367. The Real Harry Potter: Magic, Empire and Beastly Bullies
10 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Eclectic traditions, obscure codes and cryptic ancient languages: the world of Harry Potter has capt...
366. The Architect of Modern China
06 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“Let us advance courageously, to change the backward condition of our country, and turn it into a ...
365. Le Marquis de Sade: Sex and Violence
03 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The father of sadism and a prophet of totalitarianism, the Marquis de Sade was a French aristocrat a...
364. Sixties Fashion: Swinging London (Part 2)
30 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In a swirling world dominated by miniskirts, feather boas, posh photographers, youth culture, Jimi H...
363. Sixties Fashion: The Teenage Revolution (Part 1)
27 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Sixties is one of the only moments in history when Britain could claim to be the epicentre of wo...
362. The Taj Mahal: Love and Death
23 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“The mutual affection and harmony between the two had reached a degree never seen between a husban...
361. The Lost Library of Alexandria
20 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
One of the greatest institutions of the ancient world, the Library of Alexandria was the embodiment ...
360. Fear City: New York in the 1970s
16 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“A cloud of black, acrid smoke hung over the area. It was a scene from a warzone, a battlefield - ...
359: Martin Luther King's Dream
13 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.” Arguably the most celebrated speech of the 20th...
358: Viking Sorcery
09 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Warning! This one isn’t for the faint-hearted... A naked, torch-carrying man, who would walk backw...
357: Historical Love Island: The Sequel
06 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“There’s a lot of severed heads at this villa!” The great TV sensation of the summer returns o...
356: The Blood-Drinking Bride of Christ
02 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A woman of immense influence on medieval Christendom, Catherine of Siena was one of the first female...
355: Roman Apocalypse: Pompeii 79 AD
30 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Mount Vesuvius' eruption in the autumn of AD79 remains one of the deadliest and best-known in histor...
354: Paris 1968: The Return of De Gaulle (Part 2)
27 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Charles de Gaulle was a war hero in the First World War, and, having refused to accept his governmen...
353: Paris 1968: The Students' Revolt (Part 1)
24 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
May 1968 saw underlying tensions reach a climax in France, resulting in a period of civil unrest col...
352: Amsterdam: Kings, Canals, and Coffee Houses (Part 2)
20 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A city which played a fundamental role in the Dutch Golden Age and in the birth of the Dutch monarch...
351: Amsterdam: Miracles, Money, and Mud (Part 1)
17 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A city built on water, Amsterdam has often set the tone of European modernity. It first gained promi...
350: The Triumph of George Washington (Part 4)
13 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
With the French and Spanish siding with George Washington’s revolutionaries, the game is up for th...
349: The Birth of the United States (Part 3)
10 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“O ye that love mankind! Ye that dare oppose, not only the tyranny, but the tyrant, stand forth!”...
348: The Boston Tea Party (Part 2)
06 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“Last night three cargos of tea were emptied into the sea. This morning a man of war sails. This i...
347: The American Revolution (Part 1)
03 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“America, late the strength, now the foe to Britain, dismembered, torn, I fear forever lost to Eng...
346: The Mystery of the Holy Grail
29 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“Who drinks the water I shall give him, will have a spring inside him welling up for eternal life....
345: Raiders of the Lost Ark
26 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The most important object in the universe, but also a somewhat invisible presence in the Bible, the ...
344: Oppenheimer: The Witch Hunt (Part 2)
23 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Following the use of the atomic bomb in Japan and the end of the Second World War, Oppenheimer pushe...
343: Oppenheimer: The Father of the Atom Bomb (Part 1)
22 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.” This was J. Robert Oppenheimer’s reaction to...
342: The Trials of Oscar Wilde: Downfall and Prison (Part 2)
19 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 1895, and with the libel case brought against the Marquess of Queensbury having collapsed, Os...
341: The Trials of Oscar Wilde: Sex and Scandal (Part 1)
15 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“The truth is rarely pure and never simple.” As his most popular work, "The Importance of Being ...
340: Hadrian and Antinous
12 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A mysterious death on the Nile, an unconventional love affair, a Roman-Greek hero turned God - the s...
339: Ireland: The Easter Rising, 1916 (Part 4)
08 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Easter Rising began in Dublin's General Post Office on Easter Monday, 24th April 1916, with Patr...
338: Ireland: Home Rule, Mutiny - and Civil War? (Part 3)
05 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The year is 1912. The bitter arguments about Home Rule for Ireland are reaching boiling point. But w...
337: Ireland: Union, Famine and Parnell (Part 2)
01 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
At the start of the 19th century, the kingdoms of Britain and Ireland were officially 'united' with ...
336: Ireland: Celts, Conquest and Cromwell (Part 1)
29 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“In every generation the Irish people have asserted their right to national freedom and sovereignt...
335: The Freemasons: History's Greatest Conspiracy Theory
25 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A grubby, secretive cabal of devil worshippers that run the world, or a fraternity of like-minded i...
334: Athens and the Birth of Democracy
22 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What did "demos" really mean to the Athenians? Why were women such a crucial part of Athenian democr...
333: The Republic of Britain: Life under Cromwell
18 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's 1649 and a new republic has been declared, the Commonwealth of England. It's an age of 17th cen...
332: King Solomon's Mines
15 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In 1885, H. Rider Haggard’s brother offered him a wager: five shillings if he could write a book h...
331: American Witches
11 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 1647, and in New England, where puritan settlers live in fear of God’s wrath and a hostile ...
330: Herodotus: The Birth of History
08 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Born on the Western edge of an empire that stretched all the way to India, Herodotus was a Greek his...
329: Coronations: Chaos, Ceremony and Empire (Part 3)
06 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What was the most calamitous coronation of all time? Which ceremony does Tom think is the most borin...
328: Coronations: Sex, Holy Oil and Civil War (Part 2)
05 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Whether it’s London descending into a riot, a bad hangover with Samuel Pepys, or a royal lacking d...
327: Coronations: The Deep History (Part 1)
04 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The roots of the coronation ritual are fabulously ancient: certain elements of the ceremony are vest...
326: The Year of Revolutions: 1848
01 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Few years in European History saw as much change and turmoil as 1848: across the continent, from Vie...
325: Fall of Saigon: Apocalypse Now (Part 2)
27 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“It is 105 degrees in Saigon, and rising.” This announcement, made through U.S. Armed Forces rad...
324: Fall of Saigon: The Nightmare Begins (Part 1)
24 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's 1975, and in the final act of the Vietnam War, the U.S. have ordered all remaining civilian and...
323: History's Greatest Dogs
20 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Rin Tin Tin, born on the Western Front in 1918, became one of the biggest movie stars of the silent ...
322: East Germany: Life Behind the Iron Curtain
17 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The German Democratic Republic was born in the ashes of the Second World War, and described itself a...
321: Hundred Years' War: A Storm of Swords (Part 4)
13 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Black Prince has gained lands in Aquitaine and Gascony through his brutal and thorough attacks. ...
320: Hundred Years' War: The Black Prince (Part 3)
10 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As the spectre of the Black Death haunts Europe, a more tangible foe terrorises the French king and ...
319: Hundred Years' War: Triumph of the Longbow (Part 2)
06 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
State of the art military technology. Blind battle commanders. Iconic kingly lines. Tom and Dominic ...
318: Hundred Years' War: A Game of Thrones (Part 1)
03 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dynastic turmoil, inconvenient treaties with Scotland, tales of knights, longbows and the golden age...
317: African Amazons
30 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A story spanning modern-day Ghana, Angola, and Benin, historian Luke Pepera joins Tom and Dominic to...
316: The First Abolitionist
27 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's 1718, an English Quaker lands in Barbados. He is soon horrified to discover the treatment of pe...
315: Atlantis: Legacy of the Lost Empire (Part 2)
23 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
From claims that the alphabet was originated by Atlantians, Francis Bacon using the story as a model...
314: Atlantis: The Legend (Part 1)
20 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Majestic palaces, untold riches, and indeterminable power... the story of Atlantis is a tale as old ...
313: Climate Apocalypse
16 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Have humans always been haunted by fears of a climate apocalypse? Or is that a modern phenomenon? Is...
312: Reagan, Iran-Contra and the Cold War (Part 3)
13 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Warmonger or nuclear disarmer? Ronald Reagan’s presidency survived an assassination attempt, the A...
311: Reagan: The Road to the White House (Part 2)
09 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
His Hollywood career drying up, Ronald Reagan works both for the Screen Actors Guild and General Ele...
310: Ronald Reagan and the American Dream (Part 1)
06 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ronald "Dutch" Reagan was born in 1911 to a humble family of Illinois, his father an FDR-loving demo...
309: Columbus: Villain or Hero? (Part 4)
02 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Christopher Columbus caused debate in his own time, and remains a controversial figure today: some a...
308: Columbus: Death in the Caribbean (Part 3)
27 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Columbus returns to the remnants of his first voyage to the "Indies", having convinced Isabella and ...
307: Columbus: A New World? (Part 2)
23 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Having convinced the Catholic Monarchs to fund his journey across the Atlantic, Columbus sets sail w...
306: Columbus: The Adventure Begins (Part 1)
20 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A controversial figure both now and in his time, Tom and Dominic discuss Columbus and his drive for ...
305: The Fall of the Roman Republic
16 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this second episode on perhaps the most notorious assasination in world history, Tom and Dominic ...
304: The Murder of Julius Caesar
13 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“He was trapped - he couldn’t get up. There was blood everywhere. The faces were coming closer, ...
303: The Bloodiest Crusade
09 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Thought by some as the first genocide in Europe, the Albigensian Crusade was the bloodiest crusade i...
302: The Mystery of the Cathars
07 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Was the Catholic Church Europe’s first revolutionary group? How are the Cathars linked to the gene...
301: The Real Da Vinci Code
06 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Secret societies, Jesus' ancient bloodline, Catholic conspirators; all backed up by documents in the...
300: The Real Downton Abbey
02 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Edwardian Britain: Domestic service is at its peak. However, as Britain modernises, things were abou...
299: The Greatest Female Pharaoh
30 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"One of the greatest rulers to have ever lived" - Tom Holland. But how much do you know about Hatshe...
298: The Nazis: Total Power (Part 4)
26 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hitler is chancellor, but he is not yet all-powerful. How does he go from becoming the leader of the...
297: The Nazis: Hitler's Triumph (Part 3)
23 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Wall Street crashes. The German economy capitulates and governments start to fall. Backroom deals an...
296: The Nazis: The Beer Hall Putsch (Part 2)
19 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
German hyperinflation. The Beer Hall Putsch. Hitler’s trial. Join Tom and Dominic as they discuss ...
295: The Rise of the Nazis (Part 1)
16 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Where do the origins of Nazism lie? The Second Reich? Hitler’s time in Vienna? The First World War...
294: Lady Jane Grey: The Axe Falls (Part 2)
12 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
‘It had the alchemy of a bitter Tory leadership race’. Reigning for the shortest period of any ...
293: Lady Jane Grey: The Nine Days' Queen (Part 1)
09 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Edward VI is dead - but who will succeed him on the throne? In the first of two episodes, Tom an...
292: The Shadow of the Holocaust
05 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In our second episode exploring the story of Rudolf Vrba, Jonathan Freedland joins Tom and Dominic a...
291: The Man Who Escaped Auschwitz
02 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Tom and Dominic are joined by Jonathan Freedland to discuss the incredible story of Rudolf Vrba and ...
290: 2022: A History
29 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Join Tom and Dominic for the final episode of 2022 in which they discuss the historical importance o...
289: Drink
26 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For a festive special, Tom and Dominic are joined by author and alcohol historian Henry Jeffreys to ...
288: Jesus Christ: The History (Part 2)
22 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Join Tom and Dominic for the second of two episodes on 'Historical Jesus'. They discuss scepticism a...
287: Jesus Christ: The Mystery (Part 1)
19 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
*The Rest Is History Live Tour April 2023*: Tom and Dominic are going on tour in April 2023 and perf...
286: England: Beef and Liberty
18 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
England: Roast Beef and Liberty While it has now been dethroned by the mighty Tikka Masala and th...
285: Canada: Beaver Wars
17 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Canada: Beaver Wars Join Tom and Dominic as they discuss the illustrious history of the beaver. This...
284: Denmark: The Great Escape
16 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Denmark: The Great Escape In today's episode, Tom and Dominic look at the story of how the vast majo...
283: Ecuador: Darwin's Adventure to the Galapagos
15 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Ecuador: Darwin's Adventure to the Galapagos Join Tom and Dominic as they discuss Charles Darwin's t...
282: Morocco: The Rif War
14 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Morocco: The Rif War In today's episode, Tom and Dominic discuss the Rif War, predecessor to the Spa...
281: Spain: The Caliphate of Córdoba
13 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today, Tom and Dominic are in Islamic Spain discussing Roman conquests, melancholy Emirs and vibrant...
280: Serbia: The Birthplace of Civilisation
12 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A little known story. Serbia, the home to one of the first great civilisations. They had the first w...
279: Cameroon: The Slave General of Peter the Great
11 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s World Cup special on Cameroon, Tom and Dominic tell the fascinating story of “probabl...
278: France: The Mystery of Le Prince
10 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In today's episode, Tom and Dominic explore the origins of the motion-picture camera, a device inven...
277: Japan: Samurai and Shoguns
09 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In today's episode, Tom and Dominic discuss the history of Japan through six characters, with leadin...
276: Netherlands: The Maid of Holland
08 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Join Tom and Dominic as, for the first time ever, they dip their toes into the Dutch republic. They ...
275: Argentina: The Welsh Colony
07 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Why are there Welsh speakers born in Argentina? Join Tom and Dominic to understand the fascinating a...
274: Switzerland: Calvin's Cancel Culture
06 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today, Tom and Dominic are in 16th century Calvinist Geneva, where Michael Servetus is being condemn...
273: Portugal: The Carnation Revolution
05 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In today's World Cup episode, Tom and Dominic return to the history of Portugal to discuss militar...
272: Senegal: The Door of No Return
04 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In today's episode, Tom and Dominic discuss the Senegalese island of Gorée, and its complex relatio...
271: Belgium: History's Greatest Artist
03 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Who is the greatest artist of all time? Join Tom and Dominic as Belgian historian Bart van Loo puts ...
270: Poland: Copernicus, the Dragon and the Salt Mine
02 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Join Tom and Dominic as they explore the seven wonders of Poland. Hear all about Krakus the dragon-...
269: Ghana: The Ashanti Empire
01 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
On today's World Cup episode, Tom and Dominic discuss the Ashanti Empire. Tune in to hear about the...
268: Brazil: The Last Emperor
30 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As promised during the Portugal mini-series, Tom and Dominic are returning to Brazil to discuss its ...