History Hit Podcasts

The First Writing

The results of a groundbreaking new study were released today [January 5th] by a group of researchers who believe they have conclusively decoded...

Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu

The Three Musketeers paints a picture of King Louis XIII of France as a rather weak monarch controlled by his powerful chief minister...

Warrior Queens & Revolutionaries

The first author in history, the inventor of the dishwasher and the lawyer who refused to be kicked out of the room the Oxford law school; when it...

Open Plan Office

The Open Plan Office. A little bit of you might die inside every time you hear those words. But we promise you the history of how they came to be...

Harry Houdini

Harry Houdini is perhaps the most famous entertainer to have ever lived. He wowed his audiences with sensational feats of physical endurance and...

Vikings in Poland

Poland is not normally thought of as an important part of the Viking world. But as a key geographical location on the Baltic Sea, it was in fact a...

Birdwatching: How Four Prisoners of War Survived Captivity

This episode tells the incredible story of four Second World War British POWs who overcame the trials and tribulations of internment through a...

Life in Hitler's Germany

A warning that this episode contains descriptions of genocide and terms for groups which were classified that way at the time.

Personal...

Birth of the Gregorian calendar

Many of us are seeing in a new year, but of course there are, even today, several different ways of marking dates and years in various parts of...

Budapest: Between East and West

Almost at the centre of Europe, Budapest, is at the crossroads of geographical regions and of civilizations, at the intersection of ancient trade...

The World's Biggest Nuclear Bomb

In the early hours of 30 October 1961, a bomber took off from an airstrip in northern Russia and began its flight through cloudy skies over...

Paganism & Festive Traditions

The darkest nights of the year have long been the time for celebrations, from Yule and Mother Night, to Christmas and New Year's Eve. But where...

Dan Snow's History Hit Quiz!

Fingers on buzzers for a very special History Hit end-of-year treat.

Tricky expert questions, history in the headlines, historical fact or...

Downton Abbey

It’s December 1912 and we’re joining in with the festivities at Highclere Castle, in London England. The prime minister is Herbert H. Asquith...

Spartacus

‘I’m Spartacus!’ In the field of epic film making, the 1960 historical drama ‘Spartacus’, is legendary. Directed by Stanley Kibrick,...

A Happy Tudor New Year

This week we're sharing again a fascinating podcast first released at this time last Christmas.

For the Tudors, Christmas Day was not...

Hunting Stolen Nazi Art

As the Nazi war machine rampaged across Europe it did not just take territory and resources from its conquests but also many thousands of pieces...

Timekeeping

Today we’re bringing you an episode from Dan Snow’s History Hit. Normal Patented service will resume in the New Year.

Accurate...

Richard III vs Henry VII

We all think we know the story of Richard III and Henry VII, or do we? Richard III is often portrayed as a child-murdering usurper whose reign was...

Vikings: Surviving Winter

Vikings are often depicted as fearless warriors, but they were not immune to the harsh realities of northern weather. They not only survived in...

Christmas Carols: A Musical History

Traditionally sung at Christmas itself or during the surrounding Christmas holiday season, it is thought that carols existed to keep up people’s...