History Hit Podcasts

British Brides for American Tobacco: A Tudor Trade

In 1621 the Virginia Company of London put out a call for young, handsome and honestly educated women to become wives for the planters in its new...

The Alexandrian War: Caesar's Mistake

In 47 BCE, Julius Caesar arrived in Egypt as a victorious general, ready to make an easy alliance with the Pharaoh. Instead, he found himself...

Omens, Signs and False Prophets

In the autumn of 1621, hundreds of starlings were seen fighting in the sky above Cork. The following May, the city was ravaged by fire.  The...

Macabre Death of Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe was a poster boy for the macabre whose work thrilled readers throughout America and beyond. How did he end up in a gutter in...

How WWII Started

On September 1st, 1939, Nazi Germany invaded Poland. Two days later, France and the United Kingdom declared war on the Third Reich. This was the...

Battle of Teutoburg Forest: The Roman Invasion

Tristan Hughes travels to the site of the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, one of the most epic defeats of the Roman army when an alliance of...

Tolkien: Middle Earth & the Middle Ages

For millions of Tolkien lovers around the world, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are more than just fantasy fiction. Their rich mix of...

Medieval Life During Plague & War

When so much of history is written by men, Margaret Paston's letters offer us a rare insight into the life of a woman and the world around her in...

Boudica, Britain's Warrior Queen

In 61 CE, Boudica of the Iceni led a bloody revolt to end Roman rule in Britain. Roman historians tell us with great drama and flair that the...

Who Was The Richest President?

Which President was best with their money? Which was worst? And are Presidents responsible for paying for their food, staff and parties during...

Catherine de' Medici, Serpent Queen

Queen Consort of France and mother to three successive Kings, Catherine de’ Medici's legacy could have been one of intelligence, fortitude,...

Petra: Ancient Wonder of the World

Despite being one of the most visited historic spots on the planet today, Petra was once a so-called ‘lost city,’ hidden from western eyes in...

Corpse Medicine: Eating Egyptian Mummies

A skull a day! People ate people in the name of medicine across Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries. Charles II kept powdered skull in a bag on...

Movie Knight: Medieval world on film

It’s summer, so let’s kick back, give our brains a break and indulge in a little fantasy. Hollywood, like us, ADORES the medieval period and...

The Real Princess Diana

However you feel about the royal family, there's no denying, there was something about Princess Diana.

From the clothes she wore to the...

2. The Battle of Britain Explained: The Climax

2/2. The Battle of Britain was Hitler's first and potentially most important defeat. It defined the course of the war, forcing him to make a...

Eisenhower: D-Day and the Birth of the American Superpower

In June 1944, the joint forces of the Allies began the liberation of continental Europe on D-Day. But was there tension within the...

The Tragic Travels of Fynes Moryson

In July 1596, Fynes Moryson - a Lincolnshire gentleman and travel writer - was struck down with grief when his younger brother died as they...

Giggling Granny Serial Killer

Picture a serial killer in your mind’s eye. What do you see... Is it your gran?

Today is the story of one of America’s most notorious...

The Sphinx: Egypt's Greatest Mystery

The Great Sphinx of Giza is the most recognisable statue in the world - and one of the most mysterious. Even its Western name is misleading, since...

1. The Battle of Britain Explained: Preparation, Pilots and Propaganda

1/2. The Battle of Britain was Hitler's first and possibly most important defeat. It defined the course of the Second World War, forcing him to...