283 – The Kingdoms of the Foreigners

Last week, we ended with King AEthelstan’s aggression towards Kingdoms of Wales and Cornwall. We don’t know precisely what occurred, or why AEthelstan demanded crippling tributes from the Welsh and then violently expelled or executed the Cornish of Exeter. Support the Show The po ... Show More

The Era of AEthelstan is one of contradictions. His behavior, his policies, his wars… pretty much everything that is happening during this period seems to have an element of duality. This man was discussed by scholars of his time in terms of his piety and his generosity both with ... Show More

After generations of devastating war, England has found itself at peace. Which leaves a question we haven’t had to ask in a while. What did the Anglo Saxons actually do during peacetime? Support the Show The post 286 – Noble Pursuits first appeared on The British History Podcast. 

The Norman Conquest of 1066, culminating in the legendary Battle of Hastings, is perhaps the greatest turning point in the history of the English nation. It was a year that changed the fate of England forever, forging empires, and settling continents. And yet, despite its infamy ... Show More

In 1827, Edinburgh, Scotland was a world centre for anatomical study, but there was a shortage of cadavers for medical students to dissect. Two men, William Burke and William Hare, spotted a grim business opportunity. They began sourcing bodies - by any means possible... In this ... Show More

<p>A conversation with my dad about his new book, which is about the history and wildlife of a famous Roman road which passes right through the heart of England. Expect stories from various periods of English history, plus descriptions of typical English bird life. English histor ... Show More

Rasputin presented himself as a mystic healer, and preached that the only way to salvation was through sin — which sometimes, if rumour is to be believed, manifested in orgies.It's definitely giving f*ckboy behaviour.How did he make his way from poverty to the Russian royalty inn ... Show More

King Tutankhamun may be the best known Egyptian Pharaoh. The discovery of his tomb in 1922 created a wave of "Tut-mania" that has made him a fixture of pop-culture ever since. But even though his treasures are among the most visited museum objects in history, the details of his l ... Show More

William of Normandy famously invaded England in 1066 – but, he didn't quite conquer it all. In fact, the duty of leading a second assault was left to his son William Rufus almost 30 years later. Speaking to David Musgrove, Sophie Ambler and Fiona Edmonds reveal how the second Nor ... Show More

<p>In the western nave of Westminster Abbey, nestled between illustrious tombs and beneath a slab of black Belgian marble, lies the body of an unidentified soldier of the First World War. He is remembered as the Unknown Warrior, a symbol of the half a million Commonwealth service ... Show More

<p>The Parthenon Sculptures have been hugely controversial objects from the moment that they arrived in England. The British public has long been split over the morality of keeping these famous works of art in London. In the early 1800's the famous poet Lord Byron went so far as ... Show More

The oldest known piece of literature on the planet is the epic tale of Gilgamesh, king of the Mesopotamian city-state of Uruk. The story was a staple of middle-eastern storytelling for well over a thousand years. However, after the destruction of Assyrian city of Nineveh in the 6 ... Show More