can reveal how the world has been shaped by power, conquest and exploration. Dr Sara Caputo tells Elinor Evans more about how lines on a map can have real-world consequences.
(Ad) Sara Caputo is the author of Tracks on the Ocean: A History of Trailblazing, Maps and Maritime Travel (Profile Books, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Paths-Ocean-Journeys-Became-Lines/dp/1788168828/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
Here, Jonn Elledge considers how the lines we draw on maps have determined the course of history: https://link.chtbl.com/5bDP91Ns.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Should we stop talking about the crusades?
When you think about 'the crusades', you probably think of a series of military campaigns in the Holy Land, representing a great battle between the forces of Islam and Christianity. But is this actually a helpful way to view the subject? Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian William Purkis opens the lid on historical scholarship to reveal the wide and complex reality of crusading fervour in the Middle Ages – and considers how, if we look at it from a different perspective, we might gain a truer insight into the medieval mindset.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Æthelred the Unready: life of the week
King Æthelred II ruled England from 978 to 1016 – with a little gap in 1014. Known to history as 'the Unready', he faced many challenges in his reign, not least the attentions of several Viking invasion forces. It was Æthelred's failure to deal with such threats that landed him with his rather unfortunate nickname. However, as Levi Roach explains to David Musgrove, the story of his reign is a far more complicated one, with long-term consequences.
(Ad) Levi Roach is the author of Æthelred: The Unready (Yale University Press, 2016). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/AEthelred-Unready-Monarchs-Levi-Roach/dp/0300196296/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
If your enjoyed this medieval episode, be sure to listen to this episode where Joanna Story answers listener questions about the Anglo-Saxon kings and kingdoms: https://link.chtbl.com/dwG7ZNcl.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The golden age of the country house
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Britain’s country houses enjoyed something of a renaissance. No longer were stately homes only seen as the preserve of stuffy landed gentry. Instead, the aristocracy was joined by an entirely new class of industrialists and foreign elites, each keen to showcase their wealth and be the kings of their own castles. Jon Bauckham chats to Adrian Tinniswood about the rise of the country house lifestyle during this period, covering everything from gaudy interior design and Victorian burglar alarms to resident ghosts.
(Ad) Adrian Tinniswood is the author of The Power and the Glory: The Country House Before the Great War (Vintage, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-power-and-the-glory%2Fadrian-tinniswood%2F9781787334168.
Stephanie Barczewski reveals how many English country houses have a more turbulent and violent history than we might expect: https://link.chtbl.com/dJovycgn.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Victorian schools: everything you wanted to know
The 19th century witnessed a revolution in Britain's schools, as compulsory mass education was rolled out, and thousands more children learnt how to read and write. But what was it like to study in a Victorian school? How tough was the discipline? How widespread was truancy? And did teachers get any formal training? These are among the questions that Spencer Mizen put to historian Rosalind Crone for our latest 'everything you wanted to know' episode on Victorian schools.
Rosalind Crone answers your questions on the history of British prisons, here: https://link.chtbl.com/wP5obFg1.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Gladiators: everything you wanted to know
Who became a gladiator? Were they really the superstars of their day? And was giving a thumbs down for a death sentence a real thing? As Gladiator II hits cinemas, Emily Briffett speaks with historian Alison Futrell to answer your top questions about ancient Rome’s arena fighters, in this everything you wanted to know episode from 2022.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Nelson: a life of heroism and scandal
Nelson is one of the most well-known historical figures from British history. His leadership of the British fleet to victory at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, and his death in the same battle, rendered him a national hero for generations. However, Nelson was also embroiled in a huge scandal during his lifetime, due his passionate affair with Lady Emma Hamilton, and recently questions have been raised about his attitude towards slavery and the slave trade. Historian and co-host of The Rest is History podcast, Dominic Sandbrook has written a book for children about the life of Nelson as part of his Adventures in Time/ series. Here, he discusses the complexities of the man, and the challenges of writing history for young people, with David Musgrove.
(Ad) Dominic Sandbrook is the author of Nelson: Hero of the Seas (Particular Books, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Adventures-Time-Nelson-Hero-Seas/dp/0241552214/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Medieval make do and mend
The medieval approach to sustainability was entirely different to ours today. In a world where the modern definition of 'waste' didn't even exist, the repair market boomed and building materials were rarely brand new. Speaking to Annette Kehnel, Lauren Good discovers what we might be able to learn from our medieval ancestors – from second-hand shopping to the history of paper manufacturing.
(Ad) Annette Kehnel is the author of The Green Ages: Medieval Innovations in Sustainability (Profile Books, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Green-Ages-Medieval-Innovations-Sustainability/dp/1800816251/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
Hear from Eleanor Barnett about how people in the past tackled food waste: https://link.chtbl.com/PxFKyfQ7.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Thomas Cromwell: the triumph and tragedy of Henry VIII's right-hand man
In the spring of 1540 Thomas Cromwell was at the height of his power, but just a few months later he found himself at the scaffold on Tower Hill preparing to be executed for treason and heresy. What had gone so badly wrong for Henry VIII's right-hand man? As the BBC drama Wolf Hall returns for a second series, Rob Attar speaks to Cromwell biographer Diarmaid MacCulloch about the precipitous downfall of a man who seemed to have it all.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Joseph McCarthy: life of the week
Joseph McCarthy's infamous crusade in the 1950s whipped up a frenzy of anti-communist sentiment across America – and wrecked the reputations of scores of people accused of harbouring sympathies for the Soviet Union. So what motived the Wisconsin senator, and why did McCarthyism prove so alluring? Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Nick Bunker discusses one of the most controversial figures in US political history.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Gladiator tales
How did gladiators supercharge the rise of Julius Caesar? What can we learn about arena fighters from the petrified remains at Pompeii? And why did gladiatorial bouts get banned there for a whole decade? As Gladiator II arrives in cinemas later this week, Guy de la Bédoyère shares some lesser-known aspects of the history of gladiators with Kev Lochun.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Brontës: everything you wanted to know
From their remote Yorkshire parsonage, sisters Emily, Charlotte and Anne Brontë penned stories that would capture the imaginations of generations of readers. But how popular were books such as Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights at the time? How did childhood games influence their Brontës' later writing? And how close can we get to their individual personalities? Speaking to Lauren Good, Claire O'Callaghan explores the lives of the literary sisters – from their Yorkshire upbringings to their tragic ends.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Lord Lucan: the vanishing earl
On 7 November, 1974, nanny Sandra Rivett was found murdered in the affluent London neighbourhood of Belgravia. The prime suspect? The father of her young charges, Lord Lucan. But before the aristocrat could be questioned, he vanished, sparking one of the greatest cause célèbres of the 20th century. Author Laura Thompson tells Ellie Cawthorne more about the case, and what it can reveal about simmering class tensions in Britain at the time.
(Ad) Laura Thompson is the author of A Different Class of Murder: The Story of Lord Lucan (Head of Zeus, 2014). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Different-Class-Murder-Laura-Thompson/dp/1781855366/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
Kate Morgan chronicles the legal history of murder, discussing the cases that shaped UK murder laws: https://link.chtbl.com/kNn9jPWH.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Tyrant, the usurper and the hero | Henry V: hero
Henry V only had a short reign, but his legacy looms large over the medieval landscape. Remembered as a heroic warrior king, who bested the French at Harfleur then marched his forces to victory at Agincourt, few monarchs have such a distinguished reputation. But 'Prince Hal' wasn't always destined for greatness. Was he really the gadabout youth Shakespeare would have us believe? In the third episode of our three-part HistoryExtra podcast series 'Tyrant, Usurper, Hero', Helen Castor sits down with Dan Jones to learn more about Henry's life beyond the battlefield – and highlight what lessons he learned from the chaos caused by Richard II and Henry IV.
(Ad) Helen Castor is the author of The Eagle and the Hart: The Tragedy of Richard II and Henry IV (Penguin, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-eagle-and-the-hart%2Fhelen-castor%2F9780241419328.
(Ad) Dan Jones is the author of Henry V: The Astonishing Rise of England's Greatest Warrior King (Bloomsbury, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fhenry-v%2Fdan-jones%2F9781804541937.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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How Stalin won WW2
In June 1944 Allied armies landed in force in northern France, and the liberation of western Europe began. But, the battle that really sealed Hitler's fate was taking place in the east, as the Red Army prepared an almighty assault against the war-weary Wehrmacht. Speaking to Rob Attar, broadcaster and military historian Jonathan Dimbleby tells the story of this crucial year in the outcome of the Second World War and reveals how it was pivotal in outlining the future shape of Europe.
(Ad) Jonathan Dimbleby is the author of Endgame 1944: How Stalin Won The War (Viking, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Endgame-1944-How-Stalin-Won/dp/0241536715/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Venerable Bede: life of the week
The Venerable Bede was a monk who lived in Northumbria 1300 years ago, but his influence reached far beyond the confines of his monastic home. In fact, he is remembered today as the 'Father of English History'. In this 'life of the week' episode, David Musgrove explores the life and long-lasting legacy of this early medieval scholar and saint, in the expert company of Professor Michelle P Brown.
(Ad) Michelle P Brown is the author of Bede and the Theory of Everything (Reaktion Books, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bede-Theory-Everything-Medieval-Lives/dp/1789147883/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
Dr Benjamin Pohl explores the role of medieval monks and abbots in writing histories: https://link.chtbl.com/-Ukj6sAg.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Decoding Mary, Queen of Scots
How might cryptic messages written from within a political prison bring us closer to understanding a captive queen? Historian Jade Scott has studied the letters Mary, Queen of Scots wrote in captivity, and describes them as "her weapons, her armour, her battle strategy". Speaking to Lauren Good, she reveals what we can learn from these coded missives – from the huge varieties of cipher they contained to how the Queen of Scots smuggled them past her captors.
(Ad) Jade Scott is the author of Captive Queen: The Decrypted History of Mary, Queen of Scots (Michael O'Mara Books, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fcaptive-queen%2Fjade-scott%2F9781789296464.
Rosemary Goring reveals more about the Scottish years of Mary, Queen of Scots: https://link.chtbl.com/6WgzyzA0.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Blitz: everything you wanted to know
How did British civilians respond when they found themselves under aerial bombardment during the Second World War? Was normal life put on hold during air raids? And was 'Blitz Spirit' a real thing? Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne for our latest 'everything you wanted to know' episode, historian Dan Todman answers your questions on the Blitz.
Caroline Shenton reveals the secret mission to save Britain’s national artworks and artefacts from the Nazis during the Second World War: https://link.chtbl.com/u_9bMmXR.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The gunpowder plot: everything you wanted to know
What drove a group of plotters to attempt to blow up the king on 5 November 1605? To what extent did the conspiracy sour relations between Protestants and Catholics? And why do we continue to be so fascinated by this extraordinary episode today? Speaking with Spencer Mizen in this episode from 2022, John Cooper answers listener questions about the gunpowder plot.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Telling the story of modern Jerusalem
First published in 2011, Simon Sebag Montefiore's book Jerusalem: The Biography charts life in the city across the course of centuries. Now he's returned with an updated version, which extends the story beyond 1967 right up to the present day. Simon speaks to Matt Elton about the importance and challenges of telling such a history, and explains how placing the city's recent history back into the longer context helps reveal continuities and parallels.
(Ad) Simon Sebag Montefiore is the author of the newly updated version of Jerusalem: The Biography (Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jerusalem-Biography-Simon-Sebag-Montefiore/dp/1474614396#:~:text=A%20classic%20of%20modern%20literature,to%20the%20Israel%2DPalestine%20conflict/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
Hear more from Simon in this episode, where he explores the entire history of the world through the prism of families: https://link.chtbl.com/Q4F0u--O.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Tyrant, the usurper and the hero | Henry IV: usurper
Henry Bolingbroke has gone down in history as the usurper that stole the English crown from the tyrant Richard II – and was later plagued by rebellion and ill health. But what else do we know about the man who later became Henry IV? In the second episode of our three-part HistoryExtra podcast series 'Tyrant, Usurper, Hero', Dan Jones speaks to Helen Castor to reveal more about this chivalric hero who could have made the ideal king – if only he had been born into the royal role.
(Ad) Helen Castor is the author of The Eagle and the Hart: The Tragedy of Richard II and Henry IV (Penguin, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-eagle-and-the-hart%2Fhelen-castor%2F9780241419328.
(Ad) Dan Jones is the author of Henry V: The Astonishing Rise of England's Greatest Warrior King (Bloomsbury, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fhenry-v%2Fdan-jones%2F9781804541937.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Satan & the sabbath: witchhunting in the Basque Country
Satanic sabbaths, magic potions and demonic toads – in the early 17th century, the Basque Country was convulsed by strange accusations of supernatural activities. A new book by Jan Machielsen explores why fears of witchcraft gained such traction in this isolated region on the French-Spanish border. He tells Ellie Cawthorne more about how overexcited judges, frightened children and geographical factors all played a role in fuelling the panic.
(Ad) Jan Machielsen is the author of The Basque Witch-Hunt: A Secret History (Bloomsbury Academic, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Basque-Witch-Hunt-Secret-History/dp/1350441503/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
Malcolm Gaskill discusses a little-known 17th-century witchcraft case: https://link.chtbl.com/5etfOMPo.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Florence Nightingale: life of the week
From her groundbreaking work in nursing and public health reform to her battles against societal expectations and love of animals, Melissa Pritchard explores the life and legacy of English nurse and statistician Florence Nightingale.
(Ad) Melissa Pritchard is the author of Flight of the Wild Swan (Bellevue, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Flight-Wild-Swan-Melissa-Pritchard/dp/1954276214/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Introducing History's Greatest Conspiracy Theories
Was the moon landing faked? Did Shakespeare actually pen the works he’s credited with? And were the pyramids really built by aliens? In History's Greatest Conspiracy Theories, the new podcast from HistoryExtra, Rob Attar takes a deep dive into the some of history’s most compelling conspiracy theories in the company of expert historians to uncover if there's any truth behind these murky myths.
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3Ap2seB
Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4ZN5NPAHC9oG0JlHl6V1aK
Listen everywhere else by searching: History's Greatest Conspiracy Theories
You can listen ad-free, access episodes early and more by subscribing to HistoryExtra Plus here: https://apple.co/4fgRA1d.
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Cocaine: a Victorian sensation
In a much-publicised race in the 1870s, the most celebrated athlete of his day, the long-distance pedestrian Edward P Weston, admitted that he had chewed coca leaves, sparking a frenzy of interest in the substance and its derivative, cocaine. For the next few decades, cocaine became a household ingredient in many products, and was perfectly legal. It wasn't until the early years of the 20th century that concerns began to be voiced about its dangerous addictiveness. Dr Douglas Small explains how cocaine won over the Victorians in this conversation with David Musgrove.
(Ad) Douglas Small is the author of Cocaine, Literature, and Culture, 1876-1930 (Bloomsbury Academic, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Literature-1876-1930-Critical-Interventions-Humanities/dp/1350400092/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
Here, Mike Jay reveals how scientists and thinkers experimented with drugs in the 19th century:https://link.chtbl.com/5-2SlN03.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Medieval science: everything you wanted to know
Was the medieval Church really anti-science? Why did one monk hurl himself from an the roof of his abbey tower in the name of experimentation? And what were the high-tech gadgets of the Middle Ages? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Seb Falk answers your questions on the often misunderstood realm of medieval science, highlighting the significant contributions made through scientific collaboration – from alchemy and astronomy, to optics and horology.
Elma Brenner answers all your questions on medieval medicine: https://link.chtbl.com/SDRmhrgt.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Halloween traditions: everything you wanted to know
How did a Catholic religious celebration transform into a spooky, supernatural festivity? Why were turnips and swedes replaced by pumpkins? And what happened on ‘mischief night’? Speaking with Ellie Cawthorne for this episode originally aired in 2022, Professor Owen Davies uncovers the historical origins of popular traditions surrounding 31 October – from the malicious and downright dangerous beginnings of trick or treating to the ethereal inspirations for Jack-o’-lanterns.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Medieval women: friendship, wanderlust and the medieval hustle
Marie de France, Julian of Norwich, Christine de Pizan and Margery Kempe: what can these four extraordinary female writers reveal about the everyday lives of ordinary women in the Middle Ages? Well, rather a lot, according to historian Hetta Howes. Looking closely at these authors' works, she captures glimpses into medieval lives that have otherwise been overshadowed – covering everything from the extent to which women had control over their bodies and freedoms, to female friendships and religious belief. Emily Briffett spoke to her to find out more.
(Ad) Hetta Howes is the author of Poet, Mystic, Widow, Wife: The Extraordinary Lives of Medieval Women (Bloomsbury Continuum, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Poet-Mystic-Widow-Wife-Extraordinary/dp/1399408739/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
Listen to Eleanor Janega answer your top questions on the lives of medieval women here: https://link.chtbl.com/-lRVMFOT.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Tyrant, the usurper and the hero | Richard II: tyrant
Richard II lacked all the qualities a medieval monarch needed, bar one: birthright. Born believing he was God's representative on Earth, the narcissistic tyrant seems to have done everything wrong. But did Richard just not understand what it meant to be king? In the first episode of this three-part HistoryExtra podcast series 'Tyrant, Usurper, Hero', Dan Jones and Helen Castor chart Richard’s eccentricities and the trials of his reign – from the monarch’s obsessive addiction to good hygiene to his involvement in the Peasant’s Revolt and eventual downfall.
(Ad) Helen Castor is the author of The Eagle and the Hart: The Tragedy of Richard II and Henry IV (Penguin, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-eagle-and-the-hart%2Fhelen-castor%2F9780241419328.
(Ad) Dan Jones is the author of Henry V: The Astonishing Rise of England's Greatest Warrior King (Bloomsbury, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fhenry-v%2Fdan-jones%2F9781804541937.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Chris Packham & Peter Frankopan: can history help tackle the climate crisis?
Climate change is an issue that animates politicians, scientists and activists around the world – but could looking to history help shape our approach to the climate crisis today? And what role do historians have to play in facing the issue? In this conversation with Matt Elton, best-selling author and historian Peter Frankopan and broadcaster and conservationist Chris Packham share their thoughts on these topics and more – and consider whether the past offers any optimism for the future.
Listen to Eugene Linden speak about the history of our relationship with the environment here: https://link.chtbl.com/At5POjeV
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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History Behind the Headlines: political memoirs, fuel and access to nature
In the latest episode of our monthly series charting the past behind the present, Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter explore the history of political memoirs, Britain's changing energy supplies across the centuries, and conflicts over access to the countryside.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Tudor spymaster: the secret machinations of Robert Cecil
Late Tudor England was a dangerous place, with plots both at home and abroad, and no certainty about who was going to succeed the ageing queen, Elizabeth I. Into this perilous world stepped Robert Cecil, a brilliant but unglamorous statesman and spymaster who played a pivotal role in keeping the country together and ensuring a smooth transition to the Stuart monarchy. Professor Stephen Alford speaks to Rob Attar about this unheralded titan of the Tudor and Stuart courts.
(Ad) Stephen Alford is the author of //All His Spies: The Secret World of Robert Cecil// (Penguin, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fall-his-spies%2Fstephen-alford%2F9780241423479.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Korean War: everything you wanted to know
On today's Everything You Wanted to Know episode, we're covering the Korean War, exploring how the nation came to be divided in two, what the impact of fighting was on the peninsular's civilian population, and how close the clash came to going nuclear. In conversation with Spencer Mizen, Owen Miller of the Centre of Korean Studies at SOAS answers your questions on the Cold War conflict.
Check out our Everything you wanted to know episode on the Vietnam War here: https://link.chtbl.com/swCXZNQa
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Roman slavery: a brutal life in the ancient empire
How many slaves were there in the Roman empire? Were they cruelly treated, or could they sometimes go on to win fame, fortune and freedom? And how often did they – like Spartacus –rebel? Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Guy de la Bédoyère explores the remarkable, and often brutal, history of slavery in the ancient world's most powerful empire.
(Ad) Guy de la Bédoyère is the author of Populus: Living and Dying in the Wealth, Smoke and Din of Ancient Rome (Abacus, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Populus-Living-Dying-Wealth-Ancient/dp/1408715155/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
Hannah Platts takes listeners on a multi-sensory tour of the ancient Roman home, here: https://link.chtbl.com/c63G6iV4.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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1066: the battle for England | 4. the long and violent Norman Conquest
William of Normandy’s victory at the Battle of Hastings in October 1066 was far from the end of the Norman Conquest of England. It took many years, and putting down no small amount of rebellion, for William to fully establish control. In the final episode of our new series on 1066, Marc Morris discusses the long story of the Norman Conquest with David Musgrove.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Imperial spectacle: inside Britain's 1924 'Empire Exhibition'
A century ago, in 1924, the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley opened its doors, receiving as many as 27 million visits over two years. It was a grand declaration of an empire at its territorial height. But behind the spectacle was a superpower grappling with its position on the world stage, seeking to recalibrate its own sense of influence and importance. Speaking to Elinor Evans, Matthew Parker takes listeners inside the exhibition, which featured huge sporting events and battle reenactments, glamorous pavilions showcasing new technology and science – and even a replica of Tutankhamun’s tomb.
To listen to Matthew Parker discussing events that occurred across the British empire on one specific day in 1923, click here: https://link.chtbl.com/lsjrz1z8
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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John Milton: life of the week
Across the 65 years of his life, writer John Milton packed a lot in: poet, polemicist, political operator – engaging with ideas that often challenged the status quo. In today's Life of the Week episode, Professor Islam Issa speaks to Matt Elton about the life and legacy of this 17th-century polymath.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Why did people kill for Hitler?
Why were so many Germans prepared to participate in the crimes of the Third Reich? It's a question that has exercised historians and the wider public for decades, and now, in his new book, Hitler's People, Professor Richard J Evans seeks to provide an answer. In this episode, he speaks to Rob Attar about what drove people – from lowly functionaries to Hitler himself – to engage in acts of mass murder.
(Ad) Richard J Evans is the author of Hitler's People: The Faces of the Third Reich (Allen Lane, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fhitlers-people%2Frichard-j-evans%2F9780241471500.
Listen to Mary Fulbrook explore why so many people went along with the Nazi regime here: https://link.chtbl.com/T3TDEbo8.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Cathars: everything you wanted to know
Denounced as heretics by the Catholic church, the Cathars were a offshoot Christian movement which emerged in southern Europe during the 12th century. But what was it about their beliefs that was so outrageous to the orthodox medieval church? And why was their existence quickly snuffed out? Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian Claire Taylor reveals more about the Cathars' way of life and the efforts made to suppress them.
Hear Giles Tremlett answer listener questions on the Spanish Inquisition here: https://link.chtbl.com/lwH4DDc7
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Black British History: everything you wanted to know
October is Black History Month here in the UK. But how far back does the story of black people in Britain stretch - and what evidence do we have about their experiences? Speaking to Charlotte Hodgman in this episode from 2022, historian Hannah Cusworth answers your top questions about black British history.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Shopping and snacking: a social history of the high street
Daring department store stunts. Warming cups of cocoa. Argumentative bartering with butchers. What can revisiting high streets gone by reveal about British social history? Historian Annie Gray takes listeners on a shopping trip through the centuries, telling Ellie Cawthorne more about the goods, refreshments and entertainment on offer.
(Ad) Annie Gray is the author of The Bookshop, The Draper, The Candlestick Maker: A History of the High Street (Profile Books, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bookshop-Draper-Candlestick-Maker-History/dp/1800812248/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
Annie Gray revisits the life of Churchill's cook during the Second World War here: https://link.chtbl.com/kzJZF5Gk.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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1066: the battle for England | 3. Three kings and three battles
The year 1066 is the most famous in English history. It was marked by not just one, but three major battles, and saw three different men ruling as king of England. Marc Morris, in conversation with David Musgrove, outlines how the tumultuous year played out and charts the fates of the key contenders in the fight for England's throne.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The race to identify all living creatures
In the 18th century, two men – Carl Linnaeus and Georges-Louis de Buffon – both independently took on a mammoth task. They set out to identify, describe and categorise all life on Earth. Speaking to Matt Elton, Jason Roberts charts the two naturalists' hugely different views and approaches – and how they shaped our view of the natural world for centuries.
(Ad) Jason Roberts is the author of Every Living Thing: The Great and Deadly Race to Know All Life (Quercus, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fevery-living-thing%2Fjason-roberts%2F9781529400465.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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King John: life of the week
King John has a terrible reputation. He's best known as the monarch who broke the terms of Magna Carta, lost Normandy to the French and committed numerous acts of unspeakable cruelty. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Nicholas Vincent considers if John really was as bad as all that - or if, indeed, he was even worse.
Hear Nicholas Vincent discuss the Second Barons' War here: https://link.chtbl.com/77CrHf0Q.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Ordinary Vikings: hidden histories of the Nordic world
We know the Vikings best as brutal, seafaring, pagan raiders – and that’s an important part of their lives and histories. But it’s only one aspect: what about their love lives, experiences of travels, and attitudes to religion? Speaking with James Osborne, Eleanor Barraclough unpicks the day-to-day lives and culture of the Vikings across their vast – and complicated – geographic domain and timeline.
(Ad) Eleanor Barraclough is the author of Embers of the Hands: Hidden Histories of the Viking Age (Profile Books, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Embers-Hands-Intimate-History-Viking/dp/1788166744/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Tea history: everything you wanted to know
Chances are, like most of us, you probably enjoy a good cup of tea. But how did the world come to be so obsessed with this now-ubiquitous hot beverage? Where did it originate? How did trading it trigger wars? And when did people first experience the delights of an elegant afternoon tea? Elinor Evans puts your top questions on tea to historian, writer, and tea specialist Jane Pettigrew.
Listen to Jonathan Morris chart the history of another of the world's favourite hot drinks, coffee: https://link.chtbl.com/rwuCVcs9.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Victorian women detectives
Apprehending thieves in the street. Disguising as housemaids to spy on adulterous husbands. Investigating and exposing child abuse. The exploits of women detectives in the Victorian era were dramatic, secretive, and often dangerous. Author and historian Sara Lodge tells Ellie Cawthorne more about these sleuths and the roles they played in 19th-century crime fighting.
(Ad) Sara Lodge is the author of The Mysterious Case of the Victorian Female Detective (Yale University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-mysterious-case-of-the-victorian-female-detective%2Fsara-lodge%2F9780300277883.
Listen to Drew Gray tackle listener question on crime, courts, policing and prisons in 19th-century Britain: https://link.chtbl.com/SGjwBedr.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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1066: the battle for England | 2. The power behind the Anglo-Saxon throne
Harold II – best known as the defeated king who reportedly got an arrow through the eye at the Battle of Hastings – was part of the Godwin family. In this episode, Marc Morris reveals how the Godwins were the power behind the throne through much of the reign of Harold’s predecessor, King Edward the Confessor. He explains to David Musgrove why the family came to prominence and how Harold managed to take the crown for himself after King Edward’s death at the start of 1066.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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A hidden history of black civil rights
When we think of American civil rights, we tend to focus on the mid 20th-century and the likes of Martin Luther King Jr and Rosa Parks, who fought for the rights of black people in an era of segregation. But, in his revelatory new book, Before the Movement, which has recently been shortlisted for the Cundill History Prize, Dylan Penningroth tells a much longer and broader story, beginning in the era of slavery and focusing on everyday legal matters that historians have often overlooked. Rob Attar speaks to Dylan to find out more about this little-known aspect of black American history.
(Ad) Dylan Penningroth is the author of Before the Movement: The Hidden History of Black Civil Rights (Liveright Publishing Corporation, 2023). Preorder it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Before-Movement-Hidden-History-Rights/dp/1324093102/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
Listen to the first episode of our podcast series on the US civil rights movement of the mid 20th century here: https://link.chtbl.com/QhlMnTrM.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Eleanor Roosevelt: life of the week
Historian and biographer Susan Ware joins Elinor Evans to discuss the life of Eleanor Roosevelt, from her transformative role as First Lady of the United States during her husband Franklin Delano Roosevelt's presidency, to her advocacy for human rights amid personal tumult.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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How did the US get so many guns?
Today there are an estimated 450 million guns in civilian hands in the United States – ten times the number than at the end of the Second World War. But how did that conflict spark a weaponry boom? And what are the social and economic currents that have led the US to have more guns than people? Matt Elton speaks to Andrew C McKevitt, whose Cundill History Prize-shortlisted book Gun Country explores these questions.
(Ad) Andrew C McKevitt is the author of Gun Country: Gun Capitalism, Culture, and Control in Cold War America (The University of North Carolina Press, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gun-Country-Capitalism-Culture-Control/dp/1469677245/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
Find out more about the Cundill History Prize here: https://www.cundillprize.com
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Communism: everything you wanted to know
First published in 1848, the The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels presents communism as a 'spectre' haunting Europe. During the century that followed, this revolutionary ideology swept the world and left an indelible mark on the geopolitical dynamics of the modern age. Historian Maurice J Casey talks to Danny Bird about the history of communism – from Bolshevik emigrés and the fall of the Berlin Wall; to the rise of the Comintern and the legacy of anticommunism.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Liberating WW2 Naples: triumph and tragedy
When Allied forces arrived in Naples in October 1943, they found a city on its knees. Already ravaged by three years of war, Naples had been further decimated by German occupiers and now faced a desperate battle to get back on its feet as the Second World War continued to unfold around it. In this episode, the historian Keith Lowe joins Rob Attar to explore the story of the first major European city to be liberated by the Allies – a tale of ingenuity and heroism, immorality and despair.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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1066: the battle for England | 1. Vikings, Normans and rebellious Anglo-Saxons
The roots of the Norman Conquest of 1066 can be traced all the way back to 1016 – when England was hit by an earlier foreign invasion. This time, the assault came from Denmark and the forces of Cnut. In the first episode of our new series on 1066, Marc Morris talks to David Musgrove about how the events of the early 11th century set the scene for the Norman invasion half a century later.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Churchill's prewar crisis meetings
In the run-up to the Second World War, Winston Churchill's Kent home, Chartwell, was transformed from a cosy country pile to an informal Home Office, as the politician invited influential guests to come for dinner, drinks.... and off-the-record discussions. From 'Lawrence of Arabia' to Albert Einstein, Katherine Carter tells Ellie Cawthorne how these visitors shaped Churchill's views about the looming prospect of war.
(Ad) Katherine Carter is the author Churchill's Citadel: Chartwell and the Gatherings Before the Storm (Yale University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Churchills-Citadel-Chartwell-Gatherings-Before/dp/0300270194/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Henry VII: life of the week
Henry VII has gone down in history as the miserable miser who, rightly or wrongly, seized the English Crown from the hands of Richard III at the battle of Bosworth. But, according to historian and author Nathen Amin, Henry's rise to power was unprecedented – and his rotten reputation blown out of proportion. In this 'Life of the week' episode, Nathen speaks to Emily Briffett about the life and legacy of the first Tudor monarch – from his major political successes to his close family bonds.
(Ad) Nathen Amin is the author of Son of Prophecy: The Rise of Henry Tudor (Amberly, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Son-Prophecy-Rise-Henry-Tudor/dp/1398110477/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Tokyo 1946: the war crime trial that shaped Japan's future
In 1946, as Japan stood in ruins at the end of the Second World War, an international trial was launched in Tokyo. It was a mammoth legal and political undertaking that lasted more than two years, as top Japanese leaders were tried by a panel of 11 international judges for war crimes, crimes against humanity and crimes against peace. Historian Gary Bass is the author of the Cundill History Prize-shortlisted book on the trials, Judgement at Tokyo. As he tells Ellie Cawthorne, it wasn't just the fates of the defendants that were on line – but also Japan's reputation on the global stage.
(Ad) Gary Bass is the author of Judgment at Tokyo: World War II on Trial and the Making of Modern Asia (Knopf Publishing Group, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stone-Circles-Field-Guide/dp/0300235984/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
Hear our podcast with Tobias Buck on a 21st-century Holocaust trial here: https://link.chtbl.com/k2HY09Zq
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
To find out more about the Cundill History Prize and the books shortlisted in 2024, head to www.cundillprize.com
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The Stuarts: everything you wanted to know
What do we know about James I's sexuality? How did Charles I squander his throne? How successful was the 'Glorious Revolution'? And why is the turbulence of the 17th century still overshadowed by the Tudors? In today's Everything you wanted to know episode, Anna Keay answers your queries on the Stuart dynasty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Hidden environmental histories of the last 500 years
From the Mongol expansion to the world wars, and from colonialism to the slave trade, the biggest historical events of the past 500 years have reshaped not only human history, but also the natural world around us. Sunil Amrith tells Ellie Cawthorne more about how colonialism, war and exploitation have gone hand in hand with the destruction of natural environments, and asks whether reconsidering history from an environmental perspective can offer any lessons for tackling the climate crisis today.
(Ad) Sunil Amrith is the author of The Burning Earth: An Environmental History of the Last 500 Years (Allen Lane, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Burning-Earth-Material-History-Years/dp/0241461987/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
Listen to another fascinating conversation on environmental history with Peter Frankopan here: https://link.chtbl.com/c_bkCrzj.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Ancient Egypt | 5. a lost world?
Why are we still so obsessed with ancient Egypt? In this fifth episode of Ancient Egypt: the big questions, Emily Briffett is joined by curator and Egyptologist Campbell Price for a final time to explore the enduring legacy and influence of ancient Egypt – from the 'Egyptomania' that gripped Victorian Britain to key discoveries that have shaped our understanding of Egypt’s past.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Congo, Cold War & CIA plotting: the 1961 assassination that shook Africa
Soon after gaining independence from Belgium in 1960, the new Republic of the Congo was rocked by the assassination of its young firebrand leader, Patrice Lumumba. Stuart A Reid unpicks this story in his Cundill History Prize-shortlisted book The Lumumba Plot. He speaks to Elinor Evans to unravel the tumult that followed independence and the devastating implications of Lumumba's death. Plus, Stuart reveals more about the CIA's murky role in the leader's brutal execution.
(Ad) Stuart A Reid is the author of The Lumumba Plot: The Secret History of the CIA and a Cold War Assassination (Knopf, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lumumba-Plot-Secret-History-Assassination-ebook/dp/B0BRMMVWBY/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
Find out more about the Cundill History Prize here: https://www.cundillprize.com
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Viking trade, Titanic and Olympic rings: history behind the headlines
Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter discuss the historical news stories that have made headlines this month
In the latest episode of our monthly series charting the past behind the present, Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter explore the history behind a row about the Olympic rings staying on the Eiffel Tower, Viking-era treasure that offers new insights about global trade, and what we can learn from new underwater footage of the Titanic.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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How ancient India transformed the world
From the Roman economy and Angkor Wat to the spread of Buddhism and the numerical system we use today, ancient India was one of the great seedbeds of human civilisation. Indian art, religion, technology and ideas were exported across a vast territory, influencing several Eurasian cultures. Speaking to Danny Bird, bestselling historian William Dalrymple discusses his latest book, The Golden Road, which highlights India's profound impact on global history and uncovers its forgotten role at the heart of the ancient world.
(Ad) William Dalrymple is the author of The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World (Bloomsbury, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Golden-Road-Ancient-India-Transformed/dp/140886441X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Hittites: everything you wanted to know
The Hittites were one of the most powerful civilisations in the Near East, building a vast empire that encompassed much of modern-day Turkey. But aside from a few vague references in ancient texts, proof of their existence was not established until the 20th century, when the discovery of more than 10,000 clay tablets laid bare the story of the Hittite kingdom and its rulers. Historian Mark Weeden talks to Jon Bauckham about the rise and fall of this elusive people, and reveals what we can glean from the surviving physical evidence.
Listen to our episode with Zainab Bahrani, where she tackles listener questions about the ancient Mesopotamian city of Babylon: https://link.chtbl.com/9xMgWiPX
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Iranian embassy siege: an SAS hostage drama in London
In May 1980, TV coverage of the world snooker final was interrupted by live footage of men in black balaclavas abseiling down the walls of the Iranian Embassy in London. This was Operation Nimrod, a daring SAS plan to free dozens of hostages who'd been held captive in the building for almost a week by a group of gunmen. In his new book, bestselling author Ben Macintyre tells the story of the Iranian Embassy siege, from its roots in the Middle East to its incredibly dramatic conclusion. He spoke to Rob Attar about this defining event of Margaret Thatcher's premiership.
(Ad) Ben Macintyre is the author of The Siege: The Remarkable Story of the Greatest SAS Hostage Drama (Viking, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Siege-Remarkable-Story-Greatest-Hostage/dp/0241675677/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Ancient Egypt | 4. religion and death
Nothing is more synonymous with ancient Egypt than mummification. But why was this postmortem practice actually performed? And what other rituals and beliefs surrounded death in the ancient civilisation? In the fourth episode of Ancient Egypt: the big questions, Emily Briffett and Campbell Price meet the pantheon of Egypt’s gods and goddesses and take a deep dive into the ancient underworld.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Native Americans: a history of power and survival
The story of Native American societies decimated by European arrival is a familiar one. But, while undoubtedly important, that’s only one part of the story. In her new book Native Nations, Kathleen DuVal looks back at 1,000 years of the history of North America's Indigenous people to uncover a richer, more complex picture. The book is shortlisted for the Cundill History Prize, of which HistoryExtra is a media partner – Ellie Cawthorne spoke to Kathleen to find out more.
(Ad) Kathleen DuVal is the author of Native Nations: A Millennium in North America (Random House, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Native-Nations-Millennium-North-America/dp/0525511032/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
Listen to another fascinating conversation on Native American history with Ned Blackhawk here: https://link.chtbl.com/J6bICRQg.
To find out more about the Cundill History Prize and the books shortlisted in 2024, head to www.cundillprize.com
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Isambard Kingdom Brunel: life of the week
From pioneering railways and awe-inspiring bridges to ocean-spanning passenger ships and flatpack hospitals, there was no engineering challenge too ambitious for Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The impressive creations of this cigar-chomping polymath changed the face of Victorian Britain, but, as Tim Bryan tells Ellie Cawthorne in today's 'Life of the week' episode, not all of his innovative ideas were a success.
(Ad) Tim Bryan is the author of Iron, Stone and Steam: Brunel's Railway Empire (Amberley, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Iron-Stone-Steam-Brunels-Railway/dp/1398112690/ref=sr_1_1?crid=6ZGR6WI6DAVX&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.9TpLNZDaoSmGAiUuw0Z9Wg.kwSt3aLudrlvenUjG2s6OxnOA9-x0sffJJYdBG6EzaQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=Iron%2C+Stone+and+Steam+tim+bryan&qid=1722596505&s=books&sprefix=iron+stone+and+steam+tim+bryan%2Cstripbooks%2C76&sr=1-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The 1943 battle of Kursk – and its present-day echoes
Recent developments in the Russia-Ukraine war have seen Kursk make headlines – provoking parallels with the Second World War battle that took place in the region. But are such links helpful? And how important was the 1943 clash to the wider war? Matt Elton caught up with historian and author Peter Caddick-Adams to find out more.
Listen to a 2022 conversation with Keith Lowe, as he discusses how today’s conflict between Russia and Ukraine can be traced back to the Second World War: https://link.chtbl.com/3MLn9TgZ.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Medieval torture: everything you wanted to know
Why were people tortured in the Middle Ages? Was it ever legal? Did the infliction of physical pain play as large a role in medieval prosecutions as we might think? And did anyone actually experience the deadly embrace of the Iron Maiden? Speaking to Charlotte Hodgman, historian Professor Hannah Skoda answers a range of listener questions on torture in the medieval era.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Medieval documents in danger
Just how far does our understanding of the medieval past rely upon written sources? And what happens when these precious fragments of knowledge are destroyed? Taking in shocking cases of destruction and disaster, Robert Bartlett tells Emily Briffett about the material that has been lost down the centuries, and the heroic efforts made by scholars and archivists to preserve fragile slivers of information about a past that would be forgotten without them.
(Ad) Robert Bartlett is the author of History in Flames: The Destruction and Survival of Medieval Manuscripts (Cambridge University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fhistory-in-flames%2Frobert-bartlett%2F9781009457156.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Ancient Egypt | 3. culture
What would an average ancient Egyptian citizen's relationship have been with the pyramids? Why did they wear gooey wax cones on their heads? And what was it like to attend an Egyptian religious ritual? In this third episode of our series Ancient Egypt: the big questions, Emily Briffett and Egyptologist Campbell Price delve into the vibrant world of ancient Egyptian culture – taking in the art, architecture, fashion and festivals.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Our 10,000-year quest for equality
Were hunter-gatherer societies among the most equal in history? What impact did the French and American Revolutions have on the concept of equality? And has equality been on the retreat over the past three decades? Darrin M McMahon, author of Equality: The History of an Elusive Idea, talks to Spencer Mizen about humanity's enduring obsession with egalitarianism.
(Ad) Darrin M McMahon is the author of Equality: The History of an Elusive Idea (Bonnier, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-HistoryiPad&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fequality%2Fdarrin-mcmahon%2F9781804186831)
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Michelangelo: life of the week
From his famed statue of David to the extraordinary paintings that adorn the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo’s work still inspires awe. In this episode, Professor Catherine Fletcher speaks to Rachel Dinning about the life, legacy and extraordinary artistic output of the Renaissance sculptor, painter, architect and poet.
Hear Catherine Fletcher discuss the history of Florence, and offer her tips on Renaissance sites to visit in the city here: https://link.chtbl.com/I4AXl_kl.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Battle of Megiddo: ancient Egypt's greatest victory?
The battle of Megiddo is one of the most important battles you've (probably) never heard of. When an army led by Pharaoh Thutmosis III clashed with a coalition of enemy forces 35 centuries ago, Egypt's status as a regional superpower was on the line. Luckily for the Egyptians – as Nicky Nielsen tells Spencer Mizen - Thutmosis had a few surprises up his sleeve…
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Prehistoric stone circles: everything you want to know
If you've ever visited one of the many prehistoric stone circles that dot the landscape of Britain and Ireland, you've probably come away with lots of questions. How were they built? When were they built? Why were they built? And what on earth were they for? In this 'everything you want to know' episode, we've got the answers – or at least some of them – for you, as Professor Vicki Cummings delves into the history of prehistoric stone circles with David Musgrove.
(Ad) Vicki Cummings is co-author of Stone Circles: A Field Guide (Yale University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stone-Circles-Field-Guide/dp/0300235984/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
Listen to our episode with Mike Pitts on Britain’s most famous prehistoric monument, Stonehenge, here:https://link.chtbl.com/iAT9Pelw.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The plague that brought the Roman empire to its knees
In AD 165, the Roman empire was enjoying a period of seemingly unprecedented prosperity and stability. Then, the Antonine Plague arrived, bringing with it death, chaos, and fear. Speaking with James Osborne, Colin Elliott, author of Pox Romana, dissects the impact of this devastating plague on Roman society, and questions whether it was the cause of the empire's eventual demise.
(Ad) Colin Elliott is the author of Pox Romana: The Plague That Shook the Roman World (Princeton University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pox-Romana-Turning-Ancient-History/dp/069121915X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Ancient Egypt | 2. everyday life
Ever wondered where an ancient Egyptian did their food shop? Or how crocodile dung could cure your ailments? In this second episode of our series Ancient Egypt: the big questions, Emily Briffett and Egyptologist Campbell Price turn their attention to the day-to-day experiences of ordinary Egyptians, painting a vivid picture of life along the Nile – from family relationships to food and medicine.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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False rumps & rotten teeth: 400 years of bizarre beauty practices
From false rumps and fake teeth to toxic skincare and insect-laden wigs, over the past 400 years, British women have resorted to extraordinary lengths in the pursuit of beauty. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Margarette Lincoln delves into some of these past beauty practices, and considers their impact on the women who engaged in them.
(Ad) Margarette Lincoln is the author of Perfection: 400 Years of Women's Quest for Beauty (Yale University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Perfection-Years-Womens-Quest-Beauty/dp/0300264585/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Emperor Vespasian: life of the week
The year AD 69 found the Roman empire in a state of chaos. Three emperors had come and gone. Civil war reigned supreme. Rome's enemies smelled blood. Enter Vespasian. In the latest instalment of our 'life of the week' series, Guy de la Bédoyère tells Spencer Mizen about an outsider emperor, who helped conquer Britain, crushed the Jewish Revolt and returned peace and prosperity to an empire on the brink.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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An audacious escape from slavery
On 20 December 1848, Ellen Craft placed a top hat on her head, slipped her arm into a sling, and perched dark green glasses on her nose. Once her disguise was complete, Ellen and her husband William embarked on almighty journey. The couple were enslaved, and had assumed fake identities in order to make a bold bid for freedom. But the journey they faced was more than 1,000 miles long, and fraught with danger. Ilyon Woo, author of a Pulitzer-prize winning biography of the Crafts, tells Ellie Cawthorne more about how they managed to make it undetected.
(Ad) Ilyon Woo is the author of Master Slave Husband Wife: An Epic Journey from Slavery to Freedom (Bonnier books, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fmaster-slave-husband-wife%2Filyon-woo%2F9781804184851.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Abbasid caliphate: everything you wanted to know
The Abbasid caliphs sat at the head of a vast Islamic empire that stretched from Tunisia to the frontiers of India, which they ruled over for several centuries. But how did they first come to power? What tools did they utilise to control such a significant swathe of land? And to what extent were they responsible for a 'Golden Age of Islam'? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Hugh Kennedy charts the rise and fall of a multicultural medieval empire and answers your top questions – on everything from the harem of the strictly structured court to the enormous amount of scholarship that flowed through the caliphate.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Crusader criminals: how the Holy Land became a hotbed of lawlessness
The medieval crusades are remembered for their sweeping military campaigns. But they also engendered a brutality that went beyond the battlefield – in the form of a violent criminal underbelly, fuelled by hordes a dislocated, disinhibited young men. Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian Steve Tibble uncovers why the Holy Land became a hotbed of lawlessness, and shares some of the most surprising stories of the time – from saintly pirates and gangs led by prisoners-of-war, to devious and deceitful murderers.
(Ad) Steve Tibble is the author of Crusader Criminals: The Knights Who Went Rogue in the Holy Land (Yale University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fcrusader-criminals%2Fsteve-tibble%2F9780300276077%23%3A~%3Atext%3DCrusader%20Criminals%20charts%20the%20downward%2Csurprising%20stories%20of%20the%20time.%26text%3DThe%20religious%20wars%20of%20the%20crusades%20are%20renowned%20for%20their%20military%20engagements.%2C-But%20the%20period.
Listen to our conversation with Steve Tibble on conspiracy theories surrounding the Knights Templar here: https://link.chtbl.com/ConspiracyKnightsTemplar. And you can hear our series on the First Crusade here: https://link.chtbl.com/FirstCrusades1
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Ancient Egypt | 1. civilisation
You’re probably familiar with the idea of godly pharaohs, menacing mummies and their deadly curses. But how much do you actually know about the fundamental facts of ancient Egyptian civilisation? In this first episode of our new series Ancient Egypt: the big questions, Emily Briffett is joined by curator and Egyptologist Campbell Price to chart ancient Egypt’s rise and fall – getting to grips with the where, when and why of one of history’s most fascinating cultures.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Ancient Egypt: the big questions | Trailer
From the secrets of the pyramids to the mysteries of mummification, ancient Egypt has captivated the popular imagination for centuries. In HistoryExtra’s new five-part podcast series, we look back at the culture, beliefs and legacy of a civilisation which left such a significant mark in history – all in the company of curator and Egyptologist Dr Campbell Price.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Gulag doctors: saving lives in Stalin's prison camps
The Soviet gulag was a place of brutality, exploitation and death. But it was also home to tens of thousands of medical personnel who had to overcome limited facilities, appalling conditions and political menace in a battle to save the inmates' lives. Professor Dan Healey, author of a new book on these Gulag doctors, talks to Rob Attar about their complex roles in the heart of Stalin's labour camps.
(Ad) Dan Healey is the author of The Gulag Doctors: Life, Death, and Medicine in Stalin's Labour Camps (Yale University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gulag-Doctors-Medicine-Stalins-Labour/dp/0300187130#:~:text=Dan%20Healey%20explores%20the%20lives,a%20proportion%20of%20their%20patients./?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The far right in Britain: history behind the headlines
In the latest episode of our monthly series charting the past behind the present, Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter are joined by historian Nigel Copsey to discuss the long history of the far right in the UK.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Practical magic: curses, spells & cunning folk
From love spells to enthral the object of your desires, to charms to influence the outcome of a trial, people turned to cunning folk for all kinds of practical magic in medieval and Tudor England. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, historian Tabitha Stanmore reveals the amount of power these magical people could have within their communities, and explores some of their methods for altering the world around them by supernatural means.
(Ad) Tabitha Stanmore is the author of Cunning Folk: Life in the Era of Practical Magic (Bodley Head, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cunning-Folk-Life-Practical-Magic/dp/1847927319/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The history of migration: everything you wanted to know
Since the dawn of humanity, people have been on the move. Our ancestors' ability to travel across vast distances and adapt to different environments has been the key to our species' survival. But why do we migrate? When did passports first come into existence? And what impact have slavery, colonialism and war had on migration? In this 'everything you wanted to know' episode, Ian Goldin speaks to Danny Bird to answer listener questions about this age-old phenomenon.
(Ad) Ian Goldin is the author of The Shortest History of Migration (Old Street Publishing, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shortest-History-Migration-Ian-Goldin/dp/1913083446/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Eighteen-year-olds who changed history
In 21st-century Britain, the age of 18 marks the legal transition from childhood to adulthood. But how has this boundary shifted over time? Alice Loxton speaks to Danny Bird about her new book, Eighteen, which explores the young lives of 18 well-known figures from British history. From the Venerable Bede to Vivienne Westwood, she explores how young people have made their mark on historical events.
(Ad) Alice Loxton is the author of Eighteen: A History of Britain in 18 Young Lives (Macmilla, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eighteen-History-Britain-Young-Lives/dp/1035031280/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Toilets through time | 4. Victorian lavatories
In the final episode of Toilets Through Time, we’ve finally reached the age of avant-garde sewerage systems and shining porcelain cisterns: the Victorian era. David Musgrove is joined by historian and author Jerry White, who explains why the period nevertheless saw appalling sanitary conditions that sparked debates about the public health of Britain’s cities – and shares some surprising toilet-based euphemisms.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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How games changed history
From Chess and Go, to Snakes and Ladders, Monopoly and the ancient Egyptian game of Senet, people have long had a fascination with games. But according to author and academic Kelly Clancy, these games have not only provided people with entertainment (and sparked family arguments), they've also shaped warfare, philosophy and social interactions for several millennia. In today's episode, Ellie Cawthorne speaks to Kelly to find out more.
(Ad) Kelly Clancy is the author of Playing with Reality: How Games Have Shaped Our World (Riverhead Books, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FPlaying-Reality-Games-Shaped-World%2Fdp%2F0593538188.
Listen to our conversation with Professor Irving Finkel on ancient Mesopotamian ghosts here: https://link.chtbl.com/4Zb4_V7h
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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George Orwell: life of the week
From doublethink and thoughtcrime to coming face-to-face with our worst nightmares inside Room 101, few writers have had as much impact on the popular imagination as George Orwell. But what compelled the author of 'Animal Farm' and 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' to conjure up such dark, dystopian worlds? In this 'Life of the week' episode, Danny Bird speaks to historian Laura Beers about the man who introduced the world to Big Brother – and whose surname has become one of the most resonant adjectives of our age.
(Ad) Laura Beers is the author of Orwell’s Ghosts: Wisdom and Warnings for the 21st Century (C Hurst & Co, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Orwells-Ghosts-Wisdom-Warnings-Century/dp/1911723022/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Lines on a map: borders that shaped world history
People have been drawing lines on maps as long as there have been maps to draw on – whether for political, geographical or sometimes completely arbitrary purposes. But, when it comes to borders, these simple marks have had an irrevocable impact on lives and identities through the centuries. In today's episode, journalist and author Jonn Elledge speaks to Paul Bloomfield about his new book A History of the World in 47 Borders.
(Ad) Jonn Elledge is the author of A History of the World in 47 Borders: The Stories Behind the Lines on Our Maps (Wildfire, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/History-World-47-Borders-Stories/dp/1472298500/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Tartan: everything you wanted to know
We're all familiar with the checks and stripes of tartan. But, how much do you know about the colourful history of the textile famously sported by the Scottish clans? According to historian and tartan expert Peter MacDonald, some of our favourite 'facts' surrounding the chequered material might not be as accurate as we think. Speaking to Emily Briffett, and answering listener questions, Peter charts tartan's long story - from its early origins, to its growing status as a national symbol and commercial icon.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Olympic History: everything you wanted to know
Over the past two weeks, we've witnessed spectacular sporting achievements in Paris. And for anyone who doesn't feel quite ready for the Olympics to be over just yet, we've got the pod for you. In this Everything you wanted to know episode recorded in 2021, David Goldblatt answers listener questions on Olympic history. Speaking to Spencer Mizen, David explores the contest's ancient Greek origins, revisits its madcap modern resurgence, and reveals why the 1900 Paris Games were somewhat more chaotic than their 2024 counterpart.
(Ad) David Goldblatt is the author of The Games: A Global History of the Olympics (W.W Norton, 2020). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Games-Global-History-Olympics/dp/0393355519/ref=sr_1_4?crid=[%E2%80%A6]ks&sprefix=david+goldblatt+olympic%2Cstripbooks%2C124&sr=1-4&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Hidden labs, sex gardens & torture attics: secrets of British royal palaces
If walls could talk, what secrets would those of a British royal palace whisper? Murder, debauchery, treason and more, says Professor Kate Williams. Speaking to Kev Lochun, she reveals how palaces make royal robots of their incumbents, why monarchs always know where they are going to die, and what the future holds for these beloved buildings as the royal family continues to evolve.
(Ad) Kate Williams is the author of The Royal Palaces: Secrets and Scandals (Frances Lincoln, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Secrets-Royal-Palaces-Kate-Williams/dp/0711269394#:~:text=Revel%20in%20the%20glory%20and,history%20of%20the%20United%20Kingdom./?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Toilets through time | 3. Tudor garderobes
Did constipation turn Henry VIII into a tyrant? For the third episode of our mini-series Toilets Through Time, David Musgrove revisits the luxurious surroundings of the royal Tudor water closet. To tell him more about unappealing 16th-century alternatives to loo roll, 'grooms of the stool' and Henry VIII’s gut health, David is joined by author and public historian Tracy Borman.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Gulbadan Begum: princess, explorer, author
Gulbadan Begum was meant to live a quiet life in a Mughal harem. Instead she set off on a daring pilgrimage to Islam's holy cities and, on her return, wrote an extraordinary account of her dynasty. In conversation with Spencer Mizen, Ruby Lal explores the life of a princess who transformed perceptions of what women could achieve in the 16th century.
(Ad) Ruby Lal is the author of Vagabond Princess: The Great Adventures of Gulbadan (Yale University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vagabond-Princess-Great-Adventures-Gulbadan/dp/0300251270/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Anne Frank: life of the week
Anne Frank was one of six million Jews to be murdered by the Nazis. A number of these victims' lives were lost to history. But Anne had left behind a diary – a diary that would become a global sensation. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Clare Mulley shares the teenager's remarkable and tragic story, from her impressions of wartime Amsterdam and the hardships of life in hiding, to her family's betrayal.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Stealing the Mona Lisa
In August 1911, an Italian handyman walked out of Paris' Louvre museum with the Mona Lisa tucked under his arm. It was an audacious theft that shocked the art world, aroused the attention of the world's greatest detectives and even saw Picasso eyed with suspicion. Speaking to Charlotte Hodgman, Dr Noah Charney separates fact from fiction in the story of what is perhaps the most famous art heist in history, and explores why Leonardo's painting continues to intrigue and fascinate 500 years on.
(Ad) Noah Charney is the author of The Thefts of the Mona Lisa: The Complete Story of the World's Most Famous Artwork (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thefts-Mona-Lisa-Complete-Artwork/dp/1538181363/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Great Exhibition: everything you wanted to know
In 1851, a spectacular showcase of the world's best art, design and innovation opened in London. Housed in a magnificent 'Crystal Palace' constructed by Joseph Paxton in just five months, the Great Exhibition wowed its six million visitors - and its legacy still lives on in London's museum district today. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Caroline McCaffrey-Howarth answers listener questions on its conception, construction, and contents.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Dismemberment & disgrace: the grisly fate of Simon de Montfort
Simon de Montfort's body was horribly mutilated and dismembered after his defeat at 1265's fateful Battle of Evesham, during the Second Barons' War. The medieval rebel leader's head and testicles were sent to the wife of one of his killers, while his butchered hands and feet were spread far and wide across Britain. Historian Sophie Thérèse Ambler explains to David Musgrove why he met such a grisly end.
Listen to our podcast on St Oswald here: https://link.chtbl.com/keeC74dG
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Toilets through time | 2. Medieval privies
Why were medieval monks so afraid of going to the loo? In the second episode of our mini-series Toilets Through Time, David Musgrove heads into the dark and dangerous world of medieval latrines on a quest to find out. Helping him navigate the risks of fire, filth and eternal damnation that came with paying a visit in the Middle Ages is author, architectural archaeologist and medieval myth-buster James Wright.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Has imperial history become too politicised?
Controversies surrounding the history of the British empire have become particularly intense in recent years, with academics, politicians and commentators all offering differing views about how we should understand the nation's imperial past. A new book, The Truth about Empire, delves into the debate, with the stated aim of foregrounding the view of historians. Matt Elton spoke to three people involved in the project – Alan Lester, Bronwen Everill, and Sathnam Sanghera – to find out more.
(Ad) Alan Lester, Bronwen Everill and Sathnam Sanghera are contributors to the book The Truth About Empire: Real Histories of British Colonialism (C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Truth-About-Empire-Histories-Colonialism/dp/191172309X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Francis Drake: life of the week
As Elizabethan England's most famous sea captain, Francis Drake saw his fair share of sea-faring adventures – from scuffles with the Spanish Armada, to circumnavigating the globe. But his story also contains darker elements – including slave-trading, looting and the execution of his right-hand man. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne in our latest 'life of the week' episode, historian Robert Hutchison revisits Drake's dramatic life, and re-examines his contentious legacy.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Our long obsession with the end of the world
From asteroids, bacteria and comets to growing fears about artificial intelligence and climate change, human history has long been stalked by a terror of the end of days. But what do these fears tell us about the past? And can that past help us prepare for an uncertain future? Dorian Lynskey spoke to Matt Elton about the long history of apocalyptic thought.
(Ad) Dorian Lynskey is the author of Everything Must Go: The Stories We Tell About The End of the World (Picador, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Feverything-must-go%2Fdorian-lynskey%2F9781529095937.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Grand Tour: everything you wanted to know
In the 18th century, countless British travellers set off to continental Europe in search of art, architecture... and a good time. But what were the must-see locations on the Grand Tour? How did people overcome the challenges of language, currency and uncomfortable mules? And what were the biggest scandals that shook fashionable Europe? In this 'everything you wanted to know' episode, Lizzie Rogers takes Ellie Cawthorne on a whistle-stop journey through the history of the Grand Tour.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Black Death: everything you wanted to know
Earlier this week, new comedy drama The Decameron dropped on Netflix. Based on a set of 14th-century tales by Giovanni Boccaccio, it follows the raucous exploits of a group of medieval Italian nobles, after they flee to the hills to escape the Black Death. Boccaccio's text is one of the key sources we have on the plague pandemic that ravaged Europe in the 1340s, so with the release of the new series, we're bringing you an archive episode all about the Black Death. Speaking to David Musgrove back in 2021, historian John Hatcher answers your questions on the pandemic.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Decameron: sex, plague, and a medieval Love Island
What would you do if your home town was ravaged by plague? Would you lock your doors and hide? Run for the hills? Or accept that the end was nigh and party? Boccaccio's The Decameron - a medieval bestseller written during the Black Death - considers all these options. With the launch of a new Netflix series based on the pivotal work, David Musgrove chats to historian Rebecca Bowen to find out more – and uncover why its author thought that risqué stories could help people come to terms with the horror of the plague.
You can hear our podcast on medieval keep fit here: https://link.chtbl.com/-YbeDr31
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Toilets through time | 1. Roman latrines
What was it like to do your business in a Roman communal toilet? In the first episode of our new mini-series, Toilets Through Time, David Musgrove begins his journey through the bathrooms of British history in the Roman era, with historian Dr Hannah Platts. They discuss dubious ancient ablutions, the confronting experience of sitting alongside your neighbours on the toilet, and why one gladiator reportedly stuck a toilet sponge down his own throat.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Assassinations that shaped US history
Following the attempted assassination of Donald Trump earlier in July, historian Adam Smith speak to Matt Elton about previous attempts to kill political leaders in the United States – and how these events changed the nation.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Is democracy doomed? History behind the headlines
In the latest episode of our monthly series exploring the past behind the present, Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter are joined by Professor Paul Cartledge to explore the long roots of recent tensions in democracies around the world.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Catherine of Braganza: the Merrie Monarch's forgotten queen
Picture Charles II's court and you'll probably imagine a riot of excess, filled with drinking, games, and of course, mistresses. The queen by Charles' side, Catherine of Braganza, is often obscured by this scandalous picture. Speaking to Elinor Evans, Sophie Shorland discusses her new biography detailing the life of the often overlooked consort – from her vital political role in the 17th-century Portuguese struggle for independence to the scandalous power games in the court of the 'Merrie Monarch'.
(Ad) Sophie Shorland is the author of The Lost Queen: The Surprising Life of Catherine of Braganza, Britain's Forgotten Monarch (Atlantic Books, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lost-Queen-Surprising-Catherine-Forgotten-ebook/dp/B0CPRBBH3P/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Spanish Inquisition: everything you wanted to know
The era of the Spanish Inquisition is most commonly remembered as a period of widespread fear and paranoia, where communities turned on each other and torture was rife. But how true is this popular perception? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Giles Tremlett answers listener questions on the Spanish Inquisition, from the real history behind the sinister and bloodthirsty 'Black Legend' of Spain, to whether there was there any hope of survival for people singled out by the inquisitors...
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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1217: the year that (almost) changed English history
1217 is not one of the most famous years in English history. But with a major French invasion looming and a brutal war that wracked both towns and the countryside, this was a year that could have altered the nation's history beyond recognition. So, why aren't we more familiar with the events of 1217? Emily Briffett speaks to medievalist Catherine Hanley, author of a new book on the year, to find out.
(Ad) Catherine Hanley is the author of 1217: The Battles that Saved England (Osprey, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/1217-Battles-that-Saved-England/dp/147286087X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1186ABQSY87IU&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.2k5Of41HS45niMd5aKIurQ0r_Z7VrEwwy_yn5kVQoBHyLNBCK2fvUpxfINQZTs7hvyEK2oSE3hfee227ietJUVPmnLkBZDW92hKkxZdKgdLGjGmbJM9cPy1M-fVr4qdZuMiK05Id--Me1aPX56OCOyE9Td0GXWVsjh1rBXFbF7hu0i3CAmXYBu59kQI514lrgkD8tDZvOVSQxGeQlbpi57fkWeLpIt0bcokaiksq4LM.yJINJKOdZoDoSLG_hRxVKodndVppC5U_Q5IdM1b3Y-A&dib_tag=se&keywords=1217&qid=1716893993&s=books&sprefix=1217%2Cstripbooks%2C62&sr=1-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Deeds not words | 6. Mission accomplished?
After an escalating campaign of bombing and arson attacks, the suffragette movement was brought to a sudden halt on the outbreak of war in 1914. In the final episode of our new series Deeds not words: the story of the suffragettes, Ellie Cawthorne speaks to expert historians about why and how the campaign came to its conclusion, and whether it achieved its aims.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Kindness & hostility: refugees in wartime Britain
Before and during the Second World War, Britain provided a safe haven for thousands of people fleeing Nazi persecution. But, as the author Paul Dowswell argues, this is not an entirely heroic story. In conversation with Rob Attar, Paul explains how huge numbers of Jews were denied entry to Britain and reveals how many of the refugees who were accepted received a hostile welcome.
(Ad) Paul Dowswell is the author of Aliens: The Chequered History of Britain's Wartime Refugees (Biteback Publishing, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Faliens%2Fpaul-dowswell%2F9781785907937
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Catherine de' Medici: life of the week
Catherine de' Medici has gone down in history as the sinister 'serpent queen', who had a troop of female spies in her court and may have instigated the deadly St Bartholomew's Day massacre. But is this a fair judgement of the 16th-century queen and regent? In this 'Life of the week' episode, Emily Briffett speaks to historian Leah Redmond Chang to reassess Catherine's twisted reputation – and shine a light on her struggles and achievements as one of the era's most powerful people.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The suffragettes who fell in love
Evelina Haverfield and Vera Holme, known as Jack, were in love. Not only were they in love, but they also worked together – as suffragette protestors, during prison sentences, and on the wards of military hospitals abroad. Speaking to Lauren Good, Wendy Moore explores the fascinating adventures of these two women before and during the First World War.
(Ad) Wendy Moore is the author of Jack and Eve: Two Women In Love and At War (Atlantic Books, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fjack-and-eve%2Fwendy-moore%2F9781838958091.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Servants: everything you wanted to know
What was it like to be a servant in one of Britain's grand stately homes? How much were domestic staff paid? And what made maids revolt against wearing mopcaps? From daily drudgery to stories of scandal, in our latest Everything you wanted to know episode, historian Lucy Lethbridge speaks to Lauren Good about the reality of domestic service in the era of Downton Abbey and beyond.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Anxieties of the Edwardian age
The Edwardian era is sometimes regarded as an uneventful stopgap between the cultural and technological innovations of the Victorian period and the seismic shifts brought about by the First World War. But is this a fair assessment? Alwyn Turner talks to Jon Bauckham about what life was really like during the reign of Edward VII, and how anxieties about Britain's place in the world were beginning to take centre stage.
(Ad) Alwyn Turner is the author of Little Englanders: Britain in the Edwardian Era (Profile, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Little-Englanders-Britain-Edwardian-Era/dp/1800815301/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-HistoryiPad
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Deeds not words | 5. Burning down the house
Smashing windows, burning down politicians’ homes and planting bombs in public places. As the suffragette movement progressed, it turned to increasingly extreme methods to further its cause. In episode five of our new series on the suffragettes, Ellie Cawthorne speaks to expert historians to reveal how the campaign became ever more militant and asks: is it fair to call the suffragettes terrorists?
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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How the Plantagenets forged the English state
Between 1199 and 1399, English politics was packed full of high drama, as the Plantagenet monarchs reacted - and adapted - to plague, warfare, uprisings and economic crises. But, according to medieval historians Caroline Burt and Richard Partington in their new book //Arise, England//, the Plantagenet age is also one that shines a light on England's emerging statehood. Speaking to Emily Briffett, and drawing on some listener questions, Caroline and Richard consider how the reigns of six Plantagenet kings altered the face of English governance.
(Ad) Caroline Burt and Richard Partington is the author of Arise, England: Six Kings and the Making of the English State (Faber & Faber, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Arise-England-Kings-Making-English/dp/0571311989/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Justinian: life of the week
Justinian stands tall among the Byzantine rulers, as the 'sleepless emperor' whose religious fervour and legislative zeal saw him rebuild the eastern Roman empire from the ground up... until the 'four horsemen of the apocalypse' arrived and threatened it all. Peter Sarris talks to Kev Lochun about how the conniving and ruthless Justinian claimed power, how an angry sports fans nearly brought him down, and why he's best-known for having a plague named after him.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The woman who saved the children
Eglantyne Jebb was a woman who had no real love of children – but nevertheless worked tirelessly to campaign for their rights. Clare Mulley joins us to discuss the life and work of a pioneering fundraiser and the founder of the international Save the Children fund, whose unconventional personal life defied the strictures of her class.
(Ad) Clare Mulley is the author of The Woman Who Saved the Children: A Biography of Eglantyne Jebb: Founder of Save the Children. Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-HistoryiPad&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-woman-who-saved-the-children%2Fclare-mulley%2F9781786076472
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Victorian crime and punishment: everything you wanted to know
Could children be hanged in Victorian Britain? Were the streets of Dickensian London haunted by organised gangs, or opportunistic pickpockets? What tricks and tools did Victorian police have at their disposal? And was it possible to get a fair trial in the 19th century? In our latest Everything You Wanted to Know episode, historian Dr Drew Gray answers listener questions on crime and punishment in Victorian Britain.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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How the Dreyfus Affair tore France apart
In 1894, French artillery officer Alfred Dreyfus was falsely accused of passing military secrets to Germany. These swirling accusations and the subsequent degradation and humiliation suffered by Dreyfus constitutes one of history's most notorious incidents of antisemitism. Maurice Samuels speaks to Danny Bird about why the military top brass were so determined to persecute the Jewish officer, and how the Dreyfus affair polarised France.
(Ad) Maurice Daniels is the author of Alfred Dreyfus: The Man at the Center of the Affair (Yale University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Alfred-Dreyfus-Center-Affair-Jewish/dp/0300254008/ref=pd_sbs_d_sccl_2_3/260-2577546-0435944?pd_rd_w=yGQ8L&content-id=amzn1.sym.ad51136c-8d04-4e54-9ec5-18cad2a65d61&pf_rd_p=ad51136c-8d04-4e54-9ec5-18cad2a65d61&pf_rd_r=1ZZWBQDD11XZX9SZ1JBT&pd_rd_wg=wGtLQ&pd_rd_r=520dbfe5-21cd-434e-913a-5b6d8fdb17b0&pd_rd_i=0300254008&psc=1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Deeds not words | 4. Cat and mouse
The suffragettes’ relationship with the British establishment was fractious to say the least. As well as experiencing police brutality on the streets, the activists were subjected to violent force-feeding in response to hunger strikes in prison. But, as we reveal in the fourth episode of our new series Deeds not words, when faced with this opposition, the suffragettes found ingenious ways of fighting back.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The surprising lives of ancient women
Did you know that while Mark Antony was having an affair with Cleopatra, his wife, Fulvia, was fighting a battle on his behalf in Rome? Or that the first named author was a woman? What about the fact that the first female victor of the Olympic Games competed in her fifties? Speaking to Lauren Good, Daisy Dunn shines a light on these women in antiquity, whose lives stretch far beyond what we might expect.
(Ad) Daisy Dunn is the author of The Missing Thread: A New History of the Ancient World Through the Women Who Shaped It (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Missing-Thread-Shaped-Ancient-History/dp/1474615619/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Boudica: life of the week
How much do we really know about the Iceni warrior leader who rose up against Rome? How close did she come to success? And can we know what she looked like? Speaking to Elinor Evans, archaeologist and writer Duncan Mackay traces the story of the freedom fighter Boudica, scourge of the Roman empire.
(Ad) Duncan Mackay is the author of Echolands: A Journey in Search of Boudica (Hodder & Stoughton, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fecholands%2Fduncan-mackay%2F9781399714112.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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How Stalin ran rings round the west
The wartime alliance between Josef Stalin, Winston Churchill and Franklin D Roosevelt was arguably the most important of the 20th century – and among the most fraught. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Giles Milton explores a three-way relationship that was plagued by spats, backstabbing and duplicity – yet was absolutely critical to victory over the Nazis.
(Ad) Giles Milton is the author of The Stalin Affair: The Impossible Alliance that Won the War (John Murray Press, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-stalin-affair%2Fgiles-milton%2F9781529398519.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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British general elections: everything you wanted to know
While it might seem unimaginable today, there was a time when who you voted for in a general election was a matter of public record - and if you were working class, or a women, you wouldn’t have been able to vote at all. Speaking to James Osborne, Professor Richard Toye outlines the history of the United Kingdom’s general elections. He reveals how the system of general elections has evolved over the centuries, revisits past blunders and scandals, and considers how the campaigns of the 19th and early-20th century compare to today.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Medieval keep fit
You might think that people in the Middle Ages did not exercise for fun. But that's not so, according to Professor Carole Rawcliffe of the University of East Anglia. She has studied medieval fitness guides and concluded that lots of people, certainly in religious institutions and the higher echelons of society, were in fact very interested in exercising. Carole explains why to David Musgrove.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Deeds not words | 3. Making a statement
From eye-catching merchandise and punchy logos to memorable colour-schemes and trouble-making stunts, the suffragettes mastered the art of making a statement. In the third episode of our new series Deeds not words, Ellie Cawthorne uncovers how the activists developed innovative new methods to get their message heard. Speaking to expert historians, she reveals how they continue to inspire political campaigners today.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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A 21st-century Holocaust trial
In October 2019 Bruno Dey went on trial in Hamburg for his involvement in a horrific crime – 75 years after that crime had been committed. Dey was now an old man but in his youth he had served as a guard in Stutthof concentration camp, where thousands of people had been murdered by the Nazis. Dey's trial was one of the last times that the Holocaust would be the subject of legal proceedings, and raised many questions around justice, moral culpability and, ultimately, how a society could descend into genocide. Journalist Tobias Buck tells the story of the trial in his new book Final Verdict – he spoke to Rob Attar about this profound moment in the histories of Germany and the Holocaust.
(Ad) Tobias Buck is the author of Final Verdict: A Holocaust Trial in the Twenty-first Century (Orion, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Ffinal-verdict%2Ftobias-buck%2F9781399604253.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Catherine Parr: life of the week
She was the most-married wife of England's most-married king, but there was so much more to Catherine Parr. Speaking to Kev Lochun, Tudor historian Elizabeth Norton explores the circumstances that brought the twice-widowed Catherine to the attention of Henry VIII, how she almost lost her head, and why her greatest legacy is not as a wife, but as an author and stepmother.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Invisible ink & toad poison: tools of Elizabethan spycraft
How did spies plot and plant information in Elizabethan England? How easy was it to break open a confidential sealed letter and, if necessary, forge its contents? And how high were the stakes? Speaking to Elinor Evans, Nadine Akkerman and Pete Langman discuss the tricks and tools of Tudor spies.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Chocolate history: everything you wanted to know
It's one of the world's most popular treats and a significant part of the global economy, but how much do you really know about the history of chocolate? Well, for today's 'everything you wanted to know' episode, Rob Attar was joined by the food historian and author Emma Kay to explore the long journey from the first cultivation of cacao to the chocolate bars we enjoy today.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Work-life balance: how our ancestors fought for free time
Work-life balance might seem like a thoroughly modern concern, as many people today struggle to maintain boundaries between our jobs and out home life. But in fact, this issue has a long history. So, how did changing work patterns alter people's ideas about leisure time? And how did people choose to use that leisure time once they had it? Speaking to Elinor Evans, Gary S Cross explores how ideas about "free time" and its uses have evolved.
(Ad) Gary S Cross is the author of Free Time: The History of an Elusive Ideal (New York University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: .https://www.amazon.co.uk/Free-Time-History-Elusive-Ideal/dp/1479813079/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Deeds not words | 2. Pankhurst family portrait
One family – the Pankhursts – stood at the centre of the suffragette movement. They set the agenda and inspired their followers into action, but their ideas about political campaigning were not always aligned. From matriarchal figurehead Emmeline to chief strategist Christabel and firebrand socialist Sylvia, in the second episode of our new series on the suffragettes, Ellie Cawthorne explores the crucial roles the family played in the movement. Speaking to historians, she uncovers a story of inspiration, self-sacrifice and sibling rivalry.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Anne Boleyn: a modern woman?
Anne Boleyn is one the most famous queens in history, but what do we get wrong about Henry VIII's tragic second wife? Speaking to Lauren Good, historian Estelle Paranque sheds new light on this iconic Tudor queen by taking a look at the influences that shaped her.
(Ad) Estelle Paranque is the author of Thorns, Lust, and Glory: The Betrayal of Anne Boleyn (Hachette, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FThorns-Lust-Glory-Betrayal-Boleyn%2Fdp%2F0306835932.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Historical apologies & female leaders: History behind the headlines
In the latest episode of our monthly series charting the past behind the present, Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter look back at historical examples of leaders making public apologies, trailblazing female politicians, and stories of politicians who have fallen foul of the law.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Has WW2 become a national religion?
The way in which we commemorate D-Day, and other pivotal moments of the Second World War, has been making headlines in recent weeks. Alec Ryrie, professor of history at Durham University, explores why the conflict continues to hold such weight in the national psyche.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Beowulf: everything you wanted to know
Beowulf is the most famous Old English epic poem, relating the adventures of the eponymous hero as he battles beasts and dragons in a pre-Viking Scandinavian world. However, it's so much more than just a story of men and monsters, as Heather O'Donoghue reveals in this conversation with David Musgrove. Answering listener questions, she explains the key things we should know about Beowulf and the story it tells.
(Ad) Heather O'Donoghue is the author of Beowulf: Poem, Poet and Hero (Bloomsbury Academic, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beowulf-Warrior-Monsters-Vikings-Heroes/dp/1788312880/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.A9mg06h4g1CheJlYp0bvlkHVPCw08WA57tOnoiFBhx9gueJUGEukPE_f0IuWLGJD9CSyw7sgdp8bvF-MwK8eae6pcLtI77O1xeuflnmaSwV07YCILEguvqcM3k7SN19RDhsYjOcPi4C6IApnS1wYtGWrf_kzLWpFLQdZlG_fxqjDRp3Z1hesM2dgMkQT5_03PyM_n2ZdMffym72Bfkag5YwwnUzOmZ8E4mcsEu7VDz4.EC8H0lwjf5l6YN9O7KXi_2nIfj5Gp3critHXl8Q8BBo&dib_tag=se&qid=1716555016&refinements=p_27%3AHeather+O%27Donoghue&s=books&sr=1-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Inside Bridgerton's ballrooms
With the second half of Bridgerton series three landing on Netflix yesterday, fans have been drawn back into the romantic world of Regency ballrooms. But how accurate are the dance scenes in the show? What was it really like to dance the night away at a Regency ball? And how do you make historical dance moves exciting for modern viewers? Emily Briffett spoke to Bridgerton's choreographer and movement director, Jack Murphy, to find out.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Deeds not words | 1. Battlelines are drawn
In the opening episode of our new series on the suffragettes, Ellie Cawthorne charts how calls of “votes for women” reached boiling point in Edwardian Britain. Speaking to expert historians, she uncovers how a dynamic new movement was formed to campaign for women’s suffrage using “deeds not words”, and how it would go on to become locked in a bitter war of attrition with the British establishment.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Deeds not words | Trailer
Introducing our series on the suffragettes where Ellie Cawthorne and expert historians chart how calls of “votes for women” reached boiling point in Edwardian Britain. They look into how the suffragettes mastered the art of making a statement, their fractious relationship with the British establishment and whether the militant campaign achieved its aims.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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War, peace & cherry trees: finding hope after WW2
A Polish priest who was murdered in Auschwitz. A survivor of the Nagasaki atom bomb who campaigned against nuclear war. And a Japanese school teacher who sent cherry trees as peace offerings around the world. The stories of these three remarkable men form the basis of a new book by the journalist and author Naoko Abe. She spoke to Rob Attar about how hope can emerge from the most terrible suffering.
(Ad) Naoko Abe is the author of The Martyr and the Red Kimono: A Fearless Priest’s Sacrifice and A New Generation of Hope in Japan (Vintage Publishing, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-martyr-and-the-red-kimono%2Fnaoko-abe%2F9781784744533.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Dwight D Eisenhower: life of the week
Few men did more to shape the course of the 20th century than Dwight D Eisenhower. Not only did 'Ike' mastermind the Allied invasion of western Europe on D-Day, but he also went on to become president of the United States as it cemented its status as the world's most powerful nation. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, historian Iwan Roberts dissects the life and legacy of a celebrated – and sometimes controversial - leader.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Forging first editions: a 1930s crime caper
Thomas James Wise was well-respected among the rare book fanatics of 1930s London as a consummate collector. But when he began to uncover a surprising amount of valuable first editions in mint condition, things began to look a bit fishy. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, academic and author Joseph Hone transports listeners back to the eccentric world of 1930s book collecting, to explore the audacious crimes of an ingenious forger.
(Ad) Joseph Hone is the author of The Book Forger: The true story of a literary crime that fooled the world (Chatto & Windus, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Book-Forger-story-literary-fooled/dp/1784744670/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The pilgrim fathers: everything you wanted to know
How bad were conditions aboard the Mayflower? How did the colonists survive that first harsh winter? And why have they attained such an iconic status in the American consciousness? In conversation with Spencer Mizen, Nick Bunker addresses the most pressing questions about the pilgrim fathers.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Beastly Victorians: preventing animal cruelty in the 19th century
The first piece of legislation preventing animal cruelty was passed in Britain during the 1820s – but that's not to say the British have always lived up to the cherished idea of being a nation of animal lovers. To mark 200 years since the foundation of the RSPCA, David Musgrove spoke to Helen Cowie about Victorian legislation and campaigning that sought to prevent cruelty to animals back during the organisation's early days, and how attitudes to animals have changed since then.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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D-Day: was Churchill really against the operation?
Today, 6 June, marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day, one of the key episodes in the Second World War. But what did Winston Churchill make of the plans for the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied France? Was, as some have suggested, the British prime minister really reluctant to get involved? And how fraught were relationships between the Allied leaders? Speaking to Matt Elton, Richard Dannatt and Allen Packwood, authors of new book Churchill's D-Day: The Inside Story, discuss the decisions and tensions behind the operation.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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D-Day: Land
The Allied invasion of Normandy saw troops coming ashore across five landing beaches and dropping behind enemy lines by parachute and glider. But what happened to the men after they had arrived in France? And what sort of opposition did they face? In the concluding episode of the series, Jon Bauckham talks to Giles Milton about the ground campaign on D-Day, delving into the experiences of British commandos, German tank commanders and more.
(Ad) Giles Milton is a bestselling author and historian. His latest books is D-Day: The Soldiers' Story (John Murray, 2018). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fd-day%2Fgiles-milton%2F9781473649040.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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A 17th-century scandal & a writer's secret life
To poet, playwright and writer Aphra Behn, the tale of a runaway aristocrat's daughter Lady Henrietta Berkeley, her scandalous affair and equally dramatic subsequent trial was rich material for some of the most outrageous and bestselling political fiction of the 17th century. However, Behn's own life may have been equally as exciting. Speaking to Emily Briffett, author Lisa Hilton untangles the stories of these two women at the heart of her new book, The Scandal of the Century, to highlight what they can reveal about the lives of women at this time.
(Ad) Lisa Hilton is the author of The Scandal of the Century (Penguin, 2024). buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-scandal-of-the-century%2Flisa-hilton%2F9781405953320.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Plato: life of the week
Ancient Greece produced some of the most celebrated philosophers in history. Yet in terms of fame and enduring influence, none rival Plato. This Athenian's theories on everything from the nature of the soul to the most desirable form of government have had an immense impact on how humankind has perceived the universe for 24 centuries. Paul Cartledge tells Spencer Mizen about the incredible life and legacy of Plato.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Breastfeeding in the Middle Ages
Breastfeeding has been part of raising children since the dawn of time. However, studying its history also highlights stories of grief, community support and enforced labour. Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian Hannah Skoda shares her research on breastfeeding during the Middle Ages, from what medieval medics believed breast milk was made from, to ethical issues surrounding wet-nursing – and how medieval people felt about big debates that still surround breastfeeding today.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Death and mourning in Britain: everything you wanted to know
Why did people start cremating bodies? When did black become the colour of mourning? And who are the 'invisible dead'? Speaking to Charlotte Hodgman, historian Douglas Davies answers your top questions about traditions surrounding death and mourning in Britain through the centuries.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Julian: the Roman emperor who (almost) changed the world
It's one of the great what-ifs of ancient history. After Constantine the Great had converted Rome to Christianity it seemed that the faith's progress was inevitable, but just a few decades later a new pagan emperor sought to turn back the clock and reinstate the old gods – only to die before his plan was completed. That emperor was Julian – and his story is the subject of a new book by Professor Philip Freeman. Philip spoke to Rob Attar about a remarkable man who almost turned world history on its head.
(Ad) Phillip Freeman is the author of Julian: Rome’s Last Pagan Emperor (Yale Univesity Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Julian-Romes-Pagan-Emperor-Ancient/dp/0300256647/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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D-Day: Sea
During the early hours of 6 June 1944, a huge armada of Allied ships crossed the Channel, poised to deliver the largest seaborne invasion the world had ever seen. But sailors didn’t just ferry troops to the shore on D-Day – their continued defence of the perilous coastal waters ensured the Allies could maintain a foothold in France for months to come. In the second episode of D-Day: Land, Air and Sea, Jon Bauckham talks to Nick Hewitt about the Normandy naval campaign, and the forgotten heroes who saved the landings from disaster.
(Ad) Nick Hewitt is an author and naval historian. His most recent book is Normandy: The Sailors’ Story – A Naval History of D-Day and the Battle for France (Yale University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Normandy-Sailors-History-Battle-France/dp/0300256736#:~:text=Book%20overview&text=The%20Allied%20liberation%20of%20Nazi,ships%20and%20nearly%20200%2C000%20men./?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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A Soviet road trip through 1930s America
After years of suspicion and hostility, relations between the Soviet Union and the United States had improved by the 1930s. In this episode, Lisa Kirschenbaum tells Danny Bird about how two Soviet satirists, Ilya Ilf and Evgeny Petrov, launched a remarkable road trip across America in the middle of that fraught decade. From inedible T-bone steaks and coming face-to-face with President Roosevelt, to the grim reality of Jim Crow, it was a journey that continues to fascinate to this day.
(Ad) Lisa Kirschenbaum is the author of Soviet Adventures in the Land of the Capitalists: Ilf and Petrov's American Road Trip (Cambridge University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Soviet-Adventures-Land-Capitalists-American/dp/1316518469/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Galileo: life of the week
Galileo Galilei stands as one of the most significant figures in the history of science and thought. But how did he gain this illustrious reputation? In today's 'Life of the Week' episode, historian of science James Hannam delves into Galileo's pioneering observations and experiments. Speaking to Danny Bird, he reveals how the dissemination of Galileo's discoveries provoked the orthodoxies of his day and even threatened his own liberty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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What was life like as a peasant?
Europe's peasants have all but disappeared since the end of the Second World War. Patrick Joyce has studied the past 200 years of the peasant experience, and in conversation with David Musgrove, he explores what we might learn about this vanished world. He considers what European peasant society was like, and how far peasants' world view differed from the way most of us see the world today.
(Ad) Patrick Joyce is the author of Remembering Peasants: A Personal History of a Vanished World (Penguin, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fremembering-peasants%2Fpatrick-joyce%2F9780241543023%23%3A~%3Atext%3DEnlightening%2C%20timely%20and%20vital%2C%20this%2Cour%20future%20remains%20profoundly%20relevant.%26text%3Dbook'%20Annie%20Proulx-%2CA%20way%20of%20life%20that%20once%20encompassed%20most%20of%20humanity%2Crural%20world%20by%20the%20urban.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The history of museums: everything you wanted to know
Millions of people flock to museums each year, eager to learn about the past and be inspired by the artefacts on display. But how old is the concept of the museum? How exactly has it shifted over time? And what controversies have plagued museums in recent years? Dr Caroline McCaffrey-Howarth talks to Jon Bauckham about the history of these remarkable institutions, covering everything from Renaissance ‘cabinets of curiosities’ to the triumphant Great Exhibition of 1851.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Forgotten women writers of the Renaissance
You've heard of Shakespeare, but have you heard of his contemporary Mary Sidney, the first person to translate the Book of Psalms into English poetry? Or what about Elizabeth Cary, who published the first original play known to be written by a woman in English? In her new book Shakespeare's Sisters: Four Women Who Wrote the Renaissance, Ramie Targoff delves into the lives of four fascinating women writers from the Renaissance period. Speaking to Lauren Good, she explores a poignant question: what would the literary canon look like if these women had been better remembered?
(Ad) Ramie Targoff is the author of Shakespeare's Sisters: Four Women Who Wrote the Renaissance (Riverrun, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shakespeares-Sisters-Women-Wrote-Renaissance/dp/1529404894/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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D-Day: Air
On 6 June 1944, the Allies began their long-awaited invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. By the end of the day, more than 150,000 men had landed in northern France, ready to start pushing further inland. But how had this immense undertaking been planned? And how long was it before they achieved their first objective? In the first episode of our new three-part series, Jon Bauckham talks to Saul David about the experiences of the Allied airborne forces on D-Day, revealing how paratroopers and glider infantry were pivotal to the invasion’s overall success.
(Ad) Saul David is an acclaimed author, historian and broadcaster. His latest book is Sky Warriors: British Airborne Forces in the Second World War (William Collins, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sky-Warriors-British-Airborne-Forces/dp/0008522162/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Cat crazy: the Victorian mania for moggies
At the end of the 19th century, Britain and America entered the grip of a cat craze that saw the humble moggy catapulted from urban nuisance to beloved household pet. Historian Kathryn Hughes speaks to Charlotte Hodgman about 19th-century attitudes to cats, and how Louis Wain's anthropomorphic drawings helped us fall in love with all things feline.
(Ad) Kathryn Hughes is the author of Catland: Feline Enchantment and the Making of the Modern World (Fourth Estate, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=164&awinaffid=489797&p=https%3A%2F%2Fapp.frame.io%2Freviews%2F9164ab37-aa66-49f6-bc25-ac496e432528&clickref=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Maria Theresa: life of the week
Maria Theresa defied expectations of what a female ruler could achieve in the 18th century. When she ascended the throne of the Habsburg empire in 1740, there were riots on the streets of Vienna, and Europe's major powers prepared to pounce. Yet, as Pieter Judson tells Spencer Mizen, over the next four decades Maria Theresa introduced wide-ranging social reforms, and turned Austria into a military force to be reckoned with.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Agent Zo: spying against the Nazis
Operating under the codename Agent Zo, Polish resistance fighter Elżbieta Zawacka was one of the most courageous intelligence agents of the Second World War. From running secret missives under the noses of the Nazis, to parachuting behind enemy lines, Clare Mulley recounts her dramatic story to Ellie Cawthorne.
(Ad) Clare Mulley is the author of Agent Zo: The Untold Story of Fearless WW2 Resistance Fighter Elżbieta Zawacka (Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Agent-Zo-Fearless-Resistance-Elzbieta/dp/1399601067/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Terror: everything you wanted to know
Why did the French Revolution descend into a spiral of paranoia, finger-pointing and state violence? Were fears of treachery and counter-revolution justified? And how did the guillotine become a symbol of revolutionary justice? Speaking to Danny Bird, historian David Andress answers listener questions about 'the Terror' – a bloodthirsty phase of the French Revolution in which the new Republic descended into mass hysteria.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The real Lady Whistledown & the golden age of gossip
Smash-hit historical romance Bridgerton returns this week. One of the series' key characters is the elusive Lady Whistledown – a savvy wordsmith with a penchant for causing mayhem among the Regency elite. But did an anonymous gossipmonger like Whistledown really exist in the Regency era? Emily Briffett speaks to public historian Professor Hannah Greig – historical consultant to the series – to delve into the outrageous world of Georgian scandal sheets and gossip rags, and learn more about those who dished the dirt.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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WW2's greatest battles | 5. Guadalcanal
Why did a remote Pacific island become one of the most fiercely fought-over locations in the Second World War? In the fifth and final episode of our series on WW2's Greatest Battles, military historian James Holland speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about the battle of Guadalcanal. He reveals why occupying the island was seen as key to victory in the Pacific arena, explores the challenges of conducting a coherent military campaign across land, air and sea, and explains how US forces were able to wrest control of Guadalcanal from the Japanese.
James Holland is the co-founder of the Chalke History Festival - which runs from 24-30 June 2024. As a media partner of the festival, we're offering an exclusive 15% off Chalke Festival day tickets for subscribers to either HistoryExtra or BBC History Magazine. Check out our spring offers and benefits at www.historyextra.com/pod
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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A surprising history of sex between men
Until recently, the history of sex between men was a taboo topic. But by delving into the historical archive, historian Sir Noel Malcolm has uncovered a more complex story of same-sex relationships and encounters in early modern Europe and the Ottoman world. He speaks to Rebecca Franks about his findings.
(Ad) Noel Malcolm is the author of Forbidden Desire in Early Modern Europe: Male-Male Sexual Relations, 1400-1750 (Oxford University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Forbidden-Desire-Early-Modern-Europe/dp/0198886330/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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History Behind the Headlines: student protests down the centuries
In the latest episode of our monthly series charting the past behind the present, Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter chronicle the history of student protests, explore the story of a remarkable medieval astrolabe and discuss some new discoveries about Jane Austen.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Tudor ladies-in-waiting: the women who served Henry VIII's queens
Every queen had ladies in waiting, but few of those royal companions witnessed such tumult as the women who served the six queens of Henry VIII. Speaking to Kev Lochun, Dr Nicola Clark discusses how these women navigated the competing demands of queen, country and family as the world was reshaped around them.
(Ad) Nicola Clark is the author of The Waiting Game: The Untold Story of the Women Who Served the Tudor Queens (Orion, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: .http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=4746&awinaffid=489797&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-waiting-game%2Fnicola-clark%2F9781474622202&clickref=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Ancient Greek theatre: everything you wanted to know
Was tragedy or comedy the crowd favourite of the ancient Greek stage? Were audiences raucous and rowdy, or quiet and civilised? And how much do modern theatrical productions draw on their ancient antecedents? Speaking to Emily Briffett, classicist Sarah Nooter answers your top questions about the theatrical antics of ancient Greece – from advice on stage management to scatological humour.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Tattooist of Auschwitz: is it ok to fictionalise the Holocaust?
Is it ever appropriate to fictionalise the Holocaust? That's a question highlighted by the controversies surrounding The Tattooist of Auschwitz, a 2018 novel by Heather Morris, which sold millions across the globe but also received criticism from some in the historical community for the way it represents the reality of Auschwitz. As a new TV adaptation arrives on Sky, Professor Richard J Evans speaks to Rob Attar about the book and the challenges facing all writers and film-makers seeking to tell stories about one of the darkest episodes in history.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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WW2's greatest battles | 4. El Alamein
In October 1942, Axis and Allied forces went head-to-head in the North African desert. Fighting over access to the Suez Canal and crucial oil fields, tanks and infantrymen slogged it out across sand dunes and minefields, under the command of two of the most charismatic military leaders of the war. In the fourth episode of our series on WW2's Greatest Battles, military historian James Holland fills Ellie Cawthorne in on the story and significance of El Alamein, and the challenges of desert warfare.
James Holland is the co-founder of the Chalke History Festival - which runs from 24-30 June 2024. As a media partner of the festival, we're offering an exclusive 15% off Chalke Festival day tickets for subscribers to either HistoryExtra or BBC History Magazine. Check out our spring offers and benefits at www.historyextra.com/pod
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Shardlake: bringing the Tudor murder mystery to the screen
Based on the bestselling novels of CJ Sansom, Disney+'s new Tudor drama Shardlake is a 16th-century whodunnit that takes place during the tumult of the dissolution of the monasteries. The show's historical consultant, Peter Wagstaff, tells Kev Lochun about how Shardlake brings the story of a lawyer who solves crimes and mysteries for some of the most prominent members of Tudor society to the screen.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Kublai Khan: life of the week
Kublai Khan will go down in history as the man who cemented the Mongol empire's status as the one of the mightiest powers in the world – and changed the course of Chinese history in the process. In our latest Life of the Week episode, Nicholas Morton tells Spencer Mizen how this hugely capable leader built on the achievements of his grandfather Genghis.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Inside a Jim Crow asylum
In March 1911, twelve Black men were brought to a forest in Maryland. Under supervision, they cleared land and laid foundations for what would become the Crownsville Hospital, a segregated mental asylum for black patients. These twelve men would also become the hospital's first patients. Speaking to Elinor Evans, journalist and author Antonia Hylton shares the story of one of the last segregated asylums in the United States of America, and what it can tell us about the nation's history of racial integration and civil rights.
(Ad) Antonia Hylton is the author of Madness: Race and Insanity in a Jim Crow Asylum (Footnote Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Madness-Insanity-America-Times-Bestseller/dp/180444104X/ref=monarch_sidesheet/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Spartans: Everything You Wanted to Know
How remarkable was the Spartans' yesstalwart resistance against the Persians at Thermopylae? Was their military training as tough as historians would have us believe? And just how austere were they? The people of the ancient Greek city-state have left an indelible mark on history, and for today's Everything You Wanted to Know episode, Spencer Mizen sat down with the ancient historian Paul Cartledge to answer your questions on their culture, politics and military endeavours.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Death by nostalgia: the curious history of a dangerous emotion
At the end of the 17th century, a Swiss physician diagnosed a deadly new disease - nostalgia. Agnes Arnold-Forster explores the surprising cultural history of the emotion, from the longing "Ostalgie" felt for a lost East Germany to the Victorian love of all things medieval. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, she also outlines how nostalgia has been weaponised by both sides of the political spectrum, and considers whether it could be a force for good.
(AD) Agnes Arnold-Forster is the author of Nostalgia: A History of a Dangerous Emotion (Picador). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nostalgia-History-Dangerous-Agnes-Arnold-Forster/dp/1529091365#:~:text=In%20Nostalgia%3A%20A%20History%20of,an%20illness%20that%20could%2C%20quite.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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WW2's greatest battles | 3. Battle of the Atlantic
As the Second World War raged on, Atlantic sea-routes became a crucial lifeline for Britain as merchant ships kept them supplied with critical equipment and food. But this made them an irresistible target for German attack. Speaking to Rachel Dinning for our WW2's Greatest Battles series, military historian James Holland explains why he believes the battle of the Atlantic was the most important engagement of the whole conflict, and reveals what life was really like inside a German U-boat.
James Holland is the co-founder of the Chalke History Festival - which runs from 24-30 June 2024. As a media partner of the festival, we're offering an exclusive 15% off Chalke Festival day tickets when you become a subscriber to either HistoryExtra or BBC History Magazine. Check out our spring offers and benefits at www.historyextra.com/pod
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Smash hits: 17th-century style
The music of the past can tell us a great deal about the time in which it was created - from societal trends to political affiliations. As part of the '100 Ballads' project, Professor Christopher Marsh and Dr Angela McShane have identified 100 of the biggest musical hits from 17th-century England. They speak to Charlotte Hodgman about the popularity of these broadside ballads and introduce some of the top singing stars of the day.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Benjamin Franklin: life of the week
One of the founding fathers of the United States of America, Benjamin Franklin is a towering figure in 18th-century history. Although he is widely remembered for his role in the American War of Independence, his influence stretches far beyond that. Elinor Evans spoke to historian and author George Goodwin about the life and legacy of the polymath, from his groundbreaking scientific experiments to his vital contributions to America's independence struggle.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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OJ Simpson: the trial that gripped the world
When former American football player and actor OJ Simpson was arrested in 1994 for the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman, he was one of the most famous men in America. The ensuing court case gripped audiences around the world, but raised troubling questions about domestic violence and racism in the United States. Following Simpson's death, Matt Elton spoke to historian Dr Joe Street about the case, and how we should look back on it today.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Greg Jenner and Campbell Price delve into the curious and fascinating world of ancient Egyptian mummification
What was the 'black goo' that coated ancient Egyptian mummies? Could ancient Egyptians take a sick day to bury their loved ones? And were ancient cat mummies really used to fertilise the fields of Victorian Britain? In this special episode, public historian and broadcaster Greg Jenner speaks to curator and Egyptologist Dr Campbell Price about the strange and fascinating world of mummification.
(Ad) Greg Jenner and Campbell Price are the co-authors of Totally Chaotic History: Ancient Egypt Gets Unruly! (Walker Books, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Totally-Chaotic-History-Ancient-Unruly/dp/140639565X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2YY57OM41RU5Z&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.vie1ts0_UP5-C7VDqN8U5VO3VRqNIhbn-mO1YBpIPKyeipzx1VgHCJUkYZAyUKErak8i1B110hJd091NXNf2F3CLlgTO4s5oUgiIJftoHg5f6z5CnJASzPzt-pYbBkVz.owNDa7h6sDgm11Xgxs6uCfghHkyjHHl57h3_8am8CE4&dib_tag=se&keywords=totally+chaotic+history+ancient+egypt+gets+unruly&qid=1712829623&s=books&sprefix=totally+%2Cstripbooks%2C74&sr=1-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Magus: enlightened magician or Renaissance charlatan?
An unlikely mix of scientist, scholar, engineer and magician, the 'Magus' sat at the heart of the transformative Renaissance period. These mysterious figures ushered in the dawn of modern chemistry and physics, while also performing feats of magic, utilising secret codes, potions and a good deal of astrology. Speaking with Emily Briffett, Anthony Grafton discusses the careers of these men who were seen as genius scholars by some, and charlatans by others.
(Ad) Anthony Grafton is the author of Magus: The Art of Magic from Faustus to Agrippa (Allen Lane, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magus-Art-Magic-Faustus-Agrippa/dp/0674659732/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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WW2's greatest battles | 2. Stalingrad
In 1942, the forces of Nazi Germany and its allies came head-to-head with those of the Soviet Union at a city on the Volga. The battle of Stalingrad was to become one of the war's grimmest, as infantry troops slogged it out in bombed-out cellars and freezing conditions. In the second episode of our series on WW2's Greatest Battles, military historian James Holland tells Ellie Cawthorne more about this pivotal clash on the Eastern Front.
James Holland is the co-founder of the Chalke History Festival - which runs from 24-30 June 2024. As a media partner of the festival, we're offering an exclusive 15% off Chalke Festival day tickets when you become a subscriber to either HistoryExtra or BBC History Magazine. Check out our spring offers and benefits at www.historyextra.com/pod
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Aztec myths
Were the Aztecs really obsessed with death and sacrifice? Did they have a pantheon of deities similar to the ancient Greeks or Romans? And how did a magical gem change the fortune of the Aztec people? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Camilla Townsend delves into their myths, legends and folklore to reveal a society bursting with life and colour.
(AD) Camilla Townsend is the author of The Aztec Myths: A Guide to the Ancient Stories and Legends (Thames and Hudson). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Aztec-Myths-Ancient-Stories-Legends/dp/0500025533/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
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David Lloyd George: life of the week
David Lloyd George regularly features in lists of Britain’s greatest prime ministers. Born in Manchester and raised in rural Wales, the Liberal luminary helped lay the foundations of the modern welfare state and went on to lead the nation during the final two years of the First World War. But there is far more to Lloyd George’s life and career, as Professor Richard Toye tells Jon Bauckham in this episode of our 'Life of the Week' series.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Graffiti's golden age: radicalism & romance in the 18th century
From etchings scratched into the earliest monuments, to the spray can designs that appear on structures today, the urge to leave our mark is universal. But in 18th-century Britain, the nature of graffiti changed; both exploding in popularity and becoming much more radical in nature. Speaking to Elinor Evans about her new book, Writing on the Wall, Madeleine Pelling explores this shift. She investigates the stories behind scraps of graffiti, from chalk markings made by soldiers and sex workers, to glyphs scratched onto windows by famed poets, and reveals what they can tell us about life in 18th-century Britain.
(AD) Madeleine Pelling is the author of Writing on the Wall: Graffiti, Rebellion and the Making of 18th-century Britain (Profile). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fwriting-on-the-wall%2Fmadeleine-pelling%2F%2F9781800811997.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Highwaymen: everything you wanted to know
Were highwaymen really as dashing and gentlemanly as the stories would have us believe? How did these bandits pick the best locations to rob from the rich? And how much of the legend surrounding Dick Turpin is actually true? Speaking to Lauren Good, Bob Shoemaker answers listener questions on highwaymen – and reveals the truth behind their glamorous reputations.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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An African perspective on the history of Africa
Africa's story has long been presented in western narratives as one that only 'began' with the arrival of non-Africans – yet modern science has revealed that the African continent was, in fact, the cradle of humanity itself. Zeinab Badawi speaks to Danny Bird about her new book that puts Africans firmly in charge of the telling of their continent's rich history – one that spans millennia of great civilisations, long-overlooked deeds of great men and women, and the African instinct to thrive in adversity.
(Ad) Zeinab Badawi is the author of An African History of Africa: From the Dawn of Humanity to Independence (WH Allen, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/African-History-Africa-Humanity-Independence/dp/0753560127/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.URp_LAKHkzuEJR64At4TXjVGAbKt5Qodjj-n3C0sjpiwi7X6VuFyx4DXO3-3AygZ.eiBWV_si59ZvHOJy8XNzCx0ordvmcgBBG5e3_rMxkck&dib_tag=se&qid=1711628678&refinements=p_27%3AZeinab+Badawi&s=books&sr=1-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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WW2's greatest battles | 1. Battle of Britain
In the summer of 1940, the skies over Britain filled with the sounds as of engines and gunfire, as the battle of Britain saw the RAF and Luftwaffe go head-to-head in a fight for air dominance. For the British pilots, the objective could not have been more critical – protect their nation from the threat of Nazi invasion. But were the British pilots really the plucky underdogs in this fight? And could Germany have launched an invasion if they had won the air battle over Britain? In the first episode of this five-part series on the greatest battles of WW2, Rachel Dinning explores those questions and more with military historian James Holland.
James Holland is a military historian and the author of several books on the Second World War including The Battle of Britain: Five Months that Changed History. He's the co-founder of the Chalke History Festival - which runs from 24-30 June this year. Find out more about the festival's extensive programme of history talks and events at chalkefestival.com.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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WW2's greatest battles | Trailer
Did Allied victory in the Second World War really hinge on the battle of the Atlantic? What made Stalingrad such a pivotal victory for the Soviet Union? And how did forces adapt to desert warfare at El Alamein? In our new five-part series, WW2's Greatest Battles, we're charting five of the pivotal moments that shaped the course of the conflict, with author and military historian, James Holland. New episodes will drop every Thursday, on the HistoryExtra podcast.
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How Kissinger transformed the Cold War
Henry Kissinger, who died in November 2023 at the age of 100, was one of the most significant, and controversial, figures of the 20th century. Matt Elton spoke to historian Rana Mitter about the American diplomat’s life and legacy.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Lord Byron: life of the week
Famously branded "mad, bad and dangerous to know", Lord Byron captured the imagination – and attention – of early 19th-century Britain with his soul-bearing poetry, decadent lifestyle and torrid love affairs. In this Life of the Week episode, Corin Throsby speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about how the Romantic poet became the era's most scandalous celebrity.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Horrible Histories: 15 years of death, poo and talking rats
Since it first hit TV screens back in 2009, Horrible Histories has brought Terry Deary and Martin Brown’s hugely successful series of books to an entire generation of children. As it marks its 15th anniversary, Matt Elton speaks to three members of the team behind the show that mixes comedy songs, gruesome deaths and a talking rat.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Medieval medicine: everything you wanted to know
What would a medieval first aid kit have contained? What were the era's strangest cures? And is it true that it was better to steer clear of the doctor altogether in the Middle Ages? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Elma Brenner answers listener questions about medieval medical theory and practice – from how gruesome surgery really was, to whether leeches were actually that useful.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Death & hubris in west Africa: how two British expeditions met with disaster
In the early 19th century, two different British expeditions headed into the interior of West Africa – and both ended in disaster. But what was driving the expeditions, and why were they so ill-prepared? Speaking to Elinor Evans, Dane Kennedy, author of Mungo Park's Ghost shares the tale of the ill-fated missions, and explores the wider story of British exploration of the continent.
(Ad) Dane Kennedy is the author of Mungo Park's Ghost: The Haunted Hubris of British Explorers in Nineteenth-Century Africa (Cambridge University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mungo-Parks-Ghost-Explorers-Nineteenth-Century/dp/1009392980/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Conspiracy Revisited: The JFK assassination – Oswald’s second murder
In part 2 of a special bonus episode of our Conspiracy series, Rob Attar and Gerald Posner delve deeper into the questions surrounding the assassination of JFK. Who did Lyndon Johnson think was behind the murder? Why do so many people believe in a conspiracy theory? And why is Lee Harvey Oswald’s other killing rarely discussed?
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Clotilda: the last slave ship to America
The transatlantic slave trade was formally abolished in both Britain and the US in 1807 and 1808 – yet slave ships were still forcibly bringing enslaved African people to the Americas right up to the 1860s. David Musgrove speaks to historian Hannah Durkin about the long history of this horrific trade, through the eyes of the survivors of Clotilda, the last ship to transport slaves to America.
(Ad) Hannah Durkin is the author of Survivors: The Lost Stories of the Last Captives of the Atlantic Slave Trade (HarperCollins, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fsurvivors%2Fhannah-durkin%2F9780008446512
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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History behind the headlines: the Bengal famine
In the latest episode of History Behind the Headlines, Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter are joined by award-winning journalist and producer Kavita Puri to discuss the history of famine, and the challenges of tackling the contentious legacies of events such as the 1943 Bengal Famine – the subject of her new series Three Million, available now on BBC Sounds, BBC Radio 4 and BBC World Service English
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Spying in the Troubles: the murky world of double agents in Northern Ireland
The Troubles in Northern Ireland was a difficult, bloody period, which lasted for almost 30 years. During that time, the British secret services ran an extensive intelligence operation to infiltrate the IRA, the details of which are only now coming to light. Speaking to David Musgrove, Henry Hemming discusses what he uncovered about this secret web of spies, agents and double agents for his new book Four Shots in the Night.
(Ad) Henry Hemming is the author of Four Shots in the Night: A True Story of Spies, Murder, and Justice in Northern Ireland (Quercus, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Four-Shots-Night-Henry-Hemming/dp/1529426758/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Welsh mythology: everything you wanted to know
What do white horses symbolise in Welsh mythology? What is the Mabinogion? Was King Arthur from Wales? And why do fairy folk hold a particularly sinister place in Welsh folklore? Speaking to Elinor Evans, Mark Rees takes listeners on a tour of the remarkable creatures and stories of Welsh mythology and legend.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Tying the knot: 500 years of wedded bliss and marital misery
Over the last 500 years, countless people in England and Wales have decided to tie the knot. But what motivated people in the past to get married? What inspired the traditional wedding vows? And when was the first divorce in Britain? Legal historian Rebecca Probert explores how ideas about marriage – and the laws around it – have changed in England and Wales over the last five centuries.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Conspiracy Revisited: The JFK assassination – 95 per cent certain?
The killing of President John F Kennedy in Dallas in November 1963 is one of the defining events of the 20th century and the subject of multiple conspiracy theories. In part one of a special bonus episode of our Conspiracy series, Rob Attar rejoins the investigative journalist Gerald Posner to tackle your questions about the assassination and the web of intrigue that surrounds it.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The British empire's divisive legacy
Sathnam Sanghera’s bestselling 2021 book Empireland catapulted the author into the eye of a media storm. Following the release of its follow-up, Empireworld, he spoke to Matt Elton about how it felt to be at the centre of a heated national debate on empire – and how we can have constructive conversations about Britain’s imperial past.
(Ad) Sathnam Sanghera is the author of Empireworld: How British Imperialism Has Shaped the Globe: Signed Edition (Penguin, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=380&awinaffid=489797&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fempireworld%2Fsathnam-sanghera%2F2928377238056&clickref=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Saladin: life of the week
The name of medieval leader and military commander Saladin has gone down in history for unifying the Muslim Near East, capturing the holy city of Jerusalem and an iconic rivalry with Richard the Lionheart. But, is this extraordinary reputation just the product of his savvy PR team? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Jonathan Phillips charts the extraordinary rise of the Muslim leader, who usurped his patron before reaching dizzying heights – and questions how his legacy has changed across the centuries.
(Ad) Jonathan Phillips is the author of The Life and Legend of the Sultan Saladin (Bodley Head, 2019). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-Legend-Sultan-Saladin/dp/1847922147/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Back in the USSR: the Soviet Sixties
Within just a few years of Stalin's death in 1953, the Soviet Union had sent the first artificial satellite, Sputnik, into orbit. An era of renewal and excitement beckoned. Speaking to Danny Bird, Robert Hornsby tells the story of how Soviet society embraced the 1960s – from new prospects for women, to faith in the energy of the young – before the era's promise was snuffed out by the Prague Spring of 1968.
(Ad) Robert Hornsby is the author of The Soviet Sixties (Yale University Press, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Soviet-Sixties-Robert-Hornsby/dp/0300250525/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Anglo-Saxon kingdoms: everything you wanted to know
Were the Anglo-Saxons always called the Anglo-Saxons? What did it take to make or break an early medieval king? And how did Christianity revolutionise the governance of their kingdoms? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Joanna Story answers your top questions about the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Dinosaurs: a Victorian obsession
Through the 19th century, people began to find strange and spectacular bones of "impossible monsters" in the earth. But what creatures could these bones belong to – and what did that mean both for religious beliefs and new evolutionary theories? Michael Taylor joins Rebecca Franks to discuss how the discovery of dinosaurs shook up Victorian Britain.
(Ad) Michael Taylor is the author of Impossible Monsters: Dinosaurs, Darwin and the War Between Science and Religion (Bodley Head, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.waterstones.com/book/impossible-monsters/michael-taylor/9781847926784
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Tiger Tamer | 6. battling against Bovril
At the turn of the 20th century, bicycles and motor cars became fixtures on Britain’s roads. Bob Carlisle, the original ‘wheelbarrow pedestrian’, found himself overtaken in this transport revolution. In the final episode of our new series on this larger-than-life character of the Victorian age, David Musgrove considers how Carlisle’s pedestrian career helps us understand major changes in society, from athleticism and transport to the boom in advertising and consumer goods.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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How was Elizabeth I shaped by her childhood?
Elizabeth I is probably best remembered as an aging monarch, with a powdered white face and elaborate red wig. But she was just 25 when she became queen, and had by then had already lived a dramatic and tumultuous life. As author and historian Nicola Tallis tells Lauren Good, the queen's childhood and early years had a lasting impact on her as a ruler – and a woman.
(Ad) Nicolas Tallis is the author of Young Elizabeth: Princess. Prisoner. Queen. (Michael O'Mara, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Young-Elizabeth-Princess-Prisoner-Queen/dp/178929519X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Joan of Arc: life of the week
Joan of Arc has gone down in history as the virgin saviour of France – a patriotic martyr who was unjustly burnt at the stake at the hands of her Anglo-Burgundian opponents. But there's more to the story than that. Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian Anne Curry charts the extraordinary rise and fall of the young peasant girl from Domrémy, whose visions and prophecies brought her face to face with King Charles VII and led to her spiritual leadership over the armies of France before ending in her unfortunate demise.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Leftovers: how our ancestors battled food waste
From Tudor slop buckets to WW2 potato peel recipes, Eleanor Barnett tells Ellie Cawthorne about how our ancestors used up food leftovers. She reveals some ingenious and appetising tactics for tackling food waste in the past and questions whether we might look back to history to help deal with the issue today.
(Ad) Eleanor Barnett is the author of Leftovers: A History of Food Waste and Preservation (Apollo, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Leftovers-History-Food-Waste-Preservation/dp/180328157X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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WW1's eastern front: everything you wanted to know
How did the murder of Archduke Franz Ferdinand lead events in Europe to spiral out of control so rapidly? Why was Germany and Austria-Hungary's bloody clash with the Russian empire during the First World War so brutal? And why has the fighting on the eastern front between 1914 and 1918 been overshadowed by its counterpart in the west? Speaking to Spencer Mizen, historian Nick Lloyd answers your questions on one of the most brutal theatres of conflict both in the First World War, and modern warfare as a whole.
(Ad) Nick Lloyd is the author of The Eastern Front: A History of the First World War (Viking, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eastern-Front-History-First-World/dp/0241506859#:~:text=Book%20overview&text=In%20the%20second%20volume%20of,the%20collapse%20of%20three%20empires./?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Eric 'Winkle' Brown: Britain's most extraordinary pilot
It would be fair to say that Second World War pilot Eric 'Winkle' Brown led an extraordinary life. He narrowly escaped death when his ship was torpedoed, smashed the world record for flying the most types of aircraft and had several unlikely encounters with the movers and shakers of his time. Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian and biographer Paul Beaver charts some of Brown's remarkable adventures and escapades.
(Ad) Paul Beaver is the author of Winkle: The Extraordinary Life of Britain’s Greatest Pilot (Michael Joseph, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fwinkle%2Fpaul-beaver%2F9780718186708
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Tiger Tamer | 5. crazy about wheelbarrows
The great wheelbarrow craze of 1886-7 was a short-lived media sensation, witnessing a flood of people charging from Scotland to London with barrows. One man had kicked off this bizarre trend – Bob Carlisle. In the fifth episode of our series on this larger-than-life character of the Victorian age, David Musgrove talks to Bob Nicholson to explore the genesis of 19th-century Britain’s strangest crazes, and reveal what happened to Bob Carlisle while the wheelbarrow craze was in full swing.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Will the real Jesus please stand up?
In the modern world we have a relatively narrow idea of who Jesus was, but things were quite different in the early years of Christianity. Many alternative versions of his life and personality proliferated, while at the same time, several other saviours also competed for attention. These stories are at the centre of a new book Heresy: Jesus Christ and the Other Sons of God by the classicist and author Catherine Nixey, who is joined in conversation for this episode by Rob Attar.
(Ad) Catherine Nixey is the author of Heresy: Jesus Christ and the Other Sons of God (Picador, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Heretic-Lives-Christ-Saviours-Ancient/dp/1529040353/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Mary Wollstonecraft: life of the week
Mary Wollstonecraft was a firebrand thinker of the Enlightenment – proposing radical ideas about the fundamental rights of women. And her life was just as groundbreaking as her work, from having a front row seat at the French Revolution and embarking on a treasure hunt for stolen silver along the Norwegian coast, to courting scandal by giving birth outside of wedlock. In today's Life of the Week episode, author Bee Rowlatt tells Ellie Cawthorne more about Wollstonecraft's life and legacy.
(Ad) Bee Rowlatt is the author of In Search of Mary: The Mother of All Journeys (Alma Books, 2015). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Search-Mary-Mother-All-Journeys/dp/1846883784/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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An obscenity trial that shocked Victorian Britain
In 1877, Annie Besant took the stand. She was on trial for selling an "obscene publication" – a pamphlet designed to educate the masses on birth control. Author Michael Meyer tells Ellie Cawthorne about how this sensational legal case lit a fire under Victorian society, and why the woman at the centre of it decided to represent herself in the courtroom.
(Ad) Michael Meyer is the author of A Dirty, Filthy Book: Sex, Scandal, and One Woman’s Fight in the Victorian Trial of the Century WH Allen, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dirty-Filthy-Book-Victorians-1877-1888/dp/0753559927/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Capetians: everything you wanted to know
How did the Capetian dynasty hold on to the French throne for such a long time during the Middle Ages? How did deep-seated religious beliefs shape their rule? And what was the ‘Capetian miracle’? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Justine Firnhaber-Baker answers listener questions on the influential French dynasty – from how they popularised the name 'Phillip' and the iconic fleur-de-lis, to their religiously-inspired 'royal touch'.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Lothar II vs Theutberga: a marriage scandal that shook the ninth century
King Henry VIII famously ran into a world of problems trying to get out of his numerous marriages. And interestingly, we can find a similar story of royal marital strife all the way back in the ninth-century - during the reign of Lothar II. When this Carolingian ruler tried to divorce his wife, Theutberga, he ran headlong into a clash with the pope. Professor Charles West explains the story to David Musgrove and reveals what it can tell us about how power, politics and passions were intertwined in the ninth century.
(Ad) Charles West is the author of The Fall of a Carolingian Kingdom: Lotharingia 855-869 (University of Toronto Press, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon:
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Tiger Tamer | 4. celebrity pedestrian
Tickling tigers one day, and cracking jokes to expectant crowds the next, Bob Carlisle was a circus showman, agent, clown and big cat tamer. In the third episode of our new series on this larger-than-life character of the Victorian age, David Musgrove speaks to historian John Woolf to consider Carlisle’s hair-raising life in the travelling circus, and how it helps us to understand the world of Victorian show business.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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A political earthquake: Britain's first Labour government
In January 1924 Ramsay MacDonald, the son of a farm labourer, strode into 10 Downing Street as prime minister - and changed the nation's political landscape for good. David Torrance tells Spencer Mizen about Britain's first Labour government, revisiting successes, failures and a complex relationship with the establishment.
(Ad) David Torrance is the author of The Wild Men: The Remarkable Story of Britain's First Labour Government (Bloomsbury, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wild-Men-Remarkable-Britains-Government/dp/1399411438/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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James VI and I: life of the week
James Stuart became king of Scotland at just 13 months old, and has since been known as 'the cradle king'. So, what was his childhood like? How did he come to the throne of England? And how much is known about his relationships with his famed favourites, as portrayed in new historical drama Mary and George? Speaking to Elinor Evans, Joe Ellis explores the life and dual reign of King James VI of Scotland and I of England.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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From Russia to Texas: the search for a Jewish homeland
At the turn of the 20th century, millions of European Jews were seeking an escape from antisemitic persecution. While many dreamed of Palestine, a few thousand made their way, instead, to Galveston in Texas. In conversation with Rob Attar, the author Rachel Cockerell tells the story of the little-known Galveston movement, explaining how it connects to the histories of America, Zionism and European Jewry.
(Ad) Rachel Cockerell is the author of Melting Point: Family, Memory and the Search for a Promised Land (Wildfire, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Melting-Point-Promised-groundbreaking-Philippe/dp/1035408910/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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British Redcoats: everything you wanted to know
Was the Duke of Marlborough Britain's greatest ever military commander? How did Britain face down the challenge of an expansionist France? And did soldiers during the Napoleonic Wars feel that they were living in the shadow of the Royal Navy? Military historian Saul David talks to Spencer Mizen about the evolution of the British Army between the 17th and 19th centuries.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The West's attempt to crush Bolshevik Russia
Following the October Revolution of 1917, Russia's nascent Bolshevik regime acted on its word to take the country out of the First World War by brokering peace with Germany. Speaking to Danny Bird, Anna Reid explains how this prompted Britain, France, America and Japan to launch a joint 'intervention', by invading the vast terrain of the crumbling Russian empire in support of anti-Bolshevik forces.
(Ad) Anna Reid is the author of A Nasty Little War: The West's Fight to Reverse the Russian Revolution (John Murray Press, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fa-nasty-little-war%2Fanna-reid%2F9781529326765
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Tiger Tamer | 3. would you let a tiger lick your face?
Tickling tigers one day, and cracking jokes to expectant crowds the next, Bob Carlisle was a circus showman, agent, clown and big cat tamer. In the third episode of our new series on this larger-than-life character of the Victorian age, David Musgrove speaks to historian John Woolf to consider Carlisle’s hair-raising life in the travelling circus, and how it helps us to understand the world of Victorian show business.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Mary & George: the real history behind the new drama
New drama Mary and George has just arrived on Sky Atlantic and HBO, transporting us back to the intrigues and scandals of the court of King James VI and I. Author and historical advisor Benjamin Woolley introduces Mary and George Villiers, the mother-and-son duo who changed the face of this early 17th-century royal court. Speaking to Elinor Evans, he explores what we really know about George's relationship with King James, and the lingering question over the Villiers' hand in the monarch's death.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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History Behind the Headlines: ageing politicians & new names for the London Overground
The latest instalment of our monthly series sees Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter talk to Matt Elton about the extent to which age has historically been a factor in who gets elected. Plus: telling working-class stories, and the history behind the new names for London Overground lines.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The man who ran Auschwitz: the real story of The Zone of Interest
The Oscar-nominated film The Zone of Interest is one of the most acclaimed and talked about films of 2024. Directed by Jonathan Glazer and loosely based on a novel of the same name by Martin Amis, The Zone of Interest focuses on the life of Rudolf Höss and his family during the Second World War, when he was commandant of the Auschwitz concentration camp.
In today’s episode, Professor Richard J Evans, one of the world’s leading experts on Nazi Germany, speaks to Rob Attar about the real story of Rudolf Höss. He also offers his thoughts on the film and recounts his experience of working with Martin Amis on the original book.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Alcatraz: everything you wanted to know
Alcatraz is remembered as one of history's most hardline prisons, known for its ingenious escape attempts, gruelling regime, barren location and dangerous inmates. Speaking to Rebecca Franks, historian Ashley Rubin answers listener questions on 'The Rock', from how it withstood the corruption of the gangster era to its famous 'birdman'.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Plague, leprosy & murder: unlocking the secrets of medieval bones
What secrets can medieval human remains unlock? With exciting new developments in the science of palaeopathology, researchers are able to glean much more from human bones than ever before. Speaking to David Musgrove, Professor Alice Roberts explores what the study of these bones can tell us about disease and violence in medieval Britain – considering how learning about historical diseases, like the Black Death and leprosy, can help us to understand and tackle modern diseases too.
(Ad) Alice Roberts is the author of Crypt: Life, death and disease in the Middle Ages (Simon & Schuster, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fcrypt%2Falice-roberts%2F9781398519237
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Tiger Tamer | 2. sail, steam & stormy seas
What was it like to sail the high seas in the Victorian age? In the second episode in our new series on Bob Carlisle, a widely forgotten but larger-than-life character of the 19th century, David Musgrove transports listeners back to the dangers and daring exploits of life in the Victorian Royal Navy. With the help of maritime historian Martin Wilcox, David explores Carlisle’s years spent as a sailor in the navy and the merchant fleet, including on opulent transatlantic liners – revealing what his experiences can tell us about shipping in the era.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The EU: from Maastricht to Brexit
From Maastricht to Brexit, the European Union's first three decades have entailed plenty of political and economic drama. Danny Bird speaks to Dermot Hodson about his new book, Circle of Stars, which focuses on some of the key individuals that helped shape the history of the EU, from advocates of European integration to dyed-in-the-wool Eurosceptics.
(Ad) Dermot Hodson is the author of Circle of Stars: A History of the EU and the People Who Made It (Yale University Press, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Circle-Stars-History-People-Made/dp/030026769X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Rudyard Kipling: life of the week
Rudyard Kipling is beloved by many for his children's books and inspirational poems. But he was also called the "Bard of Empire", known for writing The White Man's Burden. For today's Life of the Week episode, Professor Janet Montefiore tells Rebecca Franks more about the life and contested legacy of the writer of The Jungle Book, If, the Just So Stories and Kim.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Winthrop Bell: a Canadian spy who predicted Nazi horrors
In his public life, Dr Winthrop Bell was a Harvard professor and wealthy businessman. But as a secret agent, reporting from Germany in the aftermath of the First World War, he was one of the first to warn of the Nazi plot for racial supremacy that would lead to the Second World War. Speaking to Elinor Evans, Jason Bell discusses this Canadian professor turned spy.
(Ad) Jason Bell is the author of Cracking the Nazi Code: The Untold Story of Canada's Greatest Spy (HarperCollins, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cracking-Nazi-Code-Canadas-Greatest/dp/1443466743/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Arts & Crafts movement: everything you wanted to know
What was the Arts and Crafts movement? How far was it associated with radical politics? And is it alive and well today? The Victorian cultural movement was transformative in our understanding of the importance of the maker in the artistic process, and Suzanne Fagence Cooper joins us for this 'Everything you wanted to know' episode to answer your questions on the subject. Speaking to Elinor Evans, she explores the ideas that underpinned this influential movement and the 19th-century artists that formed it.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Stonewall: the 1969 fight for gay rights
To mark LGBT+ history month, we're revisiting a classic episode on a pivotal moment in LGBTQ+ history. Speaking to Matt Elton in 2019, historian Chris Parkes explored the background to the 1969 Stonewall riots, when LGBT protests erupted at New York’s Stonewall Inn.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Chinese migrants chasing an American dream
What led two teenagers from Canton province in China to emigrate to California in the late 19th-century? And what lives awaited them on America's west coast? Speaking to Elinor Evans, Hugo Wong discusses the interlocking stories of two of his ancestors, who left China as young men in the late 19th century for the riches of California. Met by both opportunity and prejudice, they later helped to establish a Chinese settlement in Mexico, with their descendants forging new cultural ties.
(Ad) Hugo Wong is the author of America's Lost Chinese: The Rise and Fall of a Migrant Family Dream (C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Americas-Lost-Chinese-Migrant-Family/dp/1805260561/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Tiger Tamer | 1. “the life of a dozen men”
Bob Carlisle was a Victorian influencer and minor celebrity; a global seafarer, circus clown and lion tamer, and Britain’s original long-distance ‘wheelbarrow pedestrian’. This new six-part series sees David Musgrove recover the story of this widely forgotten and larger-than-life character. In this first episode, David talks to historians Valerie Sanders and Bob Nicholson to explore Bob’s early life and investigate what his experiences can tell us about life-writing and the media in 19th-century Britain.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Tiger Tamer who went to sea | Trailer
The Tiger Tamer who went to sea, from HistoryExtra, is the story of one remarkable Victorian man who lived the life of a dozen men.
His adventures as a global seafarer and as a circus clown, showman and yes, tiger tamer would be fascinating enough. However, he was also a celebrated athlete, and Britain’s original long-distance wheelbarrow pedestrian. He pushed a wheelbarrow from Lands End to John O’Groats in 1879 but sadly missed the great wheelbarrow craze of 1887 because he was sailing the high seas.
In this six-part series, David Musgrove reveals the untold story of this Victorian influencer, Bob Carlisle, and chats to a range of experts to find out what his life tells us about broader themes in 19th and early 20th century history – we cover the rise of mass media, the Temperance movement, enterainment and celebrity culture, the changing face of global trade and technology, the Edwardian healthy living movement, and yes, the noble sport of wheelbarrow-pushing.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Britons who rebuilt postwar Germany
Daniel Cowling talks to Spencer Mizen about the British occupation of Germany from 1945-49, and describes how the young officials tasked with rebuilding a broken nation navigated acute privation, a traumatised population and scepticism among their compatriots back home to help set Germany on the road to democracy.
(Ad) Daniel Cowling is the author of Don't Let's Be Beastly to the Germans: The British Occupation of Germany, 1945-49 (Apollo, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dont-Lets-Beastly-Germans-Occupation/dp/1800243502/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Christopher Columbus: life of the week
In the list of famous explorers, the name of Christopher Columbus stands out. Seen for many years as the man who supposedly 'discovered' the Americas, his heroic legacy is now being challenged and critiqued. Speaking to Paul Bloomfield, historian Julia McClure considers the exploits, achievements and failings of the explorer and navigator – from paving the way for the European exploration of the 'New World' to the poor treatment of the Americas' indigenous inhabitants.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Slavic Myths: vampires werewolves – and cabbages
The Slavic diaspora is one of the biggest in the world – so why aren't their myths better known? Speaking to Kev Lochun, Noah Charney and Svetlana Slapšak introduce the Slavic gods, explaining how their myths continue to hold sway over daily life – and how these stories have been used to shape nations. You'll never look at a cabbage the same way again.
(Ad) Noah Charney and Svetlana Slapšak are the authors of The Slavic Myths (Thames & Hudson Ltd, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-slavic-myths%2Fnoah-charney%2Fsvetlana-slap-ak%2F9780500025017
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Roman army: everything you wanted to know
What did the average Roman soldier eat and drink while on campaign? Were the legions seen as a oppressive force in the regions they conquered? And why was one Roman centurion nicknamed 'bring me another'? Speaking with Emily Briffett, ancient historian Adrian Goldsworthy answers listener questions on life in the Roman army – from training and punishment to whether legionaries really hated being sent to Britain.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Chanel: glamour and controversy on the Riviera
As AppleTV+ new drama The New Look hits our screens, we revisit this classic episode surrounding one of the series' central characters – fashion icon Coco Chanel. Speaking to Elinor Evans in 2020, writer and journalist Anne de Courcy discussed Chanel's experiences – alongside those of some other famous faces – on the French Riviera during the interwar years and the era of Nazi occupation.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Victorian death rituals
Death was an everyday part of life in 19th-century Britain – and the Victorians were fascinated by it, developing a wealth of customs and rules about how people should bury their dead and how they should grieve. Many of these – from hair jewellery to deathbed photography – seem strange to modern eyes, but they sprang from a deep desire to pay respect to the deceased. Speaking to Rebecca Franks, Judith Flanders takes us on a moving journey from the sickbed to the cemetery.
(Ad) Judith Flanders is the author of Rites of Passage: Death and Mourning in Victorian Britain (Picador, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rites-Passage-Mourning-Victorian-Britain/dp/1509816976/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Conspiracy | 5. Legends of the Knights Templar
In the early 14th century, the Knights Templar were suppressed and the 200-year history of this military religious order came to an abrupt end. Or did it? What if some of the Templars escaped persecution to operate secretly until the present day, holding on to precious religious relics and maybe even discovering America? In this new episode of Conspiracy, Rob Attar is joined by medieval historian Steve Tibble to explore why myths have surrounded the Templars from the Middle Ages until the present day – and to explain how Rosslyn Chapel and the Holy Grail fit into the story.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Happily ever after? Love and marriage in Austen's era
From unwanted proposals and lingering looks across ballrooms to a wet-shirted Mr Darcy emerging from a lake, the romantic stories of Jane Austen – and their countless adaptations – have captured the hearts of many of us. But, if we turn to the real historical record of the Regency era, how much truth is there to these tales of happily ever after? As a nod to Valentine's Day, Lauren Good speaks to Rory Muir about the reality of love and marriage in the age of Jane Austen, from engagements and elopements to going on honeymoon with your mother-in-law.
(Ad) Rory Muir is the author of Love and Marriage in the Age of Jane Austen (Yale University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Marriage-Age-Jane-Austen/dp/0300269609/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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History Behind the Headlines: the Post Office, US elections and Alexander the Great
The latest instalment of our monthly series sees Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter explore the long history behind the Post Office Scandal, the historical precedents behind recent developments in US politics and more
Our new monthly series explores the history hitting the headlines – and the way the past informs today’s world. The latest instalment of our monthly series sees Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter explore the long history behind the Post Office Scandal, the historical precedents behind recent developments in US politics and more.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Drag: a British history
Drag is an art form that's seen a great deal of success – and a little controversy – in recent years. Yet, as Jacob Bloomfield argues in his recent book, Drag: A British History, it's also entertained British audiences for decades, stretching back to the music halls of the Victorian era and revue shows of the Second World War. Matt Elton caught up with Jacob to find out more.
(Ad) Jacob Bloomfield is the author of Drag: A British History (University of California Press, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Drag-British-History-Berkeley-Studies/dp/0520393325/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Medieval Ireland: everything you wanted to know
How did medieval Ireland come to have 150 kings at the same time? Who were the gallowglass? What is Brehon law, and why is it so influential in our understanding of the country in the Middle Ages? Speaking to Emily Briffett in this 'Everything you wanted to know' episode, Professor Seán Duffy answers your top questions on Ireland during the Middle Ages.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Peking to Paris: the world’s first great motor race
In June 1907, five plucky teams departed the Chinese capital and embarked on a 9,317-mile automobile race to Paris. Traversing scorching deserts and perilous mountain passes in ill-equipped vehicles, the participants regularly risked their lives – but their tenacity would transform attitudes towards the car forever. Kassia St Clair spoke to Jon Bauckham about the story behind the race, and what it can tell us about the wider history of transport, communication and globalisation.
(Ad) Kassia St Clair is the author of The Race to the Future: The Adventure that Accelerated the Twentieth Century (John Murray Press, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Race-Future-Adventure-Accelerated-Twentieth/dp/1529386055/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Conspiracy | 4. The Protocols of the Elders of Zion
First published in Russia in 1903, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion purported to demonstrate evidence of a global Jewish conspiracy. Though it has repeatedly been proven to be a forgery, the text has helped fuel antisemitism across the world, from Henry Ford in America, to Nazi Germany, to Jew-hate today. In this new episode of Conspiracy, Rob Attar speaks to Professor Pamela S Nadell about why the infamous tract has proven so popular and how it connects to other antisemitic conspiracy theories.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Love: a weird & wonderful history
From prehistoric carvings and medieval spell books to grand romantic gestures and tokens of affection, throughout history there has been no shortage of ways to say those three little words. Speaking to Charlotte Hodgman, Edward Brooke-Hitching shares some incredible, and curious, stories of love through time – from ancient Mesopotamia to the modern day.
(Ad) Edward Brooke-Hitching is the author of Love: A Curious History (Simon & Schuster, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Flove-a-curious-history%2Fedward-brooke-hitching%2F9781398522718
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Life of the week: the Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington has gone down in history as one of Britain's most formidable military commanders. But how did he earn such an impressive reputation? In today's Life of the Week episode, Dr Zack White guides Ellie Cawthorne through Wellington's successes on the battlefield, as well as his controversial tenure as a politician and salacious personal life.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Ploughman's for the people: a culinary history of Britain
Did you know that the seemingly bucolic Ploughman's lunch actually came about because of a marketing ploy? Or that turnips were once thought to be an aphrodisiac? Pen Vogler takes Lauren Good on a culinary journey through Britain's history, exploring moments when food was at the centre of social change and upheaval.
(Ad) Pen Vogler is the author of Stuffed: A History of Good Food and Hard Times in Britain (Atlantic Books, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stuffed-History-Good-Times-Britain/dp/1838955747/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Chivalry: everything you wanted to know
Where does the word "chivalry" come from? How should an honourable knight treat his vanquished foes? And do chivalric ideals underlie modern-day misogyny? In our latest Everything you wanted to know episode, medievalist Lydia Zeldenrust answers listener questions on the idealised code of knightly conduct that arose during the medieval era, in conversation with Rebecca Franks.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Alexandria: the first modern city
According to legend, when Alexander the Great rocked up on the island of Pharos in northern Egypt, he had a vision of a spectacular city – a vision that later became reality in the form of Alexandria. On the mainland nearby, connected by a new causeway to Pharos, the metropolis grew and thrived, drawing people in from far and wide. Its power was symbolised by the remarkable Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the Great Library, which aspired to be home to all the world's knowledge. Speaking to Rebecca Franks, Islam Issa explores the origin story of this remarkable city.
(Ad) Islam Issa is the author of Alexandria: The City that Changed the World (Sceptre, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Alexandria-City-that-Changed-World/dp/1529377587/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Conspiracy | 3. Who killed JFK?
On the 22 November 1963, President John F Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested and charged with the murder, but over the past 60 years millions of people have come to believe that Oswald was just a small cog in a wider plot to murder the president, orchestrated by a powerful group such as the CIA, the Mafia or the Cuban regime. In this new episode of Conspiracy, Rob Attar speaks to the journalist Gerald Posner whose landmark 1993 book Case Closed famously concluded that Oswald had indeed acted alone. Together they dissect the evidence from the assassination and consider why conspiracy theories about it have become so widespread.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Masters of the Air: the real history behind the new show.
Donald L Miller shares how US 'bomber boys' made D-Day possible, a story now dramatised in the Apple TV+ series Masters of the Air
Masters of the Air is the big-budget Apple TV+ follow-up to Band of Brothers and The Pacific. Exec produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, it follows the exploits of the 100th Bomb Group, charting the vital role played by American airmen in the run-up to D-Day. The series draws its inspiration from a book of the same name by Donald L Miller, and in today's episode Kev Lochun speaks to Donald about the terrifying realities of flying a B-17 Flying Fortress during WW2 bombing missions.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Life of the week: Spartacus
"I am Spartacus" is one of the most iconic lines in cinema history: from the 1960 film starring Kirk Douglas in the titular role, it has come to define how we see the Roman rebel. However, according to Roman historian Alison Futrell, the real man behind the legend has an equally fascinating story to tell. Speaking to Emily Briffett, Alison explains how Spartacus's life has been told through a variety of skewed lenses, explores the context surrounding his extraordinary uprising – and reveals how he has come to be seen as a revolutionary hero.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The West's enduring fascination with Asia
Asia has long enthralled people in the west, with voyages of discovery and military expeditions setting out in search of wealth, wisdom and the chance to explore a "strange new world". Historian and author Christopher Harding speaks to Matt Elton about westeners' enduring fascination with India, China and Japan, and the ways in which it has shaped the relationship between East and West from the ancient world to the 21st century.
(Ad) Christopher Harding is the author of The Light of Asia: A History of Western Fascination with the East (Allen Lane, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Light-Asia-History-Western-Fascination-ebook/dp/B0C68SSV9D/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: everything you wanted to know
Did the hanging gardens of Babylon really exist? How was Egypt's Great Pyramid built? And could any one person have seen all seven ancient wonders? In our latest Everything you wanted to know episode Rachel Dinning puts listener questions on the seven wonders of the ancient world to public historian Bettany Hughes, who gives us the lowdown on these spectacular monuments and explores why humanity has had such an enduring fascination with them.
(Ad) Bettany Hughes is the author of The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Seven-Wonders-Ancient-World-ebook/dp/B0BXP3NDVQ/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Nicholas Winton: the 'British Schindler'
Shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War, a British stockbroker worked tirelessly to rescue hundreds of Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia by transporting them to new lives in Britain. Nicholas Winton's life and achievements are the subject of a new film One Life, and ahead of Holocaust Memorial Day, Edward Abel Smith joins Spencer Mizen to discuss his story.
(Ad) Edward Abel Smith is the author of The British Oskar Schindler: The Life and Work of Nicholas Winton (Pen & Sword, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/British-Oskar-Schindler-Nicholas-Winton/dp/1399011480/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Conspiracy | 2. Was Pearl Harbor an inside job?
On 7 December 1941, Japan attacked the US naval base at Pearl Harbor. It's one of the most notorious surprise attacks in history, but how much of a surprise was it? Did US President Franklin Roosevelt in fact know that the attack was coming and even encourage it as a means of propelling the US into World War Two? In this new episode of Conspiracy, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Steve Twomey joins Rob Attar to tackle the "back door to war" conspiracy theory, explaining why many Americans have been willing to believe in a president's treachery.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Ireland's tangled relationship with empire
Often described as England's first colony, Ireland has a long – and deeply complicated – relationship with empire. Rhiannon Davies speaks to historian Jane Ohlmeyer to learn more about this complex picture, from how Ireland was a 'laboratory of empire' to how imperialism influenced the clothing people wore.
(Ad) Jane Ohlmeyer is the author of Making Empire: Ireland, Imperialism, and the Early Modern World (Oxford University Press, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fmaking-empire%2Fprof-jane-ohlmeyer%2F9780192867681%23%3A~%3Atext%3DMaking%20Empire%20re%2Dexamines%20empire%2C1770s).
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Life of the Week: Harold Godwinson (Harold II)
King Harold II is famous for getting an arrow to the eye at the battle of Hastings. But is that story even true? And what else should we know about this man whose main claim to fame is being defeated by William the Conqueror? In this Life of the Week episode, David Musgrove explores the life of the king commonly known as Harold Godwinson, with Caitlin Ellis, associate professor in medieval nordic history at Oslo University.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Britain's long love affair with sport
Britons may not always be the best at playing sports. But, as David Horspool tells Spencer Mizen, when it comes to inventing, codifying and becoming utterly obsessed by them, they are bona fide world beaters. From the brutality of medieval jousts to the mega-bucks of the Premier League, David reveals how sport has embedded itself in the fabric of British life over the centuries.
(Ad) David Horspool is the author of // More Than a Game: A History of How Sport Made Britain // (John Murray Press, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/More-Than-Game-History-Britain/dp/1529363276/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Silk Road: everything you wanted to know
The Silk Road is one of the most famous trade routes in history, a vast interconnected network along which not only goods but ideas, knowledge and culture flowed. Sam Willis joins Rebecca Franks to discuss its remarkable history and answer listener questions on the subject, spotlighting unforgettable ancient cities, Marco Polo’s colourful tales of travel and asking whether the Silk Road ever entirely disappeared.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Renaissance: an explosion of creativity
From the nightmarish creations of Hieronymus Bosch to the intricate flying machines of Leonardo da Vinci, the Renaissance was a time of experimentation and cultural exploration. Speaking to Charlotte Hodgman, art critic and writer Jonathan Jones takes a closer look at this period of seismic change and explores its enduring significance in European history.
(Ad) Jonathan Jones is the author of Earthly Delights: A History of the Renaissance (Thames & Hudson, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fearthly-delights%2Fjonathan-jones%2F9780500023136
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Conspiracy | 1. Was Elizabeth I a man?
In her most famous speech, delivered on 9 August 1588, Queen Elizabeth I declared that she had the "heart and stomach of a king". Was that just rhetoric? Or could England’s iconic Tudor queen actually have been a man masquerading as a woman? In this new episode of Conspiracy, Tudor historian Tracy Borman speaks to Rob Attar about the bizarre 'Bisley Boy' conspiracy theory that was popularised by none other than Dracula author Bram Stoker.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Conspiracy | Series 2 Trailer
Who shot JFK? Have the Knights Templar been hiding the Holy Grail? And what really landed at Roswell in 1947? In the second series of Conspiracy from HistoryExtra, Rob Attar investigates some of history’s most popular and persistent conspiracy theories in the company of expert historians who are battling to set the record straight.
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From the Mongols to the Huns: the nomads who dominated Eurasia
From the Huns, Mongols and Magyars to the Turks, Xiongnu, Scythians and Goths, these nomadic people of the Eurasian steppes built long-lasting empires, facilitated global trade via the Silk Road and widely disseminated religion, technology, knowledge and goods. Speaking to Emily Briffett, Kenneth Harl details how these nomads profoundly shaped the course of history.
(Ad) Kenneth Harl is the author of Empires of the Steppes: The Nomadic Tribes Who Shaped Civilisation (Bloomsbury, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Empires-Steppes-Nomadic-Tribes-Civilization/dp/1526630400/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1699632260&sr=1-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Life of the Week: Frederick Douglass
Having run away from a life of slavery as a young man, Frederick Douglass went on to forge his own path as an abolitionist, orator, writer and statesman. In this 'Life of the Week' episode, Clare Elliott guides Paul Bloomfield through Douglass's life story, explaining how he came to play such a significant role in the fight for rights in the 19th-century US and beyond.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The hidden history of women in intelligence
From women who worked in vital wartime intelligence centres like Bletchley Park to those who parachuted behind enemy lines as part of SOE operations, Helen Fry introduces the women who dealt in intelligence during the world wars. In conversation with Elinor Evans, she reveals some of their fascinating stories, including knitting coded messages to aid the Belgian intelligence network ‘La Dame Blanche’ and interrogating German 'ace' pilots.
(Ad) Helen Fry is the author of Women in Intelligence: The Hidden History of Two World Wars (Yale University Press, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fwomen-in-intelligence%2Fhelen-fry%2F9780300260779
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Bloomsbury Group: everything you wanted to know
From the groundbreaking novels of Virginia Woolf to the economic theories of John Maynard Keynes, the Bloomsbury Group shook up British culture in the early 20th century. In conversation with Rebecca Franks, Frances Spalding answers listener questions on this daring set of intellectuals, artists and writers, revealing what united their varied talents, and exploring how their personal lives (and tangled love affairs) were often just as fascinating as their work.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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'Madness' and the supernatural
The birth of psychiatry in the early-19th century changed the way that 'madness' was understood, with beliefs in the supernatural becoming evidence of insanity. Charlotte Hodgman spoke to Professor Owen Davies about the men and women who found themselves placed in asylums as a result of their supernatural beliefs, and investigates how old beliefs clashed with new ideas in a rapidly changing world.
(Ad) Owen Davies is the author of Troubled by Faith: Insanity and the Supernatural in the Age of the Asylum (Oxford University Press, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Ftroubled-by-faith%2Fowen-davies%2F9780198873006
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Boston Tea Party | 5. A complex legacy
Why does the Boston Tea Party still loom so large in the popular story of American independence today? Is it right that it holds so much significance? And what has been the impact of the protest in global history? In the final episode of our series, experts Benjamin Carp, Sarah Churchwell and Sarah Purcell weigh up the complicated legacy and discuss how we should regard the protest in the 21st century.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Why were the Romantics obsessed with Mount Vesuvius?
The Romantics were obsessed with Mount Vesuvius, climbing up to peer into its bubbling depths, and even using it as a metaphor to describe some of the tumultuous changes revolution was wreaking in Europe at the time. Rhiannon Davies spoke to John Brewer to learn more about this fascinating historical episode.
(Ad) John Brewer is the author of Volcanic: Vesuvius in the Age of Revolutions (Yale University Press, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Volcanic-Vesuvius-Revolutions-John-Brewer/dp/0300272669/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Life of the Week: Stalin
Josef Stalin is a titan of modern history – and one of its most infamous leaders, responsible for the deaths of millions. Danny Bird spoke to Robert Service to chart the Soviet tyrant's life, from his childhood in Georgia to his rise to become the dictator of the Soviet Union and an architect of the post-war world.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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James Longstreet: Confederate Judas
James Longstreet spent the American Civil War as one of the leading generals in the Confederate Army. But after 1865 he became a supporter of reconstruction and black voting, even leading an interracial force in battle against former Confederates in New Orleans. In this episode, Longstreet's latest biographer, Elizabeth R Varon, talks to Rob Attar about his remarkable life and extraordinary change of heart.
(Ad) Elizabeth R Varon is the author of Longstreet: The Confederate General Who Defied the South (Simon & Schuster, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Longstreet-Confederate-General-Defied-South/dp/1982148276/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Medieval popes: everything you wanted to know
Who were some of the most influential popes of the Middle Ages? What did you have to do to earn the title of 'anti-pope'? And which pope was believed to keep a pet demon? Kev Lochun spoke to historian Brett Whalen to find out more about the fascinating role of the papacy in this period.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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A history of song: from Schumann to Sting
Songs can trigger a range of emotions in their listeners: intense joy, sadness or even disgust. But how did this type of musical composition develop and become what it is today? The acclaimed singer and author John Potter takes Jon Bauckham on a tour through the history of song in Europe, covering everything from the works of Schumann and Sting to the musical troubadours of medieval Provence.
(Ad) John Potter is the author of Song: A History in 12 Parts (Yale University Press, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Song-History-Parts-John-Potter/dp/0300263538/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Boston Tea Party | 4. The crackdown
The consequences of the protest are vital in understanding the role of the Boston Tea Party in the revolution that was to come. In episode four, we hear more about the immediate fallout from the destruction of the tea, and the brutal crackdown by Britain’s government that proved to be a turning point in uniting the 13 American colonies, and a crucial staging post on the road to war.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Aztec warfare
Why did warfare play such a pivotal role in Aztec society? How could claiming captives benefit a warrior in life and death? And what was 'Flower War'? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Caroline Dodds Pennock takes a look at the warriors and weaponry of the Aztecs to consider how warfare played a prominent part in everyday life, from the cradle to the grave – and beyond.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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History Behind the Headlines: Elections, ‘panda diplomacy’ and the word of the year
The latest instalment of our monthly sees Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter look back at the history behind the big stories of 2023 – and what they might tell us about the year to come
Our monthly series exploring how the past informs today’s world returns with a special episode catching up on some of 2023’s biggest stories, and considering how they might shape the events of 2024. Regular panellists Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter discuss the surprisingly brief history of elections, the panda democracy phenomenon, and the long roots of the Oxford Word of the Year – ‘charisma’.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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How spies shaped the modern world
How did British agents bug German PoWs during the Second World War? What qualities do you need to be a successful spy? And how are deepfakes changing the face of modern warfare? Amanda Mason introduces Spencer Mizen to some of the 150 objects starring in the new Imperial War Museums’ exhibition, Spies, Lies and Deception.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Habsburgs: everything you wanted to know
The Habsburgs were one of Europe's most formidable – and durable – dynasties, ruling over swathes of the continent for centuries. Speaking to Spencer Mizen, Pieter Judson tells the story of this powerhouse of a family, from their championing of Catholicism to the disastrous effects of their incestuous marriages.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The medieval Welsh Marches: identity on the frontier
The medieval Welsh Marches are often seen as a hotly contested border territory between Wales and England that frequently boiled over into violence. But, as Helen Fulton - who is leading a new research project on this topic - explains in today's episode, by examining Welsh literature and praise poetry we can explore an often overlooked side to frontier life. Emily Briffett spoke to Helen to find out more.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Boston Tea Party | 3. The destruction of the tea
The destruction of more than 46 tonnes of tea on the evening of 16 December 1773 is an event that holds huge importance in the popular story of the USA’s independence. But how much is actually known about the events of that night? Who organised it, and who took part? What can we learn from the disguises they employed? And how did the act of civil disobedience inflame tensions to new heights?
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Sherlock Holmes: the real history that inspired the detective stories
Sherlock Holmes is arguably the most famous fictional detective of all time. The resident of 221B Baker Street has been the subject of countless film and television portrayals, remaining a figure of fascination around the globe. But what inspired Holmes’s creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, to bring him into the world in the first place? Jon Bauckham speaks to the author and biographer Andrew Lycett about the origins of the character and what the stories reveal about Conan Doyle himself.
(Ad) Andrew Lycett is the author of The Worlds of Sherlock Holmes: The Inspiration Behind the World's Greatest Detective (Frances Lincoln, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Worlds-Sherlock-Holmes-Inspiration-Detective/dp/071128167X#:~:text=From%20the%20Victorian%20crazes%20for,enduring%2C%20enigmatic%20and%20recognisable%20characters./?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Life of the week: Queen Victoria
What picture comes to mind when you think of Queen Victoria? For many, it will be a grieving woman in her mourning gown, or perhaps a monarch cooly stating "we are not amused". From her marriage to Prince Albert to founding many of the royal traditions we know today, Tracy Borman speaks to Lauren Good about Victoria’s life, and explains why we should rethink our opinion of her.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Merry Christmas from the HistoryExtra podcast
As a Christmas present from us, we're sharing an exclusive sneak peek into what 2024 has in store on the HistoryExtra podcast, from upcoming series delving into the Suffragettes and historical conspiracies, to new Everything You Wanted to Know episodes. Thanks for listening this year.
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Druids: everything you wanted to know
Were druids the wise, kindly and benevolent figures of ancient societies, or bloodthirsty, barbaric priests with a penchant for brutal human sacrifice? Were they purely religious guides, or practitioners of magic? And why did the Romans perceive them to be such a dangerous threat? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Ronald Hutton answers your top questions on the mystical druids of ancient north western Europe.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Bannockburn: Robert the Bruce’s greatest victory
Robert the Bruce’s landmark victory over the English at the battle of Bannockburn has secured his place as a hero in the annals of Scottish history. Speaking to Rachel Dinning, historian Helen Carr chronicles the story of the battle and its aftermath, and also explains why it had profound consequences for Scotland, England, and Ireland across the first half of the 14th century and beyond.
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Boston Tea Party | 2. The Sons of Liberty
The Boston Tea Party is often invoked as a symbol of non-violent protest, but how true is that picture? In episode two, we meet the Sons of Liberty – an organisation which, in combatting the rising taxes levied from the American colonists, sometimes turned to brutal and intimidating tactics that are often forgotten in the protest’s broader story.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Amazing Grace: a story of salvation and slavery
John Newton was a slave-ship captain in the 18th century. However, he was also a devout Christian who went on to become a famous preacher and wrote the globally recognised hymn Amazing Grace. James Walvin talks to David Musgrove about how Newton and his contemporaries made sense of the contradiction of slavery and Christianity, and how Amazing Grace has taken on a life of its own after him.
(Ad) James Walvin is the author of Amazing Grace: A Cultural History of the Beloved Hymn (University of California Press, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Amazing-Grace-Cultural-History-Beloved/dp/0520391829/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Life of the week: Amelia Earhart
Amelia Earhart broke record after record in 20th-century aviation, being the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean – and famously attempting to circumnavigate the world in 1937, on a doomed voyage that ended in her mysterious disappearance. Rhiannon Davies speaks to Clare Mulley to learn more about this adventurous figure.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Nazi Germany: the myth of the innocent bystander
In 1945, after defeat in the Second World War, many Germans claimed to have known nothing about what had happened to their fellow Jewish citizens – and with that, the idea of the ‘innocent bystander’ was born. But just how true was this claim? Delving into a rich archive of personal accounts of life in the Nazi era, Mary Fulbrook has unearthed a far more complex story, as she tells Rebecca Franks.
(Ad) Mary Fulbrook is the author of Bystander Society: Conformity and Complicity in Nazi Germany and the Holocaust (Oxford University Press, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon:
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The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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1970s Britain: everything you wanted to know
1970s Britain has gained a reputation for being fairly bleak, filled with strikes and economic turbulence. But was it really so terrible? From the uniting power of television to his grandfather's safari suit, Alwyn Turner takes Lauren Good on a journey through this decade of change, answering listener questions along the way.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Caesar | 6. The evil that men do
In the concluding part of our new series on Julius Caesar’s rise and fall, we take the story on to its dramatic coda as battles continue to rage over who will ultimately succeed the murdered dictator. Rob Attar is joined by Dr Jane Draycott to tell the story of Antony and Cleopatra’s war with Octavian, while Professor Philip Freeman, Professor Catherine Steel and Professor Barry Strauss reflect on the legacy of the Ides of March.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Caesar | 3. Master of his fate
The last decade of Julius Caesar’s life was dominated by civil war, his romance with Cleopatra and his quest for ultimate power. In episode three of our new series on Julius Caesar’s rise and fall, Rob Attar is joined by Professor Philip Freeman, Dr Jane Draycott and Dr Volker Heuchert to explore Caesar’s final years as the storm clouds were gathering around him.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Caesar | 2. Was this ambition?
When Julius Caesar was born, few would have expected him to climb to the summit of Roman political power, but by the time of his death that was exactly what he had done. In episode two of our new series on Caesar’s rise and fall, Rob Attar is joined by Professor Catherine Steel and Professor Philip Freeman to examine the early life and career of a man who would seek to reshape Rome in his image.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Caesar | 1. Beware the Ides of March
On 15 March 44 BC, Rome’s dictator strode into the Senate House of Pompey for a meeting with the city’s political elite. Little did he know that this would be the final meeting of his life. In episode one of our new series on Julius Caesar’s rise and fall, Rob Attar is joined by Professor Barry Strauss to describe the momentous events of a day that would transform Rome forever.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Caesar | 4. Honourable men
In episode four of our new series on Julius Caesar’s rise and fall, we come face-to-face with the men who orchestrated the assassination. Professor Barry Strauss and Professor Philip Freeman join Rob Attar to dissect the characters of Brutus, Cassius and Decimus and reveal how the conspiracy got off the ground.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Caesar | 5. The dogs of war
The deed is done, but the battle is far from over. In episode five of our new series on Julius Caesar’s rise and fall, Rob Attar is joined by Professor Philip Freeman, Professor Barry Strauss and Dr Volker Heuchert to plunge into the aftermath of Caesar’s murder as the dictator’s former allies and enemies go to war over the future of Rome.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Netflix's The Crown: history and storytelling
Netflix's hit drama The Crown has come to a close after six seasons and 60 episodes, having dramatised the Windsor dynasty from the mid-20th century to the early years of the new millennium. While it has faced some controversy for its portrayals of living royals and storytelling choices, its mass appeal has seen it become one of the flagship historical dramas of the decade. Elinor Evans spoke to the show's head of research, Annie Sulzberger, to hear more about The Crown's approach to the real history it portrays on screen.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Boston Tea Party | 1. Tea and taxes
How did tea become such an incendiary issue in late 18th-century Boston? To understand this, we need to travel back at least a decade. Joined by experts Benjamin Carp, Sarah Churchwell and Sarah Purcell, we delve into the colonial grievances that were growing in the wake of the Seven Years’ War, and get closer to the unrest in colonial New England.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Boston Tea Party: Igniting a revolution | Trailer
On the evening of 16 December 1773, around a hundred men boarded three ships in Boston harbour, hoisting more than 46 tonnes of tea over the vessels’ rails and into the sea. The destruction of the goods became a pivotal moment on the road to the American Revolutionary War, and is better known to history as the Boston Tea Party. In our new HistoryExtra podcast series, on the 250th anniversary of the rebellion, we’ll be looking at the causes, tensions, and violent origins of the protest, the key players involved in the plan – and why exactly tea was so important to the story. Join experts Benjamin Carp, Sarah Churchwell and Sarah Purcell as we delve into the act of defiance that sparked a revolution.
Subscribe to History Extra Plus on Apple Podcasts to listen to the whole series immediately and ad-free.
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Georgian grand houses: the forgotten women who built them
Many might assume that Britain's grand houses were paid for, designed and built solely by men. However, as Amy Boyington reveals, this was far from the truth. Women acted as patrons, liaised with contractors, and even designed their homes with an expert hand. Speaking to Lauren Good, Amy uncovers these roles of women in Georgian architecture – some of which have been long forgotten.
(Ad) Amy Boyington is the author of Hidden Patrons: Women and Architectural Patronage in Georgian Britain (Bloomsbury Visual Arts, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hidden-Patrons-Architectural-Patronage-Georgian/dp/1350358606/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Introducing Life of the Week
We’re making our new 'Life of the Week' series freely available for everyone to enjoy. Every Tuesday from 12 December, join us as we step back into the past and learn about the lives of some of history's most significant figures, from majestic ancient Egyptian pharaohs and medieval warriors to 20th-century daredevils.
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Life of the Week: Mansa Musa
In the list of the world’s all-time wealthiest people, one name regularly tops the charts: Mansa Musa. Ruling a kingdom that stretched across West Africa, the 14th-century Mali emperor is best known for undertaking a glittering pilgrimage towards the holy city of Mecca. Yet, speaking to Emily Briffett, Hannah Cusworth argues Mansa Musa left a much larger legacy than that.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Caesar: Death of a Dictator | Trailer
On the Ides of March, 44 BC, the most famous Roman in history was murdered. Julius Caesar’s killers hoped to save the Republic, but in the end they destroyed it. In the six episodes of Caesar: Death of a Dictator, Rob Attar is joined by a group of expert historians to revisit these dramatic events and reveal how the assassination helped turn Rome into an empire.
All episodes will be freely available everywhere on Saturday 16th December 2023. Want to listen to the whole series now or access it ad-free? Subscribe to History Extra Plus on Apple Podcasts where you can also enjoy an ad-free experience across all HistoryExtra episodes, as well as regular bonus content. Start your seven-day free trial now.
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Victoria's armpit and 'giant' bones: body parts that changed history
How did a severed ear start a war between Britain and Spain in the 18th century? And what has Queen Victoria's armpit got to do with the development of antiseptic? Speaking to Charlotte Hodgman, medical doctor and historian Dr Suzie Edge investigates our long-standing fascination with body parts, and explores the incredible stories of the people attached to them – from Albert Einstein's brain to the bones of 'Irish Giant' Charles Byrne.
(Ad) Suzie Edge is a medical doctor, historian and the author of Vital Organs: A History of the World's Most Famous Body Parts (Wildfire, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vital-Organs-Suzie-Edge/dp/1035404583/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The American Gilded Age: everything you wanted to know
How did the Gilded Ages get its name? What caused the explosion of industry at this time? Who were the great industrialists of the age, and what can their philanthropy tell us about the morals of the era? Speaking to Elinor Evans, Nancy C Unger answers listener questions on the so-called Gilded Age in the US, from the expansion of railroads and manufacturing that shaped the era and made millions for the industrial barons, to the 'dollar princesses' who married into British aristocracy
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Books and war: from James Bond to leaflet bombing
Throughout time, both authors and their readers have gone to war. In that process, the written word has become a deadly weapon and a glimmer of peace and hope – from the furious printing efforts behind publishing //Mein Kampf// to the daring exploits of James Bond. Speaking to Emily Briffett, Andrew Pettegree traces the surprising, and sometimes sinister, ways in which the written word has shaped, and been shaped, by the conflicts of last few centuries.
(Ad) Andrew Pettegree is the author of The Book at War: Libraries and Readers in an Age of Conflict (Profile Books, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-book-at-war%2Fandrew-pettegree%2F9781800814936
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Shakespeare: Past Master | 4. Hamlet
Farah Karim-Cooper reveals what the playwright’s famous tragedy tells us about how death and mortality were viewed in the Tudor era
Written at the turn of the 17th century, William Shakespeare’s //Hamlet// sees its title character haunted – both literally and emotionally – by complex feelings about death. As Farah Karim-Cooper explains, the playwright was tapping into the era’s wider confusion about mortality and spirituality
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Medieval manners: social etiquette in the Middle Ages
Medieval people are often portrayed in popular culture as being grubby and smelly, with few manners to recommend them. However, in reality, such uncouth behaviour would certainly have been frowned upon. Speaking with Emily Briffett, Danièle Cybulskie delves into the historical handbook to pull out some of the top tips on social etiquette from the Middle Ages – and explores why these rules and ideals were so important at the time.
(Ad) Danièle Cybulskie is the author of Chivalry and Courtesy: Medieval Manners for Modern Life (Abbeville Press, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chivalry-Courtesy-Medieval-Manners-Modern/dp/0789214695/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3ESD081ALMM7A&keywords=chivalry+and+courtesy&qid=1698924976&sprefix=chivalry+and+%2Caps%2C85&sr=8-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Marshal Pétain: Vichy France in the dock
Following its liberation in 1944, France began a reckoning with its years of defeat, occupation and collaboration with Nazi Germany. On trial was Marshal Philippe Pétain, the decorated World War I hero and onetime head of the collaborationist regime known as Vichy France. Speaking to Danny Bird, Julian Jackson discusses the role the trial played in the nation's attempt to reconcile itself with this controversial chapter in its history.
(Ad) Julian Jackson is the author of France on Trial: The Case of Marshal Pétain (Allen Lane, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/France-Trial-Case-Marshal-P%C3%A9tain/dp/024145025X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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1950s Britain: everything you wanted to know
Was 1950s Britain a grim, grey nation, haunted by the spectre of the Second World War, or was it a vibrant, forward-thinking country that had – in the words of Harold Macmillan – “never had it so good”? Speaking with Jon Bauckham, Alwyn Turner separates fact from fiction and answers listeners’ questions about a decade that saw the birth of rock’n’roll, the Suez Crisis, and the crowning of a new queen.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The dangerous road to the Bastille
The French Revolution of 1789 is one of the defining events of world history – but the decades preceding the revolution were also seismic, being marked by war, royal scandal, financial crisis and scientific wonder. In conversation with Rob Attar, Robert Darnton takes us on a journey through the streets of Paris in the 40 years that preceded the storming of the Bastille.
(Ad) Robert Darnton is the author of The Revolutionary Temper: Paris, 1748–1789 (Penguin, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-revolutionary-temper%2Frobert-darnton%2F9780713996562
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Shakespeare: Past Master | 3. Julius Caesar
Islam Issa charts what the tragic history play tells us about the ancient world – and the insights it offers into the politics of the playwright’s own era
It may be set in ancient Rome, with a cast of real-life characters – yet William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar also tells us a great deal about the machinations of the Elizabethan court. Islam Issa shares his thoughts on how the play offers a window into the politics of the playwright’s era.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Du Fu: China's greatest poet
Writing during the celebrated Tang dynasty, Du Fu is heralded as China's greatest poet, musing on subjects from how to cook noodles to war and rebellion. Speaking to Spencer Mizen, Michael Wood charts Du Fu's fascinating life, and explores what the poet can tell us about medieval Chinese culture.
(Ad) Michael Wood is the author of In the Footsteps of Du Fu (Simon & Schuster, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Footsteps-Du-Fu-Michael-Wood/dp/1398515442/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Cities that turbocharged art history
From Renaissance Florence and ancient Babylon to the kingdom of Benin and Heian-era Kyoto, cities across history have served as launchpads for extraordinary outbursts of artistic flowering. Caroline Campbell, director of the National Gallery of Ireland and the author of The Power of Art, guides Ellie Cawthorne through some of these cultural metropolises, exploring what made them artistic hubs, and how they turbocharged the story of art.
(Ad) Caroline Campbell is the author of The Power of Art: A World History in Fifteen Cities (The Bridge Street Press, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Power-People-Painting-Fifteen-Cities/dp/0349128480/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Astronomy history: everything you wanted to know
When was it established that the Earth is round? Did the Catholic church help or hinder the practice of astronomy? And how transformative was the big bang theory? Speaking to Spencer Mizen, James Hannam answers your queries on the long history of the study of the heavens.
(Ad) James Hannam is the author of The Globe: How the Earth Became Round (Reaktion Books, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Globe-How-Earth-Became-Round/dp/1789147581/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The dark side of Dickens
Charles Dickens was a master of managing his personal brand. In fact, almost everything we know about him comes from one biography, written by his friend John Forster. But, if you dig a little deeper, strange biographical inconsistencies begin to emerge. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Helena Kelly outlines her new theories on the truth behind the stories Dickens told about everything from his family and childhood to his sex life, and how they paint a much darker picture of the author’s life.
(Ad) Helena Kelly is the author of The Life and Lies of Charles Dickens (Icon, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-Lies-Charles-Dickens/dp/1837731047/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=dKdrS&content-id=amzn1.sym.3413293e-3815-4359-96ba-1ec5110e0b30&pf_rd_p=3413293e-3815-4359-96ba-1ec5110e0b30&pf_rd_r=260-4281246-2111105&pd_rd_wg=KK2pp&pd_rd_r=22b9c5ce-9e82-4453-bc64-7ac5042e4472&ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dsk&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Shakespeare: Past Master | 2. Romeo and Juliet
Sophie Duncan delves into the playwright’s world-famous tragedy to reveal what it tells us about youth in the Tudor era
The doomed romance of young lovers Romeo and Juliet has captured imaginations across the centuries – but what does William Shakespeare’s play tell us about the real experiences of youth at the time he was writing? Sophie Duncan offers her expert take.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Thanksgiving: everything you wanted to know
Rachel Herrmann charts the long history of America’s famous holiday – from modern parades and celebrations to the first feast
From the fabled first feast between the Pilgrims and Native Americans to the darker side of the holiday's history, the American tradition of Thanksgiving has a long and complex past. Here, Charlotte Hodgman puts listener queries and popular search queries to Rachel Herrman on the history of Thanksgiving.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The dangers of medieval travel
Why did medieval people hit the road or the high seas? Was it expensive to travel in the Middle Ages, and what were the biggest risks that a medieval traveller faced? Speaking to David Musgrove, Professor Anthony Bale gives the lowdown on the medieval travel experience.
(Ad) Anthony Bale is the author of A Travel Guide to the Middle Ages: The World Through Medieval Eyes (Viking, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Travel-Guide-Middle-Ages-Medieval/dp/0241530849/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Princes in the Tower: has the mystery been solved?
In the summer of 1483, two young princes disappeared from the Tower of London – and were never seen again. Had they been killed by their uncle, Richard III, in his bid for the English throne? Had someone else murdered them? Or had they been whisked away to safety? Philippa Langley, whose work helped to locate the bones of Richard III under a Leicester car park, talks to Rebecca Franks about new discoveries made by The Missing Princes Project.
(Ad) Philippa Langley is the author of The Princes in the Tower: Solving History’s Greatest Cold Case (The History Press, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Princes-Tower-Solving-Historys-Greatest/dp/1803995416/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Pre-Raphaelites: everything you wanted to know
How did the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood become so famous? Did Elizabeth Siddal really almost die in a bathtub when she modelled for John Everett Millais' Ophelia? And which Rosetti painting shocked the art establishment the most? Speaking to Elinor Evans, Suzanne Fagence Cooper answers your questions on the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood: a group of artists founded in 1848 who pushed the boundaries of artistic realism and courted scandal in Victorian Britain through their lifestyles and art.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Resistance in the Second World War
Why, across Nazi-occupied Europe, did some people choose to resist the Third Reich? This is the question at the heart of Halik Kochanski's book Resistance, which has just won the 2023 Wolfson History Prize. In conversation with Rachel Dinning, Halik speaks about the different types of resistance against Nazi occupation across Europe between 1939 and 1945 – from open partisan warfare in the occupied Soviet Union, to dangerous acts of defiance in Norway.
(Ad) Halik Kochanski is the author of Resistance: The Underground War in Europe, 1939-1945 (Allen Lane, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Resistance-Underground-War-Europe-1939-1945/dp/0241004284/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Shakespeare: Past Master | 1. Henry V
Jerry Brotton offers expert insights into what the playwright’s much-quoted history play tells about nationalism and nationhood at the time it was first performed
Telling the story of the build-up to and aftermath of the 1415 battle of Agincourt, William Shakespeare’s Henry V has sometimes been linked to the nationalistic glorification of war. Yet, as Jerry Brotton reveals, the play also contains more nuanced and complex views of nationhood.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Shakespeare Trailer
William Shakespeare’s plays are among the celebrated works in all of English literature – but they also offer key insights into the time in which the playwright lived, and how the past was viewed in the Tudor era. In our new podcast series, Shakespeare: Past Master, experts delve into plays including Hamlet, Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet to explore how they depict the past.
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George Orwell’s forgotten wife
George Orwell – the author of classics like 1984 – is a household name. But have you heard of his first wife, Eileen O’Shaughnessy, who convinced her husband to write the political fable which evolved into Animal Farm? Despite being vital in Orwell’s career, she has been omitted from the historical narrative by both her husband and his biographers since. Speaking to Lauren Good, Anna Funder reveals O’Shaughnessy’s hidden life – and considers how women through the past have facilitated the success of their husbands from the shadows.
(Ad) Anna Funder is the author of Wifedom: Mrs Orwell’s Invisible Life (Viking, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wifedom-Mrs-Orwells-Invisible-Life/dp/0241482720/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Magic books: a global history
What are the earliest forms of written magic? How do the stories of magic and religion intersect? And how will these stories’ continued presence in popular culture influence events yet to come? Professor Owen Davies takes Lauren Good on a journey through the twisting history of the Grimoire, from the use of papyrus to the effects of ‘WitchTok’.
(Ad) Owen Davies is the author of Art of the Grimoire: An Illustrated History of Magic Books and Spells (Yale University Press, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Art-Grimoire-Illustrated-History-Spells/dp/0300272014/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Norse myths: everything you wanted to know
What myths did the Norse believe, and what influence did they exert on daily life? Was the trickster god Loki really that bad, and was Odin really that wise? And why is Christianity a crucial part of the story? Speaking to Kev Lochun, historian and broadcaster Eleanor Rosamund Barraclough answers listener questions about the pantheon of Norse myths, from the yawning void of Ginnungagap to the end of days, Ragnarok.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Medieval Stalingrad: The siege of Calais
Dan Jones chronicles the brutal siege of Calais, an overlooked campaign in the Hundred Years’ War, and the focus of his new novel
During the Hundred Years’ War, after the English had stormed to victory at the battle of Crécy, they turned their attention northwards: to the prized port city of Calais. Dan Jones brings the lengthy siege to life in his latest historical fiction novel, Wolves of Winter, and here he spoke to Rhiannon Davies to reveal why those trapped inside the city considered turning to cannibalism.
(Ad) Dan Jones is the author of Wolves of Winter (Bloomsbury, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fwolves-of-winter%2Fdan-jones%2F9781838937942
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The First Crusade | 5. The end or the beginning?
In episode five of our new series on the First Crusade, we rejoin the crusaders for the last time as they reach their final goal, the holy city of Jerusalem
Of all the holy places venerated by medieval Christians, there was nowhere quite as sacred as Jerusalem: the supposed location of Jesus Christ’s burial, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension. It would be the jewel in the crown of Christendom – but first they had to capture it. In this fifth and final episode of our latest HistoryExtra podcast series, we’ll be charting the last leg of the First Crusade, as the crusaders race down the Levant towards their final goal, which they hoped would mark the conclusion of their arduous mission.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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The Munich Putsch: Hitler’s bungled revolution
Frank McDonough explores the infamous failed coup that shaped the early history of the Nazi party
On 8 November 1923, the Nazi Party launched a coup attempt in Munich that has come to be known as the ‘Beer Hall Putsch’. The putsch itself was an abject failure, but it taught Hitler valuable lessons that would aid his path to power a decade later. Historian Frank McDonough is joined by Rob Attar to explore one of the best-known moments in the early history of Hitler and the Nazis.
(Ad) Frank McDonough is the author of The Weimar Years: Rise and Fall 1918-1933 (Apollo, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Weimar-Years-Frank-McDonough/dp/1803284781/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Women’s history: from 1066 to Margaret Thatcher
Novelist Philippa Gregory reflects on 900 years of women’s history, from the huge upheavals of the Norman invasion to successfully securing the right to vote in the 20th century
How have women’s lives changed since the 11th century, when William the Conqueror invaded England? Novelist Philippa Gregory has set out to explore this tumultuous history, explaining how global conflicts, the job market, deadly diseases and more have transformed the lives of women. Rhiannon Davies spoke to her to find out more.
(Ad) Philippa Gregory is the author of Normal Women: 900 Years of Making History (HarperCollins, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fnormal-women%2Fphilippa-gregory%2F9780008644772
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Ancient Egyptian pyramids: everything you wanted to know
For millennia, Egypt’s mighty pyramids have acted as emblems of the vibrant ancient civilisation that once straddled the Nile Valley. From mysteries surrounding their design and construction and the discovery of new passageways, to the enigma of the Great Sphinx, the pyramids continue to fascinate the world. Danny Bird puts some of our listeners’ questions to Egyptologist Mark Lehner.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Scotland’s last witch
Nicknamed ‘Hellish Nell’ from childhood, spiritualist medium Helen Duncan made a living from claiming to communicate with the spirits of the dead at seances around Britain. But in 1944, her ‘psychic predictions’ of wartime tragedy saw her become the last person to be imprisoned under the Witchcraft Act of 1735. Malcolm Gaskill explores the remarkable events that led to Duncan’s incarceration and investigates the mysterious world of 20th-century spiritualism.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The First Crusade | 4. Besieged
In late AD 1097, a weary and wartorn band of crusaders arrived at the imposing walls of Antioch: a key strategic location on the long journey down the Levant. In the shadow of the city’s tall towers, the crusaders plotted their next move. Morale was at an all-time low, but the stakes were high – a Turkish army was on its way. In this fourth episode of our latest HistoryExtra podcast series, we’ll be witnessing the moment the crusaders faced their biggest trial yet. Speaking to a host of expert historians, we’ll be considering top crusader tactics and revealing how the crusader army found the motivation to carry on in an unfamiliar and imposing land.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Fighting racism in postwar Britain
Sixties Britain didn’t swing for all its citizens – with racism, anti-immigration rhetoric and the spectre of unemployment affecting many black and Asian Britons. But those affected were determined to fight for their rights. Speaking to Rhiannon Davies, Preeti Dhillon revisits this familiar era to reveal examples of anti-racist activism that have been largely forgotten today.
(Ad) Preeti Dhillon is the author of The Shoulders We Stand On: How Black and Brown people fought for change in the United Kingdom (Dialogue Books, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shoulders-We-Stand-people-Kingdom/dp/0349702829/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Horror films: a chilling cultural history
Ever since the shadow of Count Orlok crept up the staircase in 1922’s Nosferatu, and Fay Wray emitted her iconic scream in 1933’s King Kong, horror films have captivated and scandalised audiences in equal measure. Speaking to Matt Elton, Professor Roger Luckhurst explores how scary films have reflected changing social anxieties in the 20th and 21st centuries, and nominates the ten horror movies he thinks are most representative of their time.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The history of Jamaica: everything you wanted to know
The Caribbean island of Jamaica has a long and complex history, from its crucial role in the transatlantic slave trade to being the birthplace of Rastafari. Here, Rhiannon Davies puts listener queries and popular search queries on the island’s history to Audra A Diptee.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Killers of the Flower Moon: The real history
Killers of the Flower Moon, the new historical epic from Martin Scorsese, dramatises a series of murders that was described by press at the time as the “bloodiest chapter in American crime history”. The crimes caught the attention of J Edgar Hoover, and became the focus of one of the fledgling FBI’s first major homicide investigations. David Grann, author of the book on which the film is based, joined Elinor Evans back in 2017 to discuss the murders' horrific impact on the Native American Osage Nation.
(Ad) David Grann is the author of Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI (Doubleday Books, 2017). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Killers-Flower-Moon-Osage-Murders/dp/0385534248/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The First Crusade | 3. Crossing into the unknown
In the call to crusade that ignited the idea of holy war in the minds of the western European populace, Pope Urban II painted a picture of evil “infidels” torturing and massacring the Christians of the Holy Land. However, when the armed pilgrims of the First Crusade crossed over into Asia Minor, the situation was not as they had been led to believe – not least because they found a Christian population living alongside their supposed mortal enemies. Speaking to a range of expert historians in this third episode of our latest HistoryExtra podcast series, we follow the crusaders from hardship to hardship, as they face their first conflict and struggle across Asia Minor en route to the Levant.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Disease killers: the black nurses who conquered TB
Tuberculosis – otherwise known as the ‘Great White Plague’ – was a scourge on society and killed countless sufferers. Rhiannon Davies spoke to Maria Smilios to find out about the little-known story of the black nurses of New York’s Seaview Hospital who helped fight the disease – and were part of the historic drug trials of the 1950s that saw the arrival of a long-awaited cure.
(Ad) Maria Smilios is the author of The Black Angels: The Untold Story of the Nurses Who Helped Cure Tuberculosis (Little Brown, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2F9780349009254
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Who moulded Winston Churchill?
Winston Churchill’s remarkable career saw him interact with many of the other great figures of the age, many of whom had a profound impact on Britain’s wartime leader. Speaking to Rob Attar, Professor David Reynolds examines Churchill’s relationships with the likes of Stalin, Mussolini, Gandhi and Clement Attlee – and considers how these figures left their mark on the statesman.
(Ad) David Reynolds is the author of Mirrors of Greatness: Churchill and the Leaders Who Shaped Him (William Collins, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BY84WXVN/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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The Second Barons’ War: everything you wanted to know
Why was Henry III so unpopular with his barons? How did the future Edward I turn the tide of the war? Did leading rebel Simon de Montfort create the first English parliament? And is it true that, after being killed in battle, his testicles were placed into his mouth? Speaking with Spencer Mizen, Nicholas Vincent answers your queries on the Second Barons’ War.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Renaissance eugenics
Whether it was creating super-fast thoroughbreds, or fashioning dogs small enough to fit in your sleeve, animal breeding was an obsession of the Renaissance era. And, as Mackenzie Cooley reveals, animal husbandry prompted people to think about whether humankind could also be improved by selective breeding. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne about her Cundill Prize-shortlisted book The Perfection of Nature, she discusses how ideas about animal breeding tied into colonialism, race and eugenics.
(Ad) Mackenzie Cooley is the author of The Perfection of Nature: Animals, Breeding, and Race in the Renaissance (University of Chicago Press, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Perfection-Nature-Animals-Breeding-Renaissance/dp/0226822281/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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The First Crusade | 2. On the road
The Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komnenos had asked the pope for a small crack team of western knights to aid him with his struggles in Asia Minor – a plea for help which had set crusading wheels into motion. But, he was shocked when waves of unruly crusaders began arriving in waves outside the walls of his capital. In this second episode of our latest HistoryExtra podcast series, we’ll reconstruct the journey that saw the crusaders end up outside Constantinople, dealing with logistical challenges and fraught relationships along the way.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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1960s Britain: smashing the status quo?
The early 1960s saw the British establishment face a challenging new landscape. It was an era of rapid change, but also of enduring conservatism. David Kynaston tells Spencer Mizen about Britain from 1962-65, when the rise of Harold Wilson and the Beatles threatened to shatter the status quo.
(Ad) David Kynaston is the author of A Northern Wind: Britain 1962-65 (Bloomsbury, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Northern-Wind-Britain-1962-65/dp/1526657570/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Life of the week Trailer
Our new bonus series delves into the fascinating lives of some of history's most significant figures, from ancient pharaohs to 20th-century secret agents.
To access this new series and listen to all episodes completely ad-free subscribe to History Extra Plus on Apple Podcasts here: https://apple.co/3eHiXrc
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Disney at 100
October 2023 marks the centenary of the Walt Disney Company, which from its early days as one of the pioneers of animated films has grown to become a cultural behemoth. Speaking to Matt Elton, John Wills looks back at a hundred years of classic films, controversy and cultural dominance.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Weimar Germany: everything you wanted to know
The decade and a half between the end of the First World War and the ascent of Nazism is one of the most debated and mythologised periods of German history. The democratic Weimar Republic was a period of great political instability but is also renowned for its liberal social attitudes and cultural achievements. For today’s everything you wanted to know episode Rob Attar is joined by Professor Frank McDonough to tackle some of the big questions – including those submitted by listeners – surrounding this doomed experiment in democracy.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Slave traders: the men who built a brutal empire
The trans-Atlantic slave trade expanded greatly in the 18th century, growing from a relatively small enterprise to a global business that saw millions of African people clapped in irons, forced to undergo the tortuous Middle Passage and then sold at market in the Americas. Speaking to Rhiannon Davies, Nicholas Radburn investigates the merchants across the globe who tried to expand their bottom lines by branching out into slave trading.
(Ad) Nicholas Radburn is the author of Traders in Men: Merchants and the Transformation of the Transatlantic Slave Trade (Yale University Press, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Traders-Men-Merchants-Transformation-Transatlantic/dp/0300257619/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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The First Crusade Trailer
When we talk about the crusades today the mental images that spring to mind are as clear as they are striking – valiant crusader knights emblazoned with crosses and penniless pilgrims in search of salvation, perhaps even a brutal clash of civilisations. But, behind the popular myths, there lies a far more fascinating story. In our new HistoryExtra podcast series, The First Crusade: The War that Transformed the Medieval World, we’ll be travelling back in time to walk in the footsteps of the first crusaders, witnessing the hardships they faced, meeting the people they came across and seeing the landscapes they traversed through their eyes.
Episodes will be released weekly from 12 October. To gain early, ad-free access to all episodes now, subscribe to History Extra Plus on Apple Podcasts.
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The First Crusade | 1. The call to arms
In episode one of our series on the First Crusade, we consider how a landmark papal bull lit a fire under the idea of crusading, triggering a military machine that saw tens of thousands make an unprecedented journey into the unknown and face off against an unfamiliar enemy
When we talk about the crusades today the mental images that spring to mind are as clear as they are striking – valiant crusader knights emblazoned with crosses and penniless pilgrims in search of salvation, perhaps even a brutal clash of civilisations. But, there's more to them than that. In the first episode of our latest HistoryExtra podcast series, we’re travelling back in time to where it all started, uncovering the origins of the First Crusade. Speaking to a range of expert historians, we trace how a complex web of ideas and problems came together to form a major movement, fired with religious zeal.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Re-examining women in the Roman empire
St Augustine of Hippo is one of the most influential Christian thinkers of the past 2,000 years – and his work also offers fresh insights into the lives of women in the late Roman empire. That’s the contention of the historian Kate Cooper, who has drawn on his Confessions to tell the stories of Augustine’s mother, his lover, his fiancée and the Roman empress Justina, in her Cundill History Prize-shortlisted book Queens of a Fallen World. She speaks to Rob Attar about this unique window into the 4th century.
(Ad) Kate Cooper is the author of Queens of a Fallen World: The Lost Women of Augustine's Confessions (John Murray Press, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fqueens-of-a-fallen-world%2Fkate-cooper%2F9781399807968
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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History Behind the Headlines Trailer
Our new monthly series explores the historical stories hitting the headlines – and the way in which the past informs today’s world.
To access this new series and listen to all episodes completely ad-free subscribe to History Extra Plus on Apple Podcasts here: https://apple.co/3eHiXrc
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Is black history still being overlooked?
As the UK marks Black History Month, a panel of expert historians – Hannah Cusworth, Pamela Roberts and Hakim Adi – tackle some of the biggest questions around bringing black histories to light. Speaking to Matt Elton, they explore the value of Black History Month in highlighting stories that may otherwise be obscured – and whether the focus on black history sparked by 2020's global protests has been maintained.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Cat history: everything you wanted to know
Cats have lived alongside us for centuries, and our relationship with them has transformed over time – from venerating them to vilifying them. What roles have humans cast cats in over the years? Why were they seen as deities by the ancient Egyptians? And how did they come to be synonymous with witches? In our latest Everything You Wanted to Know episode, Dr Andrew Flack answers listener questions about the history of our relationship with these fascinating creatures.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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The Huxleys: how one family shaped our view of nature
Known as “Darwin’s bulldog”, Thomas Henry Huxley fought a tireless battle against the opponents of evolutionary theory. His grandson Julian lived among the animals of London Zoo and made nature documentaries with a young David Attenborough. Alison Bashford is the author of a Cundill Prize-shortlisted book on the Huxley family, An Intimate History of Evolution. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, she reveals how this pioneering dynasty of scientists and thinkers shaped our view of nature across the 19th and 20th centuries.
(Ad) Alison Bashford is the author of An Intimate History of Evolution: The Story of the Huxley Family (Penguin, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fan-intimate-history-of-evolution%2Falison-bashford%2F9780141992228
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Great Reputations: Gandhi
In the latest in our series charting the contested reputations of key historical figures, Vikram Visana and Jad Adams debate the complex, sometimes controversial life and legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, and discuss his views on everything from sex and gender to class and ethnicity
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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The Cultural Revolution: a Chinese catastrophe
For the decade between 1966 and 1976, Chairman Mao’s Cultural Revolution wreaked immense havoc on China – with up to 2 million killed, and another 36 million persecuted for perceived political or cultural sins. Tania Branigan is the author of a Cundill Prize-shortlisted book Red Memory, which draws on personal testimonies to chart the story of this terrifying decade. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, she discusses why the Cultural Revolution was such a significant moment in Chinese history and explores its continued impact on the country’s politics, culture and psyche today.
(Ad) Tania Branigan is the author of Red Memory: Living, Remembering and Forgetting China's Cultural Revolution (Faber & Faber, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon:
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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The brutal WW2 battle for Italy
When Allied forces invaded Italy in September 1943, they hoped to be in Rome by Christmas. But by the end of the year, after four months of unrelenting warfare, the Italian capital was still 70 miles away. Historian, author and podcaster James Holland speaks to Rob Attar about this savage clash between the Allies and Nazi Germany.
(Ad) James Holland is the author of The Savage Storm: The Battle for Italy 1943 (Bantam, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Savage-Storm-Battle-Italy-1943/dp/1787636682/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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David Mitchell on a new history of England’s monarchy
From his turn as Shakespeare in Upstart Crow to his historical sketches with Robert Webb, comedian and actor David Mitchell’s work has often touched on the past. Now he’s written his first history book, Unruly, charting England’s monarchy from its earliest days to the reign of Elizabeth I. David tells Matt Elton about this storied history.
(Ad) David Mitchell is the author of Unruly: A History of England's Kings and Queens (Penguin, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Funruly%2Fdavid-mitchell%2F9781405953177
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Archaeology’s golden age: everything you wanted to know
The first half of the 20th century is often talked about as a golden age of archaeology – a time marked by thrilling finds such as those of Tutankhamun’s tomb and the ship burial at Sutton Hoo. But was it really as golden as we might wish to believe? Speaking to Kev Lochun, Dr Hélène Maloigne answers listener questions about one of most exciting periods in the history of archaeology, where glittering discoveries and moral conundrums stood shoulder to shoulder.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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One day in the British empire
On 29 September 1923, the British empire was at its territorial height. But even as British power stretched across the globe, were the seeds of the empire’s destruction already sown? Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Matthew Parker charts what was happening across diverse territories in September 1923, through the testimonies of those on the ground, from Samoa and Nigeria to New Zealand and India.
(Ad) Matthew Parker is the author of One Fine Day: Britain's Empire on the Brink (Little, Brown, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/One-Fine-Day-Matthew-Parker/dp/1408708582/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Great Reputations: Emmeline Pankhurst
In the latest in our series charting the reputations of key historical figures, June Purvis and Lyndsey Jenkins discuss the life and contested legacy of Emmeline Pankhurst – from whether her story obscures that of the wider suffragette movement to whether her political activism really means she can be labelled a ‘terrorist’
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Radio Times: a century of British broadcasting
In 1923, a new periodical was launched to guide listeners through the BBC’s nascent radio offerings. Its name? The Radio Times. Across the coming decades, it not only featured radio and TV listings, but also offered a window into the nation’s changing media and social landscape. As Radio Times magazine marks its centenary, Matt Elton assembles a panel of experts to discuss the ways in which the dramatic social and media shifts of the past century are captured in its pages.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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How to live like a Roman emperor
What did Roman emperors actually do all day? Were they really as bloodthirsty as legend would suggest? And why was food so important? Speaking to Matt Elton, popular historian, author and broadcaster Mary Beard tackles some of the big questions about life as a Roman emperor, profiling some extraordinary figures along the way.
(Ad) Mary Beard is the author of Emperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient Roman World (Profile Books, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Emperor-Professor-Mary-Beard/dp/1846683785/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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How has fear shaped history?
With the climate crisis, war in Ukraine, a recent pandemic and the rise of AI, it can feel like there is more to be fearful of today than ever before. But according to historian Robert Peckham, human society has always been shaped by fear – and not always in the ways you might expect. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Robert reveals how fear has been a force for both good and ill, from the Black Death and colonisation to the abolition movement and 19th-century concerns about technology.
(Ad) Robert Peckham is the author of Fear: An Alternative History of the World (Profile, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2F9781788167239
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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The Battle of Britain: everything you wanted to know
The Battle of Britain has gone down in history as an epic dogfight between the RAF and the Luftwaffe – one where Britain faced overwhelming odds and the threat of an almost inevitable invasion. However, according to Dr Victoria Taylor, this wasn’t exactly the case. In conversation with Emily Briffett, Victoria answers listener questions on the battle, and unpicks some of the most enduring myths surrounding it.
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Rocket women: America’s first female astronauts
In the late 1970s, NASA admitted women onto their space programme for the first time. Six women were chosen as the first cohort, and would endure unprecedented media attention alongside the agency’s rigorous training. Speaking to Elinor Evans, Loren Grush shares more about these pioneering women who forged a new chapter for America’s space programme.
(Ad) Loren Grush is the author of The Six: The Untold Story of America's First Women in Space (Scribner, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon:
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Great Reputations: Napoleon
In the latest in our series charting the contested reputations of key historical figures, Laura O’Brien and David Andress discuss the life and afterlife of Napoleon Bonaparte, and explore why his story – including his rise to power and his role as the driving force in the bloodshed of the Napoleonic Wars – can still provoke heated debate two centuries later
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Chaos & violence in country houses
We think of English houses as idyllic locations for an afternoon out, but as Stephanie Barczewski reveals, many have a more turbulent and violent history than we might expect. From the wholesale destruction of the Reformation and the damage caused by the Civil War, to financial instability and the influence of empire, Stephanie tells Elinor Evans more about the fascinating hidden histories of these beloved beauty spots.
(Ad) Stephanie Barczewski is the author of How the Country House Became English (Reaktion Books, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon:
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The shoemaker who helped slaves escape the South
Thomas Smallwood, a formerly enslaved shoemaker, helped hundreds of people to flee from slavery in the American South in the 1840s. Speaking to Elinor Evans, Scott Shane shares Smallwood’s remarkable story, and reveals how he was known for writing a cache of anonymous satirical letters that included the first use of the term ‘underground railroad’.
(Ad) Scott Shane is the author of Flee North: A Forgotten Hero and the Fight for Freedom in Slavery’s Borderland (Celadon, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Flee-North-Forgotten-Slaverys-Borderland/dp/1250843219/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Scandals that shocked Georgian Britain
From torrid affairs and messy duels to corrupt law-enforcers and vengeful ghosts, Georgian Britain loved a good scandal. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, historian and author Emily Brand dishes the dirt on cases that shocked, appalled – and captivated – Georgian society.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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British parliament: everything you wanted to know
From the gunpowder plot and Oliver Cromwell’s clash with Charles I to Winston Churchill’s speeches during the Second World War, parliament has witnessed some of the most dramatic moments in British history. Speaking with Spencer Mizen, Stephen Roberts answers your queries on the history of Britain’s legislature, from medieval practices to strange traditions.
(Ad) Stephen Roberts is the author of The History of Parliament: The House of Commons 1640–1660 (History of Parliament, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon:
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The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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When poison pen letters caused chaos
Long before the rise of the internet troll, malicious letters written by anonymous authors were causing untold grief to those who received them, and tugging at the seams of social cohesion in small communities. Speaking to Spencer Mizen, Emily Cockayne reveals why these spiteful missives caused such chaos in the Victorian and Edwardian eras.
(Ad) Emily Cockayne is the author of Penning Poison: A History of Anonymous Letters (OUP, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Penning-Poison-Dr-Emily-Cockayne/dp/019879505X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Great Reputations: Cleopatra
In the latest in our series charting the contested reputations of key historical figures, Joyce Tyldesley and Catharine Edwards discuss the life and cultural afterlife of Egyptian queen Cleopatra – from her association with feminine beauty to the focus on her romantic relationships
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Secrets of the Anglo-Saxon bone chests
Held in Winchester Cathedral are several ornate chests, said to contain the venerated bones of early kings of Wessex and England, dating from the seventh to the 12th centuries. But what can these boxes reveal about attitudes to death and the politics in the Anglo-Saxon period? Cat Jarman explains all to David Musgrove.
(Ad) Cat Jarman is the author of The Bone Chests: Unlocking the secrets of the Anglo-Saxons (William Collins, 2023)
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Jane Austen’s passion for fashion
From ribbons, bonnets and ballgowns to Mr Darcy’s see-through shirt, the works of Jane Austen have long sparked the imaginations of fashion-minded readers and audiences. But what did the author herself wear? Austen has often been accused of dowdiness, but as Hilary Davidson reveals, this was in fact far from the truth. She takes Lauren Good on a tour through the wardrobe of the renowned writer, from the clothes she wore behind closed doors to her most treasured jewellery.
(Ad) Hilary Davidson is the author of Jane Austen’s Wardrobe (Yale, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jane-Austens-Wardrobe-Hilary-Davidson/dp/0300263600/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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The brain behind the Dambusters raid
The Dambusters raid of May 1943 is one of the most celebrated episodes of the Second World War. But in military terms, was it in fact a flop? And was Barnes Wallis, the man behind the audacious attack, really the maverick genius long depicted in books and film? Richard Morris tells Spencer Mizen how the brilliant mind behind the Dambusters raid made the journey from cantankerous boffin to national hero.
(Ad) Richard Morris is the author of Dam Buster: Barnes Wallis: An Engineer’s Life (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon:
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Spanish flu: everything you wanted to know
Did the Spanish flu pandemic actually begin in Spain? What were the symptoms? Is it true it killed more people than the First World War, and how similar was it to the Covid pandemic? Speaking to Lauren Good, Agnes Arnold-Forster answers listener questions about the deadly pandemic that began in 1918 for our latest Everything You Wanted to Know episode.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Women who shaped the Roman empire
How do you surface the stories of women in the Roman empire, when the majority of ancient texts were written by men, telling of military victories and losses, or intrigues in the political arena? Speaking to Elinor Evans, Emma Southon chronicles the Roman empire through the stories of women whose experiences illuminate war, empire and political machinations, taking readers from the foundational myth of Rome to a ‘leisure centre’ in ancient Pompeii.
(Ad) Emma Southon is the author of A History of the Roman Empire in 21 Women (Oneworld, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon:
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The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Great Reputations: Oliver Cromwell
In the latest in our series charting the contested reputations of key historical figures, Ronald Hutton and Mark Stoyle debate the life and legacy of statesman, politician and military leader Oliver Cromwell, exploring his religious zealotry, his campaign in Ireland, and more
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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The secret club for radical New York women
In downtown New York, in the early 20th century, a secret club of women met regularly, to discuss ideas, politics, art and their own lives. They forged friendships and alliances, and took up some of the most significant social fights of the day. Joanna Scutts joins Elinor Evans to discuss the women of the Heterodoxy club.
(Ad) Joanna Scutts is the author of Hotbed: Bohemian New York and the Secret Club that Sparked Modern Feminism (Duckworth Books, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon:
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Margaret Cavendish: scandalous 17th-century writer
Margaret Cavendish has been largely forgotten and, when remembered, divides opinion. One of England’s first female philosophers, professional authors and scientists, the 17th-century writer challenged convention throughout her life with her proto-feminist writing and audacious behaviour. Speaking to Lauren Good, Francesca Peacock explores this remarkable and complex woman.
(Ad) Francesca Peacock is the author of Pure Wit: The Revolutionary Life of Margaret Cavendish (Head of Zeus, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fpure-wit%2Ffrancesca-peacock%2F9781837930173
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The triumph of Joan of Arc
In 1429 a young peasant woman burst onto the scene and transformed the fortunes of England and France in the Hundred Years’ War. In today’s episode, medieval historian and former supreme court judge Jonathan Sumption joins Rob Attar to discuss the fifth and final volume of his epic history of the conflict, revealing how the arrival of Joan of Arc set the scene for one of England’s most significant defeats.
(Ad) Jonathan Sumption is the author of The Hundred Years War Vol 5: Triumph and Illusion (Faber & Faber, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon:
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Rome v Carthage: everything you wanted to know
Of all the enemies the Roman empire faced in its centuries-long history, one name stood out: Hannibal. In the late third century BC, the Carthaginian general came dangerously close to destroying Rome and utterly reshaping the history of the world. Hannibal’s campaigns were a pivotal episode in the Punic Wars (264-146 BC), and these three conflicts between Rome and Carthage are the subject of this Everything You Wanted to Know episode. Rob Attar puts your questions to Professor Philip Freeman on the causes, key events and legacy of the wars, and asks whether elephants were really of any use on the ancient battlefield.
(Ad) Philip Freeman is the author of Hannibal: Rome’s Greatest Enemy (Pegasus, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hannibal-Greatest-Philip-Freeman-PhD/dp/1643138715/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hist298
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Tokyo’s devastating 1923 earthquake
Exactly 100 years ago today, on 1 September 1923, the streets of Tokyo began to shudder. It was the first warning sign that something terrible was coming – a devastating earthquake that would level much of the city. But, as historian Dr Christopher Harding tells Ellie Cawthorne, the Great Kantō earthquake wasn’t just a natural disaster – it also exposed deep lying social and political divides.
(Ad) Christopher Harding is the author of The Japanese: A History in Twenty Lives (Allen Lane, 2020). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/India-Second-World-War-Emotional/dp/1787389456/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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US Civil Rights: legacy
When cries of “Black Lives Matter” rang out across the world in 2020, protestors were echoing the chants of civil rights activists advocating for change in the previous century. In the sixth and final episode of our series delving into the US Civil Rights movement, Dr Adriane Lentz-Smith and Dr Kennetta Hammond Perry join Rhiannon Davies to consider the legacy of the struggle for racial equality – both in America and beyond.
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On the trail of a Nazi war criminal
In 1949 the notorious Nazi doctor Josef Mengele, known as the “Angel of Death” fled to South America. Three decades later, US lawyer Gerald Posner set out to track him down. What followed was a remarkable tale of dogged persistence and lucky breakthroughs, as Posner’s search brought him face to face with Nazi operatives and members of Mengele’s family. Matt Elton caught up with Gerald to find out more about his hunt for the notorious fugitive.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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How did empire shape modern Britain?
Across the 20th century, Britain’s empire reached a peak and then began to disintegrate. Yet, according to historian Charlotte Lydia Riley, the country continued to be indelibly shaped by an imperial mindset even despite decolonisation, as evidenced in everything from institutions and immigration to philanthropy and foreign policy. Charlotte speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about her new book Imperial Island, which traces the impact of empire on 20th-century Britain, and questions how we can best deal with its legacy today.
(Ad) Charlotte Lydia Riley is the author of Imperial Island: A History of Empire in Modern Britain (Bodley Head, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hist298&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fimperial-island%2Fcharlotte-lydia-riley%2F9781847926432
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Why did medieval Europe become Christian?
Why did Christianity become so deeply embedded across western Europe in the centuries after the end of the Roman empire? To what extent did the old gods of Rome survive? And how did the concept of being Christian change over the course of the Middle Ages? Professor Mark Pegg of Washington University in St Louis considers these questions, in conversation with David Musgrove.
(Ad) Mark Pegg is the author of Beatrice’s Last Smile: A New History of the Middle Ages (OUP, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fbeatrices-last-smile%2Fmark-gregory-pegg%2F9780199641574
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The Mongols: everything you wanted to know
How brilliant a military leader was Genghis Khan? Could the Mongols have conquered all of Europe? And were they as brutal as they’re often portrayed to be? Speaking to Spencer Mizen, Nicholas Morton answers your queries on the nomadic warriors who established the largest contiguous empire the world had ever seen, stretching from the borders of Hungary all the way to the East China Sea.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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The lost world of Dickens’ London
From grimy back alleys and ghastly churchyards to debtors’ prisons and old curiosity shops, Charles Dickens evoked a vision of Victorian London that’s still vivid today. And, ever since Dickens’ books were published, literary fans have visited London to seek out traces of the lost world he described. Lee Jackson, author of Dickensland, guides Ellie Cawthorne through some of the atmospheric sites associated with the author – from Lincoln’s Inn to “Nancy’s steps”.
(Ad) Lee Jackson is the author of Dickensland: the Curious History of Dickens’s London (Yale, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon:
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US Civil Rights: Malcolm X’s assassination
In 1965, Malcolm X walked out onto the stage of a Harlem ballroom, and was shot dead. In the fifth episode of our series delving into the US Civil Rights movement, Rhiannon Davies speaks to Dr Clarence Lang and Dr Ashley Farmer to find out more about Malcolm X’s life and untimely death, as well as his pivotal role in inspiring the Black Power movement.
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The miners’ strike: a view from the ground
In March 1984, miners across Britain walked out of the pits and refused to go back. What followed was one of the longest, largest, and most divisive strikes in British history, as the miners stayed out of work to fight for the survival of their livelihoods and communities. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Robert Gildea revisits the trials and tribulations of the strike, based on his research interviewing more than 140 former miners and their families and supporters.
(Ad) Robert Gildea is the author of Backbone of a Nation: Mining Communities and the Great Strike of 1984-85 (Yale, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hist298&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fbackbone-of-the-nation%2Frobert-gildea%2F9780300266580
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California’s hidden history of slavery
Today California is renowned worldwide as a heartland of sun-drenched luxury. But, according to Jean Pfaelzer, the state’s prosperity is in large part built on the proceeds of human bondage. Jean speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about the various forms slavery has taken in the state down the centuries – from Native Americans forced into indentured labour to Chinese girls trafficked into caged brothels.
(Ad) Jean Pfaelzer is the author of California: A Slave State (Yale, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/California-Slave-State-Pfaelzer/dp/0300211643/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Letters from medieval England
The Pastons were a prominent aristocratic family from around 1380 to 1750, with stakes in the dynamic politicking of the Tudor and Stuart courts. But, what really makes this family stand out is the huge collection of letters and documents they left behind, sharing everyday details about their lives. Emily Briffett spoke to Dr Karen Smyth to uncover what the ‘Paston Letters’ can tell us about the wider social, cultural and political past.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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New Zealand: everything you wanted to know
New Zealand has a short history in terms of human settlement – but according to Professor James Belich, that makes it all the more interesting and worthy of study. In conversation with David Musgrove, James answers listener questions on the history of New Zealand, in the latest instalment of our Everything you want to know series.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Indian experiences in WW2
Around 2.5 million Indian soldiers fought in the Second World War. Behind this staggering number lies a complex web of emotional experiences – and Diya Gupta unpicks that tangled web in her new book, India in the Second World War: An Emotional History. Diya speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about how both Indian soldiers and civilians back home felt about the war, and how the conflict impacted on their lives.
(Ad) Diya Gupta is the author of India in the Second World War: An Emotional History (Hurst, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/India-Second-World-War-Emotional/dp/1787389456/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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US Civil Rights: the 1964 Civil Rights Act
When President Lyndon B Johnson signed the 1964 Civil Rights Act, he made history – but did sweeping laws actually result in tangible social change? In the fourth episode of our series exploring the US Civil Rights movement, Rhiannon Davies is joined by Dr Tomiko Nagin-Brown and Dr Rebecca Brueckmann to untangle the 1964 act’s complicated legacy. The episode also winds the clock back to 1957, to consider whether the experiences of the Little Rock Nine can shed new light on the question.
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Learning disabilities: an overlooked history
When we think about the experiences of people with learning and intellectual disabilities in the past, we often hear stories of discrimination, poor treatment and exclusion. While that is in many cases accurate, historian Lucy Delap is keen to highlight another side of the story. She speaks to Matt Elton about how her new research into the experiences of people with learning disabilities in the workforce in the first half of the 20th century reveals a surprising amount of access and inclusion.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Secrets of ancient Chinese tombs
We’ve all heard of the astonishing Terracotta Warriors, but they are just one of a number of fascinating ancient burials to have been discovered across China. Speaking to Robert Attar, Professor Jessica Rawson explores the contents of a handful of these burials, to investigate what they can tell us about Chinese civilisation across 3,000 years.
(Ad) Jessica Rawson is the author of Life and Afterlife in Ancient China (Allen Lane, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Afterlife-Ancient-China-Jessica-Rawson/dp/0241472709/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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How forgers helped rescue Holocaust victims
Between 1940 and 1943, a group of Polish diplomats and Jewish activists created a secret programme to forge and smuggle Latin American identity documents. Their aim? To help thousands of Jews escape extermination in the Holocaust. Historian and author Roger Moorhouse speaks to Lauren Good about this risky rescue mission – one of the largest of the Second World War – which has been almost entirely forgotten.
(Ad) Roger Moorhouse is the author of The Forgers: The Forgotten Story of the Holocaust’s Most Audacious Rescue Operation (Bodley Head, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-forgers%2Froger-moorhouse%2F9781847926760%23%3A~%3Atext%3DThe%20inspirational%20story%20of%20the%2Calmost%20completely%20unknown%20%2D%20humanitarian%20operation.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Ancient Egyptian religion: everything you wanted to know
For more than 3,000 years, the ancient Egyptians adhered to a rich and complex system of beliefs, worshipping a vast pantheon of mighty – and often animal-headed – gods and goddesses. But how did this dynamic religion emerge? What was the pharaoh’s role in rituals? And what did the Egyptians believe happened to them after death? In our latest everything you wanted to know episode, Egyptologist Joyce Tyldesley speaks to Danny Bird to answer your questions on the mysteries surrounding religion in ancient Egypt.
(Ad) Joyce Tyldesley’s books include The Penguin Book of Myth and Legends of Ancient Egypt (Penguin, 2011). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Penguin-Myths-Legends-Ancient-Egypt/dp/0141021764/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hist298
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Introducing HistoryExtra Long Reads
Take a deep dive into the past as we bring you the very best of BBC History Magazine, Britain’s bestselling history magazine. With a new episode released every Monday, enjoy fascinating and enlightening articles from leading historical experts, covering a broad sweep of the centuries – from the scandals of Georgian society to the horrors of the First World War, revolutions, rebellions, and more.
Listen to this brand new podcast here: link.chtbl.com/HEXLongReadsPod
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Did our ancestors really think the world was flat?
When did people first figure out the world wasn’t flat? Well, according to author James Hannam, it was much earlier than you might imagine. In today’s episode, James tells Jon Bauckham more about humanity’s quest to determine the shape of our planet – from ancient thinking and Chinese cosmology to Victorian flat-earthers.
(Ad) James Hannam is the author of The Globe: How the Earth Became Round (Reaktion, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-globe%2Fjames-hannam%2F9781789147582
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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US Civil Rights: the March on Washington
As well as being one of the largest protest marches ever staged, the 1963 March on Washington also made history as the setting for Martin Luther King Jr’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech. In the third episode of our series charting the US Civil Rights movement, Rhiannon Davies speaks to biographer Jonathan Eig and historian Clayborne Carson to consider King’s seismic contribution to the movement and reflect on the march. For Clayborne, such reflections are personal, as he attended the protest as a 19-year-old student.
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Roger Mortimer: medieval rebel
Seven hundred years ago this August, Roger Mortimer broke out of the Tower of London and went on to mastermind the deposition of his captor and arch-enemy, Edward II. In conversation with Spencer Mizen, Paul Dryburgh explains why he believes the hugely talented baron was one of the most remarkable characters in medieval history – and could have cemented his status as the most powerful man in England, if only he hadn’t let that power go to his head.
(Ad) Paul Dryburgh is the author of The Mortimers of Wigmore, 1066-1485: Dynasty of Destiny (Logaston Press, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon:
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The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Emotional revolution in postwar Britain
After the psychological trauma and family separation of the Second World War, Britain underwent an emotional revolution. Psychologists and social reformers focused more than ever before on the vital importance of loving and intimate family relationships. And as Teri Chettiar tells Ellie Cawthorne, intimacy wasn’t just intended to improve life at home, but also forge a new generation of productive, well-adjusted citizens.
(Ad) Teri Chettiar is the author of The Intimate State: How Emotional Life Became Political in Welfare-State Britain (Oxford University Press, 2023)
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Rome vs Persia: an unwinnable fight
The Roman empire was used to getting its own way – but there was one power it was never able to overcome. Despite frequent bouts of warfare, the Parthian and later Persian empire managed to hold its own against Rome for more than six centuries, until a new force emerged that would transform the Middle East forever. Historian of the ancient world Adrian Goldsworthy speaks to Rob Attar about the evolving relationship between Rome and Persia, and explains why neither was ever able to vanquish the other.
(Ad) Adrian Goldsworthy is the author of The Eagle and the Lion: Rome, Persia and an Unwinnable Conflict (Apollo, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eagle-Lion-Persia-Unwinnable-Conflict/dp/1838931953/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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British seaside holidays: everything you wanted to know
What did Victorians get up to on the beach? When did fish and chips first become popular? And what’s the dark story behind Punch and Judy? It’s time to grab your bucket and spade, because for our latest Everything You Wanted to Know episode we’re taking a jolly holiday back through the history of the British seaside with Dr Kathryn Ferry. Speaking to Charlotte Hodgman, Kathryn answers listener questions on the 18th-century craze for drinking seawater, changing swimwear fashions and the popularity of the holiday camp.
(Ad) Kathryn Ferry’s books include Seaside 100: A history of the British Seaside in 100 Objects (Unicorn, 2020). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Seaside-100-History-British-Objects/dp/1912690845/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hist298
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Surviving Hitler and Stalin
Daniel Finkelstein’s parents were born into comfortable Jewish families in Germany and Poland, but the rise of Nazism and the onset of the Second World War turned their lives upside down. Targeted by two of the most destructive regimes in history, they were extraordinarily lucky to survive. The journalist and Conservative politician speaks to Rob Attar about retracing this family history, offering an intensely personal view of the twin tyrannies of Nazism and Soviet communism.
(Ad) Daniel Finkelstein is the author of Hitler, Stalin, Mum and Dad: A Family Memoir of Miraculous Survival (William Collins). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fhitler-stalin-mum-and-dad%2Fdaniel-finkelstein%2F9780008483845
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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US Civil Rights: the Montgomery bus boycott
Rosa Parks’ momentous refusal to vacate her bus seat for a white passenger in 1955 sparked a boycott that lasted for 381 days, and successfully pressured city authorities to end bus segregation. In the second episode of our series delving into the US Civil Rights movement, Rhiannon Davies speaks to historians Jeanne Theoharis and Mia Bay to delve into the inner workings of the boycott, as well as the power of direct action.
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Renaissance beauty regimes
Appearance was everything in the Renaissance – a way to make a good marriage and gain power and influence. But what if you fell short of the era’s exacting beauty ideals? Speaking with Charlotte Hodgman, Professor Jill Burke ventures into the realm of Renaissance beauty culture, touching on everything from poisonous makeup and hair removal to 16th-century body anxieties and homemade cosmetic recipes.
(Ad) Jill Burke is the author of How to be a Renaissance Woman: The Untold History of Beauty and Female Creativity (Profile Books, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones:
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The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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AI: An ancient nightmare?
Artificial intelligence’s development seems to be moving at breakneck speed, and the ability of AI to automate even complex tasks – and, potentially, to outwit its human creators – has been making plenty of headlines in recent months. But how far back does our fascination with, and our fear of, AI extend? Matt Elton spoke to Michael Wooldridge, professor of computer science at the University of Oxford, to find out more.
(Ad) Michael Wooldridge is the author of The Road to Conscious Machines: The Story of AI (Pelican, 2020). Buy it now from Amazon:
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The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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A jujitsu-trained suffragette bodyguard
Known as “Mrs Pankhurst’s bodyguard”, Kitty Marshall was a cricket-ball-wielding, jujitsu-trained suffragette ready to go fist-to-fist with the police in her fight for votes for women. Historian and biographer Emelyne Godfrey tells Ellie Cawthorne more about Kitty’s unorthodox life, and the tense game of cat-and-mouse that suffragettes were locked in with Met police.
(Ad) Emelyne Godfrey is the author of Mrs Pankhurst’s Bodyguard: On the Trail of ‘Kitty’ Marshall and the Met Police ‘Cats’ (History Press, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mrs-Pankhursts-Bodyguard-Marshall-Police/dp/1803991755/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2MBTS4LY5IQJX&keywords=mrs+pankhurst%27s+bodyguard&qid=1689935008&sprefix=mrs+pank%2Caps%2C85&sr=8-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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The NHS: everything you wanted to know
How did the British public respond when the NHS was first founded 75 years ago? How have the roles of doctors and nurses changed in the decades since? And was there ever a ‘golden age’ of the National Health Service? In our latest Everything you wanted to know episode, Andrew Seaton tackles listener questions about the UK’s National Health Service, to mark its 75th anniversary.
(Ad) Andrew Seaton is the author of Our NHS: A History of Britain's Best Loved Institution (Yale University Press, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0C8CG7RJK/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Life in a WW2 tank regiment
In military history, we often hear the stories of great battles and detailed strategic manoeuvres, but what was life like for the men responsible for executing these sweeping orders? Drawing on oral history testimonies, Peter Hart shares personal stories of the 2nd Fire and Forfar Yeomanry – a WW2 tank regiment. Speaking with Emily Briffett, he reveals how they lived with constant fear of the sudden impact of German shells and the subsequent scramble to escape.
(Ad) Peter Hart is the author of Burning Steel: A Tank Regiment at War, 1939-45 (Profile, 2022). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fburning-steel%2Fpeter-hart%2F9781788166393
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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US Civil Rights: the lynching of Emmett Till
When Mamie Till decided to display the bruised and beaten body of her son, 14-year-old Emmett Till, in an open casket funeral, she poured gasoline on the emerging Civil Rights movement in America. In the first episode of our series delving into the movement, Rhiannon Davies is joined by biographer Devery Anderson and historian Adriane Lentz-Smith to look back at Emmett’s tragic lynching and the horrors of Jim Crow America.
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US Civil Rights: Fighting for freedom
In this HistoryExtra podcast series, we chart some of the key moments in the transformative history of the US Civil Rights movement. Expert historians share some of the movement's most recognisable stories, from the Montgomery bus boycott that inspired the nation to the landmark March on Washington, where Martin Luther King Jr shared his powerful dream for America’s future, as well as shining a light on some of the forgotten figures who helped forge the movement, and exploring how its legacy continues to shape the world around us today.
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A ring of poisoners: Hungary’s most notorious murders
In 1929, a sensational murder trial took place in Hungary. A group of women, all hailing from the same tiny village, stood accused of murdering dozens of men – including sons, lovers and husbands – over the course of more than a decade. But why did they do it? How did they do it? And how did they remain undetected for so long? Award-winning journalist Patti McCracken talks to Jon Bauckham about the so-called “Angel Makers of Nagyrév”, and sheds light on the wider social and economic factors that may have motivated them to murder.
(Ad) Patti McCracken is the author of The Angel Makers: The True Crime Story of the Most Astonishing Murder Ring in History (Mudlark, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-angel-makers%2Fpatti-mccracken%2F9780008579531%23%3A~%3Atext%3DA%20story%20so%20jaw%2Ddropping%2COver%20160%20mysterious%20deaths.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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RAF Coastal Command: unsung heroes of WW2
Throughout the Second World War, the men of RAF Coastal Command took to the skies and valiantly defended Allied ships from German U-boats in the Atlantic. But despite the heroism of its crews, Coastal Command spent a large portion of the conflict both chronically underfunded and underappreciated, leading some personnel to label it the “Cinderella Service”. Historian and author Leo McKinstry spoke to Jon Bauckham about the challenges that Coastal Command faced during these years, and how – thanks to innovative new technology and careful inter-service diplomacy – Cinderella finally made it to the ball.
(Ad) Leo McKinstry is the author of Cinderella Boys: The Forgotten RAF Force that Won the Battle of the Atlantic (John Murray, 2023). But in now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cinderella-Boys-Forgotten-Battle-Atlantic/dp/1529319366/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1688035673&sr=1-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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UFO sightings: an otherworldly history
A recent Nasa press conference detailing the American space agency’s research into UFO sightings sparked headlines across the globe about extraterrestrial visitors – but, as Dr David Clarke tells Matt Elton, such stories are nothing new. David explores how recent interest in UFOs fits into the longer history of our fascination with visitors from above, and what society’s shifting view of aliens tells us about the cultural and political currents of the 20th and 21st centuries.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Dog history: everything you wanted to know
When were dogs first domesticated? Why was adopting from London’s “Temporary Home for Lost and Starving Dogs” such a radical move? And how did a dognapping case change the life of 19th-century poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning? Speaking to Charlotte Hodgman, Professor Julie-Marie Strange answers your top questions on the history of dogs in Britain, from the popularity of certain breeds, to 19th-century dog shows and the origins of the Kennel Club.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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History's greatest cities | Season 2 Trailer
Why do some settlements become great centres of international influence, while others languish and ebb away? And how have Europe’s most important urban centres been shaped by geography, climate, resources, individual personalities, collective culture and sheer serendipity?
In series two of our HistoryExtra podcast series, History’s Greatest Cities, travel writer and history buff Paul Bloomfield virtually explores some of Europe’s most intriguing cities in the company of expert historian guides. Together they’ll roam the streets and sites, discovering stories of foundation, invasion, expansion and devastation. And along the way, they’ll even share some insider tips for getting to the historic heart of each destination.
Follow History's greatest cities here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/historys-greatest-cities/id1660929072
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Oppenheimer: “destroyer of worlds”
When the atom bomb was dropped in 1945, how did its inventor, J Robert Oppenheimer, feel? To mark the release of Christopher Nolan’s new blockbuster Oppenheimer, biographer Kai Bird joins Elinor Evans to discuss the man behind the creation of nuclear weaponry, and the difficult moral and political questions that dogged the genius physicist throughout his life.
(Ad) Kai Bird is the co-author with Martin Sherwin of American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer. Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/American-Prometheus-Triumph-Tragedy-Oppenheimer/dp/183895970X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1689331913&sr=8-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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How Barbie changed the world
Barbie has been catapulted back into the cultural spotlight this week, thanks to a new movie. But, why is the iconic doll historically significant? Since her creation in 1959, Barbie has been about much more than high heels and hot pink hair accessories. Robin Gerber speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about Barbie’s changing image and what it can reveal about societal shifts over the decades.
(Ad) Robin Gerber is the author of Barbie and Ruth: The Story of the World’s Most Famous Doll and the Woman Who Created Her (HarperBus, 2010). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Barbie-Ruth-Worlds-Famous-Created/dp/0061341320/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2MOVWSN8VZM5&keywords=Barbie+and+Ruth%3A+The+Story+of+the+World%E2%80%99s+Most+Famous+Doll+and+the+Woman+Who+Created+Her&qid=1689331826&sprefix=barbie+and+ruth+the+story+of+the+world+s+most+famous+doll+and+the+woman+who+created+her+%2Caps%2C213&sr=8-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Britain’s love affair with Edward VII
The death of King Edward VII in 1910 pitched Britain into a frenzy of mourning, as the nation marked the passing of a symbol of continuity and stability in an ever more unpredictable world. Speaking to Spencer Mizen, Martin Williams reveals how the ageing, conservative king emerged from the shadow of Queen Victoria’s reign to charm a nation experiencing dizzying change.
(Ad) Martin Williams is the author of The King is Dead, Long Live the King!: Majesty, Mourning and Modernity in Edwardian Britain (Hodder & Stoughton, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones:
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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The WAAF: the many behind the few
In his famous speech of summer 1940, Winston Churchill hailed the RAF as the “few” who protected the skies during the Battle of Britain. But the success of Britain’s air force was also dependent on the lesser-known work of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force. Speaking with Emily Briffett, Dr Sarah Louise-Miller shares their highs and lows, and explores the vital work they did under immense pressure to facilitate some of the war’s most pressing missions, including the Battle of Britain and the Dambusters raid.
(Ad) Sarah-Louise Miller is the author of The Women Behind the Few: The Women's Auxiliary Air Force and British Intelligence during the Second World War (Biteback, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones:
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Eastern Europe: a personal journey through the region’s past
Eastern Europe has been the setting for some of history’s most climactic events. Yet barely 30 years since the collapse of Communism heralded the so-called “end of history”, are we now witnessing the region’s disappearance? Speaking with Danny Bird, Jacob Mikanowski discusses how eastern Europe’s unique diversity of cultures, traditions and ideologies has endured through the Ottoman empire and the Soviet Union, and wonders if the cultural identity of the region is at risk of disappearing entirely.
(Ad) Jacob Mikanowski is the author of Goodbye Eastern Europe: An Intimate History of a Divided Land (Oneworld, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Goodbye-Eastern-Europe-Forgotten-History-ebook/dp/B09JPJPGHG/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Roman gods & goddesses: everything you wanted to know
How were Roman deities different to Greek deities? Why did the Romans sacrifice animals? What did religious cults get up to in ancient Rome? And just how many gods and goddesses did they worship? In our latest everything you wanted to know episode, Emily Briffett puts listener questions on the Roman pantheon of gods and goddesses to Philip Freeman, Professor of Classics at Pepperdine University.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Blindness: a cultural history
As far back as the archaeological record takes us, we can find evidence of blind people. But the experiences of those people – and the ways they were seen by others – have always been hugely shaped by the historical context they lived in. Writer and broadcaster Selina Mills joins Ellie Cawthorne to explore the forces that have affected the lives of blind people through the centuries – from religious ideas and mythical tropes, to Braille and schools for blind children.
(Ad) Selina Mills is the author of Life Unseen: A Story of Blindness (Bloomsbury Academic, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon:
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Big questions of the Crimean War: aftermath and legacy
From advances in weaponry and warships to the use of telegraphs and photography, the Crimean War produced a whole host of innovations. In the final episode of our three-part series exploring the conflict, Professor Andrew Lambert takes Rachel Dinning through some of the key innovations that came out of the Crimean War. Plus, they consider some of the main misconceptions about the conflict, as well as the parallels with the Russia-Ukraine war today.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Kate Mosse on pirate women & Huguenot refugees
Writer Kate Mosse shares the historical inspirations behind her latest novel, The Ghost Ship, which takes readers across the high seas from 17th-century France and Amsterdam to the Canary Islands. Speaking to Elinor Evans, she also discusses the real female pirates that inspired her story and her own personal connection to the Huguenot refugees who fled from the French Catholic government during the Wars of Religion.
(Ad) Kate Mosse is the author of The Ghost Ship (Pan Macmillan, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-ghost-ship%2Fkate-mosse%2F2928377183936
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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How did medieval people tell the time?
It would be easy to assume that before the invention of the modern clock, people didn’t have a very sophisticated sense of time – they rose with the sun, and went to bed when it got dark. But, according to Gillian Adler and Paul Strohm, medieval society’s timekeeping was, in fact, far more complex. Speaking with Emily Briffett, they delve into medieval ideas about time, from human life cycles to the ages (and end) of the world.
(Ad) Gillian Adler and Paul Strohm are the authors of Alle Thyng Hath Tyme: Time and Medieval Life (Reaktion, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Falle-thyng-hath-tyme%2Fgillian-adler%2Fpaul-strohm%2F9781789146790
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Lost civilisations of the Mediterranean
The Mediterranean coastline is strewn with the remnants of lost civilisations. From Tyre and Carthage, to Ravenna, Syracuse and Antioch, Katherine Pangonis revisits the lengthy, and sometimes legendary, pasts of five historical capitals of the region, and highlights some of the defining moments in their stories. Speaking with Emily Briffett, she also reveals why we have romanticised the fading civilisations of the Mediterranean for so long.
(Ad) Katherine Pangonis is the author of Twilight Cities: Lost Capitals of the Mediterranean (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon:
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History M
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1980s Britain: everything you wanted to know
Lucy Robinson responds to your questions on Britain in the decade of Thatcherism, Live Aid, Bananarama and the rise of the yuppie
It was the decade in which the Aids pandemic transformed our relationship with sex and sexuality, MTV transformed the way we consume music, Princess Diana transformed the relationship between royalty and the media and Margaret Thatcher transformed the political landscape. In our latest Everything you wanted to know episode, Spencer Mizen puts listener questions on 1980s Britain to historian and author Lucy Robinson.
(Ad) Lucy Robinson is the author of Now That's What I Call a History of the 1980s: Pop Culture and Politics in the Decade That Shaped Modern Britain (Manchester University Press, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thats-What-Call-History-1980s/dp/1526167255/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Tom Holland on Rome’s golden age
As history shows, ruling a vast empire is no mean feat. But in the second century AD the Romans seemed to be able to manage it with relative ease. This was the golden age of Ancient Rome, or “Pax Romana”, where peace and prosperity was said to have prevailed across the Mediterranean world. So, how did the Romans do it? Speaking with Rob Attar, historian, author and podcaster Tom Holland considers just this – from the fall of Nero to the reign of Hadrian.
(Ad) Tom Holland is the author of Pax: War and Peace in Rome's Golden Age (Little Brown, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones:
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Big questions of the Crimean War: into the Valley of Death
You may be familiar with Alfred Lord Tennyson poem, The Charge of the Light Brigade, which famously – though not entirely accurately – describes the events of the 1854 battle of Balaclava, a key clash in the Crimean War. But how much do you know about the first confrontation along the Danube or the fierce fight to take Sevastopol? In this second episode of this new series charting the key moments in the Crimean War, Professor Andrew Lambert talks to Rachel Dinning about the key battles and encounters that shaped the conflict, as well as the military strategy that informed its outcome.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Why Britain fell in love with the NHS
July 2023 marks the 75th anniversary of Britain’s National Health Service: an institution which has come to occupy a unique place in British life since its founding in 1948. Speaking to Matt Elton, Andrew Seaton re-examines the divided reaction to the birth of the public-funded healthcare system, and charts the historical currents that have seen it survive both economic and political turbulence.
(Ad) Andrew Seaton is the author of Our NHS: A History of Britain's Best Loved Institution (Yale University Press, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0C8CG7RJK/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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From mysterious knitting needles to strange silhouettes: recreating historical clothing
How do you begin to recreate clothing from the past? What are the most tricky historical fashions to get right? And how important is accuracy in all this? Jane Malcolm-Davies busts some popular myths about historical clothing and unpicks the sources that give us a glimpse into what people really wore in the past. Speaking with Emily Briffett, she discusses the challenges of learning the historical tools of the trade, and offers advice to budding recreators.
(Ad) Jane Malcolm-Davies is the co-author of The Typical Tudor: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1351741932/the-typical-tudor-reconstructing
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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Life on Britain’s WW1 home front
What was it like to be a child on Britain’s First World War home front? Just how effective was Britain in producing the mammoth amount of materials required for the war effort? And how exactly did the system of conscription work to recruit young men for the trenches? Sir Hew Strachan speaks to Lauren Good about the lives of Britons who were back home while fighting raged on the front line.
(Ad) Hew Strachan is the editor of The British Home Front and the First World War (Cambridge University Press, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/British-Home-Front-First-World/dp/1316515494/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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The Franco-Prussian war: everything you wanted to know
The Franco-Prussian War was a short, if bitter conflict. Prussia would emerge as a clear winner in a matter of months – but the consequences of the conflict would play out across the wider world over the following century. It also leaves us with plenty of questions. What kind of leader was the Iron Chancellor? Why did the Paris Commune fail? Did victory render German unification inevitable? And how did the French desire for revenge contribute to the First World War? Speaking to Spencer Mizen, Rachel Chrastil answers your queries on the Franco-Prussian War.
(Ad) Rachel Chastil is the author of Bismarck’s War: The Franco-Prussian War and the Making of Modern Europe (Allen Lane, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fbismarcks-war%2Frachel-chrastil%2F9780241419199
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed.
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How the Age of Revolutions rocked the Royal Navy
In the late 18th-century, Britain was catapulted into war with Republican France. At the same time, it was also grappling with the tumult of the Age of Revolutions. All this upheaval was keenly felt by the huge institution that was the Royal Navy. Speaking with Elinor Evans, James Davey delves into the Royal Navy’s journey across the turbulent 1790s, a period rife with radicalised sailors, mutinies and harsh responses from those in power.
(Ad) James Davey is the author of Tempest: The Royal Navy & the Age of Revolutions (Yale University Press, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tempest-Royal-Navy-Age-Revolutions/dp/0300238274?keywords=tempest+james+davey&qid=1683301653&sprefix=tempest+james+,aps,84&sr=8-1&linkCode=sl1&tag=aspectsofhist-21&linkId=2ffed357d5dc10f0417d4cec79933310&language=en_GB&ref_=as_li_ss_tl&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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Big questions of the Crimean War: the build up
The Crimean War of 1853 to 1856 saw an alliance led by Britain and France challenge Russian expansion. But why did the fighting break out, and can it really be described as the first 'modern war'? In this first episode of a new series charting the key moments in the conflict, Professor Andrew Lambert talks to Rachel Dinning about the long roots of the Crimean War – and considers whether its build up can be considered a 19th-century cold war.
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The Georgian Bank of England: a day in the life
Just how rich were Georgian bankers? What did they eat for lunch? And could they be described as “virtuous”? Speaking with Rob Attar, Professor Anne Murphy answers these questions and more as she delves into the extensive reports of an 18th-century investigation into the workings of the Bank of England to reveal how one of the great engines of the British state operated in this age of revolution.
(Ad) Anne Murphy is the author of Virtuous Bankers: A Day in the Life of the Eighteenth-Century Bank of England (Princeton University Press, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Virtuous-Bankers-Life-Eighteenth-Century-England/dp/0691194742/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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How germs shaped human history
As recent history has shown us, human societies can prove surprisingly frail in the face of a tiny, yet powerful force: the microbes that cause infectious disease. Speaking with Matt Elton, Jonathan Kennedy explores the myriad ways in which pandemics have shaped the course of human history.
(Ad) Jonathan Kennedy is the author of Pathogenesis: How Germs Made History (Torva, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pathogenesis-infectious-diseases-shaped-history/dp/1911709062/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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Salon Kitty: sex & spying in Nazi Germany
Salon Kitty was the most notorious brothel in 1930s Berlin. Yet little did its clientele – foreign diplomats and high-ranking army officers among them – know that, while they were cavorting with sex workers, they were also being spied upon by Nazi agents. Nigel Jones tells Spencer Mizen what this story can reveal about the paranoia and petty rivalries that stalked the Third Reich.
(Ad) Nigel Jones, Urs Brunner and Dr Julia Schrammel are the authors of Kitty's Salon: Sex, Spying and Surveillance in the Third Reich (John Blake, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kittys-Salon-Spying-Surveillance-Third/dp/1789466148/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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The Luddites: everything you wanted to know
The Luddites are best remembered for smashing up machinery during the Industrial Revolution. But what did these 19th-century activists actually want from their destructive actions? How did the government use undercover spies to undermine their attempts at civil unrest? And why was the Luddites’ folkloric founder, Nedd Ludd, most memorably depicted wearing a polka-dot dress? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Professor Katrina Navickas answers listener questions on the rise and fall of the movement made up by textile workers whose livelihoods faced increasing threat from the innovations of the Industrial Revolution.
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Women on the front line, from forgotten commanders to cross-dressing soldiers
Military history is generally assumed to be a male domain. But according to Sarah Percy, author of Forgotten Warriors, this popular perception ignores hundreds of years of women on the front line. Speaking with Emily Briffett, Sarah unpicks this narrative, and considers some of the roles women have played in warfare throughout history, from formidable commanders Queen Njinga and Charlotte de La Trémoille to Dahomey’s all-female regiment.
(Ad) Sarah Percy is the author of Forgotten Warriors: A History of Women on the Front Line (John Murray, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Forgotten-Warriors-Women-Changed-History/dp/152934431X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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Before Windrush: Britain’s long relationship with the Caribbean
Seventy-five years ago, on 22 June 1948, HMT Empire Windrush landed at Tilbury docks. The arrival of the ship is rightly remembered as a landmark moment in the story of Caribbean people in Britain. But, as historian Christienna Fryar joins Ellie Cawthorne to discuss, the Windrush didn’t appear out of nowhere; it was preceded by a long and complicated relationship between Britain and the Caribbean which is less well remembered today.
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Cornwall: a brief history
What makes Cornwall different from the rest of England? Is it history or geography that sets the area apart? And how have the industries of fishing, mining and tourism all transformed the face of the region? Tim Hannigan, author of The Granite Kingdom: A Cornish Journey explores Cornwall’s long and fascinating story in conversation with David Musgrove.
(Ad) Tim Hannigan is the author of The Granite Kingdom: A Cornish Journey (Apollo, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Granite-Kingdom-Cornish-Journey/dp/1801108846/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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Franco’s Spain: paranoia, conspiracy & antisemitism
What are the consequences when conspiracy theories, lies, and paranoia are combined with military might? Speaking with Danny Bird, Paul Preston discusses how General Franco and six other men staged an uprising in July 1936, inspired by hatred for the Spanish Republic’s social and economic reforms, and a delusional belief that a sweeping conspiracy threatened to destroy Spain’s Catholic identity
(Ad) Paul Preston is the author of Architects of Terror: Paranoia, Conspiracy and Anti-Semitism in Franco's Spain (HarperCollins, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Farchitects-of-terror%2Fpaul-preston%2F9780008522117
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The myth and memory of Waterloo
Why is Waterloo still a fixture in the story Britain tells about its national history, more than two centuries on from the battle itself? Speaking to David Mugrove, Dr Luke Reynolds delves into the myth and memory of Waterloo, to uncover how battlefield tourism began almost immediately after the fighting, and why the legacy of the battle continued to be fought over for several decades after 1815.
(Ad) Luke Reynolds is the author of Who owned Waterloo: Battle, Memory, and Myth in British History, 1815-1852 (Oxford University Press, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Who-Owned-Waterloo-British-1815-1852-ebook/dp/B0B39LJ5TQ/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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Coffee history: everything you wanted to know
From Sufi mystics in 16th-century Yemen to hipster baristas in cities across the world today, the history of this caffeinated beverage is a long and fascinating one. For our latest everything you wanted to know episode, Rob Attar is joined by Professor Jonathan Morris to explain how coffee and coffee houses conquered the world – and why you shouldn’t order a latte in Milan.
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Caesar: Death of a Dictator Trailer
On the Ides of March, 44 BC, the most famous Roman in history was murdered. Julius Caesar’s killers hoped to save the Republic, but in the end they destroyed it. In the six episodes of Caesar: Death of a Dictator, Rob Attar is joined by a group of expert historians to revisit these dramatic events and reveal how the assassination helped turn Rome into an empire.
Get early access now to this limited series now through Apple Podcasts, where you can also enjoy an ad-free experience across all HistoryExtra episodes, as well as regular bonus content. Start your seven-day free trial now.
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Economies in meltdown: lessons from past financial crashes
From the Wall Street Crash of 1929 to the global turmoil of 2008, financial crises have wrecked countless lives, businesses and economies. But have lessons been learned from these catastrophes, or are policymakers – and speculators – doomed to repeat mistakes from the past? The award-winning economist Linda Yueh speaks to Jon Bauckham about the biggest crashes of the past 100 years, and what countries can do to protect themselves when the next crisis inevitably comes knocking.
(Ad) Linda Yueh is the author of The Great Crashes: Lessons from Global Meltdowns and How to Prevent Them (Penguin Business, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Crashes-Linda-Yueh/dp/0241422752/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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Living through the Troubles
The Troubles is a chapter of history that many in Northern Ireland would rather forget, but 25 years on from the Good Friday Agreement, its legacy can still be felt there today. A new Imperial War Museum exhibition, Northern Ireland: Living With the Troubles revisits the conflict through the eyes of those who were there at the time, as curator Craig Murray discusses with Ellie Cawthorne.
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What can we learn from the fall of Rome?
What can the fall of Rome teach us about the decline of the west today? That’s the question at the centre of political economist John Rapley and historian Peter Heather’s new book Why Empires Fall. Peter and John join Ellie Cawthorne to discuss comparisons – and differences – between the two cases, and explore whether lessons from the ancient past could be applied to the future of the west.
(Ad) Peter Heather and John Rapley are the authors of Why Empires Fall: Rome, America and the Future of the West. Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fwhy-empires-fall%2Fjohn-rapley%2Fpeter-heather%2F9780241407493
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Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I: the overlooked bonds between mother & daughter
Since Elizabeth I was less than three years old when her mother was executed, it is often thought that Anne Boleyn had little influence on her life. Speaking to Lauren Good, Dr Tracy Borman explains why this assumption is misleading, and details the impact Anne had on her daughter, both as a woman and a queen.
(Ad) Tracy Borman is the author of Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I: The Mother and Daughter Who Changed History (Hodder & Stoughton, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fanne-boleyn-and-elizabeth-i%2Ftracy-borman%2F9781399705080
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Fight like a man? Masculinity in WW2
How were sexuality, gender roles, and attitudes to the body influenced by men’s experiences in the Second World War? That’s something explored in Luke Turner’s new book Men at War. Luke speaks to Matt Elton about the stories of some of the men shaped by the conflict, and why he thinks the full range of experiences has been obscured by subsequent depictions of the war.
(Ad) Luke Turner is the author of Men at War: Loving, Lusting, Fighting, Remembering 1939-1945 (Orion, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=4746&awinaffid=489797&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fmen-at-war%2Fluke-turner%2F9781474618861&clickref=historyextra-social-histboty
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Penal transportation to Australia: everything you wanted to know
Why did the British state decide to send criminals across the globe to Australia? Was it really as grim as you might expect to be one of those transported? And what was the impact of the convict transportation system on Australia and its indigenous peoples? In our latest Everything you wanted to know episode, Nancy Cushing answers listener questions on convict transportation to Australia.
(Ad) Nancy Cushing is the author of A History of Crime in Australia: Australian Underworlds (Routledge, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/History-Crime-Australia-Australian-Underworlds/dp/1032226528/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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Pregnancy & childbirth in the 19th century
Despite motherhood being viewed as a fundamental part of a woman’s destiny during the 19th century, pregnancy, birth, and the postnatal experience are often left out of written histories of the period. From Queen Victoria’s birthing room to advice surrounding breastfeeding, Dr Jessica Cox talks to Lauren Good about stories of motherhood that have been overlooked.
(Ad) Jessica Cox is the author of Confinement: The Hidden History of Maternal Bodies in Nineteenth-Century Britain (The History Press, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fplato-of-athens%2Frobin-waterfield%2F9780197564752
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Historical echoes of the Ukraine war
More than a year in, the war between Russia and Ukraine has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, with repercussions on an international scale. It also continues to evoke parallels with a whole range of historical events, from the revolutions of 1917 to the breakup of the USSR in the early 1990s. Speaking with Matt Elton, Serhii Plokhy discusses the historical backdrop that helps make sense of the current conflict.
(Ad) Serhii Plokhy is the author of The Russo-Ukrainian War: The Return of History (Allen Lane, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Russo-Ukrainian-War-Return-History/dp/0241617359/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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Plato: the world’s greatest philosopher?
He learned from Socrates, taught Aristotle and is often described as the key figure in the history of philosophy. But what do we actually know about the life of Plato of Athens? And why was his work so pioneering? Plato’s latest biographer, Robin Waterfield, joins Rob Attar to explore these questions and more.
(Ad) Robin Waterfield is the author of Plato of Athens: A Life in Philosophy (Oxford University Press, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fplato-of-athens%2Frobin-waterfield%2F9780197564752
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How women helped sustain the slave trade
Slavery was a system that pervaded life in the American South, and as historian Stephanie E Jones-Rogers reveals in her book They Were Her Property, women played crucial roles in perpetuating that system. Stephanie is one of the winners of this year’s Dan David prize – awarded for outstanding historical scholarship. Here she speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about how white women were directly involved in the trade and ownership of enslaved people, and often used tactics that were just as brutal as those of slave-owning men.
(Ad) Stephanie E Jones-Rogers is the author of They Were Her Property: White Women as Slave Owners in the American South (Yale, 2019). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/They-Were-Her-Property-American/dp/0300218664/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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The fall and rise of Henry III
King Henry III was one of England’s longest reigning monarchs, but his time on the throne saw a long period of peace punctured by an extraordinary revolution. Professor David Carpenter talks to David Musgrove about the tumultuous events of 1258, when the king was removed from power by Simon de Montfort and a council of barons.
(Ad) David Carpenter is the author of Henry III: Reform, Rebellion, Civil War, Settlement, 1259-1272 (Yale University Press, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Henry-III-Rebellion-Settlement-1259-1272/dp/0300248059/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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The SAS in WW2: everything you wanted to know
The SAS – or Special Air Service – is Britain’s elite special forces unit. Founded in the deserts of North Africa during the Second World War, it has become famous across the globe for the physical and mental toughness of its recruits. But who was responsible for its creation? What was its original purpose? And what impact did a parachuting padre have on the morale of its men in the aftermath of D-Day? Author and broadcaster Joshua Levine answers listener questions on the SAS during the Second World War, in conversation with Jon Bauckham.
(Ad) Joshua Levine is the author of SAS: The Illustrated History of the SAS (William Collins, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/SAS-Illustrated-History-During-Second/dp/0008549958/ref=asc_df_0008549958/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=606682156008&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12625238289494738680&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006715&hvtargid=pla-1760354823004&psc=1&th=1&psc=1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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Plot or paranoia? The Amboyna conspiracy trial
In 1623, at a Dutch fort on the remote island of Ambon, in modern-day Indonesia, a young Japanese mercenary was arrested for asking suspicious questions – and interrogated using torture. Within just 15 days, 21 people were dead, and two nations were set at odds. Historian Adam Clulow (one of the winners of this year’s Dan David Prize for outstanding historical scholarship) joins Ellie Cawthorne to explore the story of the Amboyna conspiracy trial – and investigate why events escalated so quickly.
(Ad) Adam Clulow is the author of Amboina, 1623: Fear and Conspiracy on the Edge of Empire (Columbia University Press, 2019). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Amboina-1623-Adam-Clulow/dp/0231175124/ref=sr_1_1?crid=EUHCPCVBTLRM&keywords=adam+clulow+amboina&qid=1683879389&sprefix=adam+clulow+amboina%2Caps%2C70&sr=8-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hist295
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Messalina: sex, slander & scandal in imperial Rome
Even in the ancient Roman world of ruthless politicking, suspicious deaths and high-stakes schemes, the scandalous reputation of Empress Valeria Messalina stands out. The third wife of Emperor Claudius, she has gone down in history as a sexually insatiable schemer, whose cutthroat deeds kept her at the top of the Palatine court. Speaking with Emily Briffett, Honor Cargill-Martin, author of a new book on Messalina, interrogates the rumours that have long swirled around the empress.
(Ad) Honor Cargill-Martin is the author of Messalina: A Story of Empire, Slander and Adultery (Apollo, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Messalina-Story-Empire-Slander-Adultery/dp/1801102597/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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Amazing archaeological discoveries that trounce Indiana Jones
You may think that Indiana Jones created a swashbuckling vision of archaeology that only exists on the silver screen – but, in fact, real archaeological history is also packed full of exciting and awe-inspiring tales of discovery. Professor Michael Scott digs into some of these sensational stories with David Musgrove, considering how far fictional images of intrepid treasure hunters are an accurate reflection of archaeological reality.
(Ad) Michael Scott is the author of X Marks the Spot: The Story of Archaeology in Eight Extraordinary Discoveries (Hodder & Stoughton, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Marks-Spot-Archaeology-Extraordinary-Discoveries-ebook/dp/B0BSRTJXGB/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty"
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Living the life of luxury with the Persians & Greeks
When Greek soldiers captured the royal command tent of the Persian king during the Greco-Persian wars, they were stunned by what they saw. Their mighty adversary’s seat of power was absolutely dripping with dazzling decadence – and, to the Greeks, indulging in this luxurious lifestyle was the reason for the Persians’ downfall. Speaking to Emily Briffett, curators Jamie Fraser and Kelly Accetta Crowe explain what a new British Museum exhibition can reveal about how the Persians and Greeks thought about luxury, wealth, democracy and power.
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Simon Schama on how inoculation changed the world
As the recent past will attest, the discovery of vaccines can not only save lives, but also change the course of human history. Speaking with Matt Elton, Simon Schama explores the story of inoculation, charting the individuals and organisations who played a pivotal role in its use against deadly diseases including plague, smallpox and cholera.
(Ad) Simon Schama is the author of Foreign Bodies: Pandemics, Vaccines and the Health of Nations (Simon & Schuster, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fforeign-bodies%2Fsimon-schama%2F9781471169892
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Mountaineering on Everest: everything you want to know
When were the first attempts to summit Mount Everest? Did Mallory really say he wanted to climb it just “because it’s there”? How did climbing expeditions spark diplomatic crises in the 20th century – and what was the ‘Affair of the Dancing Lamas’? To mark the 70th anniversary of the first summit of Everest on 29 May 1953, Dr Jonathan Westaway answers listener questions on the history of Everest mountaineering.
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The History Extra podcast – tell us what you think
We’re always looking to improve, so it’s really important to us to give you a voice in what we do next. Are you listening during a commute, while you potter around in the garden, or in a nice comfy chair with a cup of tea? We’d love to know how the podcast fits into your life. Have you always wanted us to cover a certain topic, or interview your favourite expert? This is your chance to tell us, so we can give you more of what you want.
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Is history too politicised?
The relationship between politics and history has long been a fraught one – particularly in recent years, when concerns that a political agenda may be shaping our view of the past have been rife. Speaking to Matt Elton, Zareer Masani details his thoughts on whether our view of the past is becoming distorted by present-day political concerns, and discusses his involvement in the scholarly group History Reclaimed.
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Six wives | 6. Katherine Parr
Katherine Parr was not just the “survivor”. She was also a ground-breaking intellectual, passionate religious reformer and canny political player. In episode six of our new series on the dramatic marital history of England’s most notorious monarch, Dr Estelle Paranque and Dr Tracy Borman join Ellie Cawthorne to share the tumultuous life story of Henry VIII’s final wife.
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Battling the British empire
The history of the British empire has often been told as the story of an all-conquering spread of British values and influence across the globe. But, according to historian David Veevers’ new book The Great Defiance, in its early years the progress of the colonial project was much more halting – characterised by resistance, violence and, often, failure. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, David highlights places across the globe where local people put up fierce resistance to Britain’s imperial aims.
(Ad) David Veevers is the author of The Great Defiance: How the World Took on the British Empire (Ebury, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Defiance-world-British-Empire/dp/1529109957/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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William the Conqueror’s invasion plans
William the Conqueror famously defeated King Harold at the battle of Hastings in 1066. But in order to achieve this victory, he first had to get his army (and some 2000 horses) across the sea from Normandy. So how exactly did he manage that gargantuan task? Speaking to David Musgrove, Rebecca Tyson reveals how a wealth of maritime knowledge and experience was required to pull off this extraordinary feat.
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Did Black Death trigger the rise of Europe?
The Black Death unquestionably wrought a horrific death toll in the mid-14th century, but did it also sweep in social and cultural changes that eventually led to the rise of Europe? Professor James Belich certainly thinks so, and he lays out his argument in new book The World The Plague Made. Speaking to David Musgrove, James considers how the inventiveness required in a depopulated world led to global changes with long-term consequences.
(Ad) James Belich is the author of The World the Plague Made: The Black Death and the Rise of Europe (Princeton University Press, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/World-Plague-Made-Black-Europe/dp/0691215669/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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Chartism: everything you wanted to know
The first half of the 19th century witnessed the rise of an extraordinary working-class campaign for political reform: Chartism. What made this movement so remarkable was its size and sophistication – and the level of anxiety it provoked among the British establishment. But who were the Chartists? Why was the authorities' reaction to them so draconian? And did they actually achieve any of their aims? Speaking with Spencer Mizen, Joan Allen answers your top questions about Chartism.
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Three young queens: the unexpected bonds between Renaissance royals
Before being scattered across different kingdoms, Catherine de’ Medici, Elisabeth de Valois and Mary, Queen of Scots spent many years of their formative years at the French court. Speaking to Lauren Good, Leah Redmond Chang explores the bonds between these extraordinary women and considers how French king Henry II’s death changed the course of their futures in unexpected ways.
(Ad) Leah Redmond Chang is the author of Young Queens: Three Renaissance Women and the Price of Power (Bloomsbury, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Young-Queens-Three-Renaissance-Women-ebook/dp/B0B4DP7TMZ/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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Six wives | 5. Catherine Howard
Catherine Howard was a teenaged bride who captivated King Henry VIII, but was brought down by secrets from her past that refused to remain buried. In episode five of our new series on the dramatic marital history of England’s most notorious monarch, Ellie Cawthorne is joined by Kate McCaffrey and Dr Tracy Borman to rehabilitate the executed queen’s image.
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Ramesses II: Egypt’s greatest pharaoh?
Ramesses II is the only pharaoh in history to be known as ‘the great’, but does he deserve that title? Was he the pharaoh in the Exodus story? And was his mummy really given a passport when he travelled to France? Egyptologist Toby Wilkinson has just written a new biography of Ramesses and he answered these questions and more in conversation with Rob Attar.
(Ad) Toby Wilkinson is the author of Ramesses the Great: Egypt's King of Kings (Yale University Press, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ramesses-Great-Egypts-Kings-Ancient/dp/0300256655/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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Tudor childhood: from dodging death to nursery rhymes
Look at a Tudor family portrait, and you’ll often find children depicted like miniature adults, standing confidently alongside their parents in their doublets and dresses. But how far is this an accurate portrayal of what childhood was like in the 16th century? Nicholas Orme, author of new book Tudor Children, joined Emily Briffett to talk about the lives of young people in the era, from nursery rhymes and moralistic bedtime stories, to playtime, punishment and more.
(Ad) Nicholas Orme is the author of Tudor Children (Yale University Press, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Ftudor-children%2Fnicholas-orme%2F9780300267969
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What can Richard I tell us about medieval masculinity?
Was Richard I homosexual, and would it matter if he was? Although he was known to have shared a bed with the King of France, according to Dr Gabrielle Storey, that was part and parcel of being a king in the Middle Ages. Speaking to Kev Lochun, she unpicks the debates surrounding Richard I’s sexuality, explores what his life tells us about concepts of masculinity in the medieval era, and considers why we need to be careful about applying modern labels to historical figures.
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Britain in the 1990s: everything you wanted to know
It was the decade that saw the fall of the Soviet Union, the rise of Tony Blair and the landmark Good Friday Agreement. But what was behind the landslide victory of New Labour? How did the death of Princess Diana change the monarchy? And was ‘Cool Britannia’ really that cool? Speaking to Spencer Mizen, Alwyn Turner answers listener questions on Britain in the 1990s.
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Everyday life in East Germany
The story of East Germany has been largely told in the context of Cold War geopolitics. But while the country may have been an ideological battleground, ordinary life there still carried on regardless – people picked up supplies at the local shop, took their kids to school and enjoyed trips to the cinema. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Katja Hoyer reexamines the experiences of ordinary people in the GDR to uncover a new perspective on the communist state.
(Ad) Katja Hoyer is the author of Beyond the Wall: East Germany, 1949-1990 (Penguin, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones:
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Six wives | 4. Anne of Cleves
Anne of Cleves is remembered as a comedy anecdote, a figure of mockery who repulsed King Henry VIII on first sight. But her reputation deserves to be rescued from this myth. In episode four of our new series on the dramatic marital history of England’s most notorious monarch, Dr Elizabeth Norton and Dr Tracy Borman join Ellie Cawthorne to reveal how the so-called “Flanders mare” was in fact a much-admired woman with a full, fascinating and independent life.
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Why revolution engulfed 19th-century Europe
In 1848, a tidal wave of revolution swept across Europe – from Sicily to Paris, Berlin to Vienna. But what sparked this cascade of unrest, and how can we explain its apparent synchronicity? Speaking to Matt Elton, Christopher Clark charts the causes of the uprisings, and explores the consequences on the continent in the following decades.
(Ad) Christopher Clark is the author of Revolutionary Spring: Fighting for a New World 1848-1849 (Penguin, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Frevolutionary-spring%2Fchristopher-clark%2F9780241347669
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Keeping time: a watchmaker’s history
Today we take it for granted that we can meet friends at an agreed time, work a set amount of paid hours, or catch a train before it leaves. But so much of the fabric of our modern lives is entirely dependent on one thing: the ability to accurately tell the time. Watchmaker and author Rebecca Struthers joins Ellie Cawthorne to chart the long history of watches and other timekeepers, and reveals how they have revolutionised humanity’s perception of time.
(Ad) Rebecca Struthers is the author of Hands of Time: A Watchmaker's History of Time (Hodder & Stoughton, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fhands-of-time%2Frebecca-struthers%2F9781529339031
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Native Americans: a new history
For too long, argues Professor Ned Blackhawk, Indigenous people have been marginalised or viewed merely as passive participants in the history of the United States. Speaking to Matt Elton, Ned discusses the central role that Indigenous people have played across centuries of the nation’s history – from the course of European colonisation to 20th-century bids for equality and self-determination.
(Ad) Ned Blackhawk is the author of The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History (Yale University Press, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-rediscovery-of-america%2Fned-blackhawk%2F9780300244052
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Goths: everything you wanted to know
What’s the difference between the Visigoths and the Ostrogoths? Why did the Goths have whole settlements devoted to the production of combs? And were these Germanic tribes really responsible for the fall of the Western Roman empire? Speaking with Emily Briffett, Professor Peter Heather answers listener questions on the uncertain and complex history of the Goths, from debates around their origins to their later interactions with the Huns and the Franks.
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How (and how not) to stage a coronation
The British monarchy is known for its pomp and pageantry, and a coronation is a big chance to show off. But with so much pressure to get time-honoured traditions right, down the centuries things haven’t always gone to plan. So, what separates a crowning success from a royal fiasco? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Dr Tracy Borman offers up her top tips for pulling off the historic ceremony without a hitch – from rocking the right regalia and crowning the correct king to staying in tune with the times.
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Six wives | 3. Jane Seymour
Jane Seymour has gone down in history as Henry VIII’s dream wife – the simpering spouse who couldn’t put a foot wrong. But the reality was much more interesting. In episode three of our new series on the dramatic marital history of England’s most notorious monarch, Dr Nicola Tallis and Dr Tracy Borman join Ellie Cawthorne to delve into the real story of Jane’s short-lived queenship.
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Queen Charlotte: real history behind the new Bridgerton series
Tomorrow, period drama fans will be glued to their screens as Netflix releases their latest show set in the Bridgerton universe – Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. Created by showrunner Shonda Rhimes, the series fictionalises the story of Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, a young woman shipped off to marry the king of England, George III. Polly Putnam, historical advisor on the drama, speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about some of its real inspirations.
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Pomp & power: royal ceremonies through the centuries
Later this week, royal ceremony and spectacle will be deployed in full force for the coronation of King Charles III. But this latest lavish display is nothing new – British monarchs have long used pomp and pageantry to reinforce their power and popularity. Dr Alice Hunt speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about how monarchs down the centuries have used ceremony and ritual – and how it’s gone down with the public.
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WW2 the big questions: final stages of the conflict
How risky were the D-Day landings? What sealed the downfall of Nazi Germany? And why did the US decide to drop atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki? In the final episode of our five-part series tackling the big questions of the Second World War, historian Laurence Rees joins Rachel Dinning to explore the final stages of the conflict.
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Westminster Abbey: everything you wanted to know
Westminster Abbey has hosted royal coronations since the medieval period, and the next monarch to be crowned there will be King Charles III. In our latest Everything You Want to Know episode, David Musgrove speaks to Professor David Carpenter (who grew up in the abbey) to answer listener questions on the lengthy history of this iconic building – from marvellous medieval acoustics to the destruction of its brightly coloured art.
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How the Bristol bus boycott changed Britain
This April marks the 60th anniversary of the beginning of the Bristol bus boycott in 1963, a campaign to overturn a bar on black and Asian conductors and drivers working on buses in the city. Hannah Cusworth tells Spencer Mizen how a group of activists turned the boycott into a cause celebre, and paved the way for landmark legislation against racial discrimination in Britain.
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Six wives | 2. Anne Boleyn
Harlot, feminist, witch, backstabber, icon, powerplayer, victim – in the centuries since her execution, Anne Boleyn has been branded all of these. But what do we know about the real Anne and her story? In episode two of our new series on the dramatic marital history of England’s most notorious monarch, Ellie Cawthorne is joined by Dr Owen Emmerson and Dr Tracy Borman to uncover the rollercoaster story of the woman who set Tudor England ablaze.
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The Waco siege: an American tragedy
Thirty years ago, a deadly standoff in Texas between a religious cult and the FBI hit the headlines around the United States. The story of leader David Koresh and the power he held over the Branch Davidian religious group has fascinated and appalled in the decades since, and has cast an increasingly dark shadow over US politics. Matt Elton spoke to author Stephan Talty about what Waco tells us about 20th-century America, and the ways in which its mythologisation have come to inform extremism in the 21st century.
(Ad) Stephan Talty is the author of Koresh: The True Story of David Koresh and the Tragedy at Waco (Apollo, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Koresh-True-Story-David-Tragedy/dp/1801102678/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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Shipwreck, scurvy & mutiny: the gruelling tale of HMS Wager
In January 1742 a ramshackle boat washed up on the Brazilian coastline. Inside were 30 men, half starved and close to madness. Claiming to be survivors of the wrecked British vessel the Wager, they told an incredible tale of survival on the high seas. The men were hailed as heroes until, six months later, another group of castaways washed ashore. And these men had a very different story to tell about what had happened to the crew of the Wager. Author David Grann tells Ellie Cawthorne how a shipwreck led to mutiny, murder and even cannibalism.
(Ad) David Grann is the author of The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder. Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-mayiPad&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-wager%2Fdavid-grann%2F9781471183676
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WW2 the big questions: the Holocaust
How did the Nazis’ poisonous antisemitic rhetoric eventually culminate in the systematic mass-murder of millions? In the fourth episode of our five-part series tackling the big questions of the Second World War, historian Laurence Rees joins Rachel Dinning to chart the course of the Holocaust – from its origins to its devastating conclusion.
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Crusader states: everything you wanted to know
After the fall of Jerusalem into Frankish hands in 1099 during the First Crusade, a string of new crusader states emerged, initiating Western rule in the region for almost 200 years. Drawing on listener questions and top search queries, Emily Briffett speaks to Dr Nicholas Morton, Associate Professor at Nottingham Trent University, to find out more about these states – and why the complicated story of this region has such a long cultural afterlife.
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How women were excluded from sport – and fought back
Looking at sport history, it’s easy to get the impression that women’s involvement in sporting activities only began in the 1970s. However, as author Rachel Hewitt outlines, women were excluded from sport as rules and regulations were codified from the 19th century. Speaking with David Musgrove, she considers how the sporting and outdoors endeavours of women have consequently been overlooked in sporting history.
(Ad) Rachel Hewitt is the author of In Her Nature: How Women Break Boundaries in the Great Outdoors (Vintage, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Her-Nature-Women-Boundaries-Outdoors-ebook/dp/B0BD73MK7K/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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Six wives | 1. Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon’s 23-year-long marriage to King Henry VIII witnessed many twists and turns – triumph, tragedy, and, ultimately, betrayal. In episode one of our new series on the dramatic marital history of England’s most notorious monarch, Ellie Cawthorne is joined by Dr Nicola Clark and Dr Tracy Borman to discuss the fluctuating fortunes of Henry VIII’s first wife.
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Æthelflæd: ‘Mother of the English’
Æthelflæd was a successful and celebrated ruler of the Mercian peoples in the early 10th century, who enjoyed a period of great political prosperity. Speaking to Emily Briffett, Rebecca Hardie explores what this fascinating figure can tell us about contemporary definitions of power, the lives of other women at the time and the complicated patchwork of early medieval kingdoms.
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Mindbending experiments: how drugs shaped modern science
In the 19th century, cannabis, cocaine and heroin were widely available over the counter at the local chemist. Respected scientists and doctors tested out laughing gas and chloroform on their friends at dinner parties, while philosophers and artists dabbled in drug use to try and unlock different states of consciousness and even access the spirit world. Mike Jay, author of Psychonauts: Drugs and the Making of the Modern Mind, tells Ellie Cawthorne about these formative experiments in drug taking.
(Ad) Mike Jay is the author of Psychonauts: Drugs and the Making of the Modern Mind (Yale, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Psychonauts-Drugs-Making-Modern-Mind/dp/0300257945/ref=sr_1_3?qid=1679582312&refinements=p_27%3AMike+Jay&s=books&sr=1-3
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WW2 the big questions: the ‘Big Three’
How instrumental was Churchill in Britain’s decision to stand against Hitler? What was it like to work with the consummate charmer President Roosevelt? And why did Stalin feel betrayed by his allies? In the third episode of our five-part series tackling the big questions of the Second World War, historian Laurence Rees joins Rachel Dinning to discuss the role of the ‘Big Three’ – Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin – in shaping the course of the conflict.
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Russian tsars: everything you wanted to know
Who were the rulers of Russia prior to the 1917 Revolution? How accessible were they to the ordinary peoples of the Russian empire? How did a foreign-born princess manage to secure absolute power in St Petersburg, and what impact did the Napoleonic Wars have on tsarist influence? Speaking to Danny Bird, Simon Sebag Montefiore answers listener questions about the Russian tsars, from the ancient origins of their regal title to the monarchy’s dramatic collapse.
(Ad) Simon Sebag Montefiore is the author of The Romanovs: 1613-1918. Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Romanovs-1613-1918-Simon-Sebag-Montefiore/dp/1474600875crid=Y7HQ1IS420LY&keywords=attack+warning+red+julie+mcdowall&qid=1680258464&sprefix=attack+warnon%2Caps%2C189&sr=8-1/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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‘Black Douglas’: a not so dastardly bushranger?
A dastardly bandit responsible for incredibly heinous crimes, or a runaway in search of his freedom? Meg Foster unravels the myth of “Black Douglas”, whose life of crime across 19th-century Australia made him a target of lynch mobs and the popular press. Speaking to Emily Briffett, she explains how Douglas was branded a shadowy bogeyman, and delves into his experiences as a hard-drinking prize-fighter and phrenologist.
(Ad) Meg Foster is the author of Boundary Crossers: The hidden history of Australia's other bushrangers (NewSouth, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon:
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The KGB’s secret war on the west
The KGB would stop at virtually nothing in its attempts to spread chaos and confusion in the west throughout the Cold War. From honeytraps and smear campaigns to spreading fake news, Mark Hollingsworth tells Spencer Mizen about the KBG’s extraordinary attempts to destabilise its enemies.
(Ad) Mark Hollingsworth is the author of Agents of Influence: How the KGB Subverted Western Democracies (Oneworld, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon:
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Century of chaos: people & power in the 1600s
The 17th century was a turbulent time for England, overshadowed by a civil war, a coup and a regicide, not to mention the looming threats of terrorism, plague and witch panics. However, in the coffee shops and on the street corners of growing cities, the common people finally had their voices heard – and those voices were loud. Speaking with Emily Briffett, Jonathan Healey illuminates a revolutionary society that helped forge modern Britain.
(Ad) Jonathan Healey is the author of The Blazing World: A New History of Revolutionary England (Bloomsbury, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-blazing-world%2Fdr-jonathan-healey%2F9781526621658
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What Norse poetry reveals about the Viking age
What can Viking poetry reveal about the era in which it was written, and the people that wrote it? And why are ships, love and death some of its most common recurring motifs? Judith Jesch and Carolyne Larrington shared their expert insights with Matt Elton, tackling listener questions and reading excerpts from some of their favourite examples.
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WW2 the big questions: the early years of the conflict
Why did Hitler make the fateful decision to invade Poland in 1939? How did Churchill turn defeat at Dunkirk into a victory on the home front? And why did Japan’s imperial designs lead to war in east Asia? In the second episode of our five-part series tackling the big questions of the Second World War, historian Laurence Rees joins Rachel Dinning to guide you through the early years of the conflict – from Pearl Harbor to the fall of Tobruk.
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Life in the trenches: everything you wanted to know
What was it really like to live and fight in WW1 trench? Why was throwing your empty food tins into No Man’s Land a death sentence? And what was the worst care package a Tommy could receive from home? Speaking with Emily Briffett, Peter Hart answers listener questions on life in the trenches – from favourite foods and morale-boosting parades to a soldier’s chances of survival in the face of deadly diseases, gas and explosions.
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Nuclear apocalypse in Britain
If – or when – a nuclear bomb was dropped on Cold War Britain, the nation was primed to react fast. When the sirens sounded, children would run home from school using the quickest familiar route. Families would wait out the nuclear fallout under the stairs, while political leaders would evacuate to bunkers across the country, ready to launch the regeneration plan. But were all these plans actually just a load of nonsense? Julie McDowall tells Matt Elton about Britain’s nuclear response plans, and questions their effectiveness when faced with the reality of instant annihilation.
(Ad) Julie McDowall is the author of Attack Warning Red! How Britain Prepared for Nuclear War. Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Attack-Warning-Red-Julie-McDowall/dp/1847926215/ref=sr_1_1?crid=Y7HQ1IS420LY&keywords=attack+warning+red+julie+mcdowall&qid=1680258464&sprefix=attack+warnon%2Caps%2C189&sr=8-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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Wild urban spaces: a history
In recent years, discussions about sustainability and how we can create greener, more environmentally conscious urban spaces have been at the forefront of city planning. But to what extent are these considerations new? Author Ben Wilson tells Jon Bauckham about the ways in which societies have tried to bring wildlife into urban spaces, from the gardens of the Aztec empire to the bombsites of postwar Berlin.
(Ad) Ben Wilson is the author of Urban Jungle: Wilding the City (Vintage, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Echolands-Journey-Boudica-Duncan-Mackay/dp/1399714112/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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Boudica’s rebellion: a blood-soaked blow to the Roman empire
Rome’s conquest of Britain in the first century AD was a brutal affair, as was the revolt against it led by Boudica. Duncan Mackay guides David Musgrove through the course of the rebellion, sharing the location of the final bloody battle, considering what we know about Boudica herself, and exploring why she continues to be a resonant figure today.
(Ad) Duncan Mackay is the author of Echolands: A Journey in Search of Boudica (Hodder & Stoughton, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon:
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What did the Tudors wear?
How many pieces of clothing did the average Tudor own? Did women in the 16th century have specialised maternity wear? And what was behind the fascination with codpieces? Jane Malcolm-Davies stitches together our understanding of what the Tudors wore, from knitted hats and linen handkerchiefs right down to underwear. Speaking with Emily Briffett, Jane details how clothes were lovingly made, kept and cleaned – and reveals the unusual fashion trend she’d like to see revived.
(Ad) Jane Malcolm-Davies is the co-author of The Typical Tudor: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1351741932/the-typical-tudor-reconstructing
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WW2 the big questions: the build up
In the first episode of our podcast series The Big Questions of the Second World War, historian and broadcaster Laurence Rees explains some of the short and long term causes of the global conflict – from the legacy of the Treaty of Versailles to the rise of Hitler and the Nazi party.
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British castles: everything you wanted to know
What was the interior design like in medieval castles? Why were so many of these fortresses built in Wales? And what was it like to live in one? In our latest ‘Everything you wanted to know’ episode, Marc Morris answers listener questions on the history of British castles.
Speaking to Charlotte Hodgman, he touches on building techniques, the architectural
influence of the crusades, and England’s first fortresses.
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The mindset behind the Holocaust
The Holocaust is an event so vast and terrible it can often be hard to wrap our heads around it. But what motivated those who perpetrated horrific crimes in the name of the Third Reich, and how did they justify their actions? Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Martin Davidson discusses the devastating power of Hitler’s antisemitic worldview, and how it shaped the mindset of Nazi persecutors.
(Ad) Martin Davidson is the author of Mobilising Hate: The Story of Hitler's Final Solution (Little Brown, 2022). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fmobilising-hate%2Fmartin-davidson%2F9781472146410
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Grisly killings & mysterious motives: murder in early modern Britain
Today’s modern fascination with true crime is nothing new – our early modern ancestors also devoured sensational stories of brutal deaths and shocking, unexplained crimes. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Blessin Adams delves into several sensational murder cases from between 1500 and 1700 to explore what they can reveal about society at the time.
(Ad) Blessin Adams is the author of Great and Horrible News: Murder and Mayhem in Early Modern Britain (HarperCollins, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fgreat-and-horrible-news%2Fblessin-adams%2F9780008500221
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The man who almost discovered the double helix
Seventy years since James Watson and Francis Crick first revealed DNA’s double-helix structure, Dr Kersten Hall shares the story of the scientist who almost beat them to their major discovery: molecular biologist William Astbury. Speaking with Emily Briffett, Kersten details how, despite missing this major opportunity, Astbury forged a new discipline, made pioneering steps in the field of X-ray crystallography – and also wore a coat made of peanuts.
(Ad) Kersten Hall is the author of The Man in the Monkeynut Coat: William Astbury and How Wool Wove a Forgotten Road to the Double-Helix (Oxford University Press, 2014). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-man-in-the-monkeynut-coat%2Fkersten-t-hall%2F9780198704591
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Marriage, Middlemarch & male pseudonyms: George Eliot’s unconventional life
George Eliot is hailed as one of the greatest novelists of the 19th century. And in many ways the writer’s life was just as fascinating as her work. She repeatedly challenged the restrictive norms of Victorian society by eloping with a married man, writing fiction under a male pseudonym and marrying someone 20 years younger than her. Professor Clare Carlisle tells Ellie Cawthorne about the author’s unconventional experience of marriage and her fascination with philosophy, and how these may have influenced her books.
(Ad) Clare Carlisle is the author of The Marriage Question: George Eliot's Double Life (Penguin, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-marriage-question%2Fclare-carlisle%2F9780241447178
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George VI’s Nazi dilemma
As the Second World War raged, King George VI faced not only a battle for the nation’s survival, but also for the royal family’s reputation. And that reputation came under threat from close quarters, when figures within the royal orbit, including the king’s own brother, were either linked with or sympathetic to Nazi Germany. Alexander Larman tells Ellie Cawthorne about the threat these connections posed to Britain’s royals, at a moment of national crisis.
(Ad) Alexander Larman is the author of The Windsors at War: The Nazi Threat to the Crown (Orion, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones:
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The Seven Years’ War: everything you wanted to know
The Indian subcontinent, North America, south-east Asia and continental Europe all saw vicious fighting in the 1750 and 1760s as part of a major conflict now known as the Seven Years’ War. But did it really last for seven years? What role did George Washington play in its outbreak? And can it be described as history’s first truly global conflict? In conversation with Spencer Mizen, Jeremy Black answers listener questions on the Seven Years’ War.
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Six Wives Trailer
The story of Henry VIII’s six wives is a tale of political crisis and personal tragedy, sacrifice and survival, sex and death, scandal, love and betrayal. But, after centuries of myth have built up around this story, has it clouded our view of the real women involved? In this brand new podcast series, we’ll be peeling back the layers of mythmaking to take another look at these fascinating women, who shaped the course of Henry’s reign – and the history of England.
To access all six episodes ad-free now, subscribe to HistoryExtra Plus, on Apple subscriptions.
https://link.chtbl.com/T82VCEDM
Episodes will be released weekly on this feed from 20 April.
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Patriarchy’s long roots
Throughout history, have societies always been dominated by men? And how have patriarchal values shaped lives across centuries and continents? Historian June Purvis and writer and broadcaster Angela Saini discuss Angela’s new book The Patriarchs: How Men Came to Rule, touching on examples from across world history.
(Ad) Angela Saini is the author of The Patriarchs: How Men Came to Rule (Fourth Estate, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Patriarchs-How-Men-Came-Rule/dp/000841811X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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Disciplining the “scum of the Earth”
How did the British army keep order among troops and officers during the Napoleonic wars of the early 19th century? And were the rank and file really as rough and ready as you might imagine? Speaking with David Musgrove, Dr Zack White details the most common crimes and punishments in the armies of the Duke of Wellington and his contemporaries, considering whether the effective imposition of discipline helped the British and their allies finally defeat Napoleon on the battlefield of Waterloo.
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Women & the crusades: patronage, propaganda & prayer
You might think that the crusades were a largely male enterprise. But while that may have been the case on the battlefield, it certainly wasn’t elsewhere. Speaking with Emily Briffett, medieval historian Helen Nicholson delves into the archives to uncover just how vital a role women played in crusading campaigns, in recruitment, support, patronage and prayer.
(Ad) Helen Nicholson is the author of Women and the Crusades (Oxford University Press, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones:
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Science & religion: a story of war or harmony?
Although 19th-century thinkers promoted the narrative that Christianity and science have always been at each other’s throats, in reality, argues Nicholas Spencer, the two have existed for centuries in a state of relative harmony – with some notable spikes in tension. Rhiannon Davies speaks to Nicholas to explore this intertwined relationship.
(Ad) Nicholas Spencer is the author of Magisteria: The Entangled Histories of Science & Religion (Oneworld, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fmagisteria%2Fnicholas-spencer%2F9780861544615
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The North: from Bede to Lowry
From the glories of early medieval Northumbria to the urban powerhouses of the industrial revolution, northern England has long had an identity of its own. In his book Northerners, Brian Groom traces the story of the North from the Ice Age to the present day. He tells Ellie Cawthorne about some of the key moments in the history of the region – and how the North-South divide goes back further than you might think.
(Ad) Brian Groom is the author of Northerners: A History, from the Ice Age to the Present Day (HarperCollins, 2022). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fnortherners%2Fbrian-groom%2F9780008471200
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Paganism: everything you wanted to know
What did ancient pagans actually believe? Why were they fascinated by the divinity of nature? And why did paganism capture the imagination of the Romantics? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Professor Ronald Hutton answers your questions on the complex history of paganism, from difficulties of definition to recent revivals and popular misconceptions.
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Eat for victory: WW2’s “British Restaurants”
Canteen dining conjures up visions of plastic trays, hard benches and bowls of beige slop. But as the hardships of the Second World War began to bite, punters flocked to an idealistic establishment called the “British Restaurant” for good food, good prices and good company. Bryce Evans tells Ellie Cawthorne about these healthy, economical establishments, and explores what lessons they could hold for us today.
Read a feature by Bryce Evans on British Restaurants here: https://www.historyextra.com/period/second-world-war/british-restaurants-ww2-rationing-canteens/
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Madame Restell: the abortionist who shocked and fascinated 19th-century New York
In the 19th century, one businesswoman shocked, horrified and fascinated New York society more than any other. Madame Restell was a celebrity and self-made millionaire known for her diamonds and love of oyster breakfasts. How did she make this fortune? By selling birth control pills and abortions from her Fifth Avenue Brownstone boarding house. Jennifer Wright tells Ellie Cawthorne about what Restell’s story can reveal about attitudes towards abortion, motherhood and the role of women in American society at the time.
(Ad) Jennifer Wright is the author of Madame Restell: The Life, Death, and Resurrection of Old New York’s Most Fabulous, Fearless, and Infamous Abortionist (Hachette, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FMadame-Restell-Resurrection-Fabulous-Abortionist%2Fdp%2F0306826798
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Medieval manuscripts: an enduring obsession
For centuries, people have been dazzled by the illuminated manuscripts of the Middle Ages. But how much do we know about the countless makers, collectors and connoisseurs who took care of them behind the scenes? Speaking with Emily Briffett, Christopher de Hamel introduces some of these extraordinary people – from a Norman monk and a Florentine bookseller to a rabbi from central Europe, a Greek forger and an American woman with a spectacular library.
(Ad) Christopher de Hamel is the author The Posthumous Papers of the Manuscripts Club (Penguin, 2022). Buy it now from Waterstones:
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Njinga: queen, warrior, diplomat
Queen Njinga, the 17th-century ruler of Ndongo and Matamba, in modern-day Angola, established an impressive reputation for her skills as a warrior and diplomat. At a time when Portuguese colonists were ramping up operations in the region, Njinga had to fight tooth and nail for survival, and make difficult decisions to protect her people. Luke Pepera tells Kev Lochun more about this formidable leader, whose story has been brought to life in a new Netflix docu-drama, African Queens.
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Sirens, succubi & sex symbols: a history of female monsters
From the dangers of childbirth to female sexuality, myths and legends about female monsters like mermaids and sirens can tell us a lot about different societies’ attitudes towards women over time. Speaking with Rachel Dinning, Sarah Clegg, author of the new book Woman’s Lore, examines the portrayal of women as seductive, child-killing monsters through history – from Lamashtu and Gello, to Lamia and Lilith.
(Ad) Sarah Clegg is the author of Woman's Lore: 4,000 Years of Sirens, Serpents and Succubi (Apollo, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Womans-Lore-Sirens-Serpents-Succubi/dp/1803280271/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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Britain’s WW2 home front: everything you wanted to know
As the Second World War raged across the world, what was life like for those back home in Britain? How did families make it through the terror of bombing raids? How many people took part in black market dealings? And what was it like to open up your home to an evacuated child? In our latest “Everything you wanted to know” episode, Professor Dan Todman speaks to Lauren Good to answer listener questions about Britain’s home front during the Second World War.
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Treasure, heritage & returning artefacts
Headlines have been made recently by proposed changes to the Treasure Act in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The changes would see more historical and archaeological artefacts defined as “treasure”, and could help museums acquire historically significant items. Speaking to Matt Elton, Lord Parkinson, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Arts and Heritage in the UK, discusses the thinking behind these proposals, and some of the other issues facing heritage in the UK.
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Satire & scandal: the printmakers who mocked Georgian society
Women blown up like balloons about to burst; leaders carving up the globe like a plum pudding; a drunken, bloated prince sprawled surrounded by unpaid invoices – the art of satirists like James Gillray, Thomas Rowlandson and Isaac Cruikshank gives us an unfiltered look at the preposterous highs and grisly lows of Georgian society. Alice Loxton tells Ellie Cawthorne how these artists pricked the pomposity of politicians, mocked the outlandish fashions of the aristocracy and gave the people of London a good laugh while doing so.
(Ad) Alice Loxton is the author of Uproar: Satire, Scandal and Printmakers in Georgian London (Icon Books, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones:
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Elizabethan witchcraft: a trial that divided a community
In the 1580s, the remote Essex village of St Osyth was beset by poverty and social tensions – and when a servant accused her neighbour of witchcraft, it sparked a crisis that engulfed the entire community. Speaking with Charlotte Hodgman, Marion Gibson explores what this late 16th-century witchcraft trial can tell us about life in early modern England.
(Ad) Marion Gibson is the author of The Witches of St Osyth: Persecution, Betrayal and Murder in Elizabethan England (Cambridge University Press, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon:
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The Iraq War, 20 years on
In March 2003, a coalition of troops from nations including the United States and the United Kingdom mounted an invasion of the Republic of Iraq, with the stated aim of removing weapons of mass destruction apparently held by the nation. Twenty years on, BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera tells Matt Elton about his new BBC Radio 4 series considering the causes and consequences of the Iraq War – and discusses whether now is the right time to view the conflict as history.
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Volcanoes & nuclear armageddon: humanity’s long relationship with nature
For thousands of years, humans have been in thrall to climate – it has dictated the crops we grow, the water we drink and even the diseases to which we might succumb. Rhiannon Davies speaks to Peter Frankopan about his new book that examines this crucial relationship, The Earth Transformed, to explore whether lessons from the past might help us navigate a potentially frightening future.
(Ad) Peter Frankopan is the author of The Earth Transformed: An Untold History (Bloomsbury, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon:
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Meeting the Mughals: England’s disastrous first embassy to India
In 1616, when the first English embassy was installed in Mughal India, England was a minor player on the global stage rather than a leading actor. Nandini Das explores what the challenges of this embassy can tell us about England’s unequal relationship with India at the time – and reveals how the future dominance of the British empire was far from a foregone conclusion.
(Ad) Nandini Das is the author of Courting India: England, Mughal India and the Origins of Empire (Bloomsbury, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fcourting-india%2Fnandini-das%2F9781526615640
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Medieval women: everything you wanted to know
What chores did medieval women have to get through each day? How could plucking your eyebrows in the Middle Ages land you in hell? And why did people believe that older women’s looks could kill? In our latest “Everything you wanted to know” episode, medievalist Dr Eleanor Janega answers listener questions about the lives and livelihoods of women in the Middle Ages. Speaking to Emily Briffett, she touches on everything from the trials of childbirth to the best places for women to party in the medieval period.
(Ad) Eleanor Janega is the author of The Once and Future Sex: Going Medieval on Women’s Roles in Society (WW Norton & Co, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon:
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History’s greatest cities: Prague Trailer
We’ve just launched a brand-new podcast series, History’s greatest cities, offering the chance to roam the streets and sights of some of Europe’s most fascinating metropolises. Join travel writer Paul Bloomfield and a host of expert historians as they chart the history of vibrant cities, sharing some top travel tips along the way. Here’s a taste of what you can expect, as Dr Eleanor Janega delves into the story of the City of a Hundred Spires – Prague. To listen to the full episode, and subscribe to the series as a whole, search for “History’s greatest cities” wherever you get your podcasts.
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Adventure, betrayal & beetles: the quest for the source of the Nile
In the mid 19th century, a team of explorers set off in search of an elusive goal – the source of the River Nile. Set against a backdrop of imperial expansion into Africa, the expedition was led by Richard Francis Burton and John Hanning Speke – two men who should have been great partners, but became bitter rivals. Candice Millard tells Ellie Cawthorne about Burton and Speke’s gruelling, dangerous journey, and the guide who made it possible – Sidi Mubarak Bombay.
(Ad) Candice Millard is the author of River of the Gods: Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile (Swift Press, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/River-Gods-Genius-Courage-Betrayal-ebook/dp/B0B6MXG1CZ/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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The Tudor who hiked North America
The name David Ingram isn’t well known, but his story is extraordinary. This Tudor explorer embarked on a remarkable 3,600-mile trek across North America in the 1560s, encountering sights and sounds that no other English people had ever experienced before. Speaking with Spencer Mizen, Dean Snow explores how Ingram’s incredible journey across North America in the early years of Elizabeth I’s reign changed the course of the continent’s history.
(Ad) Dean Snow is the author of The Extraordinary Journey of David Ingram: An Elizabethan Sailor in Native North America (Oxford University Press, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-extraordinary-journey-of-david-ingram%2Fdean-snow%2F9780197648001
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Dick Whittington: from medieval merchant to panto hero
If you grew up watching pantomimes, then you’ll likely be familiar with the story of Richard “Dick” Whittington – the poor country boy who ends up becoming three-times Lord Mayor of London. But did you know that Whittington was a real person? Michael McCarthy tells Jon Bauckham about the wealthy merchant who inspired the tale, and explains why – on the 600th anniversary of his death – he deserves to be remembered today.
(Ad) Michael McCarthy is the author of Citizen of London: Richard Whittington – The Boy Who Would Be Mayor (Hurst, 2022). Buy it now from Waterstones:
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Pirate flags & wedding gowns: a patchwork of a Victorian life
In 2016, fashion historian Kate Strasdin was given an extraordinary object – an album of richly coloured and brightly patterned fabric scraps, all collected by one woman across the Victorian age. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Kate reveals what Anne Sykes’ dress diary can tell us about style, culture and the experiences of ordinary women in the era – and how it led her to poisonous stockings and pirates in Borneo.
(Ad) Kate Strasdin is the author of The Dress Diary of Mrs Anne Sykes: Secrets from a Victorian Woman’s Wardrobe (Chatto & Windus, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon:
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Oscar Wilde on trial
At a time when male homosexuality was illegal in Britain, celebrated playwright Oscar Wilde became embroiled in a scandal that ultimately saw him put on trial for “gross indecency”. As Professor Joseph Bristow tells Lauren Good, it’s a story of danger and betrayal, which not only tells us about the writer’s life, but also about the prejudices of society at the time.
(Ad) Joseph Bristow is the author of Oscar Wilde on Trial: The Criminal Proceedings, from Arrest to Imprisonment (Yale University Press, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones:
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Medieval peasants: everything you wanted to know
What was it like to be a peasant in the Middle Ages? Did they live well, with access to sufficient food, water and shelter, or were their lives characterised by poverty, pain and hard labour? Did they wash regularly, what did they do for fun, and could they better themselves in society? Speaking to David Musgrove, Professor Christopher Dyer answers listener questions about medieval peasants, from diets and dentistry to leisure and life expectancy.
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History's greatest cities | Berlin
This week we are featuring episode one from our brand new series, History's greatest cities. If you enjoy this episode and want to listen to the rest of the series make sure you follow the feed where ever you get your podcasts. Search 'History's greatest cities' or click the link below.
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/historys-greatest-cities/id1660929072
In this series exploring the sights and stories of Europe’s most historic cities, Rory MacLean traces the German capital from medieval origins to the modern day
In episode one of this new series exploring the sights and stories of Europe’s most beautiful, intriguing and historic cities, travel journalist Paul Bloomfield is joined by historian and author Rory MacLean for a trip around Berlin. They delve into the city’s origins as a medieval settlement before fast-forwarding through the centuries, exploring theatres, churches and nightclubs, and tracing the infamous wall that divided the city for nearly 30 years. Plus, Rory offers up some top advice for history-loving globetrotters.
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The book that transformed medieval England
It was an enterprise that helped transform a marginalised language into a global powerhouse. Lydia Zeldenrust tells Spencer Mizen how, some 550 years ago, a middle-aged merchant called William Caxton did something that would change the course of literary history: he produced the first book ever printed in the English language. She also explores the challenges Caxton faced – from defying the hegemony of Latin and French to deciding which of England’s many regional dialects to plump for – in order to go where no printer had gone before.
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Why the Middle Ages matter
The Middle Ages have often been shrouded in myth and mystery, but was it actually as unchanging, uncivilised and muddy as we might think? Historian and author Ian Mortimer challenges these popular perceptions, arguing how the period has often been overlooked in favour of later centuries. Speaking to Emily Briffett, Ian highlights how the medieval period was an age of transformation, from society’s understanding of power to their views on war and exploration.
(Ad) Ian Mortimer is the author of Medieval Horizons: Why the Middle Ages Matter (Vintage Publishing, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones:
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The cult of Freud: science, sex & psychoanalysis
From the Oedipus complex to the Freudian slip, the theories of Sigmund Freud are still familiar to us today. But how much do we know about his life? Seamus O’Mahony tells the story of the founder of psychoanalysis, and unravels how it was intertwined with those of two other doctors, Ernest Jones and Wilfred Trotter. In conversation with Rachel Dinning, he reveals the impact the three made on science and medicine against the intellectual and bohemian backdrop of early 20th-century London.
(Ad) Seamus O’Mahony is the author of The Guru, the Bagman and the Sceptic: A story of science, sex and psychoanalysis (Apollo, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon:
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Breastfeeding: a cultural history
Breastfeeding may seem like an innate human experience that transcends history. But, according to art and cultural historian Joanna Wolfarth, experiences of feeding babies have always been embedded in social and cultural customs. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne about her new book Milk, Joanna examines how attitudes to breastfeeding have changed over time, touching on ancient baby bottles, the moral dangers of wetnursing, and why the Virgin Mary was sometimes depicted with a breast on her shoulder.
(Ad) Joanna Wolfarth is the author of Milk: An Intimate History of Breastfeeding (Orion Publishing Co, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones:
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Heliogabalus: Rome’s scandalous emperor
The story of the Roman emperor Heliogabalus is filled with sex, death, decadence and religious extremism, but it also touches on some key questions about imperial Rome. What were the limits of political power? How far should a ruler intervene in the life of his subjects? And what was a Roman emperor actually expected to do? Harry Sidebottom talks to Rachel Dinning about the emperor’s short but extraordinary reign.
(Ad) Harry Sidebottom is the author of The Mad Emperor: Heliogabalus and the Decadence of Rome (Oneworld Publications, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mad-Emperor-Heliogabalus-Decadence-Rome/dp/0861542533/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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Interwar Britain: everything you wanted to know
How ‘roaring’ were the roaring twenties for ordinary britons? Did views of the British empire change after the first world war?And what caused the economic woes of the 1930s? Speaking to Elinor Evans, Matt Houlbrook answers your top questions about British life in the period that lay between the two devastating world wars of the early 20th century.
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Which LGBTQ+ histories get told – and which get overlooked?
Uncovering and telling the stories of LGBTQ+ people in history can be rewarding, important work, but it’s also often challenging and complex. How far is it possible to understand the sexualities of people in the past from our 21st-century vantage point? And which stories do we forget about? To mark LGBT+ History Month in the UK, Matt Elton hosts a panel of experts – Florence Scott, Fleur MacInnes, Tim Wingard, Channing Joseph and Anthony Delaney – to discuss issues of representation in the past.
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From the Middle Ages to #MeToo: Chaucer’s Wife of Bath
The Wife of Bath is a stand-out figure in Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. The only ordinary woman in the procession of pilgrims heading to Thomas Becket’s shrine, Alison is a sexually active, outspoken and funny working woman whose voice leaps from the page. Speaking with Emily Briffett, Marion Turner explores the Wife of Bath’s tale, revealing what it can tell us about the reality of women’s lives in the fourteenth century, and how its themes still resonate today.
(Ad) Marion Turner is the author of The Wife of Bath: A Biography (Princeton University Press, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones:
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Astonishing Æthelstan: Michael Wood on the 10th-century king
Anglo-Saxon king Æthelstan was the first West Saxon leader to effectively rule over all of England. And with Alfred the Great as a grandfather, he had quite the family legacy to live up to. Speaking with Rachel Dinning, historian and broadcaster Michael Wood gives us the lowdown on the 10th-century ruler.
Watch a video version of this interview, along with other video content, at historyextra.com/video
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Cleopatra’s triumphant daughter
When Cleopatra took her own life in 30 BC it marked the conclusion of Egypt’s ruling dynasty, but not the end of her family line. Classicist Jane Draycott tells the little-known story of Cleopatra Selene, daughter of Cleopatra and Mark Antony, who overcame her parents’ tragic deaths to become a powerful ruler in her own right. Speaking to Rob Attar, Jane explains how Cleopatra Selene trod a fine line between appeasing Rome and honouring her mother’s legacy.
(Ad) Jane Draycott is the author of Cleopatra's Daughter: Egyptian Princess, Roman Prisoner, African Queen (Bloomsbury, 2022). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fcleopatras-daughter%2Fjane-draycott%2F9781800244801
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Marie Antoinette in her own words
Marie Antoinette is a historical figure who has been much mythologised – as callous, superficial, extravagant and out of touch with reality. But if we go back to the original sources and examine her own letters, what kind of woman emerges? Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Catriona Seth reveals what the Queen of France’s correspondence can tell us about her life and character – from her early years as a teenaged royal bride, to her eventual downfall in the French Revolution.
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The Romantics: everything you wanted to know
Who were the Romantics? And how did they shake up society and culture at the turn of the 19th century? Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Daisy Hay answers your top questions on the rebellious literary movement whose members’ lives were as unconventional as their art, touching on the intense but difficult collaboration between Wordsworth and Coleridge, the outrageous reputation of Lord Byron, and the literary significance of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
(Ad) Daisy Hay is the author of Young Romantics: The Shelleys, Byron and Other Tangled Lives (Bloomsbury, 2011). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Young-Romantics-Shelleys-Byron-Tangled/dp/1408809729/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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Fearless female voices of the Spanish Civil War
In the summer of 1936, Spain descended into a brutal civil war between its democratically elected government and a nationalist insurgency led by General Francisco Franco. Sarah Watling tells Jon Bauckham about the fearless female writers and activists who joined the fight against Franco and sought to alert the world to Spain’s plight – from famed journalist Martha Gellhorn to nursing pioneer Salaria Kea.
(Ad) Sarah Watling is the author of Tomorrow Perhaps the Future: Following Writers and Rebels in the Spanish Civil War (Vintage, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tomorrow-Perhaps-Future-Following-Writers/dp/1787332403/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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Why did the Ottoman empire implode?
Defeat in the First World War dealt the Ottoman empire a terrible blow, but it wasn’t terminal. Ryan Gingeras tells Spencer Mizen that it was what happened next – between 1918 and 1922 – that condemned the empire to its fate.
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Was Shakespeare a snob?
Shakespeare’s plays are peppered with characters from across the social spectrum, from kings and nobility down to servants, soldiers and shepherds. Speaking to Rhiannon Davies, theatre director and author Stephen Unwin explores the bard’s portrayal of working people, and investigates how far his characters reflected the reality of living and working in Elizabethan England.
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Tudors in revolt: the Western Rising of 1549
The Western Rising of 1549 was the most catastrophic event to occur in Devon and Cornwall between the Black Death and the Civil War. What started as an argument between two men and their local vicar grew into a determined attempt by ordinary English people to halt the Reformation. Speaking with Emily Briffett, Mark Stoyle reveals how thousands of 16th-century men and women rebelled to defend their faith.
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Female spies who forged the CIA
Many of the agents who played a crucial role in establishing the organisation now known as the Central Intelligence Agency – or CIA – were women. And yet, in the early days of the agency in post-WW2 America, they had to fight hard for career progression, status and recognition. Speaking with Elinor Evans, Nathalia Holt shares the lives of four women who undertook life-threatening missions and harnessed crucial intelligence in the early days of the agency.
(Ad) Nathalia Holt is the author of Wise Gals: The Spies Who Built the CIA and Changed the Future of Espionage (Icon Books, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon:
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Prehistoric cave art: everything you want to know
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A secret Nazi plot to kill the ‘Big Three’
What would have happened if Josef Stalin, Winston Churchill and Franklin D Roosevelt had all been assassinated at the height of World War Two? Speaking with Elinor Evans, Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch discuss the complex tale of a little-known Nazi plot to kill the ‘Big Three’ during the 1943 summit in Tehran – regarded by some as a close call that could have changed world history, and others as a murky Soviet scam to garner secret intelligence.
(Ad) Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch are the authors of The Nazi Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill (Flatiron Books, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon:
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Wild places & wild people: a short history of common land
Common land – land which wasn’t settled or farmed – used to exist right across Britain, and provided a vital shared resource for local communities. However, it was also seen by some as a wild place for wild people, and over the centuries, was gradually ‘improved’ or enclosed. Speaking with David Musgrove, Professor Angus Winchester highlights common land’s rich and complex history, arguing that it provided a key resource for fuel, building materials, foraging and hunting, as well as being a place where communities gathered, games were played, fairs were held, and political dissent occurred.
(Ad) Angus Winchester is the author of Common Land in Britain: A History from the Middle Ages to the Present Day (Boydell & Brewer, 2022). Buy it now from Waterstones:
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The forgotten years that forged Wales
In Welsh history, the period that lies between the medieval era of resistance to English occupation, and the rapid industrialisation of the 18th and 19th centuries, is often forgotten. Yet, there was much more going on in Wales in the early modern period than might initially meet the eye. Speaking with Elinor Evans, Lloyd Bowen describes the ambiguities in Welsh identity and nationhood that arose in the decades following the Acts of Union in the early 16th century, including the impact of the Reformation on the Welsh language, and Wales’s changing relationship with the monarchy.
(Ad) Lloyd Bowen is the author of Early Modern Wales c.1536–c.1689: Ambiguous Nationhood (University of Wales Press, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon:
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How six women programmed the world’s first modern computer
During the Second World War, six talented mathematicians were brought together to make history. These women had one mission: to program the world’s first and only supercomputer. Speaking with Rachel Dinning, Kathy Kleiman explores the vital but overlooked role the “Eniac 6” played in the history of computing during and after the Second World War.
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Tattoos: a 5,000 year history
Throughout history, people have got tattooed for a huge range of reasons, whether religious devotion, artistic expression, or to demonstrate cultural belonging – or cultural difference. Dr Matt Lodder talks to Charlotte Hodgman about 5,000 years of tattooing history, exploring everything from the punishment tattoos of ancient China to the pilgrim tattoos adopted by Victorian aristocrats, including a future king.
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Railway history: everything you wanted to know
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Forgotten histories of the Holocaust
According to historian Dan Stone, popular understanding of the Holocaust, in all of its horror and complexity, is often incomplete or fractured. Speaking with Matt Elton, Dan explores some of the overlooked and misunderstood aspects of the Holocaust, from the scope of international collaboration to the ways its horrors reverberated for decades afterward.
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An audacious kidnapping in 1970s Paris
On 23 January 1978, Baron Édouard-Jean Empain was snatched from the streets of Paris, in an audacious kidnapping attempt. Before long, a ransom of 80 million francs was demanded. And to show they meant business, the kidnappers chopped off the baron’s little finger – with the disturbing warning that more body parts would follow. In conversation with Emily Briffett, Tom Sancton charts the two tangled months of the kidnapping case, which led to a bloody shootout and ultimately triggered the fall of an industrial giant, the Empain dynasty.
(Ad) Tom Sancton is the author of The Last Baron: The Paris Kidnapping That Brought Down an Empire (Dutton, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FLast-Baron-Kidnapping-Brought-Empire-ebook%2Fdp%2FB099MMKDPZ
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Blood, sweat & marble: examining ancient bodies
Imagine an ancient Greek or Roman body, and the first picture that pops into your head is probably made of marble or stone – perhaps an austere bust, or a gleaming, musclebound sculpture, polished, cold and pale. But what about the experience of living in a real body, in all its pleasure, pain and flaws, during antiquity? Speaking with Elinor Evans, Caroline Vout presents the flesh and blood realities of life – and death – in ancient Greece and Rome.
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A journey along the Iron Curtain
In 1946, Churchill declared that “from Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an Iron Curtain has descended across the Continent”. But what exactly did this rhetorical border look like during the Cold War, and what’s happening along it today? Timothy Phillips tells David Musgrove about his experiences travelling the length of the border between east and west, exploring the borderlands where a clash of ideologies was at its most intense.
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Fleeing revolution: Russians exiles in Paris
In 1917, the Russian Revolution saw scores of Russian aristocrats and artists flee to Paris to escape Bolshevik brutality. Speaking to Matt Elton, Helen Rappaport highlights some of their stories, exploring the dramatic shift in circumstances that many endured, and revealing what the city’s inhabitants made of the new arrivals.
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The history of atheism: everything you wanted to know
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How FDR transformed the US presidency
When Franklin Delano Roosevelt assumed the presidency of the United States in 1933, he became the head of a nation facing immense hardship and disenchantment amid the Great Depression. No president, except Abraham Lincoln, had come to office in more challenging circumstances, says Iwan Morgan. Speaking to Elinor Evans, he discusses his new biography of FDR, and how he transformed the role of president between the Great Depression and the Second World War.
(Ad) Iwan Morgan is the author of FDR: Transforming the Presidency and Renewing America (Bloomsbury, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/FDR-Transforming-Presidency-Renewing-America/dp/075563716X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2QB83NOYQD92C&keywords=iwan+morgan+FDR&qid=1662116942&sprefix=iwan+morgan+fdr%2Caps%2C98&sr=8-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histipad
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Indigenous American travellers in Europe
When we think about the first encounters between Europe and the Americas, we’ve traditionally imagined a one-sided story of “Old world” Europeans voyaging to the “New World” of the Americas. But what about the reverse? Caroline Dodds Pennock discusses her book On Savage Shores, which explores the stories of indigenous Americans who journeyed to Europe following Columbus’s 1492 voyage. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, she explores the varied experiences of indigenous Americans in Europe – from enslavement and abuse to diplomacy and family ties.
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The PoWs who survived Nagasaki
The Japanese city of Nagasaki is probably best known for being the target of the world’s second-ever nuclear attack in August 1945. Yet the city was also home to hundreds of Allied prisoners of war, forcibly put to work to support the Japanese war economy. In conversation with Spencer Mizen, John Willis shares the incredible – and largely forgotten – story of the PoWs who had survived the brutal camps of the far east, were transported to the Japanese mainland on so-called hell-ships and were later witnesses to a bomb that would help bring the Second World War to a conclusion.
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Parachuting monkeys & volcanic eruptions: an extraordinary Victorian zoo
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Curious cures for medieval maladies
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Jane Austen’s England: everything you wanted to know
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Veggie Victorians
In the 19th century, Britain imagined itself as a bastion of beef-eating carnivores. But at a time when meat consumption was taken as a signifier of personal heartiness and national prosperity, a rebel alliance formed – a ragtag group of religious devotees, health enthusiasts, temperance campaigners, animal rights activists, political reformers and eccentrics. They were all united by one cause: vegetarianism. Dr James Gregory tells Ellie Cawthorne about how going meat-free became an organised movement in Victorian Britain.
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An environmental history of big business
As part of our series of conversations with winners of the 2022 Dan David Prize, Dr Bart Elmore discusses his research into the environmental impacts of global capitalism through history with Helen Carr, from Coca-Cola and plastic use, to pesticides.
The Dan David Prize is the world's largest history prize, which recognizes outstanding historical scholarship. Find out more at dandavidprize.org.
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Tools, temples & tower blocks: how wood has shaped human history
For millennia, humans have cut down trees to create buildings, ships, tools, weapons and everyday objects we still use around the home. Author and archaeologist Max Adams tells Jon Bauckham what studying this most resilient of materials can teach us about the history of our species.
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Weaponising food in the Third Reich
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“A serial killer of civilisations”: a history of climate change
From the Justinian plague to the fall of the Maya, climate change has been connected to many of history’s great catastrophes. Environmental journalist Eugene Linden speaks to Rhiannon Davies about the longer history of our relationship with the environment, and how the situation has snowballed since 1979.
(Ad) Eugene Linden is the author of Fire and Flood: A People's History of Climate Change, from 1979 to the Present (Penguin, 2022). Buy it now from Waterstones:
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Life under Cromwell: everything you wanted to know
The 11 years between the execution of King Charles I in 1649 and the restoration of his son, Charles II, in 1660 are among the most turbulent in all of British history – and it was a period dominated by one man: Oliver Cromwell. But was it always Cromwell’s intention to execute Charles I? Why did he decide to readmit Jewish people to England? And did he really ban Christmas? Professor Ronald Hutton responds to your top questions on the rise and rule of the contentious Lord Protector.
(Ad) Ronald Hutton is the author of The Making of Oliver Cromwell (Yale, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Making-Oliver-Cromwell-Ronald-Hutton/dp/0300257457/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-Jan23iPad
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Oddball art: cannibals, hellscapes & flying monks
From kaleidoscopic hellscapes to portraits of cannibals and flying monks, Edward Brooke-Hitching introduces some of the strangest creations in art history. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, he takes us on a tour around this ‘madman’s gallery’ of scandalous and eccentric works, including a painting created with pigment made from mummified remains, artworks inspired by contacting the dead, and family portraits created by an algorithm.
(Ad) Edward Brooke-Hitching is the author of The Madman's Gallery: The Strangest Paintings, Sculptures and Other Curiosities From the History of Art (Simon & Schuster, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon:
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The floating hell of prison hulks
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Refusing to fight in WW2
During the Second World War, around 60,000 people in Britain registered as conscientious objectors, seeking an exemption from military service on the grounds of their religious conviction, political stance or moral conscience. Speaking with Ellie Cawthorne, Professor Tobias Kelly shares the stories of five such people and discusses the challenges they faced.
(Ad) Tobias Kelly is the author of Battles of Conscience: British Pacifists and the Second World War (Chatto & Windus, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon:
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Power dressing: the hidden value of clothes in 19th-century America
Legal historian Laura F Edwards discusses her new book on clothing and textiles in 19th-century America, Only the Clothes on Her Back. Speaking to Elinor Evans, she reveals the meaning and care that went into garments, and how clothes and textiles could lend subversive power to marginalised people.
(Ad) Laura F Edwards is the author of Only the Clothes on Her Back: Clothing and the Hidden History of Power in the Nineteenth-Century United States (Oxford University Press, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon:
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Sabotage, cyberwar & assassination: a history of covert action
Ever since the Greeks supposedly hid inside a wooden horse to sneak into Troy, states have meddled in other nations’ affairs, turning to the dark arts of sabotage, propaganda and state-sanctioned killing to carry out their secret plans. Speaking to Rhiannon Davies, Rory Cormac delves into the murky history of covert action.
(Ad) Rory Cormac is the author of How To Stage A Coup: And Ten Other Lessons from the World of Secret Statecraft (Atlantic, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon:
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Conspiracy: the lost civilisation of Atlantis
In the final episode of our series on history’s most well-known conspiracy theories, we investigate the idea that a highly advanced civilisation existed many thousands of years ago, before being wiped out by a calamitous event. Rob Attar speaks to archaeologist Flint Dibble about the ancient Greek origins of the Atlantis legend and how it has been reimagined in more recent times, including in the Netflix series Ancient Apocalypse.
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Conspiracy: was the moon landing faked?
In the fifth episode of our new series on history’s most well-known conspiracy theories, we revisit a defining moment of the 20th century that many people believe never happened at all. Rob Attar is joined by space flight historian Francis French to examine why people doubt NASA’s greatest triumph and how this conspiracy theory ties in to the paranoia of the Cold War era.
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Conspiracy: Who wrote Shakespeare?
In episode four of our new series on history’s most well-known conspiracy theories, we ask why many people don’t believe that William Shakespeare was the real author of the plays attributed to him. In conversation with Rob Attar, Shakespeare expert Dr Paul Edmondson discusses the alternative candidates that have been put forward and considers whether this is a legitimate debate to be having.
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Conspiracy: did Anastasia escape her family’s murder?
In the third episode of our new series on some of history’s most well-known conspiracy theories, we examine the suggestion that one of Tsar Nicholas II’s daughters – Anastasia – survived the family’s murder by the Bolsheviks in 1918. Speaking with Rob Attar, historian Helen Rappaort explains why people believe that Anastasia escaped and what recent scientific and archaeological research has revealed about this tragic episode.
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Conspiracy: did aliens build the pyramids?
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Conspiracy: Hitler’s escape to South America
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Alexander the Great’s extraordinary childhood
Alexander the Great didn’t become a brilliant warrior and empire-builder overnight. His talents were the product of an upbringing that encompassed political assassinations, a dysfunctional relationship with his father and the best martial training that money could buy. Historian Alex Rowson tells Spencer Mizen how Alexander the Great was shaped by the plotting and bloodletting that marred his youth.
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The Cuban Missile Crisis: the road to resolution
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Dandies, fops & macaronis: fashionable men through history
Dominic Janes discusses his new history of British dandies, which explores how such ‘dressy men’ – from fops and macaronis, to aesthetes – provoked both fascination and horror in their societies. Speaking with Elinor Evans, Dominic also considers the changing perceptions of famed aesthete Oscar Wilde.
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Brits abroad: a history
Lucy Lethbridge discusses her new book on the emergence and boom of mass British tourism. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, she touches on early package holidays led by the fatherly Thomas Cook, the vomit-inducing travails of long-distance stagecoach journeys, the romance of camping and the hedonistic pleasures of 19th-century health spas.
(Ad) Lucy Lethbridge is the author of Tourists: How the British Went Abroad to Find Themselves (Bloomsbury, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tourists-Lethbridge-Lucy/dp/1408856220/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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Mongols vs Mamluks
The Mongols were an unstoppable force through the 12th and 13th centuries, with an empire that stretched across huge swathes of land, from China to Europe. But its territory also included much of the Near East, where one aggressive power – the Mamluks – finally put a halt to their never-ending progress. Nicholas Morton explores the clash of these two major empires with David Musgrove.
(Ad) Nicholas Morton is the author of The Mongol Storm: Making and Breaking Empires in the Medieval Near East (Basic Books, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon:
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The history of alcohol: everything you wanted to know
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How ballroom dancing gripped Britain
From the Turkey trot to the scandalously intimate moves of the Parisian tango, the 20th century saw Britain gripped by dance craze after dance craze. Performed in public halls up and down the country, ballroom took the nation by storm as people from all walks of life sashayed to the dancefloor with their partners. Hilary French tells Emily Briffett about ballroom’s dramatic surge in popularity, its decline in the 1960s and its recent resurgence with Strictly Come Dancing.
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The Cuban Missile Crisis: Dangerous days
In the third episode of our series on the Cuban Missile Crisis, we chart the first phase of the Cold War standoff. Elinor Evans speaks to expert historians Alex von Tunzelmann, Mark White and William Taubman to uncover how top-secret meetings descended into chaos, the American public was plunged into panic and a US naval ‘quarantine’ threatened to push the Soviets to the brink.
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The hell of the Pacific War
The Pacific campaign featured some of the most brutal battles of the Second World War – Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima and Okinawa among them. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Saul David explores the pitiless struggle to wrest back control of the Pacific from the highly motivated soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army, via eyewitness accounts of the men of K Company, from the third battalion of the US fifth Marines, who were thrust into one of the cruellest arenas of the conflict.
(Ad) Saul David is the author of Devil Dogs: First in, Last out – King Company from Guadalcanal to the Shores of Japan (HarperCollins, 2022). Buy it now from Waterstones:
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Inside Germany’s postwar prisons
In the wake of the Second World War, Germany was a country on the brink of collapse. Despite the war’s end, the years to follow were turbulent, as Germans lived through the division of East and West, all while reckoning with their recent past. In her new book Shadowland: The Story of Germany Told by Its Prisoners, Sarah Colvin shares stories of the prisoners incarcerated in West and East Germany in the years between the Second War and reunification, revealing their different treatment on either side of the Iron Curtain.
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Pilgrimage, past and present
Peter Stanford reflects on the meaning of pilgrimage across world history, considering whether we share anything in common with pilgrims of the past. Speaking with Emily Briffett, he traces different pilgrim routes and shrines across the globe to understand what drove people to undertake long, and often dangerous, holy journeys.
(Ad) Peter Stanford is the author of Pilgrimage: Journeys of Meaning (Thames & Hudson Ltd, 2021). Buy it now from Waterstones:
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British spies in WW2: everything you wanted to know
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Black Victorians: radicals, muses, inmates & aristocrats
From political agitators and artist’s muses to composers, sailors, asylum inmates and the goddaughter of the queen herself, black people led a variety of fascinating lives in Victorian Britain. Dr John Woolf shares some of their stories – both ordinary and extraordinary – with Ellie Cawthorne.
(Ad) John Woolf and Keshia N Abraham are the co-authors of Black Victorians: Hidden in History (Duckworth Books, 2022). Buy it now from Waterstones:
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The Cuban Missile Crisis: broken ties & a secret pact
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Football in the First World War
Why wasn’t football banned on the home front when men were fighting and dying in France and Belgium? Did war halt the march of commercialisation in the sport? And why did the number of red cards surge between 1914 and 1918? From goal gluts to illegal player payments, Alexander Jackson tells Spencer Mizen how the First World War changed the face of English football.
(Ad) Alexander Jackson is the author of Football’s Great War: Association Football on the English Home Front (Pen & Sword, 2022). Buy it now from Waterstones:
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The Irish across the globe
From the 19th century onwards, waves of Irish emigrants left their home nation to begin new lives across the globe. Sean Connolly, author of On Every Tide, tells Ellie Cawthorne about the experiences of these emigrants, and charts the changing nature of Irish communities in the United States, Australia, Britain and even Argentina.
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Warrior queens & quiet revolutionaries: forgotten women from history
Author Kate Mosse shares inspirational stories of women from across global history – including the forgotten life of her great grandmother Lily Watson
During lockdown, author Kate Mosse set out on her own detective story, investigating her family tree to unearth the forgotten life of a fellow novelist – her great grandmother Lily Watson. Drawing on her social media campaign, #womeninhistory, Kate soon uncovered many more lives that she felt were worth sharing, and has brought these unheard and little-known stories from women’s history together in her book Warrior Queens and Quiet Revolutionaries. She speaks to Emily Briffett about some of the many characters she encountered.
(Ad) Kate Mosse is the author of Warrior Queens & Quiet Revolutionaries: How Women (Also) Built the World (Pan Macmillan, 2022). Buy it now from Waterstones:
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Sixties counterculture: everything you wanted to know
Where did the term “hippie” originate? What music best reflected a generation’s disaffection with the establishment, and opposition to the Vietnam War? And how did the culture wars of the sixties shape attitudes to race, gender equality and sexual liberation? Speaking with Spencer Mizen, Alwyn Turner answers listener questions on 1960s counterculture.
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Conspiracy Trailer
Did Adolf Hitler really die in 1945? Did Ancient Egyptians really build the pyramids? And did Shakespeare really write the plays that bear his name? In our new upcoming HistoryExtra podcast series, Conspiracy, Rob Attar investigates some of history’s most popular and persistent conspiracy theories in the company of expert historians who are battling to set the record straight. From the ancient civilisation of Atlantis to doubts about the moon landing of 1969, we explore the origins of these forms of pseudo-history and explain why they are so difficult to defeat.
Episodes will be released in this feed weekly.
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Books of the year 2022
From books delving into hidden histories to eye-opening global stories and epic World War Two blockbusters, 2022 has been an excellent year for history books. Rhiannon Davies is joined by historians Michael Wood, Rana Mitter and Catherine Nixey to discuss some of their top picks.
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The Cuban Missile Crisis: tensions mount
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Debtors’ prisons: Dickensian horrors or economic successes?
Debtors’ prisons were a major feature of Georgian society in England and Wales. But how did the idea of locking up debtors to make them pay their creditors actually work in reality? Dr Alexander Wakelam explains to David Musgrove why, and how, the system worked.
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Dark Age bullies & forgotten kingdoms: busting early medieval myths
The traditional story that’s told about Britain from the end of the Roman period through to the arrival of the Vikings is one of coalescing kingdoms, leading inexorably towards the rise of Wessex as the last man standing. However, the real story is much more complicated, as Thomas Williams tells David Musgrove in this new episode.
(Ad) Thomas Williams is the author of Lost Realms: Histories of Britain from the Romans to the Vikings (William Collins, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon:
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Enslavement, separation & survival: the story of "Ashley's sack"
In 1850s South Carolina, an enslaved woman named Rose packed a sack containing a few precious items for her nine-year-old daughter Ashley. Ashley §was then separated from her mother and sold, and it’s likely the two never saw each other again. This heart-wrenching story is embroidered on a tattered cotton sack now held in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. In this episode, Professor Tiya Miles discusses her Cundill prize-shortlisted book on “Ashley’s sack” and what it can reveal about women’s experiences during slavery.
(Ad) Tiya Miles is the author of All That She Carried: The History of a Black Family Keepsake, Lost & Found (Penguin Random House, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon:
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Surgical history: everything you wanted to know
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Cuban Missile Crisis TRAILER
On 16 October 1962, US President John F Kennedy was made aware of the presence of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba, just 90 miles away from the shores of the United States. The 13 October days that followed were some of the most dangerous in modern history, as the world stood on the brink of mutually assured nuclear destruction.
This HistoryExtra podcast series marks the 60th anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis, exploring the long roots of the nuclear standoff, and the perspectives of the nations and figures at its centre.
Episodes will be released in this feed weekly.
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American psychiatry: a tortured history
From the earliest asylums that sold themselves as restorative “retreats”, to the damaging vogue for lobotomies and electric shock therapy, psychiatry in America has gone through many iterations since its origins in the 18th century. Andrew Scull, author of Desperate Remedies, speaks to Rhiannon Davies about the discipline’s complex history.
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The Mary Rose | 6. protecting the wreck
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Spiritualism, fairies, and Arthur Conan-Doyle
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Desk killers: the psychology of committing crimes against humanity
Author Dan Gretton discusses his book I You We Them, which examines the psychology of individuals who organised and implemented some of the worst crimes against humanity, from the Holocaust to human rights violations in Nigeria. In conversation with Rachel Dinning, he introduces the concept of the ‘desk killer’ – a perpetrator who is responsible for murder without taking an active role in the killing.
(Ad) Dan Gretton is the author of I You We Them: Journeys Beyond Evil: The Desk Killer in History and Today (William Heinemann, 2019). Buy it now from Amazon:
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Mary, Queen of Scots: The Scottish years
Mary, Queen of Scots became queen when she was only six days old, but her reign had collapsed by the time she was 24. Speaking to Rhiannon Davies, Rosemary Goring explores the queen’s tumultuous Scottish years, examining her reign through her connections to various locations in Scotland, from grand palaces to dank battlefields.
(Ad) Rosemary Goring is the author of Homecoming: The Scottish Years of Mary, Queen of Scots (Birlinn, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Men-Without-Country-Exploration-Rebellion/dp/1761150707/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histipad
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World Cup history: everything you wanted to know
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Crassus: Rome’s richest man
Author Peter Stothard explores the eventful life of Marcus Licinius Crassus, an enormously wealthy politician and general, who rivalled Julius Caesar and Pompey the Great in late Republican Rome. In conversation with Rob Attar, Peter explores Crassus’s rise to wealth and influence, his key role in defeating the Spartacus Revolt, and the disastrous military campaign that ended in his humiliating death.
(Ad) Peter Stothard is the author of Crassus: The First Tycoon (Yale University Press, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon:
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The Mary Rose | 5. the mysterious men on-board
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Global stories of museum artefacts
As part of our series of conversations with winners of the 2022 Dan David Prize, Dr Mirjam Brusius speaks with Helen Carr about her research into the global stories of museum artefacts, and how they can be better communicated to visitors.
The Dan David Prize is the world's largest history prize, which recognizes outstanding historical scholarship. Find out more at dandavidprize.org.
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Victorian visions of the future
When the Victorians imagined the 21st century, they pictured a world powered by the wonders of electricity, with smartly dressed men in impeccable suits whizzing around on flying machines, getting their food delivered electronically, dialling in to the opera, and even whisking their wives off for a romantic honeymoon in space. Iwan Rhys Morus speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about the 19th century’s grand ambitions in the realms of science and technology, and Victorian visions of innovations – both real and imagined – that would shape the future in their own image.
(Ad) Iwan Rhys Morus is the author of How the Victorians Took Us to the Moon (Icon, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon:
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Queens in the Age of Chivalry
The 14th century was an era of high drama in England – from the toppling of two kings and the Hundred Years’ War to the Black Death and Peasants’ Revolt. Speaking with Emily Briffett, bestselling historical author Alison Weir charts the dramatic lives and tangled legacies of five queen consorts during the turbulent ‘Age of Chivalry’.
Read more on the debate surrounding Edward I’s murder here: https://www.historyextra.com/period/medieval/the-big-debate-was-edward-ii-really-murdered/?utm_source=acast&utm_medium=acast.com&utm_campaign=Bitly
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The Crimean War: everything you wanted to know
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Writing the history of the modern monarchy
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The Mary Rose | 4. inside the Tudor treasure trove
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A whistle-stop tour around the world in AD 1500
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Are period dramas damaging history?
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Pharaohs' pants & knightly toilet troubles: teaching history to kids
How exactly do you get children interested in history? Public historian Greg Jenner discusses his new children’s book You Are History, and explains to David Musgrove how you can build bridges to the past by exploring the weird and wonderful history behind relatable and everyday topics – from brushing your teeth to going to the toilet.
(Ad) Greg Jenner is the author of You Are History: From the Alarm Clock to the Toilet, the Amazing History of the Things You Use Every Day (Walker Books, 2022). Buy it now from Waterstones:
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Medieval excommunication: eternal damnation or no big deal?
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The gunpowder plot: everything you wanted to know
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How is Tutankhamun’s legacy shaped by colonialism?
Professor Christina Riggs talks to Kev Lochun about the legacy of ancient Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun. She looks beyond the glittering treasures of his tomb to discover how the young pharaoh became a cultural ambassador for a nation – and how colonialism, empire and politics all influenced the tale of Tutmania.
(Ad) Christina Riggs is the author of Treasured: How Tutankhamun Shaped a Century (Atlantic Books, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon:
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The Mary Rose | 3. the fatal final moments
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History & science: the big questions
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How the Allies plucked victory from the jaws of defeat
The Second World War saw Allied forces evolve from serial losers to a war-winning machine. Comedian and history buff Al Murray talks to Spencer Mizen about 10 commanders – from Bernard Montgomery to George Patton and Omar Bradley to Orde Wingate – whose experiences chart that transformation.
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Halloween monsters: everything you wanted to know
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Halloween traditions: everything you wanted to know
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Christianity: a success story from the start?
Christianity has been one of the dominant forces in European history, but according to historian Peter Heather, its rise to prominence wasn’t inevitable. In conversation with Emily Briffett, Peter confronts the idea of Christianity being a monolithic and consistently successful religion, and charts the changes it underwent between the late Roman and high medieval periods that allowed it to flourish.
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The Mary Rose | 2. the Tudor heyday of Henry VIII’s warship
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A family history of the world
Bestselling historian Simon Sebag Montefiore discusses his major new book, which tells the entire history of the world through the prism of families. In conversation with Rob Attar, he delves into the stories of several significant dynasties – from ancient Egypt to the Trumps – and reveals how family life affects political power.
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Cuba & the USA: an intertwined history
Ada Ferrer discusses her Cundill History Prize-nominated book, Cuba: An American History. In her account spanning five centuries, Ferrer takes Elinor Evans from the island’s colonisation by Europeans and its crucial location during the Golden Age of Sail, to its complex economic and political relationship with the United States.
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Chaos, ruin & renewal: Germany in 1945
At the bitter, drawn-out conclusion of the Second World War in 1945, Germany stood in ruins – both literally and psychologically. Cities had been reduced to rubble, millions were dead or displaced and there was a governmental power vacuum. Speaking with Ellie Cawthorne, Cundill History Prize-nominated author Harald Jähner reveals how the country began to rebuild itself following the chaos of war.
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Sci-fi history: everything you wanted to know
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The Cuban Missile Crisis Series Trailer
On 16 October 1962, US President John F Kennedy was made aware of the presence of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba, just 90 miles away from the shores of the United States. The 13 October days that followed were some of the most dangerous in modern history, as the world stood on the brink of mutually assured nuclear destruction.
This new HistoryExtra podcast series marks the 60th anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis, exploring the long roots of the nuclear standoff, and the perspectives of the nations and figures at its centre.
To gain early, ad-free access to weekly episodes from 29 October, sign up to our premium subscription channel HistoryExtra Plus: https://apple.co/3fagZQB
Episodes will be released weekly on this feed from 1 December.
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Chaucer’s disputed legacy: new discoveries
Geoffrey Chaucer is one of the most famous figures in English literature, and remains widely lauded for his major works such as The Canterbury Tales and Troilus and Criseyde. However, a dark shadow looms over Chaucer’s story: a possible case of sexual assault. Dr Euan Roger of The National Archives and Prof Sebastian Sobecki of the University of Toronto, have just published some new findings that provide us with a new take on this – David Musgrove caught up with Euan to discover more.
Find out more about the open access material in the Chaucer review at https://scholarlypublishingcollective.org/psup/chaucer
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The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan: war without end
When Soviet forces mounted an invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979, they entered a nation already in the grips of a complex civil war. Speaking to Matt Elton, Elisabeth Leake reveals how the invasion and ensuing occupation would go on to shape not only modern Afghanistan but also the course of the Cold War and subsequent international relations.
(Ad) Elisabeth Leake is the author of Afghan Crucible: The Soviet Invasion and the Making of Modern Afghanistan (Oxford University Press, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Afghan-Crucible-Soviet-Invasion-Afghanistan/dp/0198846010/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histipad
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The Mary Rose | 1. raising the wreck
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Spectacles of death: public executions in London
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Berlin’s turbulent 20th century
Sinclair McKay traces the history of the German city through the lives of its inhabitants, and how they weathered the tumult of the 20th century – from the wild hedonism of the Weimar years cut short by Nazism, to the fall of the famed wall that divided East and West.
(Ad) Sinclair McKay is the author of Berlin: Life and Loss in the City That Shaped the Century (Penguin, 2022). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histipad&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fberlin%2Fsinclair-mckay%2F9780241503171
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A mutineer in the family
In 1789, a group of mutinous sailors seized control of HMS Bounty from its captain William Bligh in dramatic fashion. A new book by Harrison Christian explores the life of the author’s direct ancestor Fletcher Christian, who famously led the mutiny. Speaking with Rob Attar, Christian explains why the crew decided to overpower Bligh, during their Pacific voyage, and tells the extraordinary story of their blood-soaked colony on Pitcairn Island.
(Ad) Harrison Christian is the author of Men Without Country: The True Story of Exploration and Rebellion in the South Seas (Ultimo, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Men-Without-Country-Exploration-Rebellion/dp/1761150707/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histipad
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The Bank of England: everything you wanted to know
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Empire: the big historical questions
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1066: the pope and the conqueror
On the anniversary of the battle of Hastings, Daniel Armstrong speaks to David Musgrove about the truth behind the story that Pope Alexander II granted a papal banner to William of Normandy in advance of his invasion of England in 1066.
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Why Bond and the Beatles ruled the sixties
The 5th October 1962 was a big bang moment for modern British culture. John Higgs takes Spencer Mizen back to the momentous day when the Beatles’ first single, Love Me Do, was released and the first James Bond film, Dr No, debuted in British cinemas, to explore what the meteoric rise of these two cultural giants reveals about Britain in the early 1960s.
(Ad) John Higgs is the author of Love and Let Die: Bond, the Beatles and the British Psyche (Orion, 2022). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histipad&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fact-of-oblivion%2Frobert-harris%2F2928377088361crid%3D2QB83NOYQD92C%26keywords%3Diwan%2Bmorgan%2BFDR%26qid%3D1662116942%26sprefix%3Diwan%2Bmorgan%2Bfdr%2Caps%2C98%26sr%3D8-1
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Ian McEwan on writing historical novels
How responsible are novelists for shaping public understanding of the past? And how can books recreate the sentiments of a bygone era? In conversation with Emily Briffett, award-winning author Ian McEwan considers the inspirations behind writing books set in the past and discusses his new novel, Lessons, which spans many of the major historical events of the 20th century.
(Ad) Ian McEwan is the author of Lessons: A Novel (Vintage Publishing, 2022). Buy it now from Waterstones:
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The Congo-Océan railroad’s deadly history
One of the deadliest construction projects in history, the Congo-Océan railroad likely caused as many as 23,000 African deaths. Unofficial estimates are much higher, and the exact number will never be known. Historian JP Daughton speaks to Elinor Evans about his new book on the arduous 13-year project led by French colonisers in equatorial Africa, in the wake of the First World War.
(Ad) JP Daughton is the author of In the Forest of No Joy: The Congo-Océan Railroad and the Tragedy of French Colonialism (W. W. Norton & Company, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon:
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15 minutes of fame: rediscovering forgotten figures
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Black British history: everything you wanted to know
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Richard III returns
Ten years after the remains of Richard III were unearthed, and as The Lost King arrives in UK cinemas, archaeologist and author Mike Pitts reflects on the astonishing discovery of the “king in the car park”, which made headlines across the globe. Speaking with Rob Attar, he reveals how the dramatic breakthrough was made and what Richard’s remains can tell us about his life and death.
(Ad) Mike Pitts is the author of Digging for Richard III: The Search for the Lost King (Thames & Hudson, 2014). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Digging-Richard-III-Archaeology-Found/dp/0500292027/ref=sr_1_1?crid=CJRVNH9F7GI6&keywords=mike+pitts+richard+iii&qid=1663938750&sprefix=%2Caps%2C57&sr=8-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
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Robert Harris on the manhunt for Charles I’s killers
Charles II was determined to seek revenge on the men who killed his father. During the Restoration period the regicides fled across the globe and were hunted down by the king’s allies, to be gruesomely executed for their part in Charles I’s death. Historical novelist Robert Harris tells Rhiannon Davies about his new book, Act of Oblivion, which follows the hunt for two Cromwellian colonels who signed the king’s death warrant.
(Ad) Robert Harris is the author of Act of Oblivion (Cornerstone, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Act-Oblivion-Robert-Harris/dp/1529151767/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2PEOB1OF8A1FW&keywords=robert+harris+act+of+oblivion&qid=1665044977&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIxLjkyIiwicXNhIjoiMS4zMiIsInFzcCI6IjEuMzEifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=robert+harris+act+of+%2Caps%2C60&sr=8-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-Histboty
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Anti-Chinese prejudice: from gold rushes to exclusion laws
In the 19th century, the promise of gold brought Chinese immigrants to the west in unprecedented numbers. But before long, friction emerged on the gold fields. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Mae Ngai explores how gold rushes helped shape racist attitudes towards Chinese people in the west, culminating in exclusionary immigration policies and shaping the course of international relations between China and the west.
(Ad) Mae Ngai is the author of The Chinese Question: The Gold Rushes and Global Politics (W. W. Norton & Company, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon:
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WW2’s most daring raid
Journalist and author Giles Whittell tells the story of the 1942 St Nazaire Raid, which saw hundreds of British commandos launch an audacious attack on German-occupied France. In conversation with Rob Attar, he explains why Britain chose to embark on such a risky operation and why he believes the raid was a success, despite the loss of lives.
(Ad) Giles Whittell is the author of The Greatest Raid: St Nazaire, 1942: The Heroic Story of Operation Chariot (Viking, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon:
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15 minutes of fame: Babur, dynasty founder and diarist
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The Knights Templar: everything you wanted to know
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Clash of cultures: how interpreters bridged the gap between Britain and China
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What can one woman reveal about Jewish life in medieval England?
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The Napoleon of Fleet Street
Historian Andrew Roberts discusses his new biography of Lord Northcliffe, the early 20th-century press baron who dominated the British media and had the power to bring down prime ministers. In conversation with Rob Attar, Roberts reveals how Northcliffe forged his media empire and helped Britain triumph in the First World War, while also discussing his many flaws and turbulent private life.
(Ad) Andrew Roberts is the author of The Chief: The Life of Lord Northcliffe, Britain's Greatest Press Baron. Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chief-Life-Lord-Northcliffe/dp/1398508691/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histipad
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Should mummies be on display?
Is it strange that we go to museums to look at dead bodies? Angela Stienne’s book Mummified explores some of the ethical issues around displaying ancient Egyptian human remains. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, she explains how many Egyptian mummies ended up in European museums, and delves into current debates over how they should be displayed and treated.
(Ad) Angela Stienne is the author of Mummified: The Stories Behind Egyptian Mummies in Museums (Manchester University Press, 2022). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histipad&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fmummified%2Fangela-stienne%2F9781526161895awaid%3D3787%26utm_source%3Dredbrain%26utm_medium%3Dshopping%26utm_campaign%3Dcss%26gclid%3DCj0KCQjw_7KXBhCoARIsAPdPTfgFwOWVKWBWnP_4RDSeIkU0zxWo4ytsAPfY4qWPbSPI78gotJA0d58aArJuEALw_wcB
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15 minutes of fame: Hannah Humphrey, entrepreneurial Georgian printseller
It’s the HistoryExtra podcast’s 15th birthday, and to celebrate, we’ve asked 15 historians to nominate a figure from history they think deserves their ‘15 minutes of fame’. In this episode, Dr Hannah Greig nominates 18th-century printseller Hannah Humphrey. Speaking with Elinor Evans, she reveals how Humphrey worked with leading caricature artist James Gillray and built a successful business in her own right.
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The CIA: everything you wanted to know
Why was the CIA formed? Who were the key players in the agency’s history? And what was its most significant scandal? Seventy five years on since the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency was formed, Professor Rhodri Jeffreys-Jones takes on listener questions on the history of the CIA for our ‘Everything you wanted to know’ series.
(Ad) Rhodri Jeffreys-Jones is the author of A Question of Standing: The History of the CIA (Oxford University Press, 2022). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histipad&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fa-question-of-standing%2Frhodri-jeffreys-jones%2F9780192847966
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The end of Roman Britain: families, ancestors and DNA
The use of ancient DNA analysis looks set to revolutionise our understanding of the end of Roman Britain. In this episode, we are joined by Professor Duncan Sayer to discuss a major new ancient DNA project and what it can tell us about the origins and family networks of people in post-Roman Britain.
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Love, marriage & wallpaper: the artistic lives of Jane and William Morris
Victorian designer William Morris is remembered for his distinctive nature-inspired designs, many of which still grace wallpapers and furniture fabrics today. Less well-known is his wife, Jane – though she had significant artistic influence as a collaborator and artist in her own right. Susanne Fagence Cooper speaks to Elinor Evans about her new joint biography which explores the couple’s creative partnership.
(Ad) Suzanne Fagence Cooper is the author of How We Might Live: At Home with Jane and William Morris (Quercus, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon:
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Tutankhamun | 7. the contested legacy of an icon
In the 100 years since his tomb was discovered, Tutankhamun has become the icon of ancient Egypt – a muse for fashionistas and movie-makers, a pop culture staple and a political rallying cry. But what deeper meanings do his glitzy treasures have for us today? In the final episode of our series on the boy king, Ellie Cawthorne speaks to Professor Elizabeth Frood and Dr Heba Abd el Gawad to uncover how the way we think about Tutankhamun today exposes thorny issues about the treatment of Egyptian heritage, and whether it can even distort our view of Egyptian history.
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African and Caribbean people in Britain: a 2,000-year history
The story of African and Caribbean people in Britain goes back to before the Roman empire. Rhiannon Davies spoke to Professor Hakim Adi to discover how their lives and stories have shaped Britain’s history, from the African Roman emperor Septimius Severus to the abolition of the slave trade and the arrival of HMS Empire Windrush in 1948.
(Ad) Hakim Adi is the author of African and Caribbean People in Britain: A History (Penguin, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/African-Caribbean-People-Britain-History/dp/0241583829/ref=sr_1_1?crid=NJLXJA5IV566&keywords=hakim+adi+african+people+in+britain&qid=1662116735&sprefix=hakim+adi+african+people+in+britain%2Caps%2C63&sr=8-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histipad
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Dangerous ideas & scandalous lives: Germany’s first Romantics
At the turn of the 19th century, a small university town in Germany became the beating heart of an intellectual revolution. From philosophers and poets to scientists and playwrights, Jena attracted some of Europe’s brightest minds. Andrea Wulf tells Ellie Cawthorne about how the scandalous lives of these thinkers were as controversial as their ground-breaking ideas.
(Ad) Andrea Wulf is the author of Magnificent Rebels: The First Romantics and the Invention of the Self (John Murray, 2022). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histipad&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.penguinrandomhouse.com%2Fbooks%2F609881%2Fmagnificent
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15 minutes of fame: Kleisthenes, father of Athenian democracy
It’s the HistoryExtra podcast’s 15th birthday, and to celebrate, we’ve asked 15 historians to nominate a figure from history they think deserves their ‘15 minutes of fame’. In this episode, Professor Michael Scott nominates Kleisthenes. He tells Kev Lochun about how this sixth-century BC aristocrat came to be regarded as the father of Athenian democracy.
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Royal funerals: everything you wanted to know
Where did traditional royal funerary practices come from? When did lying in state begin? And will the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II set any new precedents? In this special edition of our ‘Everything you wanted to know’ series, Tracy Borman answers questions on the history of royal funerals.
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Dan Jones on writing historical fiction
After making his name as a medieval historian, Dan Jones has turned his hand to historical fiction. His debut novel, Essex Dogs, follows ten hardened mercenaries through the 1346 Crecy campaign. In this episode, Dan speaks to Rhiannon Davies about the secrets of writing great battle scenes, the challenges of relying on medieval sources, and how a dinner with Game of Thrones author George RR Martin inspired him to pick up the pen.
(Ad) Dan Jones is the author of Essex Dogs (Head of Zeus, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Essex-Dogs-Trilogy/dp/1838937919/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histipad
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Tutankhamun | 6. secrets of the pharaoh's mummy
There’s no more instantly recognisable symbol of ancient Egypt than a mummy. And, of course, the mummy of Tutankhamun is the most famous of all. But what can we learn from looking at the mummified body of an ancient boy king? In episode 6 of our series on Tutankhamun, Ellie Cawthorne and Dr Chris Naunton explore what the ancient Egyptians believed happened after death, delve into ancient mummification processes and follow Tutankhamun’s mummy on his somewhat unexpected adventures in the afterlife.
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Escape from Colditz
Bestselling author and historian Ben Macintyre joins us to discuss one of the most infamous German prisoner of war camps of the Second World War. In conversation with Rob Attar he describes some of the most ingenious escape attempts from the hilltop castle, but also reveals how the prisoner experience encompassed boredom, racism and class conflict.
(Ad) Ben Macintyre is the author of Colditz: Prisoners of the Castle (Peguin Books, 2022). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histipad&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fcolditz%2Fben-macintyre%2F2928377088279
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Winter is coming: the Anglo-Saxon year
How did the Anglo-Saxons think about changing seasons? Did they have the same months and use the same calendar as we do? What were the main festivals they celebrated, and why was winter such an important period for Anglo-Saxon poets? Eleanor Parker, author of Winters in the World: A Journey through the Anglo-Saxon Year, reveals more in conversation with David Musgrove.
(Ad) Eleanor Parker is the author of Winters in the World: A Journey Through the Anglo-Saxon Year (Reaktion, 2022). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histipad&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fwinters-in-the-world%2Feleanor-parker%2F9781789146721
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15 minutes of fame: Aina Forbes Bonetta, Queen Victoria’s Yoruba goddaughter
It’s the HistoryExtra podcast’s 15th birthday, and to celebrate, we’ve asked 15 historians to nominate a figure from history they think deserves their ‘15 minutes of fame’. In this episode, Hannah Cusworth nominates Aina Forbes Bonetta, also known as Sara. A Yoruba girl transported from West Africa, Aina became a goddaughter of Queen Victoria. Hannah speaks to Elinor Evans about what her story tells us much about the connections between West Africa and Britain during the Victorian era.
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Roman women: everything you wanted to know
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The Mary Rose | TRAILER
What can a long-lost shipwreck reveal about Tudor England? In our new HistoryExtra podcast series, we’ll be marking the fortieth anniversary of the raising of the Mary Rose by delving back into its fascinating history, and uncovering the secrets this Tudor shipwreck has hidden out of reach for more than four centuries. We’ll reveal why the discovery of the Mary Rose has been so influential in shaping – and challenging – our understanding of the Tudor era, from the heat of naval battle to the manoeuvres of royal politicking, and explore what we can learn from the treasures found in the murky depths.
Episodes will be released weekly in this feed from Thursday 20 October. To gain early, ad-free access to episodes now, sign up to our premium subscription channel HistoryExtra Plus at https://apple.co/3QvTePK
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Author, adventurer, archaeologist: Agatha Christie’s action-packed life
Agatha Christie is known as the queen of crime fiction. But, as Lucy Worsley reveals, her life contained almost as much drama and mystery as her novels. Speaking to Rhiannon Davies, she reveals how Christie was a thoroughly modern woman for her time, and explains how her 80 books reflect the tumultuous transformations Britain went through during her lifetime.
(Ad) Lucy Worsley is the author of Agatha Christie: A Very Elusive Woman (Hodder & Stoughton, 2022). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histipad&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fagatha-christie%2Flucy-worsley%2F%2F9781399714921%3Fawaid%3D3787%26utm_source%3Dredbrain%26utm_medium%3Dshopping%26utm_campaign%3Dcss%26gclid%3DCj0KCQjw_7KXBhCoARIsAPdPTfgFwOWVKWBWnP_4RDSeIkU0zxWo4ytsAPfY4qWPbSPI78gotJA0d58aArJuEALw_wcB
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Tutankhamun | 5. Treasures of the tomb
When Howard Carter cracked open Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922, he marvelled at the “wonderful things” he had discovered. But what exactly were these “wonderful things” and what can they tell us about the boy king, and the time he lived in? In episode 5 of our series on Tutankhamun, Professor Toby Wilkinson takes Ellie Cawthorne on a tour of the tomb and the treasures found within – from golden sandals and glittering jewels to royal loincloths and ancient buffet items.
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The Holocaust: a 21st-century view
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Russia’s national past: unpicking history from propaganda
In order to understand modern Russia, historian Orlando Figes argues, you need to understand the country’s view of its own past. From Putin’s historical justifications for invading Ukraine to debates about Russia’s foundation story, Figes tells Ellie Cawthorne how Russia has reflected on – and weaponised – its own history.
(Ad) Orlando Figes is the author of The Story of Russia (Bloomsbury, 2022). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histipad&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fauthor%2Forlando-figes%2F51835
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15 minutes of fame: Malintzin, Aztec interpreter
It’s the HistoryExtra podcast’s 15th birthday, and to celebrate, we’ve asked 15 historians to nominate a figure from history they think deserves their ‘15 minutes of fame’. In this episode, Dr Caroline Dodds Pennock nominates Malintzin. Speaking with Jon Bauckham, she discusses the life and legacy of this indigenous American woman who acted as Hernando Cortés’ translator during his conquest of the Aztec empire.
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Ellis Island: everything you wanted to know
Between the 1890s and 1920s, an estimated 12-13 million immigrants arrived in the United States via a vast processing centre on an island just off New York. But who were those immigrants? What did they have to do to be admitted to the country? Did many people get turned away? And did officials really change immigrants’ surnames to make them sound more “American”? Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Professor Vincent Cannato answers listener questions on Ellis Island for our latest Everything you wanted to know episode.
(Ad) Vincent Cannato is the author of American Passage: The History of Ellis Island (HarperCollins, 2009). Buy it now from Amazon: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histipad&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fberlin%2Fsinclair-mckay%2F9780241503171
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HistoryExtra Plus - Summer Listening Trailer
Would you like to make the most of the summer holidays with more fascinating historical conversations? Then subscribe to our premium podcast channel HistoryExtra Plus to get exclusive early access to our Summer Listening List – a specially curated selection of episodes on topics on everything ranging from medieval kings and political sabotage to Alexander the Great and Victorian seances.
For just £1.99 a month you’ll also get ad-free access to specially curated collections – on everything from the Middle Ages and Vikings to the Tudors and WW2, as well as early access to our series, including all episodes of our newest series on Tutankhamun. Plus, you can access all of our regular episodes ad-free! Just search for HistoryExtra Plus on Apple Podcasts or follow the link in this episode’s description to subscribe.
https://apple.co/3AHdBDF
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How nomads changed the world
Nomads have altered the shape of human history in many ways, but as societies that didn’t tend to leave a written record, their stories are often overlooked. Anthony Sattin seeks to rectify that, sharing stories of significant travelling communities with David Musgrove.
(Ad) Anthony Sattin is the author of Nomads: The Wanderers who Shaped our World (John Murray, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nomads-Anthony-Sattin/dp/1473677793/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histipad
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Tutankhamun | 4. The mystery of Nefertiti
The striking bust of Nefertiti has captivated people since its discovery in 1912. But who was this queen? How powerful was she? And how was she related to Tutankhamun? In episode 4 of our series on the boy king, Ellie Cawthorne speaks to Professor Aidan Dodson and Professor Joyce Tyldesley to try and unravel some of the mysteries surrounding the woman who may have been Tutankhamun’s mother. Or stepmother. Or grandmother…
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Return of the Viking raiders
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The big questions of religious history
Why is being a historian of religion such a dangerous endeavour today? Is it easier to study the history of a religion if you are an adherent or an outsider? And how can learning about religious history help shape the world today? Professors Carole Hillenbrand, Chakravarthi Ram-Prasad and Peter Marshall grapple with some of the most pressing issues in religious history, in a panel discussion hosted by Professor Diarmaid MacCulloch and recorded in association with the Wolfson History Prize.
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15 minutes of fame: Franz Nopcsa, Hungarian adventurer and palaeontologist
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Troy: everything you wanted to know
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Castles: from mighty fortresses to fantastical palaces
John Goodall examines how the castle’s role has evolved through time – from medieval fortresses and prisons to regal residences and tourist hotspots. Speaking with Emily Briffett, he explains how these iconic landmarks have reflected society throughout their long history and shaped the way we think about the past.
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Tutankhamun | 3. Life & death of a boy king
Tutankhamun is the most famous pharaoh of all, but what do we actually know about his short life and reign? In episode three of our series on the boy king, Ellie Cawthorne speaks to Professor Aidan Dodson and Dr Chris Naunton about the defining events of Tutankhamun’s reign, before taking a look at his family, health and lavish lifestyle. They also investigate the young pharaoh’s premature death, delving into theories of murder, malaria and death by hippopotamus.
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Glass men & killer doubles: a history of delusions
From ancient people who believed they were made of butter, to French Terror survivors who were convinced they’d been guillotined and given the wrong head back, people have suffered from delusions for centuries. Rhiannon Davies spoke to Victoria Shepherd about why delusions have plagued us for so long, and what they can tell us about times of historical trauma.
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The BBC at 100: what can history tell us about its future?
In the final instalment of our series marking the BBC’s centenary, David Hendy explores what the corporation’s history can tell us about its future. He spoke to Matt Elton about the challenges that the corporation has faced in the 21st century – and what looking back at its past can tell us about its future.
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15 minutes of fame: St Hadrian of Canterbury, medieval African theologian
It’s the HistoryExtra podcast’s 15th birthday, and to celebrate, we’ve asked 15 historians to nominate a figure from history they think deserves their ‘15 minutes of fame’. In this episode, Professor Michael Wood nominates St Hadrian of Canterbury. Speaking with Spencer Mizen, he hails the achievements of this seventh-century scholar who helped turn early medieval England into a cultural powerhouse.
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Robin Hood: everything you wanted to know
There are few better-known folktales than the story of a gentlemanly outlaw roaming the forest with his band of merry men, robbing the rich to give to the poor. But where did the legend of Robin Hood come from? How come early versions of the story were much more grisly? And would the outlaw archer really have worn green tights? Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Dr Sean McGlynn answers listener questions on Robin Hood for our latest Everything you wanted to know episode.
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How one woman liberated a notorious US slave jail
Kristen Green uncovers the life and legacy of Mary Lumpkin, an enslaved women trapped within the US domestic slave trade. Speaking to Emily Briffett, Kristen explains how Mary fought for her children’s freedom, liberated the infamous “Devil’s Half Acre” and ultimately founded one of the first historically black colleges and universities in the US.
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Tutankhamun | 2. Egypt in the era of the boy king
Tutankhamun’s reign took place during one of ancient Egypt’s most fascinating and turbulent periods – the 18th Dynasty. In episode two of our new series on the boy king, we travel back more than 3,000 years to uncover what was happening in Egypt when Tutankhamun came to the throne. Ellie Cawthorne speaks to expert historians Guy de la Bédoyère and Professor Joyce Tyldesley to uncover stories of immense power and eye-watering wealth, instability, corruption and religious revolution.
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Lost languages & travelling communities: unexpected medieval histories
As part of our series of conversations with winners of the 2022 Dan David Prize, Dr Kristina Richardson tells Helen Carr about her research into little-studied travelling communities of the medieval Middle East – and what this can tell us about the lives of marginalised groups at the time. She discusses uncovering lost languages, and reveals how one itinerant medieval Middle Eastern community was highly advanced in printing on paper long before it was adopted in Europe.
The Dan David Prize is the world's largest history prize, which recognizes outstanding historical scholarship. Find out more at dandavidprize.org.
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Countryside campaigners: four women who fought for our green spaces
Professor Matthew Kelly tells David Musgrove the story of four women who helped to protect and preserve the English countryside from the 1870s through to the 1970s, battling for public access to natural spaces.
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15 minutes of fame: Charley Wilson, working-class trans man
It’s the HistoryExtra podcast’s 15th birthday, and to celebrate, we’ve asked 15 historians to nominate a figure from history they think deserves their ‘15 minutes of fame’. In this episode, Dr Fern Riddell nominates Victorian-era transgender man Charley Wilson. Speaking with Elinor Evans, she reveals why his story is important today.
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Hollywood history: everything you wanted to know
What are the most impactful films in Hollywood history? What made the golden age of film so golden? And how important were Hollywood movies in projecting American values to the wider world? In conversation with Spencer Mizen, Mark Glancy answers listener questions on a cultural powerhouse, from silent movies and glamorous stars to the blockbusters of the late 20th century.
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The Sahara: a green and pleasant land
The Sahara is known as one of the world’s hottest and driest environments, but during his explorations of the desert over the past 60 years, Martin Williams has discovered evidence of a green and pleasant history. He explains to Spencer Mizen how the area was once home to lakes, rivers, humans and hippos.
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Tutankhamun | 1. Unearthing the boy king’s lost tomb
One hundred years ago, in 1922, Egyptologist Howard Carter made one of the most spectacular discoveries in the history of archaeology, when he unearthed the tomb of Tutankhamun in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings. In the first episode in our new series on the life, death and legacy of the iconic pharaoh, Toby Wilkinson and Okasha El Daly tell Ellie Cawthorne about the hunt for the boy king’s tomb – which had lain undisturbed for more than 3,000 years – and the controversies sparked by the discovery.
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Is Queen Henrietta Maria’s rotten reputation deserved?
As the wife of Charles I, Henrietta Maria was in the firing line of the parliamentary propaganda machine. The Stuart queen was known as the “popish brat of France”, a “whore” and “the wife who wore the britches”. But does she deserve this rotten reputation? Emily Briffett spoke to Leanda de Lisle to bust some myths surrounding the reviled queen.
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Measurement: an unexpected history
From weight and distance, to calorie-counting and calculating the depths of space, throughout history, humans have loved to measure things. Speaking to Elinor Evans, James Vincent – author of Beyond Measure – uncovers some fascinating and unexpected stories from the history of measurement.
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15 minutes of fame: Alice Kinloch, Pan-African activist
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First World War poets: everything you wanted to know
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Stalingrad: a soldier’s testimony
Author Iain MacGregor reveals how the unpublished memoirs of a German officer shed fascinating new light on the battle of Stalingrad. Speaking with Rob Attar, Iain explains how Fritz Roske’s accounts add to our knowledge of this key turning point in the Second World War.
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Medieval monks: a day in the life
Danièle Cybulskie charts a day in the life of a medieval monk, from morning rituals and mealtime misbehaviour to daily chores and worldly reflection. Speaking with Emily Briffett, she explores what such an austere and structured lifestyle might be able to teach us today – and how monastic priorities about health and wellbeing weren’t too different from our own.
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Gone with the Wind: how a 1936 novel explains modern America
Professor Sarah Churchwell discusses her new book The Wrath to Come, which re-examines the controversial legacy of Margaret Mitchell’s immensely popular 1936 novel Gone With The Wind. Speaking with Rachel Dinning, she considers what it can tell us about American history and culture today, from the mythmaking that sprung up following the Civil War to the origins of modern debates over racism and the far right in the United States.
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Treason: from Anne Boleyn to Lord Haw Haw
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15 minutes of fame: St Wilfrid, quarrelsome church reformer
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Gold rushes: everything you wanted to know
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Reconstructing black lives in the Antebellum South
As part of our series of conversations with winners of the 2022 Dan David Prize, Dr Kimberly Welch talks to Helen Carr about her research using legal records to reconstruct the lives of free and enslaved black people in the Antebellum South.
The Dan David Prize is the world's largest history prize, which recognizes outstanding historical scholarship. Find out more at dandavidprize.org.
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The end of Roman Britain | 8. ends and beginnings
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Hannibal: Rome’s greatest nightmare
Philip Freeman shares the story of how the brilliant Carthaginian general Hannibal led his elephants over the Alps and into Rome’s nightmares, making his name a byword for terror for centuries. Speaking to Spencer Mizen, he reveals how Hannibal outfoxed his mortal enemy, only to throw it all away.
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Stalin’s library: inside the mind of a dictator
Historian Geoffrey Roberts explores the life and career of Josef Stalin through his vast book collection. In conversation with Rob Attar, Professor Roberts highlights some of the unexpected items on the Soviet dictator's shelves and explains the influence that reading had on his brutal regime.
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15 minutes of fame: Queen Tiye, overshadowed ancient Egyptian royal
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The partition of India: everything you wanted to know
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The BBC at 100: scandals break
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The end of Roman Britain | 7. bones, diet and migrants
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The first Vietnam War
Historian Christopher Goscha explores the decade-long conflict between the French empire and Ho Chi Minh’s communist Vietnamese forces that followed the Second World War. Speaking to Rob Attar, he argues that the Vietnamese triumph was unlike any other anti-colonial struggle of the era.
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Powerful pages: the beguiling history of books
For centuries, humanity has had a love affair with books. But these volumes are far more than just receptacles for stories. They have been tools to spread religion and empire, and have contained dangerous politics and talismanic protections. Emma Smith tells Rhiannon Davies about our complex relationship with the printed word.
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15 minutes of fame: Marie Tharp, ground-breaking cartographer
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The Inca empire: everything you wanted to know
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The vanishing inventor
On 16 September 1890, inventor Louis Le Prince boarded a train to Paris and vanished without a trace. In his book The Man Who Invented Motion Pictures, Paul Fischer explores his life and disappearance. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, he delves into the many theories about what may have happened Le Prince – from an accident or mugging, to murder by his rival Thomas Edison in order to steal his latest invention.
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The end of Roman Britain | 6. cultures lost and found
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Britain’s century of political nightmares
From the First World War to the financial crash of 2008, Phil Tinline tells Spencer Mizen how politicians have reacted to the many crises that have beset Britain in the era since the rise of mass democracy.
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Royal rivals? Medieval England and France’s tempestuous relationship
Catherine Hanley chronicles the greatest conflicts and alliances between England and France from 1100-1300, through the stories of the men, women and children involved. She explains to Emily Briffett how, in a time of personal monarchy, unexpected events, familial ties and personalities forged the fate of the two intertwined kingdoms.
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15 minutes of fame: Tsiang Ting-fu, Chinese historian and diplomat
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The Peasants’ Revolt: everything you wanted to know
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Elizabeth I’s greatest rival?
Sixteenth-century Europe was dominated by two female powerhouses: Elizabeth I of England and Catherine de Medici, the French Queen Mother. The two women had a tumultuous relationship, being sometimes friends and at other times foes, as Estelle Paranque reveals to Rhiannon Davies.
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The end of Roman Britain | 5. an identity crisis?
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David Stirling: SAS hero or fraud?
Special forces historian Gavin Mortimer casts a critical eye over David Stirling, who is renowned as the founder of the SAS in the Second World War. Speaking to Rob Attar, Mortimer argues that Stirling’s wartime record was far less impressive than he claimed and that his legend has obscured the achievements of those around him.
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The Norman kings of Africa
The Normans famously conquered England, but did you know they also had a short-lived kingdom in North Africa in the 12th century? Professor Levi Roach explains to David Musgrove how the Normans established a presence in southern Italy and Sicily and expanded south towards Africa.
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15 minutes of fame: Hildegard of Bingen, medieval polymath
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British schools and education: everything you wanted to know
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On the streets of 19th-century London
Oskar Jensen introduces the characters roaming the streets of Georgian and Victorian London, from beggars to ballad singers. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, he explores what it would have been like to live and work on the streets of the capital, sharing stories of entrepreneurial street sweepers, impatient milkmaids, kidnapped children and timid hot-cross bun sellers.
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The end of Roman Britain | 4. religion and belief
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Casanova: more than a serial seducer
Giacomo Casanova is remembered for his reputation as a serial seducer. But according to author Leo Damrosch, he was far more than that. Speaking with Emily Briffett, Leo explains how Casanova was also an aspiring priest, spy, army officer and Masonic master, who led a colourful life that saw him interact with kings, empresses and some of the most famous writers of his time.
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From bohemian Brighton to military Plymouth: the LGBTQ history of four British cities
Matt Cook and Alison Oram discuss their new book Queer Beyond London, which uncovers the LGBTQ experience in four English cities – Brighton, Manchester, Plymouth and Leeds – from the sixties to the noughties. Speaking with Rachel Dinning, they consider how local people, places and politics shaped LGBTQ lives in each city, establishing individual cultures often very distinct from the national narrative.
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15 minutes of fame: Marguerite de Navarre, royal influencer
It’s the HistoryExtra podcast’s 15th birthday! To celebrate, we’ve asked 15 historians to nominate a figure from history they think deserves their 15 minutes of fame. In today’s episode, Suzannah Lipscomb tells Emily Briffett about the life of Marguerite de Navarre, a 16th-century royal player who had a major influence on both the Renaissance and Reformation.
If you’re enjoying this series and would like early access to more episodes, head to www.historyextra.com/15-minutes.
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The Mali empire: everything you wanted to know
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The BBC at 100: political tensions in the 1970s and 80s
In the latest instalment of our monthly series marking the centenary of the BBC, media historian David Hendy talks to Matt Elton about the political pressures and fissures that defined the 1970s and 80s – and the ways in which they shaped the corporation’s output.
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The end of Roman Britain | 3. a militarised state?
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Who were the Celts?
Simon Jenkins considers the enigmatic story of the Celts, and asks whether any such people ever actually existed. Speaking with David Musgrove, he also questions what the term ‘Celtic’ should mean to us today.
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Pioneering women pilots: from ballooning spectacles to flying escapades
Sally Smith considers the contributions made and significant firsts achieved by British women in the field of aviation, from ballooning and parachuting, to piloting airships and fixed-wing aircraft. Speaking with Emily Briffett, she highlights the extraordinary lives these pioneers led and the trials they faced in order to achieve success.
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Discovering a lost royal battleship
Claire Jowitt discusses the discovery of a 17th-century shipwreck off the coast of Norfolk
Claire Jowitt speaks to Matt Elton about the news of the discovery of a 17th-century shipwreck off the coast of Norfolk – and why it might be the most important maritime find in decades.
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The Edwardians: everything you wanted to know
In our latest everything you wanted to know episode, Dr John Jacob Woolf answers listener questions on Edwardian Britain. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, he touches on subjects ranging from suffrage, labour movements, empire and international relations, to leisure time, childhood and roller-skating.
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Watergate at 50: the making of an American scandal
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The end of Roman Britain | 2. life in the late imperial age
In the second episode of our podcast series on the end of Roman Britain, David Musgrove investigates what life was like for people living in the later Roman era, in the third and fourth centuries. He speaks to Professor Will Bowden to explore the inequalities that existed between the haves and have-nots, and how far the stresses and strains that were at play in the wider empire impacted on everyday life in Britain.
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African-American philanthropy
In the first episode in our series of conversations with winners of the 2022 Dan David Prize, Dr Tyrone Freeman speaks to Helen Carr about his award-winning research into charitable traditions in African-American communities.
The Dan David Prize is the world's largest history prize, which recognizes outstanding historical scholarship. Hear more conversations with other winners of the 2022 Dan David prize, early and ad-free now at historyextra.com/dan-david-prize.
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Reconstructing the body of God
Francesca Stavrakopoulou, author of the Wolfson History Prize shortlisted book God: An Anatomy, discusses what ancient biblical texts tell us about the body of God. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, she traces the origins of God back to an ancient deity called Yahweh, and talks about the challenges of working on religious history.
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Midway: why America won the WW2 naval battle
In June 1942, the US and Japanese navies went head to head over a small atoll in the middle of the Pacific ocean. Brendan Simms and Steven McGregor, authors of The Silver Waterfall, speak to Ellie Cawthorne about the factors that led to the United States’ victory at Midway, exploring the importance of American industrial innovation, and reflecting on the extent to which Midway changed the course of the Pacific War.
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Crime & punishment in Britain: everything you wanted to know
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Has Britain always looked backwards?
From the “Blitz spirit” invoked in the Covid-19 pandemic, to the 16th-century sense that a lost greatness needed to be recovered, historian Hannah Rose Woods reveals how nostalgia for a bygone era is nothing new. Speaking to Elinor Evans about her new book Rule, Nostalgia, she discusses the various ways our ancestors have looked back at our national past.
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The end of Roman Britain | 1. introduction, and a mystery mosaic
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How the Persians were written out of history
Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones tells Spencer Mizen why Eurocentric depictions of the “barbarous” Persians have obscured the achievements of one of the ancient world’s great civilisations.
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Shady deals & rigged elections: the changing face of corruption
Professor Mark Knights discusses how ideas about corruption were transformed in Britain and its empire between 1600 and 1850. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, he delves into the shady realms of bribery and electoral corruption and the blurred lines between public service and private gain.
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Plastic surgery: transformed by WW1
The First World War unleashed an unprecedented wave of violence, and medicine struggled to keep up. British surgeon Harold Gillies was at the forefront of those dragging plastic surgery into the modern age, reconstructing the faces of thousands of soldiers. Lindsey Fitzharris speaks to Rhiannon Davies about Gillies’ remarkable contribution to medical science.
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Britain’s transformation during the Queen’s lifetime
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Empire of blood
Professor Caroline Elkins explains how the British empire was sustained by violence for more than 200 years. Speaking with Rob Attar, she reveals how liberal imperialism was able to coexist with regular acts of brutality in Britain’s colonies.
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The Black Death | 6. how the pandemic transformed societies
In the final episode of our series on the Black Death, Professor Mark Bailey and Dr Claire Kennan discuss the medieval pandemic’s dramatic social, political and economic impact. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, they use England as a case study to explore how it restructured society, with effects that were felt for hundreds of years.
The primary sources quoted in this series are mainly taken from:
The Black Death, translated and edited by Rosemary Horrox (1994)
The Black Death, The Great Mortality of 1348-1350: A Brief History with Documents, John Arberth (2005)
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Fairy queens & giantesses: pagan goddesses in Christian Europe
Although medieval Europe was firmly Christian, pagan deities still loomed large in the popular imagination. Rhiannon Davies spoke to Ronald Hutton about four of these divine figures: the powerful and protective Mother Earth; the glamorous fairy queen; a night-roaming supernatural lady; and a Gaelic giantess.
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The birth of insulin: a scientific drama
One hundred years on from Fred Banting and Charles Best’s discovery, Dr Kersten Hall tells the tale of insulin and its vital role in helping people with diabetes. Speaking with Emily Briffett, he explores the other unsung heroes involved in the drama that saw insulin develop from “thick brown muck” to wall street gold.
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Dracula at 125: what can a vampire tell us about Victorian Britain?
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Witchcraft: everything you wanted to know
Were all suspected witches burned at the stake? Was torture a legal way of gaining a confession of practising magic? And which professions were most commonly accused of dabbling in the dark arts? Speaking with Charlotte Hodgman, Owen Davies answers your top questions about witchcraft in our latest Everything you wanted to know episode.
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Alice Roberts on unearthing the Romans, Vikings & Anglo-Saxons
Professor Alice Roberts explores how cutting-edge developments in archaeology and genetic science can broaden our understanding of what happened in Britain between the first and tenth centuries AD. Through exploring the funerary sites of Romans, Vikings and Anglo-Saxons, she explains to Emily Briffett what we can learn about life and death at this time.
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The Black Death | 5. death, sin & spirituality
The arrival of a terrifying pandemic made medieval people increasingly preoccupied with death, sin and the afterlife. In this episode, Ellie Cawthorne speaks to Helen Carr about spiritual responses to the Black Death, from special prayers to self-flagellation.
The primary sources quoted in this series are mainly taken from:
The Black Death, translated and edited by Rosemary Horrox (1994)
The Black Death, The Great Mortality of 1348-1350: A Brief History with Documents, John Arberth (2005)
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Antony Beevor on the Russian revolution
Bestselling military historian Antony Beevor discusses his new book Russia: Revolution and Civil War 1917-1921. In conversation with Rob Attar, he delves into the two revolutions that overthrew Tsar Nicholas II and brought the Bolsheviks to power, and then examines the bloody civil war that ultimately consolidated communist control.
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Eliza Acton: Britain’s first modern cookery writer
Writer Annabel Abbs discusses poet and food writer Eliza Acton, the protagonist of her new historical novel The Language of Food. She tells Emma Slattery Williams about Acton’s story and how her legacy has been overshadowed by Mrs Beeton.
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The BBC at 100: change & innovation in 60s Britain
In the latest episode of our monthly series marking the centenary of the BBC, media historian David Hendy speaks to Matt Elton about the ways in which the corporation kept up with a changing Britain through the 1960s.
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WW2’s desert war: everything you wanted to know
Historian Jonathan Fennell answers listener questions on the North African campaign in the Second World War. Speaking with Rob Attar, he discusses some of the key moments and personalities, reflects on the challenges of fighting in a desert and considers whether this theatre really was a war without hate.
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Christine de Pizan: from medieval writer to feminist icon
Charlotte Cooper-Davis delves into the life and legacy of Christine de Pizan, a late medieval writer who was actively involved in the production of her own works. Speaking with Emily Briffett, Charlotte explores Christine’s vast catalogue of written work and how she has since become seen as a feminist icon.
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The Black Death | 4. medieval medical thinking
How do you fight a disease, when you don’t know what causes it? In this episode, Ellie Cawthorne speaks to Elma Brenner about medieval medical thinking and how it informed responses to the Black Death, from ideas about how bad air and misaligned planets could make you sick, to the rituals and remedies used to treat plague victims and the state of 14th-century hospital care.
The primary sources quoted in this series are mainly taken from:
The Black Death, translated and edited by Rosemary Horrox (1994)
The Black Death, The Great Mortality of 1348-1350: A Brief History with Documents, John Arberth (2005)
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A legacy of inequality: the economic impact of empire
Imperialism led to eye-watering profits for the British, and after decolonisation those who had grown rich from the colonial project rewrote the rules to keep the coffers open. Rhiannon Davies speaks to Kojo Koram about the economic and legal effects of decolonisation, and how growing global inequality has its roots in empire.
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Stasi poets: creative writing & the Cold War
Journalist Philip Oltermann explores the unusual story of the poetry group run by the East German Ministry for State Security. Speaking to Rob Attar, he explains why the Stasi decided to employ rhyme and verse in their battle against capitalism.
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Cathedrals: from bishops' seats to tourist hotspots
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The Restoration: everything you wanted to know
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HistoryExtra Plus: get early access to our podcast series
Enjoying our new Black Death series? Listen to the next three episodes right now on our new subscription podcast channel HistoryExtra Plus, along with early access to our new series on the end of Roman Britain. Follow the link below to sign up now:
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Eurovision: a political history
From voting scandals and political messaging to drag queens and ABBA, Dr Dean Vuletic speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about the history of the Eurovision Song Contest. He discusses some of the controversies in the competition’s past and reveals what it can tell us about the changing face of Europe over the last six decades.
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The Black Death | 3. living through the plague
What would it have been like to live through a Black Death outbreak? In this episode, Ellie Cawthorne speaks to Professor Samuel Cohn about the experiences of medieval people in communities ravaged by the deadly disease. He reveals what the chroniclers tell us about the range of responses to the crisis in the late 1340s, and the lengths people went to to survive.
The primary sources quoted in this series are taken from:
The Black Death, translated and edited by Rosemary Horrox (1994)
The Black Death, The Great Mortality of 1348-1350: A Brief History with Documents, John Arberth (2005)
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Free speech: a brief, contentious history
Jacob Mchangama explores the global history of free speech, discussing its ancient origins, staunchest defenders and biggest critics. Speaking to Matt Elton, he also reveals the ways the right to speak freely has been threatened at moments of social upheaval.
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Disabled people in Tudor times
Phillipa Vincent-Connolly explores the lives of disabled people in the Tudor era. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, she uncovers complex attitudes to disability in the period, and reveals how some disabled figures played key roles at the royal court.
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Magellan: daring explorer or doomed failure?
In September 1519, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan set off on a fateful voyage to find a route to the Spice Islands. In the centuries since, Magellan has gone down in history as a chivalric adventurer, his name forever linked to the first circumnavigation of the globe. But, as Professor Felipe Fernández-Armesto tells Ellie Cawthorne, Magellan’s career was in fact shaped more by failure than success.
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War in the air: everything you wanted to know
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The Dudleys: power behind the Tudor throne
The might of the Tudor dynasty was built on the blood and sweat of three generations of another family – the Dudleys. And sometimes, they paid the ultimate price. Rhiannon Davies speaks to Joanne Paul about the members of the family who were key players in the Tudor era, from Edmund Dudley’s efforts to raise taxes for Henry VII to Robert Dudley’s flirtatious friendship with Elizabeth I.
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The Black Death | 2. origins & spread
Over recent years, our understanding of the Black Death has been radically transformed by new scientific developments. In this episode, Ellie Cawthorne speaks to Professor Monica Green about what the latest research can tell us about where the plague originated, and how it spread to eventually engulf vast swathes of the globe.
The primary sources quoted in this series are taken from:
The Black Death, translated and edited by Rosemary Horrox (1994)
The Black Death, The Great Mortality of 1348-1350: A Brief History with Documents, John Arberth (2005)
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Spain’s tumultuous story
Giles Tremlett explores the turbulent history of Spain. Speaking to Elinor Evans, he explores how its position on Europe's south-western corner has exposed it to influences from all over the world, giving it a history unlike any other nation on the continent.
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Despatches on dictators: US reporters in 1930s Europe
Deborah Cohen discusses a close-knit group of American foreign correspondents who reported on the tumult of interwar Europe in the 1920s and 1930s. She talks to Elinor Evans about how they dispatched breaking news back to the US, becoming some of the most famous names of the day in the process.
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Britain’s lost towns and villages
Britain is a land full of lost settlements – villages, towns and even cities. Matthew Green explores these deserted places with David Musgrove, looking at their scarred and romantic remains in the landscape, and considering how and why they became lost to time.
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Medieval childhood: everything you wanted to know
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The failings of emancipation
Professor Kris Manjapra speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about his book Black Ghost of Empire, which reveals how the end of slavery helped perpetuate systems of oppression and racial injustice, rather than disrupt them.
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The Black Death | 1. Introduction
In the late 1340s, people in cities, towns and villages across the medieval world began to fall ill from a mysterious pestilence. This six part series looks at the how the Black Death shook the Middle Ages, killing millions and transforming societies. Speaking to expert historians, we'll track the spread of this devastating disease, reveal what it was like to live through the pandemic and consider its dramatic, long-lasting impact.
The primary sources quoted in this series are taken from:
The Black Death, translated and edited by Rosemary Horrox (1994)
The Black Death, The Great Mortality of 1348-1350: A Brief History with Documents, John Arberth (2005)
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Video games at 50: a cultural history
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Libraries: a book lover’s history
Andrew Pettegree and Arthur der Weduwen delve into the history of libraries, from the humble book lover’s private selection to the most lavish literary collections. In conversation with Emily Briffett, they explore the innovations and ideas that made libraries what they are today.
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The BBC at 100: TV takes off in the 1950s
In the latest episode of our monthly series marking the centenary of the BBC, media historian David Hendy speaks to Matt Elton about the rise of television during the 1950s – and how the decade saw the BBC increasingly clash with the political world.
(Ad) David Hendy is the author of The BBC: A People’s History (Profile Books, 2022). Buy it now from Waterstones:
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The Falklands War: everything you wanted to know
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Introducing: HistoryExtra Plus
Would you like ad-free versions of our podcasts, early access to series and exclusive bonus content? Then check out our subscription podcast feed HistoryExtra Plus. Follow the link below to sign up now:
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Rebel ramblers of the Kinder Trespass
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Catherine the Great: inoculation pioneer
Lucy Ward speaks to Elinor Evans about the story of English Quaker doctor Thomas Dimsdale, who took up the risky challenge of inoculating Empress Catherine II against smallpox, as a powerful statement at a time when the disease was ravaging Russia and superstition held sway.
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Trailblazers of black British theatre
Stephen Bourne introduces Spencer Mizen to some of the pioneers of black British theatre, from Ira Aldridge, who in 1825 became the first black actor to play Othello, to the emergence of Britain’s black-led theatre companies.
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The Jagiellonians: the dynasty that shaped central Europe
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Operation Mincemeat: WW2 espionage on film
In 1943, British agents concocted a daring plot to trick Hitler, involving a dead body, fake love letters and a false identity. Speaking with Emily Briffett, author and historian Ben Macintyre discusses the real history behind Operation Mincemeat, a new film adapted from his 2010 book of the same name.
Operation Mincemeat is in UK cinemas from 15 April.
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Royal residences: everything you wanted to know
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The Northman: bringing the Viking world to life on screen
A blood-splattered slice of Viking action arrives in UK cinemas today with the release of Robert Eggers’ new saga-inspired epic, The Northman. Professor Neil Price, archaeologist and historical consultant on the film, speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about the process of recreating the Viking world on screen, and some of the historical themes that inspired the story.
The Northman is in UK cinemas from 15 April.
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Pets, pests & portents: birds through time
Over time, we’ve viewed birds as pets, pests, natural delights and bad omens. Roy and Lesley Adkins tell Emily Briffett about our complex and lengthy relationship with birds – a story of changing landscapes, fluctuating tastes in food and fashion, enjoyment and exploitation.
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Inside a Roman home
What could you expect to hear in the atrium of a Roman home? What was everyday life like for the slaves who worked in the kitchens? And which emperor hosted the worst dinner party? In conversation with Emily Briffett, Dr Hannah Platts takes us on a multi-sensory tour of the ancient Roman home.
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Medieval emotions: were they like our own?
Speaking to Dave Musgrove, medieval historian Elizabeth Boyle reflects on life throughout the Covid lockdowns, using early Irish literature to explore how similar the emotions of people in the middle ages were to our own.
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Corruption in the ancient world
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Trade unions: everything you wanted to know
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Wiretapping: a secret history
Wiretapping has a chequered past in the United States, from civil war soldiers who were seen as heroes for tapping enemy wires to the political scandals that rocked the 20th-century establishment. Brian Hochman, the author of The Listeners: A History of Wiretapping in the United States tells Rhiannon Davies about the history of electronic eavesdropping.
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Burning down Ireland’s stately homes
Professor Terence Dooley, author of Burning the Big House, tells Ellie Cawthorne why so many of Ireland’s grand homes were subjected to arson during the early 20th century, revealing a complex web of disputes over land, protests against imperialism and IRA reprisals.
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Benjamin Franklin: portrait of a revolutionary
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Oxford: from wild student parties to the shadow of war
Daisy Dunn tells Spencer Mizen how students at Oxford University – including Evelyn Waugh, Vera Brittain and John Betjeman – were buffeted by world events in the 1920s and 30s.
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Why the Ukraine conflict isn’t a new Cold War
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Scottish clans: everything you wanted to know
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What one duel can tell us about Jacobean England
Lloyd Bowen shares the story of one remarkable 1601 duel with Elinor Evans. He reveals what the wealth of evidence around a single dispute can tell us about the codes of honour that governed elite violence in early modern England.
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Digging up Roman London
Archaeologist Dominic Perring discusses what we know about London’s Roman past with Emily Briffett, examining the city’s key turning points and exploring how life there was affected by fire, plague and warfare. Using archaeological and historical records, he ties London’s story into the wider history of the Roman empire.
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Life in Cromwell’s Britain
Anna Keay introduces Spencer Mizen to the dramatic decade between the execution of Charles I in 1649 and the restoration of the monarchy in 1660. She reveals what life was like under Oliver Cromwell, as Britain embarked on its experiment with republicanism.
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1942: Churchill’s darkest hour
Historian Taylor Downing chronicles the events of the year 1942, which he contends was Britain’s lowest moment in the Second World War. Speaking to Rob Attar, he revisits some of the disasters that befell the country that year and highlights the crucial victory that transformed Churchill’s fortunes.
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Rapa Nui’s island mysteries
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The history of beauty: everything you wanted to know
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Bridgerton: behind the scenes of season 2
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Suleyman the Magnificent: the 16th-century’s most powerful ruler?
When Suleyman the Magnificent became Sultan of the Ottoman empire in 1520, he was proclaimed the world’s most powerful man, who could use his armies to smite Christendom. But behind the facade, scheming favourites pulled the strings and worked tirelessly to fulfil their own endless ambitions. Rhiannon Davies spoke to Christopher de Bellaigue to uncover the truth about Suleyman’s fascinating reign.
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Our Winston Churchill obsession
Winston Churchill looms large in the modern imagination. Everyone from Fidel Castro to George W Bush have cited him as an exemplar in times of crisis. Historian Geoffrey Wheatcroft talks to Spencer Mizen about the world’s fixation with the wartime leader, arguing that this obsession is neither healthy, nor necessarily merited.
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Naked statues, naughty gods & bad wine
Classicist and author Garrett Ryan talks to Kev Lochun about some of the biggest and most commonly asked questions surrounding ancient Greece and Rome. Why are all the statues naked? Who was the biggest drinker in the classical world? And why didn’t anyone go looking for the Greek gods on Olympus – or did they?
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The BBC at 100: the corporation at war
In the third episode of our monthly series marking the centenary of the BBC, media historian David Hendy tells Matt Elton how the BBC became an important part of the national fabric during the Second World War – and how the conflict changed the organisation forever.
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The Napoleonic Wars: everything you wanted to know
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Prohibition: busting myths about the ban on booze
Mark Lawrence Schrad speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about his book Smashing the Liquor Machine, which busts commonly held myths about prohibition, revealing how campaigns to ban alcohol weren’t just led by puritanical evangelicals in the US, but were also backed by progressive campaigners across the globe.
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Stitching together the history of fabric
The history of fabric is interwoven with the story of humanity, from the sackcloth shirts that tore open the skin of pious medieval saints to cotton’s connections to colonisation and the Industrial Revolution. Rhiannon Davies spoke to Victoria Finlay to unravel these complex stories.
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Carrot conspiracies & digging for victory: feeding Britain in WW2
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Children of the Norman Conquest
Dr Eleanor Parker, author of Conquered: The Last Children of Anglo-Saxon England, talks to David Musgrove about the young people whose lives were upended by the momentous change of circumstances brought about by the Norman Conquest of 1066. She reveals how exploring their stories can offer a fresh approach to studying the Normans.
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Britain’s WW2 island internment camp
During the Second World War, the British government imprisoned thousands of German and Austrian-born residents – many of them refugees from Nazi oppression – in makeshift internment camps on the Isle of Man. Acclaimed journalist Simon Parkin speaks to Jon Bauckham about the history of Hutchinson camp, which became home to a vibrant intellectual and artistic community.
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Gladiators: everything you wanted to know
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Fredegund and Brunhild: a tale of two queens
Shelley Puhak delves into the lives of queens Fredegund and Brunhild, famed for their bitter and bloody rivalry which wracked the Frankish empire in the latter sixth century. Speaking with Emily Briffett, she reveals how their stories were suppressed, overlooked and used as political propaganda by subsequent rulers, and considers how they should be seen today.
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Eugenics: a toxic history
Adam Rutherford discusses the dark – and often surprising – history of the eugenics movement
Geneticist Adam Rutherford speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about the dark, and often surprising, history of the eugenics movement, from ‘best baby’ fairs and population control to the Nazi ‘euthanasia’ programme. He discusses the ideas behind the ideology, and how its implementation has had devastating impacts.
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Gardens and the scientific revolution
Clare Hickman explores how gardens were used as places of scientific experimentation in the 18th and 19th centuries
During the scientific revolution of the 18th and 19th centuries, gardens were not only used for leisure and pleasure. Clare Hickman explains to Dave Musgrove how they also became places of scientific experimentation.
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Periods, fertility & childbirth: a pre-modern history
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Radical women
Nan Sloane speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about her new book Uncontrollable Women, which charts the stories of now largely forgotten female activists who were involved in radical and reform movements between 1789 and 1832.
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The Franks: everything you wanted to know
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How museums are shaping the future
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Ukraine: the WW2 roots of today's conflict
Keith Lowe talks to Matt Elton about the ways in which today’s conflict between Russia and Ukraine can be traced back to the Second World War and decisions made in the years that followed.
Keith will be giving a five-part masterclass series on the aftermath of the Second World War beginning on 4 March – find out more at historyextra.com/masterclass.
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Old English: a quick guide
Hana Videen explores the Old English language and reveals what it can tell us about daily life at the time it was spoken
The medieval language of Old English is full of linguistic gems. Speaking to David Musgrove, Dr Hana Videen opens up this treasure chest of words to reveal what the language can tell us about daily life at the time it was spoken.
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Witch hunters: cynical persecutors or misguided zealots?
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Fascism in Britain
Nigel Copsey discusses the British Union of Fascists and its leader, Oswald Mosley
Nigel Copsey speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about the British Union of Fascists, which gained support in the 1930s, and its leader Oswald Mosley. They also discuss the party’s foundation, ideology and connections to the fascist regimes of Italy and Germany.
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The American Revolutionary War: everything you wanted to know
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The BBC at 100: establishment values in the 1930s
In the second instalment of our new monthly series marking the centenary of the BBC, media historian David Hendy speaks to Matt Elton about the ways in which the corporation expanded and evolved throughout the 1930s to become part of the British establishment.
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Vikings: Valhalla’s real inspirations
Screenwriter Jeb Stuart discusses the real history that inspired his new Netflix show Vikings: Valhalla
Screenwriter Jeb Stuart speaks to Kev Lochun about his new Netflix show Vikings: Valhalla, the successor to the hugely popular series Vikings. They discuss the real historical characters being brought to life through the series, the enduring popularity of the Vikings, and where the show could take viewers after season one.
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Nixon in China: the trip that changed the Cold War
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In defence of Neville Chamberlain
Walter Reid tells Spencer Mizen that, far from going down in history as the bloodless author of appeasement, Neville Chamberlain should be remembered as a radical politician who saw through Hitler’s lies.
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Spies in show business
Professor Christopher Andrew talks to Elinor Evans about his book Stars and Spies, co-written with Julius Green. He reveals the many historical links between spying and the entertainment industry that for centuries have helped intelligence operatives to hide in plain sight.
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Stonehenge: everything you wanted to know (part two)
In the second episode of this two-part special on Stonehenge, archaeologist and author Mike Pitts answers more listener questions on the most famous prehistoric monument in Britain. Speaking to David Musgrove, he discusses Stonehenge’s relationship with other prehistoric sites, its long legacy, and why we call it “Stonehenge”.
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The secret WW2 mission to save Britain’s art collections
Caroline Shenton tells the story of the colourful cast of curators, museum directors and civil servants who embarked on a top-secret mission to protect Britain’s national art collections during the Second World War. Speaking to Emily Briffett, she explains how these dedicated men and women devised ingenious escape plans and concealed artworks and artefacts in the most unlikely of places in a race against time to save the nation’s heritage.
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The Normans: beyond 1066
Judith Green reveals how there is much more to the Norman story than the events of the 1066 Conquest
We all know the story of the Norman Conquest, when Duke William of Normandy led his troops across the Channel and took the crown of England. However, as Professor Judith Green tells David Musgrove, there is a lot more to the history of the Normans than the events of 1066.
(Ad) Judith Green is the author of The Normans: Power, Conquest and Culture in the 11th Century Europe (Yale University Press, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon:
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British identity in 50 documents
Dominic Selwood chronicles Britain’s past through a diverse – and sometimes unexpected – selection of historical documents, from birthday invites and Valentine’s Day letters, to musical scores and shipping forecasts. Speaking with Emily Briffett, he explains what these can tell us about British identity past and present.
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Medieval masterclass 4: Revolution 1348-1527
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Shakespearean deaths: swordfights, snakebites & poison
From poison and fatal snakebites to dying from a broken heart, more than 250 named characters die in Shakespeare’s plays. Speaking with Ellie Cawthorne, Kathryn Harkup guides us through a grisly range of the Bard’s death scenes. She looks at the real history and science behind them, and how they would have been staged in Elizabethan England.
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Stonehenge: everything you wanted to know (part one)
In the first episode of a two-part special, archaeologist Mike Pitts answers listener questions on the most famous prehistoric site in Britain. Speaking to David Musgrove, he discusses how Stonehenge was built – and why.
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Britain’s only war crimes trial
Mike Anderson and Neil Hanson discuss the 1999 prosecution of a former Nazi collaborator – Britain’s only war crimes trial
Mike Anderson and Neil Hanson discuss Britain’s only war crimes trial, where a former Nazi collaborator was prosecuted for his involvement in the Holocaust, more than five decades after the events had occurred. In conversation with Rob Attar, they explore this landmark moment and consider the challenges of bringing perpetrators to justice after so much time has elapsed.
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Extinct animals of medieval Britain
From beavers to whales, Lee Raye discusses wildlife found across medieval Britain that has since gone extinct from the region
In conversation with David Musgrove, Lee Raye discusses the animals that lived in medieval Britain but have since gone extinct from the region, from beavers and boars to whales and wolves – plus elusive big cats and birds.
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Mexico’s ill-fated Austrian emperor
Edward Shawcross speaks to Elinor Evans about a little-known and disastrous attempt to install a Habsburg archduke, Ferdinand Maximilian, as emperor of Mexico in the mid-19th century, at a time when the US Civil War was raging.
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Medieval masterclass 3: Rebirth 1216-1347
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Georgian Britain: the highs and lows of a transformative age
Penelope J Corfield discusses the highs and lows of the Georgian era, from the abolition movement to the gin craze
The long 18th century saw Britain undergo colossal changes, from growing overseas expansion and the transformation of attitudes towards disability, to the sexualisation of popular culture. Penelope J Corfield speaks to Rhiannon Davies about this explosive era of British history.
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Vichy France: everything you wanted to know
Shannon Fogg answers listener questions on the collaborationist regime created following France’s defeat by Nazi Germany
In the latest episode in our series on history’s biggest topics, Professor Shannon Fogg answers listener questions on the collaborationist French regime that was created following the country’s defeat by Nazi Germany. In conversation with Rob Attar, she examines the origins of Vichy France, explores its relationship with Nazi Germany and reveals what life was like for those who lived under Vichy rule.
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Berlin’s tumultuous history
Barney White-Spunner discusses the extraordinary, absorbing and often tragic history of Germany’s capital
Barney White-Spunner tells Spencer Mizen why Berlin – a metropolis that was at the centre of the Reformation, the Thirty Years’ War, the Third Reich and the Cold War – has a history like no other city in the world.
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Three female civil rights pioneers
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America’s Cold War culture boom
From artistic experimentation to an explosion in pop music, Louis Menand speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about American art, culture and ideas between 1945-65. They touch on the Beatles making waves in the US, the rise of counterculture, and how silent compositions and messy canvases redefined the boundaries of art.
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Medieval masterclass 2: Domination 750-1215
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Margery Kempe: medieval mystic
Anthony Bale discusses the sensational life of medieval mystic Margery Kempe, charting a story of unusual visions, spiritual revelations, turbulent emotions and religious controversies. Speaking with Emily Briffett, he explores how her autobiography, The Book of Margery Kempe, has enriched our understanding of the early 15th century.
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Greek myths: everything you wanted to know
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Bloody Sunday: 50 years on
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The BBC at 100: audio adventures in the 1920s
In the first episode of our new monthly series marking the centenary of the BBC, media historian David Hendy speaks to Matt Elton about the institution’s founding in the 1920s – a decade of innovation and ingenuity.
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Elitism in cricket: a history
Duncan Stone argues that classism and racism have held back England’s summer sport for decades
Duncan Stone talks to Spencer Mizen about cricket’s history of elitism – a story that, he contends, has long seen the rich and powerful dominate the sport’s evolution and image.
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Medieval masterclass 1: Imperium 410-750
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Cold war mind games
Martin Sixsmith speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about his book The War of Nerves, which explores the role of psychology in the Cold War, from propaganda and paranoia to a divided mindset and unpredictable decisions made by unstable leaders.
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America’s “Roaring Twenties”: everything you wanted to know
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Escaping slavery in the American South
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Munich: the real history behind the new film
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The Gothic: from Dracula to The Shining
Roger Luckhurst speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about how the idea of the Gothic has evolved and mutated over time, from medieval-inspired architecture and 19th-century vampire fiction to politicised horror films. He also reveals how the genre has been used as a vehicle to explore society’s anxieties over time, from sex and gender to race and colonialism.
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Women of the Rothschild dynasty
Historian Natalie Livingstone chronicles the unexplored lives of the women who shaped the famous Rothschild banking dynasty. She speaks to Elinor Evans about how – though often excluded in a patriarchal society – they forged their own paths, from influential hostesses to pioneering scientists.
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Queen Victoria’s spy network
Richard J Aldrich and Rory Cormac discuss Queen Victoria’s love of espionage and her network of royal intelligence agents
Historians Richard J Aldrich and Rory Cormac speak to Emma Slattery Williams about their book The Secret Royals, which explores the connections between espionage and the British monarchy, revealing how Queen Victoria utilised a large covert network of international spies.
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Mao’s Cultural Revolution: everything you wanted to know
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How the Beatles were in tune with 60s Britain
Dominic Sandbrook explains how the Beatles reflected 1960s Britain, from the globalisation of pop culture to a fascination with mysticism
The 1960s was a time of transformation, as the grey of postwar Britain gave way to a technicolour youth culture, with screaming teenage fans, an outpouring of merchandise and a deep obsession with pop music. Dominic Sandbrook speaks to Rhiannon Davies about how the Beatles provided the soundtrack to a rapidly changing society.
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Shining new light on medieval Europe
Matthew Gabriele and David M Perry speak to David Musgrove about their book The Bright Ages, which tackles the big themes of the Middle Ages and challenges some widely held views about the history of medieval Europe.
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A murder mystery in 19th-century Dublin
Thomas Morris speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about his book The Dublin Railway Murder, which reconstructs a strange historical cold case from 1856, revolving around a body discovered in a railway station office that was locked from the inside.
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Trading and crusading in the Middle Ages
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The Demerara slave uprising
Thomas Harding discusses a little-known uprising by enslaved people in the British colony of Demerara in 1823
Thomas Harding speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about his new book, White Debt, which recounts the little-known uprising by enslaved people in the British colony of Demerara in 1823, as told through the experiences of four eyewitnesses.
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The Age of Sail: everything you wanted to know
Naval historian Kate Jamieson tackles listener questions on the Age of Sail, when sailing ships dominated global trade and warfare
In the latest episode in our series on history’s biggest topics, naval historian Kate Jamieson tackles listener questions on the Age of Sail. Speaking to Kev Lochun, she covers subjects ranging from ghost ships and sea monsters to the rigours of life at sea.
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Ancient Greek scientific thinking
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Hells, heavens and afterworlds: a traveller’s guide
Edward Brooke-Hitching explores the many heavens, hells and lands of the dead from civilisations across global history
Edward Brooke-Hitching speaks to Charlotte Hodgman about his latest book, The Devil's Atlas: An Explorer's Guide to Heavens, Hells and Afterworlds, exploring visions of the afterlife as imagined throughout history by cultures and religions around the world.
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Women who served in WW2
In commemoration of the 80th anniversary of conscription for women, historian Tessa Dunlop has written a new book capturing the remarkable lives of the last surviving women who served in Britain’s armed forces during the Second World War. Speaking to Emma Slattery Williams, Tessa draws on individual stories to paint a picture of what it was like to be young, female and at war.
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A forgotten witch hunt in New England
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Goods & globalisation: merchants in Tudor & Stuart England
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The Jacobites: everything you wanted to know
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History’s greatest mysteries: what caused the medieval ‘dancing plague’?
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History’s greatest mysteries: why did Mao’s chosen successor flee China?
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History’s greatest mysteries: was the Trojan War fact or fiction?
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History’s greatest mysteries: what happened to the Roman Ninth Legion?
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History’s greatest mysteries: Agatha Christie disappears
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The state of history in 2021
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Christmas feasts: WW2 rationing & postwar absurdity
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Thomas Kendrick: MI6 spymaster who helped win WW2
Helen Fry speaks to Jon Bauckham about the remarkable life and career of Thomas Kendrick, an elusive MI6 intelligence officer who helped thousands of Jews escape Nazi-controlled Austria, before going on to mastermind the biggest Allied bugging operation of the Second World War.
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Pearl Harbor episode 5: Chaos unleashed
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The Stuart princess who could have deposed Charles I
Elizabeth Stuart was beloved by Protestants and Catholics, English and Scots alike. Many clamoured for her to replace her brother, Charles I, on the throne, and one admirer even commissioned a treasonous painting of her wearing the Tudor crown. Nadine Akkerman speaks to Rhiannon Davies about this fascinating and now largely forgotten figure.
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Fascism: everything you wanted to know
Richard Bosworth answers listener questions on the authoritarian ideology that emerged in Italy a century ago
How was Mussolini able to seize control in Italy a century ago? What differentiated Italian Fascism from Nazism? And is the term “fascist” bandied around too much today? In the latest in our series answering your questions on history’s biggest subjects, Richard Bosworth speaks to Spencer Mizen about the history of the rightwing ideology.
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Yugoslavia: the beginning of the end
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Christmas feasts: Victorian merrymaking
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Triumph against the odds: the 1821 Greek Revolution
Historian Mark Mazower explains how the Greeks secured an unlikely victory against the Ottoman empire in their 1820s fight for freedom. Speaking to Rob Attar, he also reveals how the dramatic events of two centuries ago would have a profound impact on the future of the European continent.
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Pearl Harbor episode 4: The day of the attack
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England’s last witches
John Callow discusses the tragic case of the Bideford witches, the last women in England to be executed for the crime of witchcraft
In 1682, three women – Temperance Lloyd, Susannah Edwards and Mary Trembles – became the last in England to be hanged for the crime of witchcraft. John Callow speaks to Kev Lochun about how circumstance and ill-fortune led the so-called “Bideford witches” to the gallows, and how history has rehabilitated them.
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Hadrian’s Wall: everything you wanted to know
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Animals in space: from Laika to jellyfish & tortoises
Stephen Walker tells Rhiannon Davies about the history of animals in space, from fruit flies and monkeys to Laika the Soviet space dog
Thousands of animals paved the way for human space travel. But for many of them, it was an incredibly painful – or deadly – experience. Stephen Walker tells Rhiannon Davies about this overlooked chapter of space exploration, from Soviet space dogs strapped to rockets and chimpanzees sent up by NASA, to two tortoises who orbited the moon.
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Christmas feasts: Georgian elegance
Taking in glamorous dinner parties and decadent “wine-chocolate”, Annie Graytransports us back to a festive feast from the Georgian era. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, for the second episode in our mini-series on Christmas food through history, she also touches on dangerous parlour games and complaints about Christmas being “too commercial”.
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How US-Russian relations fractured in the 1990s
Mary Sarotte tells Spencer Mizen about her new book Not One Inch, which reveals how diplomatic missteps after the fall of the Berlin Wall soured US-Russian relations and fuelled the rise of Vladimir Putin.
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Pearl Harbor episode 3: Countdown to the raid
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Pearl Harbor episode 2: America on the eve of war
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Sex lives of medieval people
Were medieval attitudes to sex really that different from our own? Historian Katherine Harvey speaks to Elinor Evans about the sex lives of ordinary people in the Middle Ages – from how sexuality was governed by ideas about sin, to the “love magic” that was thought to trick people into bed.
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The Great Depression: everything you wanted to know
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Searching for WW1’s fallen soldiers
Robert Sackville-West describes attempts to identify the bodies of the dead after the devastating battles of the First World War
Historian Robert Sackville-West describes the searches to identify – and in some cases, return – bodies of the dead after the devastating battles of the First World War: a service that provided important closure for many bereaved families. Speaking with Elinor Evans, he also explores how commemoration of the war dead has changed over the last century.
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Christmas feasts: Medieval & Tudor revelry
From brawn to plum pottage, Annie Gray takes us back to the raucous world of festive feasting in the medieval and Tudor eras. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, for the first episode in our new mini-series on Christmas food through history, she also touches on subversive merrymaking, spectacular dinnertime entertainments and hefty meat pies.
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Pearl Harbor episode 1: A gathering storm in Japan
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Colour: a human history
Colour has been hugely important to humans through history, with different cultures attaching their own meanings to all the hues of the rainbow. From the ancient societies who venerated purple to the modern political radicals who chose red as the colour of revolution, James Fox speaks to Rhiannon Davies about these fascinating associations.
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Stranger danger? Xenophobia’s unexpected history
Psychiatrist and historian George Makari speaks to Jon Bauckham about the origins of the term “xenophobia”, and the ways in which western thinkers have interpreted people’s fear of strangers, from the 19th century to the present day.
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The Irish famine: everything you wanted to know
Christine Kinealy answers listener questions on the devastating famine that struck Ireland in the mid-19th century
Christine Kinealy answers listener questions on the causes and consequences of the devastating famine that struck Ireland in the mid-19th century. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, she also discusses whether we should call it a “famine”, the role of aid and migration in the crisis, and if the British government can be blamed for what happened.
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How Shakespeare inspired terrorists
Shakespeare has been an obsession of extremist groups across the globe over the centuries. The Nazi Party held him up as a hero, while Osama Bin Laden condemned him as the ultimate symbol of the depraved west. Islam Issa speaks to Rhiannon Davies about the playwright’s tangled relationship with terror.
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How the Greeks changed the world
Historian Roderick Beaton ranges over 4,000 years of Greek history, from the glories of Mycenae to the life of a modern European nation. In discussion with Rob Attar, he picks out some of the key moments in this journey, including the triumphs of ancient Greece, the conquests of Alexander the Great and the 1820s battle for independence.
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What can churches tell us?
Peter Stanford speaks to Emily Briffett about his new book, If These Stones Could Talk, which chronicles his journeys around Britain and Ireland’s churches, abbeys, chapels and cathedrals in a quest to understand how religion has defined our past and continues to shape our present.
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Sex work: a brief history
From the courtesans of Edo Japan and ancient Greece to the mollyhouses of Regency London, Kate Lister speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about her new book Harlots, Whores and Hackabouts, which charts the long, diverse and colourful history of sex work.
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The Ottoman “Age of Discovery”
The “Age of Discovery” is traditionally known as a period between the 15th and 16th centuries, when European Christian powers sailed west and encountered lands and peoples previously unknown to them. However, speaking to David Musgrove, Professor Marc David Baer contends that this narrative overlooks the influential role of the Ottoman empire.
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Anglo-Scottish border wars: everything you wanted to know
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A secret trial that transformed transgender rights
In 1965, Scottish aristocrat Ewan Forbes stood to inherit his family’s baronetcy but, as a transgender man, he soon became embroiled in a top-secret legal case which had consequences that still affect the lives of trans people today. Zoe Playdon explores this still largely unknown story, in conversation with Matt Elton.
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How to tell the story of WW2 in museums
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How slavery & empire shaped epidemiology
Jim Downs speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about his book Maladies of Empire, which reveals how the conditions created by colonialism, war and slavery affected the study of disease and its spread in the 18th and 19th centuries.
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George V: not so dull after all
Jane Ridley speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about the life and reign of George V. She reveals how the king, often unfairly dismissed as something of a dullard, in fact successfully steered the monarchy through a tumultuous era of British history.
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The man who made King Alfred great
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Espionage history: everything you wanted to know
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The St Brice’s Day Massacre of 1002
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Medieval manuscript makers
Medieval manuscripts tell a story far greater than just what’s written inside them. In conversation with Emily Briffett, Mary Wellesley shares the hidden histories of the artisans, authors and owners behind these fragile and beautiful documents.
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Surviving hell on earth: Polar explorer Ranulph Fiennes on Shackleton
Ernest Shackleton looms large in the heroic age of exploration, making two bids to reach the South Pole and famously attempting to traverse the Antarctic continent, before his ship was crushed by pack ice. Fellow polar explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes chronicles his dangerous exploits and reflects on his own expeditions in a conversation with Rhiannon Davies.
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The CIA’s secret African missions
Historian Susan Williams discusses the United States’ covert programme to undermine the leaders of newly independent African nations in the 1950s and 1960s. Speaking to Rob Attar, she highlights the stories of Congo’s Patrice Lumumba and Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah, both of whom were ultimately ousted from power.
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The rebel who defied William the Conqueror
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SALEM EPISODE 9: Conclusion
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SALEM EPISODE 8: Willful, weak-minded women?
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SALEM EPISODE 7: Quarrelsome neighbours & family tensions
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SALEM EPISODE 6: Chaos in the courtroom
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SALEM EPISODE 5: Satanic sabbaths and supernatural sins
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From chariots to e-scooters: transformations in transport
Tom Standage traces technological advances in transport, from the invention of the wheel to the rise of the car
Tom Standage, author of A Brief History of Motion, speaks to Jon Bauckham about technological advances in transport, from the invention of the wheel to the rise of the car, and reveals why modern transport dilemmas echo those of the late 19th century.
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Giving birth in the 17th century
Dr Sara Read explores women’s experience of pregnancy and childbirth in early modern England. Speaking to Emma Slattery Williams, she discusses the research behind her recent novel, which tells the story of a midwife working during the Great Plague of 1665.
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Cricket as a colonial weapon
Dr Souvik Naha reveals how the Victorians used cricket to export “British virtues” across the empire
For 19th-century imperialists, cricket wasn’t just a game, it was a means of exporting “British virtues” across the empire. Dr Souvik Naha tells Spencer Mizen about the sport’s great “civilising mission”.
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Living through the fall of communism
Professor Lea Ypi reflects on her childhood years, which witnessed the final years of communism in Albania and the fraught transition to capitalist democracy. In conversation with Rob Attar, she also considers what these experiences have taught her about the true nature of freedom.
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Black cowboys on screen
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SALEM EPISODE 4: The pervasive power of Puritanism
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SALEM EPISODE 3: A ‘new Jerusalem’ on the edge of a wilderness
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SALEM EPISODE 2: How events spiralled out of control
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SALEM EPISODE 1: Introduction
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Ghosts, necromancy & the underworld in ancient Mesopotamia
Irving Finkel speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about his book The First Ghosts, which looks at what we can learn from the first written evidence of ghost beliefs. He reveals what ancient Mesopotamian cuneiform tablets can tell us about everything from necromancy and getting rid of troublesome spirits to demons and the underworld.
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What would you ask a historian?
Greg Jenner talks about his latest book, Ask A Historian, which tackles 50 burning questions that people have about the past
Public historian Greg Jenner talks to Elinor Evans about his latest book, Ask A Historian, which tackles on 50 questions exploring some unexpected chapters of history that people have always wanted to know about – from whether people really ate powdered mummies, to the best historical figures to choose for an Oceans’ Eleven-style heist.
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COMING SOON Salem: investigating the witch trials
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Windows: an illuminating history
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How a ballerina survived the Gulag
Christina Ezrahi speaks to Elinor Evans about the story of Nina Anisimova, one of the most famous ballerinas in Stalin’s Soviet Union. After being arrested for supposed counter-revolutionary activity, Anisimova was transported to a forced labour camp, only to make a remarkable return to the stage.
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Afghanistan: a history of instability
A panel of expert historians discuss how history can help make sense of current events in Afghanistan
The Taliban recently regained control of Afghanistan as US forces withdrew after two decades in the country. How can history help make sense of this seismic moment? Matt Elton joins a panel of experts – William Dalrymple, Rabia Latif Khan, Elisabeth Leake and Bijan Omrani – to explore how Afghanistan’s past can help us understand its present situation.
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Egyptian pharaohs: everything you wanted to know
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Medieval ghost stories
Historian Dan Jones’s new book, The Tale of the Tailor and the Three Dead Kings, reimagines a medieval ghost story for modern audiences. He explains to Dave Musgrove what it tells us about attitudes to the afterlife in the Middle Ages.
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How dogs shaped city life
Chris Pearson talks to Elinor Evans about his latest book, Dogopolis, which explores how human-canine relationships shaped urban living in three cities – New York, Paris and London – in the late 19th and 20th centuries, from differing attitudes towards pets and strays, to their roles in modern security.
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African-American women’s battle for the vote
Martha S Jones discusses her Cundill History Prize-shortlisted book Vanguard, which charts African-American women’s long and determined fight for the vote. She speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about how the battle for suffrage connected to other issues and a wider struggle for political power.
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Asia’s anti-imperial revolutionaries
Tim Harper speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about his Cundill History Prize-shortlisted book Underground Asia, which reveals how clandestine networks of anti-colonialist rebels operated across Asia in the early 20th century.
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A family history of France
Following the fortunes of one extended family in a south-western French town in the 18th and 19th centuries, Emma Rothschild’s Cundill Prize-shortlisted book An Infinite History builds up a picture of what life was like for ordinary people in provincial France. She tells Rhiannon Davies how generations of the family survived revolution, wars and sweeping economic changes, to reveal a fascinating story of France’s history from below.
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Apartheid: everything you wanted to know
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Berbice: a slave rebellion that nearly succeeded
Historian Marjoleine Kars tells Elinor Evans about a little-known 1763 rebellion by enslaved people in Berbice, in present-day Guyana. Chronicled in her Cundill prize-shortlisted book Blood on the River, it was an event that revises our understanding of the actions of enslaved people at the dawn of the Age of Revolution.
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Trial by combat: the real history behind The Last Duel
Hannah Skoda delves into the bloody and brutal spectacle of trial by combat in the Middle Ages
To coincide with the release of new film The Last Duel, Hannah Skoda explores the bloody and brutal spectacle of trial by combat in the Middle Ages. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, she reveals how judicial violence was used to settle legal disputes, and recounts some of the most dramatic real cases.
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Liberty and racism: an interconnected history
Tyler Stovall speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about his Cundill prize-shortlisted book White Freedom, which explores how European and American ideas about ‘liberty’ and ‘freedom’ have been underpinned by racism since the Enlightenment.
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George III: the tyrant who lost America?
Andrew Roberts discusses his landmark new biography of King George III and takes on some of the myths that have surrounded the monarch
Historian Andrew Roberts discusses his landmark new biography of King George III with Rob Attar. He takes on some of the myths that have surrounded the king, such as: Was he really a tyrant? Was his “madness” caused by porphyria? And how responsible was he for the loss of the American colonies?
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At home with the Mongols
“The Horde” was an empire like no other, ruled by Nomadic Mongol Khans for three centuries. But how was the Mongol empire governed, and what was everyday life like within it? Marie Favereau speaks to David Musgrove about her Cundill prize-shortlisted book on the subject.
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Pompeii: everything you wanted to know
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Unexpected Edwardians
Nick Baker and John Woolf, writers of Stephen Fry’s Edwardian Secrets, discuss some lesser-known aspects of the Edwardian age
The Edwardians were not just about the afternoon tea and croquet on the lawn. Behind the Downton Abbey image of the age lies a much murkier reality. Nick Baker and John Woolf, writers of the new Audible series Stephen Fry’s Edwardian Secrets, discuss some of the lesser-known aspects of the era.
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Plagues of our past
From when our ancestors first mastered fire to the rise of modern cities, humanity’s progress has been accompanied by a revolving door of parasites, bacteria and viruses, wreaking havoc on our health. Kyle Harper, author of Plagues Upon the Earth, discusses the sprawling history of infectious disease.
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Courage under fire: the story of a WW2 tank regiment
Military historian, author and broadcaster James Holland tells the story of the Sherwood Rangers, a British tank regiment which was in the thick of the action from the Allied assault on Normandy on D-Day until the final defeat of Nazi Germany.
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How Hindustan became India
Manan Ahmed Asif discusses his book The Loss of Hindustan, the Invention of India, which has just been shortlisted for the Cundill History Prize
Historian Manan Ahmed Asif discusses his recent book The Loss of Hindustan, the Invention of India, which has just been shortlisted for the Cundill History Prize. He explores the historical concept of Hindustan and reveals how, through the colonial era, it came to be replaced with the modern idea of India.
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The turbulent Stuart century
Dr Clare Jackson discusses her new book Devil-Land, which examines the insecurities and anxieties that plagued England between 1588 and 1688, from fears of a foreign invasion to paranoia over Catholic plots.
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The Boer War: everything you wanted to know
Saul Dubow responds to listener questions on Victorian Britain’s bitter conflict with two southern African republics
What triggered the Boer War? Why did it take Britain so long to bring its enormous resources to bear? And how did the war puncture the people of Britain’s confidence in the power of their armed forces? Professor Saul Dubow answers your questions on the bitter imperial conflict.
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My father the Nazi
As governor-general of Nazi-occupied Poland, Hans Frank bore heavy responsibility for the abuse and murder of hundreds of thousands of Poles and millions of Polish Jews. His son, Niklas Frank, recounts his father’s role in the Nazi regime and explains why he’s made it his mission to ensure that his father’s murderous legacy is never forgotten.
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Adventures of a Victorian actor
Helen Batten shares stories from her new biography of Victorian singer, stage performer and entrepreneur Emily Soldene, from a career in London’s rowdy music halls to adventures abroad and the bright lights of 19th-century Broadway.
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John of Gaunt: prince without a throne
John of Gaunt rose to become one of the most powerful figures of his age, yet was ultimately unable to secure a crown for himself. Historian, author and podcaster Helen Carr charts the eventful life of the 14th-century prince.
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Inside the prehistoric mind
How did prehistoric people in Britain view and understand the world around them? What did they smell, hear and see? Francis Pryor, one of Britain’s leading archaeologists and the author of Scenes from Prehistoric Life, delves into the sensory world of our prehistoric ancestors.
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How did the British royals survive WW1?
While many European royals faced abdications and revolutions during the First World War, the British monarchy not only survived the conflict, but was strengthened by it. Historian Heather Jones discusses her new book, For King and Country, which explores the royal family’s role during the war.
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Medieval Wales: everything you wanted to know
Matthew Stevens tackles listener questions on the history of the Welsh regions during the Middle Ages
Matthew Stevens tackles listener questions and popular search queries on the history of Wales and the Welsh regions during the Middle Ages, from the Norman invasion and Edward I’s conquest to the Welsh roots of the Tudor dynasty.
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A surprising history of the index
The index, the bit at the back of a book you mostly only turn to for reference, has a bit of a dowdy reputation – and it’s an unfair one. Dennis Duncan discusses the index’s surprising history – one that has saved heretics from the stake, kept politicians from office and proved a battleground for snarky academic rivalries.
(Ad) Dennis Duncan is the author of Index, A Brief History of the (Allen Lane, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Index-History-Dennis-Duncan/dp/0241374235/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Why did medieval monks write histories?
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India’s Suffragettes
Between 1917 and 1947, a group of Indian women fought for their right to vote. Sumita Mukherjee discusses their campaign, and reveals how Suffragettes were connected both to India’s wider struggle for independence, and women’s suffrage movements across the world.
(Ad) Sumita Mukherjee is the author of Indian Suffragettes: Female Identities and Transnational Networks(Oxford University Press, 2018). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Indian-Suffragettes-Identities-Transnational-Networks/dp/019948421X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Jihad and the British empire
Neil Faulkner reveals how the Anglo-Arab Wars of 1870-1920 helped give rise to the first modern jihad
Neil Faulkner, author of Empire and Jihad, describes how Britain’s entanglements in the Middle East and north Africa in the decades leading up to the First World War helped trigger a radical Islamic insurgency.
(Ad) Neil Faulkner is the author of Empire and Jihad: The Anglo-Arab Wars of 1870-1920 (Yale, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Empire-Jihad-Anglo-Arab-Wars-1870-1920/dp/0300227493/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Transplant surgery: an eye-opening history
From transfusions of lambs’ blood to tooth replacements, Paul Craddock chronicles the strange history of transplant surgery
From lambs’ blood transfused into human veins, to tooth replacements and new noses crafted from forearm skin, Paul Craddock – author of new book Spare Parts – chronicles the strange history of transplant surgery.
(Ad) Paul Craddock is the author of Spare Parts: A Surprising History of Transplants (Fig Tree, 2021). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fspare-parts%2Fpaul-craddock%2F9780241370254
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The Paris Peace Conference: everything you wanted to know
Professor David Stevenson answers listener questions on the 1919-20 conference that sought to resolve the aftermath of the First World War
In the latest episode in our series on history’s biggest topics, Professor David Stevenson explores the 1919–20 conference that sought to resolve the aftermath of the First World War, and whose legacy has been fiercely debated ever since. Was the resulting Treaty of Versailles too harsh on Germany? Did the peacemakers create lasting problems in the Middle East? And what effect did the Spanish Flu have on proceedings?
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World history in 100 moments
Archaeologist and television presenter Neil Oliver discusses his new book, The Story of the World in 100 Moments, which explores the whole of human history through just 100 milestone events.
(Ad) Neil Oliver is the author of The Story of the World in 100 Moments (Bantam Press, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Story-World-100-Moments-bestselling/dp/1787633101/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Extraordinary hoaxes of the 18th century
Ian Keable describes some of the most audacious, bizarre and inventive pranks that fooled Georgian Britain
From a woman who seemingly gave birth to rabbits to a man who claimed he could climb inside a wine bottle, Ian Keable – author of The Century of Deception – describes some of the most audacious, bizarre and inventive pranks that fooled Georgian Britain.
(Ad) Ian Keable is the author of The Century of Deception: The Birth of the Hoax in Eighteenth Century England (Westbourne Press, 2021). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-century-of-deception%2Fian-keable%2F9781908906441
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Maria Theresa: empress, warrior, matriarch
Nancy Goldstone discusses the 18th-century family saga of Habsburg empress Maria Theresa, and her equally formidable daughters
Nancy Goldstone discusses the 18th-century family saga of Habsburg Empress Maria Theresa and her equally formidable daughters (including Marie Antoinette) who married into royal houses around Europe.
(Ad) Nancy Goldstone is the author of In the Shadow of the Empress: The Defiant Lives of Maria Theresa, Mother of Marie Antoinette, and Her Daughters (Little, Brown, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shadow-Empress-Defiant-Antoinette-Daughters/dp/0316449334/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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From Roman villas to Downton Abbey: Britain’s country houses
Clive Aslet, author of The Story of the Country House: A History of Places and People, reveals how Britain’s attitude to its stately piles has reflected the nation’s evolving political and economic landscape over the past 2,000 years.
(Ad) Clive Aslet is the author of The Story of the Country House: A History of Places and People (Yale, 2021). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-story-of-the-country-house-a-history-of-places-and-people%2Fclive-aslet%2F%2F9780300255058
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Hitler’s war on “degenerate art”
Journalist and author Charlie English shares the story of a remarkable collection of artworks by psychiatric patients in Weimar Germany and also explores the devastating impact of Nazism on modernist art and people with mental illnesses.
(Ad) Charlie English is the author of The Gallery of Miracles and Madness: Insanity, Art and Hitler’s first Mass-Murder Programme (William Collins, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gallery-Miracles-Madness-Charlie-English/dp/0008299625/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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The Borgias: everything you wanted to know
In the latest episode in our series on history’s biggest topics, Professor Jill Burke tackles listener questions and internet search queries on the Borgias, from rumours of incest and the Banquet of the Chestnuts to the forgotten triumphs Pope Alexander VI.
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Why the Tudors fell for courtly love
Sarah Gristwood considers how the Tudor monarchs used medieval ideas about courtly love for their own ends
In medieval Europe, the nobility were entranced with courtly love, a genre of literature that saw chivalrous knights performing heroic deeds to protect and serve their lovers. But as Sarah Gristwood argues, these tropes later captured the hearts and minds of the Tudor dynasty, who used ideas about courtly love to further their own agendas.
(Ad) Sarah Gristwood is the author of The Tudors in Love: The Courtly Code Behind the Last Medieval Dynasty (Oneworld, 2021). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-tudors-in-love%2Fsarah-gristwood%2F9781786078940
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Wedgwood: the radical potter
Tristram Hunt, author of The Radical Potter, discusses the life and work of Josiah Wedgwood (1730-1795), from his groundbreaking ceramic creations and enterprising business ventures to his political radicalism.
(Ad) Tristram Hunt is the author of The Radical Potter: Josiah Wedgwood and the Transformation of Britain (Allen Lane, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Radical-Potter-Wedgwood-Transformation-Britain/dp/0241287898/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Aboriginal Australians: a modern history
Historian Richard Broome, author of Aboriginal Australians, discusses the experiences of Australia’s indigenous peoples after the arrival of white settlers, uncovering stories of exploitation and oppression, but also of agency and cultural independence.
(Ad) Richard Broome is the author of Aboriginal Australians: A History Since 1788 (Fifth Edition – Allen and Unwin, 2019). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Aboriginal-Australians-History-Since-1788/dp/1760528218/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Decolonisation to Covid-19: history education today
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Seances, skis and secrets: an extraordinary WWI escape
Interned in a remote, forbidding prisoner of war camp at the height of the First World War, two British officers turned to an unlikely tool in their bid to escape – a ouija board. Margalit Fox, author of The Confidence Men: How Two Prisoners of War Engineered the Most Remarkable Escape in History, tells their story.
(Ad) Margalit Fox is the author of The Confidence Men: How Two Prisoners of War Engineered the Most Remarkable Escape in History (Profile, 2021). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-confidence-men%2Fmargalit-fox%2F9781788162715
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The Spanish Armada: everything you wanted to know
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The Special Boat Service: WW2’s silent heroes
Historian Saul David discusses SBS – Silent Warriors, his new authorised history of the Special Boat Service in the Second World War. He explains how this daring maritime unit played a crucial role in Allied victory and highlights some of its most spectacular operations.
(Ad) Sauld David is the author of SBS - Silent Warriors: The Authorised Wartime History (HarperCollins, 2021). Buy it now from Waterstones:
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The surprisingly modern Middle Ages
Dan Jones explores the similarities and differences between the medieval experience and our lives today
In what ways was the medieval era surprisingly modern? Dan Jones, whose latest book is Powers and Thrones: A New History of the Middle Ages, reveals the similarities and differences between the medieval experience and our lives today.
(Ad) Dan Jones is the author of Powers and Thrones: A New History of the Middle Ages (Apollo, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Powers-Thrones-History-Middle-Ages-ebook/dp/B08M6KFTR1/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Why do things change?
David Potter, author of Disruption: Why Things Change, analyses the causes of huge events that altered human history and guides us on a tour of radical transformation in western history, taking in the Black Death, Adolf Hitler, the printing press and the perils of complacency.
(Ad) David Potter is the author of Disruption: Why Things Change (OUP, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Disruption-Things-Change-David-Potter/dp/0197518826/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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History in 2021, with Helen Carr and Suzannah Lipscomb
Sixty years ago EH Carr’s groundbreaking book, What is History?, explored how we should study the past. Now his great-granddaughter, Helen Carr, has teamed up with Suzannah Lipscomb to edit a new volume, What is History, Now?. Here, they discuss the importance and challenges of writing history in the 21st century.
(Ad) Helen Carr and Suzannah Lipscomb are the editors of What is History, Now? (Orion, 2021). Preorder it now from Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/what-is-history-now/suzannah-lipscomb/helen-carr/9781474622455
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How Walter Scott’s stories shaped Scotland
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Food history: everything you wanted to know
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The rise of the Paralympics
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Behind the scenes of The Boleyns: A Scandalous Family
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What’s next for period drama?
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Vikings and Franks
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The forgotten matriarch of the Wars of the Roses
Cecily Neville, mother of Richard III, is typically glossed over in the story of the Wars of Roses. But behind the scenes, she fought her own war, using intrigue, manipulation and the power of words to support her family’s struggle for power. Annie Garthwaite discusses her new novel, Cecily, following the extraordinary life of this forgotten matriarch.
(Ad) Annie Garthwaite is the author of Cecily (Penguin, 2021). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fcecily%2Fannie-garthwaite%2F9780241476871
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British police history: everything you wanted to know
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The Windsors in exile
Andrew Lownie discusses his new book Traitor King, which delves into the lives of Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson after the abdication crisis of 1936. The discussion ranges from their sympathies for the agents and aims of Nazi Germany to their opulent and eccentric post-war lifestyle.
(Ad) Andrew Lownie is the author of Traitor King: The Scandalous Exile of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor (Bonnier Books, 2021). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Ftraitor-king%2Fandrew-lownie%2F9781788704816
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Working-class girlhood in 1930s Bolton
Hester Barron and Claire Langhamer discuss their new book, Class of ’37, which looks at what we can learn from essays written in 1937 by 12- and 13-year-old girls from Bolton.
(Ad) Hester Barron and Claire Langhamer are the authors of Class of '37: Voices from Working-Class Girlhood (Metro, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Class-37-Voices-Working-class-Girlhood/dp/1789464056/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Censorship: waging war on free speech
Eric Berkowitz describes the lengths to which rulers – from the first Chinese emperor to Henry VIII – have gone to suppress freedom of speech
Humans have been attempting to stamp out free speech for millennia. Eric Berkowitz discusses the inglorious history of censorship – from the first Chinese emperor to Henry VIII – and explains why he believes that attempts to silence others never work.
(Ad) Eric Berkowitz is the author of Dangerous Ideas: A Brief History of Censorship in the West, from the Ancients to Fake News (Westbourne Press, 2021). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fdangerous-ideas%2Feric-berkowitz%2F9781908906427
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The history hidden in British heritage sites
Fatima Manji talks about her new book Hidden Heritage: Rediscovering Britain’s Lost Love of the Orient, which explores the objects and landmarks that are often obscured by the traditional stories told in many heritage sites, and how they point to a more complex British history.
(Ad) Fatima Manji is the author of Hidden Heritage: Rediscovering Britain’s Lost Love of the Orient (Chatto & Windus, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hidden-Heritage-Rediscovering-Britains-Orient/dp/1784742910/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Monarchs, fascists & communists: Romania’s modern history
Paul Kenyon discusses his book Children of the Night, which charts the story of modern Romania, and its colourful, chaotic and often corrupt leaders – from unstable playboy King Carol II, to communist dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu.
(Ad) Paul Kenyon is the author of Children of the Night: The Strange and Epic Story of Modern Romania (Head of Zeus, 2021). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fchildren-of-the-night%2Fpaul-kenyon%2F9781789543162
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Early Medieval Britain: everything you wanted to know
In the latest episode in our series tackling history’s biggest topics, Dr Rory Naismith, author of Early Medieval Britain, c500–1000, responds to listener questions and popular internet search queries on Britain in the early Middle Ages.
(Ad) Rory Naismith is the author of Early Medieval Britain c500-1000 (Cambridge University Press, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Medieval-Britain-500-1000-Cambridge-History/dp/1108440258/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Bewitched cars & mail-order charms: witchcraft in modern France
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Witnesses to the Berlin Wall
As we approach the 60th anniversary of the Berlin Wall’s construction, Major General Sir Robert Corbett and journalists Mark Wood and Alastair Stewart discuss their memories of the divided city and the dramatic events of November 1989. The discussion is chaired by the author Iain MacGregor.
(Ad) Iain MacGregor is the author of Checkpoint Charlie: The Cold War, the Berlin Wall and the Most Dangerous Place on Earth (Constable, 2019). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Checkpoint-Charlie-Berlin-Dangerous-Place/dp/1472130588/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Robespierre’s brutal downfall
Colin Jones tells the story of Maximilien Robespierre’s fall from power – a dramatic 24 hours that ended with the revolutionary titan facing the guillotine
Maximilien Robespierre awoke on the morning of 27 July 1794 as arguably the most powerful man in Paris – the intellectual driving force behind the French Revolution. Twenty-four hours later he was languishing in a cell, condemned to die by the guillotine. Author Colin Jones tells the story of these fateful 24 hours in Robespierre’s life – a day that would alter the trajectory of the French Revolution.
(Ad) Colin Jones is the author of The Fall of Robespierre: 24 Hours in Revolutionary Paris (Oxford University Press, 2021). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-fall-of-robespierre%2Fcolin-jones%2F9780198715955
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How should we teach the slave trade?
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Building utopia after WW1
Left traumatised by the horrors of the First World War, between the 1920s and 1940s people around the world set out to create “perfect” societies – with mixed results. Anna Neima, author of The Utopians: Six Attempts to Build the Perfect Society, charts their efforts.
(Ad) Anna Neima is the author of The Utopians: Six Attempts to Build the Perfect Society (Pan Macmillan, 2021). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-utopians%2Fanna-neima%2F2928377056346
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The Ottoman empire: everything you wanted to know
Eugene Rogan answers listener questions on one of history’s most powerful – and long-lasting – empires
How did the Ottomans dominate swathes of Europe, Asia and Africa for up to seven centuries? How did their sack of Constantinople in 1453 change the course of history? And why did they back the wrong horse in the First World War? Eugene Rogan answers your questions on one of the world’s greatest empires.
(Ad) Eugene Rogan is the author of The Fall of the Ottomans: The Great War in the Middle East, 1914-1920 (Allen Lane, 2015). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fall-Ottomans-Great-Middle-1914-1920/dp/1846144388/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Portraits, power and royal wigs
Sue Pritchard, curator of a new exhibition of royal portraits at the National Maritime Museum, discusses how wigs were used to convey royal power
Sue Pritchard, curator of Tudors to Windsors, a new exhibition of royal portraits at the National Maritime Museum, discusses how monarchs used wigs to convey royal power and spark fashions, from Elizabeth I’s fiery false locks, to Charles II’s luxuriant cascading curls.
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Wartime Britain’s mixed-race babies
During the Second World War, an estimated 2,000 babies were fathered by African-American GIs stationed in Britain. Lucy Bland reveals how these mixed-race children faced discrimination in the streets and ambivalence from the government, and why so many were given up by their mothers.
(Ad) Lucy Bland is the author of Britain's ‘Brown Babies’: The Stories of Children Born to Black GIs and White Women in the Second World War (Manchester University Press, 2019). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Britains-%60Brown-Babies-Stories-Children/dp/1526133261/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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The transformation of India’s glamorous golden couple
John Zubryzcki shares the story of the party-loving royals of the House of Jaipur, who turned to politics following Indian independence
In the 1950s and 60s, the House of Jaipur’s Jai and Ayesha were seen as India’s golden couple, rubbing shoulders with American film stars and British royalty. But as the princely states’ power was squeezed post-partition, the couple had to balance partying with politics. John Zubrzycki charts their tumultuous lives.
(Ad) John Zubryzcki is the author of The House of Jaipur: The Inside Story of India’s Most Glamorous Royal Family (C Hurst and co, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/House-Jaipur-Inside-Indias-Glamorous/dp/1787385566/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, on historical fiction
Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, and Marguerite Kaye join us to discuss their new historical romance novel, Her Heart for a Compass, which follows Victorian aristocrat Lady Margaret Montagu Scott, as she seeks to shake off the suffocating restrictions of the time.
(Ad) Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York and Marguerite Kaye are the co-authors of Her Heart for a Compass (HarperCollins, 2021). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fher-heart-for-a-compass%2Fsarah-ferguson-duchess-of-york%2F9780008383602
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Oliver Cromwell’s remarkable rise to power
Historian Ronald Hutton discusses Oliver Cromwell’s early life and career, exploring the brilliance and cruelty of the future Lord Protector and explaining how he rose from obscurity to become one of the dominant figures of the age.
(Ad) Ronald Hutton is the author of The Making of Oliver Cromwell (Yale, due to be published 10 August). Preorder on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Making-Oliver-Cromwell-Ronald-Hutton/dp/0300257457/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Modern Welsh history: everything you wanted to know
Martin Johnes tackles listener questions about the history of modern Wales, from the Industrial Revolution to devolution
In the latest episode in our series tackling major historical topics, Professor Martin Johnes answers listener questions about the history of modern Wales. He covers topics from the rapid industrialisation that transformed the nation’s landscape and culture in the 19th century to devolution at the turn of the 21st century.
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George II: reassessing a much-forgotten monarch
Norman Davies introduces a long-maligned and overlooked monarch, George II, King of Great Britain and Ireland and Elector of Hanover, considering the legacy of his rule, the familial rifts that characterised his reign, and his role in the trade of enslaved people.
(Ad) Norman Davies is the author of George II: Not Just a British Monarch (Penguin, 2021). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fgeorge-ii-penguin-monarchs%2Fnorman-davies%2F9780141978420
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A hard-fought history of trespass
Nick Hayes discusses the contested history of land ownership in England, from William the Conqueror to the Kinder trespass
Nick Hayes, author of The Book of Trespass, discusses the contested history of land ownership in England, from William the Conqueror to the Kinder trespass. He recounts moments from history when people have come to blows over whether our natural resources should belong to the many, or be accessed only by a privileged few.
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Antwerp: city of innovation & intrigue
In the 16th century, Antwerp was a global centre of trade, talked about around the world. Michael Pye considers its rise and bloody fall
In the 16th century, Antwerp was a global city that was talked about around the world – a centre of commerce, trade, knowledge and innovation, plus one of scandal, murder, secrets and intrigue. Michael Pye, author of Antwerp: The Glory Years, considers its rise and bloody fall.
(Ad) Michael Pye is the author of Antwerp: The Glory Years (Allen Lane, 2021). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Antwerp-Glory-Years-Michael-Pye/dp/0241243211/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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How the 1964 Tokyo Olympics redefined Japan
With the Olympics underway in Tokyo, Chris Harding looks back at 1964 – the last time Japan hosted the competition
With the Summer Olympics underway in Tokyo, Chris Harding looks back to the 1964 games – the last time Japan hosted the competition. He explores how the competition redefined the nation on the world stage two decades after the Second World War.
(Ad) Christopher Harding is the author of The Japanese: A History in 20 Lives (Allen Lane, 2021). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-japanese%2Fchristopher-harding%2F9780241434505
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Australian bushrangers: folk heroes or common criminals?
Meg Foster discusses the bandits that lived outside the law in Australia’s bush – from Ned Kelly to surprising lesser-known figures
Meg Foster discusses the bandits that lived outside the law in Australia’s bush, unpicking myth from reality in the stories of criminals who became folk heroes and national icons. She looks at the infamous bushranger Ned Kelly, and also shares surprising stories of lesser-known Aboriginal, black and women bushrangers.
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Olympic history: everything you wanted to know
As the world’s best athletes congregate in Tokyo for the 29th Summer Games, David Goldblatt answers your questions on the history of the Olympics
How violent were the ancient Greek Olympics? How did the Nazis react to Jessie Owens’ incredible performance in Munich, 1936? And what ranks as the greatest achievement in the history of the Games? David Goldblatt, author of The Games: A Global History of the Olympics, answers your questions on Olympic history.
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Why were the Georgians fixated with fatness?
Dr Freya Gowrley reveals how Georgian satirists used images of fatness to comment on the anxieties of the age
From Britain's heaviest man who became a much-loved celebrity, to rotund imperialists mocked in humorous prints, Dr Freya Gowrley reveals how Georgian satirists used images of fatness to comment on the anxieties of the age.
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How assassinations have changed history
Michael Burleigh discusses his book Day of the Assassins: A History of Political Murder, which considers what we can learn from looking at assassinations as a category of political violence. He also talks about some of the key assassinations through history, from Julius Caesar and Abraham Lincoln to the mysterious 1986 killing of the Swedish prime minister Olof Palme.
(Ad) Michael Burleigh is the author of Day of the Assassins: A History of Political Murder (Picador, 2021)
Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Day-Assassins-History-Political-Murder/dp/1529030137/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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The slave trade: a family history
Alex Renton discusses his new book, Blood Legacy, which offers an unflinching account of his ancestors’ involvement in the slave trade. He also considers how best to deal with this unwanted inheritance, and how the long-lasting impact of slavery still affects the world today.
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The piano: a musical history
For more than 300 years, the piano has captivated audiences, while composers have pushed the instrument’s boundaries. Susan Tomes, author of The Piano: A History in 100 Pieces, discusses some of the most impressive pieces of piano music ever written, and shares the stories of the composers who penned them.
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Should they stand or fall? The great statue debate
As statues of controversial historical figures continue to hit the headlines, Alex von Tunzelmann – author of Fallen Idols: Twelve Statues that Made History – looks at some of the most illuminating examples from across the centuries. She explores why the debate has proven so divisive, and gives her take on what should happen to controversial statues.
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The church in medieval England: everything you wanted to know
Did medieval people have sex in churches? What was a boy bishop? And why did women have to sit in the ‘safe side’ of a church in the Middle Ages? In the latest episode of our everything you want to know series, Professor Nicholas Orme responds to author questions and popular internet search queries about the church in medieval England.
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Madness & misery in Antarctica
In 1897 the Belgian Antarctic Expedition set sail in search of the south magnetic pole, but their journey was scuppered by a long, arduous winter trapped in the pack ice. Malnourishment, madness, and the threat of murder loomed. Julian Sancton, author of Madhouse at the End of the Earth: The Belgica’s Journey into the Dark Antarctic Night, charts their extraordinary journey.
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The battle over the Benin Bronzes
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Britain & France: enemies or economic partners?
From the Falklands to North America, British and French soldiers spent much of the 18th century locked in battle. Yet many influential thinkers believed that the two nations’ prospects were best served by cooperation not conflict. John Shovlin discusses the attempts to reset the dial on Anglo-French relations in the 18th century.
(Ad) John Shovlin is the author of Trading with the Enemy: Britain, France, and the 18th-Century Quest for a Peaceful World Order (Yale, 2021)
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Watergate in 100 days: how President Nixon fell
Author and former Washington Post journalist Michael Dobbs talks about his new book King Richard, which charts 100 pivotal days as the Watergate scandal gained a grip on Richard Nixon’s presidency, eventually leading to his infamous downfall.
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Contraception, consent & erotic connection: sex through history
Fern Riddell, author of Sex: Lessons from History, discusses what we can learn from looking at sexual culture in the past, and gives her thoughts on what we get wrong about the sex lives of our forebears, from contraception and sex work to the joy of sexual connection.
(Ad) Fern Riddell is the author of Sex: Lessons from History (Hodder & Stoughton, 2021)
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The Highland Clearances: everything you wanted to know
Who was to blame for the Highland Clearances? Why did they happen? And what became of those who were forcibly evicted? In the latest episode in our series on history’s biggest topics, historian Sir Tom Devine, author of The Scottish Clearances: A History of the Dispossessed, responds to listener questions on the causes and consequences of one of the most notorious episodes of Scottish history.
(Ad) Tom Devine is the author of The Scottish Clearances: A History of the Dispossessed, 1600-1900 (Allen Lane, 2018)
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Running to escape the horrors of war
Jonathan Westaway explores why there was a boom in the popularity of endurance running following the First World War
Following the First World War, endurance athletes in the English Lake District and elsewhere devoted themselves to smashing long-distance running records. Jonathan Westaway explores how endurance running’s boom in popularity was in part a reaction to the horrors of the global conflict.
Read Jonathan Westaway’s article here: http://clok.uclan.ac.uk/7025/
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The glamour & danger of Cairo’s 1920s nightlife scene
During its heyday in the roaring 20s, Cairo’s nightlife district was the place to go for a world-class night out – from glitzy variety shows in smoky clubs to Arabic operas performed to adoring audiences. Raphael Cormack, the author of Midnight in Cairo: The Female Stars of Egypt’s Roaring ‘20s, discusses this glamourous scene and some of the enterprising women who dominated it.
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The Viking Great Army: the latest discoveries
Julian Richards discusses the Viking Great Army, which wreaked havoc on the kingdoms of Anglo-Saxon England from 865-878
From 865-878, the Viking Great Army wreaked havoc on the kingdoms of Anglo-Saxon England. Julian Richards, author of The Viking Great Army and the Making of England, reveals how new research can shed light on the story of Norse fighting force.
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Glee-man, high-deedy & bendsome: a language to save England
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Healthcare before the NHS
Professor Barry Doyle explains what kind of treatment you could expect If you were ill before the National Health Service was founded in 1948
If you were ill before the National Health Service was founded, what kind of treatment could you expect? Professor Barry Doyle discusses what hospitals and healthcare were like in Britain before 1948, revealing a surprisingly extensive and accessible system.
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The Medici: everything you wanted to know
How did the Medici influence the Renaissance? Just how rich were they? And what dark family secrets were lurking in their past? In the latest episode in our series on history’s biggest topics, historian Catherine Fletcher responds to listener questions and popular online search queries on the Florentine dynasty, covering everything from the family’s exorbitant wealth to their alleged scandalous affairs.
(Ad) Catherine Fletcher is the author of The Beauty and the Terror: An Alternative History of the Italian Renaissance(Bodley Head, 2020)
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From hysteria to wandering wombs: women and medicine through history
Elinor Cleghorn discusses her new book Unwell Women, which traces the long history of the misdiagnosis and mistreatment of women’s health issues, and highlights some of the women who fought back against medical sexism.
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Hogarth: the chronicler of the 18th century
Jacqueline Riding discusses her new biography of William Hogarth, which charts the life and work of the famed artist and satirist. Hogarth was a larger-than-life figure whose many engravings and portraits highlighted the morals and vices of the 18th century.
(Ad) Jacqueline Riding is the author of Hogarth: Life in Progress (Profile, 2021). Buy it now at Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fhogarth%2Fjacqueline-riding%2F9781788163477
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Digging into the Klondike gold rush
From grizzled gold miners to fresh-faced boys in search of adventure, 100,000 prospectors set out for the remote Yukon in search of gold. Stephen Tuffnell delves into the Klondike gold rush, which saw millions of dollars’ worth of gold pulled from the ground – and ended as abruptly as it began.
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The Cold War battle for Berlin
Any illusions that the wartime entente between the western Allies and the Soviet Union would flourish in the new postwar world were shattered when the two sides came face to face on the streets of Berlin in the summer of 1945. Author Giles Milton reveals how spiralling tensions between Josef Stalin and his counterparts in the west over the fate of the German capital fired the starting gun on the Cold War.
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The history and mystery of UFOs
Following the release of the Pentagon’s much anticipated report on UFOs, Dr David Clarke explains how the idea of extra-terrestrials in mysterious flying saucers developed from its origins in the Cold War to become an enduring modern myth.
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Canadian history: everything you wanted to know
In the latest episode in our series tackling big historical topics, historian Donald Wright answers listener questions on the history of Canada, from the country’s indigenous population and its contribution to the two world wars, to the story behind the maple leaf flag and the reasons why Canada didn’t join the American Revolution.
(Ad) Donald Wright is the author of Canada: A Very Short Introduction (OUP, 2020). Buy it now at Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fcanada-a-very-short-introduction%2Fdonald-wright%2F9780198755241
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Forgotten heroes: Japanese Americans in World War Two
Bestselling author Daniel James Brown reveals how a group of young Japanese Americans overcame suspicion and prejudice to become some of the most decorated US soldiers in World War Two.
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The trials of Ethel Rosenberg
Historian and author Anne Sebba explores the life of Ethel Rosenberg, an American woman and mother of two who was executed for espionage in 1953 in one of the most sensational and controversial episodes of the Cold War.
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Socialite, countess, WW2 spy: Aline Griffith
Larry Loftis details the life and work of Aline Griffith, a model-turned-spy who rose to the upper echelons of society in WW2 Spain, mingling with everyone from famous bullfighters to the Spanish aristocracy.
(Ad) Larry Loftis is the author of The Princess Spy: The True Story of World War II Spy Aline Griffith, Countess of Romanones (Atria, 2021). Buy it now at Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Princess-Spy-Griffith-Countess-Romanones/dp/198214386X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Murder: a legal history
Kate Morgan chronicles the legal history of murder, discussing the cases that shaped UK murder laws
Lawyer and writer Kate Morgan chronicles the legal history of murder, and explores the roles killers, victims, lawyers and judges have played in making UK murder law what it is today. She also discusses crimes that shaped the British legal system, from Richard Parker, the cannibalised cabin boy eaten by crewmates, to Ruth Ellis, the last woman hanged in the United Kingdom.
(Ad) Kate Morgan is the author of Murder: The Biography (HarperCollins, 2021). Buy it now at Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fmurder-the-biography%2Fkate-morgan%2F2928377056001
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The merits of meritocracy
Adrian Wooldridge discusses his new book Aristocracy of Talent, which explores meritocracy’s role in forging the modern world, and weighs up the challenges and advantages of a system in which people are advanced solely on the basis of their talents.
(Ad) Adrian Wooldridge is the author of The Aristocracy of Talent: How Meritocracy Made the Modern World (Allen Lane, 2021). Buy it now at Bookshop.org: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fuk.bookshop.org%2Fbooks%2Fthe-aristocracy-of-talent-how-meritocracy-made-the-modern-world%2F9780241391495
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The Enlightenment: everything you wanted to know
Ritchie Robertson responds to listener questions on the intellectual and philosophical movement that swept Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries
How did the Enlightenment change the course of history? Why were elements of the established church so bitterly opposed to it? And are its ideals still relevant in the 21st century? Ritchie Robertson answers listener questions on the intellectual and philosophical movement that swept Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries.
(Ad) Ritchie Robertson is the author of The Enlightenment: The Pursuit of Happiness 1680-1790 (Penguin, 2020). Buy it now at Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-enlightenment%2Fritchie-robertson%2F9780241004821
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African Europeans
In a conversation recorded as part of our virtual lecture series, Olivette Otele discusses her book African Europeans: An Untold History, which charts the long history of Africans in Europe and explores the role that African individuals – from enslaved people to Roman emperors and medieval saints – have played in European history.
(Ad) Olivette Otele is the author of African Europeans: An Untold History (Hurst, 2020). Buy it now at Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/African-Europeans-History-Olivette-Otele/dp/1787381919//?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Women secret agents in Nazi-occupied France
Kate Vigurs discusses the 39 female agents of the Special Operation Executive’s F-section, a diverse cohort of women recruited to carry out resistance work in occupied France during the Second World War – from wireless operation to crucial planning for D-Day.
(Ad) Kate Vigurs is the author of Mission France: The True History of the Women of SOE (Yale, 2021). Buy it now at Bookshop.org: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fuk.bookshop.org%2Fbooks%2Fmission-france-the-true-history-of-the-women-of-soe%2F9780300208573
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Introducing: HistoryExtra Plus
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Censorship, contradiction & controversy: a decade in the life of DH Lawrence
DH Lawrence’s work – such as The Rainbow, Women in Love and Lady Chatterley’s Lover – broke new ground and appalled censorious literary critics. Biographer Frances Wilson chronicles a pivotal decade in the writer’s turbulent life, characterised by a tempestuous marriage, a constant battle against class prejudice and a bitter backlash against vitriolic criticism.
(Ad) Frances Wilson is the author of Burning Man: The Ascent of DH Lawrence (Bloomsbury, 2021). Buy it now at Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fburning-man%2Ffrances-wilson%2F9781408893623
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Who was Britain’s greatest prime minister? Secrets of being a successful leader
For the concluding episode of our series on the prime ministers that experts believe accomplished most during their time in 10 Downing Street, Anthony Seldon joins us to discuss the secrets of being a great leader, and some of the challenges facing those in charge over the last 300 years.
(Ad) Anthony Seldon is the author of The Impossible Office?: The History of the British Prime Minister (Cambridge University Press, 2021). Buy it now at Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08VJMP3D2//?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Unearthing Britain’s prehistoric secrets
Broadcaster and academic Alice Roberts joins us to discuss her new book Ancestors: A Prehistory of Britain in Seven Burials, which reveals what archaeological discoveries and cutting-edge science can tell us about Britain’s prehistoric past.
(Ad) Alice Roberts is the author of Ancestors: A Prehistory of Britain in Seven Burials (Simon & Schuster, 2021). Buy it now at Bookshop.org: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fuk.bookshop.org%2Fbooks%2Fancestors-a-prehistory-of-britain-in-seven-burials%2F9781471188015
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The Titanic: everything you wanted to know
Tim Maltin answers listener questions about the sinking of RMS Titanic in 1912
Did the band really play on as the Titanic sank into the icy depths of the Atlantic? And is it true that the liner could have stayed afloat if it had hit the iceberg head on? In the latest in our series tackling the big questions on major historical topics, expert Tim Maltin responds to popular search queries and listener questions about the 1912 maritime disaster.
(Ad) Tim Maltin is the author of 101 Things You Thought You Knew About the Titanic… But Didn't! (2010). ). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Things-Thought-About-Titanic-Didnt/dp/1862549230/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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What can we learn from past catastrophes?
From the eruption of Vesuvius to Chernobyl and Covid-19, Niall Ferguson charts how disasters have changed the course of history
From the eruption of Vesuvius to Chernobyl and Covid-19, disasters have changed the course of history. Historian Niall Ferguson discusses his new book Doom: The Politics of Catastrophe, which asks what we can learn from historical catastrophes to help us tackle future crises.
(Ad) Niall Ferguson is the author of Doom: The Politics of Catastrophe (Allen Lane, 2021). Buy it now at Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fdoom-the-politics-of-catastrophe%2Fniall-ferguson%2F9780241488447
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Women reporters of WW2
Judith Mackrell explores the experiences of six women war correspondents who broke some of the key stories of the Second World War
From the German invasion of Poland to the liberation of Paris and the discovery of Nazi concentration camps, women journalists reported on some of the pivotal moments of the Second World War. Judith Mackrell, author of Going with the Boys, charts the wartime careers of six female war correspondents who overcame significant obstacles to report from the front lines.
(Ad) Judith Mackrell is the author of Going with the Boys: Six Women Writers Who Went to War (2021, Picador). Buy it now at Bookshop.org: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fuk.bookshop.org%2Fbooks%2Fgoing-with-the-boys-six-extraordinary-women-writing-from-the-front-line%2F9781509882939
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Knights, dragons and beasts: the strange world of medieval romances
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Who was Britain’s greatest prime minister? Margaret Thatcher
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Wolfson History Prize 2021 special
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Everything you wanted to know: British prisons
Dr Rosalind Crone answers all the key questions on the history of British prisons
Just how bad was life in Victorian prisons? How hard was hard labour, and how revolting was the food? In the latest in our series tackling the big questions on major historical topics, Dr Rosalind Crone responds to listener queries on the history of British prisons.
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Ravenna: from Roman powerhouse to artistic hub
Once the capital of the western Roman Empire, the Italian city of Ravenna was claimed in turn by Ostrogoths, Byzantines, Lombards and Franks, turning into both a hub of early Christian art and a prototypical European city. Professor Judith Herrin discusses its long and storied history.
(Ad) Judith Herrin is the author of Ravenna: Capital of Empire, Crucible of Europe (Allen Lane, 2021). Buy it now at Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fravenna%2Fjudith-herrin%2F9781846144660
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Britain’s secret Jewish commandos
Leah Garrett tells the story of X-troop, a group of Jewish commandos who became one of Britain’s most potent weapons against the Nazis
X-troop was a World War Two commando unit with a difference – it was made up of German and Austrian Jews who’d fled to Britain and were desperate to take the fight to the Nazis. Historian Leah Garrett tells the story of how X-troop became one of Britain’s most potent weapons in the drive to liberate western Europe.
(Ad) Leah Garrett is the author of X Troop: The Secret Jewish Commandos Who Helped Defeat the Nazis (Vintage, 2021). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Troop-Secret-Jewish-Commandos-Helped/dp/1784743119/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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William Blake: “artist or genius, or mystic, or madman”
John Higgs discusses the unconventional life and extraordinary art of poet and painter William Blake. He explains how an eccentric outsider once mocked and dismissed as a madman is now hailed in the pantheon of British art, and reveals how Blake’s work is still misunderstood today.
(Ad) John Higgs is the author of William Blake vs the World (Orion, 2021). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/William-Blake-World-John-Higgs/dp/1474614353/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Who was Britain’s greatest prime minister? Lord Salisbury
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The curious tale of an Anglo-Saxon giant
Tom Morcom and Helen Gittos discuss the Cerne Abbas Giant, a huge hill-carving in Dorset which has recently been re-dated to the Anglo-Saxon period
The Cerne Abbas Giant, a huge hill-carving in Dorset, has made the news recently for been re-dated to the Anglo-Saxon period. Dr Tom Morcom and Dr Helen Gittos from the University of Oxford reveal what this might mean for our understanding of the giant, and what it can tell us about Anglo-Saxon society more generally.
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The golden age of piracy: everything you wanted to know
Rebecca Simon responds to your questions on the ‘golden age’ of piracy, when bands of buccaneers menaced the high seas, preying on merchant vessels
In the latest in our series tackling the big questions on major historical topics, historian Rebecca Simon responds to your questions on the 17th-century ‘golden age’ of piracy, when bands of buccaneers menaced the high seas and preyed on merchant vessels. Plus, how accurate are pop culture portrayals of pirates?
(Ad) Rebecca Simon is the author of Why We Love Pirates: The Hunt for Captain Kidd and How He Changed Piracy Forever (Mango Press, 2020). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Why-We-Love-Pirates-Captain/dp/1642503371/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Why are we living longer than our ancestors?
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Painting the Tudors: Hans Holbein the Younger
Having painted the cream of Tudor society, including King Henry VIII, Anne of Cleves and Thomas Cromwell, Hans Holbein the Younger’s work offers an unparalleled view into England’s court at the time. Franny Moyle delves into the famous painter’s work and the events that shaped it, from religious tensions in Europe to the toxic factionalism bubbling over in Henry’s court.
(Ad) Franny Moyle is the author of The King’s Painter: The Life and Times of Hans Holbein (Apollo, 2021). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kings-Painter-Holbein-Genius-Heart/dp/1788541219/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod/
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Bretons, Britons, Celts & King Arthur
Barry Cunliffe considers the story of Brittany from prehistory to today, and explores the region’s connections with Britain
Why is Brittany called Brittany? What exactly is, or was, a Celt? And did King Arthur have a home in a mystical forest near Rennes? Professor Sir Barry Cunliffe, author of Bretons and Britons: The Fight for Identity discusses the story of Brittany from prehistory to today, and explores the region’s connections with Britain.
(Ad) Barry Cunliffe is the author of Bretons and Britons: The Fight for Identity (OUP, 2021). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bretons-Britons-Identity-Barry-Cunliffe/dp/0198851626/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod/
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Who was Britain’s greatest prime minister? Winston Churchill
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What the Stasi did next
For decades the Stasi were a pervasive and terrifying force in the lives of millions of East Germans. Former FBI agent Ralph Hope reveals how officers of the notorious security service sought to reinvent themselves in the decades after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and rarely faced the consequences of their actions.
(Ad) Ralph Hope is the author of The Grey Men: Pursuing the Stasi into the Present (Oneworld, 2021). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Grey-Men-Pursuing-Stasi-Present/dp/1786078279/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod/
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The Anarchy: everything you wanted to know
The Anarchy – a 12th-century civil war for the English crown that pitted Empress Matilda against Stephen of Blois – is remembered as one of the most turbulent episodes of the Middle Ages. It was said to be a time when “Christ and his saints slept”. Medieval historian Matt Lewis answers your questions on this 18-year struggle for the throne – from the sexism that impeded Matilda’s bid for the throne, to the war’s impact on the power of England’s barons.
(Ad) Matt Lewis is the author of Stephen and Matilda’s Civil War: Cousins of Anarchy (Pen & Sword, 2019). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stephen-Matildas-Civil-War-Cousins/dp/1526718332/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod/
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Busting myths about the Anglo-Saxons
Historian Marc Morris tackles some of the most common misconceptions about the Anglo-Saxon era
What do we get wrong about the Anglo-Saxon era? Marc Morris, author of The Anglo-Saxons: A History of the Beginnings of England, busts some of the most common misconceptions about the period, from the early fifth century through to the Norman Conquest.
(Ad) Marc Morris is the author of The Anglo-Saxons: A History of the Beginnings of England (Hutchinson, 2021). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anglo-Saxons-History-Beginnings-England/dp/1786330997/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod/
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Napoleon the art thief
Napoleon didn’t just humiliate his European rivals on the battlefield, he also looted their finest works of art. Author Cynthia Saltzman tells us about her latest book, Napoleon’s Plunder and the Theft of Veronese’s Feast, which explores the French leader’s proclivity for plundering Renaissance masterpieces and spiriting them back to France
(Ad) Cynthia Saltzman is the author of Napoleon's Plunder and the Theft of Veronese's Feast (Thames and Hudson, 2021). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Napoleons-Plunder-Theft-Veroneses-Feast/dp/0500252572/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Marcus Aurelius: thinker or fighter?
Shushma Malik explores the life and career of Rome’s renowned philosopher-emperor Marcus Aurelius
Classicist Shushma Malik explores the life and career of Rome’s renowned philosopher-emperor Marcus Aurelius, and explains how his greatest achievements may have been on the field of battle.
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Who was Britain’s greatest prime minister? Pitt the Younger
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The rise and fall of Britain’s motor city
Mark Evans charts the history of Coventry’s pioneering car industry, from the turn of the 20th century until the present day
Mark Evans, presenter of the BBC Four documentary Classic British Cars: Made in Coventry, charts the history of Coventry’s pioneering car industry, from the turn of the 20th century until the present day. It’s a story of innovation, war and fierce rivalries – and some of the most iconic cars ever made.
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Samurai: everything you wanted to know
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The quest to find Alexander’s lost city
Classicist Edmund Richardson tells the astonishing story of a British deserter from the East India Company who embarked on a quest to find a lost city of Alexander the Great.
(Ad) Edmund Richardson is the author of Alexandria: The Quest for the Lost City (Bloomsbury, 2021) Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Alexandria-Quest-Dr-Edmund-Richardson/dp/1526603780/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Katharine Parr: secrets of a Tudor survivor
Historian and novelist Alison Weir discusses the life of Katharine Parr – from her relationship with the king to her secret faith and other marriages. Plus, Alison reflects on her recently completed Six Tudor Queens series, discussing how her opinions of Henry VIII’s wives changed during the writing process.
(Ad) Alison Weir is the author of Six Tudor Queens: Katharine Parr, The Sixth Wife (Headline, 2021). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Six-Tudor-Queens-Katharine-Sixth/dp/1472227824/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Blackface: a brief history
Ayanna Thompson discusses the history of blackface – a story spanning William Shakespeare, US race relations and Dartmoor Prison
Professor Ayanna Thompson, author of Blackface, discusses the long history of blackface performances and minstrelsy – a story that spans William Shakespeare, US race relations and Dartmoor Prison.
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(Ad) Ayanna Thompson is the author of Blackface (Bloomsbury, 2021). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blackface-Object-Lessons-Professor-Thompson/dp/150137401X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Who was Britain’s greatest prime minister? Harold Wilson
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Madness, property and power: the strange case of Mary Davies
Leo Hollis untangles the bizarre 18th-century court case surrounding Mary Davies: a wealthy heiress married in mysterious circumstances
In 1701, Mary Davies – a hugely wealthy widow struggling with bouts of unstable behaviour – took a room in Paris’s Hotel Castile. The coming days are a tangle of conflicting accounts, but it seems that she emerged from her rooms as a married woman, before hastening back to London and vehemently denying her change in circumstances. However, her husband soon came calling, demanding his rights to her extensive land and property. Leo Hollis explores a bizarre court case that shocked London.
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(Ad) Leo Hollis is the author of Inheritance: The Lost History of Mary Davies: A Story of Property, Marriage and Madness (Oneworld, 2021). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inheritance-History-Property-Marriage-Madness/dp/178607995X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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The Vietnam War: everything you wanted to know
Historian Mark Atwood Lawrence responds to listener questions and popular internet search queries on one of the most seismic events of the Cold War, American history and the history of Southeast Asia. He explores some of the biggest debates surrounding the United States’ failure to stem the advance of communism in Vietnam.
(Ad) Mark Atwood Lawrence is the author of The Vietnam War: A Concise International History (OUP USA, 2021). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vietnam-War-Concise-International-Introductions/dp/0199753938/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Medieval Ethiopia’s diplomatic missions
Ethiopia was a Christian kingdom during the medieval period, and in the 15th and 16th centuries its kings sent diplomatic missions to their counterparts in western Europe. Verena Krebs reveals what these missions can tell us about the medieval world, and Ethiopia’s place within it.
(Ad) Verena Krebs is the author of Medieval Ethiopian Kingship, Craft, and Diplomacy with Latin Europe (Palgrave Macmillan, 2021). Buy it now on Amazon:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Medieval-Ethiopian-Kingship-Diplomacy-Europe/dp/3030649334/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Uncovering the truth about WW2’s Katyn massacre
Jane Rogoyska explains how more than 20,000 Polish prisoners-of-war were murdered on Stalin’s orders in 1940, and explores the decades-long coverup that followed
Historian and biographer Jane Rogoyska explains how more than 20,000 Polish prisoners-of-war were murdered on Stalin’s orders in the spring of 1940. Plus, she explores the decades-long coverup that saw the Soviet Union accuse its Nazi foes of committing the atrocity.
(Ad) Jane Rogoyska is the author of Surviving Katyn: Stalin’s Polish Massacre and the Search for Truth (Oneworld, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Surviving-Katyn-Stalins-Polish-Massacre/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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The changing shape of slimming clubs
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Who was Britain’s Greatest Prime Minister? Clement Attlee
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How close to nuclear war did the Cuban Missile Crisis get?
The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 saw a confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union escalate to the edge of nuclear war. Historian Serhii Plokhy, author of a new account of the crisis, explores the factors that led the two sides back from the brink.
(Ad) Serhii Plokhy is the author of Nuclear Folly: A New History of the Cuban Missile Crisis (Allen lane). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nuclear-Folly-History-Missile-Crisis/dp/0241454735/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Prohibition: everything you wanted to know
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The Danelaw: a Viking kingdom in England?
Dr Ben Raffield explains how in the ninth and tenth centuries, Scandinavian laws and customs prevailed across a swathe of what’s now northern and eastern England
In the ninth and tenth centuries, Scandinavian laws and customs prevailed across a swathe of what’s now northern and eastern England called the Danelaw. Dr Ben Raffield considers what the Danelaw actually was, and how Scandinavian settlers interacted with the early English kingdoms.
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Britain’s great postwar party
Harriet Atkinson takes us back to 1951’s Festival of Britain, a celebration of a nation rising from the ashes of war
The Festival of Britain of 1951 was a nation’s attempt to show off its best side to the world – a great celebration of a people rising from the ashes of conflict. Harriet Atkinson reveals how this four-month-long carnival of patriotism was in fact, to a large extent, built around the genius of foreign-born designers.
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The Peasants’ Revolt: who were the rebels of 1381?
The Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 was a key moment in the reign of King Richard II. New research is revealing just how well-organised an operation it was
The Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 was a key moment in the troubled reign of King Richard II. New research is revealing how, far from being an ill-disciplined explosion of rage, it was actually organised with military precision. Professor Adrian Bell and Dr Helen Lacey tell us more.
You can find out more about the Estuary Festival here: https://www.estuaryfestival.com/event/detail/the-people-of-1381-outdoor-exhibition.html
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Who was Britain’s greatest prime minister? Stanley Baldwin
In the second episode of our new series on the prime ministers that experts believe accomplished most, Dominic Sandbrook champions Stanley Baldwin
In the second episode of our new series profiling the prime ministers that experts believe accomplished most during their time in 10 Downing Street, historian and broadcaster Dominic Sandbrook champions three-time 20th-century leader Stanley Baldwin.
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Women fighters of the Jewish resistance
Judy Batalion describes how a group of young Jewish women fought back against their Nazi oppressors in occupied Poland.
Author and historian Judy Batalion discusses her new book The Light of Days, which recounts how a group of young Jewish women fought back against their German oppressors in Nazi-occupied Poland during the Second World War.
(Ad) Judy Batalion is the author of The Light of Days: Women Fighters of the Jewish Resistance (Virago, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Light-Days-Fighters-Jewish-Resistance/dp/0349011567/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Life in the workhouse: everything you wanted to know
From daily routines to whether inmates really ate gruel, Peter Higginbotham responds to listener questions about the workhouse
What was the daily routine in a British workhouse? Who would end up there? How accurate was Charles Dickens’ depiction of workhouse life? And did the inmates really eat gruel? In the latest in our series exploring history’s biggest topics, Peter Higginbotham responds to listener questions and popular internet search queries about the workhouse.
(Ad) Peter Higginbotham is the author of Life in a Victorian Workhouse (Pitkin, 2014) and The Workhouse Cookbook (The History Press, 2008). Buy them now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-Victorian-Workhouse-Peter-Higginbotham-ebook/dp/B00APDQQ1Y/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod and https://www.amazon.co.uk/Workhouse-Cookbook-Peter-Higginbotham/dp/0752447300/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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How constitutions changed the world
Linda Colley discusses her new book The Gun, the Ship and the Pen, which explores how written constitutions, together with warfare, forged the modern world. She talks about constitutions across the globe, from the United States and France, to Russia and the Pitcairn Islands.
(Ad) Linda Colley is the author of The Gun, the Ship and the Pen: Warfare, Constitutions and the Making of the Modern World. Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Charters-Land-Britain-Written-Constitution/dp/1846684978/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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The pretenders who threatened Henry VII’s crown
Nathen Amin discusses his latest book, Henry VII and the Tudor Pretenders, which explores the conspiracies and plots that challenged Henry VII’s crown. He talks about the prominent ‘pretenders’ who declared themselves to be royal claimants, including Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck.
(Ad) Nathen Amin is the author of Henry VII and the Tudor Pretenders: Simnel, Warbeck and Warwick. Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Henry-VII-Tudor-Pretenders-Warbeck/dp/1445675080/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Why are we fascinated by ‘evil women’?
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Who was Britain’s Greatest Prime Minister? Robert Walpole
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Barbarossa: Hitler’s greatest gamble
As we approach the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s fateful invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, the historian, author and broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby revisits the dramatic, murderous struggle between the two totalitarian regimes.
(Ad) Jonathan Dimbleby is the author of Barbarossa: How Hitler Lost the War (Penguin, 2021) Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Barbarossa-How-Hitler-Lost-War/dp/024129147X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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The Suez Crisis: everything you wanted to know
The Suez Crisis – sparked by an ill-fated Anglo-French-Israeli invasion of Egypt in 1956 – is often viewed as a turning point in modern British history, when the nation finally lost its superpower status. Alex von Tunzelmann answers your questions on this diplomatic debacle, from why Anthony Eden thought the invasion a gamble worth taking, to how it changed the trajectory of the Cold War.
(Ad) Alex Von Tunzelmann is the author of Blood and Sand: Suez, Hungary and the Crisis That Shook the World (Simon & Schuster, 2017). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blood-Sand-Hungary-Crisis-Shook/dp/1847394604/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Traitor or triple agent? The WW2 spy Mathilde Carré
Author Roland Philipps talks about his latest book, Victoire: A Wartime Story of Resistance, Collaboration and Betrayal, which recounts the extraordinary exploits of Mathilde Carré, a double – possibly even triple – agent in the Second World War.
(Ad) Roland Philipps is the author of Victoire: A Wartime Story of Resistance, Collaboration and Betrayal (Bodley Head, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Victoire-Wartime-Resistance-Collaboration-Betrayal/dp/1847925812/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Leonardo da Vinci’s private life
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The bigamy trial that scandalised Georgian England
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Unravelling the Bayeux Tapestry ep5: What now?
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Dan Jones on 1,000 years of British history
To mark HistoryExtra’s 1,000th episode, Dan Jones takes us on a whistlestop tour through the last millennium of British history, touching on some of the most memorable moments and reinterrogating the familiar stories we tell about our national past.
(Ad) Dan Jones is the author of Crusaders: An Epic History of the Holy Land (Head of Zeus, 2019). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Crusaders-Epic-History-Wars-Lands/dp/1781858896/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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The Maya: everything you wanted to know
Professor Matthew Restall tackles listener questions and popular search queries about the central American civilisation
Professor Matthew Restall tackles popular search queries and listener questions about the central American civilisation. Where did the Maya live? What did they eat? And did they really predict that the world would end in 2012?
(Ad) Matthew Restall is the co-author (with Amara Solari) of The Maya: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press, 2020). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Maya-Very-Short-Introduction-Introductions/dp/0190645024/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Women prisoners in 19th-century Ireland
Elaine Farrell shares the stories of incarcerated Irish women, from daily routines inside a convict prison to relationships with staff and contact with the outside world. She also asks what their experiences can tell us about the lives of working-class women in 19th-century Ireland more generally.
(Ad) Elaine Farrell is the author of Women, Crime and Punishment in Ireland: Life in the Nineteenth-Century Convict Prison (Cambridge University Press, 2020). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Women-Crime-Punishment-Ireland-Nineteenth-Century/dp/1108839509/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Stalin: the real victor of WW2
Sean McMeekin discusses his revisionist new history of the Second World War, which places Josef Stalin at the centre of the conflict
Historian Sean McMeekin discusses his revisionist new history of the Second World War, which places Josef Stalin at the centre of the conflict. He shows how the Soviet dictator outmanoeuvred both enemies and allies to secure his own ends.
(Ad) Sean McMeekin is the author of Stalin’s War (Allen Lane, 2021). Buy now from it Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stalins-War-History-Second-World/dp/0241366437/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod/
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Sending the first man into space
In 1961 cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man to journey into space. Stephen Walker delves into the supercharged battle between the Soviets and Americans to reach this milestone
On 12 April 1961, cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin made history when he became the first man to journey into space. Stephen Walker delves into the story of Gagarin’s gruelling secret mission and the seismic battle between the world’s superpowers to conquer the new frontier: space.
Stephen Walker is the author of Beyond: The Astonishing Story of the First Human to Leave Our Planet and Journey into Space (William Collins, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beyond-Stephen-Walker/dp/0008372500/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod/
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Unravelling the Bayeux Tapestry ep4: What’s missing?
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The feminist who waged war on smallpox
Jo Willett tells the story of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, who pioneered smallpox inoculation almost a century before Edward Jenner
Mary Wortley Montagu is one of the most important figures in the battle to combat smallpox, so why is this 18th-century aristocrat so little-known today? Jo Willett, author of The Pioneering Life of Mary Wortley Montagu, shares the story of a fiercely independent scientist, feminist and woman of letters who changed the course of medical history.
(Ad) Jo Willett is the author of The Pioneering Life of Mary Wortley Montagu: Scientist and Feminist (Pen & Sword, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pioneering-Life-Mary-Wortley-Montagu/dp/1526779382/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod/
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The Great Fire of London: everything you wanted to know
How much damage did the Great Fire of London cause? How long did it take to put out? And did it really start in Pudding Lane? Rebecca Rideal responds to listener questions and popular internet search queries about the devastating blaze that swept through the capital in 1666.
Rebecca Rideal is the author of 1666: Plague, War, and Hellfire (Thomas Dunne Books, 2016). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/1666-Plague-Hellfire-Rebecca-Rideal/dp/1473623545/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod/
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Cleopatra: unpicking myth from reality
The ancient Egyptian queen Cleopatra VII is one of the most famous women in history, but how many of the legends surrounding her are actually true? Egyptologist Professor Joyce Tyldesley explores the life and legacy of the last queen of Egypt.
(Ad) Joyce Tyldesley is the author of Cleopatra: Last Queen of Egypt (Profile, 2008). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cleopatra-Queen-Egypt-Joyce-Tyldesley/dp/1861979010/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod/
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Traffickers on trial: the sensational case of Lydia Harvey
In 1910, a sixteen-year-old girl named Lydia Harvey walked onto a steamship, sailed away from New Zealand and disappeared. She had been ensnared by two traffickers, who transported her Buenos Aires. Julia Laite uncovers Lydia’s journey, from a young girl coerced into prostitution to a star witness in a trial against her traffickers.
(Ad) Julia Laite is the author of The Disappearance of Lydia Harvey (Profile, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon:
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Bog bodies: what can they teach us?
Dr Melanie Giles unravels some of the mysteries around amazingly preserved human remains found in bogs – and reveals what we can learn from them
Dr Melanie Giles unravels some of the mysteries around amazingly preserved human remains found in bogs – and reveals what we can learn from them. She explains why these bodies have survived so well and the reasons why they might have been buried in wetlands across north-western Europe.
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Unravelling the Bayeux Tapestry ep3: What story does the Tapestry tell?
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500 years of women’s self-portraits
Jennifer Higgie charts the story of women’s self-portraits over the last 500 years of western art – uncovering tales of transgressive self-expression and overcoming oppression
Jennifer Higgie charts the story of women’s self-portraits over the last 500 years of western art, revealing how female artists’ images of themselves transgressed societal norms, embraced self-expression and revealed insights about the eras they lived in.
Jennifer Higgie is the author of The Mirror and the Palette (Orion, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon:
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The Byzantine empire: everything you wanted to know
What did it mean to be ‘born in the purple’? What lasting legacy did the empire have on how we eat dinner? And what does ‘Byzantine’ actually mean? Professor Judith Herrin responds to listener questions and internet search queries about the 1,000-year history of Byzantine empire, which emerged in late antiquity and survived until the end of the Middle Ages.
(Ad) Judith Herrin is the author of Byzantium: The Surprising Life of a Medieval Empire (Penguin, 2008).
Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Byzantium-Surprising-Life-Medieval-Empire/dp/0141031026/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod
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Ammonite & the real fossil hunter Mary Anning
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Tales of Irish emigration
Historian Turtle Bunbury, author of new book The Irish Diaspora: Tales of Emigration, Exile and Imperialism, shares stories of Irish emigrants and their descendants. He charts their influence on global history, from Christian missionaries in Europe in the early Middle Ages to the presidency of the United States.
(Ad) Turtle Bunbury is the author of The Irish Diaspora: Tales of Emigration, Exile and Imperialism (Thames and Hudson, 2021)
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The mystery of the vanishing lighthouse keepers
Emma Stonex, author of a new novel The Lamplighters, talks about the strange true story of the Flannan Isles Lighthouse keepers, who vanished without a trace in December 1900, and delves into the unusual experience of life as a lighthouse keeper.
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Unravelling the Bayeux Tapestry ep2: How was the Tapestry created?
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Hate mail & mutilated horses: Conan Doyle investigates
Shrabani Basu, author of The Mystery of the Parsee Lawyer, shares the surprising story of George Edalji, who was wrongly accused of fatally maiming cattle in 1903. She reveals how this miscarriage of justice exposed the simmering racial tensions of Edwardian England and captured the imagination of Sherlock Holmes creator Arthur Conan Doyle.
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The Elizabethans: everything you wanted to know
Nicola Tallis answers listener questions and online search queries about the Elizabethans. She covers everything from the dangers of using golden toothpicks and the religious rifts of the era to the reasons Queen Elizabeth I never married and the fate of her royal jewels.
(Ad) Nicola Tallis is the author of Uncrowned Queen: The Fateful Life of Margaret Beaufort, Tudor Matriarch (Michael O’Mara, 2019)
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What happened to the Franklin Expedition? The real mystery behind The Terror
In 1845, two British navy ships sailed into the Canadian arctic and never returned. The fate of the Franklin Expedition has proven one of history’s most compelling mysteries, and most recently inspired the BBC drama The Terror. Here, Andrew Lambert explores the history behind the series and asks: what really happened to the expedition’s 129 crewmembers?
(Ad) Andrew Lambert is the author of Franklin: Tragic Hero of Polar Navigation (Faber & Faber, 2010)
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Cellini: the “supreme scoundrel of the Renaissance”
Jerry Brotton describes the astonishing life and career of the Renaissance artist Benvenuto Cellini – a story of murder, plague, imprisonment and even necromancy
Professor Jerry Brotton describes the astonishing life and career of the 16th-century Italian artist Benvenuto Cellini, whose biography shines a light on the dark heart of the Renaissance and features murder, plague, imprisonment and even necromancy.
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How our hunger for land shaped history
Simon Winchester explores how humans’ quest to own land – from enclosure and division to violent seizure – has wreaked irreparable changes through history
Simon Winchester, author of Land: How the Hunger for Ownership Shaped the Modern World, explores how humans’ quest to own land has wreaked irreparable changes through history. He discusses when our division of land began, how the seizure of it has heralded huge historical shifts, and what it really means to ‘own’ land.
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Unravelling the Bayeux Tapestry Ep1: When, where and why was the Tapestry made?
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The Clifford’s Tower massacre & medieval anti-Semitism
Dean Irwin explains the story of the 1190 anti-Semitic massacre at Clifford’s Tower in York, and how it fits into the wider story of England’s medieval Jewish population
In March 1190, all the Jewish residents of York lost their lives in an anti-Semitic massacre at Clifford’s Tower. Dean Irwin explains what happened, and how it fits into the wider story of England’s medieval Jewish population.
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The Thirty Years’ War: everything you wanted to know
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Rebels, hostages and diplomats: royal women of the crusader states
Katherine Pangonis chronicles the formidable line of female rulers that shaped the crusader states of the Holy Land in the 12th century
Katherine Pangonis, author of Queens of Jerusalem, chronicles the formidable line of female rulers that shaped the crusader states of the Holy Land in the 12th century, sharing stories of rebel princesses, diplomatic double crosses and battles for the throne.
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To beard or not to beard? Facial hair through history
Dr Alun Withey, expert on the history of facial hair, takes us on a journey through shaving and grooming trends from 1650-1900
Why were big bushy beards once the height of fashion? When was it better to have a smooth face? And what were the perceived health benefits of whiskers, moustaches or goatees? Dr Alun Withey, expert on the history of facial hair, takes us on a journey through shaving and grooming trends from 1650-1900.
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The western front: a cauldron of innovation
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Assassinations: from the ancient world to JFK
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The big questions of women’s history
We mark International Women’s Day with a panel discussion tackling the central issues of women’s history
We mark International Women’s Day with a panel discussion tackling the central issues of women’s history, including overlooked historical figures, exciting recent developments, whether men should write women’s history, and what work is still left to be done. Our panel features Maggie Andrews, chair of the Women’s History Network; Stella Dadzie, author of A Kick in the Belly: Women, Slavery and Resistance, Helen McCarthy, author of Double Lives: A History of Working Motherhood and Nicola Phillips, director of the Bedford Centre for the History of Women and Gender.
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The Cold War: everything you wanted to know
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Voices of China
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BONUS EPISODE: Game of Thrones’ medieval roots
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Why treason was so unforgivable in the Middle Ages
Dr Amanda McVitty explains what treason meant in the medieval era, and why its consequences were particularly brutal
Dr Amanda McVitty, author of Treason and Masculinity in Medieval England, explains what treason meant in the Middle Ages. She explains how the crime was the subject of heated debate, and why the punishment for it was so brutal, humiliating and public.
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Formidable dynasties of the Italian Renaissance
Mary Hollingsworth discusses her new book, Princes of the Renaissance, which charts the wars and alliances between the powerful Italian families of the 15th and 16th centuries
Mary Hollingsworth discusses her new book Princes of the Renaissance, which charts the wars and alliances between the powerful Italian families of the 15th and 16th centuries – wealthy and influential dynasties whose patronage led to some of the greatest art and architecture of the period.
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Vikings in North America
Gordon Campbell reveals how the Vikings made epic voyages of discovery across the Atlantic a millennium ago
The argument over whether Norse explorers settled in North America a millennium ago has raged for two centuries, pitting Protestants against Catholics, Native Americans against European colonists – and producing claims and counterclaims often grounded in an ideology of racial superiority. Gordon Campbell, author of Norse America, discusses this often-fractious debate and sets out what we actually know about the Vikings’ remarkable voyages across the Atlantic.
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Shipwrecked in the Arctic: a 16th-century survival story
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The Roman emperors: everything you wanted to know
Shushma Malik discusses some of the most admired and reviled Roman emperors, and considers whether the legends surrounding them stand up to scrutiny
In the latest in our series tackling the big questions on major historical topics, historian Shushma Malik responds to your questions on some of the most admired and reviled Roman emperors, and considers whether the legends surrounding them stand up to scrutiny.
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Adventure and archaeology in the golden age of Egyptology
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Crafting historical weapons for Wolf Hall and The Witcher
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Nefertiti: wife, mother, pharaoh
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The women who fought back against Hollywood
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Rivalries and romances: couples that shook up history
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The Vikings’ global connections
Dr Cat Jarman explores the far-reaching trading networks of the Vikings, from the Baltic sea to Asia
Dr Cat Jarman discusses her new book River Kings: A New History of the Vikings from Scandinavia to the Silk Road, which opens up the story of Scandinavian trade, settlement and communication from the Baltic sea right through to Asia.
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The space race: everything you wanted to know
Tom Ellis responds to listener questions on the great Cold War rivalry that saw the US and the Soviet Union battle for dominance in space
In the latest in our series tackling the big questions on major historical topics, historian Tom Ellis responds to listener questions about the space race. He covers topics including Cold War espionage, the role played by German engineers with Nazi connections, and the battle to plant a flag on the moon.
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Sathnam Sanghera on how modern Britain is shaped by empire
Sathnam Sanghera discusses where we can see the legacy of imperialism in Britain today – from politics and education to museums and multiculturalism
Journalist and author Sathnam Sanghera discusses his new book Empireland, which interrogates everything from the objects in our museums and the subjects on our curriculum to the ways we think about race and multiculturalism, to trace the legacy of imperialism in Britain today.
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The big questions of LGBTQ history
We mark LGBT+ History Month with a panel discussion tackling some of the biggest themes in LGBTQ history
February is LGBT+ History Month. We mark it with a panel discussion in which Matt Cook, Channing Joseph, Jen Manion and Angela Steidele tackle some of the biggest themes in LGBTQ history.
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Chaos & communism: China’s 1949 revolution
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Elizabeth Barrett Browning: poet, activist, trailblazer, runaway
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Is “Blitz Spirit” a myth?
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Fatal accidents and violent injuries in the Middle Ages
Dr Jenna Dittmar, who has been studying medieval skeletons, reveals what her findings can tell us about injuries and violence in the era
Dr Jenna Dittmar, who has been part of a research project studying medieval skeletons from Cambridge, reveals what her findings can tell us about occupational injuries, accidents and levels of violence in the medieval period.
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The Dissolution: everything you wanted to know
Dr Hugh Willmott responds to listener questions on Henry VIII’s suppression of the monasteries in the 16th century
In this special live edition of our ‘everything you wanted to know’ series, Dr Hugh Willmott responds to listener questions about the suppression of the monasteries in the 16th century, exploring why Henry VIII targeted religious houses, how they were repurposed, and what happened to the monks and nuns that lived in them.
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The forgotten mothers of civil rights leaders
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Sex, romance and rights: women's lives since 1950
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Victorian pet cemeteries: animals in the afterlife
In the 19th century, devoted pet-owners established Britain’s first pet cemeteries. Dr Eric Tourigny explains what they tell us about Victorian attitudes to animals
In the 19th century, devoted pet-owners established Britain’s first pet cemeteries. Dr Eric Tourigny of Newcastle University, who has been analysing inscriptions on animal gravestones dating back to the 1880s, explains what they tell us about Victorian attitudes to animals, and how Britain became a nation of pet lovers.
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How slavery fuelled the British empire
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17th-century London: a city shaped by catastrophe
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Medieval forgeries
Forgery was the dirty little secret of the Middle Ages. Levi Roach explains who counterfeited medieval manuscripts and why
Forgery was the dirty little secret of the Middle Ages. As historian Levi Roach explains, some of Europe’s leading holy men cooked up counterfeit documents to rewrite the past as they thought it should have happened.
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Daily life in ancient Egypt: everything you wanted to know
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Novelist Kate Mosse on The City of Tears
Author Kate Mosse talks about her historical novel The City of Tears, which transports readers back to the Wars of Religion in 16th-century France
Author Kate Mosse talks about her historical novel The City of Tears, the latest instalment in the Burning Chambers series, which transports readers back to the Wars of Religion in 16th-century France. She speaks about the challenges of balancing historical reality with exciting storylines, and about mining sources to reconstruct the everyday lives of ordinary women.
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The Dark Ages: a ‘black hole’ in Britain’s history
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1962: London’s big freeze
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Edward I’s letters
Dr Kathleen Neal explains what we can learn about Edward I, the famously militaristic “Hammer of the Scots”, from his letters
Dr Kathleen Neal explains what we can learn about medieval king Edward I, the famously militaristic “Hammer of the Scots”, from the letters that he sent to his nobles and officers. What can these missives tell us about Edward as a man, and how his reign unfolded?
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Cary Grant: from humble beginnings to Hollywood icon
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Blitz spirit or broken morale?
Jeremy Crang investigates reports on British morale made during the Second World War and considers what they can tell us about the ‘Blitz spirit’
Historian Jeremy Crang discusses his book The Spirit of the Blitz (co-edited with Paul Addison), which investigates reports on British morale made during the early months of the Second World War and considers what they can tell us about the so-called ‘Blitz spirit’.
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The Black Death: everything you wanted to know
Professor John Hatcher answers listener questions about the medieval pandemic, and reflects on how the Covid-19 crisis might shape our understanding of the plague
Professor John Hatcher, author of The Black Death: A Personal History, responds to listener questions and internet search queries about the medieval pandemic that ravaged 14th-century Europe. He also reflects on how the current Covid-19 crisis might shape our understanding of the Black Death.
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Why do we fight wars?
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A guide to the Norse gods
From Thor to Odin, Carolyne Larrington discusses the legendary figures of Viking mythology
Professor Carolyne Larrington discusses her book The Norse Myths: A Guide to the Gods and Heroes, which explores the legendary stories and figures of Viking mythology, from one-eyed Odin to hammer-wielding Thor.
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The hunt for Caesar’s killers
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Werewolves of the ancient world
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Rich vs poor in Regency Britain
Historian Ian Mortimer discusses how a vast chasm between rich and poor marked society in the early 19th century
Historian Ian Mortimer discusses the chasm between rich and poor that marked society in the early 19th century, and explores why many popular depictions of the era fail to show the realities of Regency inequality.
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Spectacular discoveries at Sutton Hoo
Ahead of the release of the new film The Dig, Professor Martin Carver discusses the real story of the 1939 excavation of Sutton Hoo
Ahead of the release of Netflix’s new film The Dig, about the famous 1939 excavation of Sutton Hoo, Professor Martin Carver explains the fascinating history of the iconic burial site. He speaks to David Musgrove about the team that worked on the excavation, and the remarkable early medieval treasures they unearthed.
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The Persian empire: everything you wanted to know
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The shipwreck that sank a royal dynasty
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The NHS: a brief history
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Rebuilding Europe after WW2
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How oceans shaped human civilisation
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Searching for freedom after the Holocaust
Rosie Whitehouse tells the story of a group of Holocaust survivors who sailed to Palestine in 1946, in defiance of the Royal Navy
Author and journalist Rosie Whitehouse discusses her book The People on the Beach, which tells the story of a group of Holocaust survivors who sailed from Italy to Palestine in 1946, taking on the might of the Royal Navy in the process.
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The race for vaccines: lessons from history
As the campaign to vaccinate the population against Covid-19 picks up pace, Gareth Williams explores previous efforts to combat lethal diseases, from smallpox to polio
Gareth Williams, emeritus professor of medicine at the University of Bristol, traces historical efforts to vaccinate populations against killer infections – from Edward Jenner’s eureka moment with smallpox in 18th-century England to rival scientists’ bitter battle to conquer polio in 1950s America.
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Britain’s Swinging Sixties: everything you wanted to know
Dominic Sandbrook answers popular search queries and listener questions about Britain in the 1960s
Did the Sixties really swing? Why did the decade see such an explosion of popular culture? And what were the top sellers in the supermarket? Historian, author and broadcaster Dominic Sandbrook answers popular search queries and questions you submitted about Britain in the 1960s.
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MI9’s secret escape missions
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Hitler and Stalin: tyrants at war
Laurence Rees compares the actions of the two dictators over the course of the Second World War
Historian, author and broadcaster Laurence Rees discusses his new book, Hitler and Stalin, which compares the actions of the two dictators over the course of the Second World War.
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How historians helped build the British empire
Priya Satia explores how historians helped advance the British empire, only to later become critics of imperialism
Professor Priya Satia discusses her recent book, Time’s Monster, which explores how historians helped advance the aims of the British empire, only to later become highly critical of imperialism.
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When British pop invaded America
David Hepworth tells the story of the British rock bands – from the Beatles and Rolling Stones to Led Zeppelin – who took the United States by storm in the 1960s
Author and broadcaster David Hepworth tells us about his latest book, Overpaid, Oversexed and Over There, which documents how a wave of skinny, pale, long-haired musicians from Blighty became the toast of 1960s America, heralding in a cultural revolution.
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The collapse of the Third Reich
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Domesday Book: medieval big data
Stephen Baxter discusses the latest insights revealed by a new study of the 11th-century survey of England
Professor Stephen Baxter discusses the latest insights revealed by a new study of Domesday Book, which suggests that William the Conqueror’s survey of England in the mid-1080s was more efficient, complex, and sophisticated than previously thought.
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The Renaissance: everything you wanted to know
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The decline and death of Henry VIII
Robert Hutchinson gives a lecture on the Tudor monarch's final years, plagued by illness, bankruptcy, and thwarted ambitions
In a lecture he delivered at BBC History Magazine’s 2019 Chester History Weekend event, historian Robert Hutchinson discusses the final years of the Tudor monarch, revealing a lonely, vulnerable man plagued by illness, bankruptcy, and thwarted ambitions.
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Was the 1990s a golden age for British South Asians?
Kavita Puri discusses the experiences of British South Asians during the 1990s and early 2000s.
BBC journalist Kavita Puri discusses the new series of her Radio 4 documentary Three Pounds in My Pocket, which explores the experiences of British South Asians during the 1990s and early 2000s.
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Editor’s pick: Ian Kershaw on postwar Europe
In this episode from our archive, Ian Kershaw offers his take on how the continent has developed since the Second World War
In this archive episode from 2018, recorded to mark HistoryExtra’s 500th episode, historian Sir Ian Kershaw offers his take on how the continent has developed over the past seven decades since the Second World War.
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Brexit’s long historical roots
Robert Tombs discusses the historical background to Brexit, exploring Britain’s long and fluctuating relationship with Europe
Professor Robert Tombs discusses his new book This Sovereign Isle, which examines the history of Britain’s relationship with Europe. He talks about how ideas about the past have shaped Brexit, and how future historians might view Britain’s decision to leave the EU.
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Editor’s pick: Lenin’s revolutionary train journey
In this archive episode, Catherine Merridale recounts how the future Soviet leader travelled to Petrograd in 1917 – a key moment in the Russian Revolution
In this episode from our archive, Catherine Merridale discusses her book Lenin on the Train, which recounts the future Soviet leader’s famous 1917 train journey across Europe to Petrograd – a key moment in the Russian Revolution.
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The battle for Sicily, 1943
James Holland tells the story of the dramatic Allied assault on the island of Sicily in the Second World War
Military historian James Holland tells the story of the dramatic assault on the island of Sicily in 1943 – a key moment in the Second World War that saw Allied forces battle to return to ‘Fortress Europe’.
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The Industrial Revolution: everything you wanted to know
Emma Griffin tackles internet search queries and questions submitted by listeners about Britain’s Industrial Revolution
Emma Griffin tackles internet search queries and questions submitted by listeners about Britain’s Industrial Revolution, from the key inventions and cultural impact to workers’ rights and child labour.
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German Jews in WW1
Tim Grady gives a lecture exploring the varied experiences of German Jews in the First World War
In a lecture he delivered at our 2019 History Weekend in Chester based on his book, A Deadly Legacy: German Jews and the Great War, Tim Grady reveals how German Jews played a central role in the First World War, and considers how they were impacted by the legacies of the conflict.
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Bizarre books and macabre manuscripts
Edward Brooke-Hitching discusses some of history’s strangest literary curiosities, from hoax manuscripts to tomes bound in human skin
Edward Brooke-Hitching discusses his book The Madman’s Library, which tells the stories of some of history’s strangest literary curiosities, from hoax manuscripts and books of demonology to volumes written in blood or bound in human skin.
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Bonnie Prince Charlie: hero or coward?
Jacqueline Riding considers whether the Jacobite prince was a valiant freedom fighter, or a haughty coward
Ever since he led a failed Jacobite rebellion against the British crown in 1745, Bonnie Prince Charlie has divided opinion. To his supporters, he was a courageous freedom fighter; to his detractors, a gutless popinjay. On the 300th anniversary of his birth, Jacqueline Riding considers the controversial prince’s life and legacy.
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Editor’s pick: covert Catholicism in Elizabethan England
In this episode from our archive, Jessie Childs tells the story of Tudor gentleman Thomas Tresham, whose faith set him at odds with the Virgin Queen
In this archive episode from 2018, historian Jessie Childs tells the story of Thomas Tresham, a Tudor gentleman who built a remarkable secret monument to his Catholic faith and risked the anger of the Virgin Queen.
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Thomas Becket: from murder to martyrdom
Eight hundred and fifty years ago today, the archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, was brutally murdered in his cathedral. Dr Emily Guerry explains what happened next
Eight hundred and fifty years ago today, on 29 December 1170, the archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, was brutally murdered in his cathedral, by four knights acting on what they took to be a command from King Henry II. Dr Emily Guerry explains what happened, and why a cult sprang up around Becket almost immediately.
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Bridgerton: ripping up the rulebook on Regency romance
Hannah Greig, historian and etiquette advisor to new Netflix show Bridgerton, joins us to talk about the historical detail that can be found in the drama – and the inspirations behind it
Historian and etiquette advisor Hannah Greig joins us to discuss the historical details that can be found in new Netflix drama Bridgerton. She talks about the inspirations behind the show, how it plays with the idea of what period drama should look like, and the challenges of bringing the opulence of upper-class Regency courtship to the screen.
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The Wars of the Roses: everything you wanted to know about
Lauren Johnson responds to listener questions about the Wars of the Roses, the 15th-century clashes for the English throne between the houses of Lancaster and York
In the latest in our series tackling the big questions on major historical topics, historian Lauren Johnson responds to listener queries and popular search enquiries about Wars of the Roses, the 15th-century clashes for the English throne between the houses of Lancaster and York.
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Editor’s pick: the Windrush generation
In this episode from our archive, Colin Grant tells the stories of postwar immigrants who moved to Britain from the Caribbean
In this archive episode, historian, author and broadcaster Colin Grant discusses his book, Homecoming: Voices of the Windrush Generation, which tells the stories of postwar immigrants who moved to Britain from the Caribbean.
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Our 2020 Christmas quiz
Test your historical knowledge with our annual festive quiz, devised by QI writer Justin Pollard
Join the HistoryExtra team for the return of our annual Christmas history quiz. Test your knowledge on turkey bowling, snowball fights and strange festive traditions with fiendish questions set by QI writer Justin Pollard.
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Editor’s pick: Ron Chernow on Alexander Hamilton
In this episode from our archive, biographer Ron Chernow discusses the extraordinary life of the American Founding Father who inspired a hit musical
In this archive episode from 2018, we spoke to historian Ron Chernow about the amazing life of the American Founding Father. Chernow discusses his biography of Hamilton, which inspired the hip-hop musical sensation, and his role as a historical consultant to the show.
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Christmas ghost stories
Telling spooky tales at Christmastime is a very old tradition. Francis Young explains the origins of this custom and what it tells us
Telling spooky tales at Christmastime is a very old tradition. Folklorist and historian Francis Young explains where the idea of the ghost story originates and what it tells us about approaches to the festive period, from the early medieval period through to Charles Dickens and MR James.
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The history of Christmas: everything you wanted to know
Did Cromwell ban mince pies? And why does Santa wear red? George Goodwin responds to listener questions and internet search queries on festive history
Did Cromwell ban mince pies? When did people first give Christmas presents? And why does Santa wear red? George Goodwin, historian and author of Christmas Traditions: A Celebration of Festive Lore, responds to listener questions and internet search queries about the history of the festive period.
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A WW2 story of survival
The Cut Out Girl author Bart van Es gives a lecture on the Jewish children who survived the Holocaust by living in hiding in the Netherlands
In a lecture he delivered at our 2019 Chester History Weekend, based on his Costa Prize-winning book The Cut Out Girl, Bart van Es explores the stories of the thousands of Jewish children who survived the Holocaust by living in hiding in the Netherlands.
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Editor’s pick: Were the suffragettes terrorists?
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Ten things to do with a medieval donkey
Kathryn Smithies discusses the economic and cultural significance of donkeys in the Middle Ages
Kathryn Smithies, author of Introducing the Medieval Ass, discusses the economic and cultural significance of donkeys in the Middle Ages.
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Hunting down the Portland Spy Ring
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The gay MPs who opposed appeasement
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Magna Carta: everything you wanted to know
Professor David Carpenter responds to listener questions on the great medieval charter and its 800-year-long legacy
Professor David Carpenter responds to listener queries and popular internet search queries about the great medieval charter sealed in 1215. He discusses King John, Magna Carta’s impact on England in the Middle Ages, and the document’s 800-year-long legacy.
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Japan and the west
Chris Harding gives a lecture on Japan’s attempts to carve out a place for itself in a world dominated by western power and culture
In a lecture he delivered at our 2019 Chester History Weekend, inspired by his book Japan Story: In Search of a Nation, Chris Harding explores Japan’s attempts to carve out a place for itself in a world dominated by western power and culture.
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Cundill Prize-winner Camilla Townsend on global history
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Castro and the trip that shaped the 1960s
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Imperialism on the oceans
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The International Brigades: fighting fascism in Spain
Giles Tremlett discusses how more than 35,000 volunteers from across the globe fought against fascism in the Spanish Civil War
Historian, author and journalist Giles Tremlett discusses his major new book on the International Brigades, which charts how more than 35,000 volunteers from across the globe fought against fascism in the Spanish Civil War.
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The Glorious Revolution: everything you wanted to know
How did James II’s replacement by William of Orange as king of England, Scotland and Ireland change the course of British history? Ted Vallance responds to listener questions about the 1688 Glorious Revolution
In the latest in our series tackling the big questions on major historical topics, historian Ted Vallance responds to listener queries and popular search enquiries about the so-called Glorious Revolution of 1688, which saw William of Orange ousting James II as king of England, Scotland and Ireland
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The orphan hero who fought at Trafalgar
Helen Berry gives a lecture on the extraordinary story of an 18th-century foundling, George King
In a lecture she delivered at our 2019 Chester History Weekend, Helen Berry shares an extraordinary story from her book Orphans of Empire: The Fate of London’s Foundlings – of the 18th-century orphan George King, who was abandoned at London’s Foundling Hospital and went on to a remarkable life.
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England’s sporting obsession
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How did the Reformation impact Jews?
Kenneth Austin explores what impact the Reformation had on Europe’s Jewish communities.
Historian Kenneth Austin explores what impact the Reformation of the 16th century had on Europe’s Jewish communities and their relations with their Christian neighbours.
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Ethiopia 1935: The real history behind The Shadow King
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The ‘lost’ city of Atlantis
Edith Hall explores Plato’s legend of Atlantis and considers why the tale continues to endure 2,500 years on
Classicist Edith Hall, an expert on ancient Greek literature, explores Plato’s lost city of Atlantis. She considers our enduring fascination with the tale 2,500 years on and asks whether there ever was, in fact, a real Atlantis.
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Ancient Babylon: everything you wanted to know
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Looking for Egypt’s lost tombs
Are there any treasures left to be excavated in Egypt? Chris Naunton gives a lecture on some of the most fascinating ancient figures whose tombs are yet to be discovered
In a lecture he delivered at our 2019 Chester History Weekend, Chris Naunton discusses his book Searching for the Lost Tombs of Egypt. He talks about some of the most fascinating ancient figures whose tombs are yet to be discovered, including Alexander the Great, Nefertiti and Cleopatra, and asks – will their burial places ever be found?
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Robert Harris on V2, historical fiction and WW2
Robert Harris discusses V2, his new Second World War thriller inspired by the German missile campaign in 1944
Best-selling historical novelist Robert Harris discusses his latest thriller, V2, inspired by the German missile campaign in 1944. He explains why he is obsessed by the Second World War, and shares some of the secrets of writing great historical fiction.
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2020: The historians’ verdict
From debates about colonialism to lessons from previous pandemics, a panel of historians discuss how the past has shaped 2020 – and how the events of this momentous year should change our understanding of the past
From debates about colonialism to lessons from previous pandemics, history has repeatedly made the headlines this year. We invited historians Kerri Greenidge, Tom Holland, Suzannah Lipscomb and Michael Wood to discuss how the past has shaped 2020 – and how the events of this momentous year should change our understanding of the past.
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Women in Greek myths
Natalie Haynes discusses the varied portrayals of women in Greek mythology, uncovering the multi-layered figures who emerge from different retellings
Writer and classicist Natalie Haynes discusses her latest book Pandora’s Jar, which revisits the varied portrayals of women in Greek mythology, finding that the figures who emerge from different retellings and translations are less familiar than we might think.
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Germans who resisted the Nazis
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Shakespeare: everything you wanted to know
Paul Edmondson, head of research and knowledge at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, responds to listener questions and popular search queries on the life and work of England’s most famous playwright, covering everything from the Bard’s literary inspirations and family relationships, to conspiracies that his plays were penned by someone else.
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A secret WW2 wargame
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Bernard Cornwell on The Last Kingdom’s finale and the next Sharpe
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Oswald, the many-headed medieval saint
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Has the EU been a success?
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An extraordinary Everest adventure
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The Wild West: everything you wanted to know
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Viking warrior women & the ethics of excavating the dead
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War and society: a tangled relationship
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Ingenious medieval science
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Women in black: the surprising history of widows
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Personal stories of the Second World War
Victoria Panton Bacon shares remarkable first-hand testimonies from veterans of the Second World War
Victoria Panton Bacon, author of the new book Remarkable Journeys of the Second World War: A Collection of Untold Stories, shares moving first-hand testimonies from veterans of the 1939-45 conflict.
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The Russian revolution: everything you wanted to know
Robert Service responds to listener questions and popular search enquiries about the Russian revolutions of 1917, which saw the beginnings of the Communist era.
In the latest of our series tackling the big questions on major historical topics, historian Robert Service responds to listener queries and popular search enquiries about the Russian revolutions of 1917, which saw Tsar Nicholas II deposed and the beginnings of the Communist era.
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The story of the Dambusters
In a lecture from our 2019 History Weekend in Winchester, Max Hastings tells the dramatic story of the 1943 Dambusters raid.
In a lecture he delivered at our 2019 BBC History Magazine History Weekend event in Winchester, bestselling military historian Max Hastings tells the dramatic story of the 1943 Dambusters raid.
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Inside the Viking mind
Neil Price takes us inside the Viking mind to explain how the Norse raiders viewed the world and what drove them to expand across the seas
Professor Neil Price, author of The Children of Ash and Elm, takes us inside the Viking mind to explain how the Norse raiders viewed the world and what drove them to expand across the seas. He answers some of the key questions about the period and offers new insights into Viking life
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Escaping Nazi-occupied Europe
Helen Fry discusses the top-secret work of MI9, which helped Allied prisoners of war escape during WW2
Historian Helen Fry discusses her new book MI9, which reveals how the secret agency helped Allied prisoners of war make it back to Britain, and shares stories of the Second World War’s most audacious escapes.
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The White Ship: a medieval royal tragedy
Charles Spencer speaks to Dan Jones about the White Ship disaster, which plunged the English monarchy into chaos 900 years ago
Bestselling author Charles Spencer speaks to fellow historian Dan Jones about the White Ship disaster, which plunged the English monarchy into chaos 900 years ago.
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An ‘ordinary’ Nazi
Daniel Lee discusses the life of an ‘ordinary’ member of the SS
Historian Daniel Lee describes how the chance discovery of a cache of documents within a piece of furniture led him to uncover the life of Robert Griesinger, an ‘ordinary’ member of the SS.
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Medical history: everything you wanted to know
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Poland 1939: The invasion that sparked WW2
Roger Moorhouse delivers a lecture on the German invasion of Poland in 1939
In a lecture he delivered at BBC History Magazine’s 2019 Winchester History Weekend event, historian Roger Moorhouse tells the story of one of the most misunderstood campaigns of the Second World War – the German invasion of Poland in 1939.
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The Falklands War in the air
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Unexpected Irish tales
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Black Britons in WW2
Stephen Bourne discusses the experiences of Britain’s black community during the Second World War
Historian Stephen Bourne, author of Under Fire: Black Britain in Wartime, discusses the experiences of black civilians and service personnel in Britain between 1939 and 1945, and charts their contributions to the war effort.
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At sea with the Vikings
Jan Bill gives us the lowdown on Viking ships, and offers updates on the Gjellestad Ship excavation, currently underway in Norway
Jan Bill gives us the lowdown on Viking ships, and updates us on the latest discoveries at the Gjellestad Ship excavation, currently underway in Norway. The professor of archaeology explains what it was like to sail on a Viking ship and the amount of time and money required to build them.
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Adventure & opportunity: female transatlantic travellers
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The Regency era: everything you wanted to know
Emily Brand responds to listener queries and popular search enquiries about the Regency era
Historian and author Emily Brand responds to listener queries and popular search enquiries about Britain in the Regency era, from the lavish spending and reputation of the Prince Regent himself to how much we can really learn from Jane Austen.
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Tudor queens on screen
Elena Woodacre delivers a lecture on the portrayal of historical queens in cinema and television, from Mary Queen of Scots to The Spanish Princess
In a lecture she delivered at BBC History Magazine’s 2019 Winchester History Weekend event, Elena Woodacre explores the ways that queens from the early modern era have been portrayed in cinema and television, from The Favourite and Mary Queen of Scots to The Tudors and The Spanish Princess.
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Moving, medieval-style
Jim Leary explains how people in prehistory and the Middle Ages moved around the world
Can we follow in the footsteps of our prehistoric and medieval forebears? Archaeologist Dr Jim Leary, who researches travel and mobility in the era, explains what we know about the ways people in prehistory and the Middle Ages moved around the world they lived in.
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Enslaved women & resistance
Stella Dadzie uncovers the experiences and resistance activities of enslaved women in the West Indies
Historian and activist Stella Dadzie talks about her new book, A Kick in the Belly: Women, Slavery and Resistance, which uncovers the experiences of enslaved women in the West Indies, and reveals the inventive ways they resisted their oppressors
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Aztecs in their own words
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A new take on India’s history
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The French Revolution: Everything you need to know
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A Triple Bond Broken: The Destruction of the House of York
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An Atlantic slave war
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An Anglo-Saxon warlord
Archaeologist Gabor Thomas, who directed the excavation, discusses the discovery of the ‘Marlow Warlord’ – a 6th-century burial near the Thames.
You can listen to the Portable Antiquities Scheme podcast that was mentioned here:
Michael Wood’s feature on the Anglo-Saxon question is here:
The Marlow Warrior crowdfunder is here: https://reading.hubbub.net/p/marlowwarlord/
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Ancient wisdom with Neil Oliver
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Black radical: William Monroe Trotter
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The dispossession of Native Americans
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Everything you ever wanted to know about medieval daily life, but were afraid to ask
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Should I stay or I should go? The problem with historical monuments in 2020
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Sparta
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Medieval turning points
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The rise and fall of the Sikh empire
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Everything you ever wanted to know about the history of Japan, but were afraid to ask
In the latest of our series tackling the big questions on major historical topics, historian Christopher Harding responds to listener queries and popular search enquiries about the history of Japan, ranging from the ancient past to the Second World War and beyond. Historyextra.com/podcast
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Arnhem: The Battle for the Bridges, 1944
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A 1930s ghost hunt
Kate Summerscale, bestselling author of The Suspicions of Mr Whicher, discusses her new book, The Haunting of Alma Fielding, which delves into a tale of the supernatural in London just before the outbreak of the Second World War. Historyextra.com/podcast
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Medieval eels and Englishness
Eels were a mainstay of the economy in the Middle Ages, and also a part of the developing English identity. Dr John Wyatt Greenlee explains why the fish mattered so much. Visit https://historiacartarum.org/ for more information on Dr Greenlee’s medieval eels project. Historyextra.com/podcast
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Ken Follett’s Anglo-Saxon adventure
Bestselling historical novelist Ken Follett chats about how he recreated late Anglo-Saxon England for his new book, The Evening and the Morning, which is a prequel to The Pillars of the Earth. Historyextra.com/podcast
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Everything you ever wanted to know about the Neanderthals, but were afraid to ask
In an episode produced in collaboration with our colleagues at BBC Science Focus Magazine, archaeologist Rebecca Wragg Sykes tackles some of the big questions about Neanderthals and their relations with modern humans. Historyextra.com/podcast
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Simon de Montfort and England’s First Revolution
In a talk that she delivered at our 2019 BBC History Magazine History Weekend in Winchester, historian Sophie Ambler tells the story of Simon de Montfort’s doomed rebellion against King Henry III in the 13th century. Historyextra.com/podcast
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Toussaint Louverture’s revolutionary life
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The Mayflower
On the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower’s momentous voyage to North America, historian and author James Evans reflects on the Pilgrim Fathers and the colony they established, and considers how important it was to the history of America. Historyextra.com/podcast
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JFK: the path to power
Historian Fredrik Logevall discusses the first volume of his major new biography of John F Kennedy, exploring the US president’s upbringing and rise to political prominence. Historyextra.com/podcast
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Viking genes unravelled
A new study of Viking DNA provides many new insights about the lives of Vikings. Dr Cat Jarman explains what it tells us, and what questions remain unanswered. Historyextra.com/podcast
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Hitler’s vengeance
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Everything you ever wanted to know about the East India Company, but were afraid to ask
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Ghosts of Viking London
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Ben Macintyre on Agent Sonya – the greatest female spy in history
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Prisoners of the Japanese
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Medieval rebellions
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Everything you ever wanted to know about the Suffragettes, but were afraid to ask
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Scythians: Warrior Nomads of the Steppe
In a talk from our 2019 History Weekend in Winchester, Barry Cunliffe shares his knowledge of the skilled horsemen who rampaged across the steppe in the first millennium BC
Historyextra.com/podcast
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A Cold War killing?
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Simon Schama on the Romantics
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Isabel Wilkerson on caste in America
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Everything you ever wanted to know about the legends of King Arthur, but were afraid to ask
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The Patient Assassin: A True Tale of Massacre, Revenge and the Raj
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Britain goes to war, part 2
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Britain goes to war, part 1
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Ernest Bevin: working-class warrior
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The uncommon lives of common sailors
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Everything you ever wanted to know about the Hundred Years’ War, but were afraid to ask
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Crusaders: An Epic History of the Wars for the Holy Lands
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The extraordinary life of Sultan Selim I
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Edward the Confessor
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Revisiting the Kindertransport
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Everything you ever wanted to know about the Aztecs, but were afraid to ask
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Who Dares Wins: Britain in the Age of the Falklands
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The story of the Freemasons
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Africa’s cultural liberation
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The history of seduction
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Everything you ever wanted to know about the Spanish Civil War, but were afraid to ask
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Could D-Day Have Failed?
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Victory in the east
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What’s in a medieval name?
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Authors in the Boer War
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Everything you ever wanted to know about the American Civil War, but were afraid to ask
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Medieval Wonder Women
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Documents that changed the world
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Peter Frankopan on global history in 2020
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Medieval dynasties: how to stay on the throne
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Everything you ever wanted to know about Ancient Greece, but were afraid to ask (part 2)
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Shadow King: The Life and Death of Henry VI
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The Princes in the Tower: History’s Greatest Mysteries
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Stonehenge: History’s Greatest Mysteries
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The fate of Jesus’s body: History’s Greatest Mysteries
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The lost colony of Roanoke: History’s Greatest Mysteries
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The Voynich Manuscript: History’s Greatest Mysteries
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Everything you ever wanted to know about Ancient Greece, but were afraid to ask (part 1)
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Uncrowned Queen: The Fateful Life of Margaret Beaufort, Tudor Survivor
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Unburied treasures
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African American abolitionists in Britain
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A history of magic
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Everything you ever wanted to know about medieval queens, but were afraid to ask
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At home with the medieval aristocracy
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Lionheart of stone: the medieval statue debate
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The Abdication crisis
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Nero: Rome’s Antichrist?
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Everything you ever wanted to know about the Cuban Missile Crisis, but were afraid to ask
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The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles
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Museums and colonialism
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David Abulafia on The Boundless Sea
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California’s century of change
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Everything you ever wanted to know about the Scottish Wars of Independence, but were afraid to ask
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The Picts
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Women and the Crusades
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World War Two: the challenge of commemoration
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A history of pandemics: from Spanish Flu to Covid-19
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Everything you ever wanted to know about the Georgians, but were afraid to ask
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William and Cnut: a tale of two conquerors
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Amy Robsart: a Tudor tragedy
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Britain and the Korean War
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Working mothers
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Everything you ever wanted to know about British battlefields, but were afraid to ask
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Saturday lecture: Medieval love and marriage
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The Lancaster
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Henry III: inside the mind of a medieval king
Historian David Carpenter, author of a major new biography of the 13th-century monarch Henry III, explains how we know more about his inner mind than any other English king of the period. He describes how Henry’s reign witnessed civil war, the ongoing fallout from Magna Carta, and amazing building projects.
Historyextra.com/podcast
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Francis Drake: slave trader
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Britain and the slave trade
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Everything you ever wanted to know about the civil rights movement, but were afraid to ask
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The Field of the Cloth of Gold
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The secret plot to kill Lincoln
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The unexpected Tudors
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Everything you ever wanted to know about Nazi Germany, but were afraid to ask
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Saturday lecture: Medieval disease and medicine
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The history of the Bible
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A legendary pirate
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The cosmopolitan Chaucer
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Everything you ever wanted to know about the Civil War, but were afraid to ask
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Saturday lecture: Medieval food
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Indian soldiers at Dunkirk
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Medieval prisoners of war
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David Olusoga on A House Through Time
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Everything you ever wanted to know about the Crusades, but were afraid to ask
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Saturday lecture: Medieval crime and violence
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Cooking for Churchill
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Rutger Bregman’s optimistic history of the world
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Living on the edge in Victorian Britain
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Everything you ever wanted to know about the English Reformation, but were afraid to ask
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Surviving the Great Plague
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Rethinking the Renaissance
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The life and legend of Florence Nightingale
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Everything you ever wanted to know about the Vikings, but were afraid to ask
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Britain at War
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The Northumbrians: from Bede to Geordie Shore
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Medieval globetrotters
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Everything you ever wanted to know about the Victorians, but were afraid to ask
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The Corn Laws crisis
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How the world made us
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The unexpected Vikings
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Everything you ever wanted to know about British prehistory, but were afraid to ask
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A Nazi mystery
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A new view of Africa’s past
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Chanel and the Riviera
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Everything you ever wanted to know about D-Day, but were afraid to ask
In the latest of our new series tackling the big questions on major historical topics, military historian Peter Caddick-Adams responds to listener queries and popular search enquiries about one of the defining episodes of World War Two. Historyextra.com/podcast
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The scandalous Byrons
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The mistresses of Charles II
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The spies who inspired Bond
Author and spy expert Henry Hemming discusses the real historical personalities who Ian Fleming drew on to create 007 and other major characters in the Bond novels. Historyextra.com/podcast
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Everything you ever wanted to know about Roman Britain, but were afraid to ask
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Apollo 13
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The Black Death and social change
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The genius of Artemisia
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Everything you ever wanted to know about the Tudors, but were afraid to ask
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Viking women
Johanna Katrin Fridriksdottir explores what everyday life was like for women in Norse society, the opportunities available to them and the challenges they faced. Historyextra.com/podcast
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Okinawa: the battle and the bomb
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Women at war
Dr Julie Wheelwright, author of the new book Sisters in Arms, explains the roles of female warriors from ancient times until the present day. Historyextra.com/podcast
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Everything you ever wanted to know about the Normans, but were afraid to ask
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A history of celebrity
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Russia’s musical journeys
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Blitz spirit
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Shakespeare and America
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News in the Middle Ages
Historian Helen Birkett explores communication networks and the spread of information and news in the medieval era. Historyextra.com/podcast
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Coronavirus: a historical perspective
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Wales’s turbulent 20th century
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Resistance in the British empire
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Hadley Freeman on a 20th-century family history
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Written in stone
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Dictators explained
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Food and war
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London’s trailblazing women
The author Francesca Wade talks to us about her new book Square Haunting, which tells the stories of five remarkable women – among them Virginia Woolf and Dorothy L Sayers – who all lived on the same London square in the interwar years. Historyextra.com/podcast
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Secrets of Lindisfarne
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Medieval medicine
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Georgian terrorists: the Cato Street Conspiracy
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Burglary: a modern history
Historian Eloise Moss, author of Night Raiders, explores a century of home intrusion in Britain, from the cat burglar phenomenon to Cold War espionage. Historyextra.com/podcast
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The rise of Hitler
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Michael Wood on the Peterloo photograph
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The bombing of Dresden
On the 75th anniversary of the Dresden raid, historical author Sinclair McKay explores one of the most controversial Allied actions of the Second World War. He describes the devastation caused by the bombing and considers whether it constitutes a war crime. Historyextra.com/podcast
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Secrets of war leadership
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Confronting evils
Susan Neiman considers how Germany and the United States have sought to come to terms with histories of racism and violence. Historyextra.com/podcast
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Marie Antoinette
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Mary Beard on the nude in western art
Ahead of her new BBC Two series The Shock of the Nude, classicist Mary Beard discusses some of the thorny issues surrounding the naked body in western art over the centuries. Later on in the episode she is joined by art historian Janina Ramirez to share her thoughts on a few of the most intriguing pieces that appear in the programmes. Historyextra.com/podcast
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The woman who gave birth to rabbits
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Indians in the trenches
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Fighting for the vote
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The Holocaust orphans
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Simon de Montfort’s medieval revolution
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The Windrush generation
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Puritans and the Mayflower
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The Auschwitz volunteer
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Medieval myths
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Confronting a dark past
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From Allies to enemies
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The long history of Brexit
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The filthy Middle Ages?
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A curious history of Christmas
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2019 Christmas history quiz
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The birth of the modern world
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Politics, Roman style
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Eleanor of Aquitaine: myth and reality
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World War Two’s secret heroes
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Asians in 1980s Britain
Broadcaster Kavita Puri, who presents the BBC Radio 4 series Three Pounds in My Pocket, discusses how Asian communities were adjusting to life in Britain during the volatile 1980s. Historyextra.com/podcast
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Secrets of the river
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The Mountbattens: success and scandal
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The teashop empire
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Margaret Beaufort: Mother of the Tudors
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Maoism
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A history of the United States
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The King: Henry V on film
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The Pacific War on screen
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The rise and fall of the Berlin Wall
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Treasures of Tutankhamun
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The Fortress: An epic battle of World War I
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The death of Kitchener: a World War One mystery
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Britain in the early 80s
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The House of York
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Bonus Episode: Sequences with consequences
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Slave revolt
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Peter Hennessy on Britain in transition
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Secret listeners
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William Dalrymple on the East India Company
William Dalrymple explains how a single London corporation took over the Mughal empire and became a major imperial power. Historyextra.com/podcast
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Catherine the Great: fact and fiction
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Orlando Figes on the transformation of Europe
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Fake news in World War Two
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The destruction of Pompeii
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Max Hastings on the Dambusters
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Suzannah Lipscomb on women’s lives in Reformation France
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Tom Holland on Christianity’s enduring legacy
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The Crusades, with Dan Jones
Bestselling medieval historian Dan Jones discusses his new book Crusaders, which tells the stories of these religious conflicts through the people who were involved in them. He is joined in conversation by his fellow historian Helen Castor. Historyextra.com/podcast
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Poland, 1939: World War Two begins
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Hitler’s war with Anglo-America
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War trauma
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Chernobyl: the story of a tragedy
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The real Peaky Blinders
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The corner shop revolution
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Peterloo: the story of a massacre
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Britain's key archaeological discoveries
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Gordon Brown on Andrew Carnegie
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Prisoner dilemmas
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Why black hair matters
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The Zinoviev Letter conspiracy
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Making jokes about Romans
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Charlemagne: medieval empire builder
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Stonewall and the fight for gay rights
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The race to the moon
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An Indian cricket team in imperial Britain
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The battle of Trafalgar
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King killers in America
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AC Grayling on the history of philosophy
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The problem with the Anglo-Saxons
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Victorian freak shows
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Appeasement and the road to World War Two
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The women of Bletchley Park
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At home with the royals
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The story of Madame Tussaud
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The life of Saladin
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A new view of D-Day
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Monarchy and faith in Tudor England
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Rachel Reeves on women who changed politics
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Jacob Rees-Mogg on the Victorians
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Women in the 1960s
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Gentleman Jack
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Jared Diamond on countries in crisis
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Secrets of Britains castles
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The Rise and Fall of the Boleyns
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Women who made modern Britain
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How population has shaped world history
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The landscape of England
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The Amritsar assassin
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Letters from World War Two leaders
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Notre-Dame
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Melvyn Bragg on Heloise and Abelard
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Exploring Britain’s cathedrals
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The Scottish Clearances
Professor Tom Devine explores one of the most traumatic moments in Scottish history and explains how a number of misconceptions still exist around the Clearances.
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King John: medieval monster
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World War Two's 'ordinary' soldiers
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Rethinking the crusades
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The women killed by Jack the Ripper
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The global Vikings
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Henry VI: terrible king
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Churchill's navy
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Victorian murder scandal
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Rutger Bregman: historian in the news
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King George V at war
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Schools through time
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Bart van Es on The Cut Out Girl
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Medieval warrior queen
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A global history of philosophy
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Love in Georgian times
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Eric Hobsbawm: history and politics
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The story of modern Japan
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War and music
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Bonus Episode: How technology is changing politics
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A Roman woman of great power
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World-changing women
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Legacies of the Holocaust
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Diversity in history
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The story of the Hurricane
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Mary, Queen of Scots’ tragic life
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The true history of The Favourite
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Remarkable women through history
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Egypt’s lost tombs
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Medieval civil war
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Indians in World War One
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2018 Christmas history quiz
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Bess of Hardwick: a Tudor success story
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Wonders of the Middle Ages
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Letters that changed the world
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Black radicalism with Kehinde Andrews
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Napoleon: the insecure emperor
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History in colour
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Walter Ralegh: enemy of the state
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The Germans who fought Hitler
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Hunting Britain’s Nazis
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Tales from D-Day
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Bernard Cornwell on the Last Kingdom
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Nietzsche’s dangerous ideas
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Dan Snow on shell shock
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The end of the First World War
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Mike Leigh on Peterloo
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The Peterloo Massacre
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Anglo-Saxon treasures
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Thomas Cromwell reconsidered
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A new life of Churchill
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Peter Jackson on the First World War
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Adventures in Iceland
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Brexit and American independence
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Bonus Episode: Identifying Jack the Ripper
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The Nazi on the run
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The spy who changed the cold war
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Queen Victoria by Lucy Worsley
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Neil Oliver’s history of the British Isles
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The good war?
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The extraordinary history of ordinary things
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A half-hour history of Europe
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Dissent through the centuries
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Who should we commemorate?
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Scots and Catalans
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100 women who changed the world
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Charles de Gaulle reconsidered
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Female spies of the Civil War era
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Captain Cook’s Endeavour
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Dan Jones on the secrets of popular history
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Mary Beard’s life in Classics
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Historical fact and fiction
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Ian Kershaw on postwar Europe
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Inside the mind of Elizabeth I
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Britons under Nazi rule
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Islam’s struggle with modernity
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Britain’s foreign policy secrets
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The Tommies’ final acts
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Catholics in Elizabethan England
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Rethinking 20th-century Britain
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Nelson Mandela’s extraordinary life
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The murder of the Romanovs
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Britain’s refugee camps
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Spies through the ages
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Making the modern world
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Ireland’s past and present
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Sherwood Forest through the ages
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The national debt dilemma
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Restoring women’s voices
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The history of manners
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World War One at home
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Grenfell Tower: from hope to tragedy
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Britain’s Catholic emancipation
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The mystery of Donald Maclean
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America’s changing dream
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Challenging British heroes
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Jane Seymour: Henry VIII’s favourite queen
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The remarkable history of the Netherlands
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Beevor on Arnhem
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The Women Behind Lord Byron
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The Entebbe raid
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The failings of the French Revolution
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500 years of medicine
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Were the suffragettes terrorists?
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1983: the Cold War almost goes nuclear
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Economists who changed the world
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Medieval bodies
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Africa’s contested past
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Shakespeare’s greatest actor
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The Vietnam War on film
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Medieval mystics
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A quick history of France
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Creating the SAS
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Opposing the Nazis
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The history of today
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The postwar world
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The Marshall Plan and the Cold War
Economist and author Benn Steil explains the background to the 1947 US aid initiative to Europe and describes how it helped shape relations between the USA and USSR. He also considers what impact it had on European recovery after the Second World War
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Ruth Ellis: the last woman to be hanged in Britain
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Vikings on screen
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Music and revolution
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Schama on Civilisations
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Science and suffrage
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The Terracotta Warriors
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BBC Arabic at 80
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The World Cup story
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The Spanish Flu pandemic
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The Pankhursts
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The Suffragettes
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Elizabeth’s love rival
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Britain’s secret wartime prison
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Living with the oceans
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The story of the Bayeux Tapestry
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East End Crime
John Bennett delves into the dark history of disorder and lawlessness in London’s East End
From Jack the Ripper to the Kray twins, historian and tour guide John Bennett explores four centuries of crime and disorder in the London neighbourhood.
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Prisoners of war
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Mary Shelley and her monster
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The tragedy of Lady Jane Grey
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Hamilton: the man behind the musical
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Churchill’s darkest hour
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1917: The world at war
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Christmas history quiz
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Alfred the Great and science at Christmas
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The origins of civilisation
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Cornwell on Shakespeare
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Eating with Dickens
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Animals that changed us
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Britain on the edge
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Black Tudors
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Victorian medicine
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The history of sleep
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Charles II on the run
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Demons and shipwrecks
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Drinking history
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Britain’s Chinese army
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The Last Kamikazes
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How networks shape history
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The search for King Arthur
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The Medici
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The death of Stalin
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The Gunpowder Plot
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Living with the Gods
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Richard III reconsidered
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The Munich Conference
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The world of the Scythians
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Starkey on the Reformation
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Tales of war
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Victoria the matchmaker
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Christianity and the classical world
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The Ukrainian famine
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The Knights Templar
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William Marshal: the greatest knight
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The History Hot 100
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Viking Britain
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A deadly royal favourite?
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Queen Victoria behind closed doors
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Friends or Enemies? Anglo-French relations
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Migrating to Britain
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The Jarrow March
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Witchcraft through the ages
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Icelandic murder mystery
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China in World War Two
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The Koh-i-Noor
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Living through Partition
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The lost objects of South Asia
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The brilliance of Henry James
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The English in America
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Germany’s World War Two
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Voices of the Cold War
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A legendary spymaster
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Hans Sloane and the British Museum
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Female flyers in Nazi Germany
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Children at war
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The Second World War
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Jane Austen and Tudor London
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Medieval manuscripts and the First World War
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The Six-Day War and the Great Fire of London
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Civil wars and Restoration England
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England’s bloody Reformation
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Queen Victoria’s dinners and Henry VIII’s niece
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Martin Luther and the making of the USA
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The Islamic enlightenment
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Historical fiction and a US murder scandal
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The ‘Father of History’ and India in the British empire
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America in World War One and a naval tragedy
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Women in popular history
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Blitzkrieg
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Utopias in history and an environmental disaster
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Postwar occupations and Raleigh bicycles
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The Reformation
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A revolutionary engineer and Victoria’s Indian confidant
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The roots of modern rage
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The impact of war and a zoological institution
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The Russian revolution and myths of ancient Egypt
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The history of puzzles and the extraordinary life of Lady Anne Barnard
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The Battle of Britain
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A history of Istanbul
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The big questions of the Holocaust
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The birth of Eurasia
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2016 Christmas history quiz
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Corner shops and Russian ballet
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Historians in parliament
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The attack on Pearl Harbor and physics through the ages
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Arts and Crafts and unusual inventors
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Soviet science and feeding Britain at war
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The wartime SAS and Hitler’s drug addiction
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Black British history and Charles I’s children
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Reporting from war zones
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The Aberfan disaster and women who made history
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The Norman Conquest
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Lenin and the Russian revolutions
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Historical television and the battle of Flodden
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Women in politics and Robinson Crusoe
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Cold War summits
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Poldark and historical TV drama
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The end of the First World War and the Duke of Wellington
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The Great Fire of London
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The Suez crisis and the north of England
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The 1920s: Roaring or tame?
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The Cold War and the history of philosophy
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Jacobites and the Ancient World
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Two King Edwards
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Paris’s women at war and the Housewives’ League
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Britain’s Second World War and the Country House
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Battle of the Somme special
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The Radium Girls and the cotton revolution
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Wolfson History Prizes: Nazi camps and St Augustine
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Operation Barbarossa
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Tudor monarchs and a Medieval civil war
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Writing history in the 21st century
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The battle of Jutland and 1950s domestic dangers
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A Victorian murder and a ship that made history
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Sykes-Picot and a 17th-century polymath
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The history of consumerism and Chinese philosophy
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Shakespeare’s world and cricket in South Africa
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Student life and working class culture
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Charles II and an Atlantic experiment
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The Dissolution and a forgotten colony
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Democracy and an age of genius
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The Easter Rising and a Victorian heyday
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Muslims and Jews in the 16th century
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The Holy Roman Empire and Capability Brown
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Middle East history special
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Verdun and the Renaissance
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Benjamin Franklin in London
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The battle over Henry VIII’s will
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The Romanovs and King Arthur
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A global view of history
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Postwar Germany and medieval CSI
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The amazing history of Egypt
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Victorian bakers and the Leningrad symphony
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2015 Christmas history quiz
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Britain’s railways and the Titanic
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A history of red hair and amazing animals
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The Battle of the Atlantic and the history of Spain
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Shakespeare in 1606 and Olympic swimmers
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The Peasants’ Revolt and a Cold War spy
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Ancient Rome special
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The end of the Cold War and British culture
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World War Two spies and an extraordinary naturalist
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The Last Kingdom and Agincourt
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A year in medieval England
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The Brontës and a revolutionary artist
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New views on the Holocaust and 1980s Britain
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Celts special
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The Somme and the Jacobites
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Roman emperors and women through the ages
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North Sea oil and the Blitz
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Killing Mussolini
In a lecture from our 2014 History Weekend, historian Roderick Bailey describes the attempts of Britain's SOE to assassinate the Italian Fascist leader during World War Two.
To find out more about our 2015 History Weekend events in York and Malmesbury, and to buy tickets, click here.
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Ancient cities and the Norman conquest
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Crusade logistics and the battle over the slave trade
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The Pacific War and First World War black soldiers
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Ancient thinkers and the history of madness
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Witch trials and feuding queens
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Anglo-Saxon saints and British slave-owners
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Regency scandal and the history of canals
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India at war and mining accidents
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Terror in Elizabethan England
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Waterloo 200 special
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The real King John and the BBC in World War Two
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Queen Victoria at home and a new Civil War museum
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The Battle of the Bulge and children of the Holocaust
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The history of India and a terrible explosion
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Wolfson History Prize 2015 special
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VE Day special
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Magna Carta and the Holocaust
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Medieval universities and an unlikely friendship
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Gallipoli and famine
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Saladin and suffragettes
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Science and St Peter
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The history of immigration
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Richard III reburial special
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Food from the past and the history of illegitimacy
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Shakespeare and war in the Middle East
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The life of Keynes and a trip to Ancient Greece
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The Peasants’ Revolt
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Amazing inventions and London after dark
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Life in the workhouse and British biographies
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Elizabeth I and an unlikely suffragette
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Debating British monarchy
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Henry VIII and Henry the Young King
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Wolf Hall and medieval civil war
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Stalin’s early years and Mein Kampf
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Christmas podcast quiz
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Kamikaze pilots and Captain John Smith
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Student radicals and Crete in WWII
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The North Sea and Bronze Age remains
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Revolutions in Europe and forensics in history
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Science fiction and dancing in history
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The Berlin Wall and the return of Charles II
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The Gunpowder Plot and the First World War
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Germany through the centuries and Hitler’s cocaine habit
British Museum director Neil MacGregor joins us to talk about his new BBC Radio 4 series Germany: Memories of a Nation, which illustrates the country's history through a wealth of fascinating objects. Meanwhile, historical author Giles Milton discusses some surprising tales from the past, including the story of Adolf Hitler's drug addictions.
To read an extract from Milton's book, click here.
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Georgian gardens and historical fiction
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The battle of Agincourt and the Spanish communists
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The trials of Joan of Arc
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The history of humanity
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Hunting the regicides and the Chartist movement
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Fresh views on the Wars of the Roses
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Thomas Cromwell’s fall from grace
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George III and the art of anatomy
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The long history of the Crusades
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James Bond and Vichy France
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The global First World War
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The German view on the First World War
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Richard III and dirty Tudors
Chris Skidmore, who is writing a new biography of Richard III, talks to us about how his research is presenting a different picture of the controversial 15th-century king. Meanwhile, we speak to Pamela Hartshorne about the challenges people faced in Tudor England when trying to keep their cities clean and hygienic.
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The World War Two French resistance and British holidays
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Cold War smuggling and First World War veterans
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Delphi and the Spanish empire
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Finance and war
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English gardens and Latin American football
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The legacy of the First World War
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Wolfson History Prize special
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D-Day and the Wars of the Roses
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Roman slavery and the man who started the First World War
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Monte Cassino and revolutionary Russia
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Thomas Malthus and Wilkie Collins
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Victorian burials and the history of psychology
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The value of war and the rail revolution
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African history special
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Lawrence of Arabia and the Romanov sisters
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Britain in the 1970s
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Anglo-Saxon treasures, and did Britain invent freedom?
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Cold War spies and friendship through the ages
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Escaping the Blitz and recording the First World War
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Viking treasures and Hitler's 'perfect woman'
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Tasmanian aborigines and the historic importance of the River Nile
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Napoleon's formative years and great thinkers of the Scottish Enlightenment
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The Babylonian Noah and Norse mythology
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Royal cousins at war and Brunel's brilliance
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Memories of Churchill and the history of the individual
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Paxman on World War One
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Britain and the Union
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Britain in 1914 and Jesus in history
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The aftermath of the Second World War
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The Black Death and Tudor adventurers
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Christmas quiz
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Nelson Mandela special
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The legacy of the First World War and Gandhi's early years
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Victorian vigour and a remarkable family
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JFK and a neglected Tudor
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Global history and the rise of the factories
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Cold War culture and the path to the First World War
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A new look at Nelson and a haunted castle
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Tudor portraits and Victorian footballers
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Ancient Greek theatre and Victorian prisons
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The First World War and Richard III
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The mysteries of the Princes in the Tower
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Ancient burials and modern murders
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Witch-hunting and medieval letter writing
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A fresh look at an Ancient Greek classic
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On the Civil War trail
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A fresh look at Edward III
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England and Scotland go to war
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The history behind the White Queen
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The downfall of Mary, Queen of Scots and a British civil rights struggle
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Early Christianity in England and Douglas Hurd on Disraeli
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English Heritage's History Live festival at Kelmarsh Hall in Northamptonshire
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The Spanish Armada and an Iron Age mansion
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Georgian marriage and food in history
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China's Second World War and royal births through the ages
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Nazi spies and Viking ships
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Margaret Thatcher's path to power, and the story of the Devonshires
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Elizabeth I's two bodies
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Richard III vs Henry VII
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Horrible Histories special
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A history of the world and a second Norman Conquest
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Wolfson History Prize special
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Ancient Greek warriors and Neolithic huts
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Sick royals and the last year of peace
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Britain's last Dambuster
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The ideas of the First World War
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Dwarves in the Holocaust and the Vikings' cultural legacy
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Pompeii comes to London
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With Anne Boleyn at the Tower
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Henry V and Thomas Cromwell – hero and villain
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German prisoners and Nelson's navy
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Papal election special
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The Industrial Revolution and post-war eugenics
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Georgian banking and medieval royalty
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Hitler's philosophers, and a Bronze Age boat
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Richard III special
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Britain's European rejection and an intimate view of archaeology
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Spielberg's Lincoln and a new look at Jane Austen
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The history of music and the Knights Templar
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Tudor accidents and the real Anglo-Saxons
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Royal personality in Tudor and Medieval times
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The First World War and Roman shopping
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History Extra Christmas quiz
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Napoleon and Mussolini
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The Victorian cadaver trade, and lessons from the past masters
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Black soldiers in the World War Two, and medical history research
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Edward I and maps through history
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Jujitsu suffragettes and the Battle of El Alamein
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The importance of the Tudors
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Why the Plantagenets matter
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The early years of the Iron Curtain and violence on the wane
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World War Two farming and a new time saver for historians
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The Battle of Poitiers and WWII strategy
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History for future generations
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Letters from the USSR
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Victorian cohabitation and the Libor scandal
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Disability through the ages
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The battle for Madagascar and The Wars of the Roses
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The Spanish Civil War
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Historical geography and cookery
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American religions
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The Royal Navy
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The British Army
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The Cold War Olympic boycott
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Medieval travel and anti-suffrage postcards
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Smuggling and sport
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Historic healthcare
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British queens
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Ancient Egypt and Trafalgar
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The Scottish military
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The subcontinent
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Napoleon in Russia
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Thomas Beckett and WWII relived
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Viking sagas and royal pageants
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The War of Independence
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Shakespeare's Richard III
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The Norman Conquest
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History in our schools
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Shakespeare's Richard II
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The Falklands War
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The FBI
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Letters from the front line
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Tudor courtiers and the Great Bed of Ware
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Fleeing nuns and sinking ships
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Britain's enemies
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Jeremy Paxman on the empire
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Foxe's Book of Martyrs
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100th episode special
For our 100th podcast episode we put your questions on the Crusades to historian Tom Asbridge.
[This was episode 100 at time of release]
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Homosexuals in the armed forces
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Civilisations old and new and the M Shed museum
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Antarctic expedition special
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Ancient Egypt through Victorian eyes
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King George VI and stories from Africa
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How is history relevant to us?
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Hidden tunnels in Exeter
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Religion and war
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Peter Englund's new book
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How to escape the tower
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The mourning of Queen Victoria
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Voices of veterans and the debate on sugar
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Second World War arctic convoys
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Dambusters
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Edward III and a naval battle
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Misconceptions of WWII
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A new history of England and the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
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Queen Matilda
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Bernard Cornwell on his novels
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The East India Company and Nelson
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The spies of Queen Elizabeth I
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Being a British Missionary and troubles in Ireland
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The end of slavery and headaches in history
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Greek slavery, Victorian heroism and Dan Snow on cars
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Germany's defeat
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The Victorian telegraph and Dan Snow on his new series
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The conquest of Wales and Mary I
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Summer holidays and Edward VI
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The career of one of England's most well-known kings
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The origins of the Tudors
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Back to school and Hitler's schemes for war
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Britain under Roman rule and the truth about the crusades
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The Duke of Wellington and Alfred the Great
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News for the BBC's Doomsday Project and the future of the National Archive
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History Extra podcast - May 2011
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History Extra podcast - April 2011
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History Extra podcast - March 2011
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History Extra podcast - February 2011
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History Extra podcast - January 2011
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History Extra podcast - Christmas 2010
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History Extra podcast - December 2010
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History Extra podcast - November 2010
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History Extra podcast - October 2010
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History Extra podcast - September 2010
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History Extra podcast - August 2010
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History Extra podcast - July 2010
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History Extra podcast - June 2010
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History Extra podcast - May 2010
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History Extra podcast - April 2010
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History Extra podcast - March 2010
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History Extra podcast - February 2010
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History Extra podcast - January 2010
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History Extra podcast - December 2009 - Part 2
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History Extra podcast - December 2009 - Part 1
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History Extra podcast - November 2009 - Part 2
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History Extra podcast - November 2009 - Part 1
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History Extra podcast - October 2009 - Part 2
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History Extra podcast - October 2009 - Part 1
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History Extra podcast - September 2009 - Part 2
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History Extra podcast - September 2009 - Part 1
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History Extra podcast - August 2009 - Part 2
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History Extra podcast - August 2009 - Part 1
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History Extra podcast - July 2009 - Part 2
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History Extra podcast - July 2009 - Part 1
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History Extra podcast - June 2009 - Part 2
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History Extra podcast - June 2009 - Part 1
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History Extra podcast - May 2009 - Part 2
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History Extra podcast - May 2009 - Part 1
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History Extra podcast - April 2009 - Part 2
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History Extra podcast - April 2009 - Part 1
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History Extra podcast - March 2009 - Part 2
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History Extra podcast - March 2009 - Part 1
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History Extra podcast - February 2009 - Part 2
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History Extra podcast - February 2009 - Part 1
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History Extra podcast - January 2009 - Part 2
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History Extra podcast - January 2009 - Part 1
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History Extra podcast - December 2008 - Part 2
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History Extra podcast - December 2008 - Part 1
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History Extra podcast - November 2008 - Part 2
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History Extra podcast - November 2008 - Part 1
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History Extra podcast - October 2008 - Part 2
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History Extra podcast - October 2008 - Part 1
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History Extra podcast - September 2008
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History Extra podcast - August 2008
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History Extra podcast - July 2008
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History Extra podcast - June 2008
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History Extra podcast - May 2008
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History Extra podcast - April 2008
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History Extra podcast - March 2008
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History Extra podcast - February 2008
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History Extra podcast - January 2008
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History Extra podcast - Christmas Quiz
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History Extra podcast - December 2007
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History Extra podcast - November 2007
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History Extra podcast - October 2007
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History Extra podcast - September 2007
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History Extra podcast - August 2007
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History Extra podcast - July 2007
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History Extra podcast - June 2007
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Fler poddar
Podcasten History Extra podcast är skapad av Immediate Media. Podcastens innehåll och bilderna på den här sidan hämtas med hjälp av det offentliga podcastflödet (RSS).
En liten tjänst av I'm With Friends. Finns även på engelska.