History Hit Podcasts

How the Elizabethan World Shaped Shakespeare

We think of Shakespeare as a man out of time. His stories and characters, his capturing of human nature, and his exquisite use of language,...

Who was Ali ibn Muhammad?

Slavery in medieval Baghdad was complex, and though slaves had some social mobility, the Zanj people had been mistreated and were hungry for a...

Fighting Hitler's U-Boats

The Second World War is remembered for its colossal battles in the air, on land and at sea. But perhaps the most terrifying were those waged UNDER...

Sparta vs Athens: The Greek World War

Marked by shifting alliances, chaotic power struggles, and devastating consequences - the Peloponnesian War was a conflict for the ages. Fought...

17th Century Sci-Fi Writer & 'It Girl': Margaret Cavendish

Margaret Cavendish was extraordinary for any time, let alone the 17th century.

She was a trailblazer in fiction, writing and publishing what...

Tea, Tax & Revolution: Boston Tea Party Aftermath

Why did the Boston Tea Party happen? Why Boston? And how did the events of December 1773 fit in to the American Revolution?

In this episode,...

Origins of Pantomime

Have you ever wondered how and where our Christmas tradition of pantomime originated? 

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors,...

Richard I's Consort: Berengaria of Navarre

Berengaria of Navarre is mainly remembered for just one thing: being a Queen of England who never set foot in England, at least not as...

The Boston Tea Party

On December 16th, 1773, a band of American patriots quietly boarded three ships in Boston Harbour, under the cover of night. Armed with axes and...

Why Do People Kill at Christmas?

 Why do people kill in the season of goodwill? Why are we fascinated when they do? And what does it say about us?

Professor David...

Jesus of Nazareth

Jesus of Nazareth is one of the most famous figures in history. Believed to be the Son of God in Christianity, he is the central figure in one of...

Sara Forbes Bonetta: Queen Victoria's African God-Daughter

By the age of just 7, Sara Forbes Bonetta had survived a West African war, lost her parents, been enslaved and finally, exchanged as a gift for a...

The Boston Tea Party Explained

On December 16th 1773, Bostonian colonists took a stand against the British Crown in the Boston Tea Party.

In this episode, we dive deep...

5 Medieval Christmas Traditions

In this episode of Gone Medieval, our co-hosts Dr. Eleanor Janega and Matt Lewis get together to revive some of the Christmas traditions that were...

JFK Special 5. | The Kennedy Curse

What was it about the Kennedy's that attracted so much tragedy, that many believed them to be cursed?

From plane disasters in World War 2,...

How the Reformation Changed Music

The Coventry Carol and In Dulci Jubilo are songs that are still sung at this time of the year.  Curiously, despite their medieval roots,...

Who was Muhammad ibn Abdallah ibn Tahir?

As the chaos of Samarra spreads to Baghdad, the Caliph al Ma'mun leaves the old capital in the hands of the trusted Tahrid family. Muhammad ibn...

King Herod

Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of sexual behaviour which may not be suitable for children.

Appointed by the Romans as...

Ghost That Solved Its Own Murder: Red Barn Murder

The Red Barn Murder in 1827 was ground zero for true crime podcasts. It become one of the first cases to explode in the media and caused a...

The Spartan Warrior

One of the most famed classes of soldiers from antiquity, the Spartan warrior has been immortalised in media today. Characterised as super...

The Invention of Heterosexuality

Sexuality is a funny thing. It's a social construct just as much as, say, virginity is.

We use words like heterosexuality and homosexuality...