Short History Of...
Episodes
The Conquest of Everest
29 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Short History Of... is taking a short break over the Christmas period. New episodes will continue from the 29th of December. Until then, we hope you ...
The Crown Jewels
22 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Short History Of... is taking a short break over the Christmas period. New episodes will continue from the 5th of January. Until then, we hope you e...
Venice
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A Short History of Ancient Rome - the debut book from the Noiser Network is out now! Discover the epic rise and fall of Rome like never before....
Introducing: Charles Dickens Ghost Stories - A Christmas Carol
11 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is a preview of a brand-new audiobook from the Noiser Podcast Network. Join Sir David Suchet as he reads a selection of Charles Dickens’s most ...
The Nuremberg Trial
08 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A Short History of Ancient Rome - the debut book from the Noiser Network is out now! Discover the epic rise and fall of Rome like never before....
The Ashes
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A Short History of Ancient Rome - the debut book from the Noiser Network is out now! Discover the epic rise and fall of Rome like never before....
The Brontës
24 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A Short History of Ancient Rome - the debut book from the Noiser Network is out now! Discover the epic rise and fall of Rome like never before....
The Pinkerton Detective Agency
17 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A Short History of Ancient Rome - the debut book from the Noiser Network is out now! Discover the epic rise and fall of Rome like never before....
Introducing: A Short History of Ancient Rome (Book)
13 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Exciting news, the Noiser Podcast Network has released a new book. It's called A Short History of Ancient Rome. The book is everything you love about...
Oscar Wilde
10 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A Short History of Ancient Rome - the debut book from the Noiser Network is out now! Discover the epic rise and fall of Rome like never before....
The Vatican
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Enclosed within the city of Rome and spanning just 0.2 square miles, Vatican City is the world’s smallest independent state. Yet within its fortifie...
The Great Smog of London
27 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For five days in early December 1952, a smog descended upon London that brought chaos to the city. By its end, it had claimed the lives of thousands, ...
The Cold War
19 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For decades after the Second World War, the Soviet Union and the United States of America were locked in a conflict of ideology that took the planet t...
The London Underground
12 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The London Underground – often known simply as the Tube – is central to the city’s global identity. A pioneering feat of engineering at the time...
The White House
05 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The White House, at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., is perhaps the most recognisable home in the world. Built soon after the Americans w...
Introducing: Jane Austen Stories
02 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is a preview of a brand-new audiobook from the Noiser Podcast Network. Join Dame Julie Andrews as she reads Jane Austen’s most famous novel, Pr...
The Victorians, Part 2 of 2
28 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Victorian era transformed Britain into the world’s foremost industrial and imperial power. The rise of factories saw the expansion of sprawling ...
The Victorians, Part 1 of 2
21 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Over the course of Queen Victoria’s reign, Britain transformed into the world's foremost industrial and imperial power. The Victorians built railway...
Bletchley Park
14 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
During World War II, a country house in Buckinghamshire hosted some of the UK’s top minds as they worked to crack enemy communications, most famousl...
George Orwell
07 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Best known for his books Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell earned a reputation as chronicler and prophet of modern society. Plagued ...
The Domesday Book
31 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Following the Norman Conquest at the Battle of Hastings, Norman culture transformed the country, as William I governed through force and bureaucracy. ...
The Mitford Sisters
24 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Rarely out of the papers during their lifetimes, and still figures of fascination in modern media, the six Mitford sisters have become notorious. From...
Florence Nightingale
17 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Pre-order our new book: Short History of Ancient Rome Revered as a heroine, and mythologised as ‘the Lady with the Lamp’, Florence Nightingale ...
The Hiroshima and Nagasaki Bombings
10 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In May 1945, the Second World War ended in Europe, but Japan refused to surrender - despite seemingly facing inevitable defeat. So, confronted by the ...
Marie Antoinette
03 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The last Queen of France before the French Revolution, Marie Antoinette is best known today for her extravagant lifestyle and controversial legacy. In...
The Stone Age
27 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Stone Age is the foundational period of human history, stretching from roughly 3 million to 5,000 years ago, and accounting for over 99% of humani...
Captain Cook
20 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Through his voyages in the eighteenth century, Captain Cook’s work as an explorer contributed to startling advances in scientific knowledge, and map...
The East India Company
13 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Over 400 years ago, a bold commercial venture was established to allow an ambitious group of English merchants to send ships halfway around the world ...
The Shroud of Turin
06 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Shroud of Turin is a length of linen, believed by many to be the burial cloth of Jesus of Nazareth. Its most famous feature is the blurry imprint ...
Arthur Conan Doyle
29 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Arthur Conan Doyle, a doctor, war volunteer, campaigner for justice, politician, and believer in the spirit world, created one of literature’s most ...
Introducing: Fidel Castro - Real Dictators
25 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is a taster episode of the Fidel Castro story. To hear episodes 2-10, head over to Real Dictators and hit follow. Fidel Castro - a revolutiona...
The Spanish Flu
22 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The influenza pandemic of 1918-20 infected about one-third of the world’s population at the time, killing at least 50 million people. Occurring duri...
The Manhattan Project
15 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Manhattan Project was the codename for the US government’s top secret programme to develop the first atomic bomb. At the height of World War Two...
The First Emperor of China
08 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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, ...
Anne Frank
01 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Anne Frank is one of the world’s most famous writers, yet she didn’t live long enough to see her work published. At the age of thirteen, Anne was ...
Alfred Hitchcock
25 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Alfred Hitchcock was one of the most celebrated film directors of all time. In a career that spanned six decades, he produced more than 50 films, incl...
Gaudi (Bonus Episode)
20 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In a long life, spanning the late 19th and early 20th century, Antoni Gaudi created some of history’s best-loved architecture. From his early lamppo...
The Romanovs
18 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Throughout their centuries-long dynasty, the Romanovs oversaw the transformation of Russia from a fragmented medieval state, into a vast empire. Despi...
The Anglo Saxons
11 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Anglo-Saxon period, also known as the ‘Dark Ages’ stretched from the withdrawal of Roman forces in 410 AD to the conquest of England by Willia...
VE Day
04 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Victory in Europe Day brought the curtain down on a horrific conflict that decimated a continent and upended the world. But the price of victory over ...
The Salem Witch Trials
27 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For more than two centuries, between the late 1400s and early 1700s, a terror of witches gripped Europe. From Scotland to Spain, thousands of people w...
The Egyptian Sphinx
20 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Measuring 240 feet long from paw to tail, and around the height of a six-story building, the Great Sphinx is one of Egypt’s most spectacular, and my...
The Real Greatest Showman
13 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
PT Barnum may be better known as the loose subject of the movie The Greatest Showman, but his life was so much more than that work of fiction. A maste...
Introducing: Titanic: Ship of Dreams - Episode 1
08 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is a taster episode of a brand-new podcast from the Noiser podcast network. Join host Paul McGann as he explores life and death on the most famou...
The Tudors, Part 2 of 2
06 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The later Tudor years were a time of turmoil, political intrigue, and national transformation. Initially defined by crises of succession, and shifts i...
The Tudors, Part 1 of 2
30 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Tudors are the most famous royal family in English history, ruling from 1485 to 1603. The dynasty began with the reign of King Henry VII, and ende...
Christopher Columbus
24 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The explorer, Christopher Columbus, is famous for reaching the Americas and opening up a new world to European pioneers. But though his determination ...
The Printing Press
17 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Before Johannes Gutenberg’s revolutionary invention, knowledge was a privilege accessible only to the wealthy, the powerful, or the devout. In this ...
Ludwig van Beethoven
10 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
One of the world’s most influential composers, Ludwig van Beethoven changed the course of Western music. Despite losing his hearing, he created some...
The Forbidden City
03 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Nestled deep in the heart of Beijing, the Forbidden City stands as one of the world’s greatest architectural marvels. Built in the early 15th centur...
The Battle of Stalingrad
24 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
During World War Two, the Battle of Stalingrad was one of the most brutal engagements of the entire conflict, and would go on to be one of the bloodie...
Pablo Picasso
17 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Pablo Picasso was one of the most celebrated and radical artists of the 20th century. His styles shocked and outraged contemporaries, and are still in...
Butch Cassidy
10 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Leader of the Wild Bunch gang, Butch Cassidy was a legendary American criminal who engineered infamous bank and train robberies across the West in the...
Nelson Mandela
03 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Nelson Mandela came to be considered one of the great global figures of his age, but for decades he was a prisoner in his own country. Branded a terro...
The Australian Gold Rush
27 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When a man called Edward Hargraves first discovered gold in Australia, in 1851, the impact on the country was immeasurable. Word of Hargraves’ good ...
Bob Marley
20 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From impoverished roots on an island struggling to leave behind its colonial past, Bob Marley emerged; creating music that spoke with a universality, ...
Emperor Nero
13 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Emperor Nero was one of the most reviled and controversial leaders of Ancient Rome. To some, his reign was a breath of fresh air after his unpopular p...
John F Kennedy
06 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The second of nine children from a well-to-do family in New England, John F Kennedy fought his way up to become the most powerful man on the planet. A...
The Spartans (Repeat)
30 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In 480BC, the Spartans secured their place in history when 300 of their soldiers fought to the death against the mighty Persian army at Thermopylae. T...
Stonehenge (Repeat)
23 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Older than the pyramids and just as cryptic, the prehistoric British site of Stonehenge has dominated its landscape for thousands of years. But what i...
Beatrix Potter
16 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Beatrix Potter’s tales and illustrations of Peter Rabbit, Tom Kitten and friends, set in quintessential English villages and on Edwardian farms, hav...
Introducing: Sherlock Holmes Short Stories
12 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A brand-new release from the Noiser Network. Join Hugh Bonneville on a thrilling journey through Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most celebrated Holmes mys...
The Panama Canal
09 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A 50-mile man-made waterway connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the creation of the Panama Canal was arguably the greatest infrastructure proj...
Buckingham Palace
02 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The official seat of Britain’s monarchy for almost 200 years, Buckingham Palace has provided the stage and backdrop to countless events that have sh...
Chichen Itza
25 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Nestled in the heart of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, the ancient city of Chichén Itza stands as a majestic testament to the architectural ingenuity ...
Sir Isaac Newton
18 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sir Isaac Newton became one of history’s most important scientists - all thanks, as legend has it, to an apple falling from a tree. But beyond the f...
The Gladiators (Repeat)
15 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Take a trip back in time to Ancient Rome, to discover the bizarre and barbaric world of the gladiators. But who were these mysterious warriors? And ho...
The Lighthouse of Alexandria
11 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Lighthouse of Alexandria was a testament to human ingenuity and architectural brilliance. Built in the third century BC on the small island of Pha...
Vlad The Impaler
04 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Vlad the Impaler is one of history’s most terrifying villains. A leader who used torture, terrorism, and sadistic punishment to retain his grip on p...
The Trojan War
28 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Trojan War was a time of heroes. From the swift-footed Achilles, and the hot-headed Prince Paris, to the beautiful Queen Helen, and the all-powerf...
Marie Curie
20 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Marie Curie was an extraordinary woman who, alongside her husband Pierre, turned the scientific world on its head. Their work led to the discovery of ...
Walter Raleigh
13 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Walter Raleigh remains one of the most famous figures of the late-Tudor and early-Stuart period. His life epitomised Elizabethan energy and ambition -...
Introducing: Real Survival Stories - Tsunami in Sri Lanka
09 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This is a taster episode from our sister show, Real Survival Stories. Hosted by our very own John Hopkins, the show brings you astonishing tales of or...
The Vietnam War
06 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The battle for Vietnam waged between the communist-ruled North of the country, and the US-backed south, lasted almost 20 years, from 1955. It spilled ...
Sitting Bull
29 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The story of Sitting Bull is inextricably linked to that of his immense, untamed homeland, which he fought to protect and preserve. Sitting Bull was f...
Mary Queen of Scots
22 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Born amid the turmoil of 16th century British society, Mary Queen of Scots was a leader trapped between Scotland and England, Catholic and Protestant ...
The Kremlin
15 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Over roughly a thousand years, the Kremlin has come to symbolise Russia itself, with all its varying fortunes, allegiances, and leaders. It’s a phys...
The Normans
08 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ask any British school child for a significant date in history, and they’ll likely offer 1066 - the year of William the Conqueror’s Norman invasio...
Elvis Presley
01 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
One of the best-selling solo music artists of all time, Elvis Presley embodied the spirit of rebellion and youth culture in the 1950s. He redefined po...
The Scramble For Africa
25 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 sli...
The Northwest Passage
18 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For seafarers, merchants, travellers, and monarchs, the idea of the Northwest Passage from Europe to Asia was pursued as the holy grail of maritime ex...
Constantinople
11 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
From humble beginnings as a modest Greek colony, through its later grandeur as part of the Roman and Ottoman Empire, the city of Constantinople has wi...
The Modern Olympics
04 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Every four years, the Modern Olympic Games is a celebration of athletic excellence. From modest roots in 19th Century Athens, to a worldwide phenomeno...
BONUS: Harry Houdini
30 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Harry Houdini is undoubtedly the best-known escape artist of all time. Even today, almost 100 years after his death, his celebrity lives on, and his i...
The Ancient Olympics
28 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For nearly 12 centuries, the Ancient Greeks honoured their gods with one of the most famous sporting contests in the world: The Olympic Games. Athlete...
The Beatles
21 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Beatles - made up of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison - were the biggest band the world has ever seen. Recording toge...
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
14 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Mozart occupies a unique place in the history of culture, as his output of over 600 works defined the course of classical music, and remade the face o...
Dr David Livingstone
07 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Over 32 years of exploration, Dr David Livingstone made a name for himself as a renowned adventurer, doctor, and Christian missionary. He travelled mo...
Princess Diana
30 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Princess Diana was one of the most influential figures of the 20th century. Not only was she married to the future King of England, she was also a fas...
The First Persian Empire
23 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For a little over 200 years, the First Persian Empire ruled over a vast expanse across three continents, making it arguably the world’s first great ...
The Dambusters
16 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The top-secret Dambusters mission was one so crucial that British intelligence hoped it would hasten a triumph over Nazi Germany. But it was also high...
Taj Mahal
09 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Known as the ‘Crown of the Palace’, the Taj Mahal has become a global icon that’s visited by millions of people each year. Although it’s widel...
Introducing: D-Day: The Tide Turns - Episode 1
05 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This is a taster episode of a brand-new podcast from the Noiser network. Host Paul McGann follows the real people involved in the D-Day landings. It’...
Mount Rushmore
02 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Designed to be a shrine of democracy, Mount Rushmore was one of the most ambitious building projects of the 20th century, and is still visited by mill...
Martin Luther King Jr
26 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A pivotal figure in the American civil rights movement, Martin Luther King Jr played a crucial role in challenging racial discrimination in the United...
Mahatma Gandhi
19 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Raised in India, and trained in London as a lawyer, Mahatma Gandhi went on to lead a life that was anything but ordinary. He campaigned against unjust...
The Great Wall of China
12 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Great Wall of China is one of the architectural wonders of the world. Stretching for over 21,000km - as far as London to New York and back, twice ...
Polynesian Exploration
05 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Modern genetics tells us that the residents of the far-flung Polynesian islands are one of the most closely related people in the world. But, thanks t...
The Korean War
28 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Beginning only five years after the end of World War Two, the Korean War was an exceptionally violent conflict which led to the death of at least 2.5 ...
Ian Fleming
21 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ian Fleming’s most famous creation, James Bond, is a cultural icon. To paraphrase one critic, Bond is someone men want to be, and women want to be w...