King Leopold's elephant expedition: a story of colonialism in Congo
In 1879, King Leopold of Belgium commissioned an expedition to transport Asian elephants from India to the African interior, with a vision of using them as working animals to unlock the continent's re...
28 Feb 202531min
Introducing History's Greatest Battles | New Podcast
Vicious civil wars. Gruelling sieges. Rebellious provinces, galling betrayals and tribes seeking revenge… Join us for the first series of History’s Greatest Battles, where we’re heading back to the Ro...
27 Feb 20251min
What did the Romans wear?
What did a Roman wear under their tunic? What was the best occasion to wear socks with sandals? And what might land you in trouble with the ancient Roman fashion police? Speaking to Emily Briffett, hi...
26 Feb 202542min
Frederick Barbarossa: life of the week
Frederick Barbarossa has gone down in history as one of medieval Europe's most formidable rulers. He waged ruthless wars in Italy, clashed with the papacy, and came to an ignominious end on crusade. S...
25 Feb 202547min
Sexuality on trial in colonial America
In 1774, as Britain’s colonies in America teetered on the brink of revolution, one regiment was torn apart by the trials of a British army chaplain – Robert Newburgh – who was accused of having sex wi...
24 Feb 202530min
Mining history: everything you wanted to know
Historically, how much would a British miner have earned for a hard day's work? Did women and children also work underground? And why were canaries taken down the pits? In conversation with Lauren Goo...
23 Feb 202534min
Bruisers and bare knuckles: the brutal world of Victorian boxing
Men fighting pumas. Brutal prize-fights in sacred chapels. A pair of sisters who could pack a punch. In Victorian Britain, boxing offered up edge-of-your-seat entertainment to all levels of society. A...
21 Feb 202536min
Did Britain really rule the waves?
It's often proclaimed that British sea power was at its pinnacle in the years following the French and Napoleonic wars. But was this really a time when Britain 'ruled the waves'? And how did the rise ...
19 Feb 202546min
