History Rage

Titanic myths sink fast when the real evidence finally surfaces. For decades, J. Bruce Ismay has been cast as the Titanic’s cowardly villain—but what if almost everything you think you know is wrong? In this revelatory episode, Paul Bavill is joined by Clifford Ismay , author of Understanding J. Bruce Ismay: The True Story of the Man They Call the Coward of the Titanic , to explore the real man be...

The Mercian king history reduced to a ditch—but changed England Most people know Offa of Mercia for one thing: a giant ditch dividing England and Wales. But that familiar image hides a far more powerful—and fascinating—figure. In this episode, host Paul Bavill is joined by Cambridge historian Rory Naismith to challenge the long-standing myth of Offa as a brutal warlord. Instead, we uncover a ruler...

The Cambridge Five were not heroes—just dangerous traitors with devastating consequences The Cambridge Five have long been shrouded in myth, glamour, and intrigue—but what if the truth is far darker? In this explosive episode of History Rage , host Paul Bavill is joined by journalist, historian, and History Book Buffs co-host Antonia Senior to dismantle one of the most persistent legends of the Co...

Forgotten Restoration women reshaped power, culture, and scandal in spectacular ways. Step into a vibrant, myth-busting journey through the 17th century as cultural historian Breeze Barrington joins History Rage to tear down the idea that the only women worth remembering from the Restoration were Charles II’s mistresses. Drawing on her new book The Extraordinary Untold Lives of Women at the Restor...

Cleopatra revealed: power, propaganda, and the woman behind the myth Most people think they know Cleopatra — the irresistible seductress who captivated Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. But what if that story is largely fiction, shaped by political spin and centuries of retelling? In this episode of History Rage , host Paul Bavill is joined by acclaimed historian and author Lucy Hughes-Hallett to dis...

Horatio Nelson. Glorious victory. Britain “ruling the waves.” We've all heard the legend — but what if the real story of Trafalgar is far more complicated… and far less heroic… than we’ve been led to believe? In this episode of History Rage , three-time returning rager Dr Zack White tears apart centuries of patriotic mythmaking to reveal the uncomfortable truths behind Britain’s most celebrated na...

The General Strike wasn’t revolutionary chaos—it was disciplined working-class resistance The 1926 General Strike is often painted as Britain’s near-miss with revolution—but the reality is far more revealing, and far more powerful. In this episode of History Rage , Paul Bavill is joined by historian Geoff Andrews to dismantle the myths and uncover the true story of working-class politics, solidari...

Renaissance medicine wasn’t ignorant—its cures were stranger and smarter than you think. Step back into a world of blood, bones, bile, and groundbreaking innovation as Dr Alanna Skuse dismantles the biggest myths about Renaissance medicine . From battlefield surgeries and prosthetics, to midwives, quacks, toads, and the four humours, this episode reveals a medical world far more logical, experimen...

Jungle warfare that reshaped the war – and history forgot it Step into the dense, unforgiving jungles of Burma in WWII as Dr Richard Duckett and Duncan Gilmour uncover the astonishing, largely untold story of Lt. Col. Edgar Peacock – the man they argue was Britain’s greatest SOE commander . In this gripping episode of History Rage , we expose the scale, the bravery, and the strategic brilliance of...

When a respectable Victorian doctor became Britain’s most feared poisoner Victorian England believed murder belonged to the gutters. Then Dr William Palmer shattered that illusion. In this gripping episode of History Rage , award-winning journalist and author Stephen Bates exposes the dark truth behind the case of William Palmer — the Midlands doctor hanged in 1856 for poisoning his friend John Pa...

Britain’s upper class isn’t a relic of the past—it’s still here, still powerful, and still shaping the land beneath our feet. In this gripping episode, journalist and author Eleanor Doughty dismantles the pervasive myth that the aristocracy simply “disappeared” in the 20th century. Spoiler: they didn’t. They just got quieter. Eleanor takes us inside the private estates, inherited titles, and soft...

The vampire didn’t rise from Transylvania — it crawled out of the Balkans. Forget Count Dracula — before Stoker’s gothic horror came centuries of chilling folklore, blood-soaked superstition, and very real vampire panics. In this spine-tingling episode, travel writer and award-winning author Nick Jubber joins Paul Bavill to rage against the myth that vampires were born in Transylvania. From Serbia...

A conqueror, a god, or just a man lost in myth? Alexander the Great: the name conjures images of conquest, charisma, and an empire that stretched from Greece to India. But how much of what we “know” is actually true? In this episode of History Rage , host Paul Bavill is joined by Dr Stephen Harrison , lecturer in Ancient History at Swansea University and author of Alexander: The Lives and Legacies...

Forget the katana myth — Japan’s samurai didn’t shun guns, they embraced them. 🔥 Were the samurai really noble warriors who turned their noses up at guns? This week on History Rage , host Paul Bavill sits down with historian, author, and YouTuber Matt Okuhara to demolish the myth of the “honourable warrior.” From matchlocks and martial arts to gun control laws in the 1600s, Matt reveals how Japan...

Discover how drugs shaped empires, creativity, and chaos throughout history. From ancient battlefields to Victorian medicine cabinets, this week’s episode of History Rage dives into the surprising — and often shocking — role of substance use across the ages. Host Paul Bavill is joined by historian and writer Sam Kelly ( @humanhistoryondrugs ) for a deep, thought-provoking journey through how drugs...

Anne Boleyn myths destroyed live at Katherine of Aragon Festival Recorded live at the Katherine of Aragon Festival , this special episode of History Rage sees host Paul Bavill joined on stage by Owen Emerson (Assistant Curator, Hever Castle) and Alfred Hawkins (Curator, Tower of London) to challenge the biggest myths surrounding Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII and Tudor England. Anne Boleyn remains one of...

The Desert Fox legend endures, but how much of it is true? In this landmark 200th episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill is joined once again by military historian and author Peter Caddick Adams to dismantle the enduring myths surrounding one of WWII’s most famous — and most misunderstood — figures: Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, the Desert Fox. Rommel has long been painted as the daring genius of...

Why history lessons drain passion – and how we can fix it History should ignite curiosity, creativity and connection. Instead, too often, it does the opposite. In this powerful History Rage Live episode, host Paul Bavill is joined by medievalist, broadcaster and historian Professor Janina Ramirez to rage against the way history is taught – and how rigid curricula, “great man” narratives and siloed...

Why are we still obsessed with the Tudors? In this lively episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill is joined by the brilliant comedian and World War II historian Al Murray to tackle the relentless fixation on the Tudor dynasty. With a blend of humour and historical insight, Al argues that it’s high time we move beyond the soap opera of Henry VIII and his six wives to explore the far more transfor...

James I wasn’t weak, stupid, or slobbering — history got lazy James I has gone down in history as a disappointment, a fool, a drunken slob — a king wedged awkwardly between Elizabeth I and Charles I and remembered largely for what others did to him. But what if almost everything you think you know about James I is wrong? Historian and author Gareth Russell returns for a record-breaking fifth appea...

Templars weren’t the greatest, the longest-lasting, or even the most useful of the medieval military orders. ⚔️ Forget the Bloody Templars. It's Time for the Knights Hospitaller. In this fiery episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill is joined by historian Rory MacClellan (author of Warrior Monks: Politics and Power in Mediaeval Britain ) to tear down the Templar myth and put the spotlight where...

She wasn’t a pawn — Lady Jane Dudley was shaped by power, politics and purpose For centuries she has been remembered as Lady Jane Grey : the tragic, passive “Nine Days’ Queen.” - But what if that story is wrong? In this episode of History Rage , host Paul Bavill is joined by historian and author Dr Joanne Paul to rage against one of Tudor history’s most persistent myths — the erasure of Lady Jane...

Why the Jack the Ripper legend is completely useless. Get ready to hear the truth behind the headlines with social historian Hallie Rubenhold. Her groundbreaking book, The Five , challenges everything you thought you knew about the case by focusing on the victims, not the killer. Hallie explains why the endless speculation about Jack the Ripper's identity is "useless" and built on "pure mythology"...

Stop pitting Tudor queens against each other and confront the real villain. Two of the most famous women in Tudor history are still framed as enemies—but what if that story is fundamentally wrong? In this History Rage festival special for the Katherine of Aragon Festival , castle historian and Assistant Curator of Hever Castle , Kate McCaffrey , dismantles the deeply entrenched myth that Katherine...

The War of 1812 wasn’t sailors’ rights — it was empire. Think you know why the War of 1812 started? Most people believe it was all about the Royal Navy “pressing” innocent American sailors. Historian Matt Taylor calls nonsense on that myth – and reveals how the real story is far darker, and far more explosive. Paul Bavill is joined by Matt Taylor, author of Black Redcoats , to uncover the hidden n...