History Hit Podcasts

Origins of Modern Iran: Safawid Dynasty

The Safawid Dynasty, which ruled Iran from 1501 to 1736, marked the beginning of modern Iranian history. At its height, it controlled all of...

WW2: How The War Ended

The Second World War officially ended on September 2nd 1945 - and it's estimated that around 3% of the Earth's population perished during the...

The Harem

Originating with the Persian empires, the harem (unlike its salacious modern day portrayals) emerges from the need to create a safe space for...

Rise of the Tudors

Join Dan as he rollicks through the tumultuous life and rise to power of Henry Tudor, the man who would ultimately become King Henry VII of...

Donald Hebb: Brainwashing in the Cold War

In 1950, a new word ‘brainwashing’ entered the English language. From the paranoia of the Cold War a new type of Evil Scientist had emerged...

Origins of Olive Oil

When you think of inventions that helped change the course of history, it's doubtful Olive Oil makes the list. Originating thousands of years ago...

Self Sacrifice in Ancient India

Today we’re looking into self sacrifice in ancient India. Why did people do it? How did people think about death and the afterlife? Who were the...

Rwandan Genocide

This episode contains graphic descriptions of violence and sexual assault.

Over the course of 100 days in 1994, it's estimated that between...

Æthelflæd: Lady of the Mercians

Matt Lewis kicks off Gone Medieval’s special series of podcasts about Medieval Queens with a look at Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians who...

President Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, so how did it work out when he became the leader of this nation that...

Dutch Golden Age: 'The Goldfinch' and its Painter

On the morning of 12 October 1654, in the Dutch city of Delft, a sudden explosion was followed by a thunderclap that could be heard more than 70...

Pompeii: The Eruption of Vesuvius

This episode contains references to scenes that some listeners may find distressing

In 79 AD, ancient armageddon hit Pompeii: Mount Vesuvius...

Secret Origins of the SAS

In 1974, a pioneer of the SAS and master of military deception, Dudley Clarke, passed away. His death went almost entirely unnoticed by the...

Medieval Swords

No invention conjures up the 'Old World' as much as the Sword. It's an utterly iconic object that whisks us back to knights in shining armour. But...

Ivan the Terrible

The name Ivan the Terrible is synonymous with brutality and ruthlessness. While Western scholars insist that the first crowned Tsar of all Russia...

History of Sex For Sale

Many people claim sex work to be the oldest profession, but we can likely put that down to being midwifery or medical professionals of some...

How to be an Atheist in the Middle Ages

We tend to think that it was impossible not to subscribe to Christianity in the Middle Ages. But, as in any age, belief can wax and wane. But the...

Charlie Chaplin

The Golden Age of Hollywood was a place of pioneers, storytellers, ideas, westward expansion, money, politics and scandal- the story of Hollywood...

The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake

45 seconds. An estimated 7.9 on today's Richter scale. The deadliest earthquake in US history.

In this episode, we're examining the 1906 San...

Culture of Prosperity

Medieval Muslims imagined themselves as scholarly warriors, poets, and philosophers, knights, and cavaliers. This elite culture and the way it...

Napoleon's Greatest Victory: Austerlitz

December 2nd is a special date for those fascinated by Napoleon Bonaparte. Not only is this the date he crowned himself Emperor of France in 1804,...