313. Rudyard Kipling: Escaping India & Writing The Jungle Book (Part 2)
04 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What inspired Kipling to write his two most famous works: The Jungle Book and Kim? Why did Kipling h...
312. Kipling: An Idyllic Indian Childhood That Became A Nightmare (Part 1)
02 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What is the origin story of one of imperialism's biggest fans, Rudyard Kipling? How did he go from a...
311. Cricket In India: Beating The Brits At Their Own Game (Part 2)
27 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did Britain’s imperial game become so popular in India? Why were India’s princes the ‘nepo...
310. The Origin of The Ashes & The Killer Cricket Scandal (Part 1)
25 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How is the history of cricket completely intertwined with the history of the British Empire? What wa...
309. Tintin, Nazis, & Soviets
20 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did the young journalist with the quiff haircut and his companion Snowy The Dog feature in Nazi ...
308. Asterix and Obelix, Babar The Elephant, & Colonial Cartoons
18 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did a story made up by a mother for her sick children turn into Babar The Elephant? Why did two ...
307. Austen vs Brontë: Unmasking Slavery Heiresses
13 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What is the true history behind the “madwoman in the attic” in Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre? ...
306. Joseph Conrad: From Russian Exile To The Heart of Darkness
11 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did a Polish sailor become one of the greatest writers in the English language? Why were Conrad’...
305. Orwell: Dark Secrets, The CIA, & His Forgotten Failures (Part 4)
06 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why was Orwell’s wife, Eileen, written out of his story when she co-wrote Animal Farm? How did the...
304. Orwell: Animal Farm, 1984 & Totalitarian Dystopia (Part 3)
04 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What was the inspiration behind George Orwell’s most famous works? Why did he move to the remote S...
303. Orwell: Fighting Fascism In The Spanish Civil War (Part 2)
30 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why did George Orwell go to Spain to fight on the Republican side against General Franco? Who saved ...
302. Orwell: The Anti-Imperialist In India & Burma (Part 1)
28 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How was George Orwell’s childhood rooted in the British Empire and the opium trade in India? Why d...
301. Gaza: The First Arab-Israeli War & The Creation of The Gaza Strip (Part 11)
22 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did neighbouring Arab nations respond to the displacement of Palestinians in 1948? Why was the f...
300. Gaza: The 1948 War (Part 10)
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why did the British decide to end their Mandate in Palestine less than three decades after it began?...
299. Gaza: The Palestinian Revolt, The Black and Tans, & Bomber Harris (Part 9)
15 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When Palestinian Arabs rose up against the British in 1936, what repressive tactics were used to que...
298. Gaza: The British Occupation of Palestine (Part 8)
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What was the British Mandate of Palestine that emerged after World War I? Why were the Black and Tan...
297. Gaza in WW1: A Rematch For Gallipoli (Part 7)
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did British Army General Murray fail to take Gaza in 1917? Who was General Allenby and how did h...
296. Ottoman Gaza: Gunpowder Conquests & Rising Nationalism (Part 6)
05 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In 1516, the Ottomans defeated the mighty Mamluk Empire in the Middle East, taking control of Gaza. ...
295. Crusader Gaza: Saladin & Richard The Lionheart (Part 5)
01 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why did Crusaders travel from Western Europe to Gaza and The Levant in the 11th century? Who was Sal...
294. Gaza & The Islamic Conquest (Part 4)
29 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did the expansion of Islam out of the Arab peninsular affect Gaza in the seventh century? Who wa...
293. The Gaza Erotic Literature Festival: Byzantine Gaza (Part 3)
24 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did Gaza become a centre of learning and festivals during the Byzantine era? Who was St. Porphyr...
292. Ancient Gaza: From The Assyrians to The Romans (Part 2)
22 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why did the Assyrians spare Philistine port cities like Gaza when they conquered The Levant? How did...
291. Ancient Gaza: The Philistines (Part 1)
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Gaza is one of the oldest urban centres on Earth, and in this series we are exploring its long histo...
290. Medieval India’s Alexander The Great: The Cholas (Part 2)
15 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Who was South India’s equivalent to Alexander The Great? How did the Chola dynasty conquer Southea...
289. Medieval India’s Game of Thrones: The Cholas (Part 1)
10 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Who were the Cholas who ruled in South India from the 9th century? How was a Hindu symbol of a Chola...
288. Suez Crisis: The End of The British Empire (Part 5)
08 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did the Suez Crisis end? Why did the Suez Crisis mark the end of the Anglo-American “special r...
287. Suez Crisis: Lies, Cyanide Pills, & Soviet Tanks (Part 4)
03 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Who was Dulles Airport named after and why was he instrumental in de-escalating the Suez Crisis? Why...
286. Suez Crisis: Hungary Revolts & Britain Bombs Egypt (Part 3)
01 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What did the Queen think about Britain’s humiliating failures in Suez in 1956? Why did France and ...
285. Suez Crisis: The Secret Meeting Between Israel, Britain & France (Part 2)
27 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why did France & Britain secretly collude with Israel against Egypt? What did America think was goin...
284. Suez Crisis: The British Imperialist vs The Arab Nationalist (Part 1)
25 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did Britain and France almost start World War 3 in 1956? Who was Anthony Eden and why did he hat...
283. Partition: East Pakistan Becomes Bangladesh (Part 6)
20 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did Bangladesh separate from Pakistan in 1971? When did India and Pakistan go from sharing intel...
282. Partition: The Birth of The Kashmir Conflict (Part 5)
18 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happened to the 565 princely states within British India when it became independent from the em...
281. Partition: Why Was India Split In Two? (Part 4)
13 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why was the Partition of India and Pakistan so rushed in 1947? How did Partition divide everything f...
280. Partition: The Creation of Pakistan (Part 3)
11 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why did Jinnah initially accept that Pakistan could be part of an Indian Federation? When did Jinnah...
279. Partition: How Dubai Almost Became Part of India (Part 2)
06 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why have we forgotten that much of the Arabian peninsula was once legally part of India? How were th...
278. Partition: India’s Break With Burma (Part 1)
04 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why did Japan’s invasion of Burma in WW2 affect its path to independence? Who was the Burmese fasc...
277. America Drills Through Hell’s Gorge (Part 5)
30 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did the US orchestrate the Panamanian Revolution to be able to build the Panama Canal? Why did F...
276. The Biggest Corruption Scandal in French History (Part 4)
28 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How was George Eiffel of the Eiffel Tower involved in a huge corruption scandal associated with the ...
The Great Fire of London
24 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
William and Anita are joined by historian and co-host of Goalhanger’s Journey Through Time, David ...
275. The Battle To Build The Panama Canal (Part 3)
23 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What madcap schemes did French engineers use to drum up support to build the Panama Canal in the 188...
274. Pirates of Panama: Francis Drake Strikes Spain's Empire (Part 2)
21 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Who was Captain Morgan, and why is a spiced rum named after him? How did a Welsh buccaneer lead an a...
273. Panama’s Brutish Conquistador Who Found The Pacific and Lost His Head (Part 1)
16 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Who was the first European to see the Pacific Ocean? Who was Balboa and why did he set his bloodhoun...
272. Solving The Mystery of America's Lost Colony
15 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have archaeologists finally solved the 400 year mystery of the lost American colonists? Who orchestr...
271. Canada’s Dark Secret: Stolen Children, Unmarked Graves, & Survival Stories (Ep 5)
09 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What was life like for Indigenous children forced to attend Residential Schools in Canada in the 180...
270. The Day The Brits Burned The White House (Ep 4)
07 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why did Washington invade Quebec? How did the US fail to take the Canadian territories during the Re...
269. Colonising Canada: The Truth Behind ‘The Last of The Mohicans’ (Ep 3)
02 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is there any truth in the film 'The Last of The Mohicans' and how did the French and Indian War that...
268. Colonising Canada: Why Does Quebec Speak French? (Ep 2)
30 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did beaver fur and codfish turn a failed French attempt at colonisation into a success? What is ...
267. Colonising Canada: Kidnapping, Scurvy, & Fool’s Gold (Ep 1)
25 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Who was the first European to try and colonise Canada? Who was John Cabot and why was he spied on by...
266. American Greenland: Nazis, Secret Nuclear Bases, & Trump (Ep 4)
23 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When did the US first ask to buy Greenland? Why did America occupy the region in World War II? And h...
265. Danish Greenland: Eradicating Inuit Culture (Ep 3)
18 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did the Danish missionary Hans Egede combine capitalism and religion in his colonisation of Gree...
264. Viking Greenland: Mysteries of the Lost Norse Settlers (Ep 2)
16 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did the Vikings and the Inuit interact in Greenland? When was the last record of Norse settlers ...
Murder in the Congo, The Cuban Missile Crisis, & India in the UN (EXTRACT)
15 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did the first Asian UN Secretary General prevent multiple Armeggedons in the 1960s? What is the ...
263. Viking Greenland: Erik The Red & Horny Zombies (Ep 1)
11 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did the Norse settlers in Greenland adapt to the harsh Arctic environment, and what did their di...
262. Berlin Blockade: Airlift Across The Iron Curtain (Ep 2)
09 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When was Checkpoint Charlie created in Berlin? What triggered Stalin to enact a blockade on West Ber...
261. Race To Berlin 1945: A Devastated City Divided (Ep 1)
04 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What was life like in Berlin in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War? Why did the Red Arm...
260. Yalta: Signing Away The Fate of The World (Ep 5)
02 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Did the Western powers fail at Yalta? Did Churchill hold strong in his red line about the fate of Po...
259. Eastern Europe & “The Great Betrayal” (Ep 4)
28 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Who created the United Nations? How did The Big Three divide Germany between themselves? Why did Pol...
258. The Big Three & The Big Carve Up (Ep 3)
26 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Where did The Big Three stay as they carved up the post-war world map, and why were their rooms full...
257. Churchill, FDR, & Mind Games at Yalta (Ep 2)
21 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did FDR become the mediator between Stalin and Churchill at the 1945 conference? Why did Churchi...
256. Stalin & 8 Days That Changed The World (Ep 1)
19 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did one peace conference in Yalta in 1945 completely transform the world in just eight days? Wha...
255. Victorian Narcos: From Opium To Fentanyl (Ep 9)
14 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What led to the Second Opium War? Why wasn’t China colonised by Europeans? When did China start re...
254. Victorian Narcos: Fire Monkeys, Iron Gunships, & Peasant Warfare (Ep 8)
12 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Who won the First Opium War? Why did British troops feel guilty about their role? What treaty led to...
253. Victorian Narcos: Drug Dealers Lead Britain to War (Ep 7)
07 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did opium traders convince the British Cabinet to wage war on China? Who was Lord Palmerston? Wh...
252. Victorian Narcos: Selling Drugs To The Queen (Ep 6)
05 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Who was Commissioner Lin and how did he crack down on foreign opium in China? Why was Charles Elliot...
251. Victorian Narcos: Flooding China With Indian Opium (Ep 5)
30 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Who were Jardine and Matheson? What was life like for workers growing opium in India? How does Georg...
250. Victorian Narcos: Banished From Beijing (Ep 4)
28 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did the Macartney Mission fail so spectacularly? Where does the word ‘kowtow’ come from? Why...
249. Victorian Narcos: Doomed Envoy to China (Ep 3)
23 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Who led the first British envoy to China? What did Europeans think of China in the 1700s? Why did th...
248. Victorian Narcos: Sex, Drugs, & The Opium Agency (Ep 2)
21 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did Britain create a violent monopoly on opium production in India in the 1700s? What was the Op...
247. Victorian Narcos: Tea Starts A Drug War (Ep 1)
16 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did the British taste for tea start a war over the right to sell drugs to China? When did tea be...
246. Ireland Transformed: From Banning Condoms to Exporting Viagra
14 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did Ireland go from a farming economy to the home of Big Tech and Big Pharma in Europe in a few ...
245. Inside The Good Friday Agreement with Alastair Campbell
09 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What ended The Troubles? Why was 1998 the right moment for a peace treaty? Which issues caused the m...
244. The Troubles: IRA Secrets Exposed (Ep 4)
07 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Who was responsible for the murder of Jean McConville? Which IRA secrets were revealed in the Belfas...
243. The Troubles: London Bombings, Hunger Strikes, & The Graveside Grenade (Ep 3)
02 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Who organised the bombing of The Old Bailey in Central London? Why was Jean McConville abducted in D...
242. The Troubles: Bloody Sunday & The British Army in Belfast (Ep 2)
31 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What was the British Army’s policy of “Internment” in Northern Ireland, and how did it drive m...
241. The Troubles: War in the Streets of Northern Ireland (Ep 1)
27 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What were The Troubles and why did they lead to 30 years of violence and division in Northern Irelan...
240. Ireland’s Fight For Freedom: The Irish Civil War (Ep 3)
25 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the aftermath of the Irish War of Independence in 1921, Michael Collins is sent to London to meet...
239. Ireland’s Fight For Freedom: The Rise of The IRA (Ep 2)
20 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Irish republicans who led the Easter Rising of 1916 are tried for treason by the British governm...
238. Ireland’s Fight For Freedom: The Easter Rising (Ep 1)
18 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The 1916 Easter Rising was a definitive moment in 20th-century Irish history. Its memory was evoked ...
237. The Great Famine: The Irish Exodus to America (Ep 2)
13 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The legacy of the Great Famine continues to shape not only Ireland, but the Irish diaspora in Americ...
236. The Great Famine: The Blight Strikes Ireland (Ep 1)
11 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did the memory of the Great Famine shape Irish identity? Could it have been prevented? From 184...
235. The Viceroy, The Psychopath, and The Merchant: The Irish in Empire (Ep 3)
06 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ireland may have been England’s first colony but, by the 17th century, Irishmen were carving out t...
234. Battle of the Boyne: Clash of Two Kings (Ep 2)
04 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Restoration reinstates the monarchy in England, Scotland & Ireland, and Irish Catholics believe ...
233. Blood and Betrayal: Oliver Cromwell's Irish Invasion (Ep 1)
27 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
His statue may stand proudly outside the Houses of Parliament in London, but in Ireland, Oliver Crom...
Legacy: Genghis Khan
26 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After victory in China, Genghis Khan goes west and takes on the Khwarezmians, surprising his enemy w...
232. Colonising Ireland: The First Plantations (Ep 2)
25 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In 1607, after launching a failed rebellion in Ulster against the English, Hugh O’Neill and other ...
231. Colonising Ireland: Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, & The Tudor Conquest (Ep 1)
20 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ireland is the only country in Western Europe that has experienced being colonised in the modern era...
230. Britain’s Last Colony: Trump, Brexit, and Russia-Ukraine (Ep 2)
18 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The future of the Chagos Islands hangs in the balance as world leaders debate how really owns the is...
229. Britain’s Last Colony: The Second World War, Forced Deportations, and 9/11 (Ep 1)
13 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Chagos Islands have dominated news headlines over the past few months, but the struggle of the C...
228. The Man Who Lived A Thousand Lives: Prisoner of War (Ep 2)
11 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Gustav Hermann Krumbiegel transformed India’s landscapes but faced immense personal struggles. Des...
227. The Man Who Lived A Thousand Lives: Taming Nature (Ep 1)
06 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Gustav Hermann Krumbiegel's visionary work transformed the landscapes of India. From humble beginnin...
226. The Rise and Fall of East India Company Painting (Ep 2)
04 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Calcutta in the late 18th century was a chaotic, fast-growing city, filled with fortune seekers, tow...
225. Painting the Empire: Art of the East India Company (Ep 1)
30 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Company School painting is a fascinating yet often overlooked artistic tradition that emerged during...
224. Empire in Your Garden
28 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did plants power imperialism? Gardening may be a quintessentially British hobby, but many of th...
223. Empire of Plants: From Kew Gardens to Botany Bay
23 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Kew Gardens near London is one of the most famous botanical gardens in the world, welcoming countles...
222. The Downfall of the Mughals (Ep 3)
21 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Aurangzeb is arguably the most controversial figure in Indian History. The mere mention of his name ...
221. War of Succession: The Battle That Shook India (Ep 2)
16 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
With their father in very bad health and rumours of his death swirling around the empire, Shah Jahan...
220. Battle of Brothers: The Puritan vs The Mystic (Ep 1)
14 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The battle of succession that erupted during a severe illness of Shah Jahan is often regarded as one...
219. Building The Taj Mahal: Love, Loss, & Splendour (Ep 2)
09 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Within days of his beloved wife’s death, Shah Jahan starts designing his grandest architectural pr...
218. Creator of The Taj Mahal: Shah Jahan’s Rise to Power (Ep 1)
07 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Shah Jahan, the third son of the opium-addicted Jahangir, was born in 1592 with the name Khurram. Mo...
217. Zebras and Zodiacs: Jahangir’s Art Revolution
02 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Often overshadowed by his son’s architectural wonders like the Taj Mahal, Emperor Jahangir was a t...