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HistoryExtra podcast

HistoryExtra podcast

2,654 episodes — Page 33 of 54

Ep 1062Murder: a legal history

Kate Morgan chronicles the legal history of murder, discussing the cases that shaped UK murder laws Lawyer and writer Kate Morgan chronicles the legal history of murder, and explores the roles killers, victims, lawyers and judges have played in making UK murder law what it is today. She also discusses crimes that shaped the British legal system, from Richard Parker, the cannibalised cabin boy eaten by crewmates, to Ruth Ellis, the last woman hanged in the United Kingdom. (Ad) Kate Morgan is the author of Murder: The Biography (HarperCollins, 2021). Buy it now at Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fmurder-the-biography%2Fkate-morgan%2F2928377056001 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 22, 202141 min

Ep 1061The merits of meritocracy

Adrian Wooldridge discusses his new book Aristocracy of Talent, which explores meritocracy’s role in forging the modern world, and weighs up the challenges and advantages of a system in which people are advanced solely on the basis of their talents. (Ad) Adrian Wooldridge is the author of The Aristocracy of Talent: How Meritocracy Made the Modern World (Allen Lane, 2021). Buy it now at Bookshop.org: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fuk.bookshop.org%2Fbooks%2Fthe-aristocracy-of-talent-how-meritocracy-made-the-modern-world%2F9780241391495 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 21, 202144 min

Ep 1060The Enlightenment: everything you wanted to know

Ritchie Robertson responds to listener questions on the intellectual and philosophical movement that swept Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries How did the Enlightenment change the course of history? Why were elements of the established church so bitterly opposed to it? And are its ideals still relevant in the 21st century? Ritchie Robertson answers listener questions on the intellectual and philosophical movement that swept Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries. (Ad) Ritchie Robertson is the author of The Enlightenment: The Pursuit of Happiness 1680-1790 (Penguin, 2020). Buy it now at Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-enlightenment%2Fritchie-robertson%2F9780241004821 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 20, 202146 min

Ep 1059African Europeans

In a conversation recorded as part of our virtual lecture series, Olivette Otele discusses her book African Europeans: An Untold History, which charts the long history of Africans in Europe and explores the role that African individuals – from enslaved people to Roman emperors and medieval saints – have played in European history. (Ad) Olivette Otele is the author of African Europeans: An Untold History (Hurst, 2020). Buy it now at Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/African-Europeans-History-Olivette-Otele/dp/1787381919//?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 19, 202144 min

Ep 1058Women secret agents in Nazi-occupied France

Kate Vigurs discusses the 39 female agents of the Special Operation Executive’s F-section, a diverse cohort of women recruited to carry out resistance work in occupied France during the Second World War – from wireless operation to crucial planning for D-Day. (Ad) Kate Vigurs is the author of Mission France: The True History of the Women of SOE (Yale, 2021). Buy it now at Bookshop.org: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fuk.bookshop.org%2Fbooks%2Fmission-france-the-true-history-of-the-women-of-soe%2F9780300208573 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 18, 202139 min

Ep 1057Introducing: HistoryExtra Plus

We’re launching a brand-new premium podcast feed, HistoryExtra Plus – a subscription channel where we take you on a deep dive into the past, with even more on history’s most gripping events. Brought to you by the team behind HistoryExtra and BBC History Magazine, HistoryExtra Plus brings you an in-depth look at history’s most exciting stories and compelling mysteries. Find out more and subscribe at: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/history-extra-plus/id1569637306 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 17, 20213 min

Ep 1056Censorship, contradiction & controversy: a decade in the life of DH Lawrence

DH Lawrence’s work – such as The Rainbow, Women in Love and Lady Chatterley’s Lover – broke new ground and appalled censorious literary critics. Biographer Frances Wilson chronicles a pivotal decade in the writer’s turbulent life, characterised by a tempestuous marriage, a constant battle against class prejudice and a bitter backlash against vitriolic criticism. (Ad) Frances Wilson is the author of Burning Man: The Ascent of DH Lawrence (Bloomsbury, 2021). Buy it now at Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fburning-man%2Ffrances-wilson%2F9781408893623 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 16, 202137 min

Ep 1055Who was Britain’s greatest prime minister? Secrets of being a successful leader

For the concluding episode of our series on the prime ministers that experts believe accomplished most during their time in 10 Downing Street, Anthony Seldon joins us to discuss the secrets of being a great leader, and some of the challenges facing those in charge over the last 300 years. (Ad) Anthony Seldon is the author of The Impossible Office?: The History of the British Prime Minister (Cambridge University Press, 2021). Buy it now at Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08VJMP3D2//?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 15, 202134 min

Ep 1054Unearthing Britain’s prehistoric secrets

Broadcaster and academic Alice Roberts joins us to discuss her new book Ancestors: A Prehistory of Britain in Seven Burials, which reveals what archaeological discoveries and cutting-edge science can tell us about Britain’s prehistoric past. (Ad) Alice Roberts is the author of Ancestors: A Prehistory of Britain in Seven Burials (Simon & Schuster, 2021). Buy it now at Bookshop.org: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fuk.bookshop.org%2Fbooks%2Fancestors-a-prehistory-of-britain-in-seven-burials%2F9781471188015 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 14, 202147 min

Ep 1053The Titanic: everything you wanted to know

Tim Maltin answers listener questions about the sinking of RMS Titanic in 1912 Did the band really play on as the Titanic sank into the icy depths of the Atlantic? And is it true that the liner could have stayed afloat if it had hit the iceberg head on? In the latest in our series tackling the big questions on major historical topics, expert Tim Maltin responds to popular search queries and listener questions about the 1912 maritime disaster. (Ad) Tim Maltin is the author of 101 Things You Thought You Knew About the Titanic… But Didn't! (2010). ). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Things-Thought-About-Titanic-Didnt/dp/1862549230/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 13, 202152 min

Ep 1052What can we learn from past catastrophes?

From the eruption of Vesuvius to Chernobyl and Covid-19, Niall Ferguson charts how disasters have changed the course of history From the eruption of Vesuvius to Chernobyl and Covid-19, disasters have changed the course of history. Historian Niall Ferguson discusses his new book Doom: The Politics of Catastrophe, which asks what we can learn from historical catastrophes to help us tackle future crises. (Ad) Niall Ferguson is the author of Doom: The Politics of Catastrophe (Allen Lane, 2021). Buy it now at Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fdoom-the-politics-of-catastrophe%2Fniall-ferguson%2F9780241488447 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 12, 202154 min

Ep 1051Women reporters of WW2

Judith Mackrell explores the experiences of six women war correspondents who broke some of the key stories of the Second World War From the German invasion of Poland to the liberation of Paris and the discovery of Nazi concentration camps, women journalists reported on some of the pivotal moments of the Second World War. Judith Mackrell, author of Going with the Boys, charts the wartime careers of six female war correspondents who overcame significant obstacles to report from the front lines. (Ad) Judith Mackrell is the author of Going with the Boys: Six Women Writers Who Went to War (2021, Picador). Buy it now at Bookshop.org: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fuk.bookshop.org%2Fbooks%2Fgoing-with-the-boys-six-extraordinary-women-writing-from-the-front-line%2F9781509882939 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 11, 202141 min

Ep 1050Knights, dragons and beasts: the strange world of medieval romances

With their tales of supernatural beasts, death-defying quests and dashing knights that always got the girl, romances were the must-reads of the Middle Ages. Lydia Zeldenrust reveals how – despite concerns that they were corrupting readers – medieval romances became a pan-European literary sensation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 9, 202149 min

Ep 1049Who was Britain’s greatest prime minister? Margaret Thatcher

In the latest episode of our new series profiling the prime ministers that experts believe accomplished most during their time in 10 Downing Street, historian and author Andrew Roberts nominates Margaret Thatcher, who combined ideological drive with steely determination. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 8, 202125 min

Ep 1048Wolfson History Prize 2021 special

The Wolfson History Prize celebrates the very best history books that combine academic rigour with popular appeal. Ahead of the announcement of the winner on 9 June, we speak to some of the shortlisted authors – Helen McCarthy, Sudhir Hazareesingh and Rebecca Clifford, who’ve been nominated for their books on working motherhood, Toussaint Louverture and child Holocaust survivors. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 7, 20211h 1m

Ep 1047Everything you wanted to know: British prisons

Dr Rosalind Crone answers all the key questions on the history of British prisons Just how bad was life in Victorian prisons? How hard was hard labour, and how revolting was the food? In the latest in our series tackling the big questions on major historical topics, Dr Rosalind Crone responds to listener queries on the history of British prisons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 6, 20211h 24m

Ep 1046Ravenna: from Roman powerhouse to artistic hub

Once the capital of the western Roman Empire, the Italian city of Ravenna was claimed in turn by Ostrogoths, Byzantines, Lombards and Franks, turning into both a hub of early Christian art and a prototypical European city. Professor Judith Herrin discusses its long and storied history. (Ad) Judith Herrin is the author of Ravenna: Capital of Empire, Crucible of Europe (Allen Lane, 2021). Buy it now at Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fravenna%2Fjudith-herrin%2F9781846144660 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 5, 202150 min

Ep 1045Britain’s secret Jewish commandos

Leah Garrett tells the story of X-troop, a group of Jewish commandos who became one of Britain’s most potent weapons against the Nazis X-troop was a World War Two commando unit with a difference ­– it was made up of German and Austrian Jews who’d fled to Britain and were desperate to take the fight to the Nazis. Historian Leah Garrett tells the story of how X-troop became one of Britain’s most potent weapons in the drive to liberate western Europe. (Ad) Leah Garrett is the author of X Troop: The Secret Jewish Commandos Who Helped Defeat the Nazis (Vintage, 2021). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Troop-Secret-Jewish-Commandos-Helped/dp/1784743119/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 4, 202143 min

Ep 1044William Blake: “artist or genius, or mystic, or madman”

John Higgs discusses the unconventional life and extraordinary art of poet and painter William Blake. He explains how an eccentric outsider once mocked and dismissed as a madman is now hailed in the pantheon of British art, and reveals how Blake’s work is still misunderstood today. (Ad) John Higgs is the author of William Blake vs the World (Orion, 2021). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/William-Blake-World-John-Higgs/dp/1474614353/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 2, 202143 min

Ep 1043Who was Britain’s greatest prime minister? Lord Salisbury

In the latest episode of our series profiling the prime ministers that experts believe accomplished most during their time in 10 Downing Street, historian and author Andrew Roberts nominates Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, third Marquess of Salisbury, whose three terms in office at the end of the 19th century saw Britain reach the very height of its imperial power. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 1, 202122 min

Ep 1042The curious tale of an Anglo-Saxon giant

Tom Morcom and Helen Gittos discuss the Cerne Abbas Giant, a huge hill-carving in Dorset which has recently been re-dated to the Anglo-Saxon period The Cerne Abbas Giant, a huge hill-carving in Dorset, has made the news recently for been re-dated to the Anglo-Saxon period. Dr Tom Morcom and Dr Helen Gittos from the University of Oxford reveal what this might mean for our understanding of the giant, and what it can tell us about Anglo-Saxon society more generally. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 31, 202135 min

Ep 1041The golden age of piracy: everything you wanted to know

Rebecca Simon responds to your questions on the ‘golden age’ of piracy, when bands of buccaneers menaced the high seas, preying on merchant vessels In the latest in our series tackling the big questions on major historical topics, historian Rebecca Simon responds to your questions on the 17th-century ‘golden age’ of piracy, when bands of buccaneers menaced the high seas and preyed on merchant vessels. Plus, how accurate are pop culture portrayals of pirates? (Ad) Rebecca Simon is the author of Why We Love Pirates: The Hunt for Captain Kidd and How He Changed Piracy Forever (Mango Press, 2020). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Why-We-Love-Pirates-Captain/dp/1642503371/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 30, 20211h 3m

Ep 1040Why are we living longer than our ancestors?

Steven Johnson discusses the Extra Life project, which includes a book and new BBC Four series co-presented with David Olusoga. He chronicles a revolution in medicine, and explores the innovations in science and public health that have led to huge increases in life expectancy since 1900. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 29, 202132 min

Ep 1039Painting the Tudors: Hans Holbein the Younger

Having painted the cream of Tudor society, including King Henry VIII, Anne of Cleves and Thomas Cromwell, Hans Holbein the Younger’s work offers an unparalleled view into England’s court at the time. Franny Moyle delves into the famous painter’s work and the events that shaped it, from religious tensions in Europe to the toxic factionalism bubbling over in Henry’s court. (Ad) Franny Moyle is the author of The King’s Painter: The Life and Times of Hans Holbein (Apollo, 2021). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kings-Painter-Holbein-Genius-Heart/dp/1788541219/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 28, 202155 min

Ep 1038Bretons, Britons, Celts & King Arthur

Barry Cunliffe considers the story of Brittany from prehistory to today, and explores the region’s connections with Britain Why is Brittany called Brittany? What exactly is, or was, a Celt? And did King Arthur have a home in a mystical forest near Rennes? Professor Sir Barry Cunliffe, author of Bretons and Britons: The Fight for Identity discusses the story of Brittany from prehistory to today, and explores the region’s connections with Britain. (Ad) Barry Cunliffe is the author of Bretons and Britons: The Fight for Identity (OUP, 2021). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bretons-Britons-Identity-Barry-Cunliffe/dp/0198851626/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 26, 20211h 9m

Ep 1037Who was Britain’s greatest prime minister? Winston Churchill

In the latest episode of our series profiling the prime ministers that experts believe accomplished most during their time in 10 Downing Street, Jeremy Black nominates Winston Churchill – the leader who became a wartime icon by galvanising the nation in the face of terrible crisis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 25, 202139 min

Ep 1036What the Stasi did next

For decades the Stasi were a pervasive and terrifying force in the lives of millions of East Germans. Former FBI agent Ralph Hope reveals how officers of the notorious security service sought to reinvent themselves in the decades after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and rarely faced the consequences of their actions. (Ad) Ralph Hope is the author of The Grey Men: Pursuing the Stasi into the Present (Oneworld, 2021). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Grey-Men-Pursuing-Stasi-Present/dp/1786078279/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 24, 202133 min

Ep 1035The Anarchy: everything you wanted to know

The Anarchy – a 12th-century civil war for the English crown that pitted Empress Matilda against Stephen of Blois – is remembered as one of the most turbulent episodes of the Middle Ages. It was said to be a time when “Christ and his saints slept”. Medieval historian Matt Lewis answers your questions on this 18-year struggle for the throne – from the sexism that impeded Matilda’s bid for the throne, to the war’s impact on the power of England’s barons. (Ad) Matt Lewis is the author of Stephen and Matilda’s Civil War: Cousins of Anarchy (Pen & Sword, 2019). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stephen-Matildas-Civil-War-Cousins/dp/1526718332/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 23, 20211h 1m

Ep 1034Busting myths about the Anglo-Saxons

Historian Marc Morris tackles some of the most common misconceptions about the Anglo-Saxon era What do we get wrong about the Anglo-Saxon era? Marc Morris, author of The Anglo-Saxons: A History of the Beginnings of England, busts some of the most common misconceptions about the period, from the early fifth century through to the Norman Conquest. (Ad) Marc Morris is the author of The Anglo-Saxons: A History of the Beginnings of England (Hutchinson, 2021). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anglo-Saxons-History-Beginnings-England/dp/1786330997/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 22, 20211h 2m

Ep 1033Napoleon the art thief

Napoleon didn’t just humiliate his European rivals on the battlefield, he also looted their finest works of art. Author Cynthia Saltzman tells us about her latest book, Napoleon’s Plunder and the Theft of Veronese’s Feast, which explores the French leader’s proclivity for plundering Renaissance masterpieces and spiriting them back to France (Ad) Cynthia Saltzman is the author of Napoleon's Plunder and the Theft of Veronese's Feast (Thames and Hudson, 2021). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Napoleons-Plunder-Theft-Veroneses-Feast/dp/0500252572/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 20, 202128 min

Ep 1032Marcus Aurelius: thinker or fighter?

Shushma Malik explores the life and career of Rome’s renowned philosopher-emperor Marcus Aurelius Classicist Shushma Malik explores the life and career of Rome’s renowned philosopher-emperor Marcus Aurelius, and explains how his greatest achievements may have been on the field of battle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 19, 202144 min

Ep 1031Who was Britain’s greatest prime minister? Pitt the Younger

In the latest episode of our new series profiling the prime ministers that experts believe accomplished most during their time in 10 Downing Street, historian and broadcaster Dominic Sandbrook nominates William Pitt the Younger, the steady, upright leader who steered Britain through the turbulence of the French Revolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 18, 202120 min

Ep 1030The rise and fall of Britain’s motor city

Mark Evans charts the history of Coventry’s pioneering car industry, from the turn of the 20th century until the present day Mark Evans, presenter of the BBC Four documentary Classic British Cars: Made in Coventry, charts the history of Coventry’s pioneering car industry, from the turn of the 20th century until the present day. It’s a story of innovation, war and fierce rivalries – and some of the most iconic cars ever made. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 17, 202144 min

Ep 1029Samurai: everything you wanted to know

In the latest in our series tackling the big questions on major historical topics, Professor Michael Wert responds to listener questions and internet search queries about Japan’s famous warriors, the samurai. He explains when the samurai emerged, how they evolved from warriors to aristocrats – and why they voted for their own abolition. Plus, Michael breaks down the mysteries of bushidō, seppuku and rōnin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 16, 20211h 10m

Ep 1028The quest to find Alexander’s lost city

Classicist Edmund Richardson tells the astonishing story of a British deserter from the East India Company who embarked on a quest to find a lost city of Alexander the Great. (Ad) Edmund Richardson is the author of Alexandria: The Quest for the Lost City (Bloomsbury, 2021) Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Alexandria-Quest-Dr-Edmund-Richardson/dp/1526603780/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 15, 202141 min

Ep 1027Katharine Parr: secrets of a Tudor survivor

Historian and novelist Alison Weir discusses the life of Katharine Parr – from her relationship with the king to her secret faith and other marriages. Plus, Alison reflects on her recently completed Six Tudor Queens series, discussing how her opinions of Henry VIII’s wives changed during the writing process. (Ad) Alison Weir is the author of Six Tudor Queens: Katharine Parr, The Sixth Wife (Headline, 2021). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Six-Tudor-Queens-Katharine-Sixth/dp/1472227824/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 14, 202138 min

Ep 1026Blackface: a brief history

Ayanna Thompson discusses the history of blackface – a story spanning William Shakespeare, US race relations and Dartmoor Prison Professor Ayanna Thompson, author of Blackface, discusses the long history of blackface performances and minstrelsy – a story that spans William Shakespeare, US race relations and Dartmoor Prison. +++AFFILIATE TEXT +++ (Ad) Ayanna Thompson is the author of Blackface (Bloomsbury, 2021). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blackface-Object-Lessons-Professor-Thompson/dp/150137401X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 12, 202141 min

Ep 1025Who was Britain’s greatest prime minister? Harold Wilson

In the latest episode of our new series profiling the prime ministers that experts believe accomplished most during their time in 10 Downing Street, Charlotte Lydia Riley chooses Harold Wilson, whose forward-looking premiership came to define the progressive 1960s. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 11, 202126 min

Ep 1024Madness, property and power: the strange case of Mary Davies

Leo Hollis untangles the bizarre 18th-century court case surrounding Mary Davies: a wealthy heiress married in mysterious circumstances In 1701, Mary Davies – a hugely wealthy widow struggling with bouts of unstable behaviour – took a room in Paris’s Hotel Castile. The coming days are a tangle of conflicting accounts, but it seems that she emerged from her rooms as a married woman, before hastening back to London and vehemently denying her change in circumstances. However, her husband soon came calling, demanding his rights to her extensive land and property. Leo Hollis explores a bizarre court case that shocked London. +++AFFILIATE TEXT +++ (Ad) Leo Hollis is the author of Inheritance: The Lost History of Mary Davies: A Story of Property, Marriage and Madness (Oneworld, 2021). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inheritance-History-Property-Marriage-Madness/dp/178607995X/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 10, 202145 min

Ep 1023The Vietnam War: everything you wanted to know

Historian Mark Atwood Lawrence responds to listener questions and popular internet search queries on one of the most seismic events of the Cold War, American history and the history of Southeast Asia. He explores some of the biggest debates surrounding the United States’ failure to stem the advance of communism in Vietnam. (Ad) Mark Atwood Lawrence is the author of The Vietnam War: A Concise International History (OUP USA, 2021). Buy it now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vietnam-War-Concise-International-Introductions/dp/0199753938/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 9, 20211h 16m

Ep 1022Medieval Ethiopia’s diplomatic missions

Ethiopia was a Christian kingdom during the medieval period, and in the 15th and 16th centuries its kings sent diplomatic missions to their counterparts in western Europe. Verena Krebs reveals what these missions can tell us about the medieval world, and Ethiopia’s place within it. (Ad) Verena Krebs is the author of Medieval Ethiopian Kingship, Craft, and Diplomacy with Latin Europe (Palgrave Macmillan, 2021). Buy it now on Amazon:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Medieval-Ethiopian-Kingship-Diplomacy-Europe/dp/3030649334/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 8, 20211h 5m

Ep 1021Uncovering the truth about WW2’s Katyn massacre

Jane Rogoyska explains how more than 20,000 Polish prisoners-of-war were murdered on Stalin’s orders in 1940, and explores the decades-long coverup that followed Historian and biographer Jane Rogoyska explains how more than 20,000 Polish prisoners-of-war were murdered on Stalin’s orders in the spring of 1940. Plus, she explores the decades-long coverup that saw the Soviet Union accuse its Nazi foes of committing the atrocity. (Ad) Jane Rogoyska is the author of Surviving Katyn: Stalin’s Polish Massacre and the Search for Truth (Oneworld, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Surviving-Katyn-Stalins-Polish-Massacre/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 6, 202151 min

Ep 1020The changing shape of slimming clubs

From Weight Watchers to Rosemary Conley’s fitness empire, slimming clubs have been a staple of British culture for decades. But, as Dr Katrina Moseley reveals, their history goes far beyond the best diets to try or exercise regimes to adopt, with female friendship, entrepreneurial opportunities and feminist fury all playing a part in the story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 5, 202148 min

Ep 1019Who was Britain’s Greatest Prime Minister? Clement Attlee

In the latest episode in our new series profiling the prime ministers that experts believe accomplished most during their time in 10 Downing Street, historian Charlotte Lydia Riley explores the postwar leadership of Labour prime minister Clement Attlee. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 4, 202125 min

Ep 1018How close to nuclear war did the Cuban Missile Crisis get?

The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 saw a confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union escalate to the edge of nuclear war. Historian Serhii Plokhy, author of a new account of the crisis, explores the factors that led the two sides back from the brink. (Ad) Serhii Plokhy is the author of Nuclear Folly: A New History of the Cuban Missile Crisis (Allen lane). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nuclear-Folly-History-Missile-Crisis/dp/0241454735/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 3, 202144 min

Ep 1017Prohibition: everything you wanted to know

Was Al Capone’s brother really a Prohibition agent? What was the atmosphere in a speakeasy like? And why did Americans think that banning booze would ever work? In the latest episode in our series on history’s biggest topics, historian Timothy Hickman responds to listener questions and popular internet search queries on the ban on booze in 1920s America. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 2, 20211h 13m

Ep 1016The Danelaw: a Viking kingdom in England?

Dr Ben Raffield explains how in the ninth and tenth centuries, Scandinavian laws and customs prevailed across a swathe of what’s now northern and eastern England In the ninth and tenth centuries, Scandinavian laws and customs prevailed across a swathe of what’s now northern and eastern England called the Danelaw. Dr Ben Raffield considers what the Danelaw actually was, and how Scandinavian settlers interacted with the early English kingdoms. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 1, 202151 min

Ep 1015Britain’s great postwar party

Harriet Atkinson takes us back to 1951’s Festival of Britain, a celebration of a nation rising from the ashes of war The Festival of Britain of 1951 was a nation’s attempt to show off its best side to the world – a great celebration of a people rising from the ashes of conflict. Harriet Atkinson reveals how this four-month-long carnival of patriotism was in fact, to a large extent, built around the genius of foreign-born designers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 30, 202132 min

Ep 1014The Peasants’ Revolt: who were the rebels of 1381?

The Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 was a key moment in the reign of King Richard II. New research is revealing just how well-organised an operation it was The Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 was a key moment in the troubled reign of King Richard II. New research is revealing how, far from being an ill-disciplined explosion of rage, it was actually organised with military precision. Professor Adrian Bell and Dr Helen Lacey tell us more. You can find out more about the Estuary Festival here: https://www.estuaryfestival.com/event/detail/the-people-of-1381-outdoor-exhibition.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 28, 202153 min

Ep 1013Who was Britain’s greatest prime minister? Stanley Baldwin

In the second episode of our new series on the prime ministers that experts believe accomplished most, Dominic Sandbrook champions Stanley Baldwin In the second episode of our new series profiling the prime ministers that experts believe accomplished most during their time in 10 Downing Street, historian and broadcaster Dominic Sandbrook champions three-time 20th-century leader Stanley Baldwin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 27, 202130 min