History Hit Podcasts

Napoleon: The Dictator Of Democracy

Napoleon Bonaparte is a household name; a rare example of someone who is as well remembered by his supporters as by his enemies. His life is rich...

William and Mary's Glorious Revolution

The events that led to the joint monarchy of William and Mary in 1689 have long been known as the Glorious Revolution, in which King James II was...

The Creation of Modern China

On the 1st of October 1949, a huge crowd gathered in Tiananmen Square. In the shadow of Beijing's imperial Forbidden City, they listened as Mao...

The Fall of Carthage

It’s 146 BC. Fire rises high over the North African coast. The once-thriving port city of Carthage is burning. Thousands of Roman soldiers have...

Sex in Ancient Mesopotamia

How sexually liberated were the people of Ancient Mesopotamia? In what is modern day Iraq and dates back to around 3000 BC.

The answer may...

The Iranian Embassy Siege with Ben Macintyre

On the drizzly, grey morning of 30th April 1980, six heavily armed gunmen stormed the Iranian Embassy in London. They charged through the front...

Outlaws: Jesse James

Jesse James. Perhaps the most notorious American outlaw?

He’s become legendary figure of the Wild West, compared to an American ‘Robin...

Isis and the Goddesses of Egypt

Isis, Hathor, Sekhmet and Bastet were adored and honoured in Ancient Egypt, with their stories passed between thousands of followers and down...

Wounds of Christ: Macabre History of Stigmata

The wounds that Christ received on the cross - the stigmata - have had a strange afterlife, reappearing on the flesh of followers from St Francis...

Mystic Visionary: Teresa of Avila

Born in 1515, St. Teresa of Avila continues to inspire countless people today with her mystical writings and spiritual insights. Yet, despite...

History in Flames: Destroyed Manuscripts

Bonfires of paperwork have accompanied human upheaval for centuries, eradicating, making space for rewriting. Imagine standing in the centre of...

Mansa Musa: History's Wealthiest Man?

Mansa Musa's wealth is a thing of legend. It's impossible to know exactly how much he was worth, but he himself spread rumours that gold grew like...

Underwear: Codpieces, Loin Cloths & Thongs

Whatever your underwear preferences, have you ever wondered about their history?

From the Tudor codpiece to Victorian bloomers, they've all...

Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor

If you’ve ever been to Prague, you’ll have noticed that there are many places and institutions that bear the name Charles - all of them...

Guantanamo Bay Detention Center: A History From The Inside

Very few people know what it is like to be in the infamous US detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, but our 3 guests for this episode have all had...

George Washington: The Man Who Could Be King

George Washington is perhaps the most consequential leader in the USA’s short history. Having demonstrated his leadership credentials as...

Who was Jack the Ripper? The Barber (Suspect 2)

Part 2/4. By looking at the men accused of being Jack the Ripper, we uncover dark truths about Victorian society - and our own. Why were these...

Rosy Royals: Tudor & Stuart Gardens

One subtle but powerful way that the Tudor and Stuart monarchs tried to show off their magnificence was through the creation of gardens that...

On the Frontline at Stalingrad

Dan explains the bloody Battle of Stalingrad alongside exclusive, never before heard frontline accounts from the German soldiers who were there....

Tyrannosaurus Rex

67 million years ago the most famous meat-eating dinosaur prowled the earth - the Tyrannosaurus Rex. At it's full size, this prehistoric apex...

What Did The Vikings Really Look Like?

Were the Vikings the original trendsetters?

Even when they were raiding the poor monks in Lindsfarne in 793, they were passing on hairstyles...