Dan Snow's History Hit
Episodes
The Commanders: The Best of the Rest
06 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
For the final episode in our 'Commanders' series, we've drawn on your suggestions to pay tribute to the commanders who didn’t make our main episodes...
NEW SERIES: The Crusades
02 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Discover the story behind one of history’s most powerful and controversial eras in our three-part mini-series on the Crusades.From a complete guide ...
The Crusades: A Complete Guide
02 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
To launch our mini series on the Crusades, we've put together your complete guide to almost two centuries of holy war - from start to finish. We untan...
The Commanders: Zhukov
30 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Marshal Georgy Zhukov was undoubtedly one of the Second World War's most formidable figures. Rising from humble peasant origins, Zhukov became the arc...
The Real Peaky Blinders
26 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we step beyond the slow-motion swagger and into the gritty, complex reality of the Peaky Blinders. Who were the gangsters behind the myths? And...
The Commanders: Yamamoto
23 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto was the mastermind of the “sneak attack” on Pearl Harbour that dragged the United States into the Second World War. His s...
The Rise of Putin
19 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In September 1999, just weeks after 46-year-old Vladimir Putin became Russia’s prime minister, a series of apartment bombings ripped through Russian...
The Commanders: Eisenhower
16 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
As Supreme Commander, Eisenhower spearheaded the successful Allied invasions of North Africa, Italy and Western Europe. He's consequently one of the m...
The Battle of Gettysburg
12 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In July 1863, the quiet town of Gettysburg became the site of one of the most decisive clashes of the American Civil War. Over three intense days, Uni...
Can Air Power Alone Topple Governments?
10 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
With the Iran war still unfolding, we ask the question: Can air power alone topple a government?From the First World War onward, military strategists ...
The Commanders: Montgomery
09 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Celebrated for his victories in North Africa and Europe, Bernard Montgomery built a reputation for meticulous planning and caution that many soldiers ...
Edward VIII & Wallis Simpson
05 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we explore the dramatic love story between King Edward VIII and the twice-divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson - a romance that...
The Commanders: Rommel
02 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In the sands of North Africa, Erwin Rommel became a battlefield legend. His bold manoeuvres and audacious tactics captured the imagination of friend a...
The Forbidden City
26 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
At the heart of Beijing sits the Forbidden City, one of the greatest architectural achievements in human history. It's the largest palace complex on E...
NEW SERIES: THE COMMANDERS
24 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Our world is shaped by decisions — bold, reckless, and often irreversible. And nowhere did choices matter more than in the Second World War, the dea...
The Trial of Charles I
23 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
More than 350 years ago, something unprecedented happened in Britain: a reigning king was arrested, put on trial, and executed. You may have seen many...
Royal Siblings, Scandals and Crises
20 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew (who denies any wrongdoing and is innocent until proven guilty), has encouraged news ...
The Peasants' Revolt
19 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In 1381, after plague, famine and war had pushed England to the brink, a final blow sparked an extraordinary uprising. This episode explores the Peasa...
The First Vikings in Iceland
16 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
From icy seas to fire-lit longhouses, Dan heads to Iceland to trace the birth of one of the world’s most unique medieval cultures — at the very ed...
The Sex Life of Charles II
12 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
He had at least 14 known mistresses and a hoard of illegitimate children; Charles II's private life was as politically charged as it was scandalous. H...
The Great Famine
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In the late 19th century, Ireland suffered a potato blight that became a mass catastrophe. Today, we explore the conditions that left millions vulnera...
How Did Three Samurai Warlords Unite Japan?
05 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we dive into the chaotic final act of Japan’s Warring States period, and hear about the three warlords who brought it to an end. Oda Nobunaga...
Whaling
02 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The history of whaling is complicated. At its height in the 18th and 19th centuries, whaling was a global enterprise built on perilous voyages, long s...
Joan of Arc
29 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Teenage peasant, visionary commander, convicted heretic, national saint - Joan of Arc's life reads like a legend. Today, Dan digs past that legend to ...
The Dambusters Raid Explained
26 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In May 1943, the RAF launched one of the Second World War’s most audacious missions: the Dambusters Raid. Today, we follow the raid as it unfolded, ...
The Battle of Bosworth
22 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In August 1485, the would-be king Henry Tudor went head-to-head with King Richard III - the final, decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses. Only one ...
The Top Assassination Attempts on Hitler
19 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What does it take to kill a dictator? In this episode, we explore the most dramatic assassination attempts on Adolf Hitler. From Georg Elser, the lone...
A History of Iran
15 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
How does Iran's history underpin today's unrest? Dan traces more than 2,500 years of Iran's story — from the first Persian empires through conquest,...
U.S. Interventions in Latin America: A Short History
12 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
For over 200 years, American presidents have repeatedly justified intervention as 'protection' - from the Monroe Doctrine of the 1820s, Teddy Roosevel...
A history of (American) occupation in Greenland
08 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This isn't the first or even second time the U.S has made moves to procure Greenland in the last 160 years. President Donald Trump has stepped up his ...
The Rise, Fall and Rise of the Taliban
05 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The Taliban’s return to power in August 2021 shocked the world. But, it was not an abrupt collapse — it was decades in the making. Lyse Doucet has...
How Did Ancient Romans become Christians?
01 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Around 50 CE, a small group of travellers began to preach that a Jewish man, crucified by the Romans, had risen from the dead. Teaching love, forgiven...
What was the Hanseatic League?
29 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Hanseatic League was a medieval trading network that stretched across Northern Europe. Formed in Northern Germany in the 12th century, it was an e...
How Did the British Empire Build the Modern World?
25 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Tobacco, sugar, rum, cotton, rubber, tea, coffee, spices, industry, borders, slavery, war - all things spread across the globe thanks to the British E...
King Herod
22 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Appointed by the Romans as king of Judaea, King Herod's reign was defined by great architectural projects and canny diplomacy. But he could also be cr...
A History of Christmas Food
18 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Porpoises, beaver tails, boar's head and puffins are just some of the exquisite dishes on medieval tables during the festive season. In this episode, ...
The Origins of the Royal Navy
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Henry VIII wanted to have the most powerful Navy in Europe; he also didn't want to have to travel very far to get it. Around 1512, he built a colossal...
America's Invasion of Canada
11 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dan narrates the remarkable story of how George Washington's newly established Continental Army tried to conquer Canada in the brutal winter of 1775. ...
The Bombing of Guernica
08 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The aerial bombardment that rained down on the Spanish city of Guernica in 1937 was one of the most shocking atrocities of the Spanish Civil War. Dan ...
Sitting Bull and the Battle of Little Bighorn
04 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Battle of the Little Bighorn - also known as the Battle of the Greasy Grass - was one of the most dramatic and important clashes in American histo...
How to Survive the Age of Sail
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What was life really like aboard the great wooden ships of the Age of Sail? Dan joins After Dark hosts Anthony and Maddy to step aboard these creaking...
The Assassination of JFK
27 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Anyone alive at the time remembers the day President John F. Kennedy was shot dead in Dallas, Texas, on November 22 1963. In this episode, Dan provide...
John F. Kennedy: Myths vs Reality
24 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
John F. Kennedy was a man of charm, power, and contradictions. Behind the public image of the heroic president lay a figure plagued by pain, haunted b...
The Spanish Armada
20 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In 1588, Spain’s mighty armada sailed to invade England and change the balance of power in Europe. Dan explains why Philip II launched the Armada, d...
Nuremberg: The Trial of Göring
17 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide.When the Nuremberg Trials began in November 1945, Hermann Göring was the highest-ranking Nazi to...
The Black Death
13 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Could the plucked backside of a chicken really cure the plague? If that question has ever crossed your mind, then this episode is for you. Today, we’...
The Battle of Passchendaele
10 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In partnership with Findmypast, Dan narrates the extraordinary story of the Western Front at its most unforgiving. Passchendaele became a byword for t...
Rome's African Emperor: Septimius Severus
06 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We dive into the life and legacy of the North African-born ruler who rose through the ranks to seize the imperial throne. We discover how Severus tran...
The First Day of the Somme
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In partnership with Findmypast, Dan narrates the extraordinary story of the bloodiest day of the First World War. The first day of the Somme saw units...
Ancient Irish Funeral Traditions
31 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever been to an Irish wake? If so, you may have heard of the ancient tradition of keening or the superstition of the 'hungry grass'. In this ...
What Caused Europe's Witch Hysteria?
29 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Across early modern Europe, fear spread like wildfire; between the 15th and 17th centuries, tens of thousands were accused, tortured, and executed as ...
Atatürk: Fall of the Ottoman Empire
27 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On the 19th of May, 1919, an Ottoman general stepped ashore at the Black Sea port city of Samsun. This marked the beginning of the Turkish War of Inde...
Elizabeth I: Evil or Genius?
23 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Elizabeth I is often celebrated as one of the greatest English monarchs - but should she be? From her commanding portraits and grand speeches to her b...
How to Survive in Renaissance England
21 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Quacks, wise women, barber surgeons and private madhouses - just some of the options available if you were to find yourself in ill health in the 16th ...
Richard II vs Henry IV
19 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we dive into the dramatic tale of two men whose rivalry changed the course of English history. We unravel the complex relationship between King...
How Did the Industrial Revolution Change the World?
16 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Was the Industrial Revolution the most important event in human history? Dan is joined by economist and journalist Duncan Weldon to explore why exactl...
The Germans Who Rebelled Against the Nazis
14 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we journey back to Berlin in the summer of 1943, where a clandestine gathering of Germany’s elite quietly plots to resist Hitler’s regime. ...
The Battle of Jutland
12 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On 31st May, 1916, 250 warships and nearly 100,000 sailors converged in the North Sea for the world's first full-scale clash of dreadnought fleets. Ad...
Medieval Sex
09 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Warning: this episode contains explicit language.Medieval people weren’t prudish—far from it. Dan is joined by medieval historian Dr Eleanor Janeg...
Alexandria
07 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is the story of a city that laid the foundations for our modern world. Sitting at the intersection of East and West, Alexandria has been home to ...
The Spanish Civil War
05 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why did Spain spiral into civil war in 1936? Today, we delve into the grinding class conflicts and ferocious political divisions that split Spain in t...
The Battle of Agincourt
02 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dan explains the dramatic story of the Battle of Agincourt when, against overwhelming odds, Henry V’s underdog English army emerged...
Magna Carta
30 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dan and leading medieval historians explain everything you need to know about Magna Carta...and the story is more dramatic than you might think. Magna...
The First Trains
28 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On 27 September 1825, a steam-powered marvel known as Locomotion No.1 made history, pulling passengers and coal from Shildon to Stockton-on-Tees in th...
The Battle of Hastings
25 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On 14 October 1066, the armies of William, the Duke of Normandy, and the Anglo-Saxon King Harold Godwinson clashed near Hastings in one of the most fa...
The Mongol Invasion of Europe
23 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the 13th century, a force unlike any Europe had ever seen came thundering across the steppe. The Mongols had already carved out the largest land em...
Did the Trojan War Really Happen?
21 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Trojan War is one of the great foundational stories of Western literature - a tale of gods and heroes, betrayal and siege, immortalised by Homer i...
Anne Boleyn: Myths vs Reality
18 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The life of Anne Boleyn has intrigued audiences for centuries. Everyone knows something about her time as Queen of England, and of course, her betraya...
Emperor Augustus
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Augustus has often been hailed as Rome’s greatest emperor - he ended civil war, built an empire and declared a new age of peace. But behind the arch...
The Greatest Knight That Ever Lived: William the Marshal
14 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
William the Marshal’s story reads like a legend. Born a landless younger son, he rose through sheer skill and courage to become the greatest knight ...
Rommel's Defeat in North Africa
11 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we unravel the dramatic North African campaign of World War II. Discover how the Allies turned the tide against Rommel, why Tunisia’s fall wa...
The Troubles Explained (Part 2)
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From the late 1960s to 1998, Northern Ireland was gripped by "The Troubles" - three decades of bloodshed, resulting from competing visions for its fut...
The Origins of The Troubles (Part 1)
07 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From the late 1960s to 1998, Northern Ireland was gripped by "The Troubles" - three decades of bloodshed, resulting from competing visions for its fut...
The Battle of Bannockburn
04 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Scotland’s struggle for independence was marked by rebellion, betrayal, and remarkable victories. In this episode, we trace the story from William W...
Is Society About to Collapse?
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The climate crisis, the rise of AI and the cost of living - do you feel like our society is on the brink of falling apart? Dan is joined by Dr Luke Ke...
The Acropolis
31 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From dazzling festivals honouring the goddess Athena to the engineering marvels of the Parthenon, Dan and classical historian Steve Kershaw explore ho...
The Rise and Fall of Carthage
28 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we tackle the Punic Wars - three epic clashes between Rome and Carthage for control of the Mediterranean. From naval battles to Hanni...
The Tower of London
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dan takes listeners through 1000 years of Britain's history at the Tower of London, from its formidable kings to its most notorious prisoners. Dan div...
Knossos
24 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You probably know the Ancient Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, who lives in a labyrinth under Knossos on the island of Crete - was there ever r...
Emperor Nero
21 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Emperor Nero has gone down in history as the archetypal bad ruler - cruel, decadent, and perhaps even responsible for setting Rome ablaze. But how muc...
The Colosseum
19 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dan in Rome as he unravels the dramatic story of the Colosseum and the gladiators who fought — and died — for glory. From the origins of glad...
Napoleon in Paris
17 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Napoleon Bonaparte dreamed Paris would be the 'capital city of the universe' and much of what we see - and love - about Paris is thanks to him. The lo...
Pompeii
14 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Warning: this episode contains explicit language and discussions of sex.Pompeii is a city frozen in time and shows us exactly how the Romans really li...
The Surrender of Japan
12 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On the morning of August 15th, 1945, Emperor Hirohito's voice crackled over Japanese airwaves to announce the unthinkable - the surrender of Japan. To...
Edinburgh Castle
10 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From its origins as a Bronze Age settlement, to a battleground for Robert the Bruce’s men during the Wars of Independence, and a refuge for Mary, Qu...
The Great Train Robbery
07 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Did the "heist of the century" really happen the way the robbers say it did? In the summer of 1963, a gang of masked robbers executed a daring plan to...
Hiroshima: As It Happened
05 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode contains descriptions of graphic violence and may not be suitable for all listeners.On the morning of August 6th, 1945, a single American...
Notre Dame
03 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dan Snow in the heart of Paris as he kicks off his summer series exploring Europe’s greatest historic sites. From a leafy Montmartre café to t...
5 Reasons the Allies Won the War
31 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What really tipped the scales in the Allies’ favour during World War II? In this episode, we break down five critical reasons behind the Allied vict...
Emperor Titus
29 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we explore the remarkable - and often overlooked - life of Emperor Titus. We uncover the dramatic events that defined his life and re...
Churchill vs Attlee: The Election That Changed Britain
27 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It was one of the most dramatic political upsets in British history. Just weeks after leading Britain to victory in Europe, wartime Prime Minister Win...
Is James I an Underrated King?
24 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We dive into the reign of the first Stuart monarch of England, his political savvy, and the controversies that shaped his rule. From the Gunpowder Plo...
War of the Worlds: Orson Welles' Alien Invasion Hoax
22 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In 1938, Orson Welles’ War of the Worlds radio broadcast stunned America. It was a defining moment in broadcast history - reports claimed it caused ...
Pirates: The Pirate Hunts
20 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As the Golden Age of Piracy drew to a close, the oceans turned into hunting grounds where pirates became prey. Dan tells the dramatic tale of the rise...
How did the Colonies win the American War of Independence?
17 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In 1775, American revolutionaries went to war with the British. Seeking independence from colonial ties, they fought more than 150 battles over eight ...
Christopher Wren
15 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Architect, astronomer, anatomist, and genius who rebuilt London after the Great Fire —Christopher Wren. His life is nothing short of extraordinary. ...
Pirates: Barbary Corsairs & The Bombardment of Algiers
13 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For centuries, the Barbary Corsairs captured ships and enslaved European Christians, turning the Mediterranean into a sea of fear and ransom. Backed b...
Boudicca: Myths vs Reality
10 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Boudicca, the warrior queen of the Iceni tribe, has become a symbol of resistance and British defiance. But what do we really know about her, and her ...
Why Do Empires Fall?
08 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For centuries, the Roman Empire commanded unparalleled control over the world around it. It expanded its borders through trade and conquest, sucking r...
Pirates: Piracy in the South China Seas
06 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Zheng Yi Sao was a pirate leader so formidable that she made Blackbeard and Captain Morgan look like amateurs. From humble beginnings as a sex worker ...