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
Oct 7, 2020 • 1h 3min
Medieval turning points
What are the key turning points in the history of early medieval Europe? Historian Dr Charles West offers his thoughts on some important moments. Historyextra.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
12 snips
Oct 5, 2020 • 39min
The rise and fall of the Sikh empire
Historian Priya Atwal, an expert on modern South Asian history and author of a book on the Sikh empire, delves into the intriguing rise and fall of this significant historical power. She discusses Ranjit Singh's strategic alliances with the British, his cultural patronage that sparked a renaissance in Punjab, and the critical political roles women played. Atwal also challenges the simplistic narratives of the empire's collapse, highlighting internal conflicts and British imperial policies, while reflecting on Sikh identity and history today.
Oct 4, 2020 • 59min
Everything you ever wanted to know about the history of Japan, but were afraid to ask
In the latest of our series tackling the big questions on major historical topics, historian Christopher Harding responds to listener queries and popular search enquiries about the history of Japan, ranging from the ancient past to the Second World War and beyond. Historyextra.com/podcastEnter the podcast survey here: https://immediateinsiders.com/uc/admin/65da/?a=1&b=6Survey closes Sunday 4th October 2020 at 11:59pm Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
12 snips
Oct 3, 2020 • 45min
Arnhem: The Battle for the Bridges, 1944
Explore Operation Market Garden, the ambitious but flawed Allied plan to jump the Rhine in 1944. Discover the surprising reactions of Dutch civilians and the swift German counterattacks. Listen to gripping tales of paratroopers' courage, the chaos at Arnhem Bridge, and the frantic race against time. Uncover the psychological stress of battle and the heartbreaking aftermath, including the Hunger Winter's toll on civilians. Reflect on the legacy of heroism and gratitude that endures within the Netherlands.
Oct 2, 2020 • 34min
A 1930s ghost hunt
Kate Summerscale, bestselling author of The Suspicions of Mr Whicher, discusses her new book, The Haunting of Alma Fielding, which delves into a tale of the supernatural in London just before the outbreak of the Second World War. Historyextra.com/podcastEnter the podcast survey here: https://immediateinsiders.com/uc/admin/65da/?a=1&b=6Survey closes Sunday 4th October 2020 at 11:59pm Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 30, 2020 • 47min
Medieval eels and Englishness
Eels were a mainstay of the economy in the Middle Ages, and also a part of the developing English identity. Dr John Wyatt Greenlee explains why the fish mattered so much. Visit https://historiacartarum.org/ for more information on Dr Greenlee’s medieval eels project. Historyextra.com/podcastEnter the podcast survey here: https://immediateinsiders.com/uc/admin/65da/?a=1&b=6Survey closes Sunday 4th October 2020 at 11:59pm Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 28, 2020 • 52min
Ken Follett’s Anglo-Saxon adventure
Bestselling historical novelist Ken Follett chats about how he recreated late Anglo-Saxon England for his new book, The Evening and the Morning, which is a prequel to The Pillars of the Earth. Historyextra.com/podcastEnter the podcast survey here: https://immediateinsiders.com/uc/admin/65da/?a=1&b=6Survey closes Sunday 4th October 2020 at 11:59pm Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 27, 2020 • 1h 13min
Everything you ever wanted to know about the Neanderthals, but were afraid to ask
In an episode produced in collaboration with our colleagues at BBC Science Focus Magazine, archaeologist Rebecca Wragg Sykes tackles some of the big questions about Neanderthals and their relations with modern humans. Historyextra.com/podcastEnter the podcast survey here: https://immediateinsiders.com/uc/admin/65da/?a=1&b=6Survey closes Sunday 4th October 2020 at 11:59pm Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 26, 2020 • 1h 1min
Simon de Montfort and England’s First Revolution
In a talk that she delivered at our 2019 BBC History Magazine History Weekend in Winchester, historian Sophie Ambler tells the story of Simon de Montfort’s doomed rebellion against King Henry III in the 13th century. Historyextra.com/podcastEnter the podcast survey here: https://immediateinsiders.com/uc/admin/65da/?a=1&b=6Survey closes Sunday 4th October 2020 at 11:59pm Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 25, 2020 • 58min
Toussaint Louverture’s revolutionary life
Historian Sudhir Hazareesingh talks to us about Black Spartacus, his acclaimed new biography of the Haitian revolutionary Toussaint Louverture who battled against slavery and European colonial rule at the turn of the 19th century. Historyextra.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
