What turned America's most famous British loyalist into its most dangerous revolutionary? What does a public humiliation in a Whitehall chamber have to do with the Declaration of Independence? And, if the man who designed the American constitution believed men were angels, would he have bothered? Peter and Afua trace how a candle-maker's son who pulled lightning from the sky and a sickly scholar obsessed with the fall of Rome built the architecture of the most powerful republic in history. 0:00 ...
May 21, 2026•35 min•Ep. 148
How did a collection of desperate survivors, religious outcasts, and petty criminals become the architects of the world's most powerful nation? What does it mean to build a society on the language of liberty when that society is entirely dependent on enslaved labour? And are Americans still reckoning with a founding story that was never quite what it seemed? Peter and Afua go back to the very beginning — from the disaster of Roanoke and the brutal early years at Jamestown, to the transatlantic s...
May 19, 2026•35 min•Ep. 147
How does a Siberian peasant mystic end up controlling the most powerful empire in Europe? Could the rumours that destroyed a dynasty have been entirely false — and did they matter anyway? And, without Rasputin, would there have been no Lenin — and would the 20th century have looked completely different? Peter sits down with Sir Antony Beevor — bestselling author of Stalingrad , Berlin , and D-Day — to dig into his new book on one of history's most mythologised figures: Grigori Rasputin, the Sibe...
May 14, 2026•39 min•Ep. 146
What did it take for human beings to start controlling what they ate — and why did "health" so quickly become a cover story for something else? How did a Venetian nobleman's wine-heavy calorie restriction become a blueprint for the modern diet industry? And, when tobacco companies, Hollywood, and the beauty industry all decided women's body anxiety was a market opportunity — who, exactly, was the diet really for? Peter and Afua trace the history of the human body as a commercial battleground: fr...
May 12, 2026•42 min•Ep. 145
What did Vogue actually recommend women eat in 1977 — and why did it make one food writer cry in the bathroom? How did the Greeks turn a six-pack into a moral argument? And, has the human obsession with controlling what we eat ever really been about health at all? Peter and Afua trace the long, strange history of dieting — from ancient Greek athletics and Roman feast-and-purge excess, to medieval starvation saints who turned self-denial into a radical act of female agency. 0:00 Vogue’s 1977 Wine...
May 07, 2026•35 min•Ep. 144
What happens when you raise a child telling him he's the Beast — and he decides to prove you right? Could a man who genuinely repelled everyone around him have quietly shaped the culture we live in today? And, is the world of sex, drugs, and rock and roll actually the legacy of a repressed Victorian occultist with a god complex? Peter and Afua descend into the dark, theatrical, and genuinely troubling life of Aleister Crowley: English occultist, self-declared Great Beast 666, and the man who may...
May 05, 2026•51 min•Ep. 143
Who invented the spiritual vocabulary of the modern world — karma, reincarnation, yoga studios, the idea that you can be "spiritual but not religious"? What if the hidden masters living in remote Tibetan mountains who inspired her weren't real — but the New Age movement they sparked absolutely was? And can you change the course of Western spirituality forever while being accused of fraud, plagiarism, and dropping fake letters through the ceiling? Peter and Afua explore the extraordinary life of ...
Apr 30, 2026•54 min•Ep. 142
Nostradamus has predicted every major disaster in history — or so the internet would have you believe. Peter and Afua get behind the myth to meet the real man: a plague-era apothecary, rejected by the medical establishment, whose greatest invention wasn't prophecy — it was selling certainty to an anxious world. Join Legacy Plus for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legac...
Apr 28, 2026•48 min•Ep. 141
Malcolm McLean was a frustrated truck driver who thought there had to be a better way. The metal box he invented now carries 90% of the world's traded goods — and quietly runs the global economy. Join Legacy Plus for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | ...
Apr 23, 2026•36 min•Ep. 140
From colliers carrying coal out of Newcastle to Marshall Plan grain crossing the Atlantic, Peter and Afua trace how the movement of goods by sea built the modern world. This is the story of bulk cargo — and why the ships that carried it changed everything. Join Legacy Plus for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays,...
Apr 21, 2026•38 min•Ep. 139
The cargo ship didn't just move goods — it moved civilisations. Peter and Afua trace 2,000 years of maritime trade, from Roman grain ships and spice routes to the Hanseatic League, the sugar plantations of Madeira, and the brutal economics of the triangular trade. Join Legacy Plus for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua —...
Apr 16, 2026•44 min•Ep. 138
Afua and Peter explore the "undetectable" world of deep plane facelifts, examining why celebrities are finally trading surgical secrecy for viral transparency. They dissect the astronomical costs of modern "tweakments" and the rising pressure to match AI-generated perfection as surgery recipients get younger than ever before. Join Legacy Plus for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast...
Apr 14, 2026•38 min•Ep. 137
Peter and Afua delve into the surprising 9,000-year history of facial modification, spanning from ancient trephining rituals in Jericho to the "eerily impressive" modern results seen on Kris Jenner. They analyze how surgical techniques have evolved through a symbiotic relationship between wartime reconstruction and a global, often problematic, pursuit of Eurocentric beauty norms. Join Legacy Plus for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay c...
Apr 09, 2026•28 min•Ep. 136
From the formation of OPEC to the Yom Kippur War, Peter and Afua trace how oil-producing nations finally seized control of their most powerful weapon — and how the shock of 1973 sent the entire global economy into freefall, from petrol queues in Europe to coups in Africa. Join Legacy Plus for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter an...
Apr 07, 2026•43 min•Ep. 135
From the geology of the Gulf to the CIA-backed coup that toppled Iran's elected prime minister, Peter and Afua trace how oil became the defining force of the 20th century — and why the West's century-long obsession with Iranian oil still shapes the crisis unfolding in 2026. Join Legacy Plus for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter ...
Apr 02, 2026•48 min•Ep. 134
In this second installment of their series on economic shocks, Peter and Afua dissect the 1956 Suez Crisis, where Gamal Abdel Nasser's bold nationalization of the canal stripped the British Empire of its remaining credibility. They reveal the clandestine "Protocol of Sèvres" conspiracy and explain how a furious President Eisenhower leveraged the International Monetary Fund to bring a bankrupt Britain to its knees. Join Legacy Plus for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and mo...
Mar 31, 2026•55 min•Ep. 133
Afua and Peter examine the brutal 1915 closure of the Dardanelles, revealing how a single geographic choke point strangled the Russian economy and paved the way for the Bolshevik Revolution. Drawing haunting parallels to modern conflicts in the Strait of Hormuz, they explore how Winston Churchill’s over-ambitious naval gambles led to a devastating legacy of human and financial loss. Join Legacy Plus for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Sta...
Mar 26, 2026•52 min•Ep. 132
Afua and Peter examine the terrifying 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, revealing how a massive geological rupture in Japan unexpectedly triggered a radical energy revolution in Germany and shifted the scales of European geopolitics. From the heroic struggle of the "Fukushima 50" to the strategic vulnerabilities exposed by a reliance on Russian gas, they explore the sobering reality that even our most advanced engineering remains at the mercy of the Earth's shifting plates Join Legacy Plus for...
Mar 24, 2026•45 min•Ep. 131
Afua and Peter explore the "Great Famine" of the early 1300s. Triggered by sudden global cooling and torrential rains, Europe's food supply was decimated and up to 70% of its cattle were wiped out through a terrifying bovine plague. This often-overlooked catastrophe didn't just cause mass starvation; it physically "scarred" a generation of children, leaving them uniquely vulnerable to the Black Death when it arrived decades later. Join Legacy Plus for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, few...
Mar 19, 2026•49 min•Ep. 130
A sudden, catastrophic dimming of the sun in 536 AD triggered the coldest decade in two millennia, launching a "volcanic winter" that saw harvests fail from Ireland to China. Peter and Afua explore this environmental shock that directly facilitated the first global pandemic of Yersinia pestis , shattering the imperial ambitions of Rome and Persia while paving the way for the explosive rise of Buddhism and Norse mythology. Join Legacy Plus for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer advert...
Mar 17, 2026•45 min•Ep. 129
Afua and Peter launch their new series on environmental catastrophes by revealing how a massive volcanic eruption in Alaska—10,000 kilometers away—secretly orchestrated the downfall of Cleopatra and the birth of the Roman Empire. They trace the "butterfly effect" from Julius Caesar’s bloody assassination and "bling" obsession to the failure of the Nile floods, proving that the ancient world was reshaped by climate chaos as much as by political intrigue. Join Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early acc...
Mar 12, 2026•54 min•Ep. 128
Iranian history is defined by a fierce sense of exceptionalism rooted in geography, language, and a unique intellectual enlightenment that Western narratives often ignore. This deep-seated identity now fuels an explosive youth rebellion that increasingly prioritizes personal freedom over national sovereignty, setting the stage for a violent final showdown with a millenarian regime that is prepared to kill to survive. Guest Christopher de Bellaigue is a distinguished historian and journalist whos...
Mar 10, 2026•34 min•Ep. 127
Afua and Peter explore the seismic shift of 1979, tracing how a single revolutionary year transformed Iran from a U.S.-allied monarchy into a militarised theocracy determined to export its "Black Wave" across the Middle East. They analyse the regime's enduring "besieged mentality"—forged by a decade of war and perceived Western betrayals—and the defiant courage of a younger generation now dancing in the face of brutal suppression. They are joined by Emmy Award-winning journalist and author Kim G...
Mar 05, 2026•35 min•Ep. 126
Afua and Peter dive into the historical psyche of Iran, exploring how a civilization with deep imperial memories navigates a modern reality of global interference and internal revolution. They unpick the "dual structure" of Iranian politics, where a sense of cultural superiority clashes with a narrative of Western betrayal that spans from the 19th century to the 1979 revolution. They are joined by Professor Ali Ansari, a renowned historian from the University of St Andrews, who provides rare ins...
Mar 03, 2026•44 min•Ep. 125
Afua and Peter track Ernest Hemingway’s spiral from the peak of his Nobel success into a dark cycle of alcoholism and untreated head trauma. They explore how the 20th century’s "Alpha" icon eventually collapsed under the weight of his own performance, leading to a tragic end that mirrored his father’s suicide. Join Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_pro...
Feb 26, 2026•47 min•Ep. 124
Afua and Peter track Ernest Hemingway’s path from a suburban Chicago childhood spent hunting and boxing to the bloody front lines of Italy. They show how a brutal war injury and his newsroom grind birthed the "iceberg theory," revealing a man who hunted Nazis and survived plane crashes but often treated his own life like his best piece of fiction. Join Legacy+ for bonus episodes, early access, Q&A's, fewer adverts and more. legacy.supportingcast.fm Stay connected with Legacy: Instagram: @ori...
Feb 24, 2026•43 min•Ep. 123
In this second installment, Peter and Afua examine Stein's boldest move: ghostwriting her partner’s "autobiography" to claim the global stardom she felt she deserved. They confront the darkest corners of her history, including her bitter public feuds and her controversial survival as a Jewish woman during the Nazi occupation of France. Stay connected with Legacy Follow us for clips, behind-the-scenes stories, and new episode drops: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Ex...
Feb 19, 2026•43 min•Ep. 122
Peter and Afua discuss the life of Gertrude Stein, an influential figure in the Parisian art and literature scene. They explore her relationships with artists like Picasso and her complex personality. Stay connected with Legacy Follow us for clips, behind-the-scenes stories, and new episode drops: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions Explore more from Peter and Afua — essays, sources, and ideas: Substack: peterfrankopan.substack.com | afuahirsch.substack.com Join Legacy+...
Feb 17, 2026•47 min•Ep. 121
In this episode of Legacy , Peter and Afua explore the rise and fall of the Samurai, tracing their evolution from elite medieval warriors to a modern-day cultural symbol. They dive into the tensions between the Samurai’s disciplined, Zen-influenced ideals and the brutal realities of history, from Mongol invasions to the modernization that led to their eventual disappearance. Stay connected with Legacy Follow us for clips, behind-the-scenes stories, and new episode drops: Instagram: @originallega...
Feb 12, 2026•45 min•Ep. 120
This episode of Legacy explores the transformation of the Samurai from provincial land enforcers to the ultimate wielders of power in medieval Japan. Peter and Afua trace the rise of this iconic warrior class through centuries of climate instability, religious shifts, and the brutal clan warfare that forever sidelined the Imperial court. Stay connected with Legacy Follow us for clips, behind-the-scenes stories, and new episode drops: Instagram: @originallegacypodcast TikTok: @legacy_productions ...
Feb 10, 2026•38 min•Ep. 119
