Podcast Episodes
Back to SearchHow the compass became a political weapon
Episode 2183
Why did early Islamic cartographers place south at the top of their maps? Who invented the magnetic compass? And why has 'the west' become an intense…
1 year, 2 months ago
Medieval towns: everything you wanted to know
Episode 2182
What was it like to live in a British town or city in the Middle Ages? Were they filthy hotbeds of crime and violence? How often did fires break out?…
1 year, 2 months ago
Harold Wilson: the rock 'n' roll prime minister
Episode 2181
Harold Wilson is as central to the story of sixties Britain as the Beatles, Profumo and miniskirts. Admirers applauded the social reforms he introduc…
1 year, 2 months ago
Who is buried at Sutton Hoo?
Episode 2180
The Sutton Hoo ship burial is one of the most famous discoveries in British archaeological history. But who is actually buried there? Or perhaps a be…
1 year, 2 months ago
Sex and Christianity: 2,000 years of love and fury
Episode 2179
What were Jesus's views on sex? Why did so many Christians choose a life of celibacy? Has the church ever been tolerant of homosexuality? These are s…
1 year, 2 months ago
Catherine the Great: life of the week
Episode 2178
Catherine the Great stands out from the rulers of Imperial Russia – a 'philosopher empress' whose wit, political savvy, and unyielding ambition trans…
1 year, 2 months ago
The Second Norman Conquest
Episode 2177
William of Normandy famously invaded England in 1066 – but, he didn't quite conquer it all. In fact, the duty of leading a second assault was left to…
1 year, 2 months ago
The Carolingians: everything you wanted to know
Episode 2176
The early medieval Carolingian empire played a crucial role in the development of Europe throughout the Middle Ages. Though the dynasty itself was no…
1 year, 2 months ago
The SAS in WW2: everything you wanted to know
Series two of SAS Rogue Heroes hits our screens later this week, so we're bringing you an episode to get you up to scratch on the WW2 escapades of Br…
1 year, 3 months ago
Arnhem: 24 hours that shattered Allied dreams
Episode 2175
The morning of Tuesday 19 September 1944 was ripe with possibility for Allied forces at Arnhem, says Al Murray. Just 24 hours later, the die of defea…
1 year, 3 months ago