History Hit Podcasts

Spartacus: Life or Legend

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

Jane Seymour: Henry VIII’s Third Queen

Jane Seymour is a paradox. Of Henry VIII’s six wives, she is the one about whom we know perhaps the least. She was the most lowly of the queens,...

Richard the Lionheart

King Richard I of England - Richard the Lionheart - is one of those historical figures whose reputation stands out so much that the legends cover...

History of Monogamy

From the earliest iterations on the plains of Africa, to 21st century reconsiderations of it: are humans meant to be monogamous?

Joining...

The Opium Wars

2/2. The British Empire aggressively pursued the opium trade well into the 19th century, fueling an addiction epidemic within China. The Qing...

Great Irish Famine: Coffin Ships & the Dark Truth (Part 2)

1847 was the darkest year in the spiralling horror of the Great Irish Famine. It is known in Ireland as 'Black '47'. The British Government...

Portuguese Missionaries in Japan

When Portuguese merchants ran aground on the Japanese isle of Tanegashima in 1543 two worlds collided - Europeans had encountered Japan for the...

Henry VIII's Sister, Margaret Queen of Scots

Margaret Tudor - daughter of King Henry VII, sister to Henry VIII - was married at 13 to James IV of Scotland, learning the skills of statecraft...

The British Empire, China and Opium

1/2. Victorian readers were captivated by descriptions of smoke-filled opium dens among backstreet brothels and pubs in London's East End in Oscar...

The Real Hamilton: An American Myth?

11 Tonys, a Grammy, a Pulitzer Prize and broken box office records - there's no denying the impact of Lin-Manuel Miranda's...

Dionysus: God of Wine

Dionysus. He's known as the party God of ancient Greece who you never wanted to cross. Associated with theatre, mysterious cults and even, on one...

Civil War in Feudal Japan: The Sengoku Period

Dating from 1467-1603, the Sengoku or ‘Warring States’ period is known as the bloodiest in Japan’s history; an era of continuous social...

Medieval Monsters, Ghosts & Werewolves

The supernatural in the Medieval world was always close at hand. In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis pays a visit to the only two...

The REAL Bridgerton: Georgian Sex

The long-awaited third season of Bridgerton is here! And with it, we all become obsessed with a particularly sexy version of Regency-era...

American Castaways: Treachery & Survival in the Falklands

Today we dive into the little-known true story of American castaways abandoned on the Falkland Islands during the War of 1812 ― a tale of...

Shogun: The Real First English Samurai

The acclaimed TV series Shogun, now screening on Disney+, is based on true events. Its main character John Blackthorne is modelled on William...

The Unification of Japan

In the 16th century, Japan was embroiled in what is known as Sengoku jidai - ‘The Warring States’ period. It was a time of bloody battles,...

Civil War in Feudal Japan: The Sengoku Period

Dating from 1467-1603, the Sengoku or ‘Warring States’ period is known as the bloodiest in Japan’s history; an era of continuous social...

Oliver Cromwell's Decapitated Head & Charles II's Revenge

***Warning: today's episode contains graphic description of violence***

In 1661 Oliver Cromwell was hung and beheaded...the only problem was...

Caligula

Caligula. One of the most infamous Roman emperors of them all. He didn't rule Rome for long, but he has gained a legacy as this incredibly evil...

The Royal Navy's Darkest Night & The Origins of Longitude

A mix of treacherous seas, navigation errors, and historical intrigue led to one of the Royal Navy's darkest nights. Dan travels to the Scilly...