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
151
Life of the Week: Mansa Musa
Hannah Cusworth shares highlights from the intriguing life of the Mali emperor Mansa Musa – from his astonishing pilgrimage to Mecca to tales of his extraordinary wealth
27 min
152
Caesar: Death of a Dictator | Trailer
1 min
153
Victoria's armpit and 'giant' bones: body parts...
Dr Suzie Edge explores a selection of history's most famous body parts – from Queen Victoria's armpit to Louis XIV's rear end
18 min
154
The American Gilded Age: everything you wanted ...
Nancy C Unger answers questions on the so-called Gilded Age in the United States of America, considering life in tenements of industrial cities, and the mansions of the elite
50 min
155
Books and war: from James Bond to leaflet bombing
Andrew Pettegree examines some of the ways in which literary culture has evolved and been utilised during times of conflict – from the daring adventures of James Bond to the censorship of Winston Churchill's works in WW2 prisoner of war camps
38 min
156
Shakespeare: Past Master | 4. Hamlet
25 min
157
Medieval manners: social etiquette in the Middl...
Danièle Cybulskie cracks open the medieval rulebook to reveal the top dos and don'ts of the Middle Ages – including why you should never sneeze in the direction of a lord or lady
30 min
158
Marshal Pétain: Vichy France in the dock
Julian Jackson discusses the famous trial of Marshal Pétain, the leader of Vichy France who was accused of betraying his country to the Nazis
45 min
159
1950s Britain: everything you wanted to know
Alwyn Turner takes us on a whistle-stop tour of 1950s Britain: a time of rationing and postwar austerity, but also an era in which exciting new possibilities were blossoming
37 min
160
The dangerous road to the Bastille
Robert Darnton guides us through the streets of Paris in the decades leading up to the French Revolution
41 min
161
Shakespeare: Past Master | 3. Julius Caesar
26 min
162
Du Fu: China's greatest poet
Du Fu has been compared to Dante and Shakespeare – so why isn't the Chinese poet well-known in the west? Michael Wood examines his fascinating story
24 min
163
Cities that turbocharged art history
From Renaissance Florence to Heian-era Kyoto, Caroline Campbell transports listeners back to historic cities that turbocharged the story of art
27 min
164
Astronomy history: everything you wanted to know
James Hannam responds to your questions on humanity's enduring fascination with celestial objects
39 min
165
The dark side of Dickens
Helena Kelly re-examines Charles Dickens’ life story to reveal a more unflattering image of the author
34 min
166
Shakespeare: Past Master | 2. Romeo and Juliet
21 min
167
Thanksgiving: everything you wanted to know
18 min
168
The dangers of medieval travel
Anthony Bale takes us on a guided tour of the medieval travel experience
36 min
169
The Princes in the Tower: has the mystery been ...
Philippa Langley shares new findings about one of history’s most tantalising cold cases
45 min
170
The Pre-Raphaelites: everything you wanted to know
Suzanne Fagence Cooper answers questions on the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, a group of artists who scandalised Victorian Britain
44 min
171
Resistance in the Second World War
Halik Kochanski shares the stories of the people across Nazi-occupied Europe who resisted the Germans during the Second World War
23 min
172
Shakespeare: Past Master | 1. Henry V
27 min
173
Shakespeare Trailer
0 min
174
George Orwell’s forgotten wife
Anna Funder uncovers the life of George Orwell’s first wife – Eileen O’Shaughnessy – and explains why Orwell omitted her from his work
24 min
175
Magic books: a global history
Owen Davies traces the history of magic books, from ancient papyrus to their presence in popular culture today
22 min