

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

Sep 17, 2021 • 48min
Extraordinary hoaxes of the 18th century
Ian Keable describes some of the most audacious, bizarre and inventive pranks that fooled Georgian Britain From a woman who seemingly gave birth to rabbits to a man who claimed he could climb inside a wine bottle, Ian Keable – author of The Century of Deception – describes some of the most audacious, bizarre and inventive pranks that fooled Georgian Britain. (Ad) Ian Keable is the author of The Century of Deception: The Birth of the Hoax in Eighteenth Century England (Westbourne Press, 2021). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-century-of-deception%2Fian-keable%2F9781908906441 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 15, 2021 • 57min
Maria Theresa: empress, warrior, matriarch
Nancy Goldstone discusses the 18th-century family saga of Habsburg empress Maria Theresa, and her equally formidable daughters Nancy Goldstone discusses the 18th-century family saga of Habsburg Empress Maria Theresa and her equally formidable daughters (including Marie Antoinette) who married into royal houses around Europe. (Ad) Nancy Goldstone is the author of In the Shadow of the Empress: The Defiant Lives of Maria Theresa, Mother of Marie Antoinette, and Her Daughters (Little, Brown, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shadow-Empress-Defiant-Antoinette-Daughters/dp/0316449334/?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

Sep 14, 2021 • 36min
From Roman villas to Downton Abbey: Britain’s country houses
Clive Aslet, author of The Story of the Country House: A History of Places and People, reveals how Britain’s attitude to its stately piles has reflected the nation’s evolving political and economic landscape over the past 2,000 years. (Ad) Clive Aslet is the author of The Story of the Country House: A History of Places and People (Yale, 2021). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-story-of-the-country-house-a-history-of-places-and-people%2Fclive-aslet%2F%2F9780300255058 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 13, 2021 • 41min
Hitler’s war on “degenerate art”
Journalist and author Charlie English shares the story of a remarkable collection of artworks by psychiatric patients in Weimar Germany and also explores the devastating impact of Nazism on modernist art and people with mental illnesses. (Ad) Charlie English is the author of The Gallery of Miracles and Madness: Insanity, Art and Hitler’s first Mass-Murder Programme (William Collins, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gallery-Miracles-Madness-Charlie-English/dp/0008299625/?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

Sep 12, 2021 • 1h 2min
The Borgias: everything you wanted to know
In the latest episode in our series on history’s biggest topics, Professor Jill Burke tackles listener questions and internet search queries on the Borgias, from rumours of incest and the Banquet of the Chestnuts to the forgotten triumphs Pope Alexander VI. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 11, 2021 • 42min
Why the Tudors fell for courtly love
Sarah Gristwood considers how the Tudor monarchs used medieval ideas about courtly love for their own ends In medieval Europe, the nobility were entranced with courtly love, a genre of literature that saw chivalrous knights performing heroic deeds to protect and serve their lovers. But as Sarah Gristwood argues, these tropes later captured the hearts and minds of the Tudor dynasty, who used ideas about courtly love to further their own agendas. (Ad) Sarah Gristwood is the author of The Tudors in Love: The Courtly Code Behind the Last Medieval Dynasty (Oneworld, 2021). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-tudors-in-love%2Fsarah-gristwood%2F9781786078940 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 10, 2021 • 34min
Wedgwood: the radical potter
Tristram Hunt, author of The Radical Potter, discusses the life and work of Josiah Wedgwood (1730-1795), from his groundbreaking ceramic creations and enterprising business ventures to his political radicalism. (Ad) Tristram Hunt is the author of The Radical Potter: Josiah Wedgwood and the Transformation of Britain (Allen Lane, 2021). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Radical-Potter-Wedgwood-Transformation-Britain/dp/0241287898/?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

Sep 8, 2021 • 48min
Aboriginal Australians: a modern history
Historian Richard Broome, author of Aboriginal Australians, discusses the experiences of Australia’s indigenous peoples after the arrival of white settlers, uncovering stories of exploitation and oppression, but also of agency and cultural independence. (Ad) Richard Broome is the author of Aboriginal Australians: A History Since 1788 (Fifth Edition – Allen and Unwin, 2019). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Aboriginal-Australians-History-Since-1788/dp/1760528218/?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

Sep 7, 2021 • 57min
Decolonisation to Covid-19: history education today
How does a history degree help you suss out fake news? How have history students been affected by covid-19? And are history degrees still valued as much as they once were? On today’s podcast, a panel of experts consider these questions and more, as they tackle the big issues facing history higher education in 2021. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 6, 2021 • 45min
Seances, skis and secrets: an extraordinary WWI escape
Interned in a remote, forbidding prisoner of war camp at the height of the First World War, two British officers turned to an unlikely tool in their bid to escape – a ouija board. Margalit Fox, author of The Confidence Men: How Two Prisoners of War Engineered the Most Remarkable Escape in History, tells their story. (Ad) Margalit Fox is the author of The Confidence Men: How Two Prisoners of War Engineered the Most Remarkable Escape in History (Profile, 2021). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-hexpod&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-confidence-men%2Fmargalit-fox%2F9781788162715 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices


