Podcast
HistoryExtra podcast
Hosted by Immediate · EN
The HistoryExtra podcast brings you gripping stories from the past and fascinating historical conversations with the world's leading historical experts.
HistoryExtra 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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528episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Masters of disinformation: how British spies played dirty in the Cold War
Jun 1100:34:41Summary readyThey 'haunted' an Indonesian general with a talking ghost and planted fake hippies in a Bulgarian youth festival. But did they change the course of the Cold War? Rory Cormac introduces Spencer Mizen to the comically absurd – and dangerously controversial – tactics deployed by a group of misfits and mavericks charged with raining down confusion on Britain's adversaries in the 1950s and 60s. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST To hear more from Rory Cormac on the HistoryExtra podcast, listen to him discussing Queen Victoria's spy network here: https://bit.ly/4sHYQKJ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
SummaryChurchill's toughest decision
Jun 900:35:46Summary readyIn the summer of 1940, the Royal Navy attacked a French fleet moored off the coast of north Africa, killing almost 1,300 sailors. Winston Churchill described his decision to greenlight the operation as the toughest he ever had to take. But was it the right decision? Edward Abel Smith talks to Spencer Mizen about an incident that would shake Britain's wartime relations with France. ––––– GO BEYOND THE PODCAST To hear more from Edward Abel Smith, don't miss our podcast episode on the remarkable life of Nicholas Winton, the British Schindler, who helped hundreds of Jewish children escape Czechoslovakia on the eve of the Second World War: https://bit.ly/4e80MrF Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
SummaryHenry Paget: life of the week
Jun 800:43:34Summary readyHenry Paget, 5th Marquess of Anglesey, lived a life of extravagance, luxury and theatre – and for this, he was the subject of much intrigue in the late 19th century. In this episode, Michael Hall speaks to Charlotte Vosper about the man dubbed the 'Dancing Marquess' – and whose story has now been dramatised for the big screen in new film Madfabulous. ––––– GO BEYOND THE PODCASTIf you'd like to hear more from Michael about queer lives connected to the National Trust and its properties, check out our discussion of his latest book A Queer Inheritance: https://bit.ly/3RzQszl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
SummaryThe hidden history of female sexual pleasure
Jun 700:48:04Summary readyHow did women in the past experience sex and pleasure? Kate Lister reveals that this is a rather complicated question. Instead of simply lying back and thinking of England, women have long fought for their right to pleasure. But at the same time, women's sexual experiences have also been bound up in cultures of shame and control since antiquity. Speaking to Charlotte Vosper, Kate introduces us to these histories. Please note that this episode contains a very frank and open discussion of sex and sexuality, and strong language throughout. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST If you'd like to learn even more about sex toys from the past, check out this eye-opening article about history's 12 strangest examples: https://bit.ly/4eFxPn6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Why Cleopatra was more than a bewitching beauty
Jun 600:41:11Summary readyWe often think of Cleopatra as using her feminine wiles to secure, and maintain, power. But was that really the case? And what other skills and qualities did she have? In this third episode of our four-part Sunday Series charting the ancient queen and her world, Matt Elton is joined by Islam Issa – professor of public humanities at Birmingham City University – to discover more about Cleopatra the leader. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST Captivated by Cleopatra? Matt Elton has curated a collection of essential reading, listening and viewing from the HistoryExtra vaults to help bring the ancient queen to life: https://bit.ly/3Pgs3hv And don’t miss our HistoryExtra Academy, Royal Women with Professor Kate Williams, for more on some of the past’s most powerful female leaders – from Cleopatra to Elizabeth II: https://bit.ly/3PRpwue Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
SummaryBetter than Bridgerton: the real Georgian masquerade
Jun 400:49:08Summary readyIs there a real historical phenomenon behind Bridgerton’s masked ball? And what would it really have been like? In this episode, Meghan Kobza takes us behind the doors of the glittering Georgian masquerades. Speaking to Charlotte Vosper, she discusses the history of the masquerade – from outrageous outfits to serious scandals. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST If you'd like to find out more about the real history behind Netflix's 'Bridgerton', check out Felicity Day's article about the historical likelihood of Benedict and Sophie's cross-class relationship in Season 4 here: https://bit.ly/4n1oCaD Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
SummaryWeimar's descent from democracy to barbarism
Jun 200:39:10Summary readyWeimar is a small German city. Yet it looms large in European history. In the 1920s, it was synonymous with liberalism, internationalism and the fine arts. Yet, within a decade, many of its residents had embraced Nazism and Hitler was professing his love for the city. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, historian and author Katja Hoyer reveals how the city that gave its name to Germany's great social democratic experiment succumbed to tyranny. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST If you'd like to hear more from Katja Hoyer talking about German history on the HistoryExtra podcast, then you can check out this Life of the Week episode on Otto von Bismarck: https://bit.ly/49jLTio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
SummaryAlan Turing: life of the week
Jun 100:45:39Summary readyAlan Turing is one of the most celebrated of all British scientists. His work in cracking Nazi codes at Bletchley Park, and his role in the evolution of the computer, has earned him worldwide acclaim. Yet he died at the age of just 41, two years after being prosecuted for homosexual acts. In conversation with Spencer Mizen, David Kenyon, research historian at Bletchley Park, explores a brilliant life marred by tragedy. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST If you'd like to delve further into this subject, then why not check out the HistoryExtra article about the secret and undervalued work of the female codebreakers of Bletchley Park: https://bit.ly/49Lcoxr Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
SummaryThe self-made Marilyn Monroe
May 3100:49:17Summary readyMarilyn Monroe is synonymous with glamour, beauty and stardom – but scratching the surface of her public image reveals another story. Author and professor of film philosophy Lucy Bolton reveals the career-driven and consistently ambitious side to Monroe that fuelled the creation of her star image. Speaking to Charlotte Vosper, Lucy guides us through Monroe's personal and professional life, unveiling the hard-working woman behind the glamorous facade. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST If you'd like to find out more about women such as Marilyn who fought back against the exploitative studio system, check out this brilliant podcast episode with Helen O'Hara about the women who challenged Hollywood: https://bit.ly/4eCn9FE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Cleopatra’s bloody rise to power
May 3000:29:36Summary readyFrom formidable overseas leaders to vicious internecine conflict, Cleopatra’s rise to the top was bloody and brutal. So what personal qualities did she draw upon to navigate these shifting sands? And should her success mean we see her in a new light? In the second episode of our four-part Sunday Series on the ancient queen’s life and world, Islam Issa – professor of public humanities at Birmingham City University – tells Matt Elton about the truth behind the myth. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST Captivated by Cleopatra? Matt Elton has curated a collection of essential reading, listening and viewing from the HistoryExtra vaults to help bring the ancient queen to life: https://bit.ly/3Pgs3hv And don’t miss our HistoryExtra Academy, Royal Women with Professor Kate Williams, for more on some of the past’s most powerful female leaders – from Cleopatra to Elizabeth II: https://bit.ly/3PRpwue Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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