logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2025
1h 3m

538. Horror in the Congo: The Nightmare ...

Goalhanger
About this episode
The story of King Leopold of Belgium’s brutal regime in the Congo Free State, during the late 19th century, is one of the darkest and most important in global history. It is a story of horror - the murky depths of the human soul pushed to its primal limits, European colonialism and the first Scramble for Africa, royalty and politics, celebrity, and modernity ... Show More
Up next
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
Sep 6
703. Roman Civil War: Marching on the Senate (Part 3)
What shocking, unprecedented act did Sulla commit with his legions after having his ambitions frustrated once more by his bitter rival, the tribune Marius? How did Marius escape capture and death? And, would Marius retaliate…? Join Tom and Dominic as they unfold the mounting riva ... Show More
1h 13m
Recommended Episodes
Jun 2021
Leopold II Pt. 2: Belgium
With the newly formed Free Congo State in his possession, Leopold II was determined to extract all the ivory and rubber he could. But in the process, his colonial agents wreaked havoc on the indigenous people, slaughtering, torturing, and enslaving Africans. Learn more about your ... Show More
42m 50s
Oct 2023
Congo River
The Congo River is the world’s deepest and most powerful waterway. In its basin, a wilderness bigger than Alaska, natural resources abound - oil, gold, diamonds, rubber. But this river, more than any other, is also linked with some of the darkest times in human history – with sla ... Show More
51 m
Apr 2024
Rwandan Genocide Explained
<p><strong>Warning: This episode contains some upsetting descriptions of human suffering.</strong></p><br><p>The Rwandan Genocide is a dark and pivotal moment in modern history; the catastrophic consequence of ethnic division and global inaction. Over 100 days in 1994, it's estim ... Show More
48m 26s
Dec 2021
Episode 187: The Crucible
tail spinning
25m 35s
Aug 2024
The Scramble For Africa
The late 19th century was a period of imperialism for Europe, which resulted in a landgrab of epic proportions. The entire continent of Africa was sliced up, to be swallowed by five rival nations. In the blink of an eye, everything changed for the people of Africa, and within a d ... Show More
1 h
Nov 2024
The Spy Who Killed a Prime Minister | Independence Day | 1
When MI6 sends officer Daphne Park to help stop a communist takeover in Congo, it kickstarts one of the darkest operations in MI6 and CIA history. Because security services either need to win the trust of Congo’s first prime minister, or remove him.Listen to The Spy Who ad-free o ... Show More
44m 54s
Dec 2024
The Spy Who Killed a Prime Minister | Heart of Darkness | 2
Newly independent Congo is spiralling into disorder. Disorder the Communists could be quick to exploit. MI6 officer Daphne Park needs to act, and fast.Listen to The Spy Who ad-free on Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wonder ... Show More
40m 14s
May 2024
Part One: The Darkest Episode We Will Ever Do
Robert weaves a hideous story for Margaret, about how post-war Germans started out trying to make Nazism impossible and wound up harming generations of poor children.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
1h 6m
Nov 2023
Macías Nguema Part 1: The Dachau of Africa
This is the extraordinary, blood-curdling story of a dictator you may never have heard of. From 1968-1979, the African nation of Equatorial Guinea was helmed by its first, and to date only, freely elected president. Initially, Francisco Macías Nguema was seen by the Spanish colon ... Show More
51m 56s
May 2021
#19 – The Anti-Humans
History is replete with examples of leaders, nations, and empires who left a trail of blood behind them. But with the Bolshevik takeover of Russia after the First World War, something new crawled from the depths of the earth onto the surface of the world. Never before had a gover ... Show More
3h 53m