In the 17th century, Britain decided to kill its king and experiment with life without a monarch.
In this episode we'll learn about the English Civil War, the 11 years the country spent without a monarch, why the monarchy was eventually restored, and the impact this had on the country.
Full transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: ... Show More
Oct 22
#639 | What’s Wrong With Italy’s Economy?
Italy builds Ferraris and Lamborghinis, welcomes millions of tourists, and produces food, fashion and design admired around the world. Yet beneath all that beauty, its economy has spent decades running without going anywhere. What went wrong, and what, if anything, can be done ab ... Show More
25m 32s
Oct 8
#636 | Victor Lustig: The Man Who Sold the Eiffel Tower
In 1925, Victor Lustig convinced a Paris scrap-metal dealer that the French government was selling the Eiffel Tower. His secret was a mixture of official papers, careful acting, and victims too embarrassed to report him. He later returned to Paris and tried to sell it again. Vict ... Show More
24m 34s
Sep 24
#634 | Nuclear Power's Unlikely Comeback
Nuclear power was meant to disappear in much of Europe, but Germany, Belgium and Italy are changing their minds. Rising energy demand, climate concerns and artificial intelligence are making old reactors and new designs attractive again. Germany’s Chancellor admits closing nuclea ... Show More
23m 30s
Aug 2023
03.01 - The English Revolution
Charles I has been executed, and the English Parliament establish a new, kingless, government. The reaction to the Regicide sweeps across Europe and the fledgling English empire.
For this episode, I found the following publications particularly useful:
Philip Baker, 'The Regici ... Show More
27m 24s
Apr 2018
Oliver Cromwell’s Missing Head
Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell was instrumental in ousting the monarchy during the English Civil War. But soon after his death, the monarchy was restored. As a show of power, Cromwell’s corpse was disinterred, and his head cut off, piked, and displayed atop Westminster Abbey. But ... Show More
46m 56s
Sep 2024
Season 5 | 12. To Kill a King
This episode contains extreme violence.
Queen Isabella and Roger Mortimor are victorious. They have usurped the old tyrant king, Edward II, and are in control of the heir to the throne, his son. But all is not well with this new regime. Roger makes a fateful decision that shakes ... Show More
29m 31s