Episodes

20h ago

In September 1939, an unlikely assortment of journalists, politicians, novelists and spies assembled in a Bedfordshire village and set about waging a covert propaganda war on Hitler's Germany. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Terry Stiastny reveals how the Political War Executive deployed everything from fake news and pornography to bogus killings to spread fear and confusion in Nazi-occupied Europe. (Ad) Terry Stiastny is the author of Believable Lies: The Misfits Who Fought Churchill's Secret Propaganda War (Ebury, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fbelievable-lies%2Fterry-stiastny%2F%2F9780753559833. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

2d ago

Historian Clare Jackson delves into the life and reputation of James VI & I – a king who, says Jackson, has a legacy that has been much refracted and maligned in the 400 years since his death. In her reappraisal of the king's life, she considers the violence that beset James throughout his life, and how that shaped the king's attitudes towards diplomacy, learning and religion. Speaking to Elinor Evans, Jackson brings James's reputation up to date – and shares her pick for the king's perfect dinner companion. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

3d ago

Mozart is celebrated for his musical genius – but how did he rise to such enduring fame? What inspired him, and who was the man beyond the concert halls and compositions? Ahead of new TV drama Amadeus launching on Sky Atlantic in the UK on 21 December, Hannah Templeton tells Lauren Good about the composer's life, his experiences as a child prodigy on European tours, and the mystery surrounding his death. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

4d ago

A spooky story during the Christmas season has become traditional – and the modern ghost story was invented by the Victorians, who embraced the supernatural and tried to understand it. Ben Machell has investigated the history of ghost hunting and supernatural investigations since the mid-19th century for his new book, Chasing the Dark, and in this episode David Musgrove talks to Ben about the history of our passion for the paranormal. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

5d ago

What inspired the daughter of a rural reverend to write about eligible bachelors and drunken misadventure? In this first episode of our four-part series on Jane Austen's life and work, Dr Lizzie Rogers and Lauren Good step back into the influential Regency novelist’s formative years, and explore her earliest writings that show how she began to find her voice. ––––– GO BEYOND THE PODCAST Want to go further into the world of Jane Austen and her literary creations? HistoryExtra's Lauren Good rounds up some essential reading, listening and viewing from the HistoryExtra and BBC History Magazine archive to deepen your understanding of Austen's life, her work and the Regency era in which she wrote: https://bit.ly/49F9oUk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 12

For centuries, sailors crossing the Atlantic believed they were not alone – haunted by ghost ships, watched by mermaids, and stalked by sea monsters. Historian Karl Bell talks to Jon Bauckham about the stories that dominated the maritime imagination, and what role these fishy tales might play in our understanding of the ocean today. (Ad) Karl Bell is the author of The Perilous Deep: A Supernatural History of the Atlantic (Reaktion, 2025). Buy it now from Reaktion: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-perilous-deep%2Fkarl-bell%2F%2F9781836390909. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 10

Historian Leigh Straw describes one pivotal summer in the life of the Kennedy family. With most of the family in their Cape Cod summer home, the summer of 1944 was marked by personal grief and political legacy. As eldest son Joe Jr flew dangerous missions in the Second World War's European theatre, and Kathleen 'Kick' Kennedy scandalised her parents with an aristocratic English match, the family gathered under the looming shadow of tragedy. Talking to Elinor Evans, Straw explores how this fateful summer reshaped the ambitions of younger brother Jack and steered the family’s destiny towards the White House. (Ad) Leigh Straw is the author of The Kennedys at Cape Cod, 1944: The Summer That Changed Everything (Bloomsbury, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kennedys-Cape-Cod-1944-Everything/dp/1350512583/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 9

Born in the tumultuous 15th century, Margaret Beaufort – mother of Henry VII – endured personal tragedy, dynastic danger, and the ever-shifting fortunes of power. Yet she emerged as one of the most influential figures of late medieval England. In this episode, Emily Briffett is joined by historian Lauren Johnson to delve into the remarkable life of Margaret – a mother and patron whose autonomy, determination and political acumen helped forge the Tudor dynasty. (Ad) Lauren Johnson is the author of Margaret Beaufort: Survivor, Rebel, Kingmaker (Apollo, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Margaret-Beaufort-Survivor-Rebel-Kingmaker/dp/1789541646/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 8

Idi Amin is 20th-century Africa’s most notorious ruler – a cartoonish tyrant who has been bracketed with the likes of Hitler and Stalin. And it’s true that, as Uganda’s dictator for most of the 1970s, he oversaw murderous repression as well as the forced expulsion of the nation’s Asian community. But why did so many ordinary Ugandans willingly serve the regime and help to maintain his power? That’s a question at the heart of a new book by the historian Derek R Peterson, and in this episode he shares his conclusions with Rob Attar. (Ad) Derek R Peterson is the author of A Popular History of Idi Amin's Uganda (Yale University Press, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Popular-History-Idi-Amins-Uganda/dp/0300278381/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=AUTHOR&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.7asZBQQWAZKsuHp8ZQ6vEJACr_TDgPYF6VppcpEALLBwzrnat70DnfBdLe23Fq1NjYcpJVsmX_qpCT4hW1xageeVMJB9yDQdZNRtwQmsf_s7mKADzEet_olde5WsCvbHySmwMG5ChnSUyfhQ42ZjCg.zqMhWkSai2mwT7Qlw7rU5NTGyU_7y7n8vg53f6wnbfQ&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 7

In the 80 years since Nazi leaders stood in the dock, how has the international community sought to deal with war criminals around the globe? For this concluding episode of our four-part series on the Nuremberg Trials, David Musgrove is joined by the lawyer and author Philippe Sands to chart the long, complex legacy of the events of 1945-46, and to consider whether those accused of war crimes in the present day might one day face international justice. ––––– GO BEYOND THE PODCAST Want to delve further into the Nuremberg trials and the fall of the Nazi regime? HistoryExtra’s David Musgrove rounds up some essential reading, listening and viewing from the HistoryExtra and BBC History Magazine archive to help you navigate the campaign to bring the Third Reich’s criminals to justice ⁠https://bit.ly/482nFIn⁠ ––––– Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 5

The Assassins and the Knights Templar are two of history’s most intriguing, enigmatic and legendary groups. While they may seem vastly different on the surface, their intertwined stories reveal a surprising number of parallels – from an almost fanatical strategy fuelled by the 'promise of death' to the nature of their downfall. Speaking to Emily Briffett, Dr Steve Tibble compares their stories, and reveals what these two organisations can tell us about medieval conflict, religion and power — and why they continue to captivate us today. (Ad) Steve Tibble is the author of Assassins and Templars: A Battle in Myth and Blood (Yale University Press, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Assassins-Templars-Battle-Myth-Blood/dp/0300282125/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 3

For the Allies it was an enormous triumph and for Nazi Germany it was another Stalingrad. But 80 years on, the battle for Tunisia is barely mentioned in popular accounts of the Second World War, having been totally eclipsed by the iconic clashes in Europe and the Pacific. In his new book, Tunisgrad, military historian Saul David seeks to redress the balance, arguing that this north African campaign was one of the three biggest turning points of the entire war. In conversation with Rob Attar, he explains why. (Ad) Saul David is the author of Tunisgrad: Victory in Africa (HarperCollins, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Ftunisgrad%2Fsaul-david%2F9780008653811. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 2

In the tumultuous aftermath of Henry I’s death, England was thrown into one of the most chaotic civil wars in its history – the Anarchy. At the heart of the struggle stood Empress Matilda: daughter of a king, widow of an emperor, mother of a future dynasty, and the woman who came closer than any before her to ruling medieval England in her own right. Yet, bold and authoritative, Matilda has historically been seen in a less than favourable light until recent reassessments. In this episode, Emily Briffett explores Matilda’s extraordinary life and legacy with historian and author Dr Catherine Hanley – from her imperial upbringing in the Holy Roman Empire to her daring campaign against King Stephen and her life after the conflict. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 1

William the Conqueror used them to devastating effect in 1066. Robert the Bruce worked out how to neutralise them. And when Richard III was knocked from his, England would never be the same again. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Robert Liddiard and Oliver H Creighton discuss the decisive role of the warhorse in key turning points of medieval history (Ad) Robert Liddiard and Oliver H Creighton are editors of Medieval Warhorse: Equestrian Landscapes, Material Culture and Zooarchaeology in Britain, AD 800–1550 (Liverpool University Press, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fmedieval-warhorse%2Foliver-h-creighton%2Frobert-liddiard%2F9781836243359. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 30

In October 1946, after a trial lasting almost a year, the Nazi leaders on the dock in Nuremberg received their verdicts. But what did the judges decide? And how did the defendants, and the world outside, respond to the sentences that were handed down? In the third episode of our four-part series on Nuremberg, David Musgrove is joined by the lawyer and author Philippe Sands to explore the conclusion of the trials and consider whether this was a form of victors’ justice. ––––– GO BEYOND THE PODCAST Want to delve further into the Nuremberg trials and the fall of the Nazi regime? HistoryExtra’s David Musgrove rounds up some essential reading, listening and viewing from the HistoryExtra and BBC History Magazine archive to help you navigate the campaign to bring the Third Reich’s criminals to justice ⁠https://bit.ly/482nFIn⁠ ––––– The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 28

From sabotage operations to devastating betrayals, stories of the women of Special Operations Executive are some of the most incredible stories of the Second World War – but, says Kate Vigurs, many remain little known. In her new book, Mission Europe, Vigurs reveals the astonishing bravery of such female agents operating in the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Poland, and Mandate Palestine, many of whom parachuted behind enemy lines. Speaking to Elinor Evans, she reveals how their courage and sacrifice changed the course of the war. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 26

The new BBC TV series Civilisations: Rise and Fall charts the decline of some of history's most famous cultures, from the Aztecs to the ancient Egyptians. Three of its experts – Islam Issa, Caroline Dodds Pennock and Luke Kemp – joined Matt Elton to explore some of the series' major themes, and why stories of a civilisation's decline might be more complicated than we first think. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 25

From his possible espionage work for the Elizabethan state to his open flirtations with atheism and subversive sexual themes, the brief life of playwright Christopher Marlowe tells us much about the shadowy edges of 16th-century England. Stephen Greenblatt joins Elinor Evans to discuss the subversive, dangerous life of 'Kit', who became both a collaborator and rival of his contemporary, William Shakespeare. (Ad) Stephen Greenblatt is the author of Dark Renaissance: The Dangerous Times and Fatal Genius of Shakespeare’s Greatest Rival, Christopher Marlowe (Bodley Head, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dark-Renaissance-Dangerous-Shakespeares-Christopher/dp/1847927130/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 24

On 30 January 1649, Charles I was led on to a freshly erected scaffold outside Whitehall’s Banqueting House in London. Thousands of spectators watched in shock and awe as the king of England, Scotland and Ireland was executed as a traitor. It was the climax of one of the most destructive sagas in Britain and Ireland's history – but what led to this brutal outcome? Was conflict inevitable? HistoryExtra's new podcast series, Uprising: The Civil Wars, produced by HistFest, sees historian Rebecca Rideal chart this extraordinary story, from the first battles in Scotland to all out-war in England and Wales. Speaking to historical experts, she explores a story of shifting loyalties and devastating conflict. In this special bonus episode, Rebecca and one of those experts, Dr Jonathan Healey, spoke to Emily Briffett about why this era of history is so fascinating, and the causes and consequences of the conflict. To find out more and and listen to Uprising: The Civil Wars, subscribe now wherever you listen. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 23

When the Nazi leaders went on trial in Nuremberg from November 1945, the true horrors of their regime were exposed to the world. In the second episode of our four-part series on the trials, the lawyer and author Philippe Sands chronicles the dramatic days when the likes of Hermann Goering and Hans Frank were forced to face their accusers in the courtroom. As he explains to David Musgrove, these were moments that those in attendance would never forget. Audio excerpts as presented from Court TV, via Robert H Jackson Center. ––––– GO BEYOND THE PODCAST Want to delve further into the Nuremberg trials and the fall of the Nazi regime? HistoryExtra’s David Musgrove rounds up some essential reading, listening and viewing from the HistoryExtra and BBC History Magazine archive to help you navigate the campaign to bring the Third Reich’s criminals to justice ⁠https://bit.ly/482nFIn⁠ ––––– The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 22

A recent documentary drawing conclusions from new analysis of Adolf Hitler’s DNA has sparked headlines around the world. But how did the programme’s researchers get hold of the key evidence? And what issues – and implications – are prompted by linking the Nazi leader with a range of physical and psychological conditions? Two of the experts behind the documentary, Turi King and Alex J Kay, spoke to Matt Elton about what led to their involvement – and offer their take on the real value of such research. What's your take on this story? Let us know – email podcast@historyextra.com . ––––– HISTORY BEHIND THE HEADLINES For more on the history behind the news, don’t miss our fortnightly podcast series History Behind the Headlines. Subscribe to the podcast, wherever you listen. ––––– GO BEYOND THE PODCAST To find out more about Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany, don’t miss our HistoryExtra Academy course Nazi Germany, with historian and broadcaster Laurence Rees: https://bit.ly/4i9bs9n The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 21

Fears of the undead rising from their graves to cause trouble have recurred in societies around the globe throughout the centuries. But why was your mother-in-law especially likely to become a vampire? What makes Count Dracula a highly unusual bloodsucker? And how would you best mutilate a vampire's corpse to neutralise their threat? Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Professor John Blair shares stories of vampire 'epidemics' throughout history from his new book Killing the Dead. (Ad) John Blair is the author of Killing the Dead: Vampire Epidemics from Mesopotamia to the New World (Princeton University Press, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=22479&awinaffid=489797&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fkilling-the-dead%2Fjohn-blair%2F9780691224794&clickref=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 19

When did poo become a problem? Why was manure so important in the medieval economy? And why don't we have vacuum-powered sewers? All these questions – and more – are answered in this brief history of both animal and human manure. David Musgrove speaks to Richard Jones to find out more. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 18

US president James Garfield's life is often overshadowed by his untimely death in 1881, as the second president to be assassinated in office. However, his story is now once again in the limelight, thanks to the new Netflix drama Death by Lightning. Historian and biographer CW Goodyear talks to Elinor Evans about a man who, though his time as leader was fleeting, remains a fascinating figure – and explains why there is much more to be remembered about him than simply his final days. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 17

As Britain's influence on the world around it grew throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, so too did the world influence Britain – and a key part of that influence was the arrival of people from other places and cultures to its shores. Kieran Connell's new book, Multicultural Britain, explores the experiences of some of these people, and the ways in which their stories combined, sometimes fractiously, to create a newly diverse nation. (Ad) Kieran Connell is the author of Multicultural Britain: A People’s History (C Hurst & Co, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Multicultural-Britain-Peoples-Kieran-Connell/dp/1911723510/?tag=bbchistory The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 16

At the end of the Second World War, the victorious Allies had to decide the fates of the surviving leaders of a regime that had initiated the bloodiest conflict in history, and perpetuated the Holocaust. The answer, beginning just a few months after VE Day, was the world’s first ever international criminal trial, held in the German city of Nuremberg. As we reach the 80th anniversary of these events, David Musgrove is joined by the lawyer and author Philippe Sands to explore how this groundbreaking trial was conceived amid the rubble of the Reich. ––––– GO BEYOND THE PODCAST Want to delve further into the Nuremberg trials and the fall of the Nazi regime? HistoryExtra’s David Musgrove rounds up some essential reading, listening and viewing from the HistoryExtra and BBC History Magazine archive to help you navigate the campaign to bring the Third Reich’s criminals to justice https://bit.ly/482nFIn ––––– The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 14

On her deathbed Elizabeth I named the Scottish James VI as her successor, ensuring a smooth transition from the Tudor to Stuart monarchies. That, at least, is what we've long believed. But an explosive new discovery casts doubt on this version of events, suggesting that the Stuart succession was far less secure than we may have thought. In her new book, //The Stolen Crown//, historian Tracy Borman draws on this research to paint a vivid new picture of these turbulent years, which she explores in conversation with Rob Attar. (Ad) Tracy Borman is the author of The Stolen Crown: Treachery, Deceit and the Death of the Tudor Dynasty (Hodder & Stoughton, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-stolen-crown%2Ftracy-borman%2F9781399732888. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 12

When an elderly man with a battered suitcase walked into the British embassy in Vilnius in 1992, few could have guessed what he was about to hand over. Gordon Corera tells the story of Vasili Mitrokhin, an under-the-radar Soviet archivist who copied thousands of classified KGB documents over 12 years. Speaking to Elinor Evans, he reveals how a project that began as a private rebellion against the agency he once served evolved into one of the greatest intelligence coups of the 20th century. (Ad) Gordon Corera is the author of The Spy in the Archive: How One Man Tried to Kill the KGB (William Collins, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spy-Archive-Gordon-Corera/dp/0008644799/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 11

In the late 19th century, when female reporters were largely confined to newspapers' society pages, Nellie Bly's daring investigations and headline-grabbing exploits made her a household name. From her audacious exposé from inside a New York asylum – after convincing doctors she was insane – to becoming the 'real Phileas Fogg' by racing around the globe, Bly’s adventures captivated the world. Historian Bob Nicholson tells Kev Lochun more about her audacious brand of stunt journalism. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 10

To what extent does the course of history turn on the force of individual personalities? It’s a question that looms large when examining the unlikely alliance forged between Britain, the United States and the Soviet Union that ultimately triumphed over the Axis powers in the Second World War. Danny Bird speaks with author Tim Bouverie to explore the complex, often uneasy rapport between Winston Churchill, Franklin D Roosevelt and Josef Stalin. Tim delves into the secrets, suspicions and towering ambitions that defined this remarkable chapter in wartime diplomacy, revealing how the fragile unity among these three leaders not only shaped the path to victory but also laid the uneasy foundations of the postwar world order. (Ad) Tim Bouverie is the author of Allies at War: The Politics of Defeating Hitler (Bodley Head, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Allies-War-Struggles-Between-Allied/dp/0593138368/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 9

'Remember, remember the fifth of November…'. For more than 400 years, the Gunpowder Plot has been etched into Britain’s memory. In the final episode of our series on the plot, Danny Bird speaks to John Cooper to trace how the failed conspiracy has been commemorated with sermons, bonfires and fireworks. They discuss how Guy Fawkes evolved from a doomed plotter and smouldering effigy into a global icon of rebellion. From the 1606 Act of Thanksgiving to raucous 17th- and 18th-century celebrations and Alan Moore’s graphic novel V for Vendetta, they reveal how a failed plot became a lasting cultural and political legend. ––––– GO BEYOND THE PODCAST Want to know more about the Gunpowder Plot? Danny Bird has curated a selection of essential reading from the HistoryExtra and BBC History Magazine archive to help you explore the religious tensions, political intrigue and lasting impact of this infamous act of treason: https://bit.ly/3WDunPw. ––––– (Ad) John Cooper is the author of The Lost Chapel of Westminster: How a Royal Chapel Became the House of Commons (Apollo, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lost-Chapel-Westminster-John-Cooper/dp/1801104514#:~:text=debate....-,John%20Cooper's%20The%20Lost%20Chapel%20of%20Westminster%20is%20a%20meticulously,beating%20heart%20of%20parliamentary%20debate/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 7

If you were to look down at South Asia from space at night, you would see a bright scar stretching more than 2,000 miles. This is the border between India and Pakistan – a division established within living memory. Speaking with Danny Bird, Sam Dalrymple explains how, in just a few decades, the British Raj shattered along five partitions, from Burma’s separation in 1937 to the birth of Bangladesh in 1971, and uncovers stories of migration, memory and resilience that continue to echo through South Asia today. (Ad) Sam Dalrymple is the author of //Shattered Lands: Five Partitions and the Making of Modern Asia// (William Collins, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shattered-Lands-Partitions-India-1937-71/dp/0008466815/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 5

Eating the palpitating heart of a mole. Sleeping with a wolf's tooth under your pillow. Communicating with angels through a crystal ball. In the 16th and 17th centuries, people had many cunning methods for predicting the future. Historian Martha McGill shares some extraordinary stories of early modern divination with Ellie Cawthorne, from fraudulent money-spinning scams to astrologers and palmreaders who offered supernatural insights. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 4

He led one of history's most celebrated guerrilla campaigns, showed remarkable political acumen, and drove aristocratic English women wild. Is it any wonder that Giuseppe Garibaldi is one of the towering figures of Europe's 19th century? Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, David Laven relays the thrills and spills of the great romantic hero of the campaign for Italian unification. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 3

If we were to step back in time on to the blood-soaked sand of the Roman gladiatorial arena, what would we uncover about society, power and entertainment in the ancient civilisation? Speaking to Rachel Dinning, historian Harry Sidebottom guides us through 24 hours in the arena, revealing what life was really like for the gladiators that fought there – and for the crowds who came to spectate. (Ad) Harry Sidebottom is the author of Those Who Are About To Die: Gladiators and the Roman Mind (Cornerstone, 2025). Buy it from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthose-who-are-about-to-die%2Fharry-sidebottom%2F9781529154009. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 2

We know the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 failed – but what if it hadn’t? What if Guy Fawkes had ignited the gunpowder under parliament, killing the king, nobles and bishops, and reducing Westminster to rubble? In the penultimate episode of our series on the plot, Danny Bird speaks to historian John Cooper to consider an alternative course in Britain’s history. Could a child queen have become a puppet for a restored Catholic kingdom? Might foreign powers have intervened, and could Britain and Ireland have descended into religious civil war? ––––– GO BEYOND THE PODCAST Want to know more about the Gunpowder Plot? Danny Bird has curated a selection of essential reading from the HistoryExtra and BBC History Magazine archive to help you explore the religious tensions, political intrigue and lasting impact of this infamous act of treason: https://bit.ly/3WDunPw. ––––– (Ad) John Cooper is the author of The Lost Chapel of Westminster: How a Royal Chapel Became the House of Commons (Apollo, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lost-Chapel-Westminster-John-Cooper/dp/1801104514#:~:text=debate....-,John%20Cooper's%20The%20Lost%20Chapel%20of%20Westminster%20is%20a%20meticulously,beating%20heart%20of%20parliamentary%20debate/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 31

Burying the dead has never been a simple matter. Whether due to elaborate grave goods, unique burial rituals, or public health concerns, burial places through history have taken on a variety of unusual and intriguing forms. Roger Luckhurst tells Ellie Cawthorne more – from the ancient tombs of the pharaohs and the sky burials of Tibet, to the overflowing churchyards of 18th-century Paris and preserved bodies of 20th-century communist leaders. (Ad) Roger Luckhurst is the author of Graveyards: A History of Living with the Dead (Thames and Hudson, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Graveyards-History-Living-Roger-Luckhurst/dp/0500027706/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 29

From social-media accounts to TV shows and video games, recent decades offer an enormous wealth of material for future historians to explore. But what are the challenges presented by this vast amount of data? And how will historical researchers a hundred years from now make sense of 2025? Matt Elton spoke to historians Jane Winters and John Wills to answer these questions – and find out how the ephemeral digital archives of our current era might differ from the historical sources of previous generations. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 28

Malcolm X was one of the most influential – and, sometimes, divisive – figures of the civil rights movement in the United States, a political activist whose approach proved both powerful and controversial. Speaking to Matt Elton, Ashley D Farmer discusses his life, times and legacy, and highlights some of the figures who shaped his worldview. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 27

Why are we so spooked – and yet so fascinated – by things that go bump in the night? And can science really prove that ghouls exist? Alice Vernon talks to Jon Bauckham about the evolution of ghost-hunting over the past 200 years, and how tales of pesky poltergeists and ectoplasm-filled séances have turned even some of the hardest sceptics into true believers. (Ad) Alice Vernon is the author of Ghosted: A History of Ghost Hunting and Why We Keep Looking (Bloomsbury, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fghosted%2Falice-vernon%2F9781399418706. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 25

In the autumn of 1605, Catholic conspirators believed they were about to strike a blow to the heart of the English state – but then a mysterious letter exposed their plan. In this second episode of our four-part series on the plot, Danny Bird speaks to historian John Cooper about the Gunpowder Plot’s dramatic collapse. They examine Fawkes’s arrest and forced confession, the grisly public trials and executions that followed, and how James VI & I turned the plot's failure into political dynamite – consolidating power and turning treason into an abiding warning to posterity. ––––– GO BEYOND THE PODCAST Want to know more about the Gunpowder Plot? Danny Bird has curated a selection of essential reading from the HistoryExtra and BBC History Magazine archive to help you explore the religious tensions, political intrigue and lasting impact of this infamous act of treason: https://bit.ly/3WDunPw. ––––– (Ad) John Cooper is the author of The Lost Chapel of Westminster: How a Royal Chapel Became the House of Commons (Apollo, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lost-Chapel-Westminster-John-Cooper/dp/1801104514#:~:text=debate....-,John%20Cooper's%20The%20Lost%20Chapel%20of%20Westminster%20is%20a%20meticulously,beating%20heart%20of%20parliamentary%20debate/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 23

Tabloid journalists often get a bad press. From publishing libellous headlines to hacking celebrities’ phones, recent years have not exactly done much to enhance Fleet Street’s reputation. But where did tabloid journalism originally come from? And have media barons always had such a profound influence on current affairs? Journalism lecturer Terry Kirby talks to Jon Bauckham about the evolution of the popular press, covering everything from Georgian gossip sheets to the rise of Rupert Murdoch’s media empire. (Ad) Tery Kirby is the author of The Newsmongers: A History of Tabloid Journalism (Reaktion Books, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Newsmongers-History-Tabloid-Journalism/dp/178914941X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 21

When we think of Europe in the 11th century, one date stands out: 1066. However, as Professor Charles West explains, this was a century of great change, and great events, across all of Europe. In conversation with David Musgrove, Charles talks about why we should perhaps be more concerned with the battle of Manzikert than the battle of Hastings, and why the 11th century is a story of cities and popes as much as it is of conquest and the Normans. (Ad) Charles West is the author of Europe in the Eleventh Century: Beyond Revolution and Reform (Oxford University Press, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=3041&awinaffid=489797&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FEurope-Eleventh-Century-Revolution-Medieval%2Fdp%2F0198860234%2F%3F_encoding%3DUTF8%26pd_rd_w%3DnAZG5%26content-id%3Damzn1.sym.a7785aa2-ac28-4769-b3eb-cff7b9738627%26pf_rd_p%3Da7785aa2-ac28-4769-b3eb-cff7b9738627%26pf_rd_r%3D130-4414563-4593041%26pd_rd_wg%3DfXSDe%26pd_rd_r%3D5b153ec9-1b16-4286-8ae5-7ff403b76e63&clickref=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 20

William Shakespeare is one of history’s most famous names – but how much do we really know about the man himself? And how did his family, education and marriage shape his works and influence his worldview? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Dr Paul Edmondson charts Shakespeare’s story, from humble beginnings to global cultural afterlife. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 19

What did ordinary Tudors eat and drink on a daily basis? How did they keep themselves clean without baths and showers? And what surprising beliefs did they hold about sex, religion and childhood? Social historian Ruth Goodman – presenter of a new HistoryExtra Academy on Tudor life – reveals the often surprising realities of everyday existence in the era in conversation with Rachel Dinning. Don’t miss Ruth’s new HistoryExtra Academy video series on Tudor Life. The seven episodes, filmed on location at Plas Mawr in Conwy, cover everything you need to know about daily life in the Tudor era – from childhood and marriage to food and religion. Download the HistoryExtra app to access the latest episodes, ad-free: https://bit.ly/4n2t0oo. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 18

In the autumn of 1605, Robert Catesby and Guy Fawkes led a desperate band of Catholic gentlemen in one of history's most daring conspiracies. Having smuggled 36 barrels of gunpowder beneath the Palace of Westminster, their plan was to blow up James VI & I, along with the majority of England’s Protestant elite, paving the way for the restoration of Catholicism. In this first episode of our four-part series on the plot, Danny Bird speaks to historian John Cooper to uncover a world of persecution, espionage and faith-driven extremism. They unfurl the conspirators’ bold plan and interrogate the powerful spy networks of late Elizabethan and early Jacobean England that set the scene for an explosive act of treason. ––––– GO BEYOND THE PODCAST Want to know more about the Gunpowder Plot? Danny Bird has curated a selection of essential reading from the HistoryExtra and BBC History Magazine archive to help you explore the religious tensions, political intrigue and lasting impact of this infamous act of treason: https://bit.ly/3WDunPw. ––––– (Ad) John Cooper is the author of The Lost Chapel of Westminster: How a Royal Chapel Became the House of Commons (Apollo, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lost-Chapel-Westminster-John-Cooper/dp/1801104514#:~:text=debate....-,John%20Cooper's%20The%20Lost%20Chapel%20of%20Westminster%20is%20a%20meticulously,beating%20heart%20of%20parliamentary%20debate/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 16

The phrase 'Make America Great Again' is indelibly associated with President Trump – yet a very similar version of the slogan – 'Let's Make America Great Again' – was in fact used by his predecessor Ronald Reagan. What can this parallel tell us about the United States of the 1980s? And does drawing such comparisons reveal anything about the US today? Speaking to Matt Elton, author and documentarian Phil Tinline offers his take. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 14

From armed uprisings in the Caribbean to the hidden power of ritual, song and solidarity, the story of enslaved people’s resistance is far richer and more radical than has often been told. In this episode, Sudhir Hazareesingh speaks to Danny Bird about his new book Daring to be Free, which draws on fragmentary archives and oral traditions to highlight the forgotten people who resisted their enslavers, explores the global reverberations of the Haitian Revolution, and reveals the central role of women in shaping struggles for freedom. (Ad) Sudhir Hazareesingh is the author of Daring to be Free: Rebellion and Resistance of the Enslaved in the Atlantic World (Allen Lane, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Daring-Free-Rebellion-Resistance-Enslaved/dp/0241606500/ref=sr_1_2?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.b6yN3LvCqOXHnbafxbsRtFVXi1MIfRs1ljt6Ar5Io28.-VyNROFt1yj3lPJ-vTK5dfBMlgWatp58lQMUrAJTHgM&dib_tag=se&qid=1757509896&refinements=p_lbr_books_authors_browse-bin%3ASudhir+Hazareesingh&s=books&sr=1-2&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 13

Aneurin Bevan's commitment to social justice led to the creation of the National Health Service in 1948 – one of the most ambitious social reforms in British history. He was an MP who stuck to his principles in the face of serious opposition, but was not without criticism in both his professional and personal life. Speaking to Lauren Good, Nye Davies charts Bevan's journey from the coalfields of South Wales to the corridors of Westminster. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 12

Which crimes were most common in Scotland in the 17th century – and what can those crimes reveal about society at the time? In today's episode, we're delving into a world of violence, vengeance, bandits and blasphemers, as historian Allan Kennedy speaks to Emily Briffett about his recent book Serious Crime in Late Seventeenth-Century Scotland. He explores what constituted a crime, who committed them, and how justice was pursued in a society shaped by intense religiosity and complex legal systems. (Ad) Allan Kennedy is the author of Serious Crime in Late Seventeenth-Century Scotland (Edinburgh University Press, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Serious-Crime-Late-Seventeenth-Century-Scotland-Kennedy/dp/1399533169/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 11

After five years we come to our final 'everything you wanted to know about' episodes. We revisit our first episode where Marc Morris, author of an acclaimed history of the Norman Conquest, tackles some of the big questions about William the Conqueror and his followers. Our brand new multipart specials begin next Sunday starting with a look at the Gunpowder Plot. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 9

The assassination of Julius Caesar is one of the most infamous plots of the ancient world, but the dictator's death wasn't the only moment in his life and afterlife marked by political machinations. Speaking to Emily Briffett, Jessica Clarke reveals how careful curation and stage management transformed Caesar's funeral from a quiet moment of mass mourning to a bloody spectacle of revenge. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 7

Samuel Pepys is well-known for his brilliantly evocative diary, which gives an unsurpassed insight into daily life in Restoration London. However, it turns out Pepys also had a sinister side. Something that has been overlooked or ignored in his diaries for centuries, is that Pepys was a self-confessed sexual predator and abuser of women. Biographer Guy de la Bédoyère explains all to David Musgrove. (Ad) Guy de la Bédoyère is the author of The Confessions of Samuel Pepys: His Private Revelations (Abacus, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Confessions-Samuel-Pepys-Private-Revelations/dp/034914740X/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 6

Margaret Tudor was the daughter of a king, the sister of a king, and the wife of a king. But she was a political power player in her own right, carefully balancing family loyalties to both the crown of England and the crown of Scotland. She also left an extraordinary legacy of correspondence detailing her life as a princess, queen, regent and mother. Drawing on her research surrounding these letters, historical linguist Dr Helen Newsome-Chandler explores Margaret's life in conversation with Emily Briffett. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 5

Women's role as slaveowners is often overlooked – but, just like men, they both profited from and maintained the institution of slavery. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, historian Miranda Kaufmann profiles several 'Caribbean heiresses' who married into the British aristocracy and brought huge wealth generated from slavery into the country. (Ad) Miranda Kaufmann is the author of Heiresses: Marriage, Inheritance and Caribbean Slavery (Oneworld, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2F9780861548019. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 4

If you could sneak a peek past the front door of a Roman home, what could you expect to find? Why was having a hole in your ceiling a clever feat of engineering in the ancient world? How could sharing a communal toilet actually still be a very private act, and why was central heating a luxury in ancient Rome? Emily Briffett is joined by historian Dr Hannah Platts, as they step inside the ancient Roman home to uncover more. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 3

Historian, author and broadcaster David Olusoga is among the famous faces to feature on new TV series The Celebrity Traitors, which launches in the UK next Wednesday, 8 October on BBC One. But what are the opportunities, and dangers, when historians become celebrities? And to what extent should history be entertainment? Regular panellists Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter share their thoughts. Plus: history’s most incredible imposters Find the full episode and never miss an episode by heading to History Behind the Headlines or following this link: ⁠⁠ https://play.megaphone.fm/4csqwegyqeca-lg7yumskq Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 2

There were many ways queer people in the Georgian era fought against social and legal restrictions to express their desire and convey their love for one another, from molly houses and marriages to adult adoption,. Speaking to Isabel King, Anthony Delaney discusses his new book Queer Georgians. (Ad) Anthony Delaney is the author of Queer Georgians: A Hidden History of Lovers, Lawbreakers and Homemakers (Transworld Publishers, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fqueer-georgians%2Fanthony-delaney%2F9781529927689. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 30

If you lived in 16th-century London, would you have any idea what was happening in Paris, Venice or Frankfurt? Well, yes, according to Joad Raymond Wren – and that news could reach you quicker than you might expect. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Joad uncovers a complex network of communication operating across Europe between the end of the Middle Ages and the rise of modern mass media, from ambassadors' news bulletins to emerging postal services. (Ad) Joad Raymond Wren is the author of The Great Exchange: Making the News in Early Modern Europe (Allen Lane, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Exchange-Making-Modern-Europe/dp/0241188539/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=WiNnK&content-id=amzn1.sym.6b6d4bc1-013f-4684-8a3d-174e5cf88d17&pf_rd_p=6b6d4bc1-013f-4684-8a3d-174e5cf88d17&pf_rd_r=262-1509211-7609724&pd_rd_wg=Qidud&pd_rd_r=e40330ef-009c-40ff-9312-5510cb970586&ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dsk&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 29

He established the Metropolitan police, became embroiled in years of bitter disputes over the Corn Laws, and was vilified for his political U-turns. During his political career including two tenures as prime minister in the first half of the 19th century, Robert Peel didn't always have an easy ride of it. But, argues Richard Gaunt in this conversation with Ellie Cawthorne, Peel's political impact can still be felt today. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 28

The German Peasants' War of 1524-5 was the largest popular uprising in western Europe before the French Revolution. Thousands flocked to its cause as it swept across vast quantities of German-speaking land with speed, determination and fire. But what began with calls for freedom, justice and reform ended in brutal suppression. Lyndal Roper explores the revolution's explosive causes, course and consequences in her Cundill Prize-nominated book Summer of Fire and Blood – Emily Briffett spoke to her to find out more. To find out more about the Cundill History Prize, go to www.cundillprize.com. (Ad) Lyndal Roper is the author of Summer of Fire and Blood: The German Peasants' War (John Murray Press, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fsummer-of-fire-and-blood%2Flyndal-roper%2F9781399818025. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 27

In the interwar period, a movement emerged that brought together architecture, fashion, and even typography that echoed the hopes, anxieties and ambitions of the early 20th century. Charting the rise of a style that embodied the glamour of a changing world, from flapper fashion to high street cinemas, Emma Bastin talks to Elinor Evans about how Art Deco captured a world racing toward the future. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 25

For three quarters of a century, the Korean peninsula has been divided between two very different regimes that are bitterly opposed to each other. But did it have to be this way? In his book, A Fractured Liberation, which has been shortlisted for the Cundill History Prize, Professor Kornel Chang revisits the US occupation of the south of Korea between 1945-1948 to explore whether opportunities were missed for a better future. For today's episode, he shared his findings with Rob Attar. (Ad) Kornel Chang is the author of A Fractured Liberation: Korea under US Occupation (Harvard University Press, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fa-fractured-liberation%2Fkornel-chang%2F9780674258433. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 23

From cleaners to codebreakers, women’s contributions to the history of British intelligence have often gone unrecognised and forgotten. But in actuality, female operatives penetrated enemy networks, executed astonishing operations, and organised a labyrinth of classified documents. Speaking to Rachel Dinning, Claire Hubbard-Hall delves into the untold stories of women in British intelligence. (Ad) Claire Hubbard-Hall is the author of Her Secret Service: The Forgotten Women of British Intelligence (Orion, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fher-secret-service%2Fclaire-hubbard-hall%2F9781399603430. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 22

How did a man who crushed unions in Gilded Age America come to see himself as humanity’s benefactor? Speaking to Elinor Evans, historian and biographer David Nasaw explores the many contradictions of 19th-century industrialist Andrew Carnegie’s life. From his ruthless business tactics and controversial role in the violent 1892 Homestead Strike, to his reinvention as a pioneering philanthropist and self-declared enemy of war, they uncover how Carnegie shaped the age of steel – and struggled to reconcile capitalism with conscience. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 21

In the 1970s, a global group of feminist activists banded together with one demand: 'wages for housework'. Emily Callaci explores this campaign in her Cundill Prize-nominated book Wages for Housework and, in this episode, she speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about why the idea of women being compensated for unpaid household labour caused such a stir at the time – and continues to resonate today. To find out more about the Cundill History Prize, go to www.cundillprize.com. (Ad) Emily Callaci is the author of Wages for Housework: The Story of a Movement, an Idea, a Promise (Allen Lane, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wages-Housework-Story-Movement-Promise/dp/024150290X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 20

Who went to the theatre in ancient Rome – and what kind of spectacle would they have expected to see? And did the drama performed on stage reflect the politics, society and culture of the day? Emily Briffett and historian Jessica Clarke peer behind the metaphorical curtain of ancient Rome’s theatres, to explore the plays, playwrights, and performances that entertained the empire. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 18

Born to an enslaved mother in the British Caribbean in the tumultuous, brutal world of the late 18th century, Henry Christoph's role in the Haitian Revolution saw him rise to prominence – and was just one chapter in a remarkable trajectory that eventually led to him becoming the only monarch of the Kingdom of Haiti. Speaking to Matt Elton, Marlene L Daut discusses her Cundill Prize-nominated book, The First and Last King of Haiti, which tells this story. To find out more about the Cundill History Prize, go to https://www.cundillprize.com/ (Ad) Marlene L Daut is the author of The First and Last King of Haiti: The Rise and Fall of Henry Christoph (Yale University Press, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/First-Last-King-Haiti-Christophe/dp/0300283857/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 16

For most of the latter half of the 20th century, the world was frozen in a standoff. The Cold War era was defined by the ideological fissure between capitalism, led by the United States, and communism, espoused by the Soviet Union. But in a new book, Vladislav Zubok challenges much of the accepted wisdom that has shaped popular perspectives about this standoff since 1991. Speaking to Danny Bird, Zubok discusses why Americans were far more ideological than their Soviet contemporaries; why decolonisation and the Global South became the ‘nuclear fuel’ that sustained the Cold War; and how the conflict’s conclusion in the 1990s continues to reverberate in global affairs to this day. (Ad) Vladislav Zubok is the author of The World of the Cold War: 1945-1991 (Pelican). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cold-War-New-History/dp/0241696143/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 15

Climbing to the top of Gilded Age society in 19th-century America, socialite Alva Vanderbilt made headlines for being one of the first elite women to divorce on her terms, and she later turned her ambition – and considerable fortune – to the fight for women’s rights. In today's episode, Nancy Unger tells Elinor Evans about a woman who upended the highest echelons of society, caused scandal and heartache, but ultimately blazed a path from strategic social climber to outspoken suffragist. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 14

Across 12,000 years of history, prosperity has flourished in societies where women could fully participate – and faltered when they were pushed to the margins. That's what Dr Victoria Bateman argues in her new book Economica. From Stone Age big-game hunters to Roman traders, Renaissance brewers and pirate queens, she explores how women’s economic power has shaped civilisations, but also how bias, law and culture have erased these contributions. Speaking to Danny Bird, Victoria challenges myths about the rise of capitalism – and warns that ignoring women’s crucial role in humanity's prosperity risks repeating one of history’s most common mistakes. (Ad) Victoria Bateman is the author of Economica: A Global History of Women, Wealth and Power (Headline Press, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/ECONOMICA-global-history-women-wealth/dp/1035415771/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 13

They gave us the alphabet, charted the seas by the Pole Star, and built Carthage – once Rome’s greatest rival. So why have the Phoenicians been forgotten? Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian Josephine Quinn explores the story of these ancient seafarers, traders and city-builders who connected the cities surrounding the Mediterranean – and left an extraordinary legacy – long before Greece and Rome rose to power. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 11

Despite facing significant obstacles in their own lives, black women in the United States were at the forefront of campaigns for human rights at home and abroad. Historian Keisha N Blain tells the stories of some of these women who, in the 19th and 20th centuries, worked outside the corridors of power to fight for freedom across the globe. She was joined in conversation by Rob Attar. (Ad) Keisha N Blain is the author of Without Fear: Black Women and the Making of Human Rights (W. W. Norton & Company, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FWithout-Fear-Black-Making-Rights%2Fdp%2F0393882292. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 9

In the years following Stalin’s death in 1953, a new phenomenon emerged within the Soviet Union: so-called 'dissidents'. Preferring to think of themselves as 'rights defenders', these individuals advocated a form of 'civil obedience' – a demand that the state abide by its own constitution and the basic rights and freedoms it promised on paper. Historian Benjamin Nathans speaks to Danny Bird about his Cundill Prize-nominated book To the Success of Our Hopeless Cause, which examines this extraordinary movement. To find out more about the Cundill History Prize, go to https://www.cundillprize.com/ (Ad) Benjamin Nathans is the author of To the Success of Our Hopeless Cause: The Many Lives of the Soviet Dissident Movement (Princeton University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Success-Our-Hopeless-Cause-Dissident-ebook/dp/B0CW1FHMSQ/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 8

The life of El Cid, the famed 11th-century Castilian warrior otherwise known as Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, is steeped in legend. Historian Nora Berend joins Danny Bird to examine his real-life exploits during the centuries-long series of campaigns by Christian kingdoms to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from Muslim rule, known as the Reconquista. She unpacks his complex loyalties to both Christian and Muslim rulers, and explores how his story has been continually reshaped to serve politics, culture and Spanish national identity. (Ad) Nora Berend is the author of El Cid: The Life and Afterlife of a Medieval Mercenary (Sceptre, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fel-cid%2Fnora-berend%2F9781399709620. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 7

For Britain and Germany, both world wars saw hundreds of thousands of casualties – but what happened to the bodies of those who died on enemy territory? And what impact did this have upon their bereaved relatives, and their nation's memory of the war? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Tim Grady explores how both nations cared for their fallen foe during and after the First and Second World Wars. (Ad) Tim Grady is the author of Burying the Enemy: The Story of Those who Cared for the Dead in Two World Wars (Yale University Press, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Burying-Enemy-Story-Those-Cared/dp/0300273975/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 6

The Mughal empire was one of the most powerful and influential dynasties in South Asian history, blending together a mix of cultural traditions to create a legacy of dazzling architecture, innovative governance, and turbulent politics. Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian Nandini Chatterjee journeys through the empire's rich history – and considers why it continues to spark debate today. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 4

If you know anything about the Amazons of ancient legend, it's probably that they were fearsome female fighters, who bravely battled against male heroes of Greek legend. But, according to Professor David Braund, the Amazons were far more than just formidable warrior women – he explains why to David Musgrove. (Ad) David Braund is the author of Amazons: The History Behind the Legend (Cambridge University Press, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Amazons-History-Behind-David-Braund/dp/1108834493/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 2

The story of the Vikings who travelled to eastern Europe is just as thrilling as the story of those who headed west. It's also just as important – still being relevant today through deep rooted connections to the ongoing war in Ukraine. But what are those long-lasting links, exactly? Historian and author Martyn Whittock examines this complicated history in conversation with James Osborne. (Ad) Martyn Whittock is the author of Vikings in the East: From Vladimir the Great to Vladimir Putin – The Origins of a Contested Legacy in Russia and Ukraine (Biteback, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fvikings-in-the-east%2Fmartyn-whittock%2F9781785909054. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 1

In 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, crossed the Channel and changed English history forever. Known to some as a ruthless and ambitious conqueror and to others as a astute and innovative state-builder, his legacy is still debated today, almost a thousand years later. But how much do we know about the man behind this formidable reputation? As new BBC Drama King and Conqueror hits the screens, Emily Briffett speaks to Professor David Bates to chart William's dramatic rise to power and the brutal realities of Norman rule. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 31

As the threat of war began to loom in the 1930s, an elaborate system of fortifications sprung up in northeastern France. Known as the Maginot line, this string of defences was designed to protect the nation in the event of an invasion by Nazi Germany. So, when Hitler's forces did invade, how much blame should the Maginot Line shoulder for the fall of France in double-quick time? That's a question that's troubled historians ever since the traumatic events of 1940. In conversation with Spencer Mizen, Kevin Passmore explores why the line has become a symbol of a nation's collective failure to face the challenges of the modern world (Ad) Kevin Passmore is the author of The Maginot Line: A New History (Yale). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Maginot-Line-New-History/dp/0300277040/ref=sr_1_3?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.aVgiucnHhsw8GtAN2IzrEswaM0EX3Dy8QpYSeLwhTOy7Z6m9IAKx54zspipA7_H7bCgN_FQUJr_zpW6dysMfypNtq01K4XLgkRG5-oZ8lqxJoeQmvIW_BgycqfLfg1ElWJm_NSVviLxLMW9BcfqGHRT8r0y_2BRCo4y-9WYWcaCRwpna3Ug5BAHAF-WV-t4FhpkfSmn3JsV8yZ6UXNUxBU4o0-mYIcgtNirSGF4pM5s.EMrngOGJ3WE8YDMfngnbIDj3xMLcHYdUUBhmLYgf-g4&dib_tag=se&qid=1752843122&refinements=p_27%3AKevin+Passmore&s=books&sr=1-3&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 30

From Hercule Poirot to Sherlock Holmes, crime fiction has long been a popular genre. But what was the first crime novel? How has crime writing affected real-life cases? And what was the 'Detection Club'? In this 'everything you wanted to know' episode, Isabel King is joined by crime fiction author and researcher Martin Edwards to discuss the history of the influential genre. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 28

What if the 'fall' of Rome wasn’t a collapse, but a rebrand? In this episode, Alice Roberts delves into the dramatic transformation of the Roman world and the rise of Christianity, from cliffside burials in Wales to imperial politics in Constantinople. Speaking to Danny Bird, she reveals how early Christianity wasn’t a grassroots movement of the poor, but a strategic shift embraced by elites, bishops and emperors. (Ad) Alice Roberts is the author of Domination: The Fall of the Roman Empire and the Rise of Christianity (Simon & Schuster, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Domination-Alice-Roberts/dp/1398510084/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 26

In 2010, the world was stunned when the United States exposed a covert Russian spy network operating on its soil. Seemingly all-American families living in white-picket-fenced suburbia were in fact deep undercover Russian agents. Many had been living under assumed identities for decades, lying even to their own children. In this episode, journalist Shaun Walker speaks to Danny Bird about Moscow’s longlasting ‘illegals’ programme – perhaps the most audacious chapter in the history of espionage. He reveals how the roots of the operation reached back more than a century to before the Bolshevik Revolution; how the Soviet Union deployed it against supposedly ‘friendly’ states; and how today’s Russia reveres these spies as patriotic heroes. (Ad) Shaun Walker is the author of The Illegals: Russia's Most Audacious Spies and the Plot to Infiltrate the West (Profile Books, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-illegals%2Fshaun-walker%2F9781788167772. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 25

Edward the Confessor, England’s penultimate Anglo-Saxon king, has long been remembered as a saintly, pious monarch – but was he really the weak ruler whose indecision paved the way for the Norman Conquest that some historical sources would have us think? And if not, how should we understand him? Emily Briffett spoke to historian Tom Licence to explore the life of this medieval monarch – from his early years in exile and his ambitions for the crown to the subsequent political challenges he faced that ultimately shaped the fate of England. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 24

Histories of British involvement in the Caribbean tend to focus mainly on the period of plantation slavery but, in her new book Empire Without End, Imaobong Umoren argues that we need to take a broader view. It's only by taking the story back to the 16th century and forward until the present, she contends, that we can fully understand the intertwining themes of colonialism and racism in the region – and see how they connect to events in Britain. In this episode, Imaobong explores these ideas in conversation with Rob Attar. (Ad) Imaobong Umoren is the author of Empire Without End: A New History of Britain and the Caribbean (Fern Press, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fempire-without-end%2Fimaobong-umoren%2F%2F9781911717034%23%3A~%3Atext%3DEmpire%20Without%20End%20offers%20a%2Cthe%20longevity%20of%20systemic%20racism. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 23

Human beings tend to identify with being in a group, and, historically, few groupings have been more potent than the idea of the nation. But when did people first embrace the idea of the nation state? Is nationalism predominantly a right-wing creed? And does it thrive during periods of crisis and uncertainty? In this Everything You Wanted To Know episode, Danny Bird puts these questions and others submitted by our listeners to John Hutchinson. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 22

In 1775, a respectable lady, a mild-mannered apothecary and his fast-living identical twin stood accused of pulling off a scam that had earnt them a fortune. But as their trial unfolded, the defendants turned on one another, and the plot thickened – who was the real orchestrator of the scheme, and who would hang for it? In this preview of episode one of History’s Greatest Scandals Season 2, Professor Hannah Greig and Ellie Cawthorne revisit this sensational courtroom drama, and consider what it can tell us about the Georgian age. Find the full episode and listen to the whole series by heading to History's Greatest Scandals or following this link: pod.link/1783538769 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 21

After causing the extinction of the dodo, humans soon realised that we had the power to destroy entire species – and we continue to reckon with that power. Speaking to James Osborne, Sadiah Qureshi discusses her new book Vanished, which looks at the connections between extinction and imperialism, and explores how changing ideas about extinction have reshaped the face of the planet. (Ad) Sadiah Qureshi is the author of Vanished: An Unnatural History of Extinction (Penguin, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fvanished%2Fsadiah-qureshi%2F%2F9780241352106. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 19

Christianity came to dominate Europe in the Middle Ages. However, some parts of Europe remained pagan until very recently. So how did non-Christian peoples survive, and prosper, in parts of Europe for centuries after most of the continent had adopted the Church? Francis Young, folklorist and historian of religion and belief, explains all to David Musgrove. (Ad) Francis Young is the author of Silence of the Gods: The Untold History of Europe's Last Pagan Peoples (Cambridge University Press, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Silence-Gods-History-Europes-Peoples/dp/1009586572/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 18

In the latest episode of our monthly series charting the historical background of current news events, historians Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter discuss how VJ Day is remembered 80 years on – and explore the rise, fall and rise of women's football. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 17

For centuries, North and Latin America have been locked in a relationship of rivalry and reciprocity. From revolutionary dreams to imperial ambitions, their fates have never been separate. Speaking to Elinor Evans, Greg Grandin explores how Latin America has long shaped – and resisted – US influence, from critiques of the Spanish conquest in South America, to the Latin American leaders who influenced ideas of freedom and human rights in the centuries since. (Ad) Greg Grandin is the author of America, América: A New History of the New World (Penguin, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/America-Am%C3%A9rica-New-History-World/dp/1911709909/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 16

In the spring of 1871, the citizens of Europe’s second largest city rose up and proclaimed the Paris Commune. For eight extraordinary weeks, the French capital defied the national government that had been forced to decamp to Versailles – and adopted a series of progressive policies ranging from the abolition of nightwork in bakeries to the toppling of contested monuments. But what exactly was the Commune? How did this revolutionary government function? And why was it crushed with such vigour? Speaking to Danny Bird, historian David A Shafer answers listener questions on this extraordinary moment in French history. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 14

On the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, broadcaster Kavita Puri – presenter of a new BBC Radio 4 series on the Second World War in Asia – tells Matt Elton why stories of the Allied conflict with Japan remain overlooked and under-told. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 12

From zoot suiters and mods, to mashers and Congolese sapeurs, since the early 19th century, fashionable male subcultures have popped up across the globe. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Peter Andersson examines how the idea of the 'dandy' has evolved over time, and argues that the idea of dressing well was not limited to the elites. (Ad) Peter Andersson is the author of The Dandy: A People's History of Sartorial Splendour (Oxford University Press, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dandy-Peoples-History-Sartorial-Splendour/dp/0198882432/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 11

Cultural historian and author Breeze Barrington brings to life the fascinating – and often misunderstood – story of Maria, or Mary, of Modena. Born into Italian nobility and raised with quiet ambitions of becoming a nun, Mary was thrust onto the European political stage as a teenage bride to James, Duke of York (later crowned as James VII of Scotland and II of England). Talking to Elinor Evans, Breeze shares how Maria navigated a foreign court, vicious anti-Catholic sentiment, and personal loss, to emerge as a resilient and principled queen. (Ad) Breeze Barrington is the author of The Graces: The Extraordinary Untold Lives of Women at the Restoration Court (Bloomsbury, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Graces-Extraordinary-Untold-Lives-Restoration/dp/1526663783/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 10

What would it have been like to have witness one of the most spectacular sights of the ancient world first-hand? Speaking to Rachel Dinning, Bettany Hughes explores the extraordinary Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. From its awe-inspiring grandeur to its dramatic tales of arson, murder, and sanctuary, she reveals the secrets and significance of this remarkable ancient site. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 9

What was life like on the frontier in 19th-century America? Forget Hollywood’s high-noon shootouts and lawless swaggering cowboys – historian Karen Jones paints a far more complex picture of the American frontier. Speaking to Elinor Evans, she helps us look past the myths to find more diversity and humanity in the stories of those who travelled westward in the 19th century to forge new lives. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 7

South Asian history is currently in the spotlight, with 2025's South Asian Heritage Month focusing particularly on themes of movement and migration. But what's the value of such dedicated history months? And are there stories that are still being overlooked? Matt Elton spoke to three expert historians – Shrabani Basu, Sumita Mukherjee and Shalina Patel – to find out. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 5

The decision by the United States to drop atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 remains one of the most controversial moments in modern history. Did the atomic bombs force Japan's surrender in the Second World War? Or is this far too simple a narrative? Speaking to Elinor Evans, historian Richard Overy reconsiders the role of Oppenheimer's bombs, and the US firebombing that paved their way, in the final weeks of the war. (Ad) Richard Overy is the author of Rain of Ruin: Tokyo, Hiroshima and the Surrender of Japan (Allen Lane, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Frain-of-ruin%2Frichard-overy%2F9780241700693. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 4

In 2015, the Bank of England asked the British public to nominate a deceased cultural figure they felt deserved the honour of appearing on a banknote. The figure they chose was JMW Turner. So what made Turner such an extraordinary artist? And why do his landscape paintings still resonate today, 250 years on from his birth? Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Nicola Moorby explores the man behind the breathtaking works of art. (Ad) Nicola Moorby is the author of //Turner and Constable: Art, Life, Landscape// (Yale University Press, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Turner-Constable-Art-Life-Landscape/dp/0300266480/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 3

At 8.15am on 6 August 1945, an atomic bomb exploded over Hiroshima. It was an event that changed the course of history, but it was also one driven by individuals. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Iain MacGregor tells this story through the eyes of people whose lives were forever shaped by the quest to build the bomb – and those affected by its devastating consequences. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 2

Imagine being torn from your home and sent to live with strangers... well that was exactly what happened for many in the Second World War. To escape the threat of bombing in British cities, thousands of people were transported to the countryside – and they weren't just children. In this everything you wanted to know episode, historian Joshua Levine joins Lauren Good to revisit the experiences of evacuees – including his own father. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 31

Ever since the 1870s, rumours have swirled around Queen Victoria and her Highland servant John Brown. Were the pair in love? Could they have got married? And might they even have had a secret child? Historian Fern Riddell investigates these claims in her book Victoria's Secret, and has made some dramatic discoveries that she believes cast the story in a new light. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, she outlines her findings. (Ad) Fern Riddell is the author of Victoria's Secret: The Private Passion of a Queen/ (Ebury, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fvictorias-secret%2Ffern-riddell%2F9781529199314. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 29

From the French Revolution to the social media age, Fara Dabhoiwala charts the surprising history of the idea that people should be able to say what they like From America's founding fathers via John Stuart Mill to today's social media giants, humanity has long wrestled with the idea of free speech. What does it mean? Can it really apply to everyone? And is too much of it dangerous? Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, historian and author Fara Dabhoiwala discusses a concept that has divided the world's great thinkers for 300 years. (Ad) Fara Dabhoiwala is the author of //What Is Free Speech?: The History of a Dangerous Idea// (Allen Lane, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Free-Speech-History-Dangerous/dp/0241347475/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 28

According to the Vinland Sagas of the early 13th century, Erik the Red was a violent and murderous outlaw. But he was also an explorer, a powerful leader and the father of a famous dynasty. Historian and Old Norse expert Eleanor Barraclough charts his fascinating life and legacy, in conversation with James Osborne. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 27

In the closing years of the 19th century, scientists began recording strange phenomena – mysterious glowing gas, smudges on photographic plates. Findings like these triggered a process of scientific discovery in the field of nuclear physics that would ultimately lead to unprecedented devastation at the end of the Second World War. Speaking to Matt Elton, Frank Close charts the story of the nuclear age. (Ad) Frank Close is the author of //Destroyer of Worlds: The Deep History of the Nuclear Age: 1895-1965// (Allen Lane, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Destroyer-Worlds-History-Nuclear-1895-1965/dp/0241700868/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 26

Centred on the island of Crete, the Bronze-Age Minoan civilisation stretched from roughly 3000 to 1200BC, and is probably most famous for its legend surrounding the mythical Minotaur and the fabulous palace of Knossos. But what else do we know about this ancient society? In conversation with David Musgrove, Ellen Adams answers all the key questions about the Minoans. (Ad) Ellen Adams is the author of The Minoans: Lost Civilizations (Reaktion Books, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-minoans%2Fellen-adams%2F9781836390473. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 24

What was it like to be a child in ancient Rome? Historian, author and broadcaster Bettany Hughes delves into life for young people across the civilisation, unpicking everything from lice combs and goat-drawn chariots to toga ceremonies and terrifying teachers. Speaking to Emily Briffett, she draws upon extraordinary artefacts to uncover a world that was tough, but surprisingly relatable – if you could survive the first nine days. (Ad) Bettany Hughes is the author of //There Was a Roman in Your Garden: A History of the Romans in 20 Buried Treasures// (Penguin, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthere-was-a-roman-in-your-garden%2Fbettany-hughes%2F9780241662151. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 22

As the war in Vietnam spiralled out of control, US president Lyndon B Johnson was confronted by a different type of threat: a fake report so convincing that it tricked Americans into believing dangerous disinformation. But that was never the intention. Revisiting The Report From Iron Mountain, journalist Phil Tinline speaks to James Osborne, to reveal how a satirical report evolved into something far more sinister than anyone could have predicted. (Ad) Phil Tinline is the author of Ghosts of Iron Mountain: The Hoax that Duped America and its Sinister Legacy (Apollo, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fghosts-of-iron-mountain%2Fphil-tinline%2F9781035903849. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 21

In the latest episode of our monthly series charting the historical background of current news events, regular panellists Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter are joined by Matt Elton and Dr David Musgrove to explore what the Bayeux Tapestry tells us about the history of Anglo-French relations – and how people in previous centuries coped with natural disasters. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 20

From drowning and agricultural mishaps to getting stabbed during a football match, crushed by a pig, scalded by porridge or suffocated by a fish, there were myriad ways to accidentally die in Tudor England. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Steven Gunn reveals what coroners records of fatal accidents can teach us about daily life in the 16th century. (Ad) Steven Gunn is the co-author, with Tomasz Gromelski, of An Accidental History of Tudor England: From Daily Life to Sudden Death (John Murray, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Accidental-History-Tudor-England-Sudden/dp/1529333741/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 19

Beer is one of the world’s most popular alcoholic beverages. From refreshing lagers to amber ales and creamy stouts, there’s a style for virtually every drinker to enjoy. But how did this winning combination of water, hops, malts and yeast become such a staple in the first place? Jon Bauckham talks to Phil Withington to answer listener questions on beer’s boozy history, from medieval monasteries to the modern pub. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 17

Published 100 years ago in 1925, Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf was one of the most consequential books of the 20th century. It laid out Hitler's political ideology and future aspirations, as well as making the Nazi leader a lot of money. In more recent times, Mein Kampf has continued to influence neo-Nazis and antisemites around the world, and there have been passionate debates about whether it should still be published in the 21st century. In this episode, Rob Attar speaks to Dr Lisa Pine, an expert on Nazi Germany, about the history of the book and its dark legacy. (Ad) Lisa Pine is the author of Nazi Posters: Propaganda and Policies (Bloomsbury Academic, 2025). Buy now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Soviet-Nazi-Posters-Propaganda-Policies/dp/1350399442/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Richard J Evans explores the motivations of those who governed and supported the Third Reich: https://link.chtbl.com/7M9Hm-d3. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 15

Over the winter of 1641-2, England stood on the precipice of civil war. Historian and author Jonathan Healey charts how the relationship between the king and parliament disintegrated during those months, leading England down the road to bloody conflict. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, he reveals why tensions arose between Charles I and the MPs, and considers whether anything could have been done to avoid war. (Ad) Jonathan Healey is the author of The Blood in Winter: A Nation Descends, 1642 (Bloomsbury, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blood-Winter-Descends-Bloomsbury-Publishing/dp/1526672294/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 14

Like many families, the Mitfords emerged from the Second World War bearing scars. Yet as the world entered a new, uncertain era, the sisters' knack for making headlines showed no sign of abating. Released from prison, Diana remained loyal to fascism. In America, Jessica became the target of McCarthyism, and later joined the burgeoning Civil Rights movement. Nancy enjoyed literary success in France, while Pam relished the gentle rhythms of country life, and Deborah unexpectedly became Duchess of Devonshire. In this second of two episodes, biographer Mary S Lovell joins Danny Bird to unpack the personal and political divisions that shaped the sisters' postwar lives, revealing how this eccentric aristocratic family continued to reflect and challenge the evolving social landscape and rub shoulders with some of the era’s most famous people. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 13

Slavery was a grim but omnipresent reality across the Silk Road during the Middle Ages. Speaking to Emily Briffett, Claire Taylor unpacks the complex networks of enslavement that spanned from Ireland to China, revealing how – and why – human lives were traded alongside silks and spices. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 12

Who was Nettie Honeyball? Why was the First World War a golden age for female factory teams? And why did the English Football Association move heaven and Earth to stamp them out? Speaking to Spencer Mizen as the women's Euros grips viewers, Jean Williams answers the big questions on the rollercoaster history of women's football - and female players' long battle for recognition. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 10

It may be hard to believe for those of you who can remember it, but this month marks the 40th anniversary of the iconic music extravaganza that was LiveAid. David Hepworth co-presented the BBC's coverage of the event, a role that gave him a ringside seat at Queen's celebrated performance and led to a sweary encounter with Bob Geldof. In conversation with Spencer Mizen, David shares his main recollections of the day and reveals why he believes, following 13 July 1985, the world of entertainment would never be the same again. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 8

You may be familiar with the name of Marco Polo – the 13th-century Venetian merchant who travelled along the Silk Road, journeyed through Asia and spent time at the court of Mongol emperor Kublai Khan. Famously, he documented his experiences in a detailed account that has inspired many travellers since. Emily Briffett and Sharon Kinoshita follow in Polo's footsteps, exploring the medieval world through his eyes. (Ad) Sharon Kinoshita is the author of Marco Polo and His World (Reaktion Books, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fmarco-polo-and-his-world%2Fsharon-kinoshita%2F%2F9781789149371. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 7

For much of the 20th century, six sisters from Britain’s minor aristocracy had a knack for making headline after scandalous headline. They were Nancy, Pamela, Diana, Unity, Jessica and Deborah Mitford. Now, the sisters' incredible shared story has been adapted into a TV drama called ‘Outrageous’ – based on the best-selling biography by Mary S Lovell. In this first of two episodes, Mary explores the sisters’ lives up to the end of the Second World War in 1945. Speaking to Danny Bird, she covers the hedonistic 1920s, the ideological rupture between fascism and communism in the 1930s, and how the sisters seemed to be on the frontlines of history, wherever it was happening. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 6

When you think of the First World War, what springs to mind? Is it trench warfare? The myth that troops would be home by Christmas? Or perhaps the idea that the whole thing began because of the assassination of an Austro-Hungarian archduke? In this episode, we’re going beyond these narratives to consider alternative perspectives of the opening weeks of the conflict. Rachel Dinning is joined by historian Alex Churchill – co-author of new book 'Ring of Fire' alongside Nikolai Eberholst – to consider fresh perspectives of the conflict, highlighting the voices of ordinary people caught up in the war, as well as how it unfolded across the globe. Alex is the presenter of the new HistoryExtra academy series WW1: Myths and Misconceptions – which is out now and available to watch on the HistoryExtra App. In the series, Alex unpacks some of the most enduring myths about World War One – exploring topics such as the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, the complexities of wartime neutrality, why the war didn’t truly end on 11 November 1918, and much more. Download the HistoryExtra App to watch Alex's new academy series WW1: Myths and Misconceptions: https://bit.ly/4ljbLyQ. (Ad) Alexandra Churchill and Nicolai Eberholst are the authors of Ring of Fire: A New Global History of the Outbreak of the First World War (Bloomsbury, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fring-of-fire%2Falexandra-churchill%2Fnicolai-eberholst%2F9781035903429. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 5

Did the Roman legions actually wear red? How often was their famous 'tortoise' formation actually used? How did military leaders maintain control of an army spread across such a massive empire? And what exactly was it that made that army so formidable? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Dr Adrian Goldsworthy answers listener questions on the ancient superpower's attitude to warfare, as well as its tactics, strategy and logistics. If you’re interested in finding out more about Roman military history, Adrian recently appeared on History's Greatest Battles to chart five epic clashes of the Roman empire – from naval showdowns and brutal sieges to disastrous defeats and tales of betrayal. Listen to that now: pod.link/1794311126 The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 4

In the first episode of season 2 of History’s Greatest Conspiracy Theories, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Steve Twomey joins Rob Attar to tackle the "back door to war" conspiracy theory, explaining why many Americans have been willing to believe in a president's treachery. Find the full episode and listen to the whole series by heading to History's Greatest Conspiracy Theories or following this link: https://link.chtbl.com/HGCTHEX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 3

From her introduction into the royal family to the tragic circumstances of her death, Diana, Princess of Wales was never far away from a newspaper front page or TV headline. She was a media sensation, a national talking point, and a cultural icon. Speaking to Matt Elton, Edward White, author of Dianaworld: An Obsession, argues that the mythologisation of the 'people's princess' reveals a great deal about the world of the late 20th century – from Britain's relationship with its monarchy to the dominance of American culture. (Ad) Edward White is the author of Dianaworld: An Obsession (Allen Lane, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fdianaworld%2Fedward-white%2F%2F9780241562680. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 1

On first glance, what might you notice about a medieval manuscript? Maybe the material it's made from, the elaborate script, or ornamental illustrations. But, look a little closer, and there's a lot more to discover. In fact, as historian and curator Michelle P Brown explains, these medieval artefacts offer a portal to the past. Emily Briffett speaks to Michelle to unravel some of their secrets and find out what they can tell us about the Middle Ages. (Ad) Michelle P Brown is the author of Illumino: A History of Medieval Britain in Twelve Illuminated Manuscripts (Reaktion, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fillumino%2Fmichelle-p-brown%2F9781836390374. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 30

Famed for his dramatic and determined revolt against English rule in the early 15th century, as well as his bold vision for an independent Wales, Owain Glyndŵr has gone down in history as a symbol of Welsh resistance and a national hero. Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian Gideon Brough charts the medieval nobleman's emergence as a warrior and a statesman, to uncover the man behind the enduring myth. (Ad) Gideon Brough is the author of The Rise and Fall of Owain Glyn Dŵr: England, France and the Welsh Rebellion in the Late Middle Ages (I.B. Taurus, 2017). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rise-Fall-Owain-Glyn-D%C5%B5r/dp/1784535931/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 29

Metal detectorists and members of the general public have contributed hugely to our understanding of Britain's past, through the artefacts they have found hidden in the ground. Speaking to David Musgrove, Michael Lewis and Ian Richardson revisit some of the everyday discoveries that have reshaped history – from a Bronze Age cup with magical properties and a Roman cavalry helmet that would have been very hard to see out of, to a hoard of gold coins that tells us a lot about resistance to the Normans after 1066. (Ad) Michael Lewis and Ian Richardson are authors of Beneath our Feet: Everyday Discoveries Reshaping History (Thames & Hudson, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beneath-our-Feet-Discoveries-Reshaping/dp/0500027528/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 28

From parachuting into Nazi-occupied France to silent assassinations and exploding rats, many of the missions undertaken by the Special Operations Executive during the Second World War sound like the events of a high-octane spy thriller. Dr Kate Vigurs tells Elinor Evans more about the organisation dubbed 'Churchill's Secret Army', answering listener questions on the men and women trained to take on these dangerous, high-stakes secret operations. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 26

In the latter half of the 19th century, Europe was dazzled by the beauty, charm and sensibility of two empresses: Eugénie, Empress of the French via her marriage to Napoleon III; and Elisabeth (or 'Sisi'), consort to the Austrian emperor, Franz Joseph. Author Nancy Goldstone speaks to Danny Bird about the lives of these two women, revealing how they broke boundaries and redefined what a royal consort could be. (Ad) Nancy Goldstone is the author of The Rebel Empresses: Elisabeth of Austria and Eugénie of France, Power and Glamour in the Struggle for Europe (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rebel-Empresses-Nancy-Goldstone/dp/139960399X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 24

Millions of tourists flock to London each year, eager to snap a selfie in front of Buckingham Palace or Big Ben. But beyond the crowds lies a darker – and distinctly stranger – side to the city: a gothic metropolis haunted by tales of demons, poltergeists and murders most foul. Jon Bauckham talks to author and historian Clive Bloom about some of the capital’s spookiest stories, and why he believes that the eeriest encounters tend to unfold in the most mundane of places. (Ad) Clive Bloom is the author of London Uncanny: A Gothic Guide to the Capital in Weird History and Fiction (Bloomsbury, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Flondon-uncanny%2Fclive-bloom%2F9781350424036. From the terror of being strangled by violent thieves to tales that the sewers were infested with a squealing band of pigs, 19th-century Londoners spent much of their time living in fear. Here, Emma Butcher and Tim Blythe reveal what seven such scare-mongering stories can tell us about the psyche of the capital: https://www.historyextra.com/membership/victorian-london-dangers-what-was-life-like/. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 23

In the latest episode of our monthly series charting the historical background of current news events, regular panellists Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter look back at centuries of challenges to international security – and how previous generations tackled rough sleeping and homelessness. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 22

The Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Mercia played an important role in the development of England. Although it was sandwiched between the other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of Northumbria and Wessex, unlike those two places, it lacks a great historical chronicle. And, according to Max Adams, this means it's been somewhat overlooked in the story of the birth of the Anglo-Saxon state. Talking to David Musgrove, Max explains why we ought to know more about Mercia. (Ad) Max Adams is the author of The Mercian Chronicles: King Offa and the Birth of the Anglo-Saxon State, AD 630–918 (Bloomsbury, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-mercian-chronicles%2Fmax-adams%2F9781838933258. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 21

Professor James Palmer guides us through the 300-year reign of the Merovingians, the Frankish dynasty whose legacy helped birth the very idea of France. Speaking to Kev Lochun, he explores how they used violence, myth, and immaculate hair to maintain power – until the pope brought the dynasty to its knees. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 19

This summer it's 80 years since the greatest conflict in human history came to an end. To mark the anniversary, the military historian, author and broadcaster James Holland has co-written a book that tells the story of the final moments of The Second World War through the Axis surrenders that brought the conflict to a close. In this episode James revisits these dramatic episodes in the company of Rob Attar. (Ad) James Holland is the author of Victory '45: The End of the War in Eight Surrenders (Bantam, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fvictory-45%2Fjames-holland%2Fal-murray%2F2928377317966. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 17

The science of health and wellbeing is a hot topic of modern life, and it was no different for the ancient civilisations of Greece and Rome. From what you should eat, to how you should exercise, and when you should (and shouldn't) have sex, these cultures developed their own highly specific set of rules to live by to maximise health and happiness. In this episode, Claire Bubb examines the logic behind these health tips alongside James Osborne, and reveals what insights they give us into the Greco-Roman mindset. (Ad) Claire Bubb is the author of How to Eat: An Ancient Guide for Healthy Living (Princeton University Press, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Eat-Ancient-Healthy-Readers-ebook/dp/B0DNGXR1VQ/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 16

Thomas Aquinas was a 13th-century Dominican theologian whose groundbreaking ideas set medieval Europe aflame – and continue to resonate today. As 2025 marks the 800th anniversary of Aquinas's birth, Emily Briffett speaks to Professor Robert Pasnau to find out more about the man behind some of medieval Europe's most significant philosophical and theological works. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 15

Bogus sex parties, fake corpses, exploding tin cans and belligerent pigs. If you thought that James Bond's fictional escapades were outrageous, then the real-life experiences of his creator, Ian Fleming, are arguably even more extraordinary. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Edward Abel Smith reveals how Fleming's work as a wartime intelligence officer inspired the plotlines in his world-famous spy novels. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 14

What does it mean to be a father? When did people first start talking about men as 'father figures'? And how has the concept of fatherhood changed over the millennia? In conversation with David Musgrove, Augustine Sedgwick charts the story from the ancient near east right through to the modern father figure today. (Ad) Augustine Sedgwick is the author of Fatherhood: A History of Love and Power (Picador, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fatherhood-History-Power-Augustine-Sedgewick/dp/103503574X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 12

During the Cold War, the CIA book programme was a covert campaign to smuggle books into the Eastern Bloc using everything from balloon drops to baked bean tins. But why was literature such a significant weapon in the culture wars between east and west? Lauren Good speaks to author Charlie English about his book The CIA Book Club: The Gripping New History of the Best-Kept Secret of the Cold War. (Ad) Charlie English is the author of The CIA Book Club: The Gripping New History of the Best-Kept Secret of the Cold War ( William Collins, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-cia-book-club%2Fcharlie-english%2F9780008495121. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 10

From Michelangelo's David and Machiavelli's The Prince to the plays of Shakespeare, the Renaissance produced some of history's most astounding works of culture, art and innovation. But can focusing on these glittering creations obscure the messy and often violent reality of actually living through the era? Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Ada Palmer highlights the complexities of this so-called 'golden age' – including corrupt popes, devastating plagues and why Michelangelo hated painting. (Ad) Ada Palmer is the author of Inventing the Renaissance: Myths of a Golden Age (Bloomsbury, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Finventing-the-renaissance%2Fada-palmer%2F9781035910120. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 9

He’s best known for his Eureka moment, but Archimedes was far more than a naked man in a bathtub. Speaking to Kev Lochun, Professor Michael Scott takes us through the wild imagination of this Ancient Greek polymath, who dreamt up war machines, water screws and a giant claw – but not, as legend has it, a death ray. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 8

Between 1939 and 1945, the Nazis killed nearly 300,000 people with learning disabilities or psychiatric illnesses. Some 400,000 more were forcibly sterilised. Historian Dagmar Herzog speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about how decades of eugenic theorising and propaganda led so many institutions to become complicit in this programme of sterilisation and mass murder – and why Germany took so long to fully recognise it as a crime. (Ad) Dagmar Herzog is the author of The Question of Unworthy Life: Eugenics and Germany’s Twentieth Century (Princeton University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Question-Unworthy-Life-Eugenics-Twentieth/dp/0691261709/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 7

What happens when you step inside a fairy ring? Where did the figure of the Green Man come from? And why have so many East Anglians been terrorised by a menacing, dog-like creature called Black Shuck? Emily Briffett speaks to folklorist and historian Francis Young to uncover more about the myths and historical traditions of England – from iconic characters such as Robin Hood and King Arthur to fantastical tales of shapeshifters and mermaids. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 5

Shakespeare is now a towering figure of global theatre. But in the 1590s, he was just an up-and-coming young playwright, trying to scratch out a living in Shoreditch's emerging theatre scene. Daniel Swift revisits this early stage of the Bard's career in his new book The Dream Factory, linking it with the story of a long-lost Shoreditch playhouse simply called 'The Theatre'. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Daniel reveals what it would have been like to see one of Shakespeare's original productions, and how he may have been inspired by a terrible play called Hamlet. (Ad) Daniel Swift is the author of The Dream Factory: London's First Playhouse and the Making of William Shakespeare (Yale University Press, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-dream-factory%2Fdaniel-swift%2F%2F9780300263541. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 3

Plague, war, regicide, famine, revolt – during the 14th century, life for people in England was turned on its head. Historian Helen Carr charts this extraordinarily turbulent period through the lives of three very different monarchs, each with their own idea of what it meant to wield power. Exploring the humanity of those on the throne, she speaks to Emily Briffett to shed new light on this pivotal period of English history, and the people who lived through it. (Ad) Helen Carr is the author of Sceptred Isle: A New History of the Fourteenth Century (Hutchinson Heinemann, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=1657&awinaffid=489797&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fsceptred-isle%2Fhelen-carr%2F9781529151657&clickref=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 2

In the latest episode of our monthly series charting the past behind the present, historians Rana Mitter and Hannah Skoda explore the ways the Second World War continues to shape the world of today. Plus the medieval manuscripts hitting the headlines, and an express history of rail nationalisation. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 1

From merriment to mummification, new year revelries to funerary rites, wine played a key role in ancient Egyptian culture. Islam Issa speaks to Matt Elton about why the alcoholic drink was so important – and how it inspired everything from a wine vending machine to the Festival of Drunkenness. EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ ⁠⁠https://nordvpn.com/hepod⁠⁠ Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 31

In everything from the social sciences and technology to art and architecture, 18th-century Scotland saw a flowering of ideas and innovation. But what made the Enlightenment in Scotland different to the rest of Europe? Who were some of its key thinkers? And why were so few women involved? Historian Craig Smith, from the University of Glasgow, runs Ellie Cawthorne through the key inventions and individuals of the Scottish Enlightenment. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 29

During the Second World War, a promise by President Roosevelt to provide supplies to nationalist China led to the creation of an ill-fated air supply route from India, across a perilous stretch of the Himalayan foothills known as 'the hump'. Caroline Alexander tells Elinor Evans about the young American pilots who braved the world’s most dangerous skies, facing deadly weather, jungle crashes, and psychological collapse. (Ad) Caroline Alexander is the author of Skies of Thunder: The Deadly World War II Mission Over the Roof of the World (Bonnier Books, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/skies-of-thunder/caroline-alexander/9781804189870. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 27

Victoria, Ella, Irene and Alix of Hesse were four young European princesses and granddaughters of Queen Victoria, whose marriages would change the face of early 20th-century Europe. Speaking to Elinor Evans, Frances Welch introduces the four sisters. She explores their relationships with one another, and reveals how their stories stretch from the court of their respected 'Grandmama Queen', to revolutionary Russia. (Ad) Frances Welch is the author of The Lives and Deaths of the Princesses of Hesse: The Curious Destinies of Queen Victoria's Granddaughters (Hachette, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lives-Deaths-Princesses-Hesse-granddaughters/dp/1780725213#:~:text=Drawing%20on%20hundreds%20of%20previously,Revolution%2C%20and%20through%20both%20World. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 26

Calamity Jane roars into the popular imagination atop the Deadwood Stage with a 'whip-crack-away' and her pistol ready-loaded. A bold and resourceful frontierswoman, Calamity held her own among the men of the American West. But she was also instrumental in the making of her own myth. Emily Briffett spoke to historian Karen Jones to piece together what is known about the humble origins of the woman who became the “heroine of the plains”. (Ad) Karen Jones is the author of Calamity: The Many Lives of Calamity Jane (Yale University Press, 2020). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Calamity-Many-Lives-Jane/dp/0300212801/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 25

Tahra Bey became a celebrity with his apparent ability to control his pulse, stab himself without pain and even bury himself alive. Dr Dahesh, meanwhile, was a spiritualist who sparked an entire religious movement. Speaking to Lauren Good, Raphael Cormack explores the lives of these two figures who made a name for themselves in the occult scene of the 1920s – and what their stories can reveal about the anxieties of the age. (Ad) Raphael Cormack is the author of Holy Men of the Electromagnetic Age: A Forgotten History of the Occult (C Hurst & Co, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fholy-men-of-the-electromagnetic-age%2Fraphael-cormack%2F9781805262749. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 24

Nothing beats a well-loaded cheeseboard. But while so many of us enjoy a stinky stilton and ripe brie, or chuck a reliable old cheddar into our basket at the supermarket each week, what do we actually know about the history of the cheese we eat? From sustaining Roman troops to becoming a staple in lunchboxes across the globe, the history of cheese is a fascinating - and surprising - story that spans thousands of years and many continents. In this 'everything you wanted to know' episode, Isabel King is joined by cheesemonger and author Ned Palmer to explore the development of various flavourful fromages and how they have shaped societies worldwide. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 22

As 17th-century Britain edged ever closer to civil war, two friends, Bulstrode Whitelock and Ned Hyde, found their relationship under increasing strain. Minoo Dinshaw tells Ellie Cawthorne about how these two companions found themselves on opposite sides of a political and ideological divide, and reflects on how the Civil War caused painful ruptures in many personal relationships. (Ad) Minoo Dinshaw is the author of Friends in Youth: Choosing Sides in the English Civil War (Penguin Books, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Ffriends-in-youth%2Fminoo-dinshaw%2F9780241312827. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 20

The stories of ancient Rome are littered with despicable women, and those of the Julio-Claudian dynasty are especially infamous. But where do these stories come from? And why have they endured for centuries? Speaking to Elinor Evans, Joan Smith explores how Roman misogyny, mistranslations, and modern historians have shaped a distorted narrative – casting influential historical women as villains, nags and nymphomaniacs. (Ad) Joan Smith is the author of Unfortunately, She was a Nymphomaniac: A New History of Rome's Imperial Women (William Collins, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=6388&awinaffid=489797&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Funfortunately-she-was-a-nymphomaniac%2Fjoan-smith%2F9780008638801&clickref=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 19

Few 19th-century leaders have a CV quite like Otto von Bismarck's. This formidable statesman's cunning, charisma and eye for an opportunity helped him drive the unification of Germany and engineer a stunning defeat of France in 1871. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Katja Hoyer introduces a man whose rise would change the face of European geopolitics forever. EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ ⁠https://nordvpn.com/hepod⁠ Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 18

In the summer of 1944, as the German forces were retreating in northern Italy, a small group of soldiers made a detour to a remote villa in search of Albert Einstein's cousin. Robert Einstein posed no threat to the Nazi regime, but nonetheless they were determined to hunt him down. The tragic events that followed are the basis of a new book by the bestselling author Thomas Harding – he spoke to Rob Attar about an appalling crime and the decades-long hunt for justice that followed. (Ad) Thomas Harding is the author of The Einstein Vendetta: Hitler, Mussolini, and a True Story of Murder (Michael Joseph, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-einstein-vendetta%2Fthomas-harding%2F9780241658482. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 17

Who were the Beaker People? What was their contribution to the building of Stonehenge? And did their arrival in Britain really lead to the obliteration of the indigenous population? Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Mike Parker-Pearson answers the most pressing questions on the prehistoric culture that changed Britain for good. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 15

In the seventh century BC, the ancient Assyrian king Ashurbanipal created a gigantic library in his capital city – one that contained centuries of wisdom. And this vast wealth of ancient knowledge can reveal a lot about how the people of the Near East thought about their gods. Dr Selena Wisnom tells David Musgrove more about the Assyrians' religious views, including how they tried to keep gods – and other supernatural entities – happy. (Ad) Selena Wisnom is the author of The Library of Ancient Wisdom: Mesopotamia and the Making of History (Penguin, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-library-of-ancient-wisdom%2Fselena-wisnom%2F%2F9780241519639. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 13

What has prompted humans throughout history to risk life and limb to conquer some of the world's highest mountains? Author and climber Daniel Light talks to Rachel Dinning about why humans have always been drawn to mountains, the evolution of mountaineering as a sport, and the stories of the individuals who risked everything to make it to the top of nature’s most formidable peaks. (Ad) Daniel Light is the author of The White Ladder: Triumph and Tragedy at the Dawn of Mountaineering (Oneworld, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-white-ladder%2Fdaniel-light%2F9780861548163. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 12

Showbusiness, spying and civil rights - the extraordinary life of Josephine Baker had it all. From difficult beginnings, Baker transformed herself into the world's first black superstar, before turning her talents to espionage on behalf of the French Resistance. Hanna Diamond tells Ellie Cawthorne more about Baker's showbiz lifestyle, tireless campaigning, troupe of 12 adopted children and pet cheetah. (Ad) Hanna Diamond is the author of Josephine Baker's Secret War: The African American Star Who Fought for France and Freedom (Yale University Press, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Josephine-Bakers-Secret-War-American/dp/0300279981/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 11

From rainmaking queens to dogged isolationists, the lives and reigns of Africa’s female rulers have long been shrouded in mystery, misunderstanding and misogyny. Over the centuries and throughout the continent, these individuals navigated the rigid traditions of their own cultures to wield power – even to the detriment of their subjects. Speaking to Danny Bird, Paula Akpan traces the lives of 12 influential African women, challenging prevailing narratives to reveal a continent shaped by matriarchy and contested memories. (Ad) Paula Akpan is the author of When We Ruled: The Rise and Fall of Twelve African Queens and Warriors (Trapeze, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/When-We-Ruled-African-Warriors/dp/1398719897/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 10

It's considered to be the bloodiest civil war in history, but there's a fair chance you've never heard of it. The Taiping Rebellion convulsed China from 1850 to 1864, leading to over 20 million deaths and severely weakening the Qing dynasty, but it remains little known outside of China today. Speaking to Rob Attar, Professor Stephen R Platt answers listener questions about the rebellion and explains why it hasn't received the attention it deserves. EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/hepod Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 8

All eyes have been on the Vatican in recent days, as the conclave have decided who will be the next pope. But how does the process today compare to that of past centuries? What have been some of the most dramatic papal elections down the centuries? And was there ever really a female pope? Matt Elton caught up with expert in papal history Rebecca Rist to find out more. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 6

Nazi Germany had finally been defeated. And, for 24 hours, Britons could let their hair down and celebrate. But not everyone was in the mood to party. As 2025 marks the 80th anniversary, John Willis tells the story of VE Day via the experiences of ordinary Britons who lived through it. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, he discusses what these testimonies reveal about the state of mind of a nation after six long years of war. (Ad) John Willis is the author of The People’s War: Unheard Voices: Life on the Battlefront and at Home in World War II (BBC Books, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-peoples-war%2Fjohn-willis%2F9781785949005. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 5

Nikola Tesla is remembered as an enigmatic, eccentric genius who harnessed the power of electricity. But if we strip away some of this myth, what can we really say about the inventor's life and legacy? For this Life of the Week episode, Iwan Morus joins Ellie Cawthorne to reveal how Tesla believed he could invent a death ray, whether he was really a recluse, and how he would feel about Elon Musk's company using his name today. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 4

In the 1840s, famine hit Ireland with devastating consequences. But what were the circumstances that turned a potato blight into a catastrophe that shattered societal structures and caused around a million deaths? Padraic X Scanlan speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about the causes and impact of the famine, linking the disaster to the economic structures of the British empire. (Ad) Padraic X Scanlan is the author of Rot: A History of the Irish Famine (Basic Books, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rot-History-Padraic-X-Scanlan/dp/1472146875/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 3

In 1861, the kingdom of Italy was proclaimed, unifying the various Italian states under one national banner. But what did it mean to be 'Italian' in the mid-19th century? How did the pope react to the concept of a united Italy? And why did so many British women fall in love with Garibaldi? In conversation with Spencer Mizen, historian David Laven answers listener questions on the campaign to unify Italy: the Risorgimento. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 1

What's the difference between private and public life – and where should we draw the line between the two? Over the centuries, these boundaries have often been blurred, as Tiffany Jenkins explores in her book Strangers and Intimates. In this episode, she speaks to Lauren Good about everything from the rigid separation of public and personal spheres in ancient Athens, to the privacy-busting spectacle of Big Brother. (Ad) Tiffany Jenkins is the author of Strangers and Intimates: The Rise and Fall of Private Life (Pan Macmillan, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fstrangers-and-intimates%2Ftiffany-jenkins%2F9781529034165. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 29

Was Elizabeth I holding England back from establishing itself upon the global stage? Speaking to James Osborne, Professor Anna Whitelock explores how the accession of the new king James VI & I, and the arrival of the Jacobean era, tilted the Britain's gaze toward the future. (Ad) Anna Whitelock is the author of The Sun Rising: James I and the Dawn of a Global Britain (Bloomsbury, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sun-Rising-Dawn-Stuarts/dp/1408863510/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 28

In the latest episode of our monthly podcast series, regular panellists Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter are joined by Frank Trentmann to discuss the historical parallels behind recent developments in the global trade war – plus the tumultuous history of papal elections, and the surprising connection between Katy Perry and Alexander the Great. Hear more from Frank Trentmann on the history of tariffs: https://link.chtbl.com/3is-MbBu The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 27

How did the English take Manhattan from the Dutch in the 17th century without firing a single shot? Speaking to Elinor Evans, historian Russell Shorto explains a many-layered colonial history, including pragmatic deals, personal rivalries, and ideological divides, that led to the ultimately peaceful takeover of New Amsterdam in 1664. (Ad) Russell Shorto is the author of Taking Manhattan: The extraordinary events that created New York and shaped America (Swift Press, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Ftaking-manhattan%2Frussell-shorto%2F9781800754966. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 26

Composing songs of courtly love and war in the High Middle Ages, the troubadours were the poet-musicians of western and southern Europe – especially southern France. But were they really the lovesick wandering minstrels popular culture would have us believe? Or was there more to their artistry? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Linda Paterson answers your top questions on the troubadours and their enduring poetic and musical legacy. (Ad) Linda Paterson is the author of The Troubadours (Reaktion Books, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-troubadours%2Flinda-m-paterson%2F9781789149197. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 24

Historians have counted lots of things in the Bayeux Tapestry – animals, ships, hands and plants. But nobody had counted the number of penises it contained until Oxford historian Professor George Garnett decided to take on the challenge. David Musgrove invites George to discuss his findings, and explain why this is, in fact, serious research that helps us better understand this vital account of the Norman Conquest of 1066. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 22

In the summer of 1565, the might of the Ottoman empire faced off against a few hundred Knights Hospitaller and their allies on the island of Malta. The outcome might have seemed inevitable but the events of the subsequent siege were far from predictable, as the defenders waged a desperate battle for their home and their lives. Speaking to Rob Attar, Professor Marcus Bull chronicles the events of a dramatic clash with far-reaching consequences. (Ad) Marcus Bull is the author of The Great Siege of Malta (Penguin Books, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-great-siege-of-malta%2Fmarcus-bull%2F9780241523650. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 21

Richard the Lionheart is well-known for his travels to distant lands, time on crusade, and wrangling with international politics… But, less well known is the fact that his sister, Joanna Plantagenet (otherwise known as Joan of England, Queen of Sicily) led a life of adventure and danger to rival that of her famous brother. A princess, queen, prisoner and power player, she navigated the turbulent world of medieval politics with resilience and careful judiciousness. Emily Briffett speaks to author and historian Catherine Hanley to chart Joanna’s extraordinary life and uncover why she deserves the title of the medieval 'Lionessheart'. (Ad) Catherine Hanley is the author of Lionessheart: The Life and Times of Joanna Plantagenet (The History Press, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Flionessheart%2Fcatherine-hanley%2F9781803995168. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 20

Henry VIII lorded it over England. Francis I dominated France. Charles V was the main man in central Europe. Yet arguably none was as powerful as Ottoman sultan Suleyman the Magnificent – a true heavyweight of the 16th century. Speaking to Spencer Mizen, author Christopher de Bellaigue discusses a man who had designs on becoming 'world emperor', only to be hamstrung by bloody infighting among his own family. (Ad) Christopher de Bellaigue is the author of The Golden Throne: The Curse of a King (Bodley Head, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Golden-Throne-Curse-King/dp/1847927424/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 19

Lasting from the ninth century BC right up until Roman conquest in the first century BC, the Etruscans were a powerful ancient civilisation who inhabited Etruria in ancient Italy, and rubbed shoulders with the other iconic ancient cultures of their day. Often painted as a mysterious people whose culture has now largely vanished from view, researcher Lucy Shipley instead presents us with a very different picture. Speaking to Emily Briffett, she delves into the archaeological and written records to bring us closer to this fascinating civilisation – and uncover why it captivated the likes of the Medici, DH Lawrence and the Roman emperor Claudius. (Ad) Lucy Shipley is the author of The Etruscans: Lost Civilizations (Reaktion Books, 2017). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Etruscans-Lost-civilizations-Lucy-Shipley/dp/1780238320/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 17

On 19 April 1775, American militia and British regulars clashed at Lexington and Concord in what would become the first battles of the Revolutionary War. But, as historian George Goodwin reveals, the significance of the fighting lay as much in how it was reported as in what actually happened. To mark the 250th anniversary of the 'the shot heard around the world', Elinor Evans spoke to him to find out more. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 15

Cut off from the outside world and with food and other essentials dwindling, it's estimated that upwards of one million people died. Yet throughout this ordeal, a group of indomitable scientists risked their lives to protect the world's first seed bank. Danny Bird speaks to writer Simon Parkin about the Plant Institute's pioneering work and the astonishing fortitude of the men and women who laboured to preserve a unique botanical collection amid unimaginable conditions. (Ad) Simon Parkin is the author of The Forbidden Garden of Leningrad: A True Story of Science and Sacrifice in a City under Siege (Sceptre, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Forbidden-Garden-Leningrad-Science-Sacrifice/dp/1399714554/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 14

From Snow White to Sleeping Beauty, the Brothers Grimm are best known for collecting and curating fairy tales. But, as Ann Schmiesing reveals, recording these stories for posterity was only one of their ambitious projects. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, she charts the lives of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, exploring their extremely close relationship, love of folklore, political leanings and attempts to create a German dictionary. (Ad) Ann Schmiesing is the author of The Brothers Grimm: A Biography (Yale University Press, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Brothers-Grimm-Biography-Ann-Schmiesing/dp/0300221754/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 13

When US forces entered Vietnam, the nation's leaders believed they could contain communism and secure victory. Instead, they found themselves trapped in a war that drained resources, divided the country, and ultimately ended in failure. Geoffrey Wawro explains to Elinor Evans how flawed strategies doomed the US campaign from the start, and why Nixon’s secret plan to end the war failed to achieve lasting 'peace with honour'. (Ad) Geoffrey Wawro is the author of The Vietnam War: A Military History (Basic Books, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vietnam-War-Military-History/dp/1541606086/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 12

Emerging from crusading endeavours in the Holy Land, the Teutonic Order was one of great military orders established in the 12th century. Its influence spread far and wide, and its members negotiated with popes and emperors. Speaking to Emily Briffett, Aleks Pluskowski explores how a humble field hospital went on to establish itself as one of the most significant religious corporations of medieval Europe – and left an indelible mark on history in the process. (Ad) Aleks Pluskowski is the author of The Teutonic Knights: Rise and Fall of a Religious Corporation (Reaktion Books, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-teutonic-knights%2Faleksander-pluskowski%2F9781789148688. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 10

Amid the horrors of Auschwitz, a group of female musicians were forced to play for their lives. Author Anne Sebba joins Lauren Good to discuss this women's orchestra, exploring how music was used as an instrument of control, how the players fought for their own survival, and what their fates were after liberation. (Ad) Anne Sebba is the author of The Women's Orchestra of Auschwitz: A Story of Survival (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Womens-Orchestra-Auschwitz-Story-Survival/dp/1399610732/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 8

John F Kennedy remains one of America’s most iconic presidents – his life and untimely death wrapped in both mythology and conspiracy. But how much of his legacy is based in reality, and how can his reputation be understood more than 60 years after his presidency ended? Speaking to Elinor Evans, historian Mark White unpacks JFK’s leadership, his glamorous carefully curated image, and the stark contrast between his private and political life. (Ad) Mark White is the author of Icon, Libertine, Leader: The Life and Presidency of John F. Kennedy (Bloomsbury Academic, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Icon-Libertine-Leader-Presidency-Kennedy/dp/1350426121/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 7

She super-charged Mark Antony's rise to power, whipped up gang violence, went to war with Octavian – and may, just may, have abused Cicero's decapitated head with a hairpin. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Jane Draycott explores the life of Fulvia, the extraordinary figure who rewrote the rulebook of what a woman could achieve in the cut-throat world of ancient Roman politics. (Ad) Jane Draycott is the author of Fulvia: The Woman Who Broke All the Rules in Ancient Rome (Atlantic Books, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Ffulvia%2Fjane-draycott%2F9781805464877. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 6

Sir Simon Schama is one of the world's leading historians, a bestselling author and a renowned documentary maker. In his latest documentary film, The Road to Auschwitz, he tells the story of the Holocaust, arguing that it was a crime of complicity across Europe. In this episode, Simon explains to David Musgrove what it was like to visit the Nazi extermination camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau for the first time, and how deep-rooted prejudice was weaponised to turn people against their Jewish neighbours before the Nazis put their genocidal plans in place. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 5

Between the 1870s and the First World War, European colonialists set their sights on the Africa, making territorial land grabs that consumed nearly the entire continent. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Professor Richard Reid explains how the so-called 'Scramble for Africa' played out, and explores its immense impact on Africa and its peoples. (Ad) Richard Reid is the author of The African Revolution: A History of the Long Nineteenth Century (Princeton University Press, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://www.amazon.co.uk/African-Revolution-History-Nineteenth-Century/dp/0691187096/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 3

What connects a notorious Chilean dictator with an SS commander who played a key role in the Holocaust? This is the question at the heart of a book by the author and lawyer Philippe Sands, which follows the twin stories of Augusto Pinochet's sensational arrest in London in 1998 and the postwar career of Walter Rauff, who spent many years in Pinochet's Chile. Philippe was joined by Rob Attar to explore a tangled tale of law and mass murder in Europe and South America. (Ad) Philippe Sands is the author of 38 Londres Street: On Impunity, Pinochet in England and a Nazi in Patagonia (Orion, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2F38-londres-street%2Fphilippe-sands%2F9781399632812. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 1

Trade wars and tariffs have once again been making headlines in recent weeks, as US president Donald Trump's government adopts combative economic policies. But are such approaches really that unusual? Speaking to Matt Elton, Frank Trentmann looks back at centuries of economic warfare – and reveals the historical factors that have sparked it. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 31

In the latest episode of our monthly series, Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter discuss recent headlines about funding cuts to history departments in the UK’s universities - and we hear from Lucy Noakes, president of the Royal Historical Society, with her take on the situation. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 30

Debates about whether museum artefacts should be returned to the cultures that made them have made headlines several times in recent years. But historian and author Justin M Jacobs explains to Matt Elton why he believes that calls for these objects to be repatriated often overlook the wishes of the people who made them in the first place. (Ad) Justin M Jacobs is the author of Plunder?: How Museums Got Their Treasures (Reaktion Books, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fplunder%2Fjustin-m-jacobs%2F9781789149487. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 30

Paris's Belle Époque – or 'Beautiful Era' – conjures up images of cafés, can-can dancers and sunny walks along the River Seine. But was life in the French capital in the late 19th and early 20th-century really as exciting as the scenes painted by Toulouse-Lautrec? Jon Bauckham talks to Dr Mike Rapport about the real history behind the Belle Époque, revealing why there was also a darkness to the 'city of light'. (Ad) Mike Rapport is the author of City of Light, City of Shadows: Paris in the Belle Époque (Bridge Street Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/City-Light-Shadows-Paris-%C3%89poque/dp/0349128162/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 28

In 1910, music hall performer Belle Elmore went missing. Her husband Dr Hawley Harvey Crippen claimed Belle had gone to America to visit a dying relative. But before long, Crippen's stories began to unravel and the doctor went on the run, triggering an international manhunt. Hallie Rubenhold re-examines Crippen's crimes in her new book Story of a Murder, and she spoke to Ellie Cawthorne about what this infamous case can reveal about medicine, the music hall and women's lives at the time. (Ad) Hallie Rubenhold is the author of Story of a Murder: The Wives, the Mistress and Dr Crippen (Transworld Publishers, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fstory-of-a-murder%2Fhallie-rubenhold%2F2928377304799. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 26

In the 1970s, as the Troubles divided Northern Ireland, hundreds of armalite guns were sent to the IRA from across the Atlantic. Reporter Ali Watkins follows the smuggling operations of a ragtag group of Irish American gunrunners from Philadelphia in her new book The Next One is for You. She spoke to Ellie Cawthorne about their impact on the conflict over the ocean. (Ad) Ali Watkins is the author of The Next One Is for You: A True Story of Guns, Country, and the IRA's Secret American Army (Little Brown, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Next-One-You-Country-American/dp/0316538272/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 25

Thomas Becket is probably medieval England's most famous martyr and saint – yet the circumstances of his life are overshadowed by his infamous feud with King Henry II, and his shocking murder in Canterbury Cathedral one winter's evening in 1170. Emily Briffett speaks to historian and author Michael Staunton to chart how Becket rocketed to power from humble origins, before dramatically switching from close royal ally to the thorn in Henry II's side. (Ad) Michael Staunton is the author of Thomas Becket and His World (Reaktion Books, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thomas-Becket-World-Medieval-Lives/dp/183639070X?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.MTvDup6huJD2pesd63URgHlHzJsj9v2mzEUQDBADoJrosLeuGDQ0lnK5a8uakRmrUFhj7Y3yF-qgeE073i2yDP6L9nsaWDygmfrXuvEIWH-WI1hpY2SA31iJw_VSNtMPcfW6FzUJhNHruLcqDe5zZycr4zBJ6PJa_8098f5WqkgFyXzcv8NrODBILSMwzj8N3FxN_DzxW2AXJPq7l7-W_L_WVGlzkdHEPGtUg8-Se9A.PF4sbYGf_bMvm0wEHNE6QZ2ylq3kDsx7lnU_cD__1NI&dib_tag=se&qid=1741605380&refinements=p_27%3AMichael+Staunton&s=books&sr=1-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 24

Has our focus on the impact of the transatlantic slave trade blinded us to the diversity and complexity of Africa's past? That's one of the arguments at the heart of Luke Pepera's new book Motherland, which spans 500,000 years of the continent's history. Luke speaks to Matt Elton about some of the stories that shine the spotlight back on African people. (Ad) Luke Pepera is the author of Motherland: A Journey through 500,000 Years of African Culture and Identity (Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fmotherland%2Fluke-pepera%2F9781398707368. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 23

Why, in the 1850s, was the excrement of thousands of people being deposited straight into the Thames? How lethal were Victorian London's cholera outbreaks? And why is Joseph Bazalgette one of the most heroic figures in London's history? Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Rosemary Ashton answers the most pressing questions on an infamous pollution event caused by soaring temperatures and huge amounts of human waste. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 21

Even if you're not a fan of classical music, chances are you will have heard Handel's Messiah. Going behind the scenes of its creation, Charles King delves into the shifting politics of the Hanoverian court, the sex scandals of London’s West End, and the surprising role of the transatlantic slave trade in financing the arts. Speaking to Elinor Evans, he reveals why, despite the complex circumstances of its creation, this legendary composition still resonates today. (Ad) Charles King is the author of Every Valley: The Story of Handel’s Messiah (Bodley Head, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Every-Valley-Story-Handels-Messiah/dp/1847928455/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 19

From true crime pamphlets to reports from the scaffold, early modern Britain was gripped by tales of women who killed. But were these cases as common as they seemed, or was something else at play? Speaking to Lauren Good, historian Blessin Adams explores the obsession with female murderers in this period, and what this tells us about historical attitudes to gender, justice and power. (Ad) Blessin Adams is the author of Thou Savage Woman: Female Killers in Early Modern Britain (Harper Collins, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthou-savage-woman%2Fblessin-adams%2F9780008500177. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 18

While the Suffragettes were fighting to win the vote, over in Germany, Rosa Luxemburg was focused on overthrowing the entire system. A committed Marxist revolutionary and a fervent advocate of internationalism, Luxemburg believed that true freedom lay beyond ‘bourgeois democracy’. Her sharp intellect and uncompromising stance made her a formidable force in the politics of early-20th century Europe. Mark Jones speaks to Danny Bird about Luxemburg’s extraordinary biography – from her rebellious youth and opposition to the First World War to her brutal execution in 1919. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 17

The histories of religious reformations across the globe have largely focused on men. But women were also integral to these major transformations. Speaking with Emily Briffett, historian Merry Wiesner-Hanks explains how early modern women strove to shape the world around them – as wives, mothers, missionaries, mystics and migrants. (Ad) Merry Wiesner-Hanks is the author of Women and the Reformations: A Global History (Yale University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Women-Reformations-History-Merry-Wiesner-Hanks/dp/0300268238/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 16

What was history's worst furnishing trend? Why, in 1953, were you more likely to own a television than a fridge? And how can you learn more about the history of your own house? Deborah Sugg Ryan joins Ellie Cawthorne to talk about the history of British homes, taking listeners on a whistle-stop tour through garden gnomes, deadly gas irons, dodgy DIY and carpeted bathrooms. (Ad) Deborah Sugg Ryan is the author of Ideal Homes: Uncovering the History and Design of the Interwar House (Manchester University Press, 2020). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ideal-Homes-Uncovering-Manchester-University/dp/1526150670/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 14

Fearsome Amazons. Men who turned into wolves. Tribes who never grew old. Ancient Greek and Roman sources are packed with extraordinary descriptions of the peoples living beyond their borders. Speaking to Spencer Mizen, Dr Owen Rees explores these classical superpowers' sense of cultural superiority and reveals what we can learn about the ancient world by exploring life on the frontiers of empires. (Ad) Owen Rees is the author of The Far Edges of the Known World: A New History of the Ancient Past (Bloomsbury, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Far-Edges-Known-World-History/dp/1526653788/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 12

With accusations of favouritism, poor spending and unrealistic international plans, resentment against Henry III simmered among his barons throughout the 1250s. This frustration came to a head in a coup at the Oxford Parliament of 1258 – where some rebel barons saw the opportunity not just to get what they wanted from their king, but to completely transform medieval society. Speaking to Emily Briffett, Luke Foddy explores what this reform movement meant for the average person living in England during those turbulent years. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 11

Pacifist. Humanitarian. Whistleblower. From humble roots growing up in Cornwall, Emily Hobhouse went on to challenge the societal issues of her day and expose the horrors of British concentration camps during the Second Anglo-Boer War. Speaking to Emily Briffett, biographer Elsabé Brits uncovers the story of a woman who was branded a 'traitor' for defying the British establishment, but saved thousands of Boer women and children. (Ad) Elsabé Brits is the author of Rebel Englishwoman: The Remarkable Life of Emily Hobhouse (Little Brown, 2019). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Frebel-englishwoman%2Felsabe-brits%2F9781472140920. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 10

From green men and jolly horse skulls, to chasing cheese down hills and morris dancing, Britain has a rich tradition of folk customs. Some are strange, some downright silly. But, as Liz Williams tells Ellie Cawthorne, some of these traditions can also have a darker aspect, based on shame, judgement and social conformity. (Ad) Liz Williams is the author of Rough Music: Folk Customs, Transgression and Alternative Britain (Reaktion Books, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Frough-music%2Fliz-williams%2F9781836390602. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 9

What were your chances of surviving illness in ancient Rome? How did the Roman army deal with ailments and injuries on the go? And in what way were the medical practitioners of this ancient civilisation similar to the snake-oil peddlers of the American Wild West? Emily Briffett speaks to Dr Patty Baker to get the answers to your questions about the treatments, cures and surgical practices of ancient Rome. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 7

What is new research revealing about women's lives in the past? Does all women's history have to be feminist? And why do we need to be cautious about the 'girlbossification' of historical figures? To mark International Women's Day, Ellie Cawthorne speaks to three expert historians – Sarah Richardson, Hannah Skoda and Hannah Cusworth – to get their thoughts on the biggest trends and challenges in the field of women's history at the moment. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 5

On 11 June 1488, King James III of Scotland was hunted down and slain as he fled the field of battle. And more than 500 years later, the identity of his killer remains shrouded in uncertainty. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, historian Gordon McKelvie explores this most enduring of royal murder mysteries. How, he asks, had James made so many enemies – and could the killer have been his own son? The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 4

From To The Lighthouse to Mrs Dalloway, the writing of Virginia Woolf shook up literary norms and challenged societal ideas about what it meant to be a woman. In this 'life of the week' episode, Francesca Wade discusses the impact of Woolf's work, and the key moments of her life – from her late-night soirées with the Bloomsbury Group and love affair with Vita Sackville-West, to her long struggles with her mental health. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 3

How violent were towns and cities in the Middle Ages? And how did medieval citizens deal with cases of murder? Drawing on detailed coroner's reports, Professor Manuel Eisner has mapped out cases of murder across three English cities – London, Oxford and York. In this episode, he revisits some notable crimes with David Musgrove, offering up some fascinating insights into the mean streets of medieval cities. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 2

Why were Assyrian armies so powerful? Did the Assyrians produce the ancient world's greatest cultural treasure? And what should we make of claims that they forged the world's first empire? In conversation with Spencer Mizen, Paul Collins, curator at the British Museum, answers listener questions on this ancient civilisation. (Ad) Paul Collins is the author of The Assyrians: Lost Civilizations (Reaktion, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Assyrians-Lost-Civilizations-Paul-Collins/dp/1789149231/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 28

In 1879, King Leopold of Belgium commissioned an expedition to transport Asian elephants from India to the African interior, with a vision of using them as working animals to unlock the continent's resources. Ellie Cawthorne speaks to journalist Sophy Roberts, who has retraced the route of this mammoth and ill-conceived voyage for her book A Training School for Elephants. (Ad) Sophy Roberts is the author of A Training School for Elephants (Doubleday, 2025). Buy now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Training-School-Elephants-Sophy-Roberts/dp/0857528378/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 27

Vicious civil wars. Gruelling sieges. Rebellious provinces, galling betrayals and tribes seeking revenge… Join us for the first series of History’s Greatest Battles, where we’re heading back to the Roman empire. Emily Briffett is joined by historian Dr Adrian Goldsworthy to look back at five of the most fascinating clashes of this ancient civilisation, taking in the action blow by blow and identifying the major moments and key commanders that shaped events. They’ll also be uncovering what the military engagements of this mighty superpower can reveal about the age of the emperors, and asking: how history might have turned out differently had things gone the other way? Series 1 is live now. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/historys-greatest-battles/id1794311126 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ph7KUocWnqPREhTZa44Mb Listen everywhere else by searching: History's Greatest Battles You can listen ad-free, access episodes early and more by subscribing to HistoryExtra Plus here: https://apple.co/4fgRA1d . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 26

What did a Roman wear under their tunic? What was the best occasion to wear socks with sandals? And what might land you in trouble with the ancient Roman fashion police? Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian Ursula Rothe heads back to the ancient world to uncover what the Romans wore, and why they were so obsessed with what everybody else did. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 25

Frederick Barbarossa has gone down in history as one of medieval Europe's most formidable rulers. He waged ruthless wars in Italy, clashed with the papacy, and came to an ignominious end on crusade. Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian Graham Loud explores the life and many afterlives of the legendary red-bearded emperor. (Ad) Graham Loud is the author of Frederick Barbarossa (Reaktion Books, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Ffrederick-barbarossa%2Fg-a-loud%2F9781836390220. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 24

In 1774, as Britain’s colonies in America teetered on the brink of revolution, one regiment was torn apart by the trials of a British army chaplain – Robert Newburgh – who was accused of having sex with another man. In this episode, John Gilbert McCurdy examines evolving attitudes to sexuality and liberty in the colonies on the eve of revolutionary war, and explores how Newburgh's trials became a flashpoint for wider fears of moral and political disorder. (Ad) John Gilbert McCurdy is the author of Vicious and Immoral: Homosexuality, the American Revolution, and the Trials of Robert Newburgh (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vicious-Immoral-Homosexuality-American-Revolution/dp/142144853X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 23

Historically, how much would a British miner have earned for a hard day's work? Did women and children also work underground? And why were canaries taken down the pits? In conversation with Lauren Good, Professor Robert Colls explores the history of mining in Britain – and explains that, despite the work being 'brutal hard', there was also beauty to be found in mining communities. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 21

Men fighting pumas. Brutal prize-fights in sacred chapels. A pair of sisters who could pack a punch. In Victorian Britain, boxing offered up edge-of-your-seat entertainment to all levels of society. A new Disney Plus show A Thousand Blows transports viewers back to the ringside in Victorian London, and in this episode, Ellie Cawthorne speaks to the show's historical consultant Sarah Elizabeth Cox to uncover some of the extraordinary real stories that inspired the drama. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 19

It's often proclaimed that British sea power was at its pinnacle in the years following the French and Napoleonic wars. But was this really a time when Britain 'ruled the waves'? And how did the rise of steam, development of international communication and establishment of naval air services reshape Britain's strength and strategy at sea? Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian Nicholas A M Rodger sketches out the history of the British navy, from the early 19th century up until 1945. (Ad) Nicholas A M Rodger is the author of The Price of Victory: A Naval History of Britain: 1815 – 1945 (Penguin Books, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-price-of-victory%2Fn-a-m-rodger%2F9780713994124. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 18

Jane Austen remains one of the most influential novelists in English literature. Her sharp social commentary, wit, and exploration of love, class, and gender continue to captivate readers. This year marks the 250th anniversary of the author's birth, and a new BBC One drama, Miss Austen, is currently exploring her relationship with her sister Cassandra. Emily Briffett spoke to historian Lizzie Rogers to piece together Austen's life, from her cultured upbringing in a rural Hampshire village, to the turbulent Bath years and beyond. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 17

Born in 1781, Princess Juliane of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld grew up in a world convulsed by the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars. And her life proved to be as tempestuous as the age she inhabited. Wed to Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich of Russia when she was just 14, her deeply unhappy marriage pushed Julie to make an audacious bid for freedom, in defiance of the social expectations placed on women of her social status. Now, her little-known story has been brought to life in a new book by historian Helen Rappaport, who speaks to Danny Bird about the unconventional life of Queen Victoria’s trailblazing aunt. (Ad) Helen Rappaport is the author of The Rebel Romanov (Simon & Schuster, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rebel-Romanov-Helen-Rappaport/dp/1398525960/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 16

Why did Britain go to war with China in the 19th century to protect the interests of drug dealers? Speaking with Elinor Evans, Stephen R Platt discusses the web of economics, addiction, and imperial ambition that led to two devastating 19th-century wars to protect Britain's lucrative opium trade in Qing China. From the desperate efforts of Chinese officials to eradicate opium, to Britain’s naval dominance, Stephen uncovers how these conflicts shaped China’s future and perceptions of western imperialism. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 14

How cruel was Caligula? How depraved was Tiberius? And how monstrous was Nero? The dark reputations of these emperors owe a great deal to the Roman writer Suetonius, whose 121 AD work Lives of the Caesars offered intimate portraits of 12 rulers of Rome – from Julius Caesar to Domitian. The popular historian and podcaster Tom Holland has just produced a new translation of the Lives and he speaks to Rob Attar about the profound influence of Suetonius' work – and whether it's an example of ancient fake news. (Ad) Tom Holland is the translator of The Lives of the Caesars (Penguin, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=3090&awinaffid=489797&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-lives-of-the-caesars%2Fsuetonius%2Ftom-holland%2F2928377309039&clickref=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 12

In the year 955, Eadwig became king of England – and, according to 10th-century sources, he celebrated in quite a salacious fashion. These stories claim that at his coronation feast, Eadwig left the hall to have a sex romp with his wife... and her mother. Speaking to David Musgrove, historian Katherine Weikert explains why this sensational story caught on, despite the fact that it probably never actually happened – and what it reveals about English kingship in the early Middle Ages. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 11

The history books tell us that Magna Carta was sealed on 15 June 1215. But, according to Professor David Carpenter, that's not actually the date we should commemorate. He explains to David Musgrove why we ought to remember a different issue of the charter – 800 years ago on 11 February 1225. It was in 1225 that John's son Henry III willingly agreed to a reissue of the charter and, argues David, this was the one with the lasting legacy. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 10

In December 1960, as president-elect John F Kennedy made his way to church in Florida, a would-be assassin waited nearby, preparing to detonate a bomb that would end the Democrat's presidency before it began. Elinor Evans speaks to Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch, authors of The JFK Conspiracy, to discuss this little-known assassination attempt, and what it tells us about tensions in the United States at the time of his election. (Ad) Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch are the authors of The JFK Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Kennedy - And Why It Failed (Flatiron Books, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/JFK-Conspiracy-Secret-Kennedy-Failed/dp/1250790573/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 9

What ignited resentment at British rule in India into outright violence? How brutal was British troops' suppression of the uprising? And how did the events of 1857 poison relations between the British administration and the people of the Indian subcontinent? Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Saul David answers your questions on the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 7

What makes a monster, and why do they fascinate us? Dr Natalie Lawrence unravels 15,000 years of human storytelling through the tales of creatures like dragons, Medusa, and even Godzilla. Speaking to Rachel Dinning, Natalie explores how monsters have embodied our fears, projected our desires, and bridged the natural and supernatural worlds. (Ad) Natalie Lawrence is the author of Enchanted Creatures: Our Monsters and Their Meanings (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Enchanted-Creatures-Monsters-Their-Meanings/dp/1474619010/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 5

Monasteries and convents were a common sight throughout medieval Europe and beyond. But who were they for? What did they do? And how did religious life there change over the centuries? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Professor Andrew Jotischky traces the history of monastic life from its early origins in the fourth century right up to the 16th century. He explores the pivotal role these religious houses played as society's 'prayer factories', and examines the experiences of the monks and nuns who lived in them. (Ad) Andrew Jotischky is the author of The Monastic World: A 1,200-Year History (Yale University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-monastic-world%2Fandrew-jotischky%2F9780300208566. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 4

Historians Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter look at the shifting dynamics of presidential power and discuss the history behind President Trump's stated desire to acquire Greenland, in 2025's first instalment of our monthly podcast series looking at the historical currents running beneath current affairs. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 3

George Villiers, the Duke of Buckingham, had charm and political ambition by the bucketload – and his rise as a favourite of King James I and VI in the late 16th century was meteoric. Speaking to Elinor Evans, Lucy Hughes-Hallett discusses the brief but action-packed life of Villiers, whose dazzling beauty and political influence brought him from obscurity to the highest ranks of power in the courts of two kings – before seeing him fall foul of public anger. (Ad) Lucy Hughes-Hallett is the author of The Scapegoat: The Brilliant Brief Life of the Duke of Buckingham (HarperCollins, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-scapegoat%2Flucy-hughes-hallett%2F9780008126551. Benjamin Woolley introduces listeners George Villiers and his mother Mary, the mother-and-son duo who changed the face of the royal court in the early 17th century: https://link.chtbl.com/C-FlqINi. Joe Ellis explores the life and dual reign of King James VI of Scotland and I of England: https://link.chtbl.com/bVjgtoXy. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 2

From the depths of the Ice Age to the 20th century, why – and how – have species gone extinct? And are humans always to blame? In conversation with James Osborne, Dr Ross Barnett unpacks how the causes of extinction have shifted through time, and how looking back at the history of these lost species might help us tackle extinction in the future. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 31

From medieval mystic Julian of Norwich to countercultural figures of the 1960s, various individuals down the centuries have felt they have access to spiritual forces beyond human understanding. But what drives these transcendent – and often ecstatic – sensations? And how were people with a deep connection to the divine regarded by wider society? In today's episode, philosopher and author Simon Critchley speaks to Charlotte Hodgman about his new book On Mysticism: The Experience of Ecstasy. (Ad) Simon Critchley is the author of On Mysticism: The Experience of Ecstasy (Profile Books, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mysticism-Experience-Ecstasy-Simon-Critchley/dp/1800816936/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 30

How did we go from sharing homegrown cures free of charge to buying medicine from strangers on the open market? This transition is more complex than you might think, and it's something that Karen Bloom Gevirtz explores in her book The Apothecary's Wife. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Karen revisits some traditional remedies, explores women's overlooked role in medical history, and considers the lessons that modern pharmaceuticals could learn from the past. (Ad) Karen Bloom Gevirtz is the author of The Apothecary's Wife: The Hidden History of Medicine and How It Became a Commodity (Apollo, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Apothecarys-Wife-History-Medicine-Commodity/dp/1803286997/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 29

History is full of dysfunctional families, but few more so than the Carolingian ruling clan. The empire was at the height of its power under renowned ruler Charlemagne. But just two generations later, in the year 841 AD, his grandsons were locked in a vicious contest for power and control. This jockeying culminated in the bloody pitched battle of Fontenoy – a key moment in a civil war that shattered an empire and reshaped Europe, according to Professor Matthew Gabriele and David M Perry in their new book, Oathbreakers. David Musgrove spoke to them to find out more about the shocking aftermath of this crisis. (Ad) Matthew Gabriele and David M Perry is the author of Oathbreakers: The War of Brothers That Shattered an Empire and Made Medieval Europe (HarperCollins, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Oathbreakers-Brothers-Shattered-Empire-Medieval/dp/0063336677/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The Carolingian king Lothar II was embroiled in a scandal that destroyed his reign and ended his kingdom – Professor Charles West shares the story: https://link.chtbl.com/v2GgAvSP. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 28

Charles Dickens is one of the most famous figures in literary history. But, there's lots about the author that you might not know, from his obsessive workaholism and marital strife, to the fact he was involved in a train crash. In this 'Life of the week' episode, Ellie Cawthorne speaks to Dickens' expert Peter Orford to chart the life and work of the author who colourfully chronicled the Victorian age. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 27

In September 1940, the German Luftwaffe began raining bombs on British cities, causing death and destruction on a scale never before seen. But, in the capital, the Blitz wasn’t the only threat to people's safety. Amy Helen Bell tells Jon Bauckham about London's Second World War crime wave, exploring dark moments that challenge the rosy idea of 'Blitz Spirit', and revealing how serial killers such as Gordon Cummins and John Christie exploited the chaos of war to carry out their heinous acts. (Ad) Amy Helen Bell is the author of Under Cover of Darkness: Murders in Blackout London (Yale University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Under-Cover-Darkness-Murders-Blackout/dp/0300270054/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 26

From early shows that looked as if they were filmed "in a heavy and persistent shower of rain" to today's multi-platform streaming world, the history of television has been marked by rapid innovation and huge transformation – and has reflected equally rapid social change. In this 'everything you wanted to know' episode, historian David Hendy joins Matt Elton to answer listener questions on a century of British TV. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 25

How did the Nazis’ poisonous antisemitic rhetoric eventually culminate in the systematic mass-murder of millions? Speaking to Rachel Dinning back in 2023, historian Laurence Rees charts the course of the Holocaust – from its origins to its devastating conclusion. Holocaust Memorial Day is Monday 27 January. For more resources and information on upcoming events, head to hmd.org.uk. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 24

The word 'happiness' came into common usage in around the 17th century, but the concept has a much longer history. So how have people conceptualised happiness over time – and how have they sought to attain it? Historian Katie Barclay is one of the editors of The Routledge History of Happiness, and she joins Ellie Cawthorne to explore historical ideas about the most desirable of emotions. (Ad) Katie Barclay is one of the editors of The Routledge History of Happiness (Taylor & Francis, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-routledge-history-of-happiness%2Fkatie-barclay%2Fdarrin-mcmahon%2F9781032323190. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 23

In 1453, the once grand and formidable city of Constantinople fell to the hands of the Ottoman Turks – bringing over a millennium of Byzantine rule to a dramatic close, and heralding the rise of the Ottoman empire. But what caused this seismic moment? And how did the attack play out? Together with Emily Briffett, Professor Jonathan Harris journeys back to the 15th century to unravel how the Byzantine capital was seized – recounting the action and exploring the ramifications up to the modern day. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 22

What drives people to commit atrocities? Few periods in history confront this question as starkly as the rise of the Nazis, whose crimes stand as a chilling testament to humanity’s capacity for darkness. By investigating the psychological and social forces that enabled such evil, can we uncover vital warnings about how prejudice, conformity and obedience can escalate into unimaginable cruelty? Historian and film-maker Laurence Rees explores these ideas in his latest book The Nazi Mind and in today's episode, he discusses the topic further with Danny Bird. (Ad) Laurence Rees is the author of The Nazi Mind: Twelve Warnings from History (Viking, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inside-Nazi-Mind-Laurence-Rees/dp/1541702336/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Laurence Rees explains some of the short and long term causes of the Second World War: https://link.chtbl.com/ft3CDdo8. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 21

Sacagawea is remembered in US history as the Shoshone Native American woman who acted as interpreter to the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the early 19th-century mission to chart territory in the American West after the Louisiana Purchase. But what impact did her contributions have on the success of this eventful journey? How did her presence influence interactions with the various Native American tribes the expedition party encountered? And how has her legacy been interpreted and commemorated in the years since? Speaking to Rebecca Franks, Stephenie Ambrose Tubbs delves into the life of Sacagawea – from what we know about her early years to what her story can reveal about broader cultural attitudes toward Indigenous people in American history. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 20

The history of women's bodies is far from simple. Female anatomy and the ideas surrounding it – from breastfeeding to virginity – still cause contention today. From the surprising original Pandora myth to intact hymens being used as evidence in the court of law, Professor Helen King takes Lauren Good on a journey through the ever-changing cultural history of women's bodies. (Ad) Helen King is the author of Immaculate Forms: Uncovering the History of Women's Bodies (Profile Books, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fimmaculate-forms%2Fhelen-king%2F9781788163873. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 19

Do you know your Sumerians from your Babylonians and your Akkadians? All these civilisations formed part of the story of ancient Mesopotamia, where city states were formed, writing flourished, the wheel was possibly invented, mathematics was practiced, and dogs were gods, pets and warriors. Speaking to David Musgrove for today's 'everything you wanted to know' episode, Dr Moudhy Al-Rashid answers listener questions on the ancient region. (Ad) Moudhy Al-Rashid is the author of Between Two Rivers: Ancient Mesopotamia and the Birth of History (Hodder & Stoughton, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fbetween-two-rivers%2Fmoudhy-al-rashid%2F9781529392128. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 18

Later this week marks 60 years since the death of Winston Churchill, on 24 January 1965. So we thought it would be interesting to bring back this episode with Professor David Reynolds from 2023. In it, he explores how Winston Churchill’s remarkable career saw him interact with other great figures of the age, many of whom had a profound impact on Britain’s wartime leader. Speaking to Rob Attar, David examines Churchill’s relationships with the likes of Stalin, Mussolini, Gandhi and Clement Attlee – and considers how these figures left their mark on the statesman. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 17

London today is a bustling, multicultural city. But what about in the past? Emily Briffett spoke to Dr John Gallagher to find out more about the vibrant and exciting melting pot of languages and cultures that was Elizabethan London, exploring what life looked like for the migrant population and those who lived alongside them. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 16

What can Saint Augustine tell us about attitudes to grief in the Middle Ages? What made women steer clear of the shrine of Saint Cuthbert? And why did pilgrims bring gifts of wax to the dead saint William of Norwich? In his new book Medieval Saints and their Sins, Luke Daly examines the lives and afterlives of venerated holy people. Speaking to Emily Briffett for today's episode, he reveals what saints can tell us about the thoughts and fears of the Middle Ages. (Ad) Luke Daly is the author of Medieval Saints and their Sins: A New History of the Middle Ages through Saints and their Stories (Pen & Sword, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fmedieval-saints-and-their-sins%2Fluke-daly%2F9781399050623. Listen to Johanna Dale explore how the seventh-century Northumbrian king Oswald became an important medieval saint: https://link.chtbl.com/Io_79S1C. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 15

What makes a great historical movie? An accurate portrayal of a period, a nostalgic look back at the past, or simply a ripping yarn? Well, on our website HistoryExtra.com, we've been running a poll to crown the greatest historical movies of all time – nominated by historians and then voted for by you. The results are in, and in this episode, Kev Lochun speaks to historians and cinephiles Roger Luckhurst and Alex Von Tunzelmann to get their take on it all – from why Bill & Ted is a historical movie but Sense & Sensibility isn't, to whether the winning movie deserves the top spot. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 14

Nell Gwyn epitomised the wild spirit of the Restoration era. An orange-seller turned actress, turned royal mistress of King Charles II, she hustled her way to the very top with charm, wisecracks and withering putdowns. Sophie Shorland tells Ellie Cawthorne more about Gwyn's rags-to-riches story in this 'life of the week' episode. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 13

They attacked children. They exhumed dead bodies. They were even thought to be in league with the devil. And yet, despite this long list of misdemeanours, pigs were an indispensable part of urban life in the Middle Ages. Speaking to Spencer Mizen, Dolly Jørgensen reveals why medieval city-dwellers were so dependent on swine – and explains what city authorities did to prevent rogue pigs from running riot. (Ad) Dolly Jørgensen is the author of The Medieval Pig (Boydell Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Medieval-Pig-Nature-Environment-Middle/dp/183765168X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Listen to an audio version of Dolly's BBC History Magazine article on medieval pigs here: https://link.chtbl.com/OUgQYYSL. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 12

The Hanseatic League was often compared to a crocodile, because it was a shadowy, somewhat sinister entity that kept its true intentions concealed. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Professor Sheilagh Ogilvie answers listener questions on this medieval trading federation. She considers whether it was a precursor to the European Union, what tactics it employed to intimidate nation states and how it helped King Edward III secure the English throne. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 10

What was it like to undergo an operation in a world with no anaesthetic? How was the stethoscope invented? And when did surgeons first operate on a human heart? Talking to Lauren Good, Dr Carol Cooper explores the history of medicine through 12 pivotal objects – from the bone saw to the heart-lung machine. (Ad) Carol Cooper is the author of The History of Medicine in Twelve Objects (Quarto Publishing PLC, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/History-Medicine-Twelve-Objects/dp/0711294623#:~:text=An%20award%2Dwinning%20non%2Dfiction,Carol%20is%20also%20a%20novelist./?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 9

They spanned a continent, offered a conduit for soldiers and pilgrims alike – and may not have been as straight as legend suggests. Roman roads played a formative role in Europe's development for centuries, and have inspired its leaders right up to the present day. Catherine Fletcher, author of The Roads to Rome tells Matt Elton more about the long-lasting influence of these ancient highways. (Ad) Catherine Fletcher is the author of The Roads To Rome: A History (The Bodley Head, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Roads-Rome-History-Catherine-Fletcher/dp/184792803X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Hear Catherine Fletcher discuss the history of Florence, and offer her tips on Renaissance sites to visit in the city here: https://link.chtbl.com/I4AXl_kl. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 8

History is often told through the epic struggles of famous personalities or grand movements. Yet sometimes the voices of ordinary people break through. In this episode, Maurice J Casey speaks to Danny Bird about his new book, Hotel Lux, which follows three connected families through the upheavals of the 20th century. Bound by idealism, friendship and love, their journey begins in 1920s Moscow, inside a hotel that was once a sanctuary for international revolutionaries drawn to the Soviet Union’s bold vision for a better world. (Ad) Maurice J Casey is the author of Hotel Lux: An Intimate History of Communism's Forgotten Radicals (Footnote Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hotel-Lux-Intimate-Communisms-Forgotten/dp/180444099X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 7

Poisoned sweets. Criminal misdeeds. And a sex scandal involving… the prime-minister. Listen to HistoryExtra's new podcast History’s Greatest Scandals, delving into the murky underworld of The Victorians. Ellie Cawthorne and historian Professor Rosalind Crone take a journey through the backstreets of 19th-century Britain to explore the darker side of Victorian life. Sneaking into private parlours, descending into candlelit mines, frequenting grim workhouses and paying a visit to an unscrupulous confectioner, uncovering some of the biggest scandals of the day – and explore what they can reveal about Victorian age. Series 1 launches today, 7 Jan 2025. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/40kQYTz Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/33plhOIkO9rtli5btfziHE Listen everywhere else by searching: History's Greatest Conspiracy Theories You can listen ad-free, access episodes early and more by subscribing to HistoryExtra Plus here: https://apple.co/4fgRA1d . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 7

The name Susan B Anthony is inextricable from any history of the American movement for women's suffrage. Yet the life of the woman herself can be obscured by her status as a campaigner and figurehead. Speaking Elinor Evans, Susan Ware answers questions on the American social reformer and women's rights activist. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 6

Why did early Islamic cartographers place south at the top of their maps? Who invented the magnetic compass? And why has 'the west' become an intensely political term, as well as a geographical one? Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Jerry Brotton answers the most intriguing questions on the history of the four cardinal points: north, east, south and west. (Ad) Jerry Brotton is the author of The Four Points of the Compass: The Unexpected History of Direction (Allen Lane, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Four-Points-Compass-Unexpected-Direction/dp/0241556872/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Hear more from Jerry Brotton on the life and legacy of extraordinary cartographer Marie Tharp: https://link.chtbl.com/ZbHzAbh8. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 5

What was it like to live in a British town or city in the Middle Ages? Were they filthy hotbeds of crime and violence? How often did fires break out? And where could you get a good slap-up meal if you were hungry? In this 'everything you wanted to know' episode, historian Professor Carole Rawcliffe speaks to David Musgrove to answer listener questions about medieval urban life – from filth and fire, to fast food, foreigners and fighting on the streets. Professor Carole Rawcliffe explores the keep-fit trends of the Middle Ages: https://link.chtbl.com/vIShX27F. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 3

Harold Wilson is as central to the story of sixties Britain as the Beatles, Profumo and miniskirts. Admirers applauded the social reforms he introduced while in office; his critics accused the prime minister of being Machiavellian. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, former home secretary Alan Johnson – who has just written a biography of Wilson – reveals how he rode the wave of the cult of youth sweeping the nation. (Ad) Alan Johnson is the author of Wilson: Twentieth Century Man/ (Swift Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Harold-Wilson-Ministers-Alan-Johnson/dp/1800753322/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Check out our series in which historians nominate who they think was Britain's greatest prime minister here: https://www.historyextra.com/membership/britains-greatest-prime-minister-historyextra-podcast-series/ The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 2

The Sutton Hoo ship burial is one of the most famous discoveries in British archaeological history. But who is actually buried there? Or perhaps a better question is: why was the man buried with such a wealth of exotic goods? Dr Helen Gittos has a fascinating new theory that may alter our understanding of this major archaeological discovery. David Musgrove spoke to her to find out more. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 1

What were Jesus's views on sex? Why did so many Christians choose a life of celibacy? Has the church ever been tolerant of homosexuality? These are some of the questions explored by Professor Diarmaid MacCulloch in his new book Lower than the Angels, a sweeping 2,000-year history of sex and Christianity, which he expects will annoy a great many people. In today's episode, Rob Attar catches up with Diarmaid to find out why. (Ad) Diarmaid MacCulloch is the author of Lower than the Angels: A History of Sex and Christianity (Penguin, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Flower-than-the-angels%2Fdiarmaid-macculloch%2F9780241400937. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 31, 2024

Catherine the Great stands out from the rulers of Imperial Russia – a 'philosopher empress' whose wit, political savvy, and unyielding ambition transformed her empire into a European powerhouse. Seizing the throne through an audacious coup against her own husband, Catherine wielded her authority with an iron grip, balancing the volatile ambitions of her court while nurturing her vision of enlightened rule. Historian Janet Hartley speaks to Danny Bird about how Catherine corresponded with the era's leading philosophers, navigated scandalous love affairs and earned her glittering but contentious reputation — not just as an innovator but as the architect of Russia’s might. Here, Simon Sebag Montefiore answers listener questions about the history of imperial Russia’s formidable rulers: https://link.chtbl.com/QWPY1LAC. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 30, 2024

William of Normandy famously invaded England in 1066 – but, he didn't quite conquer it all. In fact, the duty of leading a second assault was left to his son William Rufus almost 30 years later. Speaking to David Musgrove, Sophie Ambler and Fiona Edmonds reveal how the second Norman Conquest came about in the 1090s, and explain how this story played out in little-studied kingdom of Cumbria. Listen to our podcast with Marc Morris, The Normans: Everything you wanted to know, here: https://link.chtbl.com/PFBA-VhF The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 29, 2024

The early medieval Carolingian empire played a crucial role in the development of Europe throughout the Middle Ages. Though the dynasty itself was not that long-lived, it was star-studded with famous rulers such as Charles Martel and Charlemagne, and its legacy stretched far and wide. In this 'everything you want to know' episode, Professor Matthew Gabriele speaks to David Musgrove to answer listener questions about this influential Frankish empire. (Ad) Matthew Gabriele is the co-author with David M Perry of Oathbreakers: The War of Brothers That Shattered an Empire and Made Medieval Europe (HarperCollins, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Oathbreakers-Brothers-Shattered-Empire-Medieval/dp/0063336677/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The Carolingian king Lothar II was embroiled in a scandal that destroyed his reign and ended his kingdom – Professor Charles West shares the story: https://link.chtbl.com/v2GgAvSP. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 28, 2024

Series two of SAS Rogue Heroes hits our screens later this week, so we're bringing you an episode to get you up to scratch on the WW2 escapades of Britain’s elite special forces. Why was the SAS – or Special Air Service – first founded? Who was responsible for its creation? And what impact did a parachuting padre have on the morale of its men in the aftermath of D-Day? In this episode, which first aired in 2023, author and broadcaster Joshua Levine answers listener questions on the SAS during the Second World War, in conversation with Jon Bauckham. The second series of SAS Rogue Heroes begins on BBC One on Wednesday 1 January at 9pm. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 27, 2024

The morning of Tuesday 19 September 1944 was ripe with possibility for Allied forces at Arnhem, says Al Murray. Just 24 hours later, the die of defeat had well and truly been cast. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, the comedian and history buff discusses the failure of this bold attempt to deliver a crushing blow to Nazi Germany – and considers how poor planning, over-confidence and strong German resistance came home to roost in 24 fateful hours. (Ad) Al Murray is the author of Arnhem: Black Tuesday (Bantam, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Arnhem-Tuesday-Classic-Battle-Before/dp/0857506560/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Hear more from Al Murray here: https://link.chtbl.com/x2R-SHj_. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 26, 2024

The 16th century is often seen as a 'golden age' of exploration, which witnessed England's emergence as a major player on the European stage. But it was also a period in which the English became embroiled in international wars and slave trading. In this fifth and final episode of our series Tudor England: the big questions, Emily Briffett and Tracy Borman venture out in search of unknown lands and riches – and come face to face with Tudor England’s major allies and rivals. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 24, 2024

Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter look back at the history behind some of the year's biggest news stories in this special episode of our monthly series From the rise of AI to a plethora of elections and life-saving vaccines, it's been a busy 12 months. Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter look back at the history behind some of the biggest stories of the year – and pick their favourite books of 2024, in this special episode of our monthly series. Interested in the podcasts Hannah and Rana mentioned? Listen to our conversations with the authors here: Gary Bass discusses his book //Judgement at Tokyo// – https://link.chtbl.com/gv8g8Rg8 Kathleen DuVal on her book //Native Nations// – https://link.chtbl.com/s8f1ON-e Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 23, 2024

From a sunken Tudor flagship brought back to life by the wonders of osteoarchaeology, to the tales of bravery and endurance surrounding the tragic fate of WW2's SS Gairsoppa, shipwrecks can reveal far more about human history than you might initially expect. Drawing on his experience as a diver and maritime archaeologist, David Gibbins speaks to Emily Briffett about the riches that lie beneath the waves, which can act as a porthole to the past. (Ad) David Gibbins is the author of A History of the World in Twelve Shipwrecks (Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fa-history-of-the-world-in-twelve-shipwrecks%2Fdavid-gibbins%2F9781399603485. Delve into the story of one of Britain's most famous shipwrecks, the Mary Rose: https://link.chtbl.com/W-qwGtLG. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 22, 2024

Radical rabble-rousers, trusted bankers and conscientious objectors; the Quakers have been viewed in many different ways down the centuries. Their non-conformist origins and unique religious principles have long set them apart from the rest of society, but their story touches on some of central themes of British and American history. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Quaker scholar and historian Ben Pink Dandelion answers the key questions on the history of the religious movement. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 21, 2024

Did Oliver Cromwell ban mince pies? When did people first give Christmas presents? And why does Santa wear red? Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne in this episode first aired in 2020, George Goodwin, historian and author of Christmas Traditions: A Celebration of Festive Lore, answers listener questions about the history of the festive period. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 20, 2024

Think of the transportation of convicts, and your mind probably goes to the arrival of the First Fleet in Australia in 1788. But, as historian Clare Anderson reveals in this episode, convict transportation is actually a much wider historical phenomenon. Speaking to Elinor Evans, Clare dives into the lesser-known aspects of this story, revealing how Britain’s penal system extended far beyond Australia to colonies across south-east Asia and beyond, revealing a complex network of forced labour, colonisation, and racial hierarchies that reshaped entire regions. (Ad) Clare Anderson is the author of Convicts: A Global History (Cambridge University Press, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Convicts-Global-History-Clare-Anderson/dp/1108814948/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. From criminal sentencing to colonial settlement, Nancy Cushing answers listener questions on the transportation of British convicts to Australia here: https://link.chtbl.com/pvs5BrKN. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 19, 2024

The English Reformation and the dissolution of the monasteries were major milestones in 16th-century England, shaking the very foundations of Tudor religious belief. But while the nation moved back and forth between Catholicism and Protestantism, how much did ordinary people continue to rely on age-old customs and folklore? In this fourth episode of our series Tudor England: the big questions, Emily Briffett and Tracy Borman unpick the complex web of Tudor beliefs – from the devout to the superstitious – and explore how religious upheaval rocked the nation. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 18, 2024

Churches were central to life in the Middle Ages. But with the Reformation wreaking havoc on religious buildings, nowadays it's hard to get a sense of what a medieval church would actually have looked like. As a stonemason and conservator, Andrew Ziminski has spent his working life restoring medieval churches, and he is the author of a new book, Church Going, all about the ins and outs of these historic religious buildings. Andrew speaks to David Musgrove about how churches originally looked and worked – and explains some of their oddities. (Ad) Andrew Ziminski is the author of Church Going: A Stonemason's Guide to the Churches of the British Isles (Profile Books, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fchurch-going%2Fandrew-ziminski%2F9781800818682. Hear more from Andrew Ziminski, as he talks about some of Britain’s most impressive stone buildings and monuments: https://link.chtbl.com/vxYSMNqA. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 17, 2024

From the fall of Granada to the issuing of the Alhambra decree, Isabella of Castile's reign was one that saw an extraordinary amount of history-altering events and, as such, has earned her a complex legacy. Speaking to Emily Briffett, Giles Tremlett introduces the woman who helped launch the Spanish Inquisition and financed Columbus' journey to the 'New World'. Giles Tremlett answers your questions about the Spanish Inquisition here: https://link.chtbl.com/lwH4DDc7. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 16, 2024

In 1860, the diverse Ottoman city of Damascus witnessed the massacre of thousands of Christians. The killings, combined with Constantinople’s hardline response, shattered the city’s tolerant society and it took 25 years for Damascus to recover its stability and prosperity. In this episode, historian Eugene Rogan speaks to Danny Bird to explain why these shocking events proved to be a watershed in the modern history of the Middle East. Please note this episode was recorded prior to the recent overthrowing of the regime of Bashar al-Assad. (Ad) Eugene Rogan is the author of The Damascus Events: The 1860 Massacre and the Destruction of the Old Ottoman World (Allen Lane, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Damascus-Events-Massacre-Destruction-Ottoman/dp/0241646901/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.IapvBEKCIqhQm-BbjKftljRk1TA_VBpZ7bXCg7threSN0bj6MPRltJGlS73YwU1CTss6Nc7uBxaLRCwrWnt2zcCrwloA-t6mMO1ojfST9HSOm-Ec9Hen0zY5TptmqLz0Z7G2ctxcDl6MxeUG3lWwXG_amqwTEMG0VZE9wR0ibxQobkXOhI6BklFEzoQJRGEI.SvyjmxOllS3heTUkDz-TdWlTflyf7JTwIsSmiD8DWMY&qid=1721830311&sr=1-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 15, 2024

When did people first start wearing underwear? What's the difference between drawers and bloomers? Did medieval women wear bras? Were Victorian corsets really as uncomfortable to wear as you might imagine? And why did men wear codpieces? In this 'everything you wanted to know' episode, Dr Serena Dyer answers listener questions on the history of underwear, in conversation with David Musgrove. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 13, 2024

The crown of thorns was one of the greatest medieval relics, supposedly pressed into the head of Jesus Christ by mocking Roman soldiers. Hunted down by an intrepid pair of Dominican friars, it was brought to Paris by French king Louis IX in the 13th century, and paraded through the streets. As the relic returns to its home in the rebuilt Notre Dame cathedral this week, Emily Guerry speaks to David Musgrove about the fabulous ceremony that marked its first arrival in the city, and reveals how it was almost destroyed by fire in 2019. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 12, 2024

Why were festivals and feasts such major events in the Tudor age? What toxic beauty products did Elizabeth I plaster her face with? And were the works of the celebrated playwright William Shakespeare smash hits in their time? In this third episode of our series Tudor England: the big questions, Emily Briffett and Tracy Borman sample the cultural delights of the Tudors - touching on art and theatre, fashion and festivals, science and innovation. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 11, 2024

As we get closer to Christmas, many people will be heading out to the shops to look for the perfect presents. And this mad dash in search of festive gifts is nothing new. In this episode, Annie Gray, author of The Bookshop, The Draper, The Candlestick Maker: A History of the High Street, takes Emily Briffett on a tour of our historical festive spending habits, from the horrors of visiting a Victorian butcher's shop to enormous seasonal turkey parades and outrageous stunts involving elephants. (Ad) Annie Gray is the author of The Bookshop, The Draper, The Candlestick Maker: A History of the High Street (Profile Books, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bookshop-Draper-Candlestick-Maker-History/dp/1800812248/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Annie Gray takes listeners on a shopping trip through the history of Britain's high streets: https://link.chtbl.com/kTqN1EaD. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 10, 2024

Robert the Bruce may be lauded as a Scottish national hero, a noble warrior who fended off the English and claimed a spectacular victory at the battle of Bannockburn. But how to true to life is this glowing image? This year marks the 750th anniversary of Robert's birth, and Emily Briffett spoke to Fiona Watson to reveal how Robert's path to the throne was more ruthless and murky that it may initially seem. Helen Carr tells the story of the battle of Bannockburn here: https://link.chtbl.com/-qmj0G5R. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 9, 2024

In 1945, Germany lay in ruins – both physically and morally. Nearly 80 years after the Second World War, it has since been transformed into an economic powerhouse and a leader on the world stage. Historian Frank Trentmann discusses this remarkable journey with Danny Bird, exploring Germany's Cold War division, guilt over its Nazi past, the nation's deep-rooted approach to environmental matters, and the evolving political landscape since Reunification. (Ad) Frank Trentmann is the author of Out of the Darkness: The Germans, 1942-2022 (Allen Lane, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Out-Darkness-1942-2022-Frank-Trentmann/dp/0241303494/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Listen to Daniel Cowling on Germany in the immediate aftermath of WW2 here: https://link.chtbl.com/Zn-AW5OQ. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 8, 2024

When did automatons first emerge? Which science-fiction depiction of robots is the most accurate? And why did so many people fall for a hoax machine called the "Mechanical Turk"? In conversation with Spencer Mizen, author and academic Kerry McInerney answers some of the most pressing questions on the history of robots. Michael Wooldridge explores our fascination with – and fear of – AI: https://link.chtbl.com/vUZSSfjm. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 6, 2024

For some, it's hard to imagine Britain without a king or queen. Yet, nearly 400 years ago, that prospect became a reality. In January 1649, after a bloody civil war, King Charles I was put on trial, found guilty and beheaded. The 11 years that followed witnessed a bold republican experiment that dominated the lives of those across Britain and Ireland. In this episode, Danny Bird speaks to Alice Hunt about her new book on this revolutionary chapter in history. She discusses a transformative decade which saw some of the 17th century's greatest literary and scientific minds cut their teeth, busts some myths about Cromwell's puritan cronies, and reveals how Britain’s republican decade has left an indelible mark on its modern monarchy and constitution. (Ad) Alice Hunt is the author of Republic: Britain’s Revolutionary Decade, 1649-1660 (Faber & Faber, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Republic-Britains-Revolutionary-Decade-1649-1660/dp/0571303196/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Ronald Hutton answers listener questions on Cromwell’s Protectorate: https://link.chtbl.com/9rP72VAb. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 5, 2024

What was the most popular pastime of the Tudor age? Why was bathing even once a month considered dangerous? And how could living alongside your pets help save on your heating bill in the 16th century? In this second episode of our series Tudor England: the big questions, Emily Briffett and Tracy Borman roam the towns and villages of Tudor England, painting a vivid picture of daily life – from fun and games to your chances of surviving the sweating sickness. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 4, 2024

Genghis Khan may have built a formidable land empire, but his grandson Kublai Khan mastered the seas. So how did a nomadic leader come to have such a formidable navy – and conquer China in the process? Emily Briffett spoke to Jack Weatherford about his new book on the subject, Emperor of the Seas, to find out more. (Ad) Jack Weatherford is the author of Emperor of the Seas: Kublai Khan and the Making of China (Bloomsbury Continuum, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Emperor-Seas-Kublai-Making-China/dp/1399417738/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 3, 2024

The disappearance of the princes in the Tower in 1483 is one of British history's most enduring mysteries. But a brand new discovery made by Professor Tim Thornton may offer some more clues about what happened to the young royals – and who was responsible. Tim's findings are the subject of a new documentary Princes in the Tower: A Damning Discovery, airing on Channel 5 this evening. Joined by the show's presenter Tracy Borman, Tim shares more details of his discovery, and what it means for this centuries-old cold case, with Ellie Cawthorne. Find out more about the findings in Princes in the Tower: A Damning Discovery, which airs Tuesday 3 December, 9pm on Channel 5 & My5. Or you can find the full academic overview of Professor Thornton’s research and discovery here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1468-229X.13430 The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 2, 2024

On 24 March 1953, a tenant of 10 Rillington Place, Notting Hill made a gruesome discovery. Inside the walls of the downstairs flat, he uncovered the bodies of three women. More were to follow. A nationwide manhunt was launched for the prime suspect, Reg Christie, and the murders quickly became a cause célèbre. In her new book The Peepshow, Kate Summerscale revisits this infamous case, and she speaks to Ellie Cawthorne to explore what it can tell us about life on the margins in postwar London. (Ad) Kate Summerscale is the author of The Peepshow: The Murders at 10 Rillington Place (Bloomsbury, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-peepshow%2Fkate-summerscale%2F9781526684721. Here, Laura Thompson examines the mysterious disappearance of Lord Lucan in 1974: https://link.chtbl.com/W9qSj_zv. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 1, 2024

By the time the Tudors took to the waves, much of the world had already been mapped by Europeans. So what was left for Tudor explorers to uncover – and should we call them 'explorers' at all? Historian Jerry Brotton doesn't think so. In this episode, he tells Kev Lochun how the Reformation drove the Tudors to sea, how Ireland became their Vietnam, and why some of the era's most famous names were little more than pirates. Jerry Brotton takes listeners on a whistle-stop tour around the world in AD 1500: https://link.chtbl.com/bddeD3xn. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 29, 2024

Nelson and Winnie Mandela were one of the most famous couples of the 20th century. Their relationship became a powerful symbol of the freedom struggle in apartheid South Africa, but it was also dogged by infidelity, violence, Nelson's long imprisonment and the oppressive weight of the regime they fought against. In Jonny Steinberg's recent book, Winnie & Nelson: Portrait of a Marriage, the South African writer chronicles a tragic love story that was both personal and deeply political. The book has recently been shortlisted for the Wolfson History Prize and Rob Attar caught up with Jonny to find out more. (Ad) Jonny Steinberg is the author of Winnie & Nelson: Portrait of a Marriage. Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Winnie-Nelson-Portrait-Jonny-Steinberg/dp/0008353816/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.KmlN3sG4q3MKXm4phhQXI0qL8CcrgGDdiVixMr6o5ljMCll4lG4iGfx_X9u-NA-eNhkb3jIHmQg8SuMBFHAHHA.7Lsc1sl0JyqIFd_6XD8Gopg5x2pRKfrW9Cv9wh5w-CY&qid=1732185976&sr=8-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hear our interviews with other Wolfson Prize-nominated authors here: Andrew Seaton discusses the history of the NHS: https://link.chtbl.com/X8o4qJLu Nicholas Radburn discusses trans-Atlantic slave traders: https://link.chtbl.com/QpkyndNR Nandini Das discusses England's first embassy to India: https://link.chtbl.com/jW3oyUkb The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 28, 2024

The Tudor world was a turbulent one, with momentous decisions reliant on the whims of those in power. But how was authority felt by the average person? And what were the consequences of losing favour with those in charge? In this first episode of our series Tudor England: the big questions, Tracy Borman introduces Emily Briffett to the movers and shakers of the Tudor royal court, exploring what it took to run the country - and escape the monarch’s wrath. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 27, 2024

From vicious court politicking and cultural innovation, to global voyages of discovery and total religious upheaval, Tudor England was a turbulent – and exciting – place to be. In this HistoryExtra podcast series, we’re heading right into the beating heart of the era to uncover what life was really like for those who lived through it – all in the company of author, historian and broadcaster, Tracy Borman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 27, 2024

In the 1840s, a strange, secretive community known as the Agapemonites set up camp in Spaxton, Somerset. Presided over by a rogue Anglican priest who believed he had a hotline to god, this religious cult attracted wealthy members in search of a deeper connection to the Lord. But once they had handed over their worldy possessions in order to join, the Agapemonites found it was rather harder to leave. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Stuart Flinders explores their story, from triple marriages and spiritual wives, to financial exploitation and suicide. (Ad) Stuart Flinders is the author of A Very British Cult: Rogue Priests and the Abode of Love (Icon Books, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Very-British-Cult-Rogue-Priests/dp/1837731470/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Hear Stephen Talty tell the story of the 1993 Waco siege, a standoff between a religious cult and the FBI:https://link.chtbl.com/cIi5wFEw. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 26, 2024

In the latest episode of our monthly series charting the past behind the present, historians Rana Mitter and Hannah Skoda explore the historical episodes that have most to tell us about Donald Trump's win in the US presidential election, and consider the political role of archbishops through the centuries. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 25, 2024

Humans have been infatuated with sport for thousands of years. But what drove this obsession in the first place? And how did ancient pursuits evolve into the games we know and love today? Jon Bauckham speaks to QI researchers and hosts of the podcast No Such Thing as a Fish James Harkin and Anna Ptaszynski about their new book on sporting history, discussing everything from doping to David Attenborough’s impact on snooker. (Ad) James Harkin and Anna Ptaszynski are the authors of A Load of Old Balls: The QI History of Sport (Faber & Faber, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Load-Old-Balls-History-Sport/dp/0571372546/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Listen to David Horspool discuss how sport has embedded itself in the fabric of British life: https://link.chtbl.com/RQsMQw5V. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 24, 2024

Ancient Egypt conjures up images of pharaohs, pyramids and hieroglyphics – but what about soldiers, generals and military campaigns? In today's episode, Jon Bauckham talks to Egyptologist Nicky Nielsen about the evolution of ancient Egyptian warfare – from the conquests of Thutmosis III to the pros and cons of the chariot. Listen to Nicky Nielsen discuss the battle the Megiddo, and how it supercharged the rise of one of Egypt's most formidable pharaohs: https://link.chtbl.com/4hV5FfY_. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 22, 2024

When the Allies invaded Italy in the summer of 1943 they hoped to be in Rome by Christmas. Instead, it wasn't until June 1944 that the Italian capital was liberated, following a gruelling march up the peninsula that ended with what James Holland describes as "five months of hell". In his new book, the historian, author and podcaster zones in on these months and in particular the brutal battle of Monte Cassino. Rob Attar caught up with James to find out more. (Ad) James Holland is the author of Cassino '44: Five Months of Hell in Italy (Transworld Publishers, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fcassino-44%2Fjames-holland%2F9780857505538. Hear more from James Holland on the bloody Italian campaign of WW2: https://link.chtbl.com/UQm9agKC. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 21, 2024

Each ocean voyage through history has laid down a track that tells a story. These invisible pathways across the seas can reveal how the world has been shaped by power, conquest and exploration. Dr Sara Caputo tells Elinor Evans more about how lines on a map can have real-world consequences. (Ad) Sara Caputo is the author of Tracks on the Ocean: A History of Trailblazing, Maps and Maritime Travel (Profile Books, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Paths-Ocean-Journeys-Became-Lines/dp/1788168828/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Here, Jonn Elledge considers how the lines we draw on maps have determined the course of history: https://link.chtbl.com/5bDP91Ns. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 20, 2024

When you think about 'the crusades', you probably think of a series of military campaigns in the Holy Land, representing a great battle between the forces of Islam and Christianity. But is this actually a helpful way to view the subject? Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian William Purkis opens the lid on historical scholarship to reveal the wide and complex reality of crusading fervour in the Middle Ages – and considers how, if we look at it from a different perspective, we might gain a truer insight into the medieval mindset. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 19, 2024

King Æthelred II ruled England from 978 to 1016 – with a little gap in 1014. Known to history as 'the Unready', he faced many challenges in his reign, not least the attentions of several Viking invasion forces. It was Æthelred's failure to deal with such threats that landed him with his rather unfortunate nickname. However, as Levi Roach explains to David Musgrove, the story of his reign is a far more complicated one, with long-term consequences. (Ad) Levi Roach is the author of Æthelred: The Unready (Yale University Press, 2016). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/AEthelred-Unready-Monarchs-Levi-Roach/dp/0300196296/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. If your enjoyed this medieval episode, be sure to listen to this episode where Joanna Story answers listener questions about the Anglo-Saxon kings and kingdoms: https://link.chtbl.com/dwG7ZNcl. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 18, 2024

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Britain’s country houses enjoyed something of a renaissance. No longer were stately homes only seen as the preserve of stuffy landed gentry. Instead, the aristocracy was joined by an entirely new class of industrialists and foreign elites, each keen to showcase their wealth and be the kings of their own castles. Jon Bauckham chats to Adrian Tinniswood about the rise of the country house lifestyle during this period, covering everything from gaudy interior design and Victorian burglar alarms to resident ghosts. (Ad) Adrian Tinniswood is the author of The Power and the Glory: The Country House Before the Great War (Vintage, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-power-and-the-glory%2Fadrian-tinniswood%2F9781787334168. Stephanie Barczewski reveals how many English country houses have a more turbulent and violent history than we might expect: https://link.chtbl.com/dJovycgn. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 17, 2024

The 19th century witnessed a revolution in Britain's schools, as compulsory mass education was rolled out, and thousands more children learnt how to read and write. But what was it like to study in a Victorian school? How tough was the discipline? How widespread was truancy? And did teachers get any formal training? These are among the questions that Spencer Mizen put to historian Rosalind Crone for our latest 'everything you wanted to know' episode on Victorian schools. Rosalind Crone answers your questions on the history of British prisons, here: https://link.chtbl.com/wP5obFg1. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 16, 2024

Who became a gladiator? Were they really the superstars of their day? And was giving a thumbs down for a death sentence a real thing? As Gladiator II hits cinemas, Emily Briffett speaks with historian Alison Futrell to answer your top questions about ancient Rome’s arena fighters, in this everything you wanted to know episode from 2022. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 15, 2024

Nelson is one of the most well-known historical figures from British history. His leadership of the British fleet to victory at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, and his death in the same battle, rendered him a national hero for generations. However, Nelson was also embroiled in a huge scandal during his lifetime, due his passionate affair with Lady Emma Hamilton, and recently questions have been raised about his attitude towards slavery and the slave trade. Historian and co-host of The Rest is History podcast, Dominic Sandbrook has written a book for children about the life of Nelson as part of his Adventures in Time/ series. Here, he discusses the complexities of the man, and the challenges of writing history for young people, with David Musgrove. (Ad) Dominic Sandbrook is the author of Nelson: Hero of the Seas (Particular Books, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Adventures-Time-Nelson-Hero-Seas/dp/0241552214/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 14, 2024

The medieval approach to sustainability was entirely different to ours today. In a world where the modern definition of 'waste' didn't even exist, the repair market boomed and building materials were rarely brand new. Speaking to Annette Kehnel, Lauren Good discovers what we might be able to learn from our medieval ancestors – from second-hand shopping to the history of paper manufacturing. (Ad) Annette Kehnel is the author of The Green Ages: Medieval Innovations in Sustainability (Profile Books, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Green-Ages-Medieval-Innovations-Sustainability/dp/1800816251/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Hear from Eleanor Barnett about how people in the past tackled food waste: https://link.chtbl.com/PxFKyfQ7. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 13, 2024

In the spring of 1540 Thomas Cromwell was at the height of his power, but just a few months later he found himself at the scaffold on Tower Hill preparing to be executed for treason and heresy. What had gone so badly wrong for Henry VIII's right-hand man? As the BBC drama Wolf Hall returns for a second series, Rob Attar speaks to Cromwell biographer Diarmaid MacCulloch about the precipitous downfall of a man who seemed to have it all. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 12, 2024

Joseph McCarthy's infamous crusade in the 1950s whipped up a frenzy of anti-communist sentiment across America – and wrecked the reputations of scores of people accused of harbouring sympathies for the Soviet Union. So what motived the Wisconsin senator, and why did McCarthyism prove so alluring? Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Nick Bunker discusses one of the most controversial figures in US political history. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 11, 2024

How did gladiators supercharge the rise of Julius Caesar? What can we learn about arena fighters from the petrified remains at Pompeii? And why did gladiatorial bouts get banned there for a whole decade? As Gladiator II arrives in cinemas later this week, Guy de la Bédoyère shares some lesser-known aspects of the history of gladiators with Kev Lochun. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 10, 2024

From their remote Yorkshire parsonage, sisters Emily, Charlotte and Anne Brontë penned stories that would capture the imaginations of generations of readers. But how popular were books such as Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights at the time? How did childhood games influence their Brontës' later writing? And how close can we get to their individual personalities? Speaking to Lauren Good, Claire O'Callaghan explores the lives of the literary sisters – from their Yorkshire upbringings to their tragic ends. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 8, 2024

On 7 November, 1974, nanny Sandra Rivett was found murdered in the affluent London neighbourhood of Belgravia. The prime suspect? The father of her young charges, Lord Lucan. But before the aristocrat could be questioned, he vanished, sparking one of the greatest cause célèbres of the 20th century. Author Laura Thompson tells Ellie Cawthorne more about the case, and what it can reveal about simmering class tensions in Britain at the time. (Ad) Laura Thompson is the author of A Different Class of Murder: The Story of Lord Lucan (Head of Zeus, 2014). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Different-Class-Murder-Laura-Thompson/dp/1781855366/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Kate Morgan chronicles the legal history of murder, discussing the cases that shaped UK murder laws: https://link.chtbl.com/kNn9jPWH. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 7, 2024

Henry V only had a short reign, but his legacy looms large over the medieval landscape. Remembered as a heroic warrior king, who bested the French at Harfleur then marched his forces to victory at Agincourt, few monarchs have such a distinguished reputation. But 'Prince Hal' wasn't always destined for greatness. Was he really the gadabout youth Shakespeare would have us believe? In the third episode of our three-part HistoryExtra podcast series 'Tyrant, Usurper, Hero', Helen Castor sits down with Dan Jones to learn more about Henry's life beyond the battlefield – and highlight what lessons he learned from the chaos caused by Richard II and Henry IV. (Ad) Helen Castor is the author of The Eagle and the Hart: The Tragedy of Richard II and Henry IV (Penguin, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-eagle-and-the-hart%2Fhelen-castor%2F9780241419328. (Ad) Dan Jones is the author of Henry V: The Astonishing Rise of England's Greatest Warrior King (Bloomsbury, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fhenry-v%2Fdan-jones%2F9781804541937. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 6, 2024

In June 1944 Allied armies landed in force in northern France, and the liberation of western Europe began. But, the battle that really sealed Hitler's fate was taking place in the east, as the Red Army prepared an almighty assault against the war-weary Wehrmacht. Speaking to Rob Attar, broadcaster and military historian Jonathan Dimbleby tells the story of this crucial year in the outcome of the Second World War and reveals how it was pivotal in outlining the future shape of Europe. (Ad) Jonathan Dimbleby is the author of Endgame 1944: How Stalin Won The War (Viking, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Endgame-1944-How-Stalin-Won/dp/0241536715/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 5, 2024

The Venerable Bede was a monk who lived in Northumbria 1300 years ago, but his influence reached far beyond the confines of his monastic home. In fact, he is remembered today as the 'Father of English History'. In this 'life of the week' episode, David Musgrove explores the life and long-lasting legacy of this early medieval scholar and saint, in the expert company of Professor Michelle P Brown. (Ad) Michelle P Brown is the author of Bede and the Theory of Everything (Reaktion Books, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bede-Theory-Everything-Medieval-Lives/dp/1789147883/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Dr Benjamin Pohl explores the role of medieval monks and abbots in writing histories: https://link.chtbl.com/-Ukj6sAg. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 4, 2024

How might cryptic messages written from within a political prison bring us closer to understanding a captive queen? Historian Jade Scott has studied the letters Mary, Queen of Scots wrote in captivity, and describes them as "her weapons, her armour, her battle strategy". Speaking to Lauren Good, she reveals what we can learn from these coded missives – from the huge varieties of cipher they contained to how the Queen of Scots smuggled them past her captors. (Ad) Jade Scott is the author of Captive Queen: The Decrypted History of Mary, Queen of Scots (Michael O'Mara Books, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fcaptive-queen%2Fjade-scott%2F9781789296464. Rosemary Goring reveals more about the Scottish years of Mary, Queen of Scots: https://link.chtbl.com/6WgzyzA0. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 3, 2024

How did British civilians respond when they found themselves under aerial bombardment during the Second World War? Was normal life put on hold during air raids? And was 'Blitz Spirit' a real thing? Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne for our latest 'everything you wanted to know' episode, historian Dan Todman answers your questions on the Blitz. Caroline Shenton reveals the secret mission to save Britain’s national artworks and artefacts from the Nazis during the Second World War: https://link.chtbl.com/u_9bMmXR. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 2, 2024

What drove a group of plotters to attempt to blow up the king on 5 November 1605? To what extent did the conspiracy sour relations between Protestants and Catholics? And why do we continue to be so fascinated by this extraordinary episode today? Speaking with Spencer Mizen in this episode from 2022, John Cooper answers listener questions about the gunpowder plot. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 1, 2024

First published in 2011, Simon Sebag Montefiore's book Jerusalem: The Biography charts life in the city across the course of centuries. Now he's returned with an updated version, which extends the story beyond 1967 right up to the present day. Simon speaks to Matt Elton about the importance and challenges of telling such a history, and explains how placing the city's recent history back into the longer context helps reveal continuities and parallels. (Ad) Simon Sebag Montefiore is the author of the newly updated version of Jerusalem: The Biography (Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jerusalem-Biography-Simon-Sebag-Montefiore/dp/1474614396#:~:text=A%20classic%20of%20modern%20literature,to%20the%20Israel%2DPalestine%20conflict/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Hear more from Simon in this episode, where he explores the entire history of the world through the prism of families: https://link.chtbl.com/Q4F0u--O. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 31, 2024

Henry Bolingbroke has gone down in history as the usurper that stole the English crown from the tyrant Richard II – and was later plagued by rebellion and ill health. But what else do we know about the man who later became Henry IV? In the second episode of our three-part HistoryExtra podcast series 'Tyrant, Usurper, Hero', Dan Jones speaks to Helen Castor to reveal more about this chivalric hero who could have made the ideal king – if only he had been born into the royal role. (Ad) Helen Castor is the author of The Eagle and the Hart: The Tragedy of Richard II and Henry IV (Penguin, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-eagle-and-the-hart%2Fhelen-castor%2F9780241419328. (Ad) Dan Jones is the author of Henry V: The Astonishing Rise of England's Greatest Warrior King (Bloomsbury, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fhenry-v%2Fdan-jones%2F9781804541937. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 30, 2024

Satanic sabbaths, magic potions and demonic toads – in the early 17th century, the Basque Country was convulsed by strange accusations of supernatural activities. A new book by Jan Machielsen explores why fears of witchcraft gained such traction in this isolated region on the French-Spanish border. He tells Ellie Cawthorne more about how overexcited judges, frightened children and geographical factors all played a role in fuelling the panic. (Ad) Jan Machielsen is the author of The Basque Witch-Hunt: A Secret History (Bloomsbury Academic, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Basque-Witch-Hunt-Secret-History/dp/1350441503/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Malcolm Gaskill discusses a little-known 17th-century witchcraft case: https://link.chtbl.com/5etfOMPo. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 29, 2024

From her groundbreaking work in nursing and public health reform to her battles against societal expectations and love of animals, Melissa Pritchard explores the life and legacy of English nurse and statistician Florence Nightingale. (Ad) Melissa Pritchard is the author of Flight of the Wild Swan (Bellevue, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Flight-Wild-Swan-Melissa-Pritchard/dp/1954276214/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 28, 2024

Was the moon landing faked? Did Shakespeare actually pen the works he’s credited with? And were the pyramids really built by aliens? In History's Greatest Conspiracy Theories, the new podcast from HistoryExtra, Rob Attar takes a deep dive into the some of history’s most compelling conspiracy theories in the company of expert historians to uncover if there's any truth behind these murky myths. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3Ap2seB Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4ZN5NPAHC9oG0JlHl6V1aK Listen everywhere else by searching: History's Greatest Conspiracy Theories You can listen ad-free, access episodes early and more by subscribing to HistoryExtra Plus here: https://apple.co/4fgRA1d . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 28, 2024

In a much-publicised race in the 1870s, the most celebrated athlete of his day, the long-distance pedestrian Edward P Weston, admitted that he had chewed coca leaves, sparking a frenzy of interest in the substance and its derivative, cocaine. For the next few decades, cocaine became a household ingredient in many products, and was perfectly legal. It wasn't until the early years of the 20th century that concerns began to be voiced about its dangerous addictiveness. Dr Douglas Small explains how cocaine won over the Victorians in this conversation with David Musgrove. (Ad) Douglas Small is the author of Cocaine, Literature, and Culture, 1876-1930 (Bloomsbury Academic, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Literature-1876-1930-Critical-Interventions-Humanities/dp/1350400092/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Here, Mike Jay reveals how scientists and thinkers experimented with drugs in the 19th century:https://link.chtbl.com/5-2SlN03. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 26, 2024

Was the medieval Church really anti-science? Why did one monk hurl himself from an the roof of his abbey tower in the name of experimentation? And what were the high-tech gadgets of the Middle Ages? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Seb Falk answers your questions on the often misunderstood realm of medieval science, highlighting the significant contributions made through scientific collaboration – from alchemy and astronomy, to optics and horology. Elma Brenner answers all your questions on medieval medicine: https://link.chtbl.com/SDRmhrgt. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 25, 2024

How did a Catholic religious celebration transform into a spooky, supernatural festivity? Why were turnips and swedes replaced by pumpkins? And what happened on ‘mischief night’? Speaking with Ellie Cawthorne for this episode originally aired in 2022, Professor Owen Davies uncovers the historical origins of popular traditions surrounding 31 October – from the malicious and downright dangerous beginnings of trick or treating to the ethereal inspirations for Jack-o’-lanterns. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 24, 2024

Marie de France, Julian of Norwich, Christine de Pizan and Margery Kempe: what can these four extraordinary female writers reveal about the everyday lives of ordinary women in the Middle Ages? Well, rather a lot, according to historian Hetta Howes. Looking closely at these authors' works, she captures glimpses into medieval lives that have otherwise been overshadowed – covering everything from the extent to which women had control over their bodies and freedoms, to female friendships and religious belief. Emily Briffett spoke to her to find out more. (Ad) Hetta Howes is the author of Poet, Mystic, Widow, Wife: The Extraordinary Lives of Medieval Women (Bloomsbury Continuum, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Poet-Mystic-Widow-Wife-Extraordinary/dp/1399408739/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Listen to Eleanor Janega answer your top questions on the lives of medieval women here: https://link.chtbl.com/-lRVMFOT. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 23, 2024

Richard II lacked all the qualities a medieval monarch needed, bar one: birthright. Born believing he was God's representative on Earth, the narcissistic tyrant seems to have done everything wrong. But did Richard just not understand what it meant to be king? In the first episode of this three-part HistoryExtra podcast series 'Tyrant, Usurper, Hero', Dan Jones and Helen Castor chart Richard’s eccentricities and the trials of his reign – from the monarch’s obsessive addiction to good hygiene to his involvement in the Peasant’s Revolt and eventual downfall. (Ad) Helen Castor is the author of The Eagle and the Hart: The Tragedy of Richard II and Henry IV (Penguin, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-eagle-and-the-hart%2Fhelen-castor%2F9780241419328 . (Ad) Dan Jones is the author of Henry V: The Astonishing Rise of England's Greatest Warrior King (Bloomsbury, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fhenry-v%2Fdan-jones%2F9781804541937. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 22, 2024

Climate change is an issue that animates politicians, scientists and activists around the world – but could looking to history help shape our approach to the climate crisis today? And what role do historians have to play in facing the issue? In this conversation with Matt Elton, best-selling author and historian Peter Frankopan and broadcaster and conservationist Chris Packham share their thoughts on these topics and more – and consider whether the past offers any optimism for the future. Listen to Eugene Linden speak about the history of our relationship with the environment here: https://link.chtbl.com/At5POjeV The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 21, 2024

In the latest episode of our monthly series charting the past behind the present, Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter explore the history of political memoirs, Britain's changing energy supplies across the centuries, and conflicts over access to the countryside. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 20, 2024

Late Tudor England was a dangerous place, with plots both at home and abroad, and no certainty about who was going to succeed the ageing queen, Elizabeth I. Into this perilous world stepped Robert Cecil, a brilliant but unglamorous statesman and spymaster who played a pivotal role in keeping the country together and ensuring a smooth transition to the Stuart monarchy. Professor Stephen Alford speaks to Rob Attar about this unheralded titan of the Tudor and Stuart courts. (Ad) Stephen Alford is the author of //All His Spies: The Secret World of Robert Cecil// (Penguin, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fall-his-spies%2Fstephen-alford%2F9780241423479. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 19, 2024

On today's Everything You Wanted to Know episode, we're covering the Korean War, exploring how the nation came to be divided in two, what the impact of fighting was on the peninsular's civilian population, and how close the clash came to going nuclear. In conversation with Spencer Mizen, Owen Miller of the Centre of Korean Studies at SOAS answers your questions on the Cold War conflict. Check out our Everything you wanted to know episode on the Vietnam War here: https://link.chtbl.com/swCXZNQa The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 17, 2024

How many slaves were there in the Roman empire? Were they cruelly treated, or could they sometimes go on to win fame, fortune and freedom? And how often did they – like Spartacus –rebel? Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Guy de la Bédoyère explores the remarkable, and often brutal, history of slavery in the ancient world's most powerful empire. (Ad) Guy de la Bédoyère is the author of Populus: Living and Dying in the Wealth, Smoke and Din of Ancient Rome (Abacus, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Populus-Living-Dying-Wealth-Ancient/dp/1408715155/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Hannah Platts takes listeners on a multi-sensory tour of the ancient Roman home, here: https://link.chtbl.com/c63G6iV4. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 16, 2024

William of Normandy’s victory at the Battle of Hastings in October 1066 was far from the end of the Norman Conquest of England. It took many years, and putting down no small amount of rebellion, for William to fully establish control. In the final episode of our new series on 1066, Marc Morris discusses the long story of the Norman Conquest with David Musgrove. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 15, 2024

A century ago, in 1924, the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley opened its doors, receiving as many as 27 million visits over two years. It was a grand declaration of an empire at its territorial height. But behind the spectacle was a superpower grappling with its position on the world stage, seeking to recalibrate its own sense of influence and importance. Speaking to Elinor Evans, Matthew Parker takes listeners inside the exhibition, which featured huge sporting events and battle reenactments, glamorous pavilions showcasing new technology and science – and even a replica of Tutankhamun’s tomb. To listen to Matthew Parker discussing events that occurred across the British empire on one specific day in 1923, click here: https://link.chtbl.com/lsjrz1z8 The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 14, 2024

Across the 65 years of his life, writer John Milton packed a lot in: poet, polemicist, political operator – engaging with ideas that often challenged the status quo. In today's Life of the Week episode, Professor Islam Issa speaks to Matt Elton about the life and legacy of this 17th-century polymath. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 13, 2024

Why were so many Germans prepared to participate in the crimes of the Third Reich? It's a question that has exercised historians and the wider public for decades, and now, in his new book, Hitler's People, Professor Richard J Evans seeks to provide an answer. In this episode, he speaks to Rob Attar about what drove people – from lowly functionaries to Hitler himself – to engage in acts of mass murder. (Ad) Richard J Evans is the author of Hitler's People: The Faces of the Third Reich (Allen Lane, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fhitlers-people%2Frichard-j-evans%2F9780241471500. Listen to Mary Fulbrook explore why so many people went along with the Nazi regime here: https://link.chtbl.com/T3TDEbo8. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 12, 2024

Denounced as heretics by the Catholic church, the Cathars were a offshoot Christian movement which emerged in southern Europe during the 12th century. But what was it about their beliefs that was so outrageous to the orthodox medieval church? And why was their existence quickly snuffed out? Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian Claire Taylor reveals more about the Cathars' way of life and the efforts made to suppress them. Hear Giles Tremlett answer listener questions on the Spanish Inquisition here: https://link.chtbl.com/lwH4DDc7 The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 11, 2024

October is Black History Month here in the UK. But how far back does the story of black people in Britain stretch - and what evidence do we have about their experiences? Speaking to Charlotte Hodgman in this episode from 2022, historian Hannah Cusworth answers your top questions about black British history. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 10, 2024

Daring department store stunts. Warming cups of cocoa. Argumentative bartering with butchers. What can revisiting high streets gone by reveal about British social history? Historian Annie Gray takes listeners on a shopping trip through the centuries, telling Ellie Cawthorne more about the goods, refreshments and entertainment on offer. (Ad) Annie Gray is the author of The Bookshop, The Draper, The Candlestick Maker: A History of the High Street (Profile Books, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bookshop-Draper-Candlestick-Maker-History/dp/1800812248/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Annie Gray revisits the life of Churchill's cook during the Second World War here: https://link.chtbl.com/kzJZF5Gk. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 9, 2024

The year 1066 is the most famous in English history. It was marked by not just one, but three major battles, and saw three different men ruling as king of England. Marc Morris, in conversation with David Musgrove, outlines how the tumultuous year played out and charts the fates of the key contenders in the fight for England's throne. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 8, 2024

In the 18th century, two men – Carl Linnaeus and Georges-Louis de Buffon – both independently took on a mammoth task. They set out to identify, describe and categorise all life on Earth. Speaking to Matt Elton, Jason Roberts charts the two naturalists' hugely different views and approaches – and how they shaped our view of the natural world for centuries. (Ad) Jason Roberts is the author of Every Living Thing: The Great and Deadly Race to Know All Life (Quercus, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fevery-living-thing%2Fjason-roberts%2F9781529400465. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 7, 2024

King John has a terrible reputation. He's best known as the monarch who broke the terms of Magna Carta, lost Normandy to the French and committed numerous acts of unspeakable cruelty. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Nicholas Vincent considers if John really was as bad as all that - or if, indeed, he was even worse. Hear Nicholas Vincent discuss the Second Barons' War here: https://link.chtbl.com/77CrHf0Q. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 6, 2024

We know the Vikings best as brutal, seafaring, pagan raiders – and that’s an important part of their lives and histories. But it’s only one aspect: what about their love lives, experiences of travels, and attitudes to religion? Speaking with James Osborne, Eleanor Barraclough unpicks the day-to-day lives and culture of the Vikings across their vast – and complicated – geographic domain and timeline. (Ad) Eleanor Barraclough is the author of Embers of the Hands: Hidden Histories of the Viking Age (Profile Books, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Embers-Hands-Intimate-History-Viking/dp/1788166744/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 5, 2024

Chances are, like most of us, you probably enjoy a good cup of tea. But how did the world come to be so obsessed with this now-ubiquitous hot beverage? Where did it originate? How did trading it trigger wars? And when did people first experience the delights of an elegant afternoon tea? Elinor Evans puts your top questions on tea to historian, writer, and tea specialist Jane Pettigrew. Listen to Jonathan Morris chart the history of another of the world's favourite hot drinks, coffee: https://link.chtbl.com/rwuCVcs9. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 3, 2024

Apprehending thieves in the street. Disguising as housemaids to spy on adulterous husbands. Investigating and exposing child abuse. The exploits of women detectives in the Victorian era were dramatic, secretive, and often dangerous. Author and historian Sara Lodge tells Ellie Cawthorne more about these sleuths and the roles they played in 19th-century crime fighting. (Ad) Sara Lodge is the author of The Mysterious Case of the Victorian Female Detective (Yale University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-mysterious-case-of-the-victorian-female-detective%2Fsara-lodge%2F9780300277883 . Listen to Drew Gray tackle listener question on crime, courts, policing and prisons in 19th-century Britain: https://link.chtbl.com/SGjwBedr. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 2, 2024

Harold II – best known as the defeated king who reportedly got an arrow through the eye at the Battle of Hastings – was part of the Godwin family. In this episode, Marc Morris reveals how the Godwins were the power behind the throne through much of the reign of Harold’s predecessor, King Edward the Confessor. He explains to David Musgrove why the family came to prominence and how Harold managed to take the crown for himself after King Edward’s death at the start of 1066. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 1, 2024

When we think of American civil rights, we tend to focus on the mid 20th-century and the likes of Martin Luther King Jr and Rosa Parks, who fought for the rights of black people in an era of segregation. But, in his revelatory new book, Before the Movement, which has recently been shortlisted for the Cundill History Prize, Dylan Penningroth tells a much longer and broader story, beginning in the era of slavery and focusing on everyday legal matters that historians have often overlooked. Rob Attar speaks to Dylan to find out more about this little-known aspect of black American history. (Ad) Dylan Penningroth is the author of Before the Movement: The Hidden History of Black Civil Rights (Liveright Publishing Corporation, 2023). Preorder it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Before-Movement-Hidden-History-Rights/dp/1324093102/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Listen to the first episode of our podcast series on the US civil rights movement of the mid 20th century here: https://link.chtbl.com/QhlMnTrM. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 30, 2024

Historian and biographer Susan Ware joins Elinor Evans to discuss the life of Eleanor Roosevelt, from her transformative role as First Lady of the United States during her husband Franklin Delano Roosevelt's presidency, to her advocacy for human rights amid personal tumult. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 29, 2024

Today there are an estimated 450 million guns in civilian hands in the United States – ten times the number than at the end of the Second World War. But how did that conflict spark a weaponry boom? And what are the social and economic currents that have led the US to have more guns than people? Matt Elton speaks to Andrew C McKevitt, whose Cundill History Prize-shortlisted book Gun Country explores these questions. (Ad) Andrew C McKevitt is the author of Gun Country: Gun Capitalism, Culture, and Control in Cold War America (The University of North Carolina Press, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gun-Country-Capitalism-Culture-Control/dp/1469677245/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Find out more about the Cundill History Prize here: https://www.cundillprize.com The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 28, 2024

First published in 1848, the The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels presents communism as a 'spectre' haunting Europe. During the century that followed, this revolutionary ideology swept the world and left an indelible mark on the geopolitical dynamics of the modern age. Historian Maurice J Casey talks to Danny Bird about the history of communism – from Bolshevik emigrés and the fall of the Berlin Wall; to the rise of the Comintern and the legacy of anticommunism. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 26, 2024

When Allied forces arrived in Naples in October 1943, they found a city on its knees. Already ravaged by three years of war, Naples had been further decimated by German occupiers and now faced a desperate battle to get back on its feet as the Second World War continued to unfold around it. In this episode, the historian Keith Lowe joins Rob Attar to explore the story of the first major European city to be liberated by the Allies – a tale of ingenuity and heroism, immorality and despair. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 25, 2024

The roots of the Norman Conquest of 1066 can be traced all the way back to 1016 – when England was hit by an earlier foreign invasion. This time, the assault came from Denmark and the forces of Cnut. In the first episode of our new series on 1066, Marc Morris talks to David Musgrove about how the events of the early 11th century set the scene for the Norman invasion half a century later. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 24, 2024

In the run-up to the Second World War, Winston Churchill's Kent home, Chartwell, was transformed from a cosy country pile to an informal Home Office, as the politician invited influential guests to come for dinner, drinks.... and off-the-record discussions. From 'Lawrence of Arabia' to Albert Einstein, Katherine Carter tells Ellie Cawthorne how these visitors shaped Churchill's views about the looming prospect of war. (Ad) Katherine Carter is the author Churchill's Citadel: Chartwell and the Gatherings Before the Storm (Yale University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Churchills-Citadel-Chartwell-Gatherings-Before/dp/0300270194/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 23, 2024

Henry VII has gone down in history as the miserable miser who, rightly or wrongly, seized the English Crown from the hands of Richard III at the battle of Bosworth. But, according to historian and author Nathen Amin, Henry's rise to power was unprecedented – and his rotten reputation blown out of proportion. In this 'Life of the week' episode, Nathen speaks to Emily Briffett about the life and legacy of the first Tudor monarch – from his major political successes to his close family bonds. (Ad) Nathen Amin is the author of Son of Prophecy: The Rise of Henry Tudor (Amberly, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Son-Prophecy-Rise-Henry-Tudor/dp/1398110477/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 22, 2024

In 1946, as Japan stood in ruins at the end of the Second World War, an international trial was launched in Tokyo. It was a mammoth legal and political undertaking that lasted more than two years, as top Japanese leaders were tried by a panel of 11 international judges for war crimes, crimes against humanity and crimes against peace. Historian Gary Bass is the author of the Cundill History Prize-shortlisted book on the trials, Judgement at Tokyo. As he tells Ellie Cawthorne, it wasn't just the fates of the defendants that were on line – but also Japan's reputation on the global stage. (Ad) Gary Bass is the author of Judgment at Tokyo: World War II on Trial and the Making of Modern Asia (Knopf Publishing Group, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stone-Circles-Field-Guide/dp/0300235984/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Hear our podcast with Tobias Buck on a 21st-century Holocaust trial here: https://link.chtbl.com/k2HY09Zq The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. To find out more about the Cundill History Prize and the books shortlisted in 2024, head to www.cundillprize.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 21, 2024

What do we know about James I's sexuality? How did Charles I squander his throne? How successful was the 'Glorious Revolution'? And why is the turbulence of the 17th century still overshadowed by the Tudors? In today's Everything you wanted to know episode, Anna Keay answers your queries on the Stuart dynasty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 19, 2024

From the Mongol expansion to the world wars, and from colonialism to the slave trade, the biggest historical events of the past 500 years have reshaped not only human history, but also the natural world around us. Sunil Amrith tells Ellie Cawthorne more about how colonialism, war and exploitation have gone hand in hand with the destruction of natural environments, and asks whether reconsidering history from an environmental perspective can offer any lessons for tackling the climate crisis today. (Ad) Sunil Amrith is the author of The Burning Earth: An Environmental History of the Last 500 Years (Allen Lane, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Burning-Earth-Material-History-Years/dp/0241461987/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Listen to another fascinating conversation on environmental history with Peter Frankopan here: https://link.chtbl.com/c_bkCrzj. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 18, 2024

Why are we still so obsessed with ancient Egypt? In this fifth episode of Ancient Egypt: the big questions, Emily Briffett is joined by curator and Egyptologist Campbell Price for a final time to explore the enduring legacy and influence of ancient Egypt – from the 'Egyptomania' that gripped Victorian Britain to key discoveries that have shaped our understanding of Egypt’s past. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 17, 2024

Soon after gaining independence from Belgium in 1960, the new Republic of the Congo was rocked by the assassination of its young firebrand leader, Patrice Lumumba. Stuart A Reid unpicks this story in his Cundill History Prize-shortlisted book The Lumumba Plot. He speaks to Elinor Evans to unravel the tumult that followed independence and the devastating implications of Lumumba's death. Plus, Stuart reveals more about the CIA's murky role in the leader's brutal execution. (Ad) Stuart A Reid is the author of The Lumumba Plot: The Secret History of the CIA and a Cold War Assassination (Knopf, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lumumba-Plot-Secret-History-Assassination-ebook/dp/B0BRMMVWBY/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Find out more about the Cundill History Prize here: https://www.cundillprize.com The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 16, 2024

Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter discuss the historical news stories that have made headlines this month In the latest episode of our monthly series charting the past behind the present, Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter explore the history behind a row about the Olympic rings staying on the Eiffel Tower, Viking-era treasure that offers new insights about global trade, and what we can learn from new underwater footage of the Titanic. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 15, 2024

From the Roman economy and Angkor Wat to the spread of Buddhism and the numerical system we use today, ancient India was one of the great seedbeds of human civilisation. Indian art, religion, technology and ideas were exported across a vast territory, influencing several Eurasian cultures. Speaking to Danny Bird, bestselling historian William Dalrymple discusses his latest book, The Golden Road, which highlights India's profound impact on global history and uncovers its forgotten role at the heart of the ancient world. (Ad) William Dalrymple is the author of The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World (Bloomsbury, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Golden-Road-Ancient-India-Transformed/dp/140886441X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 14, 2024

The Hittites were one of the most powerful civilisations in the Near East, building a vast empire that encompassed much of modern-day Turkey. But aside from a few vague references in ancient texts, proof of their existence was not established until the 20th century, when the discovery of more than 10,000 clay tablets laid bare the story of the Hittite kingdom and its rulers. Historian Mark Weeden talks to Jon Bauckham about the rise and fall of this elusive people, and reveals what we can glean from the surviving physical evidence. Listen to our episode with Zainab Bahrani, where she tackles listener questions about the ancient Mesopotamian city of Babylon: https://link.chtbl.com/9xMgWiPX The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 12, 2024

In May 1980, TV coverage of the world snooker final was interrupted by live footage of men in black balaclavas abseiling down the walls of the Iranian Embassy in London. This was Operation Nimrod, a daring SAS plan to free dozens of hostages who'd been held captive in the building for almost a week by a group of gunmen. In his new book, bestselling author Ben Macintyre tells the story of the Iranian Embassy siege, from its roots in the Middle East to its incredibly dramatic conclusion. He spoke to Rob Attar about this defining event of Margaret Thatcher's premiership. (Ad) Ben Macintyre is the author of The Siege: The Remarkable Story of the Greatest SAS Hostage Drama (Viking, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Siege-Remarkable-Story-Greatest-Hostage/dp/0241675677/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 11, 2024

Nothing is more synonymous with ancient Egypt than mummification. But why was this postmortem practice actually performed? And what other rituals and beliefs surrounded death in the ancient civilisation? In the fourth episode of Ancient Egypt: the big questions, Emily Briffett and Campbell Price meet the pantheon of Egypt’s gods and goddesses and take a deep dive into the ancient underworld. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 10, 2024

The story of Native American societies decimated by European arrival is a familiar one. But, while undoubtedly important, that’s only one part of the story. In her new book Native Nations, Kathleen DuVal looks back at 1,000 years of the history of North America's Indigenous people to uncover a richer, more complex picture. The book is shortlisted for the Cundill History Prize, of which HistoryExtra is a media partner – Ellie Cawthorne spoke to Kathleen to find out more. (Ad) Kathleen DuVal is the author of Native Nations: A Millennium in North America (Random House, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Native-Nations-Millennium-North-America/dp/0525511032/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Listen to another fascinating conversation on Native American history with Ned Blackhawk here: https://link.chtbl.com/J6bICRQg. To find out more about the Cundill History Prize and the books shortlisted in 2024, head to www.cundillprize.com The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 9, 2024

From pioneering railways and awe-inspiring bridges to ocean-spanning passenger ships and flatpack hospitals, there was no engineering challenge too ambitious for Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The impressive creations of this cigar-chomping polymath changed the face of Victorian Britain, but, as Tim Bryan tells Ellie Cawthorne in today's 'Life of the week' episode, not all of his innovative ideas were a success. (Ad) Tim Bryan is the author of Iron, Stone and Steam: Brunel's Railway Empire (Amberley, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Iron-Stone-Steam-Brunels-Railway/dp/1398112690/ref=sr_1_1?crid=6ZGR6WI6DAVX&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.9TpLNZDaoSmGAiUuw0Z9Wg.kwSt3aLudrlvenUjG2s6OxnOA9-x0sffJJYdBG6EzaQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=Iron%2C+Stone+and+Steam+tim+bryan&qid=1722596505&s=books&sprefix=iron+stone+and+steam+tim+bryan%2Cstripbooks%2C76&sr=1-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 8, 2024

Recent developments in the Russia-Ukraine war have seen Kursk make headlines – provoking parallels with the Second World War battle that took place in the region. But are such links helpful? And how important was the 1943 clash to the wider war? Matt Elton caught up with historian and author Peter Caddick-Adams to find out more. Listen to a 2022 conversation with Keith Lowe, as he discusses how today’s conflict between Russia and Ukraine can be traced back to the Second World War: https://link.chtbl.com/3MLn9TgZ. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 7, 2024

Why were people tortured in the Middle Ages? Was it ever legal? Did the infliction of physical pain play as large a role in medieval prosecutions as we might think? And did anyone actually experience the deadly embrace of the Iron Maiden? Speaking to Charlotte Hodgman, historian Professor Hannah Skoda answers a range of listener questions on torture in the medieval era. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 5, 2024

Just how far does our understanding of the medieval past rely upon written sources? And what happens when these precious fragments of knowledge are destroyed? Taking in shocking cases of destruction and disaster, Robert Bartlett tells Emily Briffett about the material that has been lost down the centuries, and the heroic efforts made by scholars and archivists to preserve fragile slivers of information about a past that would be forgotten without them. (Ad) Robert Bartlett is the author of History in Flames: The Destruction and Survival of Medieval Manuscripts (Cambridge University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fhistory-in-flames%2Frobert-bartlett%2F9781009457156. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 4, 2024

What would an average ancient Egyptian citizen's relationship have been with the pyramids? Why did they wear gooey wax cones on their heads? And what was it like to attend an Egyptian religious ritual? In this third episode of our series Ancient Egypt: the big questions, Emily Briffett and Egyptologist Campbell Price delve into the vibrant world of ancient Egyptian culture – taking in the art, architecture, fashion and festivals. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 3, 2024

Were hunter-gatherer societies among the most equal in history? What impact did the French and American Revolutions have on the concept of equality? And has equality been on the retreat over the past three decades? Darrin M McMahon, author of Equality: The History of an Elusive Idea, talks to Spencer Mizen about humanity's enduring obsession with egalitarianism. (Ad) Darrin M McMahon is the author of Equality: The History of an Elusive Idea (Bonnier, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-HistoryiPad&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fequality%2Fdarrin-mcmahon%2F9781804186831) The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 2, 2024

From his famed statue of David to the extraordinary paintings that adorn the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo’s work still inspires awe. In this episode, Professor Catherine Fletcher speaks to Rachel Dinning about the life, legacy and extraordinary artistic output of the Renaissance sculptor, painter, architect and poet. Hear Catherine Fletcher discuss the history of Florence, and offer her tips on Renaissance sites to visit in the city here: https://link.chtbl.com/I4AXl_kl. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 1, 2024

The battle of Megiddo is one of the most important battles you've (probably) never heard of. When an army led by Pharaoh Thutmosis III clashed with a coalition of enemy forces 35 centuries ago, Egypt's status as a regional superpower was on the line. Luckily for the Egyptians – as Nicky Nielsen tells Spencer Mizen - Thutmosis had a few surprises up his sleeve… The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 31, 2024

If you've ever visited one of the many prehistoric stone circles that dot the landscape of Britain and Ireland, you've probably come away with lots of questions. How were they built? When were they built? Why were they built? And what on earth were they for? In this 'everything you want to know' episode, we've got the answers – or at least some of them – for you, as Professor Vicki Cummings delves into the history of prehistoric stone circles with David Musgrove. (Ad) Vicki Cummings is co-author of Stone Circles: A Field Guide (Yale University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stone-Circles-Field-Guide/dp/0300235984/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Listen to our episode with Mike Pitts on Britain’s most famous prehistoric monument, Stonehenge, here:https://link.chtbl.com/iAT9Pelw. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 29, 2024

In AD 165, the Roman empire was enjoying a period of seemingly unprecedented prosperity and stability. Then, the Antonine Plague arrived, bringing with it death, chaos, and fear. Speaking with James Osborne, Colin Elliott, author of Pox Romana, dissects the impact of this devastating plague on Roman society, and questions whether it was the cause of the empire's eventual demise. (Ad) Colin Elliott is the author of Pox Romana: The Plague That Shook the Roman World (Princeton University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pox-Romana-Turning-Ancient-History/dp/069121915X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 28, 2024

Ever wondered where an ancient Egyptian did their food shop? Or how crocodile dung could cure your ailments? In this second episode of our series Ancient Egypt: the big questions, Emily Briffett and Egyptologist Campbell Price turn their attention to the day-to-day experiences of ordinary Egyptians, painting a vivid picture of life along the Nile – from family relationships to food and medicine. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 27, 2024

From false rumps and fake teeth to toxic skincare and insect-laden wigs, over the past 400 years, British women have resorted to extraordinary lengths in the pursuit of beauty. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Margarette Lincoln delves into some of these past beauty practices, and considers their impact on the women who engaged in them. (Ad) Margarette Lincoln is the author of Perfection: 400 Years of Women's Quest for Beauty (Yale University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Perfection-Years-Womens-Quest-Beauty/dp/0300264585/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 26, 2024

The year AD 69 found the Roman empire in a state of chaos. Three emperors had come and gone. Civil war reigned supreme. Rome's enemies smelled blood. Enter Vespasian. In the latest instalment of our 'life of the week' series, Guy de la Bédoyère tells Spencer Mizen about an outsider emperor, who helped conquer Britain, crushed the Jewish Revolt and returned peace and prosperity to an empire on the brink. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 25, 2024

On 20 December 1848, Ellen Craft placed a top hat on her head, slipped her arm into a sling, and perched dark green glasses on her nose. Once her disguise was complete, Ellen and her husband William embarked on almighty journey. The couple were enslaved, and had assumed fake identities in order to make a bold bid for freedom. But the journey they faced was more than 1,000 miles long, and fraught with danger. Ilyon Woo, author of a Pulitzer-prize winning biography of the Crafts, tells Ellie Cawthorne more about how they managed to make it undetected. (Ad) Ilyon Woo is the author of Master Slave Husband Wife: An Epic Journey from Slavery to Freedom (Bonnier books, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fmaster-slave-husband-wife%2Filyon-woo%2F9781804184851. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 24, 2024

The Abbasid caliphs sat at the head of a vast Islamic empire that stretched from Tunisia to the frontiers of India, which they ruled over for several centuries. But how did they first come to power? What tools did they utilise to control such a significant swathe of land? And to what extent were they responsible for a 'Golden Age of Islam'? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Hugh Kennedy charts the rise and fall of a multicultural medieval empire and answers your top questions – on everything from the harem of the strictly structured court to the enormous amount of scholarship that flowed through the caliphate. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 22, 2024

The medieval crusades are remembered for their sweeping military campaigns. But they also engendered a brutality that went beyond the battlefield – in the form of a violent criminal underbelly, fuelled by hordes a dislocated, disinhibited young men. Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian Steve Tibble uncovers why the Holy Land became a hotbed of lawlessness, and shares some of the most surprising stories of the time – from saintly pirates and gangs led by prisoners-of-war, to devious and deceitful murderers. (Ad) Steve Tibble is the author of Crusader Criminals: The Knights Who Went Rogue in the Holy Land (Yale University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fcrusader-criminals%2Fsteve-tibble%2F9780300276077%23%3A~%3Atext%3DCrusader%20Criminals%20charts%20the%20downward%2Csurprising%20stories%20of%20the%20time.%26text%3DThe%20religious%20wars%20of%20the%20crusades%20are%20renowned%20for%20their%20military%20engagements.%2C-But%20the%20period. Listen to our conversation with Steve Tibble on conspiracy theories surrounding the Knights Templar here: https://link.chtbl.com/ConspiracyKnightsTemplar. And you can hear our series on the First Crusade here: https://link.chtbl.com/FirstCrusades1 The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 21, 2024

You’re probably familiar with the idea of godly pharaohs, menacing mummies and their deadly curses. But how much do you actually know about the fundamental facts of ancient Egyptian civilisation? In this first episode of our new series Ancient Egypt: the big questions, Emily Briffett is joined by curator and Egyptologist Campbell Price to chart ancient Egypt’s rise and fall – getting to grips with the where, when and why of one of history’s most fascinating cultures. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 21, 2024

From the secrets of the pyramids to the mysteries of mummification, ancient Egypt has captivated the popular imagination for centuries. In HistoryExtra ’s new five-part podcast series, we look back at the culture, beliefs and legacy of a civilisation which left such a significant mark in history – all in the company of curator and Egyptologist Dr Campbell Price. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 20, 2024

The Soviet gulag was a place of brutality, exploitation and death. But it was also home to tens of thousands of medical personnel who had to overcome limited facilities, appalling conditions and political menace in a battle to save the inmates' lives. Professor Dan Healey, author of a new book on these Gulag doctors, talks to Rob Attar about their complex roles in the heart of Stalin's labour camps. (Ad) Dan Healey is the author of The Gulag Doctors: Life, Death, and Medicine in Stalin's Labour Camps (Yale University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gulag-Doctors-Medicine-Stalins-Labour/dp/0300187130#:~:text=Dan%20Healey%20explores%20the%20lives,a%20proportion%20of%20their%20patients./?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 19, 2024

In the latest episode of our monthly series charting the past behind the present, Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter are joined by historian Nigel Copsey to discuss the long history of the far right in the UK. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 18, 2024

From love spells to enthral the object of your desires, to charms to influence the outcome of a trial, people turned to cunning folk for all kinds of practical magic in medieval and Tudor England. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, historian Tabitha Stanmore reveals the amount of power these magical people could have within their communities, and explores some of their methods for altering the world around them by supernatural means. (Ad) Tabitha Stanmore is the author of Cunning Folk: Life in the Era of Practical Magic (Bodley Head, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cunning-Folk-Life-Practical-Magic/dp/1847927319/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 17, 2024

Since the dawn of humanity, people have been on the move. Our ancestors' ability to travel across vast distances and adapt to different environments has been the key to our species' survival. But why do we migrate? When did passports first come into existence? And what impact have slavery, colonialism and war had on migration? In this 'everything you wanted to know' episode, Ian Goldin speaks to Danny Bird to answer listener questions about this age-old phenomenon. (Ad) Ian Goldin is the author of The Shortest History of Migration (Old Street Publishing, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shortest-History-Migration-Ian-Goldin/dp/1913083446/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty . The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 15, 2024

In 21st-century Britain, the age of 18 marks the legal transition from childhood to adulthood. But how has this boundary shifted over time? Alice Loxton speaks to Danny Bird about her new book, Eighteen, which explores the young lives of 18 well-known figures from British history. From the Venerable Bede to Vivienne Westwood, she explores how young people have made their mark on historical events. (Ad) Alice Loxton is the author of Eighteen: A History of Britain in 18 Young Lives (Macmilla, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eighteen-History-Britain-Young-Lives/dp/1035031280/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 14, 2024

In the final episode of Toilets Through Time, we’ve finally reached the age of avant-garde sewerage systems and shining porcelain cisterns: the Victorian era. David Musgrove is joined by historian and author Jerry White, who explains why the period nevertheless saw appalling sanitary conditions that sparked debates about the public health of Britain’s cities – and shares some surprising toilet-based euphemisms. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 13, 2024

From Chess and Go, to Snakes and Ladders, Monopoly and the ancient Egyptian game of Senet, people have long had a fascination with games. But according to author and academic Kelly Clancy, these games have not only provided people with entertainment (and sparked family arguments), they've also shaped warfare, philosophy and social interactions for several millennia. In today's episode, Ellie Cawthorne speaks to Kelly to find out more. (Ad) Kelly Clancy is the author of Playing with Reality: How Games Have Shaped Our World (Riverhead Books, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FPlaying-Reality-Games-Shaped-World%2Fdp%2F0593538188. Listen to our conversation with Professor Irving Finkel on ancient Mesopotamian ghosts here: https://link.chtbl.com/4Zb4_V7h The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 12, 2024

From doublethink and thoughtcrime to coming face-to-face with our worst nightmares inside Room 101, few writers have had as much impact on the popular imagination as George Orwell. But what compelled the author of 'Animal Farm' and 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' to conjure up such dark, dystopian worlds? In this 'Life of the week' episode, Danny Bird speaks to historian Laura Beers about the man who introduced the world to Big Brother – and whose surname has become one of the most resonant adjectives of our age. (Ad) Laura Beers is the author of Orwell’s Ghosts: Wisdom and Warnings for the 21st Century (C Hurst & Co, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Orwells-Ghosts-Wisdom-Warnings-Century/dp/1911723022/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 11, 2024

People have been drawing lines on maps as long as there have been maps to draw on – whether for political, geographical or sometimes completely arbitrary purposes. But, when it comes to borders, these simple marks have had an irrevocable impact on lives and identities through the centuries. In today's episode, journalist and author Jonn Elledge speaks to Paul Bloomfield about his new book A History of the World in 47 Borders. (Ad) Jonn Elledge is the author of A History of the World in 47 Borders: The Stories Behind the Lines on Our Maps (Wildfire, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/History-World-47-Borders-Stories/dp/1472298500/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 10, 2024

We're all familiar with the checks and stripes of tartan. But, how much do you know about the colourful history of the textile famously sported by the Scottish clans? According to historian and tartan expert Peter MacDonald, some of our favourite 'facts' surrounding the chequered material might not be as accurate as we think. Speaking to Emily Briffett, and answering listener questions, Peter charts tartan's long story - from its early origins, to its growing status as a national symbol and commercial icon. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 9, 2024

Over the past two weeks, we've witnessed spectacular sporting achievements in Paris. And for anyone who doesn't feel quite ready for the Olympics to be over just yet, we've got the pod for you. In this Everything you wanted to know episode recorded in 2021, David Goldblatt answers listener questions on Olympic history. Speaking to Spencer Mizen, David explores the contest's ancient Greek origins, revisits its madcap modern resurgence, and reveals why the 1900 Paris Games were somewhat more chaotic than their 2024 counterpart. (Ad) David Goldblatt is the author of The Games: A Global History of the Olympics (W.W Norton, 2020). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Games-Global-History-Olympics/dp/0393355519/ref=sr_1_4?crid=[%E2%80%A6]ks&sprefix=david+goldblatt+olympic%2Cstripbooks%2C124&sr=1-4&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 8, 2024

If walls could talk, what secrets would those of a British royal palace whisper? Murder, debauchery, treason and more, says Professor Kate Williams. Speaking to Kev Lochun, she reveals how palaces make royal robots of their incumbents, why monarchs always know where they are going to die, and what the future holds for these beloved buildings as the royal family continues to evolve. (Ad) Kate Williams is the author of The Royal Palaces: Secrets and Scandals (Frances Lincoln, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Secrets-Royal-Palaces-Kate-Williams/dp/0711269394#:~:text=Revel%20in%20the%20glory%20and,history%20of%20the%20United%20Kingdom./?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 7, 2024

Did constipation turn Henry VIII into a tyrant? For the third episode of our mini-series Toilets Through Time, David Musgrove revisits the luxurious surroundings of the royal Tudor water closet. To tell him more about unappealing 16th-century alternatives to loo roll, 'grooms of the stool' and Henry VIII’s gut health, David is joined by author and public historian Tracy Borman. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 6, 2024

Gulbadan Begum was meant to live a quiet life in a Mughal harem. Instead she set off on a daring pilgrimage to Islam's holy cities and, on her return, wrote an extraordinary account of her dynasty. In conversation with Spencer Mizen, Ruby Lal explores the life of a princess who transformed perceptions of what women could achieve in the 16th century. (Ad) Ruby Lal is the author of Vagabond Princess: The Great Adventures of Gulbadan (Yale University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vagabond-Princess-Great-Adventures-Gulbadan/dp/0300251270/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 5, 2024

Anne Frank was one of six million Jews to be murdered by the Nazis. A number of these victims' lives were lost to history. But Anne had left behind a diary – a diary that would become a global sensation. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Clare Mulley shares the teenager's remarkable and tragic story, from her impressions of wartime Amsterdam and the hardships of life in hiding, to her family's betrayal. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 4, 2024

In August 1911, an Italian handyman walked out of Paris' Louvre museum with the Mona Lisa tucked under his arm. It was an audacious theft that shocked the art world, aroused the attention of the world's greatest detectives and even saw Picasso eyed with suspicion. Speaking to Charlotte Hodgman, Dr Noah Charney separates fact from fiction in the story of what is perhaps the most famous art heist in history, and explores why Leonardo's painting continues to intrigue and fascinate 500 years on. (Ad) Noah Charney is the author of The Thefts of the Mona Lisa: The Complete Story of the World's Most Famous Artwork (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thefts-Mona-Lisa-Complete-Artwork/dp/1538181363/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 3, 2024

In 1851, a spectacular showcase of the world's best art, design and innovation opened in London. Housed in a magnificent 'Crystal Palace' constructed by Joseph Paxton in just five months, the Great Exhibition wowed its six million visitors - and its legacy still lives on in London's museum district today. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Caroline McCaffrey-Howarth answers listener questions on its conception, construction, and contents. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 1, 2024

Simon de Montfort's body was horribly mutilated and dismembered after his defeat at 1265's fateful Battle of Evesham, during the Second Barons' War. The medieval rebel leader's head and testicles were sent to the wife of one of his killers, while his butchered hands and feet were spread far and wide across Britain. Historian Sophie Thérèse Ambler explains to David Musgrove why he met such a grisly end. Listen to our podcast on St Oswald here: https://link.chtbl.com/keeC74dG The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 31, 2024

Why were medieval monks so afraid of going to the loo? In the second episode of our mini-series Toilets Through Time, David Musgrove heads into the dark and dangerous world of medieval latrines on a quest to find out. Helping him navigate the risks of fire, filth and eternal damnation that came with paying a visit in the Middle Ages is author, architectural archaeologist and medieval myth-buster James Wright. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 30, 2024

Controversies surrounding the history of the British empire have become particularly intense in recent years, with academics, politicians and commentators all offering differing views about how we should understand the nation's imperial past. A new book, The Truth about Empire, delves into the debate, with the stated aim of foregrounding the view of historians. Matt Elton spoke to three people involved in the project – Alan Lester, Bronwen Everill, and Sathnam Sanghera – to find out more. (Ad) Alan Lester, Bronwen Everill and Sathnam Sanghera are contributors to the book The Truth About Empire: Real Histories of British Colonialism (C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Truth-About-Empire-Histories-Colonialism/dp/191172309X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 29, 2024

As Elizabethan England's most famous sea captain, Francis Drake saw his fair share of sea-faring adventures – from scuffles with the Spanish Armada, to circumnavigating the globe. But his story also contains darker elements – including slave-trading, looting and the execution of his right-hand man. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne in our latest 'life of the week' episode, historian Robert Hutchison revisits Drake's dramatic life, and re-examines his contentious legacy. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 28, 2024

From asteroids, bacteria and comets to growing fears about artificial intelligence and climate change, human history has long been stalked by a terror of the end of days. But what do these fears tell us about the past? And can that past help us prepare for an uncertain future? Dorian Lynskey spoke to Matt Elton about the long history of apocalyptic thought. (Ad) Dorian Lynskey is the author of Everything Must Go: The Stories We Tell About The End of the World (Picador, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Feverything-must-go%2Fdorian-lynskey%2F9781529095937. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 27, 2024

In the 18th century, countless British travellers set off to continental Europe in search of art, architecture... and a good time. But what were the must-see locations on the Grand Tour? How did people overcome the challenges of language, currency and uncomfortable mules? And what were the biggest scandals that shook fashionable Europe? In this 'everything you wanted to know' episode, Lizzie Rogers takes Ellie Cawthorne on a whistle-stop journey through the history of the Grand Tour. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 26, 2024

Earlier this week, new comedy drama The Decameron dropped on Netflix. Based on a set of 14th-century tales by Giovanni Boccaccio, it follows the raucous exploits of a group of medieval Italian nobles, after they flee to the hills to escape the Black Death. Boccaccio's text is one of the key sources we have on the plague pandemic that ravaged Europe in the 1340s, so with the release of the new series, we're bringing you an archive episode all about the Black Death. Speaking to David Musgrove back in 2021, historian John Hatcher answers your questions on the pandemic. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 25, 2024

What would you do if your home town was ravaged by plague? Would you lock your doors and hide? Run for the hills? Or accept that the end was nigh and party? Boccaccio's The Decameron - a medieval bestseller written during the Black Death - considers all these options. With the launch of a new Netflix series based on the pivotal work, David Musgrove chats to historian Rebecca Bowen to find out more – and uncover why its author thought that risqué stories could help people come to terms with the horror of the plague. You can hear our podcast on medieval keep fit here: https://link.chtbl.com/-YbeDr31 The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 24, 2024

What was it like to do your business in a Roman communal toilet? In the first episode of our new mini-series, Toilets Through Time, David Musgrove begins his journey through the bathrooms of British history in the Roman era, with historian Dr Hannah Platts. They discuss dubious ancient ablutions, the confronting experience of sitting alongside your neighbours on the toilet, and why one gladiator reportedly stuck a toilet sponge down his own throat. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices