Podcast Episodes

An audacious escape from slavery

Episode 2070

On 20 December 1848, Ellen Craft placed a top hat on her head, slipped her arm into a sling, and perched dark green glasses on her nose. Once her disguise was complete, Ellen and her husband William …

Published on 1 year, 4 months ago

The Abbasid caliphate: everything you wanted to know

Episode 2069

The Abbasid caliphs sat at the head of a vast Islamic empire that stretched from Tunisia to the frontiers of India, which they ruled over for several centuries. But how did they first come to power? …

Published on 1 year, 4 months ago

Crusader criminals: how the Holy Land became a hotbed of lawlessness

Episode 2068

The medieval crusades are remembered for their sweeping military campaigns. But they also engendered a brutality that went beyond the battlefield – in the form of a violent criminal underbelly, fuell…

Published on 1 year, 4 months ago

Ancient Egypt | 1. civilisation

Episode 2067

You’re probably familiar with the idea of godly pharaohs, menacing mummies and their deadly curses. But how much do you actually know about the fundamental facts of ancient Egyptian civilisation? In …

Published on 1 year, 4 months ago

Ancient Egypt: the big questions | Trailer

From the secrets of the pyramids to the mysteries of mummification, ancient Egypt has captivated the popular imagination for centuries. In HistoryExtra’s new five-part podcast series, we look back at…

Published on 1 year, 4 months ago

Gulag doctors: saving lives in Stalin's prison camps

Episode 2066

The Soviet gulag was a place of brutality, exploitation and death. But it was also home to tens of thousands of medical personnel who had to overcome limited facilities, appalling conditions and poli…

Published on 1 year, 4 months ago

Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter discuss the historical currents and tensions behind recent far right riots in the UK

Episode 2065

In the latest episode of our monthly series charting the past behind the present, Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter are joined by historian Nigel Copsey to discuss the long history of the far right in the…

Published on 1 year, 4 months ago

Practical magic: curses, spells & cunning folk

Episode 2064

From love spells to enthral the object of your desires, to charms to influence the outcome of a trial, people turned to cunning folk for all kinds of practical magic in medieval and Tudor England. Sp…

Published on 1 year, 4 months ago

The history of migration: everything you wanted to know

Episode 2063

Since the dawn of humanity, people have been on the move. Our ancestors' ability to travel across vast distances and adapt to different environments has been the key to our species' survival. But why…

Published on 1 year, 4 months ago

Eighteen-year-olds who changed history

Episode 2062

In 21st-century Britain, the age of 18 marks the legal transition from childhood to adulthood. But how has this boundary shifted over time? Alice Loxton speaks to Danny Bird about her new book, Eight…

Published on 1 year, 4 months ago