History Hit Podcasts

How the Plantagenets Built England

Six Plantagenet kings ruled between 1199 and 1399 - two centuries that witnessed civil war, deposition, the murder of kings and the ruthless...

Sex in the Aztec Empire

The Aztec Empire might conjure up images of human sacrifice.

And whilst religious violence was part of their society, theirs was also a very...

The 1921 Murder Farm Massacre: Slavery After the Civil War

During the spring of 1921, eleven bodies were found in in rural Georgia. These men were victims of horrific murders, and also of a more widespread...

Elizabeth I: Make-Up & Beauty Tips

What do we know about what Elizabeth I actually looked like? How was her appearance altered through the use of cosmetics? Portraits suggest...

The Goths

The Goths are renowned for many things, not least sacking Rome in 410 AD and helping to bring about the fall of the Western Roman Empire. They...

The Georgian Husband with Fourteen Wives

Charles Hamilton allegedly had fourteen wives according to the newspapers, but the headline was that Charles used to be called Mary. In the 18th...

Mao's China, The Berlin Wall and WWII Egypt: Witnessing History with Peter Snow

As a foreign correspondent for ITN in the 70s, Peter Snow remembers handing tins of film to strangers on airport runways, hoping they would take...

The Battle of El-Alamein Explained

Fought in the second half of 1942, the Battles of El Alamein were a series of climactic confrontations in Egypt between British Imperial and...

Rise of Wessex

In Gone Medieval’s special series exploring some of Anglo-Saxon Britain’s most influential kingdoms, we reach Wessex - the last kingdom left...

Fetishwear: A Kinky History

What is the origin of the word fetish? How did the war play a part in shaping fetishwear? And what are some of the styles that are most...

President Ulysses S. Grant: The Myth of the Butcher

How does a heroic general of the Civil War become one of the lowest rated Presidents (at least until recently)?

To discuss Grant's...

Bigfoot: the Origin Story

Our second episode examining the very real history of Bigfoot. This time we're looking at ancient Native American rock art and meeting the extinct...

Unusual Births and Disability in 17th Century England

**WARNING: This episode contains themes that some listeners might find distressing and commonly-used historic terminology that does not reflect...

The Trial of Charles I

In the mid-17th century, King Charles I of England was put on trial for treason against the sovereign state. Such a process involved a singular...

What is Zionism?

Dan delves into the complex history of Zionism, exploring its multifaceted origins and the various ideological strands that have shaped it over...

Looted Artefacts: Black Market of Archaeology

Have you ever wondered about the dark side of archeology? The illegal seizing of ancient artefacts? The looting of goods from age old historical...

Ulysses S. Grant & the Civil War

Strategic brilliance? Relentless determination? Unbeatable leadership and cooperation with Lincoln? How did Ulysses S. Grant distinguish himself...

The History of Drag Queens

The word drag is synonymous with flamboyant, fun performances. But where does the term come from and what does it mean? 

This more...

Rise of Mercia

In Gone Medieval’s special series examining some of Anglo-Saxon Britain’s most significant kingdoms, we arrive at the kingdom of Mercia, which...

Seducing James I: Mary & George

The major new TV series, Mary & George tells the scandalous story of George Villiers, who rose - thanks to his mother Mary’s...

The First Europeans

Europe’s earliest known humans lived over 1.2 million years ago. After initially roaming the plains of Iberia in small groups, they spread...