HistoryExtra podcast
Immediate
The HistoryExtra podcast brings you gripping stories from the past and fascinating historical conversations with the world's leading historical experts.
HistoryExtra is a free history podcast, with episodes released six times a week. Subscribe now for the real stories behind your favourite films, TV shows and period dramas, as well as compelling insights into lesser-known aspects of the past.
We delve into global history stories spanning the ancient world right up to the modern day. You’ll hear deep dives into the lives of famous historical figures like Cleopatra, Anne Boleyn and Winston Churchill, and explorations of intriguing events from the past, such as the Salem witch trials, the battle of Waterloo and D-Day.
Expect fresh takes on history, helping you get to grips with the latest research, as we explore everything from ancient Roman archaeology and Viking mythology to Renaissance royals and Tudor kings and queens.
Our episodes touch on a wide range of historical eras – from the Normans and Saxons to the Stuarts, Victorians and the Regency period. We cover the most popular historical subjects, from the medieval world to the Second World War, but you’ll also hear conversations on lesser-known parts of our past, including black history and women’s history.
Looking at the history behind today’s headlines, we consider the forces that have shaped today’s world, from the imposing empires that dominated continents, to the revolutions that brought them crashing down. We also examine the impact of conflict across the centuries, from the crusades of the Middle Ages and the battles of the ancient Egyptians to World War One, World War Two and the Cold War.
Plus, we uncover the real history behind myths, legends and conspiracy theories, from the medieval murder mystery of the Princes in the Tower, to the assassination of JFK.
Featuring interviews with notable historians including Mary Beard, Tracy Borman, James Holland and Dan Jones, we cover a range of social, political and military history, with the aim to start conversations about some of the most fascinating areas of the past.
Unlock full access to HistoryExtra.com for 6 months for just 99p https://www.historyextra.com/join/
HistoryExtra is a free history podcast, with episodes released six times a week. Subscribe now for the real stories behind your favourite films, TV shows and period dramas, as well as compelling insights into lesser-known aspects of the past.
We delve into global history stories spanning the ancient world right up to the modern day. You’ll hear deep dives into the lives of famous historical figures like Cleopatra, Anne Boleyn and Winston Churchill, and explorations of intriguing events from the past, such as the Salem witch trials, the battle of Waterloo and D-Day.
Expect fresh takes on history, helping you get to grips with the latest research, as we explore everything from ancient Roman archaeology and Viking mythology to Renaissance royals and Tudor kings and queens.
Our episodes touch on a wide range of historical eras – from the Normans and Saxons to the Stuarts, Victorians and the Regency period. We cover the most popular historical subjects, from the medieval world to the Second World War, but you’ll also hear conversations on lesser-known parts of our past, including black history and women’s history.
Looking at the history behind today’s headlines, we consider the forces that have shaped today’s world, from the imposing empires that dominated continents, to the revolutions that brought them crashing down. We also examine the impact of conflict across the centuries, from the crusades of the Middle Ages and the battles of the ancient Egyptians to World War One, World War Two and the Cold War.
Plus, we uncover the real history behind myths, legends and conspiracy theories, from the medieval murder mystery of the Princes in the Tower, to the assassination of JFK.
Featuring interviews with notable historians including Mary Beard, Tracy Borman, James Holland and Dan Jones, we cover a range of social, political and military history, with the aim to start conversations about some of the most fascinating areas of the past.
Unlock full access to HistoryExtra.com for 6 months for just 99p https://www.historyextra.com/join/
Episodes
Mentioned books
13 snips
Nov 28, 2021 • 54min
The Irish famine: everything you wanted to know
Christine Kinealy answers listener questions on the devastating famine that struck Ireland in the mid-19th centuryChristine Kinealy answers listener questions on the causes and consequences of the devastating famine that struck Ireland in the mid-19th century. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, she also discusses whether we should call it a “famine”, the role of aid and migration in the crisis, and if the British government can be blamed for what happened. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 27, 2021 • 43min
How Shakespeare inspired terrorists
Shakespeare has been an obsession of extremist groups across the globe over the centuries. The Nazi Party held him up as a hero, while Osama Bin Laden condemned him as the ultimate symbol of the depraved west. Islam Issa speaks to Rhiannon Davies about the playwright’s tangled relationship with terror.(Ad) Islam Issa is the author of Shakespeare and Terrorism (Routledge, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shakespeare-Terrorism-Spotlight-Islam-Issa/dp/0367334836/?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
Nov 26, 2021 • 54min
How the Greeks changed the world
Historian Roderick Beaton ranges over 4,000 years of Greek history, from the glories of Mycenae to the life of a modern European nation. In discussion with Rob Attar, he picks out some of the key moments in this journey, including the triumphs of ancient Greece, the conquests of Alexander the Great and the 1820s battle for independence. (Ad) Roderick Beaton is the author of The Greeks: A Global History (Faber, 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%2Fthe-greeks%2Fprofessor-prof-roderick-beaton%2F9780571353569 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 24, 2021 • 54min
What can churches tell us?
Peter Stanford speaks to Emily Briffett about his new book, If These Stones Could Talk, which chronicles his journeys around Britain and Ireland’s churches, abbeys, chapels and cathedrals in a quest to understand how religion has defined our past and continues to shape our present. (Ad) Peter Stanford is the author of If These Stones Could Talk: The History of Christianity in Britain and Ireland through Twenty Buildings (Hodder & Stoughton, 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%2Fif-these-stones-could-talk%2Fpeter-stanford%2F9781529396423 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 23, 2021 • 35min
Sex work: a brief history
From the courtesans of Edo Japan and ancient Greece to the mollyhouses of Regency London, Kate Lister speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about her new book Harlots, Whores and Hackabouts, which charts the long, diverse and colourful history of sex work. (Ad) Kate Lister is the author of Harlots, Whores & Hackabouts: A History of Sex for Sale (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%2Fharlots-whores-and-hackabouts%2Fkate-lister%2Fwellcome-collection%2F9780500252444 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 22, 2021 • 34min
The Ottoman “Age of Discovery”
The “Age of Discovery” is traditionally known as a period between the 15th and 16th centuries, when European Christian powers sailed west and encountered lands and peoples previously unknown to them. However, speaking to David Musgrove, Professor Marc David Baer contends that this narrative overlooks the influential role of the Ottoman empire. (Ad) Marc David Baer is the author of The Ottomans: Khans, Caesars and Caliphs (Basic Books, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ottomans-Khans-Caesars-Caliphs/dp/1473695708/?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
Nov 21, 2021 • 47min
Anglo-Scottish border wars: everything you wanted to know
How much blood was spilled in the border regions of England and Scotland from the 14th to the 16th centuries? Who were the Reivers? And why did the French get involved? Michael Brown talks to Spencer Mizen about the cross-border clashes that marred Anglo-Scottish relations for 200 years. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 20, 2021 • 37min
A secret trial that transformed transgender rights
In 1965, Scottish aristocrat Ewan Forbes stood to inherit his family’s baronetcy but, as a transgender man, he soon became embroiled in a top-secret legal case which had consequences that still affect the lives of trans people today. Zoe Playdon explores this still largely unknown story, in conversation with Matt Elton.(Ad) Zoe Playdon is the author of The Hidden Case of Ewan Forbes: The Transgender Trial that Threatened to Upend the British Establishment (Bloomsbury, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hidden-Case-Ewan-Forbes/dp/152661913X/?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
Nov 19, 2021 • 31min
How to tell the story of WW2 in museums
What makes a good Second World War exhibit? How can we best share the story of the Holocaust? Two new galleries dedicated to these seismic events at London’s Imperial War Museum grapple with these questions and others. Historian Keith Lowe spoke to curators Vicki Hawkins, Kate Clements and James Bulgin about the challenges of creating them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 17, 2021 • 40min
How slavery & empire shaped epidemiology
Jim Downs speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about his book Maladies of Empire, which reveals how the conditions created by colonialism, war and slavery affected the study of disease and its spread in the 18th and 19th centuries. (Ad) Jim Downs is the author of Maladies of Empire: How Slavery, Imperialism, and War Transformed Medicine (Belknap Press, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=maladies+of+empire&adgrpid=130572957750&gclid=CjwKCAiA1aiMBhAUEiwACw25MVXIayiB36t6Q37ItDISGlC8aLKZyWNwGh6rUPr8g_WnL2PKKC-y3xoC2IAQAvD_BwE&hvadid=543075455219&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=1006715&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=12263352264959276216&hvtargid=kwd-1262783386938&hydadcr=24404_1748884&tag=googhydr-21&ref=pd_sl_2iezca746i_e&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
