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The early medieval Carolingian empire played a crucial role in the development of Europe throughout the Middle Ages. Though the dynasty itself was not that long-lived, it was star-studded with famous...
· 40 min 2 sec
Series two of SAS Rogue Heroes hits our screens later this week, so we're bringing you an episode to get you up to scratch on the WW2 escapades of Britain’s elite special forces. Why was the SAS – or...
· 47 min 11 sec
The morning of Tuesday 19 September 1944 was ripe with possibility for Allied forces at Arnhem, says Al Murray. Just 24 hours later, the die of defeat had well and truly been cast. Here, in conversati...
· 32 min 0 sec
The 16th century is often seen as a 'golden age' of exploration, which witnessed England's emergence as a major player on the European stage. But it was also a period in which the English became embro...
· 38 min 7 sec
How was Edinburgh transformed from an ancient defensive site on top of a volcanic crag into a major centre of power, faith, commerce, and learning? In this second of our two festive bonus episodes, tr...
· 41 min 47 sec
Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter look back at the history behind some of the year's biggest news stories in this special episode of our monthly seriesFrom the rise of AI to a plethora of elections and lif...
· 42 min 22 sec
From a sunken Tudor flagship brought back to life by the wonders of osteoarchaeology, to the tales of bravery and endurance surrounding the tragic fate of WW2's SS Gairsoppa, shipwrecks can reveal far...
· 50 min 18 sec
How did gladiators supercharge the rise of Julius Caesar? And why were they seen as sex symbols? As the new film directed by Ridley Scott, Gladiator II, arrives in cinemas, this Long Read written by G...
· 22 min 47 sec
Radical rabble-rousers, trusted bankers and conscientious objectors; the Quakers have been viewed in many different ways down the centuries. Their non-conformist origins and unique religious principle...
· 42 min 13 sec
Did Oliver Cromwell ban mince pies? When did people first give Christmas presents? And why does Santa wear red? Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne in this episode first aired in 2020, George Goodwin, histori...
· 47 min 45 sec
Think of the transportation of convicts, and your mind probably goes to the arrival of the First Fleet in Australia in 1788. But, as historian Clare Anderson reveals in this episode, convict transport...
· 37 min 43 sec
The English Reformation and the dissolution of the monasteries were major milestones in 16th-century England, shaking the very foundations of Tudor religious belief. But while the nation moved back an...
· 47 min 56 sec
Churches were central to life in the Middle Ages. But with the Reformation wreaking havoc on religious buildings, nowadays it's hard to get a sense of what a medieval church would actually have looked...
· 24 min 30 sec
From the fall of Granada to the issuing of the Alhambra decree, Isabella of Castile's reign was one that saw an extraordinary amount of history-altering events and, as such, has earned her a complex l...
· 44 min 50 sec
In 1860, the diverse Ottoman city of Damascus witnessed the massacre of thousands of Christians. The killings, combined with Constantinople’s hardline response, shattered the city’s tolerant society a...
· 40 min 49 sec
New BBC series Lady Swindlers with Lucy Worsley tells the stories of female criminals from the 18th to 20th centuries. Their chicanery often earned them great riches, yet, their schemes didn’t always...
· 24 min 30 sec
When did people first start wearing underwear? What's the difference between drawers and bloomers? Did medieval women wear bras? Were Victorian corsets really as uncomfortable to wear as you might ima...
· 38 min 41 sec
The crown of thorns was one of the greatest medieval relics, supposedly pressed into the head of Jesus Christ by mocking Roman soldiers. Hunted down by an intrepid pair of Dominican friars, it was bro...
· 37 min 55 sec
Why were festivals and feasts such major events in the Tudor age? What toxic beauty products did Elizabeth I plaster her face with? And were the works of the celebrated playwright William Shakespeare...
· 49 min 53 sec
As we get closer to Christmas, many people will be heading out to the shops to look for the perfect presents. And this mad dash in search of festive gifts is nothing new. In this episode, Annie Gray,...
· 36 min 57 sec