HistoryExtra podcast

Sue Pritchard, curator of a new exhibition of royal portraits at the National Maritime Museum, discusses how wigs were used to convey royal power   Sue Pritchard, curator of Tudors to Windsors, a new exhibition of royal portraits at the National Maritime Museum, discusses how monarchs used wigs to convey royal power and spark fashions, from Elizabeth I’s fiery false locks, to Charles II’s luxurian...

During the Second World War, an estimated 2,000 babies were fathered by African-American GIs stationed in Britain. Lucy Bland reveals how these mixed-race children faced discrimination in the streets and ambivalence from the government, and why so many were given up by their mothers.    (Ad) Lucy Bland is the author of Britain's ‘Brown Babies’: The Stories of Children Born to Black GIs and White W...

John Zubryzcki shares the story of the party-loving royals of the House of Jaipur, who turned to politics following Indian independence   In the 1950s and 60s, the House of Jaipur’s Jai and Ayesha were seen as India’s golden couple, rubbing shoulders with American film stars and British royalty. But as the princely states’ power was squeezed post-partition, the couple had to balance partying with...

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, and Marguerite Kaye join us to discuss their new historical romance novel, Her Heart for a Compass, which follows Victorian aristocrat Lady Margaret Montagu Scott, as she seeks to shake off the suffocating restrictions of the time.   (Ad) Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York and Marguerite Kaye are the co-authors of Her Heart for a Compass (HarperCollins, 2021). Buy it...

Historian Ronald Hutton discusses Oliver Cromwell’s early life and career, exploring the brilliance and cruelty of the future Lord Protector and explaining how he rose from obscurity to become one of the dominant figures of the age.   (Ad) Ronald Hutton is the author of The Making of Oliver Cromwell (Yale, due to be published 10 August). Preorder on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Making-Oli...

Martin Johnes tackles listener questions about the history of modern Wales, from the Industrial Revolution to devolution   In the latest episode in our series tackling major historical topics, Professor Martin Johnes answers listener questions about the history of modern Wales. He covers topics from the rapid industrialisation that transformed the nation’s landscape and culture in the 19th century...

Norman Davies introduces a long-maligned and overlooked monarch, George II, King of Great Britain and Ireland and Elector of Hanover, considering the legacy of his rule, the familial rifts that characterised his reign, and his role in the trade of enslaved people. (Ad) Norman Davies is the author of George II: Not Just a British Monarch (Penguin, 2021). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skim...

Nick Hayes discusses the contested history of land ownership in England, from William the Conqueror to the Kinder trespass   Nick Hayes, author of The Book of Trespass, discusses the contested history of land ownership in England, from William the Conqueror to the Kinder trespass. He recounts moments from history when people have come to blows over whether our natural resources should belong to th...

In the 16th century, Antwerp was a global centre of trade, talked about around the world. Michael Pye considers its rise and bloody fall   In the 16th century, Antwerp was a global city that was talked about around the world – a centre of commerce, trade, knowledge and innovation, plus one of scandal, murder, secrets and intrigue. Michael Pye, author of Antwerp: The Glory Years, considers its rise...

With the Olympics underway in Tokyo, Chris Harding looks back at 1964 – the last time Japan hosted the competition   With the Summer Olympics underway in Tokyo, Chris Harding looks back to the 1964 games – the last time Japan hosted the competition. He explores how the competition redefined the nation on the world stage two decades after the Second World War.    (Ad) Christopher Harding is the aut...

Meg Foster discusses the bandits that lived outside the law in Australia’s bush – from Ned Kelly to surprising lesser-known figures    Meg Foster discusses the bandits that lived outside the law in Australia’s bush, unpicking myth from reality in the stories of criminals who became folk heroes and national icons. She looks at the infamous bushranger Ned Kelly, and also shares surprising stories of...

As the world’s best athletes congregate in Tokyo for the 29th Summer Games, David Goldblatt answers your questions on the history of the Olympics   How violent were the ancient Greek Olympics? How did the Nazis react to Jessie Owens’ incredible performance in Munich, 1936? And what ranks as the greatest achievement in the history of the Games? David Goldblatt, author of The Games: A Global History...

Dr Freya Gowrley reveals how Georgian satirists used images of fatness to comment on the anxieties of the age    From Britain's heaviest man who became a much-loved celebrity, to rotund imperialists mocked in humorous prints, Dr Freya Gowrley reveals how Georgian satirists used images of fatness to comment on the anxieties of the age.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. L...

Michael Burleigh discusses his book Day of the Assassins: A History of Political Murder, which considers what we can learn from looking at assassinations as a category of political violence. He also talks about some of the key assassinations through history, from Julius Caesar and Abraham Lincoln to the mysterious 1986 killing of the Swedish prime minister Olof Palme.   (Ad) Michael Burleigh is th...

Alex Renton discusses his new book, Blood Legacy, which offers an unflinching account of his ancestors’ involvement in the slave trade. He also considers how best to deal with this unwanted inheritance, and how the long-lasting impact of slavery still affects the world today.    (Ad) Alex Renton is the author of Blood Legacy: Reckoning With a Family’s Story of Slavery (Canongate, 2021)   Buy it no...

For more than 300 years, the piano has captivated audiences, while composers have pushed the instrument’s boundaries. Susan Tomes, author of The Piano: A History in 100 Pieces, discusses some of the most impressive pieces of piano music ever written, and shares the stories of the composers who penned them.    (Ad) Susan Tomes is the author of The Piano: A History in 100 Pieces (Yale, 2021)   Buy i...

As statues of controversial historical figures continue to hit the headlines, Alex von Tunzelmann – author of Fallen Idols: Twelve Statues that Made History – looks at some of the most illuminating examples from across the centuries. She explores why the debate has proven so divisive, and gives her take on what should happen to controversial statues.   (Ad) Alex von Tunzelmann is the author of Fal...

Did medieval people have sex in churches? What was a boy bishop? And why did women have to sit in the ‘safe side’ of a church in the Middle Ages? In the latest episode of our everything you want to know series, Professor Nicholas Orme responds to author questions and popular internet search queries about the church in medieval England.   (Ad) Nicholas Orme is the author of the upcoming book Going...

In 1897 the Belgian Antarctic Expedition set sail in search of the south magnetic pole, but their journey was scuppered by a long, arduous winter trapped in the pack ice. Malnourishment, madness, and the threat of murder loomed. Julian Sancton, author of Madhouse at the End of the Earth: The Belgica’s Journey into the Dark Antarctic Night, charts their extraordinary journey.   (Ad) Julian Sancton...

Looted from Benin City in 1897, the Benin Bronzes are one of the most impressive collections of artworks ever created – and their future is under debate. While many of these artefacts are currently held in European museums and private collections, calls are being made to return them Nigeria. Bronwen Everill discusses the history of the bronzes, the culture that created them, and what their future...

From the Falklands to North America, British and French soldiers spent much of the 18th century locked in battle. Yet many influential thinkers believed that the two nations’ prospects were best served by cooperation not conflict. John Shovlin discusses the attempts to reset the dial on Anglo-French relations in the 18th century.   (Ad) John Shovlin is the author of Trading with the Enemy: Britain...

Author and former Washington Post journalist Michael Dobbs talks about his new book King Richard, which charts 100 pivotal days as the Watergate scandal gained a grip on Richard Nixon’s presidency, eventually leading to his infamous downfall.   (Ad) Michael Dobbs is the author of King Richard: Nixon and Watergate, an American Tragedy (Scribe, 2021)    Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimre...

Fern Riddell, author of Sex: Lessons from History, discusses what we can learn from looking at sexual culture in the past, and gives her thoughts on what we get wrong about the sex lives of our forebears, from contraception and sex work to the joy of sexual connection.   (Ad) Fern Riddell is the author of Sex: Lessons from History (Hodder & Stoughton, 2021)    Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.a...

Who was to blame for the Highland Clearances? Why did they happen? And what became of those who were forcibly evicted? In the latest episode in our series on history’s biggest topics, historian Sir Tom Devine, author of The Scottish Clearances: A History of the Dispossessed, responds to listener questions on the causes and consequences of one of the most notorious episodes of Scottish history.   (...

Jonathan Westaway explores why there was a boom in the popularity of endurance running following the First World War   Following the First World War, endurance athletes in the English Lake District and elsewhere devoted themselves to smashing long-distance running records. Jonathan Westaway explores how endurance running’s boom in popularity was in part a reaction to the horrors of the global conf...