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The History Extra podcast brings you gripping stories from the past and fascinating historical conversations with the world's leading historical experts.
Produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine, History Extra is a free history podcast, with episodes released six times a week. Subscribe now for the real stories behind your favourite films, TV shows and period dramas, as well as compelling insights into lesser-known aspects of the past.
We delve into global history stories spanning the ancient world right up to the modern day. You’ll hear deep dives into the lives of famous historical figures like Cleopatra, Anne Boleyn and Winston Churchill, and explorations of intriguing events from the past, such as the Salem witch trials, the battle of Waterloo and D-Day.
Expect fresh takes on history, helping you get to grips with the latest research, as we explore everything from ancient Roman archaeology and Viking mythology to Renaissance royals and Tudor kings and queens.
Our episodes touch on a wide range of historical eras – from the Normans and Saxons to the Stuarts, Victorians and the Regency period. We cover the most popular historical subjects, from the medieval world to the Second World War, but you’ll also hear conversations on lesser-known parts of our past, including black history and women’s history.
Looking at the history behind today’s headlines, we consider the forces that have shaped today’s world, from the imposing empires that dominated continents, to the revolutions that brought them crashing down. We also examine the impact of conflict across the centuries, from the crusades of the Middle Ages and the battles of the ancient Egyptians to World War One, World War Two and the Cold War.
Plus, we uncover the real history behind myths, legends and conspiracy theories, from the medieval murder mystery of the Princes in the Tower, to the assassination of JFK.
Featuring interviews with notable historians including Mary Beard, Tracy Borman, James Holland and Dan Jones, we cover a range of social, political and military history, with the aim to start conversations about some of the most fascinating areas of the past.
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David Lloyd George regularly features in lists of Britain’s greatest prime ministers. Born in Manchester and raised in rural Wales, the Liberal luminary helped lay the foundations of the modern welfare state and went on to lead the nation during the final two years of the First World War. But there is far more to Lloyd George’s life and career, as Professor Richard Toye tells Jon Bauckham in this episode of our 'Life of the Week' series.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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From etchings scratched into the earliest monuments, to the spray can designs that appear on structures today, the urge to leave our mark is universal. But in 18th-century Britain, the nature of graffiti changed; both exploding in popularity and becoming much more radical in nature. Speaking to Elinor Evans about her new book, Writing on the Wall, Madeleine Pelling explores this shift. She investigates the stories behind scraps of graffiti, from chalk markings made by soldiers and sex workers, to glyphs scratched onto windows by famed poets, and reveals what they can tell us about life in 18th-century Britain.
(AD) Madeleine Pelling is the author of Writing on the Wall: Graffiti, Rebellion and the Making of 18th-century Britain (Profile). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fwriting-on-the-wall%2Fmadeleine-pelling%2F%2F9781800811997.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Were highwaymen really as dashing and gentlemanly as the stories would have us believe? How did these bandits pick the best locations to rob from the rich? And how much of the legend surrounding Dick Turpin is actually true? Speaking to Lauren Good, Bob Shoemaker answers listener questions on highwaymen – and reveals the truth behind their glamorous reputations.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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1Africa's story has long been presented in western narratives as one that only 'began' with the arrival of non-Africans – yet modern science has revealed that the African continent was, in fact, the cradle of humanity itself. Zeinab Badawi speaks to Danny Bird about her new book that puts Africans firmly in charge of the telling of their continent's rich history – one that spans millennia of great civilisations, long-overlooked deeds of great men and women, and the African instinct to thrive in adversity.
(Ad) Zeinab Badawi is the author of An African History of Africa: From the Dawn of Humanity to Independence (WH Allen, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/African-History-Africa-Humanity-Independence/dp/0753560127/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.URp_LAKHkzuEJR64At4TXjVGAbKt5Qodjj-n3C0sjpiwi7X6VuFyx4DXO3-3AygZ.eiBWV_si59ZvHOJy8XNzCx0ordvmcgBBG5e3_rMxkck&dib_tag=se&qid=1711628678&refinements=p_27%3AZeinab+Badawi&s=books&sr=1-1&tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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In the summer of 1940, the skies over Britain filled with the sounds as of engines and gunfire, as the battle of Britain saw the RAF and Luftwaffe go head-to-head in a fight for air dominance. For the British pilots, the objective could not have been more critical – protect their nation from the threat of Nazi invasion. But were the British pilots really the plucky underdogs in this fight? And could Germany have launched an invasion if they had won the air battle over Britain? In the first episode of this five-part series on the greatest battles of WW2, Rachel Dinning explores those questions and more with military historian James Holland.
James Holland is a military historian and the author of several books on the Second World War including The Battle of Britain: Five Months that Changed History. He's the co-founder of the Chalke History Festival - which runs from 24-30 June this year. Find out more about the festival's extensive programme of history talks and events at chalkefestival.com.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Did Allied victory in the Second World War really hinge on the battle of the Atlantic? What made Stalingrad such a pivotal victory for the Soviet Union? And how did forces adapt to desert warfare at El Alamein? In our new five-part series, WW2's Greatest Battles, we're charting five of the pivotal moments that shaped the course of the conflict, with author and military historian, James Holland. New episodes will drop every Thursday, on the HistoryExtra podcast.
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Henry Kissinger, who died in November 2023 at the age of 100, was one of the most significant, and controversial, figures of the 20th century. Matt Elton spoke to historian Rana Mitter about the American diplomat’s life and legacy.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Famously branded "mad, bad and dangerous to know", Lord Byron captured the imagination – and attention – of early 19th-century Britain with his soul-bearing poetry, decadent lifestyle and torrid love affairs. In this Life of the Week episode, Corin Throsby speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about how the Romantic poet became the era's most scandalous celebrity.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Since it first hit TV screens back in 2009, Horrible Histories has brought Terry Deary and Martin Brown’s hugely successful series of books to an entire generation of children. As it marks its 15th anniversary, Matt Elton speaks to three members of the team behind the show that mixes comedy songs, gruesome deaths and a talking rat.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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What would a medieval first aid kit have contained? What were the era's strangest cures? And is it true that it was better to steer clear of the doctor altogether in the Middle Ages? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Elma Brenner answers listener questions about medieval medical theory and practice – from how gruesome surgery really was, to whether leeches were actually that useful.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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In the early 19th century, two different British expeditions headed into the interior of West Africa – and both ended in disaster. But what was driving the expeditions, and why were they so ill-prepared? Speaking to Elinor Evans, Dane Kennedy, author of Mungo Park's Ghost shares the tale of the ill-fated missions, and explores the wider story of British exploration of the continent.
(Ad) Dane Kennedy is the author of Mungo Park's Ghost: The Haunted Hubris of British Explorers in Nineteenth-Century Africa (Cambridge University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mungo-Parks-Ghost-Explorers-Nineteenth-Century/dp/1009392980/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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In part 2 of a special bonus episode of our Conspiracy series, Rob Attar and Gerald Posner delve deeper into the questions surrounding the assassination of JFK. Who did Lyndon Johnson think was behind the murder? Why do so many people believe in a conspiracy theory? And why is Lee Harvey Oswald’s other killing rarely discussed?
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The transatlantic slave trade was formally abolished in both Britain and the US in 1807 and 1808 – yet slave ships were still forcibly bringing enslaved African people to the Americas right up to the 1860s. David Musgrove speaks to historian Hannah Durkin about the long history of this horrific trade, through the eyes of the survivors of Clotilda, the last ship to transport slaves to America.
(Ad) Hannah Durkin is the author of Survivors: The Lost Stories of the Last Captives of the Atlantic Slave Trade (HarperCollins, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fsurvivors%2Fhannah-durkin%2F9780008446512
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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In the latest episode of History Behind the Headlines, Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter are joined by award-winning journalist and producer Kavita Puri to discuss the history of famine, and the challenges of tackling the contentious legacies of events such as the 1943 Bengal Famine – the subject of her new series Three Million, available now on BBC Sounds, BBC Radio 4 and BBC World Service English
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The Troubles in Northern Ireland was a difficult, bloody period, which lasted for almost 30 years. During that time, the British secret services ran an extensive intelligence operation to infiltrate the IRA, the details of which are only now coming to light. Speaking to David Musgrove, Henry Hemming discusses what he uncovered about this secret web of spies, agents and double agents for his new book Four Shots in the Night.
(Ad) Henry Hemming is the author of Four Shots in the Night: A True Story of Spies, Murder, and Justice in Northern Ireland (Quercus, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Four-Shots-Night-Henry-Hemming/dp/1529426758/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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What do white horses symbolise in Welsh mythology? What is the Mabinogion? Was King Arthur from Wales? And why do fairy folk hold a particularly sinister place in Welsh folklore? Speaking to Elinor Evans, Mark Rees takes listeners on a tour of the remarkable creatures and stories of Welsh mythology and legend.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Over the last 500 years, countless people in England and Wales have decided to tie the knot. But what motivated people in the past to get married? What inspired the traditional wedding vows? And when was the first divorce in Britain? Legal historian Rebecca Probert explores how ideas about marriage – and the laws around it – have changed in England and Wales over the last five centuries.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The killing of President John F Kennedy in Dallas in November 1963 is one of the defining events of the 20th century and the subject of multiple conspiracy theories. In part one of a special bonus episode of our Conspiracy series, Rob Attar rejoins the investigative journalist Gerald Posner to tackle your questions about the assassination and the web of intrigue that surrounds it.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Sathnam Sanghera’s bestselling 2021 book Empireland catapulted the author into the eye of a media storm. Following the release of its follow-up, Empireworld, he spoke to Matt Elton about how it felt to be at the centre of a heated national debate on empire – and how we can have constructive conversations about Britain’s imperial past.
(Ad) Sathnam Sanghera is the author of Empireworld: How British Imperialism Has Shaped the Globe: Signed Edition (Penguin, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=380&awinaffid=489797&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fempireworld%2Fsathnam-sanghera%2F2928377238056&clickref=historyextra-social-histboty
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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The name of medieval leader and military commander Saladin has gone down in history for unifying the Muslim Near East, capturing the holy city of Jerusalem and an iconic rivalry with Richard the Lionheart. But, is this extraordinary reputation just the product of his savvy PR team? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Jonathan Phillips charts the extraordinary rise of the Muslim leader, who usurped his patron before reaching dizzying heights – and questions how his legacy has changed across the centuries.
(Ad) Jonathan Phillips is the author of The Life and Legend of the Sultan Saladin (Bodley Head, 2019). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-Legend-Sultan-Saladin/dp/1847922147/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.
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Fantastic episode. As an Australian who has a picture of my forebears from my DNA test, its so interesting having this fleshed out and brought to life across the early centuries.
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I don't find any of this convincing. She seems to be arguing that medieval people always told the truth and hated murder.
Always enjoy hearing Prof Tyldesley
22.34 Ireland, anyone?
very poor episode,really not in keeping with the high quality of the HE series. you don't get the full story which is infuriating;what happened?buy the book,errr,don't think I'll bother on the evidence of this.the story you do get seems to be all supposition,I found the authors idea that people in prison who aren't meant to communicate with another don't particularly incredible
The host is most concerned with the well-being of the Industrialist fat cats , isnt she? Sort of leaves a sour taste in a listener's mouth.
Interesting podcast, but Hubert Humphrey was definitely not FDR's predecessor as president!
That interview didn't age well. Here in tje summer of 2023, Brits are finally wakening up to the economics of putting a tariff barrier between themselves and their closest major trading partners. That both the Commonwealth nations and the US can replace the EU, when these are drawn to Asian products, and a post-UK EU will still be more attractive than little UK in the contemporary world is longing for a long-dead world. This author's mindset is focused on the age where Britain could feed itself cheaply, mass produce products according to its own standards and could sell them anywhere and had a triangular native population growth pyramid. By 2015 an entirely new demographic and economic system had integrated European nations, like it or not. The author ignores economics and longs for a distant, hard-to-recover past. Whereas Remainers were talking about contemporary market economics, he presents that as saying Remainers had shallow desires to be part of a new trend. In other words,
excellent episode, Martin Davidson was articulate and made some fantastic points about a subject where he's obviously an expert. I am sure the book is very good.
The expert on this laughs and it's not at appropriate moments. I'm fascinated by the medieval & women's history but this was quite trying to listen to. Maybe it's an American thing but it's not for me.
these podcast keeps stopping. it's very frustrating.
Not the most promising material, but the speaker here was very good.
Oh please, Professor. The BLM protests were not exacerbated by covid restrictions. The anger had been building for many years, as police kept performing summary executions, and as schools shootings have escalated without any senisible measures for remediation. Also, have you forgotten the Watts (and other) riots of the sixties? Or the anti-capitalism riots when summits were held in the US? The anger was about the return of 1950s-1960s rollback of civil rights and the rise of right-wing militancy. ALSO, the US mishandling of covid (and Britain's) was about the amateurism of conservative politics, their disdain for expertise and their desire to cronyize the response to politically connected favorites. The US experts were sidelined, and Jared Kushner was tasked with inventing the wheel again. Even now in 2023 Dr. Fauci is held in scorn by the right as are vaccines.
FDR. The greatest president we've ever had. The president we desperately need today.
not. a . conspiracy. another word with meaning being utilised for completely different purposes.
How come after all these years haven't H.E. solved the basic issue of having good audio? The guest's voice is clear, but not the interviewer's, and it's his show!
I was surprised that Kyle Harper is not an epidemiologist, but when he said he was an historian his name clicked. He also wrote "The Fate of Rome", a groundbreaking book, and excellent read, where he examined the western Roman Empire from a climatological and epidemiological perspective.
Gore Vidal already covered the _great philosopher_ material in considerable detail quite a while ago.
What is this club of Scott devotees? Lt. Scott represented the epitome of "Jolly good" amateur officers who thought any venture could be tossed together, improvised and muddled through with grit and determination. Amundesen with a much smaller team studied and trained on Norwegian glaciers and Greenland's icecap, and made a science out of their expedition. They made it to the pole and back (gaining body weight!) with no real mishap, because they were professionals. I was gobsmacked to remember that I had seen this current guy being here interviewed in National Geographic decades ago, and he too did man hauling, and repeating other inefficiencies Scott used. It resembled a personal quest to prove a cult figure could have, should have, deserved to have triumphed over Amundsen, just because he was a Jolly Good old-school English officer! By Jove. Right-o!