Dan Snow's History Hit

<p>From Boudicca to Ukrainian snipers, battlefields have always contained a surprising number of women.</p><br><p>Today Kate is joined Betwixt the Sheets by Sarah Percy to get to the bottom of why women were allowed to be astronauts a full thirty years before they were allowed to fight in combat.</p><br><p>From women who disguised themselves as men in order to be allowed to fight, to the Soviet all-female regiments who Nazi Germany learnt to fear, they'll be discussing fearless women warriors on the frontline.</p><br><p>You can find out more about Sarah's book here: <a href="https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/sarah-percy/forgotten-warriors/9781529344318/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/sarah-percy/forgotten-warriors/9781529344318/</a></p><br><p>Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.</p><br><p>Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code <a href="http://access.historyhit.com/checkout?code=dansnow&plan=monthly" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DANSNOW</a>. Download the app or sign up<a href="https://historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here.</a></p><br><p>We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>.</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here</a>.</p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Known among the Nazis as "the girl with the red hair," Hannie Schaft was a resistance fighter so deadly that Adolf Hitler personally ordered her capture. She was a 24-year-old Dutch student when the Nazi forces occupied the Netherlands in 1940. Fuelled by a desire to protect her country, Hannie became an integral part of the Dutch Resistance, at a time when speaking out was dangerous and resistance could cost lives, Hannie displayed unyielding courage and determination. She and other women fighters were able to transport weapons in bicycle baskets, plant bombs and eventually lure Nazi officials and conspirators into honeytraps before assassinating them, as most didn't believe women were capable of committing such acts. She was eventually caught, tortured and executed.</p><br><p>Her life and bravery were extraordinary and historian and historical novelist Buzzy Jackson joins Dan to tell Hannie's incredible story. Her life is the subject of Buzzy's new novel 'The Girl with the Red Hair.'</p><br><p>Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore</p><br><p>Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more.</p><br><p>Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here.</a></p><br><p>If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>, we'd love to hear from you!</p><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>On a summer morning in 1945, a device known simply as 'Gadget' was detonated. An enormous explosion tore a crater into the New Mexico desert, melting sand into radioactive green glass and sending a mushroom cloud 7.5 miles into the sky. This was the first controlled detonation of a nuclear weapon, and its mastermind was the American theoretical physicist, J Robert Oppenheimer.</p><br><p>In this episode, Dan is joined by writer and artist Ben Platts-Mills to hear about the man who orchestrated one of the most extraordinary scientific developments in human history. What kind of person was he? How did he go from a shy, studious child to a charismatic celebrity scientist? And what did he think about the perils of the weapons he worked so hard to create?</p><br><p>Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.</p><br><p>Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code <a href="http://access.historyhit.com/checkout?code=dansnow&plan=monthly" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DANSNOW</a>. Download the app or sign up<a href="https://historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here.</a></p><br><p>We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>.</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>They can survive in lava for half an hour and accelerations of 3,400 Gs. Their beacons can be detected 20,000 feet beneath the waves. Most shocking of all - they aren't actually black! (They're bright orange = the least common colour in nature.)</p><br><p>Today it's the invention of the iconic Black Box (or Flight Recorder). We'll meet David Warren, the Australian who invented them. We'll learn how they work and try to fathom the strange fascination they hold.</p><br><p>Edited by Tom Delargy, Produced by Freddy Chick, Senior Producer is Charlotte Long</p><br><p>Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more.</p><br><p>Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here.</a></p><br><p>If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>, we'd love to hear from you!</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Russian history is defined by the rise and fall of favourites. Peter the Great had Menshikov, and Nicholas II had Rasputin. It's part of the architecture of Russian regimes that those close to the ruler enjoy immense power and influence. But sometimes, they overstep the mark.</p><br><p>For this episode, Dan is joined by the renowned historian of Russia, Simon Sebag Montefiore. To help us better understand the relationship between Putin and Prigozhin, Simon sheds some light on the way Russian power works at its centre.</p><br><p>Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.</p><br><p>Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code <a href="http://access.historyhit.com/checkout?code=dansnow&plan=monthly" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DANSNOW</a>. Download the app or sign up<a href="https://historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here.</a></p><br><p>We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>.</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Did Napoleon really come from nothing and conquer everything? The release of the trailer for Ridley Scott's new epic biopic film has created hot debate among fans of the famous Frenchman everywhere. In this episode from the archive Dan talks to Adam Zamoyski, a biographer of Napoleon about his rise to become one of the most famous and fascinating figures in history.</p><br><p>Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code <a href="http://access.historyhit.com/checkout?code=dansnow&plan=monthly" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DANSNOW</a>. Download the app or sign up<a href="https://historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here.</a></p><br><p>We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>.</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Emerging around the 3rd century CE and later designated official adversaries of the Roman Empire, the Picts wreaked havoc across the northern fringes of Roman Britain. But due to their limited presence in the archaeological record and the complexities of multiple kings, kingdoms, and languages involved, unravelling the true identity of the Picts and understanding why Rome harboured such animosity towards them can be challenging. So what sources can archaeologists turn to, and what does it show us about ancient Scotland?</p><br><p>In this episode, Tristan welcomes Professor Gordon Noble from the University of Aberdeen to shed light on the enigmatic culture of the Picts. By examining Imperial sources, ancient artwork, and even the earliest known form of daily 'tweets', what insights can we gather about the Picts? And why have they been obscured by the passage of time?</p><br><p>Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code <a href="http://access.historyhit.com/checkout?code=dansnow&plan=monthly" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DANSNOW</a>. Download the app or sign up<a href="https://historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here.</a></p><br><p>We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>.</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>The Cold War was defined by the antagonism between two world superpowers: the United States and the Soviet Union. They relied on proxy wars, espionage, disinformation, assassinations and sabotage to undermine one another as part of a greater ideological battle between Western democracy and Communism.</p><br><p>We typically think that the Cold War ran from the end of the Second World War until the collapse of the Soviet Union. But our guest today sees it quite differently. Calder Walton, author of <em>Spies: The Epic Intelligence War Between East and West</em>, argues that the Cold War is not a vestige of the past but part of an ongoing, 100-year struggle between East and West. How has this war changed over the years? And what does it mean for the future of Russian-Western relations? Listen to this episode to find out.</p><br><p>Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.</p><br><p>Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code <a href="http://access.historyhit.com/checkout?code=dansnow&plan=monthly" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DANSNOW</a>. Download the app or sign up<a href="https://historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here.</a></p><br><p>We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>.</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>In the autumn of 1909, the American explorer Frederick Cook arrived in Copenhagen, claiming to have become the first person to reach the North Pole. His dramatic return had been eagerly anticipated, but one young journalist was skeptical. Philip Gibbs contested Cook's version of events, calling him a fraud and starting a public relations war that captured the attention of the Western world.</p><br><p>So was Cook a charlatan, bent on fame and fortune? Or was Gibbs merely trying to stir up scandal and intrigue? Dan is joined by Richard Evans, author of <em>The Explorer and the Journalist</em>, to find out which of the two emerged from this scandal with their reputation intact.</p><br><p>Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.</p><br><p>Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code <a href="http://access.historyhit.com/checkout?code=dansnow&plan=monthly" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DANSNOW</a>. Download the app or sign up<a href="https://historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here.</a></p><br><p>We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>.</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>The most audacious deception operation of WWII. On the 30th of April, 1943, the corpse of a 'Major Martin' washed up near the Spanish city of Huelva. On his body, Spanish officials found secret documents detailing an upcoming Allied invasion of Greece. This was the moment that the Axis powers had been waiting for, and the Germans began redirecting much-needed divisions to Greece and the Balkans. They would discover only too late that this was all an elaborate feint, conceived by British Intelligence to obscure the Allies' real target - Sicily. By mid-July, the Allies had landed in southern Italy and the liberation of Nazi-occupied Europe was well underway.</p><br><p>So how exactly did its architects create this complex web of misdirection and misinformation? And can it really be true that the success of the Sicily invasion came down to this one act of deception? In this Explainer episode, Dan takes us through the twists and turns of this audacious and unorthodox act of subterfuge.</p><br><p>Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore.</p><br><p>Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code <a href="http://access.historyhit.com/checkout?code=dansnow&plan=monthly" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DANSNOW</a>. Download the app or sign up<a href="https://historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here.</a></p><br><p>We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>.</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Dan explains Operation Citadel. In July and August of 1943, it was the last major attempt by the Nazis to turn the tide of the war in the East. Millions of soldiers and thousands of tanks would go head-to-head across the vast steppes around the Russian city of Kursk. The Soviets would emerge victorious from the bloody fighting and carry the momentum westwards, eventually reaching Berlin in 1945. So why did the Germans choose to undertake an offensive at Kursk? And how exactly did the Soviets manage to weather the storm?</p><br><p>In this Explainer, Dan delves into the preparations for the battle and the fighting itself, drawing on first-hand accounts to bring us closer to this crucial turning point in the Second World War.</p><br><p>Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.</p><br><p>Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code <a href="http://access.historyhit.com/checkout?code=dansnow&plan=monthly" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DANSNOW</a>. Download the app or sign up<a href="https://historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here.</a></p><br><p>We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>.</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>75 years ago this week, the National Health Service was born. Launched by Aneurin Bevan on the 5th of July, 1948, it revolutionised healthcare in the UK by providing free medical treatment for all. Today, it is one of the country's most beloved yet divisive institutions. But how did the NHS come into being in the first place? And how has it shaped our lives in the 75 years since?</p><br><p>Dan is joined by Jenny Crane, a lecturer in Health Geography at the University of Bristol to tell us about how the NHS was created, and the key characters who shaped it along the way.</p><br><p>Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.</p><br><p>Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code <a href="http://access.historyhit.com/checkout?code=dansnow&plan=monthly" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DANSNOW</a>. Download the app or sign up<a href="https://historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here.</a></p><br><p>We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>.</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>From the rings on our fingers to coins in our pockets and, for a select few, the medals hanging around our necks. Gold is one of the most coveted metals in the world.</p><br><p>Gold still has the power to change lives, but in the mid-19th century, it also sparked the largest migration in the history of the United States.</p><br><p>Don is joined by Professor Mark Eifler, author of 'The California Gold Rush: The Stampede that Changed the Nation', to find out how gold was discovered in California and who benefitted from it.</p><br><p>Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Siobhan Dale. The senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more.</p><br><p>Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here.</a></p><br><p>If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>, we'd love to hear from you!</p><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Dan Explains the first day of The Somme which remains the bloodiest day in the history of the British army; a symbol of the senseless carnage of the First World War. At 7:30 a.m. on July 1 1916, the British soldiers climbed out of their trenches and advanced towards the German lines. They were met with a bombardment of machine gun fire, artillery barrages, and a hail of bullets from the well-entrenched German troops. It was a bloodbath.</p><br><p>It wasn't supposed to happen like that- beforehand, the British had spent several days bombarding the German lines, believing they would destroy their enemy trenches and barbed wire defences, making the British advance straightforward and almost painless. They didn't know just how well-fortified the Germans were in their deep dugouts. When the bombardment stopped, the Germans manned their defences, waiting for the British to walk right into their line of fire.</p><br><p>In chilling detail, Dan retells the astonishing story of that fateful first day of The Somme- determining what really happened in the days leading up to it and what the men endured when they went 'over the top', using the diaries of the men who were there.</p><br><p>Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited and sound designed by Dougal Patmore.</p><br><p>Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code <a href="http://access.historyhit.com/checkout?code=dansnow&plan=monthly" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DANSNOW</a>. Download the app or sign up<a href="https://historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here.</a></p><br><p>We'd love to hear from you- what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>.</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Toto Koopman was remarkable; she was a high society socialite who risked her life wining and dining with Italian blackshirts in order to gather information for the Dutch intelligence service in WWII. When she refused to work as a spy for the Italians, she was thrown in a detention camp. She escaped and hid in the mountains. When she was captured again she was taken to Ravensbrück concentration camp. There, got a role at the hospital by pretending she was a nurse; she risked her own life forging documents to save the lives of women destined for the gas chamber. She was truly unapologetic about who she was, individualistic and brave. Before the war, she'd defied society's expectations as a Vogue cover model working with Coco Chanel by having high-profile relationships with both men and women - including Hollywood star Talulah Bankhead and newspaper baron Lord Beaverbrook. So why have most of us never heard of her?</p><br><p>In this episode, author and historical novelist Maryka Biaggio gives a roaring account of the incredible life, achievements and character of Toto Koopman, a story we should all know.</p><br><p>Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsely, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more.</p><br><p>Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here.</a></p><br><p>If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>, we'd love to hear from you!</p><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Why do we call the Great Fire of London in 1666 “great”? Was it because of the significant challenge it posed to authorities and residents as they sought to bring it under control? Was it because of the extent of its devastation? Or was it because it occurred during an eventful couple of years when plague and war also threatened lives?</p><br><p>In this episode of <em>Not Just the Tudors</em>, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to historian Rebecca Rideal, author of <em>1666: Plague, War and Hellfire</em>, whose research has drawn on little-known sources to set the Great Fire of London in the broader context of the political, social and economic events of the time. </p><br><p>This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.</p><br><p>Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code <a href="http://access.historyhit.com/checkout?code=dansnow&plan=monthly" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DANSNOW</a>. Download the app or sign up<a href="https://historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here.</a></p><br><p>We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at [email protected].</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>On the 24th of June, 2023, Yevgeny Prigozhin and his paramilitary group Wagner carried out what appeared to be an attempted coup in Russia. In a seismic turn of events, his mercenaries marched across the Russian border without resistance and seized key military installations in the city of Rostov-on-Don. While much of what followed remains uncertain, it is clear that this was the most serious challenge to Putin's authority since he came to power in 1999.</p><br><p>Dan is joined by Alexander Watson, an expert on Russia and the First World War, to discuss the historical context for coups in Russia.</p><br><p>Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.</p><br><p>Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code <a href="http://access.historyhit.com/checkout?code=dansnow&plan=monthly" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DANSNOW</a>. Download the app or sign up<a href="https://historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here.</a></p><br><p>We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>.</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>The 20th century heralded a revolution in how wars are fought. From military strategy and planning to the weapons and equipment used on the ground, modern militaries have radically changed how they operate. So what major changes have there been? And what is the purpose of war in the first place?</p><br><p>Dan is joined today by Mike Martin, a conflict scholar who specialises in modern warfare, to discuss its evolution and development over the past century.</p><br><p>Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Tomos Delargy.</p><br><p>Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code <a href="http://access.historyhit.com/checkout?code=dansnow&plan=monthly" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DANSNOW</a>. Download the app or sign up<a href="https://historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here.</a></p><br><p>We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>.</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>The journey of the Empire Windrush that docked in Essex with 1,027 passengers & at least two stowaways on 22nd June 1948 has come to define a whole generation of people who arrived in Britain for two decades from the Caribbean until the 1970s. The 802 Caribbean citizens onboard were the first of 500,000 Commonwealth citizens who settled in Britain having been invited to help rebuild the "mother country". Despite having equal rights to British citizenship most faced discrimination, prejudice and abuse. Many had fought for Britain in the war just years earlier and yet when they arrived were often denied jobs, housing and access to public spaces like pubs and dancehalls. But communities among new settlers thrived, arrivals brought with them a rich heritage that shaped British culture from music and literature to food and sport. Communities pooled their resources to buy houses, set up community centres, services and support networks and fought for the rights they were promised.</p><br><p>In 2018, the rights of the Windrush Generation entered the news again when they and their descendants became the targets of mistreatment by the UK government, resulting in the denial of their rights, deportation threats, and significant harm to their lives and communities. Dan is joined for the 75th anniversary of Windrush Day by Dr Juanita Cox, who is a research fellow on Nationality, Identity and Belonging at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies. She unravels the long history of the Windrush Generation, their struggles and impact on Britain and the scandal with help from the voices of that generation themselves, recorded as part of her oral history project, ‘<a href="https://www.history.ac.uk/research/windrush-scandal-project" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Windrush Scandal in a Transnational and Commonwealth Context</a>‘.</p><br><p>Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore.</p><br><p>Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more.</p><br><p>Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here.</a></p><br><p>If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>, we'd love to hear from you!</p><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>In 1912 Titanic departed on her first and last voyage from Southampton, sinking over 2 miles to the bottom of the dark North Atlantic Ocean, around 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland. It has captured the imaginations of adults and children alike for over a century since the wreck was discovered- broken in two, but largely intact by explorer Bob Ballard in 1985. Since then, people from all over the world have been desperate to see the slowly degrading wreck on the ocean floor, some paying in the hundreds of thousands to make the trip down.</p><br><p>Currently, the world watches as organisations and countries work together to try and locate a submersible carrying tourists that disappeared in the early hours of an expedition on Sunday. Titanic expert Tim Maltin joins Dan to talk about Titanic tourism, what the perilous journey down to it is like, the state of the wreck and its role as a gravesite for those who perished in the sinking. He also describes the astonishing things Bob Ballard saw when he laid eyes on the wreck for the first time - the swinging chandeliers and the telephone set from which the final distress calls were made compared with what people might see today.</p><br><p>Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore.</p><br><p>Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsely, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more.</p><br><p>Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here.</a></p><br><p>If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>, we'd love to hear from you!</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>This episode brings the marriage of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother to life, from the uproar of King Edward VIIIs abdication to the challenges of the Second World War. How did they shore up public faith in the monarchy? And how did they raise their daughters through such an uncertain period?</p><br><p>Dan is joined by Sally Bedell Smith, a leading historian of the monarchy and author of <em>George VI and Elizabeth: The Marriage That Saved the Monarchy</em>. She was granted special access by Queen Elizabeth II to her parents' letters and diaries and shed some light on these questions and more.</p><br><p>Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Tomos Delargy.</p><br><p>Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code <a href="http://access.historyhit.com/checkout?code=dansnow&plan=monthly" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DANSNOW</a>. Download the app or sign up<a href="https://historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here.</a></p><br><p>We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>.</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Pride month happens in June in commemoration of the Stonewall Uprising that took place in the summer of 1969 after police undertook a routine raid on an LGBTQ+ bar in New York City and instead of submitting to the usual mistreatment, its patrons resisted. The unrest continued for several nights with clashes between LGBTQ+ individuals, their allies and the police. It escalated with protestors throwing bottles, bricks, and other objects at the police, who responded with force.</p><br><p>The story of Stonewall has become something of a mythology. Dan is joined by award-winning broadcaster and writer Matthew Todd who untangles the many threads of hearsay and weaves the facts back together into an incredible story of community resilience and determination to fight back against injustice and oppression. The Stonewall Uprising marked a significant turning point in the LGBTQ+ rights movement in the US and worldwide but was just the beginning. As Matt explains, the history of Pride is about so much more than just what happened at the Stonewall Inn.</p><br><p>If you're struggling with any of the issues raised in this episode, you can find help here: <a href="https://www.thetrevorproject.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.thetrevorproject.org/</a></p><br><p>Produced by Mariana Des Forges and James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.</p><br><p>Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more.</p><br><p>Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here.</a></p><br><p>If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>, we'd love to hear from you!</p><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>For the first time in 18 years, the Declaration of Arbroath - an iconic document in the story of the struggle for Scottish independence in the 14th century - will go on public display. Dated 6 April 1320, and written by the barons and freeholders on behalf of the Kingdom of Scotland, the Declaration asks Pope John XXII to recognise Scotland's independence and to persuade Edward II of England to end hostilities against the Scots. </p><br><p>In this episode of <em>Gone Medieval</em>, Matt Lewis finds out more from Dr. Alice Blackwell, Dr. Alan Borthwick and Prof. Dauvit Broun.</p><br><p>The Declaration of Arbroath is on display from 3 June until 2 July 2023 at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh: <a href="https://www.nms.ac.uk/declaration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://www.nms.ac.uk/declaration</u></a></p><br><p>This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.</p><br><p>Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here.</a></p><br><p>We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>.</p><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>In 1740, the Royal Navy ship <em>The Wager</em> set sail for the Pacific to take part in the War of Jenkins' Ear. The unfortunate ship was separated from the fleet and, after pulverising storms and outbreaks of scurvy, ended up sinking near a small island off the coast of Chile.</p><br><p>Dan is joined by David Grann, author of the bestselling book <em>The Wager</em>, to tell this tale of shipwreck and mutiny on the high seas.</p><br><p>Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.</p><br><p>Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code <a href="http://access.historyhit.com/checkout?code=dansnow&plan=monthly" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DANSNOW</a>. Download the app or sign up<a href="https://historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here.</a></p><br><p>We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>.</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>On the 6th of June, 2023, an explosion tore through the Kakhovka Dam in Ukraine. A torrent of water cascaded downriver, flooding towns and villages, displacing thousands, and causing a catastrophic ecological disaster. Many observers suggest that this was a deliberate act of sabotage by the Russian occupiers - if true, then this would not be the first time that an army has destroyed critical infrastructure to gain the upper hand on the battlefield. Neither would it be the first time that water has been used as a weapon.</p><br><p>Dan is joined by historian Frank McDonough, an expert on the Third Reich to unravel any parallels between what we're seeing today in Ukraine and the 'scorched earth' policies of Nazi Germany in WWII.</p><br><p>Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.</p><br><p>Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code <a href="http://access.historyhit.com/checkout?code=dansnow&plan=monthly" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DANSNOW</a>. Download the app or sign up<a href="https://historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here.</a></p><br><p>We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges is perhaps the most accomplished classical musician that you've never heard of. A composer, soldier and champion fencer, this episode traces his life from the French colony of Guadeloupe to the concert halls of Paris and the battlefields of the French Revolution.</p><br><p>So how did a man of mixed heritage overcome the prejudices of the day? And what was the significance of his achievements at the time? Dan is joined by Stephen Williams, director of the acclaimed 2023 biographical drama <em>Chevalier</em>, to talk about his life and the importance of remembering it.</p><br><p>Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.</p><br><p>Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here.</a></p><br><p>We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>.</p><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>The British Empire was one of the most influential and far-reaching empires in history. Dan and his guest journalist and author Sathnam Sanghera remember school lessons on the small island that rose to global dominance. From the 16th century to the 20th century, the British Empire spanned continents, encompassing vast territories and diverse cultures, controlling a quarter of the planet. But, the way we've been taught about the Empire hasn't always been the full story and today historians are building a more complex and thorough picture of what the British Empire was. Sathnam sheds light on the darker aspects of the empire's history - colonisation, slavery and exploitation and Dan confronts some difficult truths about his own family's history. Together, they consider how we teach it to the next generation in a way that acknowledges everything- the good, the bad and the difficult.</p><br><p>Sathnam Sanghera's new children's book is called '<em>Stolen History</em>'.</p><br><p>Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here.</a></p><br><p>We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>.</p><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>In this episode of Warfare, host James Patton Rogers is joined by Tony Phelan and Susanna Fogel, creators of the new TV series <em>A Small Light</em>, which explores the remarkable true story of Miep Gies, who hid Anne Frank and her family during the Holocaust. The trio discuss the character of Gies and how she went from Otto Frank's employee to hiding his whole family in the secret annexe for two years.</p><br><p><em>A Small Light</em> is currently streaming on Disney+, with two episodes released each week.</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p>If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>, we'd love to hear from you!</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>The 6th of June, 1944 was the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany and the pinnacle of the 'special relationship' between Britain and the United States. Hundreds of thousands of Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day and fought side by side to liberate Europe. But in the decades since the world has changed drastically - great powers have risen and fallen, and geopolitical realities have shifted along with them. How has the relationship fared through these tumultuous years? And just how special was it in the first place?</p><br><p>Dan is joined for this episode by Sam Edwards, an expert in Anglo-American relations and the memory of war. By discussing D-Day and the commemoration of it, they try to make sense of the fabled special relationship and figure out if it has stood the test of time.</p><br><p>Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here.</a></p><br><p>We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>.</p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>An ejector seat propels a human at speeds reaching 200 miles in less than a second. It can save a life... or snap a neck. John Nichol remembers pulling the ejector handle in his Tornado aircraft flying at over 500mph above the Iraqi desert, launching him back down to earth. It saved his life, but he wasn't able to recover in a hospital because he was captured and taken straight to an Iraqi prison. This makes him the most appropriate guest to take Dan through the history of the invention of the ejector seat, how it works and what it was like to eject. He delves into the incredible history of the Martin Baker ejector seat, still being made in London today and astonishing stories of the first ejection in combat, of American soldiers ejecting out of burning aircraft over Vietnam in the 80s and how they were all given a second chance at life by ejecting.</p><br><p>This episode was produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.</p><br><p>His new book is called 'Eject! Eject!'</p><br><p>Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here.</a></p><br><p>We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>.</p><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Though rarely spoken about, love, lust and sexuality were key to many soldiers' experiences of the Second World War. Veterans might allude to them in their recollections, but what do we know about wartime experiences of sex and sexual identity? And how did this intersect with the soldiers' understandings of masculinity?For this episode that marks the beginning of Pride month, Dan is joined by Luke Turner, author of <em>Men at War: Loving, Lusting, Fighting, Remembering, 1939 - 1945</em>. Luke has assembled a cast of fascinating characters, from a prisoner in a Japanese POW camp who later became an LGBT+ activist, to a gay RAF fighter ace; their stories help to demystify notions of sexuality and masculinity in the Second World War.</p><br><p>Produced by Mariana Des Forges and James Hickmann, and edited by Dougal Patmore.</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><br><p>If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>, we'd love to hear from you!</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>The Ancient Romans are often thought of as ahead of their time. They invented concrete, sophisticated road systems and even underfloor heating.</p><br><p>But their approach to murder is starkly different to how the modern world recognises it, and frankly, it’s a bit weird. These people saw 26 emperors murdered in one 50-year period and would watch people being killed for entertainment in the Colosseum.</p><br><p>Today Kate is Betwixt the Sheets with Emma Southon to talk about murder in Ancient Rome.</p><br><p>You can find out more about Emma's book<a href="https://www.emmasouthon.com/a-fatal-thing-happened-on-the-way-to-the-forum" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u> here.</u></a></p><br><p>WARNING: There is adult content and explicit words in this episode.</p><br><p>Senior producer: Charlotte Long. Producer: Sophie Gee. Mixed by Stuart Beckwith.</p><br><p>Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society. A podcast by History Hit.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>For centuries, the Roman Empire commanded unparalleled control over the world around it. It expanded its borders through trade and conquest, sucking resources from the periphery into its thriving centre - Rome. And then, suddenly, everything changed. The Empire entered a state of crisis, and rapidly disintegrated. The West has experienced a similarly dramatic rise and fall over the last 3 centuries, moving from an era of global dominance to one of economic stagnation and political division. But is the decline and fall of empires inevitable? And what can be done to avoid the fate of Rome? In this episode, historian Peter Heather and political economist John Rapley join Dan to compare the West's current crisis with that of Rome, and discuss what comes next.</p><br><p>Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><br><p>If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>, we'd love to hear from you!</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>From the First World War to the Cold War, conflict in the 20th century has been crucial in shaping England as we know it. This is the final episode of Dan’s epic adventure, taking him deep inside the famous White Cliffs of Dover with Gavin Wright, into the complex warren of tunnels that became the first line of England’s defence in WWII - overlooking the channel for the ships of modern invaders. He discovers how wars on distant frontlines changed life in England, from the very organisation of English society with Dan Todman, to the advent of modern medicine with Tim Cook. He then charts England's course from world wars to the Cold War, learning how the nature of conflict changed and speaking to Julie McDowall about the government's preparations for nuclear armageddon. He ends in York with Kevin Booth, underground once again in what was once a state of the art Cold War nuclear bunker, to look at how technology has changed England and the world.</p><br><p>Produced by James Hickmann, Mariana Des Forges, edited and sound design by Dougal Patmore and artwork by Teet Ottin.</p><br><p>If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>, we'd love to hear from you!</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Modern England as we know it started in the industrial heart of Ironbridge in Shropshire- now a verdant gorge that once was black with smog, fire and slag heaps. Dan tries his hand at casting iron at one of the last working foundries in the country and gets the scoop on the scandals of Georgian high society with historian Catherine Curzon. The Regency period was a wild time of £15,000 pineapples, the marriage market and the tell-all memoir of a famous courtesan who named and shamed the Duke of Wellington. But the new wealth England experienced came at a price; Dan traces the dark history of Europe’s addiction to sugar and Britain’s slave trade, while actor Paterson Joseph recounts the powerful words of Black Georgians who spoke truth to Britain’s imperial power and fought for its abolition.</p><br><p>Dan goes back to the Victorian times at the Blists Hill Living Museum in Telford to discover just how gruelling work at the coalface of the industrial revolution was and how great ideas...and not so great ideas... changed the daily lives of Victorians with the help of Collections Curator Kate Cadman.</p><br><p>Produced by Mariana Des Forges. Edited and sound designed by Dougal Patmore and artwork by Teet Ottin.</p><br><p>If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>, we'd love to hear from you!</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>The Tudors were the dynasty that had it all- power, family feuds, sex and scandal. Dan couldn't do a history of England without a hearty helping of our favourite family and for this episode, he's joined in the Elizabethan garden at mighty Kenilworth Castle by Dr Joanne Paul who tells the intricate story of the powerful Queen Elizabeth I and her mutual infatuation with Sir Robert Dudley, to whom she gifted the castle. Meanwhile, pirate expert and historian Angus Konstam delves into tales of pillaging, plundering and the Elizabethan Sea Dogs, who took to the high seas to steal from the Spanish and acquire new lands for England, establishing lost colonies, engaging in slavery and looting along the way. It’s a whistle-stop tour of this period of upheaval in England as Dan makes his way to Boscobel House to see the Royal Oak, the hiding place of Charles II from the parliamentarians after his father was executed by Cromwell’s roundheads in the English Civil War. </p><br><p>Produced by Mariana Des Forges and sound-designed and mixed by Dougal Patmore. Artwork by Teet Ottin.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Great Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, bloodshed at the battle of Hastings, Bubonic Plague and Roland the celebrity flatulist. As dawn breaks, Dan walks the beach at Pevensey where William the Conqueror and his Norman Invaders landed in 1066, but not before getting a quick lesson from Medieval Historian Dr Levi Roach in what’s always been called the ‘Dark Ages'. Next, Dan swings by Dover Castle to Dover castle to learn about courtly life, clashing knights, princesses and jesters and travels east to the Hastings Battlefield, where Dan narrates a dramatic play- by -play of the most famous fight on English soil.</p><br><p>In the 14th century, the invaders didn’t arrive in festooned long-boats but on the backs of rats on merchant ships. Dan ambles through York’s iconic medieval streets and with the help of medical historians Susie Edge and Kevin Goodman, they tell the grisly story of how the plague gripped the city and the nation in the worst pandemic the world had ever seen. </p><br><p>Produced by Mariana Des Forges, edited and sound designed by Dougal Patmore. Artwork by Teet Ottin.</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><br><p>If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>, we'd love to hear from you!</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Dan begins his ultimate historical road trip at the mysterious plinths at Stonehenge in the South-West of England. Dan uncovers how the stones arrived in Salisbury all the way from Western Wales and unravels the ancient burial practices of England’s early humans with English Heritage curator Heather Sabire. He hears how England was once populated by rhinos and elephants from the Natural History Museum’s Professor Chris Stringer. Passing through Old Sarum, the site of an Iron Age hillfort, Dan muses over what we have to thank those Latin invaders for in our daily lives, from our transport network to our baths. The day draws to a close as Dan prepares for the invasion of William the Conqueror at Pevensey, 100 miles east down England’s south coast.</p><br><p>Produced by James Hickmann and Mariana Des Forges. Edit and sound design by Dougal Patmore and artwork by Teet Ottin</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><br><p>If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>, we'd love to hear from you!</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>After speaking to <em>Gone Medieval</em> in April 2022 about the first volume of his magisterial biography of Henry III, David Carpenter promised Matt Lewis that he would pay the podcast a return visit when the second volume came out. <em>Henry III 1258-1272: Reform, Rebellion, Civil War, Settlement </em>picks up the story when Henry is 51 years old. He's been monarch for 42 years and might have been looking forward to a quieter twilight to his reign. But he was in for the rudest of awakenings. </p><br><p>This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.</p><p> </p><p>Listen to Henry III: England’s Longest Reigning King here: <a href="https://shows.acast.com/gone-medieval/episodes/henry-iii-englands-longest-reigning-king" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://shows.acast.com/gone-medieval/episodes/henry-iii-englands-longest-reigning-king</u></a></p><br><p>If you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter <a href="https://www.historyhit.com/sign-up-to-history-hit/?utm_source=timelinenewsletter&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Timeline+Podcast+Campaign" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here.</u></a></p><br><p>If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - <a href="https://access.historyhit.com/?utm_source=audio&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Podcast+Campaign&utm_id=Podcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>subscribe today!</u></a> To download, go to <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.historyhit&hl=en_GB&gl=US" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>Android</u></a> or <a href="https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/history-hit/id1303668247" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>Apple store</u></a></p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>The Second World War placed a tremendous strain on Britain's natural resources. One of the most important materials for fuelling the war effort was wood - used to make everything from ammunition boxes to Spitfires, Britain's timber would be harvested at an unprecedented rate during the war. It was a forgotten army of women who stepped up to make this happen, felling trees through freezing winters, splitting logs in hazardous sawmills and managing entire forestry operations.</p><br><p>So what did this job entail? How risky was it, and how were these 'Lumberjills' considered by society at that time? Dan is joined by Joanna Foat, author of <em>Lumberjills: Britain's Forgotten Army</em>, to uncover the obscured world of the Women's Timber Corps.</p><br><p>Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><br><p>If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>, we'd love to hear from you!</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Betty Webb is the last known living veteran who worked on both German and Japanese codes at Bletchley Park and Dan got an invite to her 100th birthday party over the weekend. Codebreaking, secrets and dancing were all part of daily life at Bletchley Park, she joined Dan on the podcast back in 2021 to tell him all about her incredible time at the place that enabled the Allies to win WWII.</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><br><p>If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>, we'd love to hear from you!</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>In the summer of 1791, thousands of enslaved people in Saint Domingue, as Haiti was then known, cast aside their shackles and revolted against French colonial rule. The Haitian Revolution lasted for over a decade, and Haiti became the first independent country to be founded by former enslaved people.</p><br><p>Among the key leaders of the revolution was a man named Henri Christophe. Born an enslaved person, Christophe served in the American Revolutionary War, fought in the Haitian Revolution and became Haiti's first and only king. But what happened during the Haitian Revolution? And how did Christophe make himself king of the first free black nation in the Americas?</p><br><p>Dan is joined by Paul Clammer, author of <em>Black Crown: Henry Christophe, the Haitian Revolution and the Caribbean's Forgotten Kingdom</em>, to guide us through this extraordinary tale.</p><br><p>Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><br><p>If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>, we'd love to hear from you!</p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>On the night of the 16th May, 1943, Operation Chastise commenced - 133 RAF airmen in their iconic Lancaster bombers took off from England, bound for Germany. Armed with specially designed 'bouncing bombs', the highly trained crews were tasked with destroying key installations in Germany's industrial heartland, the Ruhr Valley. It was an audacious mission of unprecedented precision, from which over a third of the airmen would never return. The Dambusters Raid, as it came to be known, is remembered as one of the greatest feats of daring and airmanship in the Second World War. In this two-part Explainer, and with the help of the late, great RAF veteran 'Johnny' Johnson, Dan delves into the true story of this historic operation.</p><br><p>Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><br><p>If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>, we'd love to hear from you!</p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>On the night of the 16th of May, 1943, 133 RAF airmen in their iconic Lancaster bombers took off from England, and headed for Germany. Armed with specially designed 'bouncing bombs', the highly-trained crews were tasked with interrupting German industry by destroying three enormous dams in the Ruhr Valley. It was a risky mission of unprecedented precision, from which over a third of the aircrew would never return. The Dambusters Raid, as it came to be known, is remembered as one of the greatest feats of daring and airmanship in British military history. In this two-part Explainer, and with the help of the late, great RAF veteran Johnny Johnson, Dan delves into the crew's preparations as well as the events of the historic raid itself.</p><br><p>Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><br><p>If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>, we'd love to hear from you!</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>The 16th century in Europe was an age of great Queens. But just because they were in charge, didn't always mean they were powerful or safe; it was tough being a queen in the Renaissance and. Author and Former Professor of French at The George Washington University Leah Redmond Chang joins Dan to delve into the fascinating and complicated lives of three queens: Catherine De Medici, a noblewoman in one of the most important families of the Renaissance, who married the King of France and found herself Queen some deaths later. They discuss the fate of her daughter Elizabeth De Valois who married Phillip II King of Spain and ruler of the Spanish Empire that launched the Armada and conquest of the Americas and Mary Queen of Scots who ruled over a mighty Scotland but who endured assault, exile and finally execution at the behest of her cousin Elizabeth I. These women were at the top of European society but faced pressure, personal dangers and political threats unique to women in power during that time.</p><br><p>Her new book is called <em>Young Queens: Three Renaissance Women and the Price of Power</em></p><br><p>Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Tom Delargy </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><br><p>If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>, we'd love to hear from you!</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>The legend of the Minotaur and its labyrinth has captivated us for centuries, but is there any evidence of it really existing?</p><br><p>In this episode, Tristan visits the Ashmolean museum in Oxford to interview Dr. Andrew Shapland, the curator of a new exhibition exploring the Bronze Age settlement of Knossos in Crete - the home of the mythical King Minos, the Minotaur and the labyrinth.</p><br><p>Together they explore ancient artefacts that hint at human sacrifices being carried out, and find out through archaeological evidence if there is any truth behind the myths.</p><br><p>The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie</p><br><p>The Assistant Producer was Annie Coloe</p><br><p>Mixed & edited by Stuart Beckwith</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>In 1831, the French aristocrat Alexis de Tocqueville left the troubled continent of Europe and set sail for America. Travelling in the shadow of the French Revolution, his goal was to learn about the world's largest democracy and work out how France could move forward. He would eventually publish a remarkable account of life and politics in the United States that became one of the best 19th century accounts of the burgeoning democracy. But Tocqueville would go on to travel to a myriad of other places by ship and stagecoach, on horseback and on foot across North America, Europe and North Africa. In this episode, Dan is joined by Jeremy Jennings, author of <em>Travels with Tocqueville Beyond America</em>, to find out more about his little-known travels beyond the United States.</p><br><p>Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><br><p>If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>, we'd love to hear from you!</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>*WARNING there are adult words and themes in this episode*</p><br><p>How debaucherous do you have to be to be remembered as the original <em>bad boy</em>? How mad, bad and dangerous to know was Lord Byron? And how much of it did he get from his family?</p><br><p>For this episode, Kate is joined by Emily Brand, the author of ‘The Fall of the House of Byron: Scandal and Seduction in Georgian England’. From incest to murder - this family must have made for a very awkward dinner party.</p><br><p><em>Poems by George Gordon Byron read by Matt Lewis: ‘So, We’ll Go No More A Roving’ and lines 1089 to 1096 of Don Juan, canto 2.</em></p><br><p>Produced by Charlotte Long and Sophie Gee. Mixed by Sophie Gee.</p><br><p>Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society. A podcast by History Hit.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth is perhaps the most captivating fantasy world ever created. His mythology and folklore continues to influence the work of writers, film-makers, musicians and artists to this day. He first conceived of the idea during the First World War, and built his world to examine the fear and courage, despair and hope that he witnessed. So how exactly did this brutal, bloody war help to shape Middle-earth? Dan is joined today by John Garth, an award-winning Tolkien biographer and author of <em>Tolkien and the Great War</em>, to tell us about Tolkien's life and how the conflict influenced his writing.</p><br><p>Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><br><p>If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>, we'd love to hear from you!</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>The Battle of Agincourt looms large in the English historical and cultural imagination, this explainer wades through the mythology to help listeners really understand this infamous battle.</p><br><p>From almost the moment the battle finished the myth of Agincourt was being spun. Henry V milked the victory for all its worth to secure his reign and it has continued to play a prominent role in the British psyche ever since inspiring both Shakespeare and Churchill amongst others. It was however a crushing English victory with much of the nobility of Northern France being killed on that muddy field that day. It is all the more remarkable as Henry's army had been worn down by previous battles and ravaged by dysentery with thousands dying in miserable agony. In this episode, Dan returns with another of his explainers to explore the background, the campaign, the battle itself and its aftermath. </p><br><p>If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a>, we'd love to hear from you!</p><br><p>If you'd like to learn more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - <a href="https://access.historyhit.com/?campaignid=11324364895&adgroupid=117838458464&adid=473305596461&utm_term=history%20hit&utm_campaign=OD+%7C+Search+%7C+Brand+%7C+Worldwide&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&hsa_acc=7076869466&hsa_cam=11324364895&hsa_grp=117838458464&hsa_ad=473305596461&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=kwd-408408651291&hsa_kw=history%20hit&hsa_mt=p&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gclid=CjwKCAjw9NeXBhAMEiwAbaY4lgMEKV8eZZQp58c2CfmB3IA4jjzhZE9ZD8LMusfifXDcPJ48Xzx_1BoCwGkQAvD_BwE" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">subscribe to History Hit today!</a></p><br><p><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.historyhit&hl=en_GB&gl=US&pli=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Download the History Hit app from the Google Play store.</a></p><p><a href="https://open.acast.com/shows/6215f67d4b795a40fffd3b2c/episodes/Download%20History%20Hit%20app%20from%20the%20Apple%20Store." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Download the History Hit app from the Apple Store.</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>