The Rest Is History

It’s 1647, and in New England, where puritan settlers live in fear of God’s wrath and a hostile indigenous population, there are rumours coming from Boston, and up the Connecticut valley, that witches are to blame for the death of local children… In today’s episode, Tom and Dominic are joined by historian Malcolm Gaskill, as they discuss witch crazes, hunts and trials in the 17th century, with a p...

Born on the Western edge of an empire that stretched all the way to India, Herodotus was a Greek historian of the 5th century BC. His major work The Histories, a long and detailed account of the Greco-Persian Wars and the cultures of the ancient world, is considered the founding work of History in Western literature. Herodotus was known for his thorough research, his use of eyewitness accounts, an...

What was the most calamitous coronation of all time? Which ceremony does Tom think is the most boring topic he's ever discussed on the podcast? How will Charles III's big day compare to that of his ancestors? In the third and final episode, Tom and Dominic answer all these questions as they explore the most recent coronations in British history. *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Domini...

Whether it’s London descending into a riot, a bad hangover with Samuel Pepys, or a royal lacking discretion… Charles III will certainly be hoping that History does not repeat itself this weekend.  In the second of our episodes on coronations, Tom and Dominic take a look at some of the bad behaviour that occurred at coronations in the past, and whether that serves as an omen for the monarch’s reign...

The roots of the coronation ritual are fabulously ancient: certain elements of the ceremony are vestiges from the later Roman Empire, others have their origins in the Old Testament and ancient Egypt. The liturgy used can be traced back to the 10th century, and the very idea of kings taking part in rituals comes from Charlemagne.  In light of the first British coronation in more than half a century...

Few years in European History saw as much change and turmoil as 1848: across the continent, from Vienna to Paris to Palermo, mass protests took place, catching the old elites by surprise. The political order that stood strong since the defeat of Napoleon fell aside, making way for a newer, modern Europe, influenced by the rise both of socialism and nationalism. In today's episode, Tom and Dominic...

“It is 105 degrees in Saigon, and rising.” This announcement, made through U.S. Armed Forces radio on a spring morning in 1975, is the cue for all Americans remaining in Saigon to head to the US embassy, in order to be evacuated. With up to a million South Vietnamese also expecting to be flown to safety, the city erupts into panic and unrest. The last U.S. troops barricade themselves on the roof o...

It's 1975, and in the final act of the Vietnam War, the U.S. have ordered all remaining civilian and military personnel to be withdrawn from South Vietnam. The communist Viet Cong are closing in on the city of Saigon, the hub of America’s presence, as choppers evacuate the 6000 Americans left in the city. Thousands of Vietnamese storm the U.S. embassy, as Saigon descends into chaos. Join Tom and D...

Rin Tin Tin, born on the Western Front in 1918, became one of the biggest movie stars of the silent film era. Greyfriars Bobby gained his fame for guarding his masters' grave for 14 years, until the day he died.  Bounce, Admiral Collingwood’s loyal companion, would hide below deck during the Napoleonic Wars, and Collingwood would sing to him after battle, to calm his nerves. Nixon's dog Checkers s...

The German Democratic Republic was born in the ashes of the Second World War, and described itself as a socialist “workers’ and peasants’ state”. The country struggled for much of the latter half of the 20th century, relying on economic support and political backing from the USSR, until its dissolution in 1990. But what was life like for the average East German? In today's episode, Tom and Dominic...

The Black Prince has gained lands in Aquitaine and Gascony through his brutal and thorough attacks. But faced with financial difficulties, sickness, and a notable family death, can he retain his territories? Listen to Tom and Dominic as they conclude this epic four-part series on The 100 Years War. *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in...

As the spectre of the Black Death haunts Europe, a more tangible foe terrorises the French king and his subjects: the Black Prince, Edward of Woodstock. After his great victory leading the vanguard at Crécy, he continues with his regular incursions into France, before eventually being cornered by John II and his vast army at Poitiers in 1356: has the Black Prince’s luck finally run out? *The Rest...

State of the art military technology. Blind battle commanders. Iconic kingly lines. Tom and Dominic continue to delve into the 100 Years' War, as they patriotically explore the mighty battles of Sluys and Crécy. *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia! Buy your tickets here: restishistorypod.com Twitter...

Dynastic turmoil, inconvenient treaties with Scotland, tales of knights, longbows and the golden age of chivalry. In a time of chaos across Europe, England, a minor power of the time, takes on the mighty kingdom of France. Join Tom and Dominic to learn how the Hundred Years' War began. *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New...

A story spanning modern-day Ghana, Angola, and Benin, historian Luke Pepera joins Tom and Dominic to discuss the tradition of African queens, female warriors, and military commanders. Through the lives of Queen Nzinga of Ndongo, the Dahomey warriors, and the Ashanti Queen mothers, our hosts look at how these figures interacted with their male counterparts, their subjects, and European colonisers....

It's 1718, an English Quaker lands in Barbados. He is soon horrified to discover the treatment of people working the plantations there. Treatment the Marquis de Sade saw as the only cruelty that could rival that of the ancients. Listen to discover how Benjamin Lay became the first abolitionist, performing many stunts to shock and convince his fellow Quakers and humans that slavery was abhorrent an...

From claims that the alphabet was originated by Atlantians, Francis Bacon using the story as a model of utopia, to the Nazis co-opting Atlantis as the birthplace of the Aryan race, everyone seems to have wanted a slice of the Atlantian pie. Join Tom and Dominic as they explore the academics and the amateurs who lay claim to discovering the real Atlantis.  *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom...

Majestic palaces, untold riches, and indeterminable power... the story of Atlantis is a tale as old as time. But is there really any truth behind the ancient tome, or was Plato simply trying his hand at political satire? Join Tom and Dominic as they discuss the origins of the legend of Atlantis. *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in Lo...

Have humans always been haunted by fears of a climate apocalypse? Or is that a modern phenomenon? Is there a continuity from the Curse of Akkad to the Industrial Revolution? Listen as Tom and Dominic are joined by Peter Frankopan to discuss the history of the climate. *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Austr...

Warmonger or nuclear disarmer? Ronald Reagan’s presidency survived an assassination attempt, the AIDS epidemic and the Iranian hostage crisis. He powered through the 1980s, creating his own truth and narrative, in a series of events that read like a Hollywood screenplay.  Tom and Dominic take a look at the impact of Reagan's presidency, the enduring effects of his politics, and why none of the sca...

His Hollywood career drying up, Ronald Reagan works both for the Screen Actors Guild and General Electric in the 1950s. Building connections with the Californian elite, and having gained national attention with a speech for the Republican presidential candidate in 1964, he becomes Governor of California in 1966. A pragmatic, anti-hippie, centre-right governor, he goes on to win the Republican pres...

Ronald "Dutch" Reagan was born in 1911 to a humble family of Illinois, his father an FDR-loving democrat, his mother a notable member of the local Christian community. A high school football star, "Dutch" would grow up to become one of America's favourite sports broadcasters, a Hollywood actor and a union leader, before finally entering American political life in 1964. The first episode of our thr...

Christopher Columbus caused debate in his own time, and remains a controversial figure today: some argue he initiated both the Atlantic slave trade and the genocide of the Native Americans, others laud him as one of the great men of History. Join Tom and Dominic as they explore these issues, their roots, and the truth behind the man Columbus really was... *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom...

Columbus returns to the remnants of his first voyage to the "Indies", having convinced Isabella and Ferdinand to fund a larger second trip. Desperate to make his mission financially fruitful, his search for wealth and capital unleashes horror on the land that he has “discovered”. Columbus makes enemies, causes destruction and starts to lose his grip on reality, whilst he attempts to cling to his n...

Having convinced the Catholic Monarchs to fund his journey across the Atlantic, Columbus sets sail with three ships, a crew with dubious loyalties, and a mission to find China or Japan by heading west.  A voyage spanning the Canary Islands, Cuba and Hispaniola, he will encounter and enslave indigenous peoples, mislead and fall out with his crew, then eventually be arrested in Portugal on his retur...