HistoryExtra podcast

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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