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
Nov 20, 2020 • 29min
Bernard Cornwell on The Last Kingdom’s finale and the next Sharpe
Bestselling historical novelist Bernard Cornwell discusses his new book War Lord, the final instalment in The Last Kingdom series. He speaks about why Aethelstan gets short shrift in history and reveals his next project – a new Sharpe adventure novel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 19, 2020 • 50min
Oswald, the many-headed medieval saint
Dr Johanna Dale explores how the seventh-century Northumbrian king Oswald become an important and popular saint across medieval Europe, and explains what his story can tell us about religion in the Middle Ages. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 18, 2020 • 36min
Has the EU been a success?
Kiran Klaus Patel, author of Project Europe: A History, tracks the development of the EU over the postwar decades, considering whether it really did bring peace to the continent and what impact it’s had on economic growth Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 16, 2020 • 52min
An extraordinary Everest adventure
In the 1930s, eccentric aviator Maurice Wilson hatched a wild plan to fly from England to Everest in a Gypsy Moth plane, and then climb to the top of the mountain solo. Ed Caesar talks about the remarkable story that inspired his new book, The Moth and the Mountain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 15, 2020 • 54min
The Wild West: everything you wanted to know
Historian and author Karen Jones responds to listener questions and popular search queries about the mass movement of settlers into the American west, from the hardships of homesteading and the violence of frontier life to Hollywood’s obsession with the grizzled gunslinger. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 14, 2020 • 54min
Viking warrior women & the ethics of excavating the dead
In a lecture he delivered at BBC History Magazine’s 2019 Chester History Weekend, archaeologist Howard Williams discusses some of the most intriguing and contentious debates in archaeology today. How should we treat ancient human remains? And has evidence of a Viking warrior woman really been discovered in Sweden? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 13, 2020 • 41min
War and society: a tangled relationship
Professor Margaret Macmillan discusses her new book War: How Conflict Shaped Us, which explores conflict’s changing yet intrinsic role in human history, and reveals how warfare has often led to societal and scientific progress. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 12, 2020 • 51min
Ingenious medieval science
Historian Seb Falk discusses his new book, The Light Ages, which highlights the surprising sophistication of scientific research in the Middle Ages – from astronomy to medicine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 11, 2020 • 38min
Women in black: the surprising history of widows
Historian Maggie Andrews discusses her new book co-written with Janis Lomas, which looks at the complex and fascinating history of widows. Often historically viewed as figures of pity and poverty, many widows have also been leaders in women’s and welfare movements, and driving forces for social change. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 9, 2020 • 43min
Personal stories of the Second World War
Victoria Panton Bacon shares remarkable first-hand testimonies from veterans of the Second World WarVictoria Panton Bacon, author of the new book Remarkable Journeys of the Second World War: A Collection of Untold Stories, shares moving first-hand testimonies from veterans of the 1939-45 conflict. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
