Echoes of History

The literal jewel in the British crown, the Koh-i-Noor diamond has a history as rich as its caratage. Queen Victoria received it from the last maharaja of the Sikh Empire, and it has become a symbol of British colonialism ever since - even in the eyes of the Empress of India herself. In this episode, thanks to a glitch in the Animus, Dan Snow steps in to interview Shrabani Basu about the famous Ko...

The Industrial Revolution began in Britain in the late 18th century, giving birth to an era that has changed world history. The period was characterised by rapid economic, social and technological growth. Marked by innovation and inventions like the steam engine, spinning jenny and telephone, industrialisation also saw a rise in urbanisation, the factory system, poverty and the exploitation of a n...

Scotland Yard: the home of London's Metropolitan Police Force. In this episode, Matt Lewis and Dr Jonah Miller put a magnifying lens to the history of both Scotland Yard as a place and on the policemen and detectives that worked within it. What went on inside? Why did it come to be known as Scotland Yard? And how significant a role did it play in shaping Victorian London? Echoes of History is a Ub...

Queen Victoria was the last English monarch of the House of Hanover and gave her name to an era in British history. Although small in stature, she was a towering figure as she witnessed major turning points in British history. Yet she is often caricatured as a spiky and stubborn woman. In this episode, historian Alex Churchill join Matt Lewis to life the veil on Victoria's life as queen; unpacking...

What was life like in feudal Japan? If you were born into the chaos of the Warring States period, would you have been a farmer, a merchant or a samurai? Or perhaps even an Emperor? Delving into the history behind the latest Assassin’s Creed game, Assassin’s Creed Shadows , Matt Lewis and Dr Tomoko Kate Kitagawa shed light on the customs, culture and class structures of medieval Japan. They explore...

During the Onin Wars of the early Sengoku period, Kyoto was razed as civil war struck the Imperial capital. Only with unification did the city begin to rebuild. This episode will explore the rise and fall and rise again of Kyoto, what life in the city might have looked like, and why it held such significance to unification in the 16th century. In turn, we'll reveal how the Sengoku period shaped th...

In the sixth episode delving into the history behind the latest Assassin’s Creed game, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Matt Lewis and Nathan Ledbetter follow the sound of marching footsteps and clashing blades into Japan’s mountainous Iga province, to learn about the fearsome conflict between samurai armies and guerrilla shinobi, or ninja, that was the Tensho Iga War between 1578 and 1581. Echoes of His...

Oda Nobunaga, samurai warlord. He’s one of Japan’s most infamous and consequential figures, known to many as Japan’s first ‘Great Unifier’. From humble beginnings as the daimyo of Owari province, he embarked on a mission to unite all of Japan under his sole control. But how did he emerge as Japan’s dominant warlord in an era of incessant social upheaval and civil war?  In the fifth episode de...

Yasuke is one of the most captivating and yet mysterious figures within Japanese history. In 1581, at the height of the civil war, he crossed paths with the country’s most powerful warlord, Oda Nobunaga. Their meeting bound the two men together and set Yasuke on a path to becoming the first known samurai of African descent in Japan. Delving into the history behind one of the two main characters in...

When Portuguese merchants ran aground on the Japanese isle of Tanegashima in 1543 two worlds collided - Europeans had encountered Japan for the first time. For the next 50 years Portuguese-sponsored missionaries flooded into this newly discovered land aiming to exploit it for western benefit. But in the fiery cauldron of Sengoku Japan, Portuguese missionaries were but one player in the most bloody...

In the 16th century, Japan was embroiled in what is known as Sengoku jidai - ‘The Warring States’ period. It was a time of bloody battles, social upheaval and is known as the most violent in Japan’s history.  But how, and when, did 150 years of bitter warfare and division come to an end? How did unification change the face of Japanese society? In the second episode of this series delving into...

Dating from 1467-1603, the Sengoku or ‘Warring States’ period is known as the bloodiest in Japan’s history; an era of continuous social upheaval and civil war which transformed the country. Shogun-led authority was shattered and 150 years of murder and betrayal followed as fearsome warlords ruled local territories with unflinching ruthlessness.  In the first episode of this series delvin...

Introducing a new chapter of Echoes of History, the podcast that explores the incredible real-life stories and events that inspire the locations, characters, and storylines of the legendary Assassin’s Creed. Join your host, historian Matt Lewis, and regular contributor Holly Nielsen, as they guide you into the worlds of Assassin’s Creed, talking to historical experts to uncover the secrets of the...

The new season of "Echoes of History" features Ubisoft's new game: "Skull and Bones". Bermuda was at the crossroads between Europe and the New World, but it was also a haven for pirates. A child of the archipelago, Nathaniel North was lulled by the legendary tales of Thomas Tew’s exploits in the Indian Ocean. That's all it took to inspire him to embrace a life of crime. After escaping from the aut...

The new season of "Echoes of History" features Ubisoft's new game: "Skull and Bones". Who said all pirates were cruel and bloodthirsty? Definitely not Edward England. For this buccaneer who had been in the English Navy, piracy was a dream of freedom and wealth. Nothing obliged him to torture, kill, or decapitate opposing crews. An unconventional stance that didn't win England many friends. Within...

The new season of "Echoes of History" features Ubisoft's new game: "Skull and Bones. There are opportunistic pirates and those who have piracy in their blood. Mathurin Desmaretz belonged to the second category of sea scum. A simple buccaneer in his youth, he longed for freedom at sea. But life was not so simple. Forced to enlist several times, he looked at the horizon with envy. When he finally ha...

The new season of "Echoes of History" features Ubisoft's new game: "Skull and Bones.  Is it possible to be a military man and outlaw at the same time? Well, it's all a matter of perspective. A strategic prodigy of the Maratha Empire in India, Kanhoji Angria was appointed admiral before he turned 30. Unbeatable at sea, he attacked the ships of East India Companies, which enriched Europe at the exp...

The new season of "Echoes of History" features Ubisoft's new game: "Skull and Bones". You're not born a pirate, you become one. This motto shaped the eventful life of William Kidd. The English buccaneer thought he could make a fortune in the gray area between privateers and pirates. But fate had other plans for him. As the captain of a sailing expedition to the Indian Ocean, Kidd suffered a series...

The new season of "Echoes of History" features Ubisoft's new game: "Skull and Bones". Among pirates, a nickname creates the legend. A fearless sea bandit and outstanding fighter, Olivier Levasseur was called La Buse by his peers. The former French privateer had the reputation of swooping down on his prey through violent lightning raids. In reality, it was his carefully planned attacks that helped...

The new season of "Echoes of History" features Ubisoft's new game: "Skull and Bones". As the son of a Royal Navy officer, Henry Every was destined to a lifetime of serving the British crown. On the decks of military ships, life was as miserable as the pay. After years of hardship, Every grew weary and led a band of mutineers to take control of the ship. The event marked the beginning of his legend...

The new season of "Echoes of History" features Ubisoft's new game: "Skull and Bones". At the end of the 17th century, pirates scoured the warm seas of the Caribbean. When this corner of the world became too small for these restless bandits, one man looked towards the East... Thomas Tew, a former privateer, was one of the first pirates to set sail for the Indian Ocean. Lured by gold, spices, and pr...

The new season of "Echoes of History" features Ubisoft's new game: "Skull and Bones". Inspired by this adventure where players write their own destinies as sea bandits, the podcast "Gangsters of the Seas" dives into the sordid history of the Indian Ocean's most terrible pirates. Hosted by: Michelle Rodriguez Written by: Gaspard Wallut Historical advisor: Philippe Hrodej Produced by: Morgan Jaffe,...

Slavery in medieval Baghdad was complex, and though slaves had some social mobility, the Zanj people had been mistreated and were hungry for a rebellion. Ali ibn Muhammad was the driving force for this revolution, and led the Zanj and their disenfranchised allies through 15 years of war. Can ibn Muhammad and his rebels overthrow the Abbasids? Is this the beginning of the end? An original Ubisoft s...

As the chaos of Samarra spreads to Baghdad, the Caliph al Ma'mun leaves the old capital in the hands of the trusted Tahrid family. Muhammad ibn Abdallah ibn Tahir is appointed Governor of Baghdad and the city thrives, but when the fleeing al-Musta’in takes refuge in Baghdad, ibn Abdallah ibn Tahir must survive the military advances of al-Mu’tazz and find a path of survival for Baghdad. An original...

In a time of anarchy and political upheaval, the established militant force in Samarra now has unprecedented power over the Caliph. In this episode Ali and Deana discuss the life of al-Mu’tazz, son of al-Mutawakkil and heir to the throne. From being the favorite child of his father, to being placed under house-arrest by his newly elected cousin, patience is a virtue for this figure of Baghdad. Whe...