HistoryExtra podcast

Judy Batalion describes how a group of young Jewish women fought back against their Nazi oppressors in occupied Poland. Author and historian Judy Batalion discusses her new book The Light of Days, which recounts how a group of young Jewish women fought back against their German oppressors in Nazi-occupied Poland during the Second World War. (Ad) Judy Batalion is the author of The Light of Days: Women Fighters of the Jewish Resistance (Virago, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Light-Days-Fighters-Jewish-Resistance/dp/0349011567/?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

From daily routines to whether inmates really ate gruel, Peter Higginbotham responds to listener questions about the workhouse What was the daily routine in a British workhouse? Who would end up there? How accurate was Charles Dickens’ depiction of workhouse life? And did the inmates really eat gruel? In the latest in our series exploring history’s biggest topics, Peter Higginbotham responds to listener questions and popular internet search queries about the workhouse. (Ad) Peter Higginbotham is the author of Life in a Victorian Workhouse (Pitkin, 2014) and The Workhouse Cookbook (The History Press, 2008). Buy them now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-Victorian-Workhouse-Peter-Higginbotham-ebook/dp/B00APDQQ1Y/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-hexpod and https://www.amazon.co.uk/Workhouse-Cookbook-Peter-Higginbotham/dp/0752447300/?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

Linda Colley discusses her new book The Gun, the Ship and the Pen, which explores how written constitutions, together with warfare, forged the modern world. She talks about constitutions across the globe, from the United States and France, to Russia and the Pitcairn Islands. (Ad) Linda Colley is the author of The Gun, the Ship and the Pen: Warfare, Constitutions and the Making of the Modern World. Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Charters-Land-Britain-Written-Constitution/dp/1846684978/?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

Nathen Amin discusses his latest book, Henry VII and the Tudor Pretenders, which explores the conspiracies and plots that challenged Henry VII’s crown. He talks about the prominent ‘pretenders’ who declared themselves to be royal claimants, including Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck. (Ad) Nathen Amin is the author of Henry VII and the Tudor Pretenders: Simnel, Warbeck and Warwick. Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Henry-VII-Tudor-Pretenders-Warbeck/dp/1445675080/?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

Joanna Bourke, who has been delivering a series of Gresham lectures on six different ‘evil women’ through history, explores what ideas about evil and femininity can tell us about changing societal values over time. 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 series profiling the prime ministers that experts believe accomplished most during their time in 10 Downing Street, historian and author Jeremy Black celebrates Britain’s first prime minister – pioneering 18th-century statesman Robert Walpole. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As we approach the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s fateful invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, the historian, author and broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby revisits the dramatic, murderous struggle between the two totalitarian regimes. (Ad) Jonathan Dimbleby is the author of Barbarossa: How Hitler Lost the War (Penguin, 2021) Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Barbarossa-How-Hitler-Lost-War/dp/024129147X/?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

The Suez Crisis – sparked by an ill-fated Anglo-French-Israeli invasion of Egypt in 1956 – is often viewed as a turning point in modern British history, when the nation finally lost its superpower status. Alex von Tunzelmann answers your questions on this diplomatic debacle, from why Anthony Eden thought the invasion a gamble worth taking, to how it changed the trajectory of the Cold War. (Ad) Alex Von Tunzelmann is the author of Blood and Sand: Suez, Hungary and the Crisis That Shook the World (Simon & Schuster, 2017). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blood-Sand-Hungary-Crisis-Shook/dp/1847394604/?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

Author Roland Philipps talks about his latest book, Victoire: A Wartime Story of Resistance, Collaboration and Betrayal, which recounts the extraordinary exploits of Mathilde Carré, a double – possibly even triple – agent in the Second World War. (Ad) Roland Philipps is the author of Victoire: A Wartime Story of Resistance, Collaboration and Betrayal (Bodley Head, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Victoire-Wartime-Resistance-Collaboration-Betrayal/dp/1847925812/?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

Historian Catherine Fletcher discusses what is known about the private life and relationships of the Renaissance polymath. She considers the gaps in the historical record, and the inspirations for the story in the new TV drama Leonardo, starring Aidan Turner. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Historian and author Catherine Ostler relates the tale of Elizabeth Chudleigh, a glamorous Duchess-Countess whose high-profile bigamy trial fascinated Georgian society. She also charts how Chudleigh managed to reinvent herself after this very public downfall. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the final episode of the series, our panel considers the afterlife of the Tapestry, debating its differing legacies in France and Britain, whether it might be exhibited in Britain, and why it continues to fascinate. Dr David Musgrove and Professor Michael Lewis are joined in the discussion by Professor Michael Wood and Dr Janina Ramirez. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To mark HistoryExtra’s 1,000th episode, Dan Jones takes us on a whistlestop tour through the last millennium of British history, touching on some of the most memorable moments and reinterrogating the familiar stories we tell about our national past. (Ad) Dan Jones is the author of Crusaders: An Epic History of the Holy Land (Head of Zeus, 2019). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Crusaders-Epic-History-Wars-Lands/dp/1781858896/?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

Professor Matthew Restall tackles listener questions and popular search queries about the central American civilisation Professor Matthew Restall tackles popular search queries and listener questions about the central American civilisation. Where did the Maya live? What did they eat? And did they really predict that the world would end in 2012? (Ad) Matthew Restall is the co-author (with Amara Solari) of The Maya: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press, 2020). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Maya-Very-Short-Introduction-Introductions/dp/0190645024/?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

Elaine Farrell shares the stories of incarcerated Irish women, from daily routines inside a convict prison to relationships with staff and contact with the outside world. She also asks what their experiences can tell us about the lives of working-class women in 19th-century Ireland more generally. (Ad) Elaine Farrell is the author of Women, Crime and Punishment in Ireland: Life in the Nineteenth-Century Convict Prison (Cambridge University Press, 2020). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Women-Crime-Punishment-Ireland-Nineteenth-Century/dp/1108839509/?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

Sean McMeekin discusses his revisionist new history of the Second World War, which places Josef Stalin at the centre of the conflict Historian Sean McMeekin discusses his revisionist new history of the Second World War, which places Josef Stalin at the centre of the conflict. He shows how the Soviet dictator outmanoeuvred both enemies and allies to secure his own ends. (Ad) Sean McMeekin is the author of Stalin’s War (Allen Lane, 2021). Buy now from it Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stalins-War-History-Second-World/dp/0241366437/?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

In 1961 cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man to journey into space. Stephen Walker delves into the supercharged battle between the Soviets and Americans to reach this milestone On 12 April 1961, cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin made history when he became the first man to journey into space. Stephen Walker delves into the story of Gagarin’s gruelling secret mission and the seismic battle between the world’s superpowers to conquer the new frontier: space. Stephen Walker is the author of Beyond: The Astonishing Story of the First Human to Leave Our Planet and Journey into Space (William Collins, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beyond-Stephen-Walker/dp/0008372500/?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

Although the story it depicts may have gone down in history, the Tapestry’s coverage of the events of 1066 is far from the whole story. In fact, there’s plenty that is missing, from rival claimants to entire battles. And these omissions can arguably tell us as much about the Tapestry as what is included. Dr David Musgrove and Professor Michael Lewis are joined in the discussion by Professor Tom License and Dr Emily Ward. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jo Willett tells the story of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, who pioneered smallpox inoculation almost a century before Edward Jenner Mary Wortley Montagu is one of the most important figures in the battle to combat smallpox, so why is this 18th-century aristocrat so little-known today? Jo Willett, author of The Pioneering Life of Mary Wortley Montagu, shares the story of a fiercely independent scientist, feminist and woman of letters who changed the course of medical history. (Ad) Jo Willett is the author of The Pioneering Life of Mary Wortley Montagu: Scientist and Feminist (Pen & Sword, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pioneering-Life-Mary-Wortley-Montagu/dp/1526779382/?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

How much damage did the Great Fire of London cause? How long did it take to put out? And did it really start in Pudding Lane? Rebecca Rideal responds to listener questions and popular internet search queries about the devastating blaze that swept through the capital in 1666. Rebecca Rideal is the author of 1666: Plague, War, and Hellfire (Thomas Dunne Books, 2016). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/1666-Plague-Hellfire-Rebecca-Rideal/dp/1473623545/?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

The ancient Egyptian queen Cleopatra VII is one of the most famous women in history, but how many of the legends surrounding her are actually true? Egyptologist Professor Joyce Tyldesley explores the life and legacy of the last queen of Egypt. (Ad) Joyce Tyldesley is the author of Cleopatra: Last Queen of Egypt (Profile, 2008). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cleopatra-Queen-Egypt-Joyce-Tyldesley/dp/1861979010/?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

In 1910, a sixteen-year-old girl named Lydia Harvey walked onto a steamship, sailed away from New Zealand and disappeared. She had been ensnared by two traffickers, who transported her Buenos Aires. Julia Laite uncovers Lydia’s journey, from a young girl coerced into prostitution to a star witness in a trial against her traffickers. (Ad) Julia Laite is the author of The Disappearance of Lydia Harvey (Profile, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Disappearance-Lydia-Harvey-meaning-justice/dp/1788164423/?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

Dr Melanie Giles unravels some of the mysteries around amazingly preserved human remains found in bogs – and reveals what we can learn from them Dr Melanie Giles unravels some of the mysteries around amazingly preserved human remains found in bogs – and reveals what we can learn from them. She explains why these bodies have survived so well and the reasons why they might have been buried in wetlands across north-western Europe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In recounting the Norman invasion of 1066, the Bayeux Tapestry tells a story that we’re all familiar with. But, look a bit closer and it’s not so simple. In this episode, we investigate whose version of events the Tapestry presents, and how its account of 1066 tallies up with other documentary sources. Dr David Musgrove and Professor Michael Lewis are joined in the discussion by Professor Elisabeth van Houts and Dr Leonie Hicks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jennifer Higgie charts the story of women’s self-portraits over the last 500 years of western art – uncovering tales of transgressive self-expression and overcoming oppression Jennifer Higgie charts the story of women’s self-portraits over the last 500 years of western art, revealing how female artists’ images of themselves transgressed societal norms, embraced self-expression and revealed insights about the eras they lived in. Jennifer Higgie is the author of The Mirror and the Palette (Orion, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mirror-Palette-Years-Womens-Self-Portraits/dp/1474613772/?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

What did it mean to be ‘born in the purple’? What lasting legacy did the empire have on how we eat dinner? And what does ‘Byzantine’ actually mean? Professor Judith Herrin responds to listener questions and internet search queries about the 1,000-year history of Byzantine empire, which emerged in late antiquity and survived until the end of the Middle Ages. (Ad) Judith Herrin is the author of Byzantium: The Surprising Life of a Medieval Empire (Penguin, 2008). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Byzantium-Surprising-Life-Medieval-Empire/dp/0141031026/?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

Rebecca Wragg Sykes introduces us to 19th-century fossil hunter Mary Anning, whose life has inspired the new film Ammonite. She reveals the real woman behind the film, discussing Anning’s personal relationships, highlighting her most important discoveries and explaining how she was part of a substantial network of women scientists. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Historian Turtle Bunbury, author of new book The Irish Diaspora: Tales of Emigration, Exile and Imperialism, shares stories of Irish emigrants and their descendants. He charts their influence on global history, from Christian missionaries in Europe in the early Middle Ages to the presidency of the United States. (Ad) Turtle Bunbury is the author of The Irish Diaspora: Tales of Emigration, Exile and Imperialism (Thames and Hudson, 2021) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Irish-Diaspora-Tales-Emigration-Imperialism/dp/0500022526/?tag=bbchistory045-21 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Emma Stonex, author of a new novel The Lamplighters, talks about the strange true story of the Flannan Isles Lighthouse keepers, who vanished without a trace in December 1900, and delves into the unusual experience of life as a lighthouse keeper. (Ad) Emma Stonex is the author of The Lamplighters (Pan Macmillan, 2021) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lamplighters-Emma-Stonex/dp/1529047315/?tag=bbchistory045-21 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At around 70 metres long and handstitched with intricate detail, making the Bayeux Tapestry was no mean feat. In this episode, we delve into the details of how this mammoth embroidery was constructed, from the artistic traditions it follows and the materials used, to who may have actually stitched the designs. Plus, we reveal why it isn’t in fact a tapestry at all. Dr David Musgrove and Professor Michael Lewis are joined in the discussion by Professor Gale Owen-Crocker and Dr Alexandra Lester-Makin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Shrabani Basu, author of The Mystery of the Parsee Lawyer, shares the surprising story of George Edalji, who was wrongly accused of fatally maiming cattle in 1903. She reveals how this miscarriage of justice exposed the simmering racial tensions of Edwardian England and captured the imagination of Sherlock Holmes creator Arthur Conan Doyle. (Ad) Shrabani Basu is the author of The Mystery of the Parsee Lawyer: Arthur Conan Doyle, George Edalji and the Case of the Foreigner in the English Village (Bloomsbury, 2021) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mystery-Parsee-Lawyer-Foreigner-English/dp/1526615282/?tag=bbchistory045-21 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nicola Tallis answers listener questions and online search queries about the Elizabethans. She covers everything from the dangers of using golden toothpicks and the religious rifts of the era to the reasons Queen Elizabeth I never married and the fate of her royal jewels. (Ad) Nicola Tallis is the author of Uncrowned Queen: The Fateful Life of Margaret Beaufort, Tudor Matriarch (Michael O’Mara, 2019) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Uncrowned-Queen-Margaret-Beaufort-Matriarch/dp/1789292581/?tag=bbchistory045-21 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1845, two British navy ships sailed into the Canadian arctic and never returned. The fate of the Franklin Expedition has proven one of history’s most compelling mysteries, and most recently inspired the BBC drama The Terror. Here, Andrew Lambert explores the history behind the series and asks: what really happened to the expedition’s 129 crewmembers? (Ad) Andrew Lambert is the author of Franklin: Tragic Hero of Polar Navigation (Faber & Faber, 2010) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Franklin-Tragic-Hero-Polar-Navigation/dp/0571231616/?tag=bbchistory045-21 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jerry Brotton describes the astonishing life and career of the Renaissance artist Benvenuto Cellini – a story of murder, plague, imprisonment and even necromancy Professor Jerry Brotton describes the astonishing life and career of the 16th-century Italian artist Benvenuto Cellini, whose biography shines a light on the dark heart of the Renaissance and features murder, plague, imprisonment and even necromancy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Winchester explores how humans’ quest to own land – from enclosure and division to violent seizure – has wreaked irreparable changes through history Simon Winchester, author of Land: How the Hunger for Ownership Shaped the Modern World, explores how humans’ quest to own land has wreaked irreparable changes through history. He discusses when our division of land began, how the seizure of it has heralded huge historical shifts, and what it really means to ‘own’ land. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the opening episode of this podcast series examining one of the most fascinating objects of the medieval age, we explore all the need-to-know information about the Bayeux Tapestry, examining when and how it was made, who might have commissioned it and why. Dr David Musgrove and Professor Michael Lewis are joined in the discussion by Professor Shirley Ann Brown and Professor Elizabeth Pastan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dean Irwin explains the story of the 1190 anti-Semitic massacre at Clifford’s Tower in York, and how it fits into the wider story of England’s medieval Jewish population In March 1190, all the Jewish residents of York lost their lives in an anti-Semitic massacre at Clifford’s Tower. Dean Irwin explains what happened, and how it fits into the wider story of England’s medieval Jewish population. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Does the Thirty Years’ War merit its gruesome reputation? Who were the winners and losers of the conflict? And why did a Protestant mob throw Catholics out of a top-floor window of Prague Castle in 1618? Peter Wilson answers your questions on the conflict that tore central Europe apart for three decades in the 17th century, in the latest in our series tackling history’s major topics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Katherine Pangonis chronicles the formidable line of female rulers that shaped the crusader states of the Holy Land in the 12th century Katherine Pangonis, author of Queens of Jerusalem, chronicles the formidable line of female rulers that shaped the crusader states of the Holy Land in the 12th century, sharing stories of rebel princesses, diplomatic double crosses and battles for the throne. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr Alun Withey, expert on the history of facial hair, takes us on a journey through shaving and grooming trends from 1650-1900 Why were big bushy beards once the height of fashion? When was it better to have a smooth face? And what were the perceived health benefits of whiskers, moustaches or goatees? Dr Alun Withey, expert on the history of facial hair, takes us on a journey through shaving and grooming trends from 1650-1900. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the popular imagination, the western front of the First World War has long been synonymous with futility and deadlock. But Nick Lloyd, author of new book The Western Front, argues that this was far from the case. It was in fact a cauldron of innovation and an epic struggle against the odds, shaped by transformative military and technological advancements. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Historian John Withington, author of Assassins’ Deeds: A History of Assassination from Ancient Egypt to the Present Day, explores some of history’s most notorious political killings. From the first known assassination to the plots to kill Franz Ferdinand and JFK, he reveals how these murders have often changed the course of history. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We mark International Women’s Day with a panel discussion tackling the central issues of women’s history We mark International Women’s Day with a panel discussion tackling the central issues of women’s history, including overlooked historical figures, exciting recent developments, whether men should write women’s history, and what work is still left to be done. Our panel features Maggie Andrews, chair of the Women’s History Network; Stella Dadzie, author of A Kick in the Belly: Women, Slavery and Resistance, Helen McCarthy, author of Double Lives: A History of Working Motherhood and Nicola Phillips, director of the Bedford Centre for the History of Women and Gender. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From espionage across the Iron Curtain, to the global struggles between communists and capitalists, Michael Goodman responds to your questions on the decades of geopolitical tension that shaped relations between east and west in the second half of the 20th century, in the latest in our series tackling the big questions on major historical topics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michael Wood, author of The Story of China, gives a lecture on the ancient civilisation’s rich and varied history. He introduces us to five individuals from across the centuries whose lives and voices can shed light on Chinese history, including an emperor, a footsoldier and a feminist. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Carolyne Larrington explores the medieval world that inspired the fantasy epic in a special HistoryExtra bonus episode, available now for free at https://www.historyextra.com/game-of-thrones-podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr Amanda McVitty explains what treason meant in the medieval era, and why its consequences were particularly brutal Dr Amanda McVitty, author of Treason and Masculinity in Medieval England, explains what treason meant in the Middle Ages. She explains how the crime was the subject of heated debate, and why the punishment for it was so brutal, humiliating and public. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mary Hollingsworth discusses her new book, Princes of the Renaissance, which charts the wars and alliances between the powerful Italian families of the 15th and 16th centuries Mary Hollingsworth discusses her new book Princes of the Renaissance, which charts the wars and alliances between the powerful Italian families of the 15th and 16th centuries – wealthy and influential dynasties whose patronage led to some of the greatest art and architecture of the period. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gordon Campbell reveals how the Vikings made epic voyages of discovery across the Atlantic a millennium ago The argument over whether Norse explorers settled in North America a millennium ago has raged for two centuries, pitting Protestants against Catholics, Native Americans against European colonists – and producing claims and counterclaims often grounded in an ideology of racial superiority. Gordon Campbell, author of Norse America, discusses this often-fractious debate and sets out what we actually know about the Vikings’ remarkable voyages across the Atlantic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Journalist Andrea Pitzer discusses her latest book Icebound: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World, which recounts the Arctic ordeal of Dutch explorer William Barents and his crew. In 1597, they set sail in a bid to find a North East passage to China, but spent nine months fighting off ravenous polar bears, extreme cold and a seemingly endless winter after becoming stranded in the ice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices