A monarch travelling in disguise on a secret mission to build an alliance and discover technology to save his empire? What is this, a fantasy novel? No This is the Grand Embassy of Peter The Great. Having already sent some young nobles abroad to study nautical matters, Peter, in 1697, went with the so-called Grand Embassy to western Europe. The embassy compr ... Show More
Jan 10
History of Everything: Venezuela is a Basket Case
Venezuela is experiencing severe hardship due to a complex collapse of its economy, institutions, and political system, driven by a combination of economic mismanagement, corruption, over-reliance on oil, and authoritarian governance. This situation has resulted in a major humani ... Show More
1h 20m
Dec 30
History of Everything: Aztecs in Asia, Woman Giving Birth to Rabbits, and Hot Chocolate
And welcome back to the history of everything podcast. Specifically welcome back to what is our end of the 2025 year listener special where we take your suggestions and questions from patreon and put all of them into one episode. We are looking at Aztec warriors fighting in Asia, ... Show More
1h 7m
Dec 23
Everyone Hates King John: The War of The Barons
The First Barons' War erupted in the early 13th century, primarily due to King John's unpopular reign, characterized by heavy taxation, military failures, and disputes with the nobility. The conflict was sparked by John's refusal to adhere to the terms of the Magna Carta, which h ... Show More
52 m
Aug 2024
Peter Hart, "The Gallipoli Evacuation" (Living History, 2020)
One of the most well-told episodes of the First World War, the 1915 Gallipoli expedition, also has its own long-ignored aspects - specifically, the story of how the Allied force successfully evacuated in the middle of winter under the guns of the Turkish defenders. Our guest for ... Show More
1h 4m
Apr 2023
The Curious Case of Columbo's Message to Romania Part 2
Last week, we put on the proverbial raincoat and made like Columbo to investigate Peter Falk’s claim that he recorded a special Cold War message telling Romanians to “put down their guns.” This week, we’re back on the case, and what started out as a zany inquiry goes to some seri ... Show More
36m 33s
Feb 2022
Family Stories Series 2: Episode 12
This week’s family stories include an IRA man who ended up fighting for Britain and being torpedoed twice, a Scot who spent five years as a prisoner of war, a teenage sailor who braved the Atlantic and the U-boats, and a pilot who never forgave his enemy. A Goalhanger Films produ ... Show More
22m 16s