HistoryExtra Long Reads

Powerful foes, chronic starvation, hostile landscapes – the First Crusade, an 11th-century armed pilgrimage to the holy city of Jerusalem, overcame seemingly insurmountable challenges. In today’s long read, Emily Briffett draws on the expertise of leading medieval historians to reveal how zeal, strategy, and sheer luck secured military success for this ambitious campaign.    HistoryExtra Long Read...

The Allied invasion of Italy in 1943 was envisaged as a swift push on Rome. Yet, as James Holland explains in today’s long read, by the end of the year, the campaign was stymied by German defences far from the capital. HistoryExtra Long Reads brings you the best articles from BBC History Magazine, direct to your ears. Today’s feature originally appeared in the November 2023 issue, and has been voi...

Edward III’s siege of Calais was a pivotal moment in the Hundred Years’ War. In today’s long read, Dan Jones argues that it bears comparison with one of the most brutal clashes of the modern era: the battle of Stalingrad. HistoryExtra Long Reads brings you the best articles from BBC History Magazine, direct to your ears. Today’s feature originally appeared in the November 2023 issue, and has been...

In September 1923, the British empire reached its maximum territorial extent – a staggering 460 million people lived within its borders. Yet just as the imperial project reached its apex, writes Matthew Parker in today’s long read, cracks were widening. HistoryExtra Long Reads brings you the best articles from BBC History Magazine, direct to your ears. Today’s feature originally appeared in the No...

Anne Boleyn famously spent her youth learning the customs and etiquette of the French court. But how did this extensive education impact her later life, and her approach to queenship? Today’s long read, written by John Guy and Julia Fox, reveals how international diplomacy supercharged the rise of Henry VIII’s second wife – and hastened her fall. HistoryExtra Long Reads brings you the best article...

Today, insects are seen as a vital part of our ecosystem, but in the late 17th century, they were largely overlooked by science. Today’s long read, written by Patricia Fara, tells the story of a groundbreaking lepidopterist whose research provided solace from a turbulent personal life. HistoryExtra Long Reads brings you the best articles from BBC History Magazine, direct to your ears. Today’s feat...

Over the past 200 years, Dick Whittington has become one of Britain’s best-loved pantomime heroes. Yet, as today’s long read explores, the real-life story that inspired Dick’s rags to riches tale is even more remarkable than the fiction. Based on his interview with author Michael McCarthy, Jon Bauckham considers how this fascinating medieval merchant morphed into an icon of the stage.  HistoryExtr...

From cobbled alleys and snarky graffiti to bustling communal fountains and holy shrines, Pompeii was a city teeming with life. In today’s long read, written by Sophie Hay, we travel back 100 years to an archaeological dig that transformed our understanding of daily life on its streets. HistoryExtra Long Reads brings you the best articles from BBC History Magazine, direct to your ears. Today’s feat...

From 1307, members of the Knights Templar were beaten, brutalised and put to death on charges of heresy, Satanism and mass murder. But, asks today’s long read, written by historian Steve Tibble, were this elite band of holy warriors fitted up for crimes they didn’t commit? HistoryExtra Long Reads brings you the best articles from BBC History Magazine, direct to your ears. Today’s feature originall...

From the illicit affairs of high society to duels, crimes and even ghosts, Georgian Britain loved a scandal. Today’s long read, written by historian and author Emily Brand, charts eight of the most shocking.  HistoryExtra Long Reads brings you the best articles from BBC History Magazine, direct to your ears. Today’s feature originally appeared in the September 2023 issue, and has been voiced in pa...

What did English merchants and mariners do when a Spanish invasion fleet menaced the South Coast in 1588? Well, as today’s long read written by Robert Blackmore reveals, they simply boarded their ships and carried on trading. HistoryExtra Long Reads brings you the best articles from BBC History Magazine, direct to your ears. Today’s feature originally appeared in the September 2023 issue, and has...

The image of plucky warriors sending a cocksure English army into flight has secured Bannockburn’s status in the annals of Scottish history. Today’s long read, written by public historian Helen Carr, chronicles how the 1314 clash transformed the balance of power between two warring nations.  HistoryExtra Long Reads brings you the best articles from BBC History Magazine, direct to your ears. Today’...

From as early as 1914, powerful voices called for the First World War to end in a negotiated compromise. So, why were they ignored? That’s the question at the heart of today’s long read, written by historian Professor Holger Afflerbach. HistoryExtra Long Reads brings you the best articles from BBC History Magazine, direct to your ears. Today’s feature originally appeared in the September 2023 issu...

Pax Romana brought stability and prosperity to Rome’s vast empire. Yet, argues today’s long read written by historian and broadcaster Tom Holland, behind the dazzling new cities and teeming sea lanes lay the threat of lethal, irresistible violence. HistoryExtra Long Reads brings you the best articles from BBC History Magazine, direct to your ears. Today’s feature originally appeared in the August...

In 1323, Roger Mortimer pulled off an audacious escape from the Tower of London before ejecting Edward II from the English throne. But, as today’s long read written by historian Paul Drybrugh reveals, the rebel baron’s designs on power were ultimately undone by his own big head. HistoryExtra Long Reads brings you the best articles from BBC History Magazine, direct to your ears. Today’s feature ori...

Since its faltering launch in 1948, the National Health Service has become a cherished part of British society. In today’s long read – written by historian Andrew Seaton – we explore how it attained that status. HistoryExtra Long Reads brings you the best articles from BBC History Magazine, direct to your ears. Today’s feature originally appeared in the August 2023 issue, and has been voiced in pa...

In today’s long read, we’re bringing you a story of extravagant lies, homemade bombs and adrenaline-pumped commandos, as historian Joshua Levine charts the formative years of the SAS through the exploits of four extraordinary servicemen – Mick Gurmin, Jock Lewes, Mike Sadler and John Tonkin. HistoryExtra Long Reads brings you the best articles from BBC History Magazine, direct to your ears. Today’...

The famous voyage of HMT Empire Windrush from Jamaica to Britain 75 years ago did not come out of the blue – it was the product of a tumultuous century in Britain’s relationship with the Caribbean. In today’s long read, author and historian Christienna Fryar reveals how a region was transformed following emancipation. HistoryExtra Long Reads brings you the best articles from BBC History Magazine,...

Ramesses II was a genius in the art of self-promotion. Epic palaces, jaw dropping temples and sycophantic scribes all projected his brilliance. But, asks author Egyptologist Toby Wilkinson in today’s long read, do the achievements of ancient Egypt's king of kings truly justify the hype? HistoryExtra Long Reads brings you the best articles from BBC History Magazine, direct to your ears. Today’s fea...

Take a deep dive into the past as we bring you the very best of BBC History Magazine, Britain’s bestselling history magazine. With a new episode released every Monday, enjoy fascinating and enlightening articles from leading historical experts, covering a broad sweep of the centuries – from the scandals of Georgian society to the horrors of the First World War, revolutions, rebellions, and more. L...