History Extra podcast

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Six-Untold-Story-Americas-Astronauts/dp/1982172800/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Country-House-Became-English/dp/1789147603/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/History-Parliament-House-Commons-1640-1660/dp/1399937146/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Barnes-Wallis-Richard-Morris/dp/1474623425/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/History-Roman-Empire-21-Women/dp/0861542304/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hotbed-Bohemian-Greenwich-Village-Feminism/dp/1541647173#detailBullets_feature_div/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hundred-Years-War-Vol-Illusion/dp/0571274579/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dickensland-Curious-History-Dickenss-London/dp/0300266200_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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Subscribe to History Extra Plus on Apple Podcasts to listen to HistoryExtra Long Reads and all other History Extra podcasts ad-free. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mortimers-Wigmore-1066-1485-Dynasty-Destiny/dp/191083965/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fhow-to-be-a-renaissance-woman%2Fjill-burke%2F9781788166669 The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Road-Conscious-Machines-Story-Pelican-ebook/dp/B07XCC7BMQ/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Subscribe to History Extra Plus here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/history-extra/id6442485182?itsct=podcast_box_promote_link&itscg=30200 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-king-is-dead-long-live-the-king%2Fmartin-williams%2F9781529383317 The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-women-behind-the-few%2Fsarah-louise-miller%2F9781785907852 The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-Unseen-Blindness-Selina-Mills/dp/1848856903/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2ULR6FUNNHV94&keywords=selina+mills&qid=1687263768&s=books&sprefix=selina+mills%2Cstripbooks%2C56&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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Twilight-Cities-Lost-Capitals-Mediterranean/dp/1474614116/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History M Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=164&awinaffid=489797&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fpax%2Ftom-holland%2F9780349146164&clickref=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. https://immediateinsiders.com/uc/admin/b7a7/?a=1&b=&c=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fbeyond-the-wall%2Fkatja-hoyer%2F9780241553787 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Boundary-Crossers-history-Australias-bushrangers/dp/1742237525/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Agents-Influence-Subverted-Western-Democracies/dp/0861542169/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Boundary-Crossers-history-Australias-bushrangers/dp/1742237525/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=4746&awinaffid=489797&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-windsors-at-war%2Falexander-larman%2F9781474623933&clickref=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Patriarchs-How-Men-Came-Rule/dp/000841811X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-posthumous-papers-of-the-manuscripts-club%2Fchristopher-de-hamel%2F9780241304372" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fuproar%2Falice-loxton%2F9781785789540 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Witches-St-Osyth-Persecution-Elizabethan/dp/1108494676/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dress-Diary-Mrs-Anne-Sykes/dp/178474381X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Once-Future-Sex-Medieval-Society/dp/0393867811/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fcitizen-of-london%2Fmichael-mccarthy%2F9781787387911 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dress-Diary-Mrs-Anne-Sykes/dp/178474381X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Foscar-wilde-on-trial%2Fjoseph-bristow%2F9780300222722 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fmedieval-horizons%2Fian-mortimer%2F%2F9781847927446%3Fawc%3D3787_1676460802_b9418547f7d8d6875187a36ad8f30923%26utm_source%3D259955%26utm_medium%3Daffiliate%26utm_campaign%3DGenie%2BShopping%2BCSS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Guru-Bagman-Sceptic-science-psychoanalysis/dp/1803285656/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=4746&awinaffid=489797&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fmilk%2Fjoanna-wolfarth%2F9781474623216&clickref=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-wife-of-bath%2Fmarion-turner%2F9780691206011 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. (Ad) Ryan Gingeras is the author of The Last Days of the Ottoman Empire (Allen Lane, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Days-Ottoman-Empire/dp/0241444322/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. (Ad) Stephen Unwin is the author of Poor Naked Wretches: Shakespeare's Working People (Reaktion Books, 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%2Fpoor-naked-wretches%2Fstephen-unwin%2F9781789146615 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. (Ad) Mark Stoyle is the author of A Murderous Midsummer: The Western Rising of 1549 (Yale University Press, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Murderous-Midsummer-Western-Rising-1549/dp/0300266324/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wise-Gals-Changed-Future-Espionage/dp/1785789589/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3C67LDSXDE5DV&keywords=nathalia+holt&qid=1674218071&s=books&sprefix=nathalia+holt%2Cstripbooks%2C72&sr=1-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The palaeolithic period stretches across a vast period of space and time, but if there’s one thing that really brings the prehistoric era to life for us today, it’s cave art. Professor Paul Pettitt answers your top questions on what we can learn from the extraordinary prehistoric paintings and engravings found at places like Lascaux and Altamira. Speaking to David Musgrove, he delves into when and why this art was made, who made it, and how. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FNazi-Conspiracy-Secret-Roosevelt-Churchill%2Fdp%2F1250777267" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fcommon-land-in-britain%2Fangus-j-l-winchester%2F9781783277438 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Early-Modern-Wales-c-1536-1689-Nationhood/dp/178683958X/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1669716512&refinements=p_27%3ALloyd+Bowen&s=books&sr=1-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. (Ad) Kathy Klieman is the author of Proving Ground: The Untold Story of the Six Women Who Programmed the World's First Modern Computer (Hurst, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Proving-Ground-Untold-Programmed-Computer/dp/178738862X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. (Ad) Matt Lodder is the author of Painted People: Humanity in 21 Tattoos (HarperCollins). 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%2Fpainted-people%2Fmatt-lodder%2F9780008402068 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What was it like to travel on the earliest trains, before open carriages, and even toilets? When was the first rail accident? And how did railways transform nations and continents? Christian Wolmar answers listener questions on the history of the railways. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, he touches on industrial innovation, passengers’ experiences on early train journeys, and the role of railways in imperialism. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. (Ad) Dan Stone is the author of The Holocaust: An Unfinished History (Pelican, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Holocaust-Unfinished-History-Pelican-Books/dp/0241388708/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. (Ad) Caroline Vout is the author of Exposed: The Greek and Roman Body (Profile Books, 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%2Fexposed%2Fcaroline-vout%2F9781788162906 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. (Ad) Timothy Phillips is the author of The Curtain and the Wall: A Modern Journey Along Europe's Cold War Border (Granta Books, 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%2Fthe-curtain-and-the-wall%2Ftimothy-phillips%2F9781783785766 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. (Ad) Helen Rappaport is the author of After the Romanovs: Russian exiles in Paris between the Wars (Scribe Publications, 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%2Fafter-the-romanovs%2Fhelen-rappaport%2F9781914484292 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When was the word “atheist” first used? How dangerous was it to question the existence of God in the Middle Ages? And how successful were communist regimes of the 20th century at stamping out religion? More than 2,000 years since the Greek philosopher Socrates was accused of atheism, Spencer Mizen speaks to Professor Alec Ryrie to answer your top questions on the history of unbelief. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. (Ad) Caroline Dodds Pennock is the author of On Savage Shores: How Indigenous Americans Discovered Europe (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%2F9781474616904&clickref=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. (Ad) John Willis is the author of Nagasaki: The Forgotten Prisoners (Mensch Publishing, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nagasaki-Forgotten-Prisoners-John-Willis/dp/1912914425/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With parachuting monkeys, volcanic eruptions and performances of Beethoven’s symphonies, Surrey Zoo was no ordinary Victorian attraction. Dr Joanne Cormac joins Rob Attar to discuss the story of this eye-opening pleasure park, and reveals what the rise of zoos can tell us about science, leisure and empire in the Victorian age. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you feel unwell today you can pick up a prescription or head to a medical centre, but how did ill people treat their ailments in the Middle Ages? A major new project at Cambridge University Library aims to find out, by digitising, cataloguing and conserving over 180 medieval manuscripts, containing well over 8,000 medical recipes. Dr James Freeman speaks to Emily Briffett about what these weird and wonderful recipes – using ingredients like puppy stomachs and eel grease – can tell us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What was society’s attitude towards female writers in Regency England? How far did class affect the hopes of young couples looking to be wed? And did people really spend all day gossiping about grand fortunes, illustrious estates and ruinous affairs? Speaking with Lauren Good, Dr Lizzie Rogers answers listener questions on Jane Austen’s England – from the delights of a Regency ball to the flourishing ideal of marrying for love. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. (Ad) Max Adams is the author of The Museum of the Wood Age (Head of Zeus, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Museum-Wood-Age-Max-Adams/dp/1788543505/ref=sr_1_10?crid=2N45LY77LGPE0&keywords=max+adams&qid=1665386697&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI0LjA2IiwicXNhIjoiMy44MyIsInFzcCI6IjMuNDQifQ%3D%3D&s=books&sprefix=max+ada%2Cstripbooks%2C649&sr=1-10&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-Histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Hitler’s Germany, what you ate was not a personal matter – sacrificing luxury was a way for German citizens to demonstrate their patriotism, while hunger was weaponised as a tool of war and oppression in occupied territories. Historian Lisa Pine explains to Ellie Cawthorne why the Nazis were so eager to control the nation’s diet, and explores the devastating impact of their food policies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Ffire-and-flood%2Feugene-linden%2F9780241565551 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Madmans-Gallery-Strangest-Sculptures-Curiosities/dp/1398503576/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Decried by reformers as “wicked Noah’s arks” and “rotten leaky tubs”, prison hulks were a looming presence off the shores of 18th- and 19th-century Britain and its empire. Large former navy ships were docked on the Thames and elsewhere, housing convicts awaiting transportation, often in hideous conditions. Dr Anna McKay explains to David Musgrove why these floating prisons existed, what life was like on board, and why the system eventually fell out of use. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Battles-Conscience-British-Pacifists-Second/dp/1784743941/ref=sr_1_1?crid=21E6JEFFK6ZJV&keywords=tobias+kelly&qid=1657276881&s=books&sprefix=tobias+kelly%2Cstripbooks%2C64&sr=1-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Only-Clothes-Her-Back-Nineteenth-Century/dp/0197568572/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Stage-Coup-Lessons-Statecraft/dp/1838955615/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Continuing our series on some of history’s most well-known conspiracy theories, we delve into the idea that Ancient Egypt’s iconic monuments were built with extraterrestrial assistance. In conversation with Rob Attar, Egyptologist Joyce Tyldesley explores the origins of the theory and explains what we know about how the pyramids really were constructed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Did Adolf Hitler really make it out of the bunker alive at the end of the Second World War? In the first episode of our new series on some of history’s most well-known conspiracy theories, we explore the idea that Hitler outlasted the downfall of the Third Reich in 1945 and began a new life overseas in South America. In conversation with Rob Attar, historian Professor Richard J Evans explains the origins of this theory and reveals why it continues to have adherents today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. (Ad) Alex Rowson is the author of The Young Alexander: The Making of Alexander the Great (William Collins, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Young-Alexander-Alex-Rowson/dp/0008284393/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the concluding episode of our series on the Cuban Missile Crisis, we trace how a tentative compromise coincided with the most dangerous moments of the stand-off, in an exchange of letters that threatened disaster. Elinor Evans speaks to expert historians Alex von Tunzelmann, Mark White and William Taubman to find out how the crisis reached a resolution, and the diplomatic fall-out from the 13 days. Plus, we track revelations that have come to light in the 60 years since the world was brought to the edge of a nuclear war. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. (Ad) Dominic Janes is the author of British Dandies: Engendering Scandal and Fashioning a Nation (Bodleian Library Publishing, 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%2Fbritish-dandies%2Fdominic-janes%2F9781851245598 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FMongol-Storm-Breaking-Empires-Medieval%2Fdp%2F1541616308 Subscribe to BBC History Magazine or BBC History Revealed this season and receive a book of your choice worth up to £30* at https://www.buysubscriptions.com/subscribe2022 Listeners from outside the UK can also subscribe *Book promotion only available for UK residents Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What’s the world’s oldest alcoholic beverage? Why was wine believed to be medicinal? And did medieval people actually get drunk from sipping beer all day? In our latest everything you wanted to know episode, Professor Phil Withington of the University of Sheffield answers listener questions on the history of alcohol. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, he discusses prohibitions, rituals and the deadly “gin craze”, and shares a 17th-century punch recipe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. (Ad) Hilary French is the author of Ballroom: A People’s History of Dancing (Reaktion Books, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ballroom-Peoples-History-Hilary-French/dp/1789145155/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Subscribe to BBC History Magazine or BBC History Revealed this season and receive a book of your choice worth up to £30* at https://www.buysubscriptions.com/subscribe2022 Listeners from outside the UK can also subscribe *Book promotion only available for UK residents Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://fortnum-and-mason.7eer.net/c/1236178/230388/3957?subId1=historyextra-social-histboty&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fdevil-dogs%2Fsaul-david%2F9780008395766 Subscribe to BBC History Magazine or BBC History Revealed this season and receive a book of your choice worth up to £30* at https://www.buysubscriptions.com/subscribe2022 Listeners from outside the UK can also subscribe *Book promotion only available for UK residents Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. (Ad) Sarah Colvin is the author of Shadowland: The Story of Germany Told by Its Prisoners (Reaktion Books, 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%2FShadowland-Story-Germany-Told-Prisoners%2Fdp%2F1789146275 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fpilgrimage%2Fpeter-stanford%2F9780500252413 Subscribe to BBC History Magazine or BBC History Revealed this season and receive a book of your choice worth up to £30* at https://www.buysubscriptions.com/subscribe2022 Listeners from outside the UK can also subscribe *Book promotion only available for UK residents Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From ingenious gadgets to audacious plots, historian Helen Fry answers listener questions on British espionage in the Second World War. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, she explores how agents were recruited and the ways spy networks worked, discusses just how dangerous espionage operations were, and delves into plots involving dummy corpses and exploding rats. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2F9780715654453 Subscribe to BBC History Magazine or BBC History Revealed this season and receive a book of your choice worth up to £30* at https://www.buysubscriptions.com/subscribe2022 Listeners from outside the UK can also subscribe *Book promotion only available for UK residents Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The 1961 Bay of Pigs operation was a debacle for the United States that inflamed Cold War tensions to a new height. In the second episode of our series on the Cuban Missile Crisis, Elinor Evans speaks to expert historians Alex von Tunzelmann, Mark White and William Taubman to find out how the failed invasion set the stage for Khrushchev and Castro to form a pact that would lead the world to the brink of nuclear destruction. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Ffootballs-great-war%2Fjackson-alexander%2F9781399002202 Subscribe to BBC History Magazine or BBC History Revealed this season and receive a book of your choice worth up to £30* at https://www.buysubscriptions.com/subscribe2022 Listeners from outside the UK can also subscribe *Book promotion only available for UK residents Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. (Ad) Sean Connolly is the author of On Every Tide: The making and remaking of the Irish world (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%2Fon-every-tide%2Fsean-connolly%2F9781408709511 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fwarrior-queens-and-quiet-revolutionaries%2Fkate-mosse%2F9781529092196 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Subscribe to BBC History Magazine or BBC History Revealed this season and receive a book of your choice worth up to £30* at https://www.buysubscriptions.com/subscribe2022 Listeners from outside the UK can also subscribe *Book promotion only available for UK residents Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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.   https://apple.co/3AHdBDF Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Subscribe to BBC History Magazine or BBC History Revealed this season and receive a book of your choice worth up to £30* at https://www.buysubscriptions.com/subscribe2022 Listeners from outside the UK can also subscribe *Book promotion only available for UK residents Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How did the world end up on the brink of nuclear disaster? In the first episode of our series on the Cuban Missile Crisis, Elinor Evans speaks to expert historians Alex von Tunzelmann, Mark White and William Taubman to explore the roots of the nuclear standoff, tracking the rise in tensions during the Cold War and introducing the key players in the looming confrontation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Subscribe to BBC History Magazine or BBC History Revealed this season and receive a book of your choice worth up to £30* at https://www.buysubscriptions.com/subscribe2022 Listeners from outside the UK can also subscribe *Book promotion only available for UK residents Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/HEROIC-AGE-HB/dp/0008171963/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/All-That-She-Carried-Keepsake/dp/1984854992/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-Histboty Subscribe to BBC History Magazine or BBC History Revealed this season and receive a book of your choice worth up to £30* at https://www.buysubscriptions.com/subscribe2022 Listeners from outside the UK can also subscribe *Book promotion only available for UK residents Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why was a transfusion of lamb’s blood believed to cure epilepsy? What surgical procedures could you get in ancient Egypt? And were medieval surgical practitioners really a help to patients – or a hindrance? Speaking with Emily Briffett, Paul Craddock unravels the long history of surgery, from its ancient roots right up to recent developments that have changed the practice forever, including antiseptics, antibiotics and lessons learned from farmers and embroiderers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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.    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. (Ad) Andrew Scull is the author of Desperate Remedies: Psychiatry’s Turbulent Quest to Cure Mental Illness (Belknap Press, 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%2FDesperate-Remedies-Psychiatrys-Turbulent-Illness%2Fdp%2F0674265106" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When the Mary Rose was first pulled from the Solent, you could be forgiven for thinking that what had been salvaged was just a “pile of old wood”. But, over the years, incredible developments in conservation and analysis have revealed the wreck to be a precious historical resource, allowing us to discover more than we could have imagined. In this final episode, Emily Briffett speaks to Christopher Dobbs, Professor Eleanor Schofield and Dr Alex Hildred to understand the complex conservation processes behind keeping the wreck alive. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Historians Fiona Snailham and Anna Maria Barry reveal why the creator of Sherlock Holmes was so obsessed with contacting the dead. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, they discuss the rise of spiritualism in Britain, Harry Houdini’s crusade to unmask fraudulent mediums, and why Arthur Conan-Doyle believed that fairies had been caught on camera. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/You-We-Them-Journeys-Beyond/dp/0434023477/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-Histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Throughout its 92-year existence, the FIFA Men’s World Cup has delivered its fair share of iconic moments – and controversies. But how did the competition originally begin? Who were its first heavyweights? And what does a dog named Pickles have to do with it? On the eve of the 2022 tournament in Qatar, Jon Bauckham caught up with Professor Matthew Taylor to answer your questions about the history of the football competition and how it has impacted on the “beautiful game” overall. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Crassus-First-Tycoon-Ancient-Lives/dp/0300256604/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-Histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Imagine yourself standing on-board the Mary Rose, surrounded by the crew – how do you picture the men around you? If you look at their faces, what do you see? In this episode, we’ll be introducing you to some of the crew who served on the Tudor warship. Speaking with Hannah Matthews, Dr Alex Hildred and Dr Onyeka Nubia, Emily Briffett investigates the secrets their bones have held for almost four and a half centuries. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Victorians-Took-Moon-Nineteenth-Century/dp/1785789287/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 (Ad) Alison Weir is the author of Queens of the Age of Chivalry (Vintage, 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%2Fqueens-of-the-age-of-chivalry%2Falison-weir%2F9781910702116 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Crimean War of 1853-6 saw Russia clash with an alliance of forces including Britain, France and the Ottoman empire. But what were the causes of the conflict? Why does it still exert such a hold on the Russian imagination today? And how important a role did Florence Nightingale really play? Speaking with Matt Elton, Professor Andrew Lambert answers listener questions about the 19th-century conflict and the ways in which it shaped decades of European history. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Recent years have seen a flurry of historical dramas and documentaries surrounding the modern monarchy, with historians and commentators debating whether or not they offer a fair depiction of the royal family – and whether or not it matters. But, how do scholars go about researching the full story of what happened during the Queen’s long reign? In conversation with Matt Elton, Professor Philip Murphy offers his views on why telling the recent history of Britain’s monarchy is so complicated. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When the Mary Rose was rescued from the seafloor, it wasn’t just a large timber hull that was salvaged – more than 19,000 historical objects were dredged from the depths alongside it. These artefacts don’t just offer a window onto life aboard a 16th-century warship, they also tell a much greater story about the Tudor era. In this episode, we’re cracking open the treasure chest and peering inside, as Emily Briffett heads to the Mary Rose Museum to find out more from experts Hannah Matthews, Dr Alex Hildred and Christopher Dobbs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To mark HistoryExtra’s 1500th episode, Jerry Brotton takes Ellie Cawthorne on a whistle-stop tour around the world in AD 1500, from the powerful dynasties of Eurasia and the rich culture of Ming dynasty China to the melting pot of Constantinople. They discuss the shifting balance of power in Africa at the start of the 16th century, explore the origins of European slavery and colonialism, and reveal how the Americas stood on the precipice of a great transformation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How important is it for period dramas to accurately reflect the past? What ethical issues are raised by actors playing fictionalised versions of real people? And does the media depict historians and archaeologists fairly? Speaking with Matt Elton, historians Nicola Tallis and Fern Riddell discuss issues surrounding accuracy and morality raised by recent historical films and television shows including The Crown, The Lost King and Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/You-Are-History-Toilet-Amazing/dp/1406395676/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Christian-dominated medieval Europe, what did it mean to be excommunicated? How much of an earth-shattering punishment was it, and what can excommunications tell us about the attitudes of people in the Middle Ages? In today’s episode, Dr Felicity Hill of the University of St Andrews explains all to David Musgrove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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, John Cooper answers listener questions about the gunpowder plot. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Treasured-How-Tutankhamun-Shaped-Century/dp/1838950516/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Henry VIII stood along the walls of Southsea Castle on 19 July 1545, the air was hot and still. Yet, England was on the brink of disaster, as an enormous French fleet had arrived with revenge on their minds. In this episode, we’re zeroing in on the pivotal moment when the Mary Rose met its ignominious end at the battle of the Solent. Emily Briffett speaks to Hannah Matthews, Dr Dominic Fontana and Dr Tracy Borman to find out what caused the Tudor warship to sink on what should have been a short, easy voyage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What can modern scientists learn from historians? Dr Lindsey Fitzharris, Professor Sasha Hadley, Professor Sanjoy Bhattacharya and Professor Alice Roberts explore the often surprising connections between the two disciplines in a panel discussion chaired by Professor Alice Roberts and recorded live at the Royal Society, in association with the Wolfson History Prize. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. (Ad) Al Murray is the author of Command: How the Allies Learned to Win the Second World War (Headline, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Command-Allies-Learned-Second-World/dp/1472284593/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How did witches transition from terrifying old crones to symbols of female empowerment? Was Count Dracula inspired by a real person? And why do ghosts wear white sheets? To explore the long history of all things that go bump in the night, Professor Owen Davies tackles listener questions with Ellie Cawthorne, on the unearthly history and evolving mythology of our most popular Halloween monsters – from forgotten monsters of the past, to the first photograph of a ghost. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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, 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. (Ad) Peter Heather is the author of Christendom: The Triumph of a Religion (Allen Lane, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christendom-Triumph-Religion-Peter-Heather/dp/0241215919/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-Histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Mary Rose had a long life before its fighting days were brought to an abrupt end as it sank to the bottom of the Solent. Rewinding back almost 500 years, Emily Briffett speaks to Dr Tracy Borman and Dr Dominic Fontana to revisit the Mary Rose in its heyday – from the first shots fired, through the political crises of the early 16th century, right up to its downfall. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. (Ad) Simon Sebag Montefiore is the author of The World: A Family History (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/World-History-Simon-Sebag-Montefiore/dp/0297869671/ref=asc_df_0297869671/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=570354289872&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9113833251221401608&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006715&hvtargid=pla-1655926963413&psc=1&th=1&psc=1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. (Ad) Ada Ferrer is the author of Cuba: An American History (Scribner, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cuba-American-Dr-Ada-Ferrer/dp/1501154559/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. (Ad) Harald Jähner is the author of Aftermath: Life in the Fallout of the Third Reich (Ebury, 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%2Faftermath%2Fharald-jahner%2Fshaun-whiteside%2F9780753557884 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why has the idea of a “utopia” been so compelling over the centuries? What major cultural shifts have been reflected by the sci-fi genre? And why have generations of sci-fi authors been so obsessed with politics, ecology and biology? Professor Roger Luckhurst answers listener questions on how sci-fi has imagined the future by reflecting the concerns of the past – from the pioneering work of authors including Mary Shelley and HG Wells right up to modern day. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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     Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Forty years ago, when the Mary Rose was raised from the seabed on 11 October 1982, it was a momentous occasion, met with global broadcasts and cheers from excited bystanders. This daring feat of underwater archaeology was the culmination of over 17 years of hard work by a huge team of divers, archaeologists and scientists. But how did they manage to rescue this long-lost ship from the seafloor? In this first episode of our new series, Christopher Dobbs and Dr Alex Hildred tell Emily Briffett about the extraordinary search for the Tudor shipwreck and delve into the challenges of underwater excavation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From grisly medieval punishments to the justice doled out to celebrity criminals in the Victorian era, public executions were a spectacle that shaped the landscape of London for centuries. Curator Beverley Cook tells Ellie Cawthorne about a new Museum of London Docklands exhibition that delves into this history, examining some notorious criminal cases, and highlighting historical objects that shine a light on executions that took place in the capital, from artworks and ballad sheets to relics grabbed from the gallows. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why was the Bank of England created? Did it power the Industrial Revolution? And when did it become known as the “Old Lady”? As the Bank continues to hit the headlines in the UK, Professor Anne Murphy guides us through the 300-year history of one of Britain’s most important institutions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There has been an absolute sea change in the study of empire in recent years. But what are the challenges of grappling with often difficult imperial history, and how does it shape our view of the world today? Professor Toby Green, Dr Sudhir Hazareesingh and Professor Olivette Otele explore these pressing questions in a panel discussion chaired by Sir David Cannadine and recorded live at the V&A museum, in association with the Wolfson History Prize. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-Histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Flessons%2Fian-mcewan%2F9781787333970 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Forest-No-Joy-Congo-Oc%C3%A9an-Colonialism/dp/0393541010/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-Histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To wrap up our ‘15 minutes of fame’ series, public historian and broadcaster Helen Carr hosts a panel discussion with historians Fern Riddell, Caroline Dodds Pennock and Rana Mitter to tackle some big questions surrounding who gets remembered by history and how we can illuminate the stories of forgotten figures today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How far back does the story of black people in Britain stretch? Who was Cheddar Man? And what evidence do we have of black people in the medieval and Tudor eras? Historian Hannah Cusworth answers your top questions about black British history, in conversation with Charlotte Hodgman. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-Histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FChinese-Question-Rushes-Global-Politics%2Fdp%2F0393634167 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Greatest-Raid-Nazaire-Operation-Chariot/dp/0241508576/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Margaret MacMillan nominates Babur. Speaking with Matt Elton, she considers the life and legacy of the 15th-century leader, who founded the Mughal empire – and kept a renowned diary. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Who joined the Knights Templar? When not waging war, what did they get up to on a day-to-day basis? And how did they become associated with the Holy Grail? In this “Everything you wanted to know” episode, Emily Briffett speaks with Helen Nicholson to uncover the answers to your top questions about the crusading military order. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Henrietta Harrison discusses her Cundill Prize-shortlisted book on the interpreters who took on the dangerous task of communicating between the British empire and Qing China. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, she explores the extraordinary life stories of two key translators, and reveals how their work shaped the course of British-Chinese relations in the 18th and 19th centuries. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What can the life of one woman reveal about the experience of Jews in medieval England? Following the unveiling of a statue of Licoricia of Winchester earlier this year, Professor Miri Rubin, Dr Dean Irwin and Dr Toni Griffiths piece together the story of this powerful Jewish businesswoman who was at the heart of medieval England’s financial affairs. Speaking to Emily Briffett, they reveal what Licoricia’s extraordinary story can tell us about religious coexistence in the middle ages. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Might-Live-Suzanne-Fagence-Cooper/dp/1529409489/?tag=bbchistory045 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Could a Roman woman lead an army? What was it like to give birth in the ancient world? And how could women gain financial independence in the Roman empire? In our latest ‘Everything you wanted to know’ episode, Professor Kate Cooper answers your questions on the experiences of women in the Roman world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How has our understanding of the Holocaust changed over the decades? Professors Mary Fulbrook, Richard J Evans and Rebecca Clifford explore this question in a panel discussion recorded in association with the Wolfson History Prize. In conversation with Rob Attar they discuss some of the latest areas of research and the impact of films, TV and other forms popular history on how we think about the Nazi genocide of the Jews. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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… Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Across the eighth and ninth centuries, Britain and Ireland were targeted by a series of brutal Vikings raids. But that wasn’t the end of the story. In the 11th century, they were in the firing line once again – as further Viking naval expeditions were launched from Scandinavia. Medieval historian Dr Caitlin Ellis speaks to David Musgrove about this second wave of attacks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices