History Extra podcast

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. 

Unlock full access to HistoryExtra.com for 6 months for just 99p https://www.historyextra.com/join/

History
126
The Tyrant, the usurper and the hero | Richard ...
Dan Jones and Helen Castor chart the turbulent reign of one of England's most unpopular kings - Richard II
46 min
127
Chris Packham & Peter Frankopan: can history he...
Historian Peter Frankopan and broadcaster and activist Chris Packham discuss the history of climate change – and how looking to the past could help humanity's future
40 min
128
History Behind the Headlines: political memoirs...
Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter discuss the history behind political memoirs, Britain's energy supplies and access to the countryside
40 min
129
Tudor spymaster: the secret machinations of Rob...
Stephen Alford reveals how Robert Cecil played a vital role in steering late-16th century England through some particularly perilous waters
40 min
130
The Korean War: everything you wanted to know
Owen Miller answers listener questions on a bloody Cold War conflict in Asia
34 min
131
Roman slavery: a brutal life in the ancient empire
Guy de la Bédoyère reveals why the Roman empire simply couldn't have functioned without the labour (and the suffering) of its captive population
24 min
132
1066: the battle for England | 4. the long and ...
Marc Morris discusses the long and bloody conquest of England that followed William's victory at the Battle of Hastings
40 min
133
Imperial spectacle: inside Britain's 1924 'Empi...
Matthew Parker takes listeners inside the 1924 British Empire Exhibition at Wembley Park in London
27 min
134
John Milton: life of the week
Islam Issa charts the extraordinary life and work of the 17th-century poet, polemicist and political operator John Milton
33 min
135
Why did people kill for Hitler?
Professor Richard J Evans explores the motivations of those who governed and supported the Third Reich
29 min
136
The Cathars: everything you wanted to know
Claire Taylor answers listener questions on the Christian movement which emerged in southern Europe during the 12th century
46 min
137
Black British History: everything you wanted to...
Hannah Cusworth answers listener questions on the history of black people in Britain
35 min
138
Shopping and snacking: a social history of the ...
Annie Gray takes listeners on a shopping trip through the history of Britain's high streets
32 min
139
1066: the battle for England | 3. Three kings a...
Marc Morris charts the events of 1066 and the fates of the key contenders in the fight for England's throne
41 min
140
The race to identify all living creatures
Jason Roberts follows the scientific competition between Carl Linnaeus and Georges-Louis de Buffon to identify, describe, and catagorise all life on Earth
34 min
141
King John: life of the week
Nick Vincent charts the life of one of the most infamous monarchs of medieval England
29 min
142
Ordinary Vikings: hidden histories of the Nordi...
Eleanor Barraclough explores the daily lives of the Vikings who weren’t warlords or kings, but farmers, merchants, wives and lovers
33 min
143
Tea history: everything you wanted to know
Jane Pettigrew charts the extraordinarily long history of one of the world's most popular hot drinks
43 min
144
Victorian women detectives
From sting operations to thief-taking, Sara Lodge delves into the secretive world of women detectives in the 19th century
28 min
145
1066: the battle for England | 2. The power beh...
Marc Morris reveals how the powerful Godwin family rose to prominence during the reign of King Edward the Confessor
30 min
146
A hidden history of black civil rights
Dylan Penningroth explores the history of black Americans' engagement with the legal system, from the era of slavery to the present day
42 min
147
Eleanor Roosevelt: life of the week
Susan Ware joins us to discuss the life of Eleanor Roosevelt, from her role as First Lady to her lasting legacy as a human rights advocate
43 min
148
How did the US get so many guns?
Andrew C McKevitt charts the forces behind the postwar weaponry boom which has seen US civilian gun ownership skyrocket
44 min
149
Communism: everything you wanted to know
Maurice J Casey answers listeners' questions about the revolutionary ideology, its key thinkers and its impact on modern history
44 min
150
Liberating WW2 Naples: triumph and tragedy
Keith Lowe tells the story of the first major European city to be freed by the Allies during the Second World War – a tale of ingenuity and heroism, immorality and despair
25 min