Episodes

  • Stalin's murderous vendetta against Trotsky

    Stalin's murderous vendetta against Trotsky
    Apr 9 2026
    Mexico City, August 1940: a study door closes, an ice axe is raised and the Bolshevik Revolution’s greatest exile meets his grisly end. But what led to this dramatic moment? Danny Bird speaks to Josh Ireland about Josef Stalin’s mortal enemy and the story behind their deadly rivalry. From his affair with artist Frida Kahlo to the pitiless destruction of his family, Josh explains how this is a story of exile, obsession and the long reach of totalitarian power. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST Trotsky’s assassination was one of the most brutal and shocking in history – but it's far from the only example of a leader meeting a grisly end. From Julius Caesar and Indira Gandhi to Empress Sisi of Austria and Martin Luther King, read our list of the 50 assassinations that changed the world: https://bit.ly/4t2JFLL Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    38 mins
  • A new take on the battle of Hastings

    A new take on the battle of Hastings
    Apr 7 2026
    It's long been assumed that King Harold's English army arrived tired and in disarray at the battle of Hastings, having had to march over 200 miles from fighting the battle of Stamford Bridge. Tom Licence's new analysis disputes this idea. In this conversation with David Musgrove, he explains why he thinks Harold is more likely to have sailed down the east coast of England. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST Check out our four-part video podcast series, 1066: The Battle for England, with Marc Morris: https://bit.ly/47wg3yl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    33 mins
  • Mrs Beeton: life of the week

    Mrs Beeton: life of the week
    Apr 6 2026
    Mrs Beeton is a name synonymous with 19th-century domesticity – most notably in connection with the iconic Book of Household Management. But who was the real woman behind the name? Emily Briffett is joined by author, historian and biographer Kathryn Hughes to uncover the life of Isabella Beeton, an industrious editorial innovator whose influence is still felt today. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST HistoryExtra's new podcast series History's Greatest Dishes serves up a feast of facts about some of the past's most remarkable delicacies. Expect culinary legends, half-baked myths and deliciously odd tales – all in the company of Emily Briffett and food historian Annie Gray. You can listen wherever you get your podcasts, or by clicking here: https://play.megaphone.fm/j4kw8qtertcezl8owe6jza Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    37 mins
  • The battle of the Arctic: the overlooked crucible of WW2

    The battle of the Arctic: the overlooked crucible of WW2
    Apr 5 2026
    The US and UK supplied the USSR with vast amounts of military materiel during the Second World War via the Arctic convoys. In this episode, Hugh Sebag-Montefiore speaks to David Musgrove about the importance of this campaign in shaping the outcome of the war – and details the many horrors faced by the merchant sailors who made the difficult and dangerous journey from Iceland to Russia. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST Read an article by historian Dr Harry Bennett on his take on the importance of the Arctic convoys: https://bit.ly/40UzpcA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    38 mins
  • How the Vikings pushed Anglo-Saxon England to the brink

    How the Vikings pushed Anglo-Saxon England to the brink
    Apr 4 2026
    During the latter decades of the ninth century, the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms faced an existential threat as Viking forces launched an assault on a scale never seen before. In this first episode of our four-part Sunday Series on how the Viking Great Heathen Army pushed Anglo-Saxon England to the brink, James Osborne is joined by Dr Eleanor Barraclough to discuss the coming of the army, and the everyday lives and motivations of the people who would soon lay waste to much of Anglo-Saxon England. ––––– GO BEYOND THE PODCAST To deepen your understanding of this pivotal moment in Viking and Anglo-Saxon history, James Osborne has selected some essential reading and listening from our archives: https://bit.ly/412VTIB Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    39 mins
  • How to stay healthy in the Middle Ages

    How to stay healthy in the Middle Ages
    Apr 2 2026
    In reality, were medieval people dirty and covered in mud? What did they think were the healthiest things to eat? And how often did they think they should be having sex? Speaking to Charlotte Vosper, Katherine Harvey reveals the practical, and somewhat surprising, ways in which individuals in the Middle Ages cared for body and mind – from food and sex to hygiene and even going to the toilet. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST If you'd like to find out more about what people in the past ate, then don't miss HistoryExtra's brand new series, History's Greatest Dishes. You can listen wherever you get your podcasts, or by clicking here: https://play.megaphone.fm/xrulxjiptaaaixz72wmtdw Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    36 mins
  • Europe's Muslim history

    Europe's Muslim history
    Mar 31 2026
    From the magnificence of the Alhambra to the forgotten resting places of the Prophet Muhammad’s own relatives, Islam has long been a part of Europe’s history. Danny Bird speaks to Tharik Hussain about this continent-spanning saga, exploring Islam’s rich legacy within Europe and the reasons it is often overlooked today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    42 mins
  • Attila the Hun: life of the week

    Attila the Hun: life of the week
    Mar 30 2026
    Few historical figures have reputations quite as diabolical as that of Attila the Hun. This nomadic leader pitched up on the edge of the Roman empire in the fifth century AD, and spread terror and chaos so effectively that he came to be dubbed the ‘Scourge of God’. But was he really all that bad? Miles Russell talks to Spencer Mizen about Attila's astonishing life and legacy. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST If you'd like to learn about the exploits of another famous nomadic leader who spread fear across Asia and Europe, check out our Life of the Week podcast on Genghis Khan: https://bit.ly/4rzJIh3 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    36 mins