In 1861, the kingdom of Italy was proclaimed, unifying the various Italian states under one national banner. But what did it mean to be 'Italian' in the mid-19th century? How did the pope react to the concept of a united Italy? And why did so many British women fall in love with Garibaldi? In conversation with Spencer Mizen, historian David Laven answers lis ... Show More
Oct 7
The dark side of Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys is well-known for his brilliantly evocative diary, which gives an unsurpassed insight into daily life in Restoration London. However, it turns out Pepys also had a sinister side. Something that has been overlooked or ignored in his diaries for centuries, is that Pepy ... Show More
38m 21s
Oct 5
Britain's female slaveowners: the heiresses who made fortunes from enslavement
Women's role as slaveowners is often overlooked – but, just like men, they both profited from and maintained the institution of slavery. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, historian Miranda Kaufmann profiles several 'Caribbean heiresses' who married into the British aristocracy and bro ... Show More
38m 12s
Oct 3
Preview: Should historians be celebrities?
Historian, author and broadcaster David Olusoga is among the famous faces to feature on new TV series The Celebrity Traitors, which launches in the UK next Wednesday, 8 October on BBC One. But what are the opportunities, and dangers, when historians become celebrities? And to wha ... Show More
10m 42s
Sep 16
194 - The Italian Wars 11 - Medici pope to Medici pope - Battle of Pavia and Cognac
After three episodes exploring the life of Leonardo da Vinci, we return to the turbulent stage of the Italian Wars. In this episode, we pick up in the early 1520s, a period shaped by papal politics, dynastic rivalries, and the shifting fortunes of France and Spain.Highlights incl ... Show More
16m 58s
Aug 2024
484. The Food that Changed the World
The unexpected evolution of Italian food can serve as a tantalising doorway into some of the greatest moments of Italian history: from medieval monarchs, murdered popes, and the Renaissance, to secret societies, and Mussolini’s fascist propaganda. Yet the history of Italian food ... Show More
48m 33s
May 2018
Episode 26: The Promised Land
We meet some of the leaders of the Army of Italy. The First Italian Campaign begins in dramatic fashion, with two weeks of lightning battles at Montenotte, Millesimo, Dego, Ceva, and Mondovì. Napoleon negotiates with Piedmont, and worries about looting, and about his wife. Learn ... Show More
1 h
Oct 2024
Joseph John Viscomi, "Migration at the End of Empire: Time and the Politics of Departure Between Italy and Egypt" (Cambridge UP, 2024)
How has migration shaped Mediterranean history? And what role did conflicting temporalities and the politics of departure play in the age of decolonisation? Using a microhistorical approach, Migration at the End of Empire: Time and the Politics of Departure Between Italy and Egyp ... Show More
1h 37m
Aug 2023
The Age of the Condottieri - A Short History of Mediaeval Italy from 1409-1530 by Oscar Browning ~ Full Audiobook
The Age of the Condottieri - A Short History of Mediaeval Italy from 1409-1530 by Oscar Browning audiobook. Italy from 1409 to 1530 is synonymous with the Renaissance, but this was also the age of the condottieri, Italian captains of mercenary companies and multinational armies w ... Show More
8h 27m