logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2024
40m 42s

206. Babur: Guns, Gardens & Diamonds

Goalhanger
About this episode
Against all odds, Babur defeats Sultan Lodi and captures Delhi. But despite the wealth that India can provide him, Babur hates his new home. He complains of the heat, the lack of his favourite fruits, and the culture. Yet he is a masterful tactical ruler, and begins to shape a Mughal government that he will soon pass down to his descendants. Although he had ... Show More
Up next
Today
328. India’s Greatest Rebellion: The Reign of Terror (Part 7)
How did the British finally break into Delhi during the 1857 Uprising? Why did a sudden solar eclipse change the fate of the siege overnight? Why is the British victory considered one of Delhi’s greatest tragedies? In Episode 7 of the series, William and Anita discuss the bloody ... Show More
48m 17s
Jan 22
327. India’s Greatest Rebellion: The British Strike Back (Part 6)
How did the tide turn towards the end of 1857 as British reinforcements gathered to strike the hearts of the rebellion: Delhi and Lucknow? Who was the British Commander, John Nicholson, and why was he feared by both friend and foe? Was the city of Delhi, under control of the last ... Show More
48m 28s
Jan 20
326. India’s Greatest Rebellion: The Indian Joan of Arc – Rani of Jhansi (Part 5)
The warrior queen who fought the British on the battlefield, Rani of Jhansi –or Rani Lakshmibai– is still a hero in India, with comic books and Bollywood movies about her. But what’s the true history behind her legend? How did she become a fierce leader of resistance who led her ... Show More
1h 3m
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2017
Delhi’s Stolen Seat of Power
In March 1739, the Persian warlord Nader Shah laid siege to Delhi. He destroyed and plundered the city. Among his ‘Delhi loot’ was the famous Jeweled or Peacock Throne of the Mughal Empire. It took seven years to make, and seven elephants to cart it away forever - and it's been l ... Show More
13m 47s
Jun 2025
The First Emperor of China
In the third century BC, China was a land fractured by war - a patchwork of rival kingdoms struggling for dominance. Out of this chaos rose a single, extraordinary figure who would reshape the course of history: Chin Shrr Hwong, the First Emperor of China. His achievements were m ... Show More
58m 24s
Sep 2024
Mansa Musa: History's Wealthiest Man?
<p>Mansa Musa's wealth is a thing of legend. It's impossible to know exactly how much he was worth, but he himself spread rumours that gold grew like a plant within the Mali Empire. When he embarked on a storied pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324, he gave away so much gold in Egypt that ... Show More
27m 28s
Sep 2025
The Mughal empire: everything you wanted to know
The Mughal empire was one of the most powerful and influential dynasties in South Asian history, blending together a mix of cultural traditions to create a legacy of dazzling architecture, innovative governance, and turbulent politics. Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian Nandin ... Show More
49m 50s
Feb 2020
Episode T14 – Zabinas
Synopsis: Demetrius II returns to Syria, but his unpopularity – and support for the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra II – results in a usurper named Alexander Zabinas taking most of his kingdom.  Fleeing a military defeat, Demetrius is denied entry to Ptolemais-Akko by Cleopatra Thea, an ... Show More
31m 52s
Feb 2020
Episode T15 – Grypus
Synopsis: Cleopatra Thea convinces her son Antiochus VIII Grypus to return to Syria and share the throne.  But once Zabinas is defeated and the kingdom secure, Grypus decides to avenge his brother’s murder. “Ptolemy (Physcon)…proceeded to devote his entire strength to the des ... Show More
28m 26s
Nov 12
20. Persia - An Empire in Ashes
In the highlands of the Iranian Plateau, a collection of enormous pillars reach up to the sky...In this episode, we tell the story of the Achaemenid Persian Empire. Find out how this remarkable ancient power sprung up from the rubble of a ruined world to become the most powerful ... Show More
5h 28m
Apr 2025
Suleyman the Magnificent's bid for world domination
Henry VIII lorded it over England. Francis I dominated France. Charles V was the main man in central Europe. Yet arguably none was as powerful as Ottoman sultan Suleyman the Magnificent – a true heavyweight of the 16th century. Speaking to Spencer Mizen, author Christopher de Bel ... Show More
35m 35s
Mar 2020
Episode T16 – The Sons of Thea
Synopsis: While the Ptolemies intrigue in Coele Syria, Antiochus VIII Grypus and his half-brother Antiochus IX Cyzicenus struggle for seventeen years to win control of the north.  After the rivals die in quick succession, the kingdom comes under control of Seleucus VI and Demetri ... Show More
24m 20s
Aug 2025
#304 - Qing 39: Twilight of the Dragon
As both the Qianlong Emperor's extensive reign and the Eighteenth Century itself comes to a close, the Qing Empire faces - in spite of its outward posturing of timeless grandeur and invulnerability - an ever more uncertain future. By this time his successor, the Jiaqing Emperor, ... Show More
41m 15s
Listen to millions of songs and podcasts on Anghami