Podcasts

Marco Polo and The Court of the Great Kublai Khan

No throne on Earth came close to rivalling it. The court of Kublai Khan stood at the centre of an empire that threw every other power of its age...

Romulus & Remus

The story of Romulus and Remus is one of the most famous myths from the ancient world. But the Romans believed the founding of their city...

C.S. Lewis & Narnia: Renaissance Origins

Why does C.S. Lewis's Narnia - with its images of winter, sacrifice, kingship and renewal - continue to resonate with generations of readers? How...

Civil War Battle Of The Ironclads

In March 1862, wooden warships had dominated global warfare for centuries. In less than 48 hours off the coast of Virginia, two experimental metal...

The Murder That Changed Britain

Ruth Ellis made history in 1955 when she was the last woman hanged in Britain.

She shot and killed her abusive lover, the racing driver...

Guinevere: The Queen Who Broke Camelot?

Was Queen Guinevere a traitorous adulteress who caused the tragic downfall of Camelot, or a complex political survivor? Was she even real? Dr....

The Scandalous Affair of Lord Nelson & Emma Hamilton

Lord Nelson is remembered as one of history's greatest military commanders. His victories at the Battle of the Nile, the Battle of Copenhagen and...

Reconstruction Era: A False Dawn of Freedom?

With the end of the Civil War, four million formerly enslaved people in the South were now free. It was the beginning of a remarkable experiment:...

The Naval Revolution: Triumph and Disaster

A deafening impact, a shattered destroyer, and a legacy that completely revolutionised warfare at sea.

When HMS Tiger sank beneath the waves...

The Star Chamber: Murder, Witch & Libel Trials

What really happened inside England’s most feared court? Was the Star Chamber a sinister instrument of royal tyranny, or a vital route to...

How To Be A Medieval Spy

Look closely at the Bayeux Tapestry and you will see a medieval spy.

But far from the world of James Bond gadgetry, what was medieval...

Shapur I: Rome's Greatest Enemy?

Few rulers humbled Rome quite like Shapur I. A King of Kings, he rebuilt the Sasanian Persian Empire, defeated Roman armies and captured Emperor...