logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2024
40m 47s

198. The Pirate Trial of the Century

Goalhanger
About this episode
William Kidd, a respectable Scottish privateer during the late 17th century, tasked with hunting down pirates on the orders of a murky cabal of British aristocrats, but with the crown’s blessing, finds himself and his crew frustrated by the absence of pirates in the waters off Madagascar during October 1696. With mutiny brewing on his ship The Adventure, Kid ... Show More
Up next
Sep 26
399. Stalin: Hitler’s Downfall At Stalingrad (Part 5)
Antony Beevor wrote the definitive book on the Battle of Stalingrad. He joins William Dalrymple and Anita Anand to discuss how Hitler and Stalin’s armies faced gruelling winter conditions in the siege of the city, and how the battle became a decisive turning point in World War II ... Show More
51m 45s
Sep 23
398. Stalin: The Great Terror (Part 4)
Soon after Stalin’s purges and mass violence, Nazi soldiers launch a surprise invasion of the Soviet Union, opening up the Eastern Front of World War II. Who was Stalin’s chief executioner who still holds a Guinness World Record for his number of executions? Why was Stalin surpri ... Show More
42m 55s
Sep 20
397. Stalin: Killing Trotsky (Part 3)
Was it an ice axe or an ice pick? The murder of Trotsky in Mexico is infamous, but what does it say about Stalin’s willingness to seek out and destroy his rivals? Who was Leon Trotsky and why was he such a threat to Stalin by the end of his life? In Episode 3 of this series, Anit ... Show More
49m 12s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2022
The Age of Pirates | Captain Kid's Adventure | 2
As England waged war against France in 1689, Scottish sailor William Kidd led a deadly mutiny aboard a French privateer in the Caribbean. It was his first act in becoming one of the most feared sea captains of his generation. After Kidd retired from piracy and settled down in New ... Show More
37m 22s
Jun 2025
Pirates: Myths vs Reality
<p>When it comes to our perception of pirates, Treasure Island has a lot to answer for. They didn't make their enemies walk the plank, they didn't keep parrots as pets, and they didn't bury their treasure. But that doesn't mean the golden age of piracy wasn't an era of swashbuckl ... Show More
38m 1s
May 2020
Captain Kidd and the Nazis
May 23, 1701. Captain William Kidd is hanged at Execution Dock in London. His death sentence cements his legacy as one of history’s most notorious pirates, but he went to the gallows claiming to be an innocent man. And he may have been telling the truth. Nonetheless, his executio ... Show More
24m 17s
Mar 2024
The Real Pirates of the Caribbean
Throughout the late 17th and early 18th Century, the waters of the Caribbean were crawling with pirates. Stories about swash-buckling buccaneers, and insatiable treasure-seekers haunted the tropical islands, as navies tried in vain to put a stop to their reign of terror. But who ... Show More
56m 38s
Oct 2021
Trick or Treat: A Pirate in Sheep's Clothing
<p>As long as there have been pirates, there have been people hired to make them stop what they're doing. And, sometimes, those individuals hired to catch pirates are, themselves, pirates. From Woodes Rogers to Benjamin Hornigold, Holly and Maria tell the stories of the influenti ... Show More
25m 38s
Jun 2020
A legendary pirate
Bestselling author Steven Johnson talks to us about his new book, Enemy of All Mankind, which tells the story of the infamous 17th-century English pirate Henry Avery, whose audacious raid on an Indian treasure ship sparked a global manhunt. Historyextra.com/podcast Hosted on Acas ... Show More
30m 59s
Apr 2023
The Pirates' Code
How common was it for a pirates to walk the plank? Was there a lot of rum? And were relationships allowed on ships?Kate is joined by Rebecca Simon, author of 'The Pirate's Code' to find out about the codes that pirates had to live by.Produced by Charlotte Long and Sophie Gee. Mix ... Show More
43m 27s
Oct 2022
The Age of Pirates | Blackbeard and the Flying Gang | 3
In 1717, the pirate known as Blackbeard launched an attack along the Atlantic seaboard, disrupting international trade and striking terror into sea captains and colonial governors. Working with his sidekick, the “Gentleman Pirate” Stede Bonnet, Blackbeard blockaded the busy port ... Show More
36m 48s
Mar 2023
Ep.13 - The Mutiny on the Batavia, Part One
The ship Batavia was sailing to Indonesia, filled with the worst kind of sailors, horrid conditions, but loaded with treasure. However, one member on board had dreams of stealing the treasure and creating his own pirate kingdom. He began a mutiny, which led to a shipwreck. What f ... Show More
49m 51s
Oct 2018
Who's the Greatest Pirate of All-Time?
<p>Will and Mango have so many questions about pirates: did they really exaggerate their R's? Did they all have parrots? Were lady pirates more successful than male ones? And was there really a rabbi pirate who made his crew keep kosher? From buried treasure to walking the plank, ... Show More
46m 44s