Synopsis
History! The most exciting and important things that have ever happened on the planet! Featuring reports from the weird and wonderful places around the world where history has been made and interviews with some of the best historians writing today. Dan also covers some of the major anniversaries as they pass by and explores the deep history behind today's headlines - giving you the context to understand what is going on today. Join the conversation on twitter: @HistoryHit Producer: Natt Tapley
Episodes
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Henry III vs. Simon de Montfort
17/05/2023 Duration: 43minAfter speaking to Gone Medieval in April 2022 about the first volume of his magisterial biography of Henry III, David Carpenter promised Matt Lewis that he would pay the podcast a return visit when the second volume came out. Henry III 1258-1272: Reform, Rebellion, Civil War, Settlement picks up the story when Henry is 51 years old. He's been monarch for 42 years and might have been looking forward to a quieter twilight to his reign. But he was in for the rudest of awakenings. This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg. Listen to Henry III: England’s Longest Reigning King here: https://shows.acast.com/gone-medieval/episodes/henry-iii-englands-longest-reigning-kingIf you’re enjoying this podcast and are looking for more fascinating Medieval content then subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here.If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go t
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The Lumberjills
16/05/2023 Duration: 24minThe Second World War placed a tremendous strain on Britain's natural resources. One of the most important materials for fuelling the war effort was wood - used to make everything from ammunition boxes to Spitfires, Britain's timber would be harvested at an unprecedented rate during the war. It was a forgotten army of women who stepped up to make this happen, felling trees through freezing winters, splitting logs in hazardous sawmills and managing entire forestry operations.So what did this job entail? How risky was it, and how were these 'Lumberjills' considered by society at that time? Dan is joined by Joanna Foat, author of Lumberjills: Britain's Forgotten Army, to uncover the obscured world of the Women's Timber Corps.Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.You can take part in our listener survey here.If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at ds.hh@historyhit.com, we'd love to hear from you! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Nazi Codebreaking with Betty Webb
15/05/2023 Duration: 27minBetty Webb is the last known living veteran who worked on both German and Japanese codes at Bletchley Park and Dan got an invite to her 100th birthday party over the weekend. Codebreaking, secrets and dancing were all part of daily life at Bletchley Park, she joined Dan on the podcast back in 2021 to tell him all about her incredible time at the place that enabled the Allies to win WWII.You can take part in our listener survey here.If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at ds.hh@historyhit.com, we'd love to hear from you! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Henri Christophe: The King of Haiti
14/05/2023 Duration: 37minIn the summer of 1791, thousands of enslaved people in Saint Domingue, as Haiti was then known, cast aside their shackles and revolted against French colonial rule. The Haitian Revolution lasted for over a decade, and Haiti became the first independent country to be founded by former enslaved people.Among the key leaders of the revolution was a man named Henri Christophe. Born an enslaved person, Christophe served in the American Revolutionary War, fought in the Haitian Revolution and became Haiti's first and only king. But what happened during the Haitian Revolution? And how did Christophe make himself king of the first free black nation in the Americas?Dan is joined by Paul Clammer, author of Black Crown: Henry Christophe, the Haitian Revolution and the Caribbean's Forgotten Kingdom, to guide us through this extraordinary tale.Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.You can take part in our listener survey here.If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at ds.hh@historyhi
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Dan Explains: The Dambusters Part 2
10/05/2023 Duration: 41minOn the night of the 16th May, 1943, Operation Chastise commenced - 133 RAF airmen in their iconic Lancaster bombers took off from England, bound for Germany. Armed with specially designed 'bouncing bombs', the highly trained crews were tasked with destroying key installations in Germany's industrial heartland, the Ruhr Valley. It was an audacious mission of unprecedented precision, from which over a third of the airmen would never return. The Dambusters Raid, as it came to be known, is remembered as one of the greatest feats of daring and airmanship in the Second World War. In this two-part Explainer, and with the help of the late, great RAF veteran 'Johnny' Johnson, Dan delves into the true story of this historic operation.Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.You can take part in our listener survey here.If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at ds.hh@historyhit.com, we'd love to hear from you! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Dan Explains: The Dambusters Part 1
09/05/2023 Duration: 40minOn the night of the 16th of May, 1943, 133 RAF airmen in their iconic Lancaster bombers took off from England, and headed for Germany. Armed with specially designed 'bouncing bombs', the highly-trained crews were tasked with interrupting German industry by destroying three enormous dams in the Ruhr Valley. It was a risky mission of unprecedented precision, from which over a third of the aircrew would never return. The Dambusters Raid, as it came to be known, is remembered as one of the greatest feats of daring and airmanship in British military history. In this two-part Explainer, and with the help of the late, great RAF veteran Johnny Johnson, Dan delves into the crew's preparations as well as the events of the historic raid itself.Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.You can take part in our listener survey here.If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at ds.hh@historyhit.com, we'd love to hear from you! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Ruling as a Renaissance Queen
08/05/2023 Duration: 22minThe 16th century in Europe was an age of great Queens. But just because they were in charge, didn't always mean they were powerful or safe; it was tough being a queen in the Renaissance and. Author and Former Professor of French at The George Washington University Leah Redmond Chang joins Dan to delve into the fascinating and complicated lives of three queens: Catherine De Medici, a noblewoman in one of the most important families of the Renaissance, who married the King of France and found herself Queen some deaths later. They discuss the fate of her daughter Elizabeth De Valois who married Phillip II King of Spain and ruler of the Spanish Empire that launched the Armada and conquest of the Americas and Mary Queen of Scots who ruled over a mighty Scotland but who endured assault, exile and finally execution at the behest of her cousin Elizabeth I. These women were at the top of European society but faced pressure, personal dangers and political threats unique to women in power during that time.Her new book i
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Knossos
07/05/2023 Duration: 49minThe legend of the Minotaur and its labyrinth has captivated us for centuries, but is there any evidence of it really existing?In this episode, Tristan visits the Ashmolean museum in Oxford to interview Dr. Andrew Shapland, the curator of a new exhibition exploring the Bronze Age settlement of Knossos in Crete - the home of the mythical King Minos, the Minotaur and the labyrinth.Together they explore ancient artefacts that hint at human sacrifices being carried out, and find out through archaeological evidence if there is any truth behind the myths.The Senior Producer was Elena GuthrieThe Assistant Producer was Annie ColoeMixed & edited by Stuart Beckwith Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Tocqueville: The Search for Liberty, Equality & Democracy
03/05/2023 Duration: 27minIn 1831, the French aristocrat Alexis de Tocqueville left the troubled continent of Europe and set sail for America. Travelling in the shadow of the French Revolution, his goal was to learn about the world's largest democracy and work out how France could move forward. He would eventually publish a remarkable account of life and politics in the United States that became one of the best 19th century accounts of the burgeoning democracy. But Tocqueville would go on to travel to a myriad of other places by ship and stagecoach, on horseback and on foot across North America, Europe and North Africa. In this episode, Dan is joined by Jeremy Jennings, author of Travels with Tocqueville Beyond America, to find out more about his little-known travels beyond the United States.Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.You can take part in our listener survey here.If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at ds.hh@historyhit.com, we'd love to hear from you! Hosted on Acast. See acast.co
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Lord Byron: Incest, Adultery & Daddy Issues
02/05/2023 Duration: 46min*WARNING there are adult words and themes in this episode*How debaucherous do you have to be to be remembered as the original bad boy? How mad, bad and dangerous to know was Lord Byron? And how much of it did he get from his family?For this episode, Kate is joined by Emily Brand, the author of ‘The Fall of the House of Byron: Scandal and Seduction in Georgian England’. From incest to murder - this family must have made for a very awkward dinner party.Poems by George Gordon Byron read by Matt Lewis: ‘So, We’ll Go No More A Roving’ and lines 1089 to 1096 of Don Juan, canto 2.Produced by Charlotte Long and Sophie Gee. Mixed by Sophie Gee.Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society. A podcast by History Hit. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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J.R.R. Tolkien and the First World War
01/05/2023 Duration: 31minJ.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth is perhaps the most captivating fantasy world ever created. His mythology and folklore continues to influence the work of writers, film-makers, musicians and artists to this day. He first conceived of the idea during the First World War, and built his world to examine the fear and courage, despair and hope that he witnessed. So how exactly did this brutal, bloody war help to shape Middle-earth? Dan is joined today by John Garth, an award-winning Tolkien biographer and author of Tolkien and the Great War, to tell us about Tolkien's life and how the conflict influenced his writing.Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.You can take part in our listener survey here.If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at ds.hh@historyhit.com, we'd love to hear from you! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The Battle of Agincourt
30/04/2023 Duration: 31minThe Battle of Agincourt looms large in the English historical and cultural imagination, this explainer wades through the mythology to help listeners really understand this infamous battle.From almost the moment the battle finished the myth of Agincourt was being spun. Henry V milked the victory for all its worth to secure his reign and it has continued to play a prominent role in the British psyche ever since inspiring both Shakespeare and Churchill amongst others. It was however a crushing English victory with much of the nobility of Northern France being killed on that muddy field that day. It is all the more remarkable as Henry's army had been worn down by previous battles and ravaged by dysentery with thousands dying in miserable agony. In this episode, Dan returns with another of his explainers to explore the background, the campaign, the battle itself and its aftermath. If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at ds.hh@historyhit.com, we'd love to hear from you!If you'd like t
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Mary, Queen of Scots on Film: The Historians’ Verdict
26/04/2023 Duration: 32minWhat do you get when you bring together five top historians to debate Mary, Queen of Scots on film? History with the gloves off - our second special episode of Not Just the Tudors Lates! This time, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb takes as her starting point the tragic life of the Scottish Queen and her relationship with her rival and cousin Queen Elizabeth I.Suzannah is joined once again by Dr Joanne Paul, Jessie Childs, Alex von Tunzelmann and Professor Sarah Churchwell to compare the various film versions of Mary’s story, where they have got it right - and often wildly wrong.This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.Listen to the first Not Just the Tudors Lates about Elizabeth I on Screen, here.If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at ds.hh@historyhit.com, we'd love to hear from you!If you'd like to learn more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe to History Hit today!Download the History Hit app from the Google Play
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Assassins vs Templars: The Crusades
25/04/2023 Duration: 37minThis is the first episode of a special series that we made in collaboration with Ubisoft, the developers of the Assassins's Creed franchise. In Assassins vs Templars, we immerse ourselves in the real history that inspired the first game, exploring the rise and fall of The Knights Templar and the Assassins, speaking to leading historians to uncover the real histories behind key characters in the game, and unearthing the folklore around the mythical Holy Grail.In this episode, we go back to the 11th century and the beginning of the crusading period. What was the reason for hostility between Christianity and Islam? Why did the first three Crusades happen, and what do they mean to us today? Dan is joined by Jonathan Phillips, a Professor of Crusading History, to find out the answers to these questions and more.Produced by History Hit and Ubisoft, with post-production done by Paradiso Media.To listen to the rest of Assassins vs Templars, make sure you're following Echoes of History wherever you get your podcasts.I
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Commando Training in Scotland
24/04/2023 Duration: 29minThe commandos have become a byword for elite raiding and cutting-edge military operations. They were set up during the Second World War in June 1940, following a request from Winston Churchill, for special forces that could carry out raids against German-occupied Europe. As Monty Halls says, they were 'well trained men who wreaked havoc'. But to be the best you have to train the hardest and where better and more challenging than the wild and rugged highlands of Lochaber, Scotland.In today's episode Dan takes the podcast to Achnacarry Castle, the Clan Cameron headquarters turned Commando Basic Training Centre during World War Two. Both clan chief Lochiel Donald Cameron and ex-Royal Marine Monty Halls tell Dan about the gruelling initiation hike, the assault courses with live ammunition and the harsh weather that made the Commandos the best of the best.Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore.If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at ds.hh@historyhit.com, we'd love to
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The History of Coronations
23/04/2023 Duration: 35minAs preparations for the Coronation of King Charles III get underway, you're going to see words everywhere like 'anointing,' 'enthronement,' and 'crowning.' Despite how medical they sound, they are in fact ceremonial acts steeped in centuries of British history and tradition.There'll be talk of Edward the Confessor's crown, the absence of the controversial Koh-i-noor Diamond and something called the Stone of Scone. If you're excited to see history in action or wondering if it's worth the cost, this episode with Historian of the Monarchy Anna Whitelock is your A-Z guide to the regalia, pomp and ceremony of the Coronation. Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal PatmoreIf you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at ds.hh@historyhit.com, we'd love to hear from you! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Empire State Building
19/04/2023 Duration: 43minWhen it was completed in 1931, the Empire State Building became the tallest building in the world. While it has long been surpassed, it is still one of the most recognised skyscrapers on the planet, synonymous with the city in which it stands. Its imposing but elegant art deco design is a tribute to the roaring ’20s from which it came. Carol Willis, author of Form Follows Finance: The Empire State Building tells Don how it became a monument to the golden age of the skyscraper.Produced by Benjie Guy. Mixed by Joseph Knight. Senior Producer: Charlotte Long.If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at ds.hh@historyhit.com, we'd love to hear from you!If you'd like to learn more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe to History Hit today!Download the History Hit app from the Google Play store.Download the History Hit app from the Apple Store. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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British Maritime History
18/04/2023 Duration: 28minIs it even possible to imagine what Britain would have been without seafaring? Braving the waters beyond our harbours can be traced back eight and a half thousand years - the earliest boats made crossings as soon as Britain broke away from the continent. You can trace the ages of Britain through the vessels that have been launched to and from her shores - Roman warships, Viking longships, William the Conqueror's flagship Mora and many more besides.In this episode recorded at the 2022 Chalke Valley history festival, conservationist and author of 'The Ship Asunder', Tom Nancollas joins Dan to talk about Britain's seafaring history through three aspects of three vessels: the mast of the steamship SS Great Eastern designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the hull of the Rosebud- a Cornwall-based fishing boat at the centre of the 1930s Newlyn villagers protest to save their condemned properties, and the figurehead of the Rosa Tacchini wrecked on the Isles of Scilly.Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal P
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The Mystery of the Frogman Lionel Crabb
17/04/2023 Duration: 28minOn the night of the 19th of April, 1956, the decorated navy diver Lionel Crabb went missing. A veteran of the Second World War, Crabb had been sent on a secret mission by MI6 to investigate a Soviet cruiser in Portsmouth Harbour. After pulling on his diving gear and checking his oxygen supply, Crabb slipped into the dark waters, never to be seen alive again. Was he killed by the Soviets? Was he killed by the Brits? Or can this all be chalked up to a bewildering accident? To this day, the government refuse to declassify the crucial files relating to his death. Dan is joined by Giles Milton, a writer and host of the podcast Cover Up: Ministry of Secrets, to untangle this mysterious web and find out what really happened to the frogman Lionel Crabb.Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at ds.hh@historyhit.com, we'd love to hear from you!If you'd like to learn more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts and audio
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The Koh-i-Noor Diamond
16/04/2023 Duration: 31minThe enormous Cullinan Diamond will be on display at Charles III Coronation, but the diamond that's missing - the Koh-i-Noor - is the one that everyone's been talking about. Its splendour captured the eyes and imaginations of rulers for centuries, from the Persian conqueror Nader Shah to Queen Victoria. But how did this symbol of Mughal power and prestige come to hold a central role in the British coronation ceremony? Dan is joined by journalist and historian Shrabani Basu as she traces the story of the diamond, navigating the epic twists and turns of South Asian history, the power struggles that have shaped the region and the bloody colonial history that brought the Koh-i-Noor to Buckingham Palace.Produced by Mariana des Forges and James Hickmann, and edited by Dougal Patmore.If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at ds.hh@historyhit.com, we'd love to hear from you!If you'd like to learn more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - s