In the 1840s, a strange, secretive community known as the Agapemonites set up camp in Spaxton, Somerset. Presided over by a rogue Anglican priest who believed he had a hotline to god, this religious cult attracted wealthy members in search of a deeper connection to the Lord. But once they had handed over their worldy possessions in order to join, the Agapemonites found it was rather harder to leave. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Stuart Flinders explores their story, from triple marriages and spir...
Nov 27, 2024•38 min•Ep 2150•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest episode of our monthly series charting the past behind the present, historians Rana Mitter and Hannah Skoda explore the historical episodes that have most to tell us about Donald Trump's win in the US presidential election, and consider the political role of archbishops through the centuries. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 26, 2024•45 min•Ep 2149•Transcript available on Metacast Humans have been infatuated with sport for thousands of years. But what drove this obsession in the first place? And how did ancient pursuits evolve into the games we know and love today? Jon Bauckham speaks to QI researchers and hosts of the podcast No Such Thing as a Fish James Harkin and Anna Ptaszynski about their new book on sporting history, discussing everything from doping to David Attenborough’s impact on snooker. (Ad) James Harkin and Anna Ptaszynski are the authors of A Load of Old Ba...
Nov 25, 2024•47 min•Ep 2148•Transcript available on Metacast Ancient Egypt conjures up images of pharaohs, pyramids and hieroglyphics – but what about soldiers, generals and military campaigns? In today's episode, Jon Bauckham talks to Egyptologist Nicky Nielsen about the evolution of ancient Egyptian warfare – from the conquests of Thutmosis III to the pros and cons of the chariot. Listen to Nicky Nielsen discuss the battle the Megiddo, and how it supercharged the rise of one of Egypt's most formidable pharaohs: https://link.chtbl.com/4hV5FfY_. The Histo...
Nov 24, 2024•49 min•Ep 2147•Transcript available on Metacast When the Allies invaded Italy in the summer of 1943 they hoped to be in Rome by Christmas. Instead, it wasn't until June 1944 that the Italian capital was liberated, following a gruelling march up the peninsula that ended with what James Holland describes as "five months of hell". In his new book, the historian, author and podcaster zones in on these months and in particular the brutal battle of Monte Cassino. Rob Attar caught up with James to find out more. (Ad) James Holland is the author of C...
Nov 22, 2024•39 min•Ep 2146•Transcript available on Metacast Each ocean voyage through history has laid down a track that tells a story. These invisible pathways across the seas can reveal how the world has been shaped by power, conquest and exploration. Dr Sara Caputo tells Elinor Evans more about how lines on a map can have real-world consequences. (Ad) Sara Caputo is the author of Tracks on the Ocean: A History of Trailblazing, Maps and Maritime Travel (Profile Books, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Paths-Ocean-Journeys-Became-L...
Nov 21, 2024•33 min•Ep 2145•Transcript available on Metacast When you think about 'the crusades', you probably think of a series of military campaigns in the Holy Land, representing a great battle between the forces of Islam and Christianity. But is this actually a helpful way to view the subject? Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian William Purkis opens the lid on historical scholarship to reveal the wide and complex reality of crusading fervour in the Middle Ages – and considers how, if we look at it from a different perspective, we might gain a truer ...
Nov 20, 2024•46 min•Ep 2144•Transcript available on Metacast King Æthelred II ruled England from 978 to 1016 – with a little gap in 1014. Known to history as 'the Unready', he faced many challenges in his reign, not least the attentions of several Viking invasion forces. It was Æthelred's failure to deal with such threats that landed him with his rather unfortunate nickname. However, as Levi Roach explains to David Musgrove, the story of his reign is a far more complicated one, with long-term consequences. (Ad) Levi Roach is the author of Æthelred: The Un...
Nov 19, 2024•46 min•Ep 2143•Transcript available on Metacast In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Britain’s country houses enjoyed something of a renaissance. No longer were stately homes only seen as the preserve of stuffy landed gentry. Instead, the aristocracy was joined by an entirely new class of industrialists and foreign elites, each keen to showcase their wealth and be the kings of their own castles. Jon Bauckham chats to Adrian Tinniswood about the rise of the country house lifestyle during this period, covering everything from gaudy interi...
Nov 18, 2024•40 min•Ep 2142•Transcript available on Metacast The 19th century witnessed a revolution in Britain's schools, as compulsory mass education was rolled out, and thousands more children learnt how to read and write. But what was it like to study in a Victorian school? How tough was the discipline? How widespread was truancy? And did teachers get any formal training? These are among the questions that Spencer Mizen put to historian Rosalind Crone for our latest 'everything you wanted to know' episode on Victorian schools. Rosalind Crone answers y...
Nov 17, 2024•54 min•Ep 2141•Transcript available on Metacast Who became a gladiator? Were they really the superstars of their day? And was giving a thumbs down for a death sentence a real thing? As Gladiator II hits cinemas, Emily Briffett speaks with historian Alison Futrell to answer your top questions about ancient Rome’s arena fighters, in this everything you wanted to know episode from 2022. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 16, 2024•57 min•Transcript available on Metacast Nelson is one of the most well-known historical figures from British history. His leadership of the British fleet to victory at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, and his death in the same battle, rendered him a national hero for generations. However, Nelson was also embroiled in a huge scandal during his lifetime, due his passionate affair with Lady Emma Hamilton, and recently questions have been raised about his attitude towards slavery and the slave trade. Historian and co-host of The Rest is H...
Nov 15, 2024•43 min•Ep 2140•Transcript available on Metacast The medieval approach to sustainability was entirely different to ours today. In a world where the modern definition of 'waste' didn't even exist, the repair market boomed and building materials were rarely brand new. Speaking to Annette Kehnel, Lauren Good discovers what we might be able to learn from our medieval ancestors – from second-hand shopping to the history of paper manufacturing. (Ad) Annette Kehnel is the author of The Green Ages: Medieval Innovations in Sustainability (Profile Books...
Nov 14, 2024•29 min•Ep 2139•Transcript available on Metacast In the spring of 1540 Thomas Cromwell was at the height of his power, but just a few months later he found himself at the scaffold on Tower Hill preparing to be executed for treason and heresy. What had gone so badly wrong for Henry VIII's right-hand man? As the BBC drama Wolf Hall returns for a second series, Rob Attar speaks to Cromwell biographer Diarmaid MacCulloch about the precipitous downfall of a man who seemed to have it all. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC H...
Nov 13, 2024•40 min•Ep 2138•Transcript available on Metacast Joseph McCarthy's infamous crusade in the 1950s whipped up a frenzy of anti-communist sentiment across America – and wrecked the reputations of scores of people accused of harbouring sympathies for the Soviet Union. So what motived the Wisconsin senator, and why did McCarthyism prove so alluring? Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Nick Bunker discusses one of the most controversial figures in US political history. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazin...
Nov 12, 2024•41 min•Ep 2137•Transcript available on Metacast How did gladiators supercharge the rise of Julius Caesar? What can we learn about arena fighters from the petrified remains at Pompeii? And why did gladiatorial bouts get banned there for a whole decade? As Gladiator II arrives in cinemas later this week, Guy de la Bédoyère shares some lesser-known aspects of the history of gladiators with Kev Lochun. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Nov 11, 2024•40 min•Ep 2136•Transcript available on Metacast From their remote Yorkshire parsonage, sisters Emily, Charlotte and Anne Brontë penned stories that would capture the imaginations of generations of readers. But how popular were books such as Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights at the time? How did childhood games influence their Brontës' later writing? And how close can we get to their individual personalities? Speaking to Lauren Good, Claire O'Callaghan explores the lives of the literary sisters – from their Yorkshire upbringings to their tragic ...
Nov 10, 2024•50 min•Ep 2135•Transcript available on Metacast On 7 November, 1974, nanny Sandra Rivett was found murdered in the affluent London neighbourhood of Belgravia. The prime suspect? The father of her young charges, Lord Lucan. But before the aristocrat could be questioned, he vanished, sparking one of the greatest cause célèbres of the 20th century. Author Laura Thompson tells Ellie Cawthorne more about the case, and what it can reveal about simmering class tensions in Britain at the time. (Ad) Laura Thompson is the author of A Different Class of...
Nov 08, 2024•37 min•Ep 2134•Transcript available on Metacast Henry V only had a short reign, but his legacy looms large over the medieval landscape. Remembered as a heroic warrior king, who bested the French at Harfleur then marched his forces to victory at Agincourt, few monarchs have such a distinguished reputation. But 'Prince Hal' wasn't always destined for greatness. Was he really the gadabout youth Shakespeare would have us believe? In the third episode of our three-part HistoryExtra podcast series 'Tyrant, Usurper, Hero', Helen Castor sits down wit...
Nov 07, 2024•51 min•Ep 2133•Transcript available on Metacast In June 1944 Allied armies landed in force in northern France, and the liberation of western Europe began. But, the battle that really sealed Hitler's fate was taking place in the east, as the Red Army prepared an almighty assault against the war-weary Wehrmacht. Speaking to Rob Attar, broadcaster and military historian Jonathan Dimbleby tells the story of this crucial year in the outcome of the Second World War and reveals how it was pivotal in outlining the future shape of Europe. (Ad) Jonatha...
Nov 06, 2024•40 min•Ep 2132•Transcript available on Metacast The Venerable Bede was a monk who lived in Northumbria 1300 years ago, but his influence reached far beyond the confines of his monastic home. In fact, he is remembered today as the 'Father of English History'. In this 'life of the week' episode, David Musgrove explores the life and long-lasting legacy of this early medieval scholar and saint, in the expert company of Professor Michelle P Brown. (Ad) Michelle P Brown is the author of Bede and the Theory of Everything (Reaktion Books, 2023). Buy ...
Nov 05, 2024•38 min•Ep 2131•Transcript available on Metacast How might cryptic messages written from within a political prison bring us closer to understanding a captive queen? Historian Jade Scott has studied the letters Mary, Queen of Scots wrote in captivity, and describes them as "her weapons, her armour, her battle strategy". Speaking to Lauren Good, she reveals what we can learn from these coded missives – from the huge varieties of cipher they contained to how the Queen of Scots smuggled them past her captors. (Ad) Jade Scott is the author of Capti...
Nov 04, 2024•38 min•Ep 2130•Transcript available on Metacast How did British civilians respond when they found themselves under aerial bombardment during the Second World War? Was normal life put on hold during air raids? And was 'Blitz Spirit' a real thing? Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne for our latest 'everything you wanted to know' episode, historian Dan Todman answers your questions on the Blitz. Caroline Shenton reveals the secret mission to save Britain’s national artworks and artefacts from the Nazis during the Second World War: https://link.chtbl.com...
Nov 03, 2024•47 min•Ep 2129•Transcript available on Metacast What drove a group of plotters to attempt to blow up the king on 5 November 1605? To what extent did the conspiracy sour relations between Protestants and Catholics? And why do we continue to be so fascinated by this extraordinary episode today? Speaking with Spencer Mizen in this episode from 2022, John Cooper answers listener questions about the gunpowder plot. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.c...
Nov 02, 2024•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast First published in 2011, Simon Sebag Montefiore's book Jerusalem: The Biography charts life in the city across the course of centuries. Now he's returned with an updated version, which extends the story beyond 1967 right up to the present day. Simon speaks to Matt Elton about the importance and challenges of telling such a history, and explains how placing the city's recent history back into the longer context helps reveal continuities and parallels. (Ad) Simon Sebag Montefiore is the author of ...
Nov 01, 2024•46 min•Ep 2128•Transcript available on Metacast Henry Bolingbroke has gone down in history as the usurper that stole the English crown from the tyrant Richard II – and was later plagued by rebellion and ill health. But what else do we know about the man who later became Henry IV? In the second episode of our three-part HistoryExtra podcast series 'Tyrant, Usurper, Hero', Dan Jones speaks to Helen Castor to reveal more about this chivalric hero who could have made the ideal king – if only he had been born into the royal role. (Ad) Helen Castor...
Oct 31, 2024•54 min•Ep 2127•Transcript available on Metacast Satanic sabbaths, magic potions and demonic toads – in the early 17th century, the Basque Country was convulsed by strange accusations of supernatural activities. A new book by Jan Machielsen explores why fears of witchcraft gained such traction in this isolated region on the French-Spanish border. He tells Ellie Cawthorne more about how overexcited judges, frightened children and geographical factors all played a role in fuelling the panic. (Ad) Jan Machielsen is the author of The Basque Witch-...
Oct 30, 2024•34 min•Ep 2126•Transcript available on Metacast From her groundbreaking work in nursing and public health reform to her battles against societal expectations and love of animals, Melissa Pritchard explores the life and legacy of English nurse and statistician Florence Nightingale. (Ad) Melissa Pritchard is the author of Flight of the Wild Swan (Bellevue, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Flight-Wild-Swan-Melissa-Pritchard/dp/1954276214/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast ...
Oct 29, 2024•41 min•Ep 2125•Transcript available on Metacast Was the moon landing faked? Did Shakespeare actually pen the works he’s credited with? And were the pyramids really built by aliens? In History's Greatest Conspiracy Theories, the new podcast from HistoryExtra, Rob Attar takes a deep dive into the some of history’s most compelling conspiracy theories in the company of expert historians to uncover if there's any truth behind these murky myths. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3Ap2seB Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4ZN5...
Oct 28, 2024•1 min•Transcript available on Metacast In a much-publicised race in the 1870s, the most celebrated athlete of his day, the long-distance pedestrian Edward P Weston, admitted that he had chewed coca leaves, sparking a frenzy of interest in the substance and its derivative, cocaine. For the next few decades, cocaine became a household ingredient in many products, and was perfectly legal. It wasn't until the early years of the 20th century that concerns began to be voiced about its dangerous addictiveness. Dr Douglas Small explains how ...
Oct 28, 2024•38 min•Ep 2124•Transcript available on Metacast 
