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
1751
The Lancaster
John Nichol describes the history of the iconic WWII bomber aircraft and tells the stories of the men who flew in them. Hisoryextra.com/podcast
40 min
1752
Henry III: inside the mind of a medieval king
David Carpenter, author of a major new biography of Henry III, explains how we know more about his inner mind than any other English king of the period. Historyextra.com/podcast
37 min
1753
Francis Drake: slave trader
Following calls for statues of Drake to be removed for his role in the slave trade, Claire Jowitt explores a dark chapter in Tudor history. Historyextra.com/podcast
35 min
1754
Britain and the slave trade
Christer Petley charts the history of slavery within the British empire and considers how it should be reflected upon today. Plus, Afua Hirsch offers her thoughts on the toppling of Edward Colston’s statue. Historyextra.com/podcast
42 min
1755
Everything you ever wanted to know about the ci...
Kevin Gaines responds to listener queries and popular search enquiries about the American civil rights movement. Historyextra.com/podcast
71 min
1756
The Field of the Cloth of Gold
Glenn Richardson explores the events of the Field of the Cloth of Gold and considers its impact on Anglo-French relations. Historyextra.com/podcast
37 min
1757
The secret plot to kill Lincoln
Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch explore a little-known attempt to kill Abraham Lincoln in 1861. Historyextra.com/podcast
33 min
1758
The unexpected Tudors
Sam Willis and James Daybell take a sideways look at the Tudors era, exploring everything from gloves to priest holes. Historyextra.com/podcast
31 min
1759
Everything you ever wanted to know about Nazi G...
Richard J Evans responds to listener queries and popular search enquiries about the Third Reich. Historyextra.com/podcast
57 min
1760
Saturday lecture: Medieval disease and medicine
Elma Brenner explores some of the diseases that afflicted people in the Middle Ages, and the steps they took to heal the sick and avoid becoming ill in the first place. Historyextra.com/podcast
55 min
1761
The history of the Bible
John Barton considers the historical background to the most influential book in western culture, exploring how it fits into the histories of Judaism and Christianity. Historyextra.com/podcast
37 min
1762
A legendary pirate
Steven Johnson tells the story of the infamous 17th-century pirate Henry Avery, whose audacious raid on an Indian treasure ship sparked a global manhunt. Historyextra.com/podcast
27 min
1763
The cosmopolitan Chaucer
Marion Turner explores the life of the 14th-century poet, arguing that we need to look beyond his status as the ‘father of English literature’. Historyextra.com/podcast
35 min
1764
Everything you ever wanted to know about the Ci...
Mark Stoyle responds to listener queries and popular search enquiries about the conflict between Royalists and Parliamentarians that wracked the British Isles in the middle of the 17th century. Historyextra.com/podcast
50 min
1765
Saturday lecture: Medieval food
Chris Woolgar presents a broad survey of what, when and how people ate during the middle ages. Historyextra.com/podcast
67 min
1766
Indian soldiers at Dunkirk
Ghee Bowman tells the stories of a group of Muslims in the British Expeditionary Force who were part of the famous evacuation of 1940. Historyextra.com/podcast
36 min
1767
Medieval prisoners of war
Historian Rémy Ambühl discusses his new research into the fate of captives during the era of the Hundred Years’ War. Historyextra.com/podcast
41 min
1768
David Olusoga on A House Through Time
David Olusoga delves into the story of Bristol’s past and explains the value of studying history through our own homes. Historyextra.com/podcast
24 min
1769
Everything you ever wanted to know about the Cr...
Rebecca Rist responds to listener queries and popular search enquiries about the medieval Christian campaigns in the middle east. Historyextra.com/podcast
59 min
1770
Saturday lecture: Medieval crime and violence
Hannah Skoda explores the nature and consequences of crime and violence in the middle ages. Historyextra.com/podcast
59 min
1771
Cooking for Churchill
Annie Gray tells the story of Georgina Landemare, who became Winston Churchill’s cook during the Second World War. Historyextra.com/podcast
37 min
1772
Rutger Bregman’s optimistic history of the world
Rutger Bregman ranges through the past to argue that humanity is inherently good. Historyextra.com/podcast
35 min
1773
Living on the edge in Victorian Britain
Emma Griffin explores how economic changes in 19th-century Britain affected family life for working class Victorians. Historyextra.com/podcast
34 min
1774
Everything you ever wanted to know about the En...
Diarmaid MacCulloch responds to listener queries and popular search enquiries about Henry VIII’s break from Rome and the seismic events that followed. Historyextra.com/podcast
39 min
1775
Surviving the Great Plague
Vanessa Harding describes the events of the 1665 Great Plague and explains how people at the time sought to cope with the disease. Historyextra.com/podcas
29 min