The Rest Is History
Goalhanger
Take a deep dive into History’s biggest moments with Tom Holland & Dominic Sandbrook.
Explore the stories of History’s most brutal rulers, deadly battles, and world-changing events. From the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, the Nazi conquest of Europe, and Hitler’s evil master plan for world domination, to the French Revolution, the sinking of the Titanic, or the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, Tom and Dominic bring the past to life with gripping storytelling and expert analysis, as they unpack the high-drama moments that shaped our world.
Join The Rest Is History Club: Unlock the full experience of the show – with exclusive bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to every series and live show tickets, a members-only newsletter, discounted books from the show, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at therestishistory.com.
For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com.
Explore the stories of History’s most brutal rulers, deadly battles, and world-changing events. From the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, the Nazi conquest of Europe, and Hitler’s evil master plan for world domination, to the French Revolution, the sinking of the Titanic, or the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, Tom and Dominic bring the past to life with gripping storytelling and expert analysis, as they unpack the high-drama moments that shaped our world.
Join The Rest Is History Club: Unlock the full experience of the show – with exclusive bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to every series and live show tickets, a members-only newsletter, discounted books from the show, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at therestishistory.com.
For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com.
Episodes
Mentioned books
103 snips
Mar 26, 2026 • 1h 11min
655. The Ku Klux Klan: Terror in the South (Part 2)
Reconstruction America turns into a political battlefield. The story follows election intimidation, racist backlash, and the spread of organized terror across the South. There is a look at why federal authorities hesitated, how South Carolina became a flashpoint, and how Grant finally struck back. It also traces how later myths helped revive the movement.
248 snips
Mar 23, 2026 • 1h 9min
654. The Ku Klux Klan: The Rise of Evil (Part 1)
A dark dive into how the Ku Klux Klan emerged from the wreckage of the Civil War. It explores Reconstruction, black voting rights, secret rituals, public parades, and the slide from bizarre costumes to organized terror. The story moves from Pulaski to national politics as white supremacy hardens into a violent movement.
53 snips
Mar 19, 2026 • 1h 7min
653. London’s Golden Age: The Shadow of the Madhouse (Part 4)
Samuel Johnson’s final years are filled with love, jealousy, scandal, and dread. There’s heartbreak over Hester Thrale, fury from Boswell, and a terrifying fear of madness and damnation. It also follows the race to preserve Johnson’s life in writing, as grief and rivalry help create a new kind of biography.
36 snips
Mar 16, 2026 • 1h 5min
652. London’s Golden Age: The Ghosts of Culloden (Part 3)
A rambunctious travelogue through Scotland with vivid Highland scenes, clan encounters and storm‑trapped antics. They trace routes tied to Culloden and debate the 1707 union. Stories of Iona’s ruins, Flora MacDonald, pony quarrels and theatrical impersonations add humor and tension. The journey yields material for big books and personal rivalries.
57 snips
Mar 12, 2026 • 1h 9min
651. London’s Golden Age: Sex and Scandal in Georgian Britain (Part 2)
Scandalous London life in the 18th century, with clubs, fashion, and rampant libertinism. The wild sexual adventures and debts of James Boswell and his appetite for celebrity. The famous first meeting and evolving friendship with Samuel Johnson. Boswell’s European travels, meetings with Rousseau, Voltaire, and Pasquale Paoli, and his zeal for Corsican liberty.
232 snips
Mar 9, 2026 • 1h 6min
650. London’s Golden Age: The Mad Life of Dr Johnson (Part 1)
A lively dive into Samuel Johnson’s rise as 18th-century London’s dominant literary celebrity and the making of his monumental Dictionary. The tangled, obsessive friendship with James Boswell and its long literary consequences get center stage. They also touch on Johnson’s health struggles, marriage, politics, and the famous Scotland journey that symbolized wider British tensions.
173 snips
Mar 5, 2026 • 1h 12min
649. The Fall of the Incas: The Last Emperor (Part 6)
A brutal final phase of conquest: fractured Spanish rivals clash while the fleeing Incan emperor wages jungle resistance. Treachery, executions and assassinations reshape power in Peru. The story follows collaboration, betrayals and the slow consolidation of colonial rule amid devastating human and economic costs.
160 snips
Mar 2, 2026 • 1h 8min
648. The Fall of the Incas: Battle for the Sacred City (Part 5)
A dramatic uprising sparked by Spanish abuses and the public humiliation of an Incan leader. The siege of Cusco unfolds with massive Inca forces and desperate Spanish defenders. Cavalry clashes save coastal strongholds while brutal reprisals and political opportunism reshape power. The story ends with a retreat into the jungle and a new exile court.
126 snips
Feb 26, 2026 • 1h 11min
647. The Fall of the Incas: The King in the North (Part 4)
A violent account of how Pizarro and his men exploited the Incan civil war to seize power and treasure. The narrative follows the perilous march across the Andes, the dramatic occupation of Cusco and its sacred Temple of the Sun, and the frenzy of gold melting and distribution. Tensions rise as alliances fray, settler colonialism takes root, and brutal reprisals and power struggles escalate.
15 snips
Feb 25, 2026 • 7min
Greatest Paintings: The French Revolution - Millet's Angelus
Laura Cumming, art critic and author, offers sharp, accessible takes on Jean‑François Millet’s The Angelus. She explores the painting’s haunting stillness, its role in debates over French identity and politics, and Millet’s ties to the Barbizon circle. The conversation also traces how artists like Van Gogh and Dalí reimagined the work.
