History Hit Podcasts

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...

Medieval Coronations: Jewels & After Parties

All this month, Gone Medieval has been your perfect companion to the forthcoming coronation of King Charles III. 

In this final special...

Commando Training in Scotland

The commandos have become a byword for elite raiding and cutting-edge military operations. They were set up during the Second World War in June...

How Horses Conquered America (Twice)

Horses have been a bulwark of American culture and society for centuries. Think of cowboys in the Mid-West or Native Americans riding bareback on...

Mary Rose: Henry VIII’s Foreign Crew

In the 16th century, “strangers” was the name used in England for people who were born in territories not controlled by the Tudor monarchy....

War in Space with Tim Marshall

From spy satellites orbiting the moon, to space metals worth more than most countries' GDP, and the imminent possibility of humans inhabiting Mars...

The History of Coronations

As preparations for the Coronation of King Charles III get underway, you're going to see words everywhere like...

Assassins vs Templars: Assassins' Deeds

Poisoned blades, a gun, a dagger to the heart - assassinations & killings for political gain have taken place for as long as societies have...