Short History Of...

Standing over 29,000ft above sea level, the peak of Everest is the highest point on the planet. To the sherpa people of the Himalayas it is sacred, and to foreign adventurers, it is the holy grail of climbing. But what did it take to reach the summit? Was it expertise and endurance—or simply better equipment? What was sacrificed to plant a flag on top of the world?This is a Short History Of the Conquest of Everest.Written by Jo Furniss. With thanks to Mick Conefrey, documentary maker and author of Everest, 1922.For ad-free listening, exclusive content, and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Now available for Apple and Android users. Click the Noiser+ banner on Apple or go to noiser.com/subscriptions to get started with a 7-day free trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the late Middle Ages, the Mongol Empire became the largest the world had ever seen. At its peak, maybe 100 million people lived under its banner, led by the Great Khans of the Asian steppe. But what unified the first disparate, nomadic clans? Who was the real Genghis Khan, and how did his empire fair after his death? And what caused the downfall of this once seemingly unstoppable civilisation? This is a Short History of the Mongol Empire.Written by Dan Smith. With thanks to Professor Timothy May of the University of North Georgia.For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Now available for Apple and Android users. Click the Noiser+ banner on Apple or go to noiser.com/subscriptions to get started with a 7-day free trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Between the 1890s and 1910s, the British city of Birmingham was in the grip of a gang: the Peaky Blinders. Their crimes – from stone-throwing and petty assault to murder – were unpredictable and senseless, and the police seemed powerless to stop it. So what’s the true story behind the legend that inspired the hit TV series? Were they really champions of the working class, their activities underpinned by codes of loyalty and morality? Or was theirs simply a reign of terror, marked by dishonour and violence?This is a Short History of The Real Peaky Blinders.Written by Luke Kuhns. With thanks to Professor Carl Chinn, social historian and author of Peaky Blinders: The Real StoryFor ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Now available for Apple and Android users. Click the Noiser+ banner on Apple or go to noiser.com/subscriptions to get started with a 7-day free trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To mark the passing of the Queen, Noiser brings you this episode from the archive of Short History Of…As the Queen’s family life became more complex, the relationship between palace and press intensified. But balancing the need for security and privacy against her very public responsibilities was never simple. So who was the real woman beneath the crown? How did she respond to the dark years of her reign, or the grief of losing her beloved husband? And how will history remember her?A Noiser production, written by Jo Furniss. With thanks to Dr Tracy Borman, author of Crown and Sceptre; and Dr Tessa Dunlop, author of Army Girls Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To mark the passing of the Queen, Noiser brings you this episode from the archive of Short History Of…Spanning seventy years, Queen Elizabeth II’s reign saw the world change beyond recognition. And from her earliest public appearances representing the King to her roles as sister, wife, mother and mother-in-law, she was never far from the headlines. But what was life like for the young princess, who dreamed of a baby brother to take the throne instead? How did she modernise an ancient role to fit a changing world, while managing a family so often overshadowed by scandal?A Noiser production, written by Jo Furniss. With thanks to Dr Tracy Borman, author of Crown and Sceptre; and Dr Tessa Dunlop, author of Army Girls. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After the death of King Edward IV, the heir to the throne, Edward V, is left under the protection of the late king’s brother Richard. But what lay in store for the 12 year old king? Will Richard honour his brother’s will? And when the Wars of the Roses finally end, how do the rival houses of Plantagenet unite once and for all?This is part three of a special three-part Short History of the Wars of the Roses.Written by Danny Marshall. With thanks to Michael Hicks, historian and author of The Wars of the Roses; and Lauren Johnson, historian and author of The Shadow King – The Life and Death of Henry VI, and an upcoming book on Tudor matriarch Margaret Beaufort.For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+, now available on Apple Podcasts. All shows are also available for free. If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts, press the ‘+’ icon to follow the show for free. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With his father Richard of York’s head now on a spike, Edward’s determination to snatch the crown from Henry VI is stronger than ever. But how will he build support for his cause and assert his rights? Can he outmanoeuvre the formidable Queen Margaret, who will stop at nothing to see her own son on the throne? And is there any way to heal England’s bitter rifts and create a lasting peace?This is part two of a special three-part Short History of the Wars of the Roses.Written by Danny Marshall. With thanks to Michael Hicks, historian and author of The Wars of the Roses; and Lauren Johnson, historian and author of The Shadow King – The Life and Death of Henry VI, and an upcoming book on Tudor matriarch Margaret Beaufort.For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+, now available on Apple Podcasts. All shows are also available for free. If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts, press the ‘+’ icon to follow the show for free. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Almost 600 years ago, two rival branches of the ruling house of Plantagenet dragged England into unprecedented bloodshed in what became known as the Wars of the Roses. But what were the causes of the conflict? Who were its key players, the powerful men and women who wreaked such havoc on the country? And how did one couple unite the warring factions and bring an end to the carnage?This is part one of a special three-part Short History of the Wars of the Roses.Written by Danny Marshall. With thanks to Michael Hicks, historian and author of The Wars of the Roses; and Lauren Johnson, historian and author of The Shadow King – The Life and Death of Henry VI, and an upcoming book on Tudor matriarch Margaret Beaufort.For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+, now available on Apple Podcasts. All shows are also available for free. If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts, press the ‘+’ icon to follow the show for free. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Noiser presents Napoleon, a new podcast examining the life and times of one of history’s most intriguing figures. You’ve heard the name Napoleon Bonaparte. But who was he, really? How did he become the most powerful man on Earth? And why didn't he stop, even once he had it all?A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.Search ‘Napoleon’ wherever you get your podcasts and hit follow to listen to the rest of the Napoleon story.For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Now available for Apple and Android users. Click the Noiser+ banner on Apple or go to noiser.com/subscriptions to get started with a 7-day free trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The defeat of the Spanish Armada by the English navy is often recounted as a ‘David and Goliath’ tale in which one tiny country overcame a huge and formidable empire. It secured the continuance of Protestant rule in England and was a defining moment in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. But why did this confrontation ever take place? Was England’s success due entirely to its naval prowess, or did other factors play a part? And could the outcome have easily been drastically different?This is a Short History of the Spanish Armada.Written by David Jackson. With thanks to Geoffrey Parker, Professor of History at Ohio State University, and co-author of Armada: The Spanish Enterprise and England’s Deliverance in 1588.For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Now available for Apple and Android users. Click the Noiser+ banner on Apple or go to noiser.com/subscriptions to get started with a 7-day free trial Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices