Empire: World History
Goalhanger
The rise and fall of empires and the events that shaped world history.
William Dalrymple and Anita Anand explore the intricate stories of revolutions, imperial wars, and the people who built and lost empires.
From the British Empire to the Ottomans to Ancient India, history is shaped by power struggles and territorial conquests. How does it continue to affect the world today?
Empire Club: Become a member of the Empire Club to receive early access to miniseries, ad-free listening, early access to live show tickets, bonus episodes, book discounts, our exclusive newsletter, and access to our members’ chatroom on Discord! Head to empirepoduk.com to sign up.
For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com.
William Dalrymple and Anita Anand explore the intricate stories of revolutions, imperial wars, and the people who built and lost empires.
From the British Empire to the Ottomans to Ancient India, history is shaped by power struggles and territorial conquests. How does it continue to affect the world today?
Empire Club: Become a member of the Empire Club to receive early access to miniseries, ad-free listening, early access to live show tickets, bonus episodes, book discounts, our exclusive newsletter, and access to our members’ chatroom on Discord! Head to empirepoduk.com to sign up.
For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com.
Episodes
Mentioned books
May 12, 2026 • 5min
The Scandal That Shaped Partition: The House of Mountbatten
Alex Von Tunzelmann, historian and author of modern history, offers a sharp take on Louis and Edwina Mountbatten and the scandals around them. Short vignettes explore Edwina’s restless love life and rumored liaisons. The conversation probes a racially charged libel case, palace pressure, and how personal scandal intersected with imperial politics.
19 snips
May 10, 2026 • 51min
358. Spice Wars: The Rise of the Dutch East India Company (Ep 1)
Herold van der Linde, Dutch historian and Asia finance specialist, explains the origins of the Dutch East India Company and his personal family link to its history. He traces espionage, revolutionary ship design, tradable shares and market manipulation. The conversation also covers VOC global reach, brutal colonial tactics and the founding of Batavia.
15 snips
May 7, 2026 • 42min
357. Liberator of Latin America: Revolutionary Hero Or Dictator? (Part 4)
A tangled look at Simón Bolívar’s shift from liberator to authoritarian figure. The dramatic rescue by Manuela Sáenz and her later fall from grace are vividly recounted. The podcast explores racial politics, executions, and Bolívar’s declining health and paranoia. It ends by tracing how twentieth and twenty-first century Latin American leaders invoked his legacy.
19 snips
May 5, 2026 • 9min
The Scandal That Shaped Partition: India’s First Prime Minister
A tangled love triangle between key political figures and its ripple effects on the path to Partition. A dramatic Singapore rescue that sparked an unlikely connection. How personal relationships shaped high-stakes decisions during the end of the Raj.
42 snips
May 4, 2026 • 41min
356. Liberator of Latin America: Descent Into Tyranny (Part 3)
A gripping retelling of a daring Andes crossing that birthed Gran Colombia. Tales of foreign mercenaries who crossed oceans to fight the Spanish. Haiti’s abolitionist influence on Bolívar and shifting views on slavery. Forgotten women fighters, spies, and funders who shaped the wars. The rise of central power, constitutional clashes, and the slide toward lifelong rule.
15 snips
May 1, 2026 • 29min
Should The Koh-I-Noor Be Returned? Mamdani vs King Charles III EXPLAINED
A lively rundown of why the Koh-I-Noor diamond is in the headlines again and the politics around calls for its return. A tracing of the jewel's traumatic passage through Afghan and Punjabi royal families and the origins of its supposed curse. A wider look at how this debate fits into modern conversations about colonial restitution.
64 snips
Apr 29, 2026 • 43min
355. Liberator of Latin America: Napoleon & The Legions of Hell (Part 2)
A deep dive into how Napoleon’s invasion of Spain accelerated the empire’s collapse and opened the door to independence. The conversation profiles the fearsome mixed-race plainsmen called the Legions of Hell and their brutal impact on Creole society. It follows Simón Bolívar’s secretive missions to London, Jamaica, and Haiti and the rivalries that shaped the independence struggle.
72 snips
Apr 27, 2026 • 36min
354. Liberator of Latin America: Simón Bolívar vs The Spanish Empire (Part 1)
A deep dive into Simón Bolívar’s rise from privileged youth to continental liberator. They trace his childhood trauma, the influence of Enlightenment ideas, and his grand tour of Europe. The story covers his oath on Monte Sacro, fascination with and caution about Napoleon, and the social tensions between Creoles and Spanish administrators.
26 snips
Apr 22, 2026 • 58min
353. Hezbollah, Hostages, & Exploding Pagers (Part 8)
Kim Ghattas, journalist and author who studies Iran and Lebanon, joins to trace how Hezbollah formed after the Iranian Revolution and Israel’s 1982 invasion. Short takes cover Iran’s early missions in the Beqaa, the rise of suicide attacks and kidnappings, the 1980s Western bombings, Hezbollah’s 1990s consolidation, the 2006 war, recent operations, and the wider Iran–Syria–Lebanon axis.
37 snips
Apr 20, 2026 • 52min
352. Israel’s 1982 Invasion of Lebanon (Part 7)
Kim Ghattas, Lebanese journalist and author of Black Wave, provides concise political and historical analysis. She recounts Lebanon’s prewar cosmopolitanism, the Cairo Accords and Palestinian militarization, Ariel Sharon’s aims and Israeli-Likud strategy, the Phalangists and Bashir Gemayel, the 1982 invasion and Beirut siege, and the unfolding of the Sabra and Shatila massacre.
