Dan Snow's History Hit
History Hit
Historian Dan Snow journeys across the globe to tell the stories of history's defining moments. From the Colosseum in Rome to the Great Wall of China, the battlefields of Waterloo to the Tomb of Tutankhamun, join Dan as he explores the how and why of the greatest monuments, battles, heroes, villains and events that have shaped our world.New episodes on Mondays and Thursdays with bonus subscriber only episodes every other Friday.You can get in touch with us at ds.hh@historyhit.comA podcast by History Hit, the world's best history channel and creators of award-winning podcasts The Ancients, Gone Medieval, and Betwixt the Sheets.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Episodes
Mentioned books
16 snips
May 11, 2026 • 31min
Investigating the Nazi Massacre at Rumbula
Lorenz Hemicker, journalist and author who investigated his grandfather's role in Nazi atrocities, digs into family lore and archives. He recounts uncovering archival proof tying Ernst to the Rumbula massacre and an underground weapons project. The conversation covers denazification files, contested testimonies, and how families confront hidden complicity.
May 7, 2026 • 47min
How Did Japan Become A Superpower?
Dr Chris Harding, a cultural historian of Japan and India at the University of Edinburgh, guides a fast-moving tale of the Meiji Restoration. He traces Tokugawa stability, Perry's shock, the overthrow of the shogunate and Meiji leaders' global fact-finding. Hear how Japan dismantled feudal order, modernised institutions and rapidly remade itself into a global power.
May 4, 2026 • 44min
The Scandalous Life of Lord Byron
Kate Lister, historian and host of Betwixt the Sheets, decodes Lord Byron’s turbulent life and reputation. She explores his troubled upbringing and disability, his explosive rise to fame, messy love affairs and scandals, and his exile and role in the Greek independence struggle. Short, sharp vignettes peel back the myths to reveal the contradictions beneath the poet’s notoriety.
12 snips
Apr 30, 2026 • 49min
Bloody Mary
Kate Williams, historian and broadcaster specializing in royal history, explores Mary Tudor with fresh eyes. She reconsiders the 'Bloody Mary' label and the role of misogyny and propaganda. The conversation traces Mary’s education, her struggle for legitimacy, seizure of the crown, marriage politics, religious reversal and the burnings, and her legacy as the first queen regnant.
8 snips
Apr 27, 2026 • 53min
The Black Prince
Michael Jones, historian and author of The Black Prince, outlines Edward of Woodstock’s rise as a feared medieval commander. He covers childhood training, major battles like Cressy and Poitiers, the brutal chevauchées and sieges, controversies such as Limoges, and how illness and fate shaped his legacy. Short, sharp stories of chivalry, tactics and the human cost of war.
17 snips
Apr 23, 2026 • 1h 5min
The Assassination of Trotsky
Josh Ireland, historian and author of The Death of Trotsky, guides listeners through the Soviet plot that led to Trotsky’s murder. He details Ramon Mercader’s infiltration, the NKVD’s tradecraft, and the dramatic ice axe attack in Mexico City. The conversation maps Stalin’s purge tactics and the betrayal that made the killing possible.
13 snips
Apr 20, 2026 • 51min
Churchill's Secret Army
Ken Welch, a wartime Auxiliary Unit member who served in a hidden bunker, and Andy Chatterton, historian of Britain’s secret defenses. They explore underground bunkers, covert training, trapdoor hideouts, sabotage plans and a little-known MI6 resistance network. Short, tense stories and a bunker hunt bring these shadowy wartime preparations to life.
12 snips
Apr 16, 2026 • 37min
The Siege of Acre: The Last Battle of the Crusades
Steve Tibble, historian and author who studies the Crusades and medieval warfare, guides listeners through the 1291 Siege of Acre and Mamluk strategy. He explains who the Mamluks were and why they targeted the coast. He breaks down Acre’s defenses, siege artillery, mining tactics, pivotal assaults on weak points, and the brutal fall and aftermath.
Apr 13, 2026 • 54min
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Dr Elena Janega, medieval historian and host of Gone Medieval, offers sharp analysis of Eleanor of Aquitaine. She traces Eleanor’s rise as Aquitaine’s heiress and her fraught marriages to Louis VII and Henry II. The conversation covers the Second Crusade, the creation and maintenance of the Angevin realm, family rivalries, imprisonment and ransom, and Eleanor’s late-life political maneuvers.
Apr 9, 2026 • 47min
The Knights Templar vs the Order of Assassins
Steve Tibble, historian and author of 'Assassins and Templars', gives a compact tour of the medieval rivalry between Nizari Ismailis and the Knights Templar. He explores their origins, mountain strongholds, covert tactics and banking prowess. Short, vivid stories cover famous attacks, clashes with Saladin, and how Mongols and Mamluks ended their power.
