Podcast Episodes
Back to Search11th-century Europe: not just the Norman Conquest
Episode 2394
When we think of Europe in the 11th century, one date stands out: 1066. However, as Professor Charles West explains, this was a century of great change, and great events, across all of Europe. In con…
Published on 2 months, 1 week ago
William Shakespeare: life of the week
Episode 2393
William Shakespeare is one of history’s most famous names – but how much do we really know about the man himself? And how did his family, education and marriage shape his works and influence his worl…
Published on 2 months, 1 week ago
Tudor life with Ruth Goodman
Episode 2392
What did ordinary Tudors eat and drink on a daily basis? How did they keep themselves clean without baths and showers? And what surprising beliefs did they hold about sex, religion and childhood? Soc…
Published on 2 months, 1 week ago
Who laid the fuse for the Gunpowder Plot?
Episode 2391
In the autumn of 1605, Robert Catesby and Guy Fawkes led a desperate band of Catholic gentlemen in one of history's most daring conspiracies. Having smuggled 36 barrels of gunpowder beneath the Palac…
Published on 2 months, 1 week ago
Reagan's plan to 'make America great again'
Episode 2390
The phrase 'Make America Great Again' is indelibly associated with President Trump – yet a very similar version of the slogan – 'Let's Make America Great Again' – was in fact used by his predecessor …
Published on 2 months, 1 week ago
How enslaved people fought for freedom across the Atlantic
Episode 2389
From armed uprisings in the Caribbean to the hidden power of ritual, song and solidarity, the story of enslaved people’s resistance is far richer and more radical than has often been told. In this ep…
Published on 2 months, 2 weeks ago
Aneurin Bevan: life of the week
Episode 2388
Aneurin Bevan's commitment to social justice led to the creation of the National Health Service in 1948 – one of the most ambitious social reforms in British history. He was an MP who stuck to his pr…
Published on 2 months, 2 weeks ago
Bandits & blasphemers: crime in 17th century Scotland
Episode 2387
Which crimes were most common in Scotland in the 17th century – and what can those crimes reveal about society at the time? In today's episode, we're delving into a world of violence, vengeance, band…
Published on 2 months, 2 weeks ago
The Normans: everything you wanted to know
Episode 2386
After five years we come to our final 'everything you wanted to know about' episodes. We revisit our first episode where Marc Morris, author of an acclaimed history of the Norman Conquest, tackles so…
Published on 2 months, 2 weeks ago
How Julius Caesar's funeral drama fuelled the mob
Episode 2385
The assassination ofJulius Caesar is one of the most infamous plots of the ancient world, but the dictator's death wasn't the only moment in his life and afterlife marked by political machinations. S…
Published on 2 months, 2 weeks ago