HistoryExtra podcast

The relationship between politics and history has long been a fraught one – particularly in recent years, when concerns that a political agenda may be shaping our view of the past have been rife. Speaking to Matt Elton, Zareer Masani details his thoughts on whether our view of the past is becoming distorted by present-day political concerns, and discusses his involvement in the scholarly group History Reclaimed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Katherine Parr was not just the “survivor”. She was also a ground-breaking intellectual, passionate religious reformer and canny political player. In episode six of our new series on the dramatic marital history of England’s most notorious monarch, Dr Estelle Paranque and Dr Tracy Borman join Ellie Cawthorne to share the tumultuous life story of Henry VIII’s final wife. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The history of the British empire has often been told as the story of an all-conquering spread of British values and influence across the globe. But, according to historian David Veevers’ new book The Great Defiance, in its early years the progress of the colonial project was much more halting – characterised by resistance, violence and, often, failure. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, David highlights places across the globe where local people put up fierce resistance to Britain’s imperial aims. (Ad) David Veevers is the author of The Great Defiance: How the World Took on the British Empire (Ebury, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Defiance-world-British-Empire/dp/1529109957/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

William the Conqueror famously defeated King Harold at the battle of Hastings in 1066. But in order to achieve this victory, he first had to get his army (and some 2000 horses) across the sea from Normandy. So how exactly did he manage that gargantuan task? Speaking to David Musgrove, Rebecca Tyson reveals how a wealth of maritime knowledge and experience was required to pull off this extraordinary feat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Black Death unquestionably wrought a horrific death toll in the mid-14th century, but did it also sweep in social and cultural changes that eventually led to the rise of Europe? Professor James Belich certainly thinks so, and he lays out his argument in new book The World The Plague Made. Speaking to David Musgrove, James considers how the inventiveness required in a depopulated world led to global changes with long-term consequences. (Ad) James Belich is the author of The World the Plague Made: The Black Death and the Rise of Europe (Princeton University Press, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/World-Plague-Made-Black-Europe/dp/0691215669/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The first half of the 19th century witnessed the rise of an extraordinary working-class campaign for political reform: Chartism. What made this movement so remarkable was its size and sophistication – and the level of anxiety it provoked among the British establishment. But who were the Chartists? Why was the authorities' reaction to them so draconian? And did they actually achieve any of their aims? Speaking with Spencer Mizen, Joan Allen answers your top questions about Chartism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Before being scattered across different kingdoms, Catherine de’ Medici, Elisabeth de Valois and Mary, Queen of Scots spent many years of their formative years at the French court. Speaking to Lauren Good, Leah Redmond Chang explores the bonds between these extraordinary women and considers how French king Henry II’s death changed the course of their futures in unexpected ways. (Ad) Leah Redmond Chang is the author of Young Queens: Three Renaissance Women and the Price of Power (Bloomsbury, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Young-Queens-Three-Renaissance-Women-ebook/dp/B0B4DP7TMZ/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Catherine Howard was a teenaged bride who captivated King Henry VIII, but was brought down by secrets from her past that refused to remain buried. In episode five of our new series on the dramatic marital history of England’s most notorious monarch, Ellie Cawthorne is joined by Kate McCaffrey and Dr Tracy Borman to rehabilitate the executed queen’s image. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ramesses II is the only pharaoh in history to be known as ‘the great’, but does he deserve that title? Was he the pharaoh in the Exodus story? And was his mummy really given a passport when he travelled to France? Egyptologist Toby Wilkinson has just written a new biography of Ramesses and he answered these questions and more in conversation with Rob Attar. (Ad) Toby Wilkinson is the author of Ramesses the Great: Egypt's King of Kings (Yale University Press, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ramesses-Great-Egypts-Kings-Ancient/dp/0300256655/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Look at a Tudor family portrait, and you’ll often find children depicted like miniature adults, standing confidently alongside their parents in their doublets and dresses. But how far is this an accurate portrayal of what childhood was like in the 16th century? Nicholas Orme, author of new book Tudor Children, joined Emily Briffett to talk about the lives of young people in the era, from nursery rhymes and moralistic bedtime stories, to playtime, punishment and more. (Ad) Nicholas Orme is the author of Tudor Children (Yale University Press, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Ftudor-children%2Fnicholas-orme%2F9780300267969 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Was Richard I homosexual, and would it matter if he was? Although he was known to have shared a bed with the King of France, according to Dr Gabrielle Storey, that was part and parcel of being a king in the Middle Ages. Speaking to Kev Lochun, she unpicks the debates surrounding Richard I’s sexuality, explores what his life tells us about concepts of masculinity in the medieval era, and considers why we need to be careful about applying modern labels to historical figures. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It was the decade that saw the fall of the Soviet Union, the rise of Tony Blair and the landmark Good Friday Agreement. But what was behind the landslide victory of New Labour? How did the death of Princess Diana change the monarchy? And was ‘Cool Britannia’ really that cool? Speaking to Spencer Mizen, Alwyn Turner answers listener questions on Britain in the 1990s. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The story of East Germany has been largely told in the context of Cold War geopolitics. But while the country may have been an ideological battleground, ordinary life there still carried on regardless – people picked up supplies at the local shop, took their kids to school and enjoyed trips to the cinema. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Katja Hoyer reexamines the experiences of ordinary people in the GDR to uncover a new perspective on the communist state. (Ad) Katja Hoyer is the author of Beyond the Wall: East Germany, 1949-1990 (Penguin, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fbeyond-the-wall%2Fkatja-hoyer%2F9780241553787 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Anne of Cleves is remembered as a comedy anecdote, a figure of mockery who repulsed King Henry VIII on first sight. But her reputation deserves to be rescued from this myth. In episode four of our new series on the dramatic marital history of England’s most notorious monarch, Dr Elizabeth Norton and Dr Tracy Borman join Ellie Cawthorne to reveal how the so-called “Flanders mare” was in fact a much-admired woman with a full, fascinating and independent life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1848, a tidal wave of revolution swept across Europe – from Sicily to Paris, Berlin to Vienna. But what sparked this cascade of unrest, and how can we explain its apparent synchronicity? Speaking to Matt Elton, Christopher Clark charts the causes of the uprisings, and explores the consequences on the continent in the following decades. (Ad) Christopher Clark is the author of Revolutionary Spring: Fighting for a New World 1848-1849 (Penguin, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Frevolutionary-spring%2Fchristopher-clark%2F9780241347669 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today we take it for granted that we can meet friends at an agreed time, work a set amount of paid hours, or catch a train before it leaves. But so much of the fabric of our modern lives is entirely dependent on one thing: the ability to accurately tell the time. Watchmaker and author Rebecca Struthers joins Ellie Cawthorne to chart the long history of watches and other timekeepers, and reveals how they have revolutionised humanity’s perception of time. (Ad) Rebecca Struthers is the author of Hands of Time: A Watchmaker's History of Time (Hodder & Stoughton, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fhands-of-time%2Frebecca-struthers%2F9781529339031 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For too long, argues Professor Ned Blackhawk, Indigenous people have been marginalised or viewed merely as passive participants in the history of the United States. Speaking to Matt Elton, Ned discusses the central role that Indigenous people have played across centuries of the nation’s history – from the course of European colonisation to 20th-century bids for equality and self-determination. (Ad) Ned Blackhawk is the author of The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History (Yale University Press, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-rediscovery-of-america%2Fned-blackhawk%2F9780300244052 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What’s the difference between the Visigoths and the Ostrogoths? Why did the Goths have whole settlements devoted to the production of combs? And were these Germanic tribes really responsible for the fall of the Western Roman empire? Speaking with Emily Briffett, Professor Peter Heather answers listener questions on the uncertain and complex history of the Goths, from debates around their origins to their later interactions with the Huns and the Franks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The British monarchy is known for its pomp and pageantry, and a coronation is a big chance to show off. But with so much pressure to get time-honoured traditions right, down the centuries things haven’t always gone to plan. So, what separates a crowning success from a royal fiasco? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Dr Tracy Borman offers up her top tips for pulling off the historic ceremony without a hitch – from rocking the right regalia and crowning the correct king to staying in tune with the times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jane Seymour has gone down in history as Henry VIII’s dream wife – the simpering spouse who couldn’t put a foot wrong. But the reality was much more interesting. In episode three of our new series on the dramatic marital history of England’s most notorious monarch, Dr Nicola Tallis and Dr Tracy Borman join Ellie Cawthorne to delve into the real story of Jane’s short-lived queenship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tomorrow, period drama fans will be glued to their screens as Netflix releases their latest show set in the Bridgerton universe – Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. Created by showrunner Shonda Rhimes, the series fictionalises the story of Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, a young woman shipped off to marry the king of England, George III. Polly Putnam, historical advisor on the drama, speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about some of its real inspirations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Later this week, royal ceremony and spectacle will be deployed in full force for the coronation of King Charles III. But this latest lavish display is nothing new – British monarchs have long used pomp and pageantry to reinforce their power and popularity. Dr Alice Hunt speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about how monarchs down the centuries have used ceremony and ritual – and how it’s gone down with the public. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How risky were the D-Day landings? What sealed the downfall of Nazi Germany? And why did the US decide to drop atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki? In the final episode of our five-part series tackling the big questions of the Second World War, historian Laurence Rees joins Rachel Dinning to explore the final stages of the conflict. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Westminster Abbey has hosted royal coronations since the medieval period, and the next monarch to be crowned there will be King Charles III. In our latest Everything You Want to Know episode, David Musgrove speaks to Professor David Carpenter (who grew up in the abbey) to answer listener questions on the lengthy history of this iconic building – from marvellous medieval acoustics to the destruction of its brightly coloured art. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This April marks the 60th anniversary of the beginning of the Bristol bus boycott in 1963, a campaign to overturn a bar on black and Asian conductors and drivers working on buses in the city. Hannah Cusworth tells Spencer Mizen how a group of activists turned the boycott into a cause celebre, and paved the way for landmark legislation against racial discrimination in Britain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Harlot, feminist, witch, backstabber, icon, powerplayer, victim – in the centuries since her execution, Anne Boleyn has been branded all of these. But what do we know about the real Anne and her story? In episode two of our new series on the dramatic marital history of England’s most notorious monarch, Ellie Cawthorne is joined by Dr Owen Emmerson and Dr Tracy Borman to uncover the rollercoaster story of the woman who set Tudor England ablaze. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thirty years ago, a deadly standoff in Texas between a religious cult and the FBI hit the headlines around the United States. The story of leader David Koresh and the power he held over the Branch Davidian religious group has fascinated and appalled in the decades since, and has cast an increasingly dark shadow over US politics. Matt Elton spoke to author Stephan Talty about what Waco tells us about 20th-century America, and the ways in which its mythologisation have come to inform extremism in the 21st century. (Ad) Stephan Talty is the author of Koresh: The True Story of David Koresh and the Tragedy at Waco (Apollo, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Koresh-True-Story-David-Tragedy/dp/1801102678/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In January 1742 a ramshackle boat washed up on the Brazilian coastline. Inside were 30 men, half starved and close to madness. Claiming to be survivors of the wrecked British vessel the Wager, they told an incredible tale of survival on the high seas. The men were hailed as heroes until, six months later, another group of castaways washed ashore. And these men had a very different story to tell about what had happened to the crew of the Wager. Author David Grann tells Ellie Cawthorne how a shipwreck led to mutiny, murder and even cannibalism. (Ad) David Grann is the author of The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder. Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-mayiPad&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-wager%2Fdavid-grann%2F9781471183676 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How did the Nazis’ poisonous antisemitic rhetoric eventually culminate in the systematic mass-murder of millions? In the fourth episode of our five-part series tackling the big questions of the Second World War, historian Laurence Rees joins Rachel Dinning to chart the course of the Holocaust – from its origins to its devastating conclusion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After the fall of Jerusalem into Frankish hands in 1099 during the First Crusade, a string of new crusader states emerged, initiating Western rule in the region for almost 200 years. Drawing on listener questions and top search queries, Emily Briffett speaks to Dr Nicholas Morton, Associate Professor at Nottingham Trent University, to find out more about these states – and why the complicated story of this region has such a long cultural afterlife. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Looking at sport history, it’s easy to get the impression that women’s involvement in sporting activities only began in the 1970s. However, as author Rachel Hewitt outlines, women were excluded from sport as rules and regulations were codified from the 19th century. Speaking with David Musgrove, she considers how the sporting and outdoors endeavours of women have consequently been overlooked in sporting history. (Ad) Rachel Hewitt is the author of In Her Nature: How Women Break Boundaries in the Great Outdoors (Vintage, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Her-Nature-Women-Boundaries-Outdoors-ebook/dp/B0BD73MK7K/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Catherine of Aragon’s 23-year-long marriage to King Henry VIII witnessed many twists and turns – triumph, tragedy, and, ultimately, betrayal. In episode one of our new series on the dramatic marital history of England’s most notorious monarch, Ellie Cawthorne is joined by Dr Nicola Clark and Dr Tracy Borman to discuss the fluctuating fortunes of Henry VIII’s first wife. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Æthelflæd was a successful and celebrated ruler of the Mercian peoples in the early 10th century, who enjoyed a period of great political prosperity. Speaking to Emily Briffett, Rebecca Hardie explores what this fascinating figure can tell us about contemporary definitions of power, the lives of other women at the time and the complicated patchwork of early medieval kingdoms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the 19th century, cannabis, cocaine and heroin were widely available over the counter at the local chemist. Respected scientists and doctors tested out laughing gas and chloroform on their friends at dinner parties, while philosophers and artists dabbled in drug use to try and unlock different states of consciousness and even access the spirit world. Mike Jay, author of Psychonauts: Drugs and the Making of the Modern Mind, tells Ellie Cawthorne about these formative experiments in drug taking. (Ad) Mike Jay is the author of Psychonauts: Drugs and the Making of the Modern Mind (Yale, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Psychonauts-Drugs-Making-Modern-Mind/dp/0300257945/ref=sr_1_3?qid=1679582312&refinements=p_27%3AMike+Jay&s=books&sr=1-3 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How instrumental was Churchill in Britain’s decision to stand against Hitler? What was it like to work with the consummate charmer President Roosevelt? And why did Stalin feel betrayed by his allies? In the third episode of our five-part series tackling the big questions of the Second World War, historian Laurence Rees joins Rachel Dinning to discuss the role of the ‘Big Three’ – Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin – in shaping the course of the conflict. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Who were the rulers of Russia prior to the 1917 Revolution? How accessible were they to the ordinary peoples of the Russian empire? How did a foreign-born princess manage to secure absolute power in St Petersburg, and what impact did the Napoleonic Wars have on tsarist influence? Speaking to Danny Bird, Simon Sebag Montefiore answers listener questions about the Russian tsars, from the ancient origins of their regal title to the monarchy’s dramatic collapse. (Ad) Simon Sebag Montefiore is the author of The Romanovs: 1613-1918. Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Romanovs-1613-1918-Simon-Sebag-Montefiore/dp/1474600875crid=Y7HQ1IS420LY&keywords=attack+warning+red+julie+mcdowall&qid=1680258464&sprefix=attack+warnon%2Caps%2C189&sr=8-1/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A dastardly bandit responsible for incredibly heinous crimes, or a runaway in search of his freedom? Meg Foster unravels the myth of “Black Douglas”, whose life of crime across 19th-century Australia made him a target of lynch mobs and the popular press. Speaking to Emily Briffett, she explains how Douglas was branded a shadowy bogeyman, and delves into his experiences as a hard-drinking prize-fighter and phrenologist. (Ad) Meg Foster is the author of Boundary Crossers: The hidden history of Australia's other bushrangers (NewSouth, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Boundary-Crossers-history-Australias-bushrangers/dp/1742237525/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The KGB would stop at virtually nothing in its attempts to spread chaos and confusion in the west throughout the Cold War. From honeytraps and smear campaigns to spreading fake news, Mark Hollingsworth tells Spencer Mizen about the KBG’s extraordinary attempts to destabilise its enemies. (Ad) Mark Hollingsworth is the author of Agents of Influence: How the KGB Subverted Western Democracies (Oneworld, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Agents-Influence-Subverted-Western-Democracies/dp/0861542169/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The 17th century was a turbulent time for England, overshadowed by a civil war, a coup and a regicide, not to mention the looming threats of terrorism, plague and witch panics. However, in the coffee shops and on the street corners of growing cities, the common people finally had their voices heard – and those voices were loud. Speaking with Emily Briffett, Jonathan Healey illuminates a revolutionary society that helped forge modern Britain. (Ad) Jonathan Healey is the author of The Blazing World: A New History of Revolutionary England (Bloomsbury, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-blazing-world%2Fdr-jonathan-healey%2F9781526621658 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What can Viking poetry reveal about the era in which it was written, and the people that wrote it? And why are ships, love and death some of its most common recurring motifs? Judith Jesch and Carolyne Larrington shared their expert insights with Matt Elton, tackling listener questions and reading excerpts from some of their favourite examples. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why did Hitler make the fateful decision to invade Poland in 1939? How did Churchill turn defeat at Dunkirk into a victory on the home front? And why did Japan’s imperial designs lead to war in east Asia? In the second episode of our five-part series tackling the big questions of the Second World War, historian Laurence Rees joins Rachel Dinning to guide you through the early years of the conflict – from Pearl Harbor to the fall of Tobruk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What was it really like to live and fight in WW1 trench? Why was throwing your empty food tins into No Man’s Land a death sentence? And what was the worst care package a Tommy could receive from home? Speaking with Emily Briffett, Peter Hart answers listener questions on life in the trenches – from favourite foods and morale-boosting parades to a soldier’s chances of survival in the face of deadly diseases, gas and explosions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If – or when – a nuclear bomb was dropped on Cold War Britain, the nation was primed to react fast. When the sirens sounded, children would run home from school using the quickest familiar route. Families would wait out the nuclear fallout under the stairs, while political leaders would evacuate to bunkers across the country, ready to launch the regeneration plan. But were all these plans actually just a load of nonsense? Julie McDowall tells Matt Elton about Britain’s nuclear response plans, and questions their effectiveness when faced with the reality of instant annihilation. (Ad) Julie McDowall is the author of Attack Warning Red! How Britain Prepared for Nuclear War. Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Attack-Warning-Red-Julie-McDowall/dp/1847926215/ref=sr_1_1?crid=Y7HQ1IS420LY&keywords=attack+warning+red+julie+mcdowall&qid=1680258464&sprefix=attack+warnon%2Caps%2C189&sr=8-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In recent years, discussions about sustainability and how we can create greener, more environmentally conscious urban spaces have been at the forefront of city planning. But to what extent are these considerations new? Author Ben Wilson tells Jon Bauckham about the ways in which societies have tried to bring wildlife into urban spaces, from the gardens of the Aztec empire to the bombsites of postwar Berlin. (Ad) Ben Wilson is the author of Urban Jungle: Wilding the City (Vintage, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Echolands-Journey-Boudica-Duncan-Mackay/dp/1399714112/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rome’s conquest of Britain in the first century AD was a brutal affair, as was the revolt against it led by Boudica. Duncan Mackay guides David Musgrove through the course of the rebellion, sharing the location of the final bloody battle, considering what we know about Boudica herself, and exploring why she continues to be a resonant figure today. (Ad) Duncan Mackay is the author of Echolands: A Journey in Search of Boudica (Hodder & Stoughton, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Boundary-Crossers-history-Australias-bushrangers/dp/1742237525/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How many pieces of clothing did the average Tudor own? Did women in the 16th century have specialised maternity wear? And what was behind the fascination with codpieces? Jane Malcolm-Davies stitches together our understanding of what the Tudors wore, from knitted hats and linen handkerchiefs right down to underwear. Speaking with Emily Briffett, Jane details how clothes were lovingly made, kept and cleaned – and reveals the unusual fashion trend she’d like to see revived. (Ad) Jane Malcolm-Davies is the co-author of The Typical Tudor: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1351741932/the-typical-tudor-reconstructing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the first episode of our podcast series The Big Questions of the Second World War, historian and broadcaster Laurence Rees explains some of the short and long term causes of the global conflict – from the legacy of the Treaty of Versailles to the rise of Hitler and the Nazi party. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What was the interior design like in medieval castles? Why were so many of these fortresses built in Wales? And what was it like to live in one? In our latest ‘Everything you wanted to know’ episode, Marc Morris answers listener questions on the history of British castles. Speaking to Charlotte Hodgman, he touches on building techniques, the architectural influence of the crusades, and England’s first fortresses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Holocaust is an event so vast and terrible it can often be hard to wrap our heads around it. But what motivated those who perpetrated horrific crimes in the name of the Third Reich, and how did they justify their actions? Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Martin Davidson discusses the devastating power of Hitler’s antisemitic worldview, and how it shaped the mindset of Nazi persecutors. (Ad) Martin Davidson is the author of Mobilising Hate: The Story of Hitler's Final Solution (Little Brown, 2022). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fmobilising-hate%2Fmartin-davidson%2F9781472146410 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s modern fascination with true crime is nothing new – our early modern ancestors also devoured sensational stories of brutal deaths and shocking, unexplained crimes. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Blessin Adams delves into several sensational murder cases from between 1500 and 1700 to explore what they can reveal about society at the time. (Ad) Blessin Adams is the author of Great and Horrible News: Murder and Mayhem in Early Modern Britain (HarperCollins, 2023). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fgreat-and-horrible-news%2Fblessin-adams%2F9780008500221 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices