History Hit Podcasts

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...

The Battle of Agincourt

The Battle of Agincourt looms large in the English historical and cultural imagination, this explainer wades through the mythology to help...

Assassins vs Templars: The Fall of the Templars

With a network of fortifications spanning Europe, the backing of the Pope and a fierce reputation, how did the reign of the Knights Templar end in...

Electric Motors & Michael Faraday

How’s this for a CV? 1821 - invented the Electric Motor. 1831 - invented the Electric Generator. Oh, and I also created the first Electric...

Lilith: Mesopotamian Demoness

Perhaps a name better known for recent appearances in horror films - Lilith is a woman who's origins go far beyond that of the Hollywood screens....

Waco & the Origins of Right-Wing Extremism

This year marks 30 years since the 1993 siege at Waco. Lasting 51 days, it took the lives of 76 people, including 25 children and has gone down as...

The Knights Templar

This is a special episode from a series we made in collaboration with Ubisoft, the makers of Assassin's Creed.

In Assassins vs Templars,...

Pop's Golden Era: Success & Scandal

What made the decade between 1996 and 2006 a pop breeding ground? And what was this time like for the pop stars involved?

From the Spice...

Cahokia: The Medieval Mississippian City

Nearly a thousand years ago, America's first city appeared in the Mississippi flood plain. Don finds out about a day in the life of Cahokia, what...

Athens: Birthplace of Democracy?

When we think of democracy in the ancient Greek world, our minds often go straight to Athens, the purported birthplace of democracy. But was...

England’s First Ambassador to India: Thomas Roe

When Thomas Roe arrived in India in 1616 as James I's first ambassador to the Mughal Empire, the English barely had a toehold in the subcontinent....

Mary, Queen of Scots on Film: The Historians’ Verdict

What do you get when you bring together five top historians to debate Mary, Queen of Scots on film? History with the gloves off - our second...

Inventing Bond: Cars

Fast and sleek with a satisfying rumble in the engine. What else could you want from a car?

Well, for James Bond, the answer to this...

Assassins vs Templars: The Crusades

This is the first episode of a special series that we made in collaboration with Ubisoft, the developers of the Assassins's Creed franchise. In...

Human Emotion

Happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, disgust, fear... we all know what these emotions feel like, right?

But what is emotion? Do we all feel...