HistoryExtra podcast

Hana Videen explores the Old English language and reveals what it can tell us about daily life at the time it was spoken The medieval language of Old English is full of linguistic gems. Speaking to David Musgrove, Dr Hana Videen opens up this treasure chest of words to reveal what the language can tell us about daily life at the time it was spoken. (Ad) Hana Videen is the author of The Wordhord: Daily Life in Old English (Profile Books, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wordhord-Daily-Life-Old-English/dp/1788166108/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-Histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Marion Gibson discusses the motivations and methods of “witch finders” who sought out supernatural wrongdoing in Stuart Britain. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, she discusses why people became witch hunters and explores the techniques they used to extract confessions, from strip-searching and sleep deprivation to ‘swimming’. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nigel Copsey discusses the British Union of Fascists and its leader, Oswald Mosley Nigel Copsey speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about the British Union of Fascists, which gained support in the 1930s, and its leader Oswald Mosley. They also discuss the party’s foundation, ideology and connections to the fascist regimes of Italy and Germany. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Benjamin Carp tackles listener questions and popular search queries on the conflict that saw colonists in North America rise up and declare independence from the British. He speaks to Elinor Evans about the causes of the war, key battles, and how the revolution is mythologised today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the second instalment of our new monthly series marking the centenary of the BBC, media historian David Hendy speaks to Matt Elton about the ways in which the corporation expanded and evolved throughout the 1930s to become part of the British establishment. (Ad) David Hendy is the author of The BBC: A People’s History (Profile Books, 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%2Fthe-bbc%2Fdavid-hendy%2F%2F9781781255254%3Fawaid%3D3787%26utm_source%3Dredbrain%26utm_medium%3Dshopping%26utm_campaign%3Dcss%26gclid%3DCj0KCQiAip-PBhDVARIsAPP2xc2PCYX_d_582jtZj6du6A-9dNO8d8xXvVkPhP_Jmh1FuEm7Mui3xSYaAvwiEALw_wcB Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Screenwriter Jeb Stuart discusses the real history that inspired his new Netflix show Vikings: Valhalla Screenwriter Jeb Stuart speaks to Kev Lochun about his new Netflix show Vikings: Valhalla, the successor to the hugely popular series Vikings. They discuss the real historical characters being brought to life through the series, the enduring popularity of the Vikings, and where the show could take viewers after season one. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fifty years ago this month, US president Richard Nixon embarked on a trip to China – a visit that marked a key moment in the thawing of relations between the two nations. Rana Mitter talks to Matt Elton about the 1972 visit, and how it changed the course of the Cold War. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Walter Reid tells Spencer Mizen that, far from going down in history as the bloodless author of appeasement, Neville Chamberlain should be remembered as a radical politician who saw through Hitler’s lies. (Ad) Walter Reid is the author of Neville Chamberlain: The Passionate Radical (Birlinn, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Neville-Chamberlain-Passionate-Walter-Reid/dp/1780276745/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Professor Christopher Andrew talks to Elinor Evans about his book Stars and Spies, co-written with Julius Green. He reveals the many historical links between spying and the entertainment industry that for centuries have helped intelligence operatives to hide in plain sight. (Ad) Christopher Andrew and Julius Green are the authors of Stars and Spies: The Story of Intelligence Operations and the Entertainment Industry (Bodley Head, 2021). 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%2Fstars-and-spies%2Fchristopher-andrew%2Fjulius-green%2F9781847925282 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the second episode of this two-part special on Stonehenge, archaeologist and author Mike Pitts answers more listener questions on the most famous prehistoric monument in Britain. Speaking to David Musgrove, he discusses Stonehenge’s relationship with other prehistoric sites, its long legacy, and why we call it “Stonehenge”. (Ad) Mike Pitts is the author of How to Build Stonehenge (Thames & Hudson, 2022). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-TTClub&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fhow-to-build-stonehenge%2Fmike-pitts%2F%2F9780500024195%3Fawaid%3D3787%26utm_source%3Dredbrain%26utm_medium%3Dshopping%26utm_campaign%3Dcss%26gclid%3DCj0KCQiAnuGNBhCPARIsACbnLzpsBA_shuubuZPKpKG0GYoG5FSn-YLJkUjZS3M0BBv9ZWfutkfZMKsaAt0uEALw_wcB Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Caroline Shenton tells the story of the colourful cast of curators, museum directors and civil servants who embarked on a top-secret mission to protect Britain’s national art collections during the Second World War. Speaking to Emily Briffett, she explains how these dedicated men and women devised ingenious escape plans and concealed artworks and artefacts in the most unlikely of places in a race against time to save the nation’s heritage. (Ad) Caroline Shenton is the author of National Treasures: Saving the Nation’s Art in World War II (John Murray Press, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/National-Treasures-Saving-Nations-World/dp/1529387434/?tag=mad06e-21&ascsubtag=madeformums-social-Histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Judith Green reveals how there is much more to the Norman story than the events of the 1066 Conquest We all know the story of the Norman Conquest, when Duke William of Normandy led his troops across the Channel and took the crown of England. However, as Professor Judith Green tells David Musgrove, there is a lot more to the history of the Normans than the events of 1066. (Ad) Judith Green is the author of The Normans: Power, Conquest and Culture in the 11th Century Europe (Yale University Press, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-Histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FNormans-Conquest-Culture-Century-Europe%2Fdp%2F0300180330 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dominic Selwood chronicles Britain’s past through a diverse – and sometimes unexpected – selection of historical documents, from birthday invites and Valentine’s Day letters, to musical scores and shipping forecasts. Speaking with Emily Briffett, he explains what these can tell us about British identity past and present. (Ad) Dominic Selwood is the author of Anatomy of a Nation: A History of British Identity in 50 Documents (Constable, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anatomy-Nation-British-Identity-Documents/dp/1472131894/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this fourth and final episode, Dan Jones reveals how the Middle Ages came to a close, starting off with a global pandemic that ripped across the world, devastating populations, reshaping economies and bringing societal change. Speaking to David Musgrove, he also introduces the geniuses of the Renaissance, and the great navigators who struck out in search of new worlds. Lastly, he examines how shifting religious dogma, allied to new communication technology, brought about the Protestant Reformation – an upheaval which brought the curtain down on “the middle age”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From poison and fatal snakebites to dying from a broken heart, more than 250 named characters die in Shakespeare’s plays. Speaking with Ellie Cawthorne, Kathryn Harkup guides us through a grisly range of the Bard’s death scenes. She looks at the real history and science behind them, and how they would have been staged in Elizabethan England. (Ad) Kathryn Harkup is the author of Death By Shakespeare: Snakebites, Stabbings and Broken Hearts (Bloomsbury, 2020). 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%2Fdeath-by-shakespeare%2Fkathryn-harkup%2F9781472958228 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the first episode of a two-part special, archaeologist Mike Pitts answers listener questions on the most famous prehistoric site in Britain. Speaking to David Musgrove, he discusses how Stonehenge was built – and why. (Ad) Mike Pitts is the author of How to Build Stonehenge (Thames & Hudson, 2022). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-TTClub&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fhow-to-build-stonehenge%2Fmike-pitts%2F%2F9780500024195%3Fawaid%3D3787%26utm_source%3Dredbrain%26utm_medium%3Dshopping%26utm_campaign%3Dcss%26gclid%3DCj0KCQiAnuGNBhCPARIsACbnLzpsBA_shuubuZPKpKG0GYoG5FSn-YLJkUjZS3M0BBv9ZWfutkfZMKsaAt0uEALw_wcB Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Anderson and Neil Hanson discuss the 1999 prosecution of a former Nazi collaborator – Britain’s only war crimes trial Mike Anderson and Neil Hanson discuss Britain’s only war crimes trial, where a former Nazi collaborator was prosecuted for his involvement in the Holocaust, more than five decades after the events had occurred. In conversation with Rob Attar, they explore this landmark moment and consider the challenges of bringing perpetrators to justice after so much time has elapsed. (Ad) Mike Anderson and Neil Hanson are the authors of The Ticket Collector from Belarus: An Extraordinary True Story of Britain's Only War Crimes Trial (Simon & Schuster, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09QPKWCSB/ref=sr_1_3?adgrpid=127410484261&gclid=Cj0KCQiAip-PBhDVARIsAPP2xc36SxkExhIrmGJI5IQNxmArVxKUn7QkCYKVn55fcI7BYQyd6FQFU44aAhZdEALw_wcB&hvadid=566301370973&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=1006715&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=3753860383860465962&hvtargid=kwd-1562441342634&hydadcr=10836_1789931&keywords=the+ticket+collector+from+belarus&qid=1642609045&sr=8-3&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From beavers to whales, Lee Raye discusses wildlife found across medieval Britain that has since gone extinct from the region In conversation with David Musgrove, Lee Raye discusses the animals that lived in medieval Britain but have since gone extinct from the region, from beavers and boars to whales and wolves – plus elusive big cats and birds. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Edward Shawcross speaks to Elinor Evans about a little-known and disastrous attempt to install a Habsburg archduke, Ferdinand Maximilian, as emperor of Mexico in the mid-19th century, at a time when the US Civil War was raging. (Ad) Edward Shawcross is the author of The Last Emperor of Mexico: A Disaster in the New World (Faber & Faber, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Emperor-Mexico-Dramatic-Habsburg/dp/1541674197/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dan Jones charts the rise of the Mongols in the twelfth century – a sharp and hideously brutal episode, in which an eastern empire achieved fleeting domination over half the world, at the cost of millions of lives. Speaking to David Musgrove, he also looks at other emerging powers in the ‘high’ Middle Ages. He introduces merchants who invented extraordinary new ways to make fortunes, scholars who revived the wisdom of the ancients and founded great universities, and architects and engineers who built the cities, cathedrals and castles that still stand 500 years on. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Penelope J Corfield discusses the highs and lows of the Georgian era, from the abolition movement to the gin craze The long 18th century saw Britain undergo colossal changes, from growing overseas expansion and the transformation of attitudes towards disability, to the sexualisation of popular culture. Penelope J Corfield speaks to Rhiannon Davies about this explosive era of British history. (Ad) Penelope J Corfield is the author of The Georgians: The Deeds and Misdeeds of 18th Century Britain (Yale University Press, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Georgians-Deeds-Misdeeds-Century-Britain/dp/0300253575/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Shannon Fogg answers listener questions on the collaborationist regime created following France’s defeat by Nazi Germany In the latest episode in our series on history’s biggest topics, Professor Shannon Fogg answers listener questions on the collaborationist French regime that was created following the country’s defeat by Nazi Germany. In conversation with Rob Attar, she examines the origins of Vichy France, explores its relationship with Nazi Germany and reveals what life was like for those who lived under Vichy rule. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Barney White-Spunner discusses the extraordinary, absorbing and often tragic history of Germany’s capital Barney White-Spunner tells Spencer Mizen why Berlin – a metropolis that was at the centre of the Reformation, the Thirty Years’ War, the Third Reich and the Cold War – has a history like no other city in the world. (Ad) Barney White-Spunner is the author of Berlin: The Story of a City (Simon & Schuster, 2020). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-viewingguide&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fberlin%2Fbarney-white-spunner%2F9781471181535 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pamela Roberts discusses her research on Mary Church Terrell, Rosetta Lawson and Josephine Wilson Bruce – three women activists of Washington’s ‘black elite’ who visited Britain in the early 20th century and campaigned on issues including women’s rights, civil rights, temperance and education. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From artistic experimentation to an explosion in pop music, Louis Menand speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about American art, culture and ideas between 1945-65. They touch on the Beatles making waves in the US, the rise of counterculture, and how silent compositions and messy canvases redefined the boundaries of art. (Ad) Louis Menand is the author of The Free World: Art and Thought in the Cold War (HarperCollins, 2021). 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-free-world%2Flouis-menand%2F9780007126873 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dan Jones and David Musgrove delve into the age of the Franks, who revived a Christian, pseudo-Roman empire in the west. They trace the rise of the dynasties who carved Europe into Christian royal realms and look at the new forms of cultural ‘soft’ power that emerged around the turn of the first millennium. This episode also explores how monks and knights came to play such an important role in western society during the Middle Ages – and how the fusion of their two mindsets gave birth to the crusades. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Anthony Bale discusses the sensational life of medieval mystic Margery Kempe, charting a story of unusual visions, spiritual revelations, turbulent emotions and religious controversies. Speaking with Emily Briffett, he explores how her autobiography, The Book of Margery Kempe, has enriched our understanding of the early 15th century. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the latest episode in our series on history’s biggest topics, classicist Natalie Haynes tackles listener questions on Greek myths. Speaking to Rachel Dinning, she examines the tales of popular figures including Hercules and Aphrodite, and explores how these ancient stories have changed and evolved across history. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To mark the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, Diarmaid Ferriter speaks about the event and its tangled legacy today To mark the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, historian Diarmaid Ferriter speaks to Rhiannon Davies about the events of 30 January 1972 and their tangled legacy for the people and politics of Northern Ireland today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the first episode of our new monthly series marking the centenary of the BBC, media historian David Hendy speaks to Matt Elton about the institution’s founding in the 1920s – a decade of innovation and ingenuity. (Ad) David Hendy is the author of The BBC: A People’s History (Profile Books, 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%2Fthe-bbc%2Fdavid-hendy%2F%2F9781781255254%3Fawaid%3D3787%26utm_source%3Dredbrain%26utm_medium%3Dshopping%26utm_campaign%3Dcss%26gclid%3DCj0KCQiAip-PBhDVARIsAPP2xc2PCYX_d_582jtZj6du6A-9dNO8d8xXvVkPhP_Jmh1FuEm7Mui3xSYaAvwiEALw_wcB Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Duncan Stone argues that classism and racism have held back England’s summer sport for decades Duncan Stone talks to Spencer Mizen about cricket’s history of elitism – a story that, he contends, has long seen the rich and powerful dominate the sport’s evolution and image. (Ad) Duncan Stone is the author of Different Class: The Untold Story of English Cricket (Repeater, 2022). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Different-Class-Untold-English-Cricket/dp/1913462803/ref=asc_df_1913462803/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=499348463277&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9158678485622880103&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006476&hvtargid=pla-1294513684256&psc=1&th=1&psc=1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dan Jones takes listeners on a journey through early medieval Europe, beginning with the Roman empire in a state of collapse, rocked by a changing climate and mass migration. He speaks to David Musgrove about the superpowers that emerged in Rome’s wake: the so-called “barbarian” realms that laid the foundations for the European kingdoms, the state of Byzantium and the first Islamic empires. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Martin Sixsmith speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about his book The War of Nerves, which explores the role of psychology in the Cold War, from propaganda and paranoia to a divided mindset and unpredictable decisions made by unstable leaders. (Ad) Martin Sixsmith is the author of The War of Nerves: Inside the Cold War Mind (Profile Books, 2021). 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-war-of-nerves%2Fmartin-sixsmith%2F9781781259122 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Were the twenties really “roaring”? If so, who actually experienced the best of the era? And were the parties really as debauched as popular culture suggests? Speaking with Emily Briffett, historian Sarah Churchwell answers listener questions about life in the United States during the 1920s. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How can we reconstruct the experiences of enslaved people? Historian Shaun Wallace speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about his work on the Fugitive Slave Database, which uses newspaper adverts for fugitive enslaved people from the American South to reconstruct the stories of those who escaped from slavery. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Author Robert Harris speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about Munich: The Edge of War, the new Netflix film adapted from his 2017 historical novel Munich. They discuss the real history behind the 1938 Munich conference, the challenges of reassessing Neville Chamberlain, and what it’s like seeing your book adapted for the screen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Roger Luckhurst speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about how the idea of the Gothic has evolved and mutated over time, from medieval-inspired architecture and 19th-century vampire fiction to politicised horror films. He also reveals how the genre has been used as a vehicle to explore society’s anxieties over time, from sex and gender to race and colonialism. (Ad) Roger Luckhurst is the author of Gothic: An Illustrated History (Thames & Hudson, 2021). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-viewingguide&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fgothic%2Froger-luckhurst%2F9780500252512 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Historian Natalie Livingstone chronicles the unexplored lives of the women who shaped the famous Rothschild banking dynasty. She speaks to Elinor Evans about how – though often excluded in a patriarchal society – they forged their own paths, from influential hostesses to pioneering scientists. (Ad) Natalie Livingstone is the author of The Women of Rothschild: The Untold Story of the World's Most Famous Dynasty (John Murray, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Women-Rothschild-Untold-Worlds-Dynasty/dp/1529366712#:~:text=From%20the%20East%20End%20of,dawn%20of%20the%20nineteenth%20century/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-Histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Richard J Aldrich and Rory Cormac discuss Queen Victoria’s love of espionage and her network of royal intelligence agents Historians Richard J Aldrich and Rory Cormac speak to Emma Slattery Williams about their book The Secret Royals, which explores the connections between espionage and the British monarchy, revealing how Queen Victoria utilised a large covert network of international spies. (Ad) Richard J Aldrich and Rory Cormac are the authors of The Secret Royals: Spying and the Crown, from Victoria to Diana (Atlantic Books, 2021). 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-secret-royals%2Frichard-aldrich%2Frory-cormac%2F9781786499127 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the latest episode in our series on history’s biggest topics, Professor Rana Mitter answers your questions about one of the defining events of modern Chinese history. Speaking to Rob Attar, he explores the role of Chairman Mao in the Cultural Revolution, its impact on China’s population and its legacy today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dominic Sandbrook explains how the Beatles reflected 1960s Britain, from the globalisation of pop culture to a fascination with mysticism The 1960s was a time of transformation, as the grey of postwar Britain gave way to a technicolour youth culture, with screaming teenage fans, an outpouring of merchandise and a deep obsession with pop music. Dominic Sandbrook speaks to Rhiannon Davies about how the Beatles provided the soundtrack to a rapidly changing society. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matthew Gabriele and David M Perry speak to David Musgrove about their book The Bright Ages, which tackles the big themes of the Middle Ages and challenges some widely held views about the history of medieval Europe. (Ad) Matthew Gabriele and David M Perry are the authors of The Bright Ages: A New History of Medieval Europe (HarperCollins, 2021). 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-bright-ages%2Fmatthew-gabriele%2Fdavid-m-perry%2F9780062980892 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thomas Morris speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about his book The Dublin Railway Murder, which reconstructs a strange historical cold case from 1856, revolving around a body discovered in a railway station office that was locked from the inside. (Ad) Thomas Morris is the author of The Dublin Railway Murder: The Sensational True Story of a Victorian Murder Mystery (Harvill Secker, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dublin-Railway-Murder-Thomas-Morris/dp/1787302393/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-Histboty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Carr speaks to David Musgrove about Muslim-Christian relations in the medieval era, revealing how Papal-sanctioned trade was going on despite the background of the Crusades. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thomas Harding discusses a little-known uprising by enslaved people in the British colony of Demerara in 1823 Thomas Harding speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about his new book, White Debt, which recounts the little-known uprising by enslaved people in the British colony of Demerara in 1823, as told through the experiences of four eyewitnesses. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Naval historian Kate Jamieson tackles listener questions on the Age of Sail, when sailing ships dominated global trade and warfare In the latest episode in our series on history’s biggest topics, naval historian Kate Jamieson tackles listener questions on the Age of Sail. Speaking to Kev Lochun, she covers subjects ranging from ghost ships and sea monsters to the rigours of life at sea. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Curator Jane Desborough talks to Ellie Cawthorne about a new Science Museum exhibition, Ancient Greeks: Science and Wisdom, which explores the ways in which Greek thinkers sought to understand the world around them – from the oceans and animals, to the cosmos and the human body. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Edward Brooke-Hitching explores the many heavens, hells and lands of the dead from civilisations across global history Edward Brooke-Hitching speaks to Charlotte Hodgman about his latest book, The Devil's Atlas: An Explorer's Guide to Heavens, Hells and Afterworlds, exploring visions of the afterlife as imagined throughout history by cultures and religions around the world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In commemoration of the 80th anniversary of conscription for women, historian Tessa Dunlop has written a new book capturing the remarkable lives of the last surviving women who served in Britain’s armed forces during the Second World War. Speaking to Emma Slattery Williams, Tessa draws on individual stories to paint a picture of what it was like to be young, female and at war. (Ad) Tessa Dunlop is the author of Army Girls: The secrets and stories of military service from the final few women who fought in World War II (Headline, 2021). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-viewingguide&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Farmy-girls%2Ftessa-dunlop%2F9781472282088 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Malcolm Gaskill speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about his book The Ruin of All Witches, which chronicles a little-known 1651 witchcraft case from Springfield, Massachusetts, revealing how an irascible brickmaker and his wife found themselves accused of diabolical activity. (Ad) Malcolm Gaskill is the author of The Ruin of All Witches: Life and Death in the New World (Allen Lane, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ruin-All-Witches-Death-World/dp/0241413389/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-viewingguide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices