History Hit Podcasts

Roanoke: The Lost English Colony

When it was founded in 1585, Roanoke was intended to be the first permanent English outpost in America. So how did it become the 'lost...

Louis XIV and his Mistresses

Louis XIV ruled France for more than 72 years, the longest recorded reign of any monarch of any sovereign country in history. Despite the...

Duke of Wellington

Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, was a soldier, statesman, and prominent political figure who served the United Kingdom twice as Prime...

Knossos

The legend of the Minotaur and its labyrinth has captivated us for centuries, but is there any evidence of it really existing?

In this...

Alexander The Great's Sex Life

This episode contains references and words of a sexual nature.

Did Alexander the Great and the Queen of the Amazons really have sex for 13...

Horses

In this story, the cart really does come before the horse. Horse transport doesn't begin with people riding around on horses' backs. It starts...

Charles III Coronation: Security & Threats

The coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be an event attended by thousands, including heads of state, dignitaries, and members of...

How The Weather Shaped Medieval North America

One of the most consequential eras in North American history was the Medieval Warm Period of 800-1300 CE, when the continent was shaped by climate...

Coronation Fashion: Crowns, Orbs & Pubic Wigs

From significantly sized cod-pieces to revenge dresses, the Royal family have used clothes to send a message to the public for centuries, and a...

The King & FDR: The Birth of the Special Relationship

In 1939, on the invitation of Franklin D. Roosevelt, King George VI became the first reigning British monarch to set foot on American...

King Midas

As Shirley Bassey once said, "He's the man. The man with the Midas touch." But who was the man that's inspired stories from Greek myths to Bond...

Coronations of Charles I and Charles II

What could be more topical this week than looking back at the coronations of the first two Kings Charles. Charles I’s reign is best remembered...

Tocqueville: The Search for Liberty, Equality & Democracy

In 1831, the French aristocrat Alexis de Tocqueville left the troubled continent of Europe and set sail for America. Travelling in the shadow of...

First King of England

Who was the first King of England? Who invented a place called 'England' anyway? And what on earth are the 'bracelets of sincerity'?

With...

Lord Byron: Incest, Adultery & Daddy Issues

*WARNING there are adult words and themes in this episode*

How debaucherous do you have to be to be remembered as the original bad boy? How...

Saxon Origins of London

From ghost town to ceremonial, ecclesiastical and economic hub - how did London develop in the Saxon era, and how is that crucial to what London...

Incest

Incest. It’s not the lightest topic of conversation, we wouldn’t recommend bringing it up as an icebreaker on a date, or when you’re trying...

J.R.R. Tolkien and the First World War

J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth is perhaps the most captivating fantasy world ever created. His mythology and folklore continues to influence the...

Battle of Amiens

In August 1918, the battle of Amiens brought the German army's 'black day' and the beginning of the end of the First World War.

But what...

Lady Jane Grey

On a cold February morning in 1554, Lady Jane Grey was beheaded for high treason. Named by King Edward VI as his successor, Queen Jane had reigned...

WW2 Tanks with James Holland

Anything that James Holland doesn't know about tanks isn't worth knowing. And in this episode from the archives, the greats are warring against...