Half-Arsed History

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, discover the story behind Australia's first (and only) military coup, when William Bligh was overthrown as governor of New South Wales - the Rum Rebellion. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, hear the rest of the life story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, how he set himself up as a successful performer and composer in Vienna, and discover his lifelong love of scatological humour. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region....

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, hear the first half of the life story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and his adventures as a child and young man as he travelled Europe, performing as a child virtuoso and honing his craft as a legendary composer. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, uncover the story of Zoe and Theodora Porphyrogenita, two sisters who rose to power in the ruthless, cutthroat world of Byzantine politics. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, hear the story of the richest man in ancient Rome, who was a real nasty piece of work: Marcus Licinius Crassus. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ (affiliate link): ht...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, be entertained with some morbid comedy with the stories of ten more weird and ridiculous deaths from across history. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ (affiliate link...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, hear the very entertaining last words of four figures from throughout history: Marie Antoinette, John Segwick, James W. Rodgers, and Ian Fleming. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Re...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, hear the comedic tragedy - or is it the tragic comedy - of the Erfurt Latrine Disaster, when a huge group of mediaeval German lords plunged into a cesspit in the middle of meeting with a king. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand r...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, learn the story behind Sapa Inca Atahualpa and the Massacre of Cajamarca, the defining moment in the collapse of the mighty Inca Empire.  The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readi...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, find out about King Shaka kaSenzangakhona, also known as Shaka Zulu, a man who went from a common soldier to a tribal chieftain to one of southern Africa's most powerful warrior-kings. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand regi...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, hear the tale of Attila the Hun, one of history's most fearsome and bloodthirsty warriors, who rampaged across both the Eastern and Western Roman Empires. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from B...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, discover the life story of Jadwiga of Poland, a monarch who guided her realm through a turbulent and difficult period while maintaining peace and prosperity for her people. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-orde...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, hear the tale of the first woman known to history to have circumnavigated the globe, Jeanne Baret, who went from being an impoverished peasant to a widely-travelled botanist and entrepreneur who made history with her voyages. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across th...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, discover the life story of one of history's most famous con men, Charles Ponzi, whose name is still attached to the swindle he pulled off (but didn't invent!) in 1920, when he fleeced millions from people in the US. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australi...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, hear the extraordinary tale of Wild Bill Hickok, a famous gunslinger and lawman from the American Old West, who - amongst much else - once shot a man dead over a gold pocketwatch. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. P...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, learn about the Time of Troubles, a period of Russian history brought about by a succession crisis that involved chaos, invasions, lawlessness, and three different blokes pretending to be a long-lost heir who had come back from the dead. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September ac...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, hear the tale of Moondyne Joe, a convict sent to Western Australia who became infamous for his many attempts to break out of jail there, and the adventures he had along the way. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, discover the history of the bicycle, and how it went from being a wooden-wheeled, bone-shaking daredevil's plaything to a wonderful machine that influenced historical political movements and changed the way we travel. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia a...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, learn the history of the ancient Olympic Games, which featured everything from naked foot races to bloodsports, and became the precursor to the modern Olympic Games we all know so well today. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zeala...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, uncover the full story of one of the biggest political scandals in recent memory - the Watergate Scandal, which brought low an entire presidential administration after a series of failed cover-ups. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, learn the long and surprisingly involved history of the  Hudson's Bay Company - today a chain of department stores, but previously a fur trading company that became a foundationally important part of Canada. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Ao...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, uncover the history of the structures that became mediaeval Europe's military, political, economic, and administrative focal points: the castle , a fortified home for wealthy ruling nobles. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand regi...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, hear the story of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, better known to history as El Cid, a famous Spanish knight who fought for and against both Christians and Muslims in mediaeval Iberia. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, uncover the bloody, decades-long feud between two rival Frankish queens from the Early Middle Ages, Brunhilda and Fredegund. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ (affili...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, be amazed at the ridiculous story of the Battle of Castle Itter, the only recorded time when American and German soldiers fought side-by-side in the Second World War. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy...