History Under the Radar

Chemical warfare has been banned for almost a century. It is seen as a cruel act of war and also unpredictable when put into action. One event during World War I demonstrated the horrific effect of chemical warfare. We’ll look at the Attack of the Dead Men on today’s History Under the Radar.

In the early years of Christianity, several denominations popped up around the Levant and Egypt. Some of these sects, like Arianism, would significantly impact the shaping of Orthodox and Catholic Christianity in the coming centuries. One little-known sect tried to take people back to the time of Adam and Eve, including not wearing clothes. We’ll learn about the Adamites on today’s History Under t...

193 CE can be considered one of the most chaotic years in Roman History. There was social upheaval and internal power struggles between the ruling class members. This year, it was also famous for having multiple men claim the title of Emperor. We’ll look at the year of the Five Emperors on today’s History Under the Radar.

I n 1381, King Richard II was faced with several problems. England was in the middle of the Hundred Years War with France, and there had been an outbreak of the Black Death, which had devastated the population. The local population rose in what was called the Peasants Rebellion. They were led by a priest named John Ball. We’ll learn about the Mad Priest of Kent on today’s History Under the Radar.

In the winter of 1386, two French noblemen engaged in what would be considered the last trial by combat in France. The center of their dispute was an accusation of rape. Marguerite de Carrouges was married to the knight Jean de Carrouges. She claimed that one of her husband’s former friends, Jacques le Gris, raped her when her husband was away. The court case and the brutal trial by combat that fo...

The HBO series Our Flag Means Death comically follows a gentleman landowner named Stede Bonnet who decides to try his hand at piracy. The show portrays Bonnet as a bumbling fop unsuited for the life of piracy on the high seas. However, his unwavering idealism inspires crew members to put up with his antics. In reality, Stede Bonnet became one of the most infamous pirates of his day. While it was c...

Vengeance is an old storytelling device. When justice is not severed through legal means, some people take matters into their own hands. Revenge can be a great motivator for some to survive under some of the most horrific conditions. For one man who endured one of the worst periods of human history, his story of revenge is fascinating. Learn the story of Eliahu Itzkovitz on today’s edition of Hist...

Disclaimer: Today's episode contains language that may not be suitable for some listeners. There is nothing better than a witty comeback or insult. When an overconfident aggressor is put in their place, it can be extremely entertaining. During the 1600s, the Ottoman Empire focused on expanding into part of present-day Ukraine. When the emperor sent a letter to the Cossacks to submit to him, th...

Today, Scotland is part of the United Kingdom. However, for centuries, Scotland was an independent nation that often found itself in conflict with its neighbor to the south, England. During the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, the Scottish fought two wars to establish independence from English overlordship. Today, we’ll explore the Scottish Wars for Independence on History Under the Radar.

In 1875, the grandson of William Clark began a tradition that has continued for one hundred and fifty years. It happens every year on the first Saturday in May and maybe the the only time many people think of Louisville, Kentucky. We’ll talk about the history of the Kentucky Derby on today’s History Under the Radar.

Thousands of years ago, the ancient Israelites created a sacred container. Their most holy artifact, the Ten Commandments, was placed in this container. Centuries later, the Ark of the Covenant became lost to history. Ever since people have sought out the artifact in the hopes of proving its existence. One church in Africa claims to hold this most sacred relic. Is the Ark of the Covenant located i...

In the mid-1500’s. Spain was establishing their hold on the South American continent. Oftentimes, this included brutal wars with the native peoples, who were subjected to brutal acts to force their submission. However, one warrior became famous for not only resisting the Spanish but doing so with some interesting prosthetics. We’ll learn about Galvarino, the South American Warrior with Knives for...

In the 15th century, China sent a great treasure fleet across the ocean. Their mission was to contact other cultures and show the greatness of the Middle Kingdom. While we know this fleet met many Asian cultures and parts of Africa’s coast, there are those who believe they may visited another continent. A continent that Europeans would not be aware of for another sixty years. Did the Chinese visit...

In the first decade of the 19th century, the new republic of the United States faced its first test as a country on the world stage. In North Africa, pirates were disrupting trade in the Mediterranean Sea. While they enjoyed several years of extortion to keep the trade going, eventually, the United States took a stand. The events that followed would shape the United States' foreign policy movi...

Imagine you are a medieval peasant, and it is your wedding day. You and your new bride stand before God and those around you, swearing to love and honor each other til death do your part. Perhaps your village is holding a party in celebration. Family and friends surround you to celebrate the happy occasion. However, the happy occasion is short-lived. The local lord appears and declares his right t...

During the 1930s and 1940s, Adolf Hitler was the leader of Germany. He had a vision of creating a new German Empire, and his aggressive tactics towards his neighbors sparked World War II. He called this visionary German state the Third Reich. You may be asking yourself, what is a Reich? And if this was supposed to be the Third Reich, what were the first two? Learn about the first and second reichs...

In 232 BCE, one of the greatest conquerors in history died. After days of illness, Alexander the Great died in Babylon, leaving behind the largest land empire in history at that time. However, the cause of his death has been debated for centuries. Was it poison? Old war wounds? Alcohol poisoning? Or did he have an illness that caused his people to bury him alive? We’ll look at this theory on the d...

In 1998, a twenty-year-old conflict officially ended. The Good Friday Agreement was the first step towards healing a rift in Northern Ireland. Fighting between pro-UK and pro-Ireland forces led to the death of many innocent people caught in the crossfire. We’ll take a look at the Troubles in Northern Ireland, today on History Under the Radar.

When we think of World Wars, we tend to think of the two global conflicts from the early twentieth century. World War I, sometimes called the Great War, lasted from 1914-1918, and World War II lasted from 1939 to 1945. These two conflicts changed the world, and in some ways, we still can feel the results of the wars today in how various countries interact with each other. However, some historians...

Wealth can be a difficult thing to measure. Some people are worth billions of dollars based on business holdings, stocks, material goods, and various other factors. However, only one man in history was so wealthy that he crashed another kingdom’s economy. We’ll talk about Mansa Musa, one of the richest men ever to live, on today’s History Under the Radar.

The year is 1862. The United States was a year into the American Civil War. On a Confederate ship, one man decided to risk death to make a rush for freedom. Under darkness, Robert Smalls piloted the ship toward Union lines and freedom. We’ll talk about the desperate midnight run of Robert Smalls on today’s History Under the Radar.

A hundred years ago, over three hundred African Americans were murdered by a white mob during Memorial Day weekend. Between May 31 and June 1, 1921, the Tulsa, Oklahoma, Greenwood community was burnt to the ground. The event would be covered up and forgotten for decades. We’ll take a look at the Tulsa Massacre in today’s History Under the Radar.

Ocatvain Augsutsus conquered Eygpt with the defeat of Antony and Cleopatra in 30 BCE. His eyes soon fell upon a kingdom to the south of Egypt, ruled by another African queen. However, he would soon find a woman that would not yield. That queen was Amanireneas, the warrior queen of Kush. We’ll look at her life and legacy in today’s episode of History Under the Radar

In July of 1776, the American colonies found themselves at a crossroads. War had broken out between the colonists and their homeland of Great Britain. On one hand, they could surrender and put themselves at the mercy of King George III. Or, they can take a gamble and break away from the most powerful nation at the time. On July 4th, the Founding Fathers signed one of the most important documents i...

Silk is one of the most valued fabrics in the world. And for centuries, China closely guarded the secret of its production. However, this changed when some ambitious Christian monks went on a missionary journey to China. Learn about the Great Byzantine Silk Worm Heist on History Under the Radar.