
Queens in the Age of Chivalry
The 14th century was an era of high drama in England – from the toppling of two kings and the Hundred Years’ War to the Black Death and Peasants’ Revolt. Speaking with Emily Briffett, bestselling hist...
14 Nov 202247min

The Crimean War: everything you wanted to know
The Crimean War of 1853-6 saw Russia clash with an alliance of forces including Britain, France and the Ottoman empire. But what were the causes of the conflict? Why does it still exert such a hold on...
13 Nov 202259min

Writing the history of the modern monarchy
Recent years have seen a flurry of historical dramas and documentaries surrounding the modern monarchy, with historians and commentators debating whether or not they offer a fair depiction of the roya...
12 Nov 202232min

The Mary Rose | 4. inside the Tudor treasure trove
When the Mary Rose was rescued from the seafloor, it wasn’t just a large timber hull that was salvaged – more than 19,000 historical objects were dredged from the depths alongside it. These artefacts ...
11 Nov 202246min

A whistle-stop tour around the world in AD 1500
To mark HistoryExtra’s 1500th episode, Jerry Brotton takes Ellie Cawthorne on a whistle-stop tour around the world in AD 1500, from the powerful dynasties of Eurasia and the rich culture of Ming dynas...
10 Nov 202242min

Are period dramas damaging history?
How important is it for period dramas to accurately reflect the past? What ethical issues are raised by actors playing fictionalised versions of real people? And does the media depict historians and a...
9 Nov 202247min

Pharaohs' pants & knightly toilet troubles: teaching history to kids
How exactly do you get children interested in history? Public historian Greg Jenner discusses his new children’s book You Are History, and explains to David Musgrove how you can build bridges to the p...
8 Nov 202247min

Medieval excommunication: eternal damnation or no big deal?
In Christian-dominated medieval Europe, what did it mean to be excommunicated? How much of an earth-shattering punishment was it, and what can excommunications tell us about the attitudes of people in...
7 Nov 202246min


















