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.


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
1526
The big questions of women’s history
We mark International Women’s Day with a panel discussion tackling the central issues of women’s history
54 min
1527
The Cold War: everything you wanted to know
Michael Goodman responds to your questions on the decades of geopolitical tension that shaped relations between east and west in the second half of the 20th century.
51 min
1528
Voices of China
In this lecture, Michael Wood uses the stories of five individuals from across the centuries to cast light on China’s rich and varied history.
38 min
1529
BONUS EPISODE: Game of Thrones’ medieval roots
Carolyne Larrington explores the medieval world that inspired the fantasy epic in a special HistoryExtra bonus episode, available now for free at https://www.historyextra.com/game-of-thrones-podcast
1 min
1530
Why treason was so unforgivable in the Middle Ages
Dr Amanda McVitty explains what treason meant in the medieval era, and why its consequences were particularly brutal
57 min
1531
Formidable dynasties of the Italian Renaissance
Mary Hollingsworth discusses her new book, Princes of the Renaissance, which charts the wars and alliances between the powerful Italian families of the 15th and 16th centuries
31 min
1532
Vikings in North America
Gordon Campbell reveals how the Vikings made epic voyages of discovery across the Atlantic a millennium ago
37 min
1533
Shipwrecked in the Arctic: a 16th-century survi...
Journalist Andrea Pitzer discusses her latest book, Icebound: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World, a compelling story of survival in the Arctic during the 16th century…
53 min
1534
The Roman emperors: everything you wanted to know
Shushma Malik discusses some of the most admired and reviled Roman emperors, and considers whether the legends surrounding them stand up to scrutiny
65 min
1535
Adventure and archaeology in the golden age of ...
Toby Wilkinson gives a lecture on the archaeologists and adventurers whose discoveries helped transform our understanding of the ancient Egyptians.
46 min
1536
Crafting historical weapons for Wolf Hall and T...
Historical weapon-maker Tod of Tod’s Workshop gives a behind-the-scenes peek into the fascinating world of making replica weapons for TV and film.
40 min
1537
Nefertiti: wife, mother, pharaoh
Egyptologist Aidan Dodson explores the life, death and afterlife of ancient Egypt’s sun queen
53 min
1538
The women who fought back against Hollywood
Helen O’Hara highlights female pioneers of film, and reveals some of the challenges faced by women working in Hollywood over the past century.
36 min
1539
Rivalries and romances: couples that shook up h...
Broadcaster and author Cathy Newman shares stories of duos that changed the course of history.
42 min
1540
The Vikings’ global connections
Dr Cat Jarman explores the far-reaching trading networks of the Vikings, from the Baltic sea to Asia
40 min
1541
The space race: everything you wanted to know
Tom Ellis responds to listener questions on the great Cold War rivalry that saw the US and the Soviet Union battle for dominance in space
52 min
1542
Sathnam Sanghera on how modern Britain is shape...
Sathnam Sanghera discusses where we can see the legacy of imperialism in Britain today –from politics and education to museums and multiculturalism
32 min
1543
The big questions of LGBTQ history
We mark LGBT+ History Month with a panel discussion tackling some of the biggest themes in LGBTQ history
50 min
1544
Chaos & communism: China’s 1949 revolution
Graham Hutchings discusses how China was convulsed by the communist revolution of 1949.
38 min
1545
Elizabeth Barrett Browning: poet, activist, tra...
Fiona Sampson speaks about the extraordinary life of the Victorian poet, who battled chronic illness and family troubles to write ground-breaking poetry.
53 min
1546
Is “Blitz Spirit” a myth?
Ahead of their new BBC One documentary on the subject, Lucy Worsley, Joshua Levine and Yasmine Permaul discuss how Londoners really reacted to the devastating bombing raids
46 min
1547
Fatal accidents and violent injuries in the Mid...
Dr Jenna Dittmar, who has been studying medieval skeletons, reveals what her findings can tell us about injuries and violence in the era
34 min
1548
The Dissolution: everything you wanted to know
Dr Hugh Willmott responds to listener questions on Henry VIII’s suppression of the monasteries in the 16th century
52 min
1549
The forgotten mothers of civil rights leaders
Anna Malaika Tubbs shines a light on how Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X and James Baldwin were influenced by their mothers.
43 min
1550
Sex, romance and rights: women's lives since 1950
Historian Carol Dyhouse talks about how women's lives, dreams and loves have transformed in the decades since 1950, from the advent of the pill to the impact of second-wave feminism.
58 min