HistoryExtra podcast

When we talk about the crusades today the mental images that spring to mind are as clear as they are striking – valiant crusader knights emblazoned with crosses and penniless pilgrims in search of salvation, perhaps even a brutal clash of civilisations. But, behind the popular myths, there lies a far more fascinating story. In our new HistoryExtra podcast series, The First Crusade: The War that Transformed the Medieval World, we’ll be travelling back in time to walk in the footsteps of the first crusaders, witnessing the hardships they faced, meeting the people they came across and seeing the landscapes they traversed through their eyes. Episodes will be released weekly from 12 October. To gain early, ad-free access to all episodes now, subscribe to History Extra Plus on Apple Podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In episode one of our series on the First Crusade, we consider how a landmark papal bull lit a fire under the idea of crusading, triggering a military machine that saw tens of thousands make an unprecedented journey into the unknown and face off against an unfamiliar enemy When we talk about the crusades today the mental images that spring to mind are as clear as they are striking – valiant crusader knights emblazoned with crosses and penniless pilgrims in search of salvation, perhaps even a brutal clash of civilisations. But, there's more to them than that. In the first episode of our latest HistoryExtra podcast series, we’re travelling back in time to where it all started, uncovering the origins of the First Crusade. Speaking to a range of expert historians, we trace how a complex web of ideas and problems came together to form a major movement, fired with religious zeal. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

St Augustine of Hippo is one of the most influential Christian thinkers of the past 2,000 years – and his work also offers fresh insights into the lives of women in the late Roman empire. That’s the contention of the historian Kate Cooper, who has drawn on his Confessions to tell the stories of Augustine’s mother, his lover, his fiancée and the Roman empress Justina, in her Cundill History Prize-shortlisted book Queens of a Fallen World. She speaks to Rob Attar about this unique window into the 4th century. (Ad) Kate Cooper is the author of Queens of a Fallen World: The Lost Women of Augustine's Confessions (John Murray Press, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fqueens-of-a-fallen-world%2Fkate-cooper%2F9781399807968 The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our new monthly series explores the historical stories hitting the headlines – and the way in which the past informs today’s world. To access this new series and listen to all episodes completely ad-free subscribe to History Extra Plus on Apple Podcasts here: https://apple.co/3eHiXrc The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the UK marks Black History Month, a panel of expert historians – Hannah Cusworth, Pamela Roberts and Hakim Adi – tackle some of the biggest questions around bringing black histories to light. Speaking to Matt Elton, they explore the value of Black History Month in highlighting stories that may otherwise be obscured – and whether the focus on black history sparked by 2020's global protests has been maintained. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cats have lived alongside us for centuries, and our relationship with them has transformed over time – from venerating them to vilifying them. What roles have humans cast cats in over the years? Why were they seen as deities by the ancient Egyptians? And how did they come to be synonymous with witches? In our latest Everything You Wanted to Know episode, Dr Andrew Flack answers listener questions about the history of our relationship with these fascinating creatures. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Known as “Darwin’s bulldog”, Thomas Henry Huxley fought a tireless battle against the opponents of evolutionary theory. His grandson Julian lived among the animals of London Zoo and made nature documentaries with a young David Attenborough. Alison Bashford is the author of a Cundill Prize-shortlisted book on the Huxley family, An Intimate History of Evolution. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, she reveals how this pioneering dynasty of scientists and thinkers shaped our view of nature across the 19th and 20th centuries. (Ad) Alison Bashford is the author of An Intimate History of Evolution: The Story of the Huxley Family (Penguin, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fan-intimate-history-of-evolution%2Falison-bashford%2F9780141992228 The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the latest in our series charting the contested reputations of key historical figures, Vikram Visana and Jad Adams debate the complex, sometimes controversial life and legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, and discuss his views on everything from sex and gender to class and ethnicity The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For the decade between 1966 and 1976, Chairman Mao’s Cultural Revolution wreaked immense havoc on China – with up to 2 million killed, and another 36 million persecuted for perceived political or cultural sins. Tania Branigan is the author of a Cundill Prize-shortlisted book Red Memory, which draws on personal testimonies to chart the story of this terrifying decade. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, she discusses why the Cultural Revolution was such a significant moment in Chinese history and explores its continued impact on the country’s politics, culture and psyche today. (Ad) Tania Branigan is the author of Red Memory: Living, Remembering and Forgetting China's Cultural Revolution (Faber & Faber, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Red-Memory-Remembering-Forgetting-Revolution/dp/1783352647/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Allied forces invaded Italy in September 1943, they hoped to be in Rome by Christmas. But by the end of the year, after four months of unrelenting warfare, the Italian capital was still 70 miles away. Historian, author and podcaster James Holland speaks to Rob Attar about this savage clash between the Allies and Nazi Germany. (Ad) James Holland is the author of The Savage Storm: The Battle for Italy 1943 (Bantam, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Savage-Storm-Battle-Italy-1943/dp/1787636682/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From his turn as Shakespeare in Upstart Crow to his historical sketches with Robert Webb, comedian and actor David Mitchell’s work has often touched on the past. Now he’s written his first history book, Unruly, charting England’s monarchy from its earliest days to the reign of Elizabeth I. David tells Matt Elton about this storied history. (Ad) David Mitchell is the author of Unruly: A History of England's Kings and Queens (Penguin, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Funruly%2Fdavid-mitchell%2F9781405953177 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The first half of the 20th century is often talked about as a golden age of archaeology – a time marked by thrilling finds such as those of Tutankhamun’s tomb and the ship burial at Sutton Hoo. But was it really as golden as we might wish to believe? Speaking to Kev Lochun, Dr Hélène Maloigne answers listener questions about one of most exciting periods in the history of archaeology, where glittering discoveries and moral conundrums stood shoulder to shoulder. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On 29 September 1923, the British empire was at its territorial height. But even as British power stretched across the globe, were the seeds of the empire’s destruction already sown? Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Matthew Parker charts what was happening across diverse territories in September 1923, through the testimonies of those on the ground, from Samoa and Nigeria to New Zealand and India. (Ad) Matthew Parker is the author of One Fine Day: Britain's Empire on the Brink (Little, Brown, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/One-Fine-Day-Matthew-Parker/dp/1408708582/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the latest in our series charting the reputations of key historical figures, June Purvis and Lyndsey Jenkins discuss the life and contested legacy of Emmeline Pankhurst – from whether her story obscures that of the wider suffragette movement to whether her political activism really means she can be labelled a ‘terrorist’ The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1923, a new periodical was launched to guide listeners through the BBC’s nascent radio offerings. Its name? The Radio Times. Across the coming decades, it not only featured radio and TV listings, but also offered a window into the nation’s changing media and social landscape. As Radio Times magazine marks its centenary, Matt Elton assembles a panel of experts to discuss the ways in which the dramatic social and media shifts of the past century are captured in its pages. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What did Roman emperors actually do all day? Were they really as bloodthirsty as legend would suggest? And why was food so important? Speaking to Matt Elton, popular historian, author and broadcaster Mary Beard tackles some of the big questions about life as a Roman emperor, profiling some extraordinary figures along the way. (Ad) Mary Beard is the author of Emperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient Roman World (Profile Books, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Emperor-Professor-Mary-Beard/dp/1846683785/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the climate crisis, war in Ukraine, a recent pandemic and the rise of AI, it can feel like there is more to be fearful of today than ever before. But according to historian Robert Peckham, human society has always been shaped by fear – and not always in the ways you might expect. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Robert reveals how fear has been a force for both good and ill, from the Black Death and colonisation to the abolition movement and 19th-century concerns about technology. (Ad) Robert Peckham is the author of Fear: An Alternative History of the World (Profile, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2F9781788167239 The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Battle of Britain has gone down in history as an epic dogfight between the RAF and the Luftwaffe – one where Britain faced overwhelming odds and the threat of an almost inevitable invasion. However, according to Dr Victoria Taylor, this wasn’t exactly the case. In conversation with Emily Briffett, Victoria answers listener questions on the battle, and unpicks some of the most enduring myths surrounding it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the late 1970s, NASA admitted women onto their space programme for the first time. Six women were chosen as the first cohort, and would endure unprecedented media attention alongside the agency’s rigorous training. Speaking to Elinor Evans, Loren Grush shares more about these pioneering women who forged a new chapter for America’s space programme. (Ad) Loren Grush is the author of The Six: The Untold Story of America's First Women in Space (Scribner, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Six-Untold-Story-Americas-Astronauts/dp/1982172800/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the latest in our series charting the contested reputations of key historical figures, Laura O’Brien and David Andress discuss the life and afterlife of Napoleon Bonaparte, and explore why his story – including his rise to power and his role as the driving force in the bloodshed of the Napoleonic Wars – can still provoke heated debate two centuries later The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We think of English houses as idyllic locations for an afternoon out, but as Stephanie Barczewski reveals, many have a more turbulent and violent history than we might expect. From the wholesale destruction of the Reformation and the damage caused by the Civil War, to financial instability and the influence of empire, Stephanie tells Elinor Evans more about the fascinating hidden histories of these beloved beauty spots. (Ad) Stephanie Barczewski is the author of How the Country House Became English (Reaktion Books, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Country-House-Became-English/dp/1789147603/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thomas Smallwood, a formerly enslaved shoemaker, helped hundreds of people to flee from slavery in the American South in the 1840s. Speaking to Elinor Evans, Scott Shane shares Smallwood’s remarkable story, and reveals how he was known for writing a cache of anonymous satirical letters that included the first use of the term ‘underground railroad’. (Ad) Scott Shane is the author of Flee North: A Forgotten Hero and the Fight for Freedom in Slavery’s Borderland (Celadon, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Flee-North-Forgotten-Slaverys-Borderland/dp/1250843219/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From torrid affairs and messy duels to corrupt law-enforcers and vengeful ghosts, Georgian Britain loved a good scandal. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, historian and author Emily Brand dishes the dirt on cases that shocked, appalled – and captivated – Georgian society. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From the gunpowder plot and Oliver Cromwell’s clash with Charles I to Winston Churchill’s speeches during the Second World War, parliament has witnessed some of the most dramatic moments in British history. Speaking with Spencer Mizen, Stephen Roberts answers your queries on the history of Britain’s legislature, from medieval practices to strange traditions. (Ad) Stephen Roberts is the author of The History of Parliament: The House of Commons 1640–1660 (History of Parliament, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/History-Parliament-House-Commons-1640-1660/dp/1399937146/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Long before the rise of the internet troll, malicious letters written by anonymous authors were causing untold grief to those who received them, and tugging at the seams of social cohesion in small communities. Speaking to Spencer Mizen, Emily Cockayne reveals why these spiteful missives caused such chaos in the Victorian and Edwardian eras. (Ad) Emily Cockayne is the author of Penning Poison: A History of Anonymous Letters (OUP, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Penning-Poison-Dr-Emily-Cockayne/dp/019879505X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the latest in our series charting the contested reputations of key historical figures, Joyce Tyldesley and Catharine Edwards discuss the life and cultural afterlife of Egyptian queen Cleopatra – from her association with feminine beauty to the focus on her romantic relationships The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Held in Winchester Cathedral are several ornate chests, said to contain the venerated bones of early kings of Wessex and England, dating from the seventh to the 12th centuries. But what can these boxes reveal about attitudes to death and the politics in the Anglo-Saxon period? Cat Jarman explains all to David Musgrove. (Ad) Cat Jarman is the author of The Bone Chests: Unlocking the secrets of the Anglo-Saxons (William Collins, 2023) The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From ribbons, bonnets and ballgowns to Mr Darcy’s see-through shirt, the works of Jane Austen have long sparked the imaginations of fashion-minded readers and audiences. But what did the author herself wear? Austen has often been accused of dowdiness, but as Hilary Davidson reveals, this was in fact far from the truth. She takes Lauren Good on a tour through the wardrobe of the renowned writer, from the clothes she wore behind closed doors to her most treasured jewellery. (Ad) Hilary Davidson is the author of Jane Austen’s Wardrobe (Yale, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jane-Austens-Wardrobe-Hilary-Davidson/dp/0300263600/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Dambusters raid of May 1943 is one of the most celebrated episodes of the Second World War. But in military terms, was it in fact a flop? And was Barnes Wallis, the man behind the audacious attack, really the maverick genius long depicted in books and film? Richard Morris tells Spencer Mizen how the brilliant mind behind the Dambusters raid made the journey from cantankerous boffin to national hero. (Ad) Richard Morris is the author of Dam Buster: Barnes Wallis: An Engineer’s Life (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Barnes-Wallis-Richard-Morris/dp/1474623425/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Did the Spanish flu pandemic actually begin in Spain? What were the symptoms? Is it true it killed more people than the First World War, and how similar was it to the Covid pandemic? Speaking to Lauren Good, Agnes Arnold-Forster answers listener questions about the deadly pandemic that began in 1918 for our latest Everything You Wanted to Know episode. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do you surface the stories of women in the Roman empire, when the majority of ancient texts were written by men, telling of military victories and losses, or intrigues in the political arena? Speaking to Elinor Evans, Emma Southon chronicles the Roman empire through the stories of women whose experiences illuminate war, empire and political machinations, taking readers from the foundational myth of Rome to a ‘leisure centre’ in ancient Pompeii. (Ad) Emma Southon is the author of A History of the Roman Empire in 21 Women (Oneworld, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/History-Roman-Empire-21-Women/dp/0861542304/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the latest in our series charting the contested reputations of key historical figures, Ronald Hutton and Mark Stoyle debate the life and legacy of statesman, politician and military leader Oliver Cromwell, exploring his religious zealotry, his campaign in Ireland, and more The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In downtown New York, in the early 20th century, a secret club of women met regularly, to discuss ideas, politics, art and their own lives. They forged friendships and alliances, and took up some of the most significant social fights of the day. Joanna Scutts joins Elinor Evans to discuss the women of the Heterodoxy club. (Ad) Joanna Scutts is the author of Hotbed: Bohemian New York and the Secret Club that Sparked Modern Feminism (Duckworth Books, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hotbed-Bohemian-Greenwich-Village-Feminism/dp/1541647173#detailBullets_feature_div/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Margaret Cavendish has been largely forgotten and, when remembered, divides opinion. One of England’s first female philosophers, professional authors and scientists, the 17th-century writer challenged convention throughout her life with her proto-feminist writing and audacious behaviour. Speaking to Lauren Good, Francesca Peacock explores this remarkable and complex woman. (Ad) Francesca Peacock is the author of Pure Wit: The Revolutionary Life of Margaret Cavendish (Head of Zeus, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fpure-wit%2Ffrancesca-peacock%2F9781837930173 The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1429 a young peasant woman burst onto the scene and transformed the fortunes of England and France in the Hundred Years’ War. In today’s episode, medieval historian and former supreme court judge Jonathan Sumption joins Rob Attar to discuss the fifth and final volume of his epic history of the conflict, revealing how the arrival of Joan of Arc set the scene for one of England’s most significant defeats. (Ad) Jonathan Sumption is the author of The Hundred Years War Vol 5: Triumph and Illusion (Faber & Faber, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hundred-Years-War-Vol-Illusion/dp/0571274579/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Of all the enemies the Roman empire faced in its centuries-long history, one name stood out: Hannibal. In the late third century BC, the Carthaginian general came dangerously close to destroying Rome and utterly reshaping the history of the world. Hannibal’s campaigns were a pivotal episode in the Punic Wars (264-146 BC), and these three conflicts between Rome and Carthage are the subject of this Everything You Wanted to Know episode. Rob Attar puts your questions to Professor Philip Freeman on the causes, key events and legacy of the wars, and asks whether elephants were really of any use on the ancient battlefield. (Ad) Philip Freeman is the author of Hannibal: Rome’s Greatest Enemy (Pegasus, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hannibal-Greatest-Philip-Freeman-PhD/dp/1643138715/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hist298 The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Exactly 100 years ago today, on 1 September 1923, the streets of Tokyo began to shudder. It was the first warning sign that something terrible was coming – a devastating earthquake that would level much of the city. But, as historian Dr Christopher Harding tells Ellie Cawthorne, the Great Kantō earthquake wasn’t just a natural disaster – it also exposed deep lying social and political divides. (Ad) Christopher Harding is the author of The Japanese: A History in Twenty Lives (Allen Lane, 2020). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/India-Second-World-War-Emotional/dp/1787389456/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When cries of “Black Lives Matter” rang out across the world in 2020, protestors were echoing the chants of civil rights activists advocating for change in the previous century. In the sixth and final episode of our series delving into the US Civil Rights movement, Dr Adriane Lentz-Smith and Dr Kennetta Hammond Perry join Rhiannon Davies to consider the legacy of the struggle for racial equality – both in America and beyond. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1949 the notorious Nazi doctor Josef Mengele, known as the “Angel of Death” fled to South America. Three decades later, US lawyer Gerald Posner set out to track him down. What followed was a remarkable tale of dogged persistence and lucky breakthroughs, as Posner’s search brought him face to face with Nazi operatives and members of Mengele’s family. Matt Elton caught up with Gerald to find out more about his hunt for the notorious fugitive. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Across the 20th century, Britain’s empire reached a peak and then began to disintegrate. Yet, according to historian Charlotte Lydia Riley, the country continued to be indelibly shaped by an imperial mindset even despite decolonisation, as evidenced in everything from institutions and immigration to philanthropy and foreign policy. Charlotte speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about her new book Imperial Island, which traces the impact of empire on 20th-century Britain, and questions how we can best deal with its legacy today. (Ad) Charlotte Lydia Riley is the author of Imperial Island: A History of Empire in Modern Britain (Bodley Head, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hist298&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fimperial-island%2Fcharlotte-lydia-riley%2F9781847926432 The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why did Christianity become so deeply embedded across western Europe in the centuries after the end of the Roman empire? To what extent did the old gods of Rome survive? And how did the concept of being Christian change over the course of the Middle Ages? Professor Mark Pegg of Washington University in St Louis considers these questions, in conversation with David Musgrove. (Ad) Mark Pegg is the author of Beatrice’s Last Smile: A New History of the Middle Ages (OUP, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fbeatrices-last-smile%2Fmark-gregory-pegg%2F9780199641574 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How brilliant a military leader was Genghis Khan? Could the Mongols have conquered all of Europe? And were they as brutal as they’re often portrayed to be? Speaking to Spencer Mizen, Nicholas Morton answers your queries on the nomadic warriors who established the largest contiguous empire the world had ever seen, stretching from the borders of Hungary all the way to the East China Sea. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From grimy back alleys and ghastly churchyards to debtors’ prisons and old curiosity shops, Charles Dickens evoked a vision of Victorian London that’s still vivid today. And, ever since Dickens’ books were published, literary fans have visited London to seek out traces of the lost world he described. Lee Jackson, author of Dickensland, guides Ellie Cawthorne through some of the atmospheric sites associated with the author – from Lincoln’s Inn to “Nancy’s steps”. (Ad) Lee Jackson is the author of Dickensland: the Curious History of Dickens’s London (Yale, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dickensland-Curious-History-Dickenss-London/dp/0300266200_encoding=UTF8&qid=1688035673&sr=1-1/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1965, Malcolm X walked out onto the stage of a Harlem ballroom, and was shot dead. In the fifth episode of our series delving into the US Civil Rights movement, Rhiannon Davies speaks to Dr Clarence Lang and Dr Ashley Farmer to find out more about Malcolm X’s life and untimely death, as well as his pivotal role in inspiring the Black Power movement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In March 1984, miners across Britain walked out of the pits and refused to go back. What followed was one of the longest, largest, and most divisive strikes in British history, as the miners stayed out of work to fight for the survival of their livelihoods and communities. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Robert Gildea revisits the trials and tribulations of the strike, based on his research interviewing more than 140 former miners and their families and supporters. (Ad) Robert Gildea is the author of Backbone of a Nation: Mining Communities and the Great Strike of 1984-85 (Yale, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hist298&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fbackbone-of-the-nation%2Frobert-gildea%2F9780300266580 The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today California is renowned worldwide as a heartland of sun-drenched luxury. But, according to Jean Pfaelzer, the state’s prosperity is in large part built on the proceeds of human bondage. Jean speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about the various forms slavery has taken in the state down the centuries – from Native Americans forced into indentured labour to Chinese girls trafficked into caged brothels. (Ad) Jean Pfaelzer is the author of California: A Slave State (Yale, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/California-Slave-State-Pfaelzer/dp/0300211643/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Pastons were a prominent aristocratic family from around 1380 to 1750, with stakes in the dynamic politicking of the Tudor and Stuart courts. But, what really makes this family stand out is the huge collection of letters and documents they left behind, sharing everyday details about their lives. Emily Briffett spoke to Dr Karen Smyth to uncover what the ‘Paston Letters’ can tell us about the wider social, cultural and political past. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New Zealand has a short history in terms of human settlement – but according to Professor James Belich, that makes it all the more interesting and worthy of study. In conversation with David Musgrove, James answers listener questions on the history of New Zealand, in the latest instalment of our Everything you want to know series. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Around 2.5 million Indian soldiers fought in the Second World War. Behind this staggering number lies a complex web of emotional experiences – and Diya Gupta unpicks that tangled web in her new book, India in the Second World War: An Emotional History. Diya speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about how both Indian soldiers and civilians back home felt about the war, and how the conflict impacted on their lives. (Ad) Diya Gupta is the author of India in the Second World War: An Emotional History (Hurst, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/India-Second-World-War-Emotional/dp/1787389456/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When President Lyndon B Johnson signed the 1964 Civil Rights Act, he made history – but did sweeping laws actually result in tangible social change? In the fourth episode of our series exploring the US Civil Rights movement, Rhiannon Davies is joined by Dr Tomiko Nagin-Brown and Dr Rebecca Brueckmann to untangle the 1964 act’s complicated legacy. The episode also winds the clock back to 1957, to consider whether the experiences of the Little Rock Nine can shed new light on the question. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices