Richard II, Prince Charles, and Tony Blair. From Merlin, to the middle ages, to the modern day, the mysterious world of magic, necromancy and the occult has had a notable presence in the lives of British monarchs, politicians and members of high society.
Tom and Dominic are joined by Francis Young, author of 'Magic in Merlin's Realm: A History of Occult Po ... Show More
Yesterday
706. Queen Victoria’s Revenge: Storming the Citadel (Part 2)
Who was Lieutenant Napier, the man set out to rescue the European hostages held by Emperor Tewodros II? How did he plan to attack the emperor’s fortress, Magdala? And, did they manage to successfully escape Abyssinia? Join Dominic and Tom as they conclude the story of one of the ... Show More
1h 13m
Sep 13
705. Queen Victoria’s Revenge: The Mad Emperor of Abyssinia (Part 1)
Who was Emperor Tewodros II, the colourful and controversial Emperor of Abyssinia? Why did he brutally imprison a number of British emissaries, and how did Queen Victoria respond? And, how would this spark one of the most ambitious expeditions undertaken by the British Empire…? J ... Show More
1h 10m
Sep 9
704. Roman Civil War: Master of the Republic (Part 4)
Who was Gaius Marius’ son, and how did he set out to bring down his father’s rival, Sulla? Which two rising stars in Sulla’s faction, Crassus and Pompey, would go on to bring down the Republic, with Julius Caesar? And, how did a momentous battle in the East see Sulla elevated to ... Show More
1h 10m
May 2023
Episode 168: Witches, Demons and Fairies
In this episode, we explore the Elizabethan fascination with witchcraft and mysterious creatures like fairies and demons. Those subjects feature prominently in the literature of the period, and they reveal a lot about the world view of the people who lived in England in the late ... Show More
1h 56m
Nov 2024
Practical Magic: Spells, Prayers & Cunning Folk
<p>Long before witch trials, magic was the domain of ‘cunning folk’ who were part of the fabric of medieval and early modern life. Their charms, filters and spells - for personal advancement, aiding fertility, predicting the future, even exacting revenge - offered people sol ... Show More
33m 59s
Jan 2024
Myths of King Arthur: Origins, Creepy Sex & Magic Swords
King Arthur. Merlin. The Knights of the Round Table and the Sword in the Stone. We think we know these stories but they've changed a lot since they were first told... In this episode, Maddy and Anthony are joined by History Hit's very own Dr. Eleanor Janega, host of the Gone Medi ... Show More
31m 49s
Aug 2024
Practical magic: curses, spells & cunning folk
From love spells to enthral the object of your desires, to charms to influence the outcome of a trial, people turned to cunning folk for all kinds of practical magic in medieval and Tudor England. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, historian Tabitha Stanmore reveals the amount of power ... Show More
33m 55s