After just 45 days, Liz Truss has resigned. Join Tom and Dominic for this special episode to discuss her place in history. Is she Britain's worst ever Prime Minister? Is this the worst crisis in post-war British history? How does she compare to Gordian I? Is Tom Holland getting a peerage? All will be answered. Join The Rest Is History Club (www.restishistorypod.com) for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community...
Oct 22, 2022•55 min•Ep 246•Transcript available on Metacast In this final episode Tom and Dominic discuss the legendary Battle of Trafalgar. Despite being outnumbered and facing the biggest ship in the world, Nelson took the battle to the French and Spanish forces. With the swell on his side, Nelson’s brave leadership from the deck of the Victory gave the British one of their most famous military successes. Join Tom and Dominic as they take you through the battle, Nelson’s death, and its legacy. If you want ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly b...
Oct 21, 2022•1 hr•Ep 245•Transcript available on Metacast In the second episode of Tom and Dominic's Trafalgar trilogy, the stakes could not be higher. They discuss: Napoleon's plan to invade Britain (and the possible repercussions if he did); what developments in naval technology meant for the British and Spanish/French allies; and Nelson's own life, legacy, and strategy to "annihilate the enemy". To get the final episode of the Trafalgar trilogy right now, just become a member of The Rest Is History Club - you'll also get ad-free listening to the ful...
Oct 20, 2022•57 min•Ep 244•Transcript available on Metacast Was the Battle of Trafalgar the most decisive battle of the 19th century? Join Tom and Dominic as they embark on a three part series discussing this incredible conflict between the British Royal Navy and combined fleets of the French and Spanish navies, focusing in this episode on the distrust of standing armies vs the Royal Navy, advanced technology used for the first time during Trafalgar, and the martyr-like status of Horatio Nelson, who led the British to victory. To get the two remaining ep...
Oct 17, 2022•51 min•Ep 243•Transcript available on Metacast Tom and Dominic welcome film critic Muriel Zagha to discuss the home of cinema, France, and its history through ten films, spanning from Vercingétorix to Vichy. Featuring Jean Renoir, Isabelle Adjani, Louis de Funès and many more. Full list: Jeanne la Pucelle (Jacques Rivette, 1994) La reine Margot (Patrice Chéreau, 1994) Ridicule (Patrice Leconte, 1996) Napoleon (Abel Gance, 1927) Les enfants du paradis (Marcel Carné, 1943-45) J’accuse (Roman Polanski, 2019) La grande illusion (Jean Renoir, 193...
Oct 13, 2022•1 hr 26 min•Ep 242•Transcript available on Metacast In the final instalment of our series on Young Churchill, learn how Churchill escaped a prisoner of war camp in the Boer War, becoming an imperialist hero. Discover how Churchill sought shelter in rat infested hideaways, escaped in the tight consignment of a train, plus how the simple activity of a hair appointment almost blew his cover... *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia! Buy your tickets here...
Oct 10, 2022•54 min•Ep 241•Transcript available on Metacast Join Tom and Dominic in the second episode of our mini-series on Young Churchill as they dive into his imperial exploits. From Cuba to Sudan, they explore his obsession with adventure, the ambiguities that existed within his own moral universe, and his swashbuckling prose. Join The Rest Is History Club (www.restishistorypod.com) for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community. *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*...
Oct 06, 2022•57 min•Ep 240•Transcript available on Metacast ‘The child is the father of the man.’ In the first episode of this mini-series on Young Churchill, Tom and Dominic explore the early life of Winston Churchill. They discuss the cruelty of his parents, his deeply imbued sense of destiny, and the razor sharp wit of the future Prime Minister. Join The Rest Is History Club (www.restishistorypod.com) for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community. *The Rest Is Histor...
Oct 03, 2022•55 min•Ep 239•Transcript available on Metacast How were the bonnets, corsets, and empire line dresses of the Regency period expressive of a revolutionary era? In this episode, Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook are joined by Hilary Davidson to discuss fashion in early 19th century Britain. Diving into the world of Jane Austen, they look to understand how the unprecedented changes in style were driven by the social, cultural, and political changes of the time. Join The Rest Is History Club (www.restishistorypod.com) for ad-free listening to th...
Sep 29, 2022•1 hr•Ep 238•Transcript available on Metacast Actress, singer, model and sex symbol Marilyn Monroe has long been associated with old school Hollywood glamour and American pop culture. But why is she worth studying historically? Join Tom and Dominic as they discuss Marilyn's relationship to the Mafia, JFK, the Korean War and her persisting relevance today. *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia! Buy your tickets here: restishistorypod.com Twitter...
Sep 26, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep 237•Transcript available on Metacast Tom and Dominic welcome back special guest Rana Mitter to discuss China's position during World War Two. This episode covers the Rape of Nanjing by Japanese forces, the military tactic of flooding the Yellow River, the deal between Chinese Nationalist Wang Jin Wei and Japan, and the unlikely pairing of 'Vinegar Joe' Stilwell and Chiang Kai-shek. Join The Rest Is History Club (www.restishistorypod.com) for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and acces...
Sep 22, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Ep 236•Transcript available on Metacast Friend of the show Rana Mitter joins Tom and Dominic this week to discuss the role of China in the Second World War. In the first of two episodes, Rana, Tom and Dominic cover the fall of the last Emperor and the establishment of a Chinese Republic in 1912, the Opium Wars, warlords, and the Kuomintang uniting China. Plus, tune in to find out why Rana argues that the Second World War actually began in 1937... *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See t...
Sep 20, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep 235•Transcript available on Metacast Why is modern society so self-obsessed? The answer may be found in a group of late 18th century German rebels, including the writer Goethe and playwright Friedrich Schiller. Andrea Wulf joins Dominic and Tom in today's episode to discuss the rebels' progressive (and often scandalous) lives and her new book, 'Magnificent Rebels: The First Romantics and the Invention of the Self'. Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows an...
Sep 15, 2022•1 hr•Ep 234•Transcript available on Metacast Does the Loch Ness Monster exist? When was the first mention of it recorded in history? And who are the people who have claimed to have seen it? Join Tom and Dominic as they discuss how a few 'sightings' of a mysterious creature took the world by storm... Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community. *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autum...
Sep 12, 2022•1 hr 14 min•Ep 233•Transcript available on Metacast In February 1952, on the death of her father King George VI, the 25-year-old Elizabeth became Queen. During her long reign she was served by 15 Prime Ministers and met an extraordinary array of people. Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland here examine her 70 years as Queen of the United Kingdom & 14 other countries, and head of the Commonwealth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 09, 2022•48 min•Ep 232•Transcript available on Metacast The death of the Queen at the age of 96 brings to an end seven decades of her reign over Britain and the Commonwealth. In the first of a two-part series, Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland look back at the early years of Elizabeth’s life, leading up to her coronation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 09, 2022•47 min•Ep 231•Transcript available on Metacast In the final chapter of this series on the history of Portugal, Tom and Dominic explore Portugal in the 20th century, the two World Wars, the Miracle of Fatima and dictator Antonio Salazar. Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community. *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia! Buy your t...
Sep 08, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep 230•Transcript available on Metacast Earthquakes, gold rush, and Brazil. Join Tom and Dominic for the third episode in this history of Portugal series. *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia! Buy your tickets here: restishistorypod.com Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 07, 2022•57 min•Ep 229•Transcript available on Metacast In the second episode of this Portugal mini-series, Tom and Dominic discuss the Portuguese setting sail for far flung reaches of the world, their relationship with Philip II of Spain, and the impact of Vasco da Gama. *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia! Buy your tickets here: restishistorypod.com Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoi...
Sep 06, 2022•56 min•Ep 228•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome to The Rest Is History's Portugal mini-series! In the first of four episodes on Portugal, Tom and Dominic chart the nation's early history: Romans, Visigoths, the Reconquista, alliances with England, and much, much more... This episode is kindly sponsored by Wine52 - to claim your free case of Portuguese wine, follow this link: wine52.com/history Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive ...
Sep 05, 2022•51 min•Ep 227•Transcript available on Metacast Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union, died aged 91 this week. In March 2022, Tom and Dominic recorded a mini-series on Gorbachev, the fall of the Soviet Union and the subsequent rise of Putin. We’ve stitched together the first two episodes from the series into a longer special, which charts Gorbachev’s early life, his vision for the USSR, its subsequent collapse, his relationship with Yeltsin, and how this all gave rise to Putin’s Russia of the present day. So, if you've liked ...
Sep 02, 2022•1 hr•Transcript available on Metacast Written in stages between 1937 and 1949, The Lord of the Rings is one of the best-selling books ever written, with over 150 million copies sold. Join Tom and Dominic in the second of two episodes on the life and work of J.R.R. Tolkien, where they discuss the themes of encroaching industrialisation, the air defences of Mordor, and whether the Scouring of the Shire was an allegory for post-war Attlee Britain... Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus e...
Sep 01, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Ep 226•Transcript available on Metacast John Ronald Reuel Tolkien is one of the most prestigious authors in modern history, best known for writingThe Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. In the first of two episodes, Tom and Dominic explore Tolkien's childhood, his relationship with religion, and the impact that the rapidly changing English countryside had on the creation of Middle Earth. Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom...
Aug 29, 2022•1 hr•Ep 225•Transcript available on Metacast Grand villas on the Bay of Naples, engraving names on Egyptian singing statues, and sightseeing tours of Biblical sights in the Levant. The fourth and final episode of this series explores Roman holidays - join Tom and Dominic as they discuss the destinations and activities of the ancient holidaying world. Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community. *The Rest Is History Live Tou...
Aug 25, 2022•1 hr•Ep 224•Transcript available on Metacast The rise and fall of Butlin's, Benidorm and Franco, class, package holidays, bikinis, mass tourism and sunbathing. The third episode in our holiday series has it all - join Tom and Dominic as they discuss the history of modern holidays in the post First World War era. Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community. *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on to...
Aug 22, 2022•54 min•Ep 223•Transcript available on Metacast The birth of guide books, resorts, and the package holiday. In the second episode in our holidays series Tom and Dominic drill down into the story of Thomas Cook, package tours, and nightmarish German spa treatments. The third holidays episode, 'Sun, Sea and Sex', will be out on Monday, followed on Thursday by the final episode in the series, 'Roman Holidays'. Show notes: Tourists: How the British Went Abroad to Find Themselves - Lucy Lethbridge Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listenin...
Aug 18, 2022•55 min•Ep 222•Transcript available on Metacast Today's feed drop features friend of the show William Dalrymple discussing his new podcast, Empire, which he hosts alongside Anita Anand. How do empires rise? Why do they fall? And how have they shaped the world around us today? This new show explores the stories, personalities and events of empire over the course of history. The first series looks at the British in India, covering The East India Company, the Raj, Gandhi, Independence and Partition. In the opening episode, William and Anita disc...
Aug 16, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome to the first of four episodes on the history of holidays: Byron's Grand Tour; The Invention of Mass Tourism; Sun, Sea and Sex; and Roman Holidays. In the first episode, Tom and Dominic explore the adventures of Byron, Boswell and their peers contemporaries to foreign lands, where they pursued romance, sought to improve their health, and 'acquire' authentic souvenirs. Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and ac...
Aug 15, 2022•53 min•Ep 221•Transcript available on Metacast Wars, disease, and legacy. In the final episode of the trilogy, Tom and Dominic discuss the Byzantine reconquest of Italy, the arrival of the Justinianic plague, and the legacy of Justinian and Theodora. Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community. *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Austral...
Aug 11, 2022•55 min•Ep 220•Transcript available on Metacast The Riot that destroyed a city and almost brought down an Emperor... In the second part of our trilogy, Tom and Dominic discuss the Nika riots in the early part of Justinian's reign, and how he set himself out as the defender of Christendom against the Persian Empire in the East. The third and final episode, 'Justinian & Theodora: The Secret History', will be released on Thursday. Can't wait until then? Head to restishistorypod.com to get it right now! *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom a...
Aug 09, 2022•42 min•Ep 219•Transcript available on Metacast 
