The Rest Is History
Episodes
662. Britain in the 70s: The Rise of Thatcher (Part 1)
19 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
How did Margaret Thatcher rise to become leader of the Conservative Party in Britain? Why were British politics so tumultuous in the 1970s? And, who w...
661. Dawn of the Samurai: The Shōgun Triumphant (Part 4)
15 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Who was the greatest female Samurai warrior of all time? What would unfold in the next phase of the terrible civil war between the Minamoto and the Ta...
660. Dawn of the Samurai: Japan’s Greatest Warrior (Part 3)
12 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Who was Yoshitsune, one of the greatest generals in all Japanese history? What part did he play in the ferocious Samurai civil war between the Minamot...
659. Dawn of the Samurai: Bloodbath at the Bridge (Part 2)
08 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Join The Rest Is History Club: Unlock the full experience of the show – with exclusive bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to every seri...
Music: The Father of the Blues, Golden Age of Jazz, and David Bowie | History in Photos
07 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
**Unlock the full episode and the complete History in Photos mini series by joining The Rest Is History Club at therestishistory.com** Why are ther...
658. Dawn of the Samurai: The Shadow of the Sword (Part 1)
05 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
When did the Samurai come into being? How did they go from being provincial outsiders to masters of Japan, outstripping their aristocratic overlords? ...
657. The Ku Klux Klan: American Fascists (Part 4)
01 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
After resurrecting in 1915, how did the Ku Klux Klan make its move on the next major American election? What was the role of women in the Klan? And, w...
Revolutions: Iran, the Prague Spring, and Ceaușescu’s Fall | History in Photos
31 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
**Unlock the full episode and the complete History in Photos series by joining The Rest Is History Club at therestishistory.com** In wh...
656. The Ku Klux Klan: Birth of a Nation (Part 3)
29 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
How did the second incarnation of the clan, born in Georgia in 1915, grow into a seemingly indomitable nation-wide fraternal organisation, numbering m...
655. The Ku Klux Klan: Terror in the South (Part 2)
26 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
How and why did the terrible violence of the Ku Klux Klan escalate? What was the political context in America for their rising popularity? And, how wa...
654. The Ku Klux Klan: The Rise of Evil (Part 1)
23 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
How did the three iterations of the Ku Klux Klan come into being in 1866, 1915, and the late 1940s? What was the impact of the American Civil War and ...
653. London’s Golden Age: The Shadow of the Madhouse (Part 4)
19 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Who did Samuel Johnson fall in love with towards the end of his life, and why did it break his heart? How did it enrage his old friend James Boswell? ...
652. London’s Golden Age: The Ghosts of Culloden (Part 3)
16 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What adventures occurred during Samuel Johnson and James Boswell’s journey into the heart of Scotland? How was their trip a gateway to the history o...
651. London’s Golden Age: Sex and Scandal in Georgian Britain (Part 2)
12 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Why was London such a cauldron of sexual scandal and political tumult in the 18th century? What licentious escapades did the infamous Scottish noblema...
650. London’s Golden Age: The Mad Life of Dr Johnson (Part 1)
09 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Who was Samuel Johnson, the dominant literary celebrity of 18th century London and the man who wrote the Dictionary? Why did his friendship with James...
649. The Fall of the Incas: The Last Emperor (Part 6)
05 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
With the Incan emperor on the run, and the Spanish divided, what atrocities would unfold in the final phase of this brutal conquest? Who would triumph...
648. The Fall of the Incas: Battle for the Sacred City (Part 5)
02 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Three years into the conquest of the Incas, how did the Spaniards respond to the Incan uprising, lead by their puppet emperor Manco? How did the despi...
647. The Fall of the Incas: The King in the North (Part 4)
26 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
How did the Spanish conquistadors under Francisco Pizarro take advantage of the Incan civil War? Were they able to discover the glorious city of Cusco...
Greatest Paintings: The French Revolution - Millet's Angelus
25 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Why was Jean-François Millet’s The Angelus considered highly controversial and politically divisive in pre-industrial 19th-century France? What do ...
646. The Fall of the Incas: Death to the Emperor (Part 3)
23 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What happened to the emperor of the Incas after he was taken prisoner by the Spanish conquistadors? Did the formidable buccaneer, Francisco Pizarro, a...
The Book Club: Wuthering Heights
20 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Why does Emily Brontë's novel, Wuthering Heights, have such an enduring romantic association? Is Heathcliff a romantic lead, or an abusive antihero? ...
The Fall of the Incas: Massacre in the Andes (Part 2)
19 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What happened when the Spanish conquistadors lead by Francisco Pizarro came face to face with the ruthless emperor of the Incan Empire, Atahualpa? How...
Greatest Paintings: Age of Enlightenment - Raeburn's Skating Minister
18 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
How does Henry Raeburn’s Skating Minister represent both the Scottish Enlightenment and the Romantic movement? In what ways does subject Reverend Ro...
644. The Fall of the Incas: Empire of Gold (Part 1)
16 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Why was the Spanish conquest of the Incas one of the most pivotal moments in world history? Who was Francisco Pizarro, the buccaneer behind this blood...
643. Rome’s Greatest Enemy: Carthage Destroyed (Part 4)
12 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Three decades after the defeat of Hannibal, how had the Roman Empire managed to conquer vast swathes of the known world? Why did the predatory eyes of...
Greatest Paintings: The Ghost of Spain – Velázquez’s Las Meninas
11 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Why does Diego Velázquez’ Las Meninas represent the fading Spanish Golden Age? How did he challenge the boundaries between viewer and artwork? And,...
642. Rome’s Greatest Enemy: Bloodbath in Africa (Part 3)
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Would the Roman general Publius Cornelius Scipio successfully march on Africa? What happened when Hannibal and Scipio - the greatest commanders of the...
641. Rome’s Greatest Enemy: Hannibal’s Nemesis (Part 2)
05 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What happened at the Battle of Ibera, a totemic though overlooked battle of the Punic Wars? With the forces of Carthage closing in on a depleted Rome,...
The Arnolfini Portrait, with Laura Cumming
04 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Why is Jan Van Eyck’s Arnolfini Portrait perceived as one of the greatest mysteries of the arts? What elements and symbolisms provoke debates about ...
640. Rome’s Greatest Enemy: Carthage at the Gates (Part 1)
02 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Did Hannibal march on Rome after his legendary victory at the Battle of Cannae in 216 BC? How could Rome fight on after losing so many men? And, where...
639. Revolution in Iran: Death in the Desert (Part 4)
29 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
How did America respond after the American Embassy in Tehran was seized, and American citizens taken hostage? Would the hostages survive? And, what be...
638. Revolution in Iran: The Hostage Crisis (Part 3)
26 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Why and how was the American Embassy stormed in 1979, at the height of the Iranian Revolution? Did America respond when large numbers of American civi...
637. Revolution in Iran: Rise of the Ayatollah (Part 2)
22 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What set off the final uprisings of the Iranian Revolution, against the last Shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi? Would President Jimmy Carter and Ame...
636. Revolution in Iran: Fall of the Shah (Part 1)
19 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Why did the Iranian Revolution erupt in 1979? What was the nature of the relationship between President Carter and the ostentatious Shah Mohammad Reza...
635. Joan of Arc: For Fear of the Flames (Part 4)
15 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What were the harsh conditions of Joan of Arc’s imprisonment, at the hands of her English captors? How did Joan’s trial unfold, and with what was ...
634. Joan of Arc: Heroine in Chains (Part 3)
12 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
How was Charles VII, with the help of Joan of Arc, able to fight his way to Reims to be crowned in the ancient seat of French kings? Why was she able ...
633. Joan of Arc: Saviour of France (Part 2)
08 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
How did a young, uneducated peasant girl dressed in men’s clothing, Joan of Arc, plan to crown the son of the mad and feeble Charles VI, the King of...
632. Joan of Arc: Warrior Maid (Part 1)
05 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What are the origins of the legendary Joan of Arc, the famous French maid who saved France from the English during the Hundred Years’ War, dressed a...
631. Wagner: LIVE at the Royal Albert Hall
01 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Was Richard Wagner a revolutionary artist who reshaped music forever, or an egotists mired in scandal, whose dangerous ideas were inseparable from the...
630. Tchaikovsky: LIVE at the Royal Albert Hall
29 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What are the complex origins of Russia’s most renowned composer, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky? What inner conflicts and private contradictions lay behin...
629. WWI: The Christmas Truce
25 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Did the Christmas Truce - which saw a number of unofficial ceasefires between the combatants of the First World War, during the Christmas of 1914 - re...
628. Jack The Ripper: The Killer Unmasked (Part 5)
22 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Who are the prime suspects for the identity of Jack the Ripper? Why did he suddenly halt his hellish killing spree, and never strike again? And, once ...
627. Jack The Ripper: From Hell (Part 4)
18 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why was Jack the Ripper’s final murder the most appalling of all? Who was the mysterious Mary-Jane Kelly, his unfortunate victim? And, what enduring...
626. Jack The Ripper: The Killer Strikes Again (Part 3)
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did Jack the Ripper manage to strike twice in the same night without getting caught? Did he have an accomplice? And, what chilling clues did the p...
625. Jack The Ripper: Horror in Whitechapel (Part 2)
11 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Who was Jack the Ripper’s second victim, and why was their murder considered the true starting point of his terrifying killing spree? How did the po...
The Beatles: The British Invasion, with Conan O’Brien (Part 2)
10 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
| This episode is available a week early for members of The Rest Is History Club | What happens when fame, drugs, and genius collide? How did the B...
624. Jack The Ripper: History’s Darkest Mystery (Part 1)
08 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Was Jack the Ripper the first serial killer of all time? Who was his first victim, and why was the murder so shocking? And, what did the Ripper phenom...
623. The Nazis at War: Churchill’s Finest Hour (Part 4)
04 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
With Adolf Hitler at the apex of his power during the Second World War, how did he move on Britain? How did Winston Churchill respond? And, would Brit...
The Beatles: The Band that Changed the World, with Conan O’Brien (Part 1)
03 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did four Liverpool teenagers become the most influential band on earth? What made their music and charisma irresistible to a generation? And, how ...
622. The Nazis at War: The Fall of France (Part 3)
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did the Battle of Dunkirk unfold in 1940? Why was it one of the key turning points of the Second World War for Hitler and his Nazi regime? And, ho...
621. The Nazis at War: Blitzkrieg (Part 2)
27 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When Hitler’s eye fell on Norway and Denmark, how did he and the Nazis enact their terrible plan of conquest? How did the Allies respond to this wes...
620. The Nazis at War: Hitler Strikes West (Part 1)
24 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What was Adolf Hitler’s next move, after occupying Czechoslovakia in March 1939, and brutally invading Poland that September? Why did the Allies fai...
619. Elizabeth I: The Virgin Queen (Part 4)
20 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How was Elizabeth I finally crowned Queen of England, after long years of perilous waiting? Why was her early reign so fraught with danger? Who was Wi...
618. Elizabeth I: The Shadow of the Tower (Part 3)
17 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why did Elizabeth I’s brother, Henry VIII’s heir, Edward VI, choose his cousin Jane Grey to succeed him, rather than either of his wily Tudor sist...
617. Elizabeth I: Anne Boleyn's Bastard (Part 2)
13 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happened to the infant Elizabeth I following the bloody execution of her mother Anne Boleyn? How did her father Henry VIII and his next four wive...
616. Elizabeth I: The Fall of the Axe (Part 1)
10 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did Elizabeth I’s tumultuous early life in the court of her wife murdering father, Henry VIII, influence the rest of her life? What was the natu...
RIHC: Disney's Legacy, with Bob Iger
07 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What’s the first question people at Disney ask themselves when they have a great idea? How does Bob Iger view his legacy, and does he think Walt Dis...
615. Disneyland: The Modern American Utopia
06 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why is Disneyland one of the most influential architectural creations of the 21st century? How did the Second World War impact Disney? And, how is Dis...
614. Walt Disney: The Great American Storyteller
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did Walt Disney come to found the company that still bears his name, and would change the world forever? How did Disney help to establish American...
Spartacus and Gladiators, with Mary Beard
31 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Where did gladiatorial combat originate? Who was Spartacus, the legendary gladiator? How did he come to lead the most famous slave revolt in all Roman...
613. Nelson: Glory at Trafalgar (Part 6)
30 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did the British fleet prepare for war, on the morning of the Battle of Trafalgar? With the flags of both fleets flying and both Nelson and the Fre...
612. Nelson: The Final Showdown (Part 5)
27 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After two years at sea chasing the combined fleet of France and Spain, what was Nelson’s next step? Upon returning to his beloved Emma, how was the ...
Julius Caesar, with Mary Beard
23 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What is the main difference between Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great? When did Julius Caesar become one of the major players of the Roman Republi...
611. Nelson: Bonaparte Prepares to Strike (Part 4)
22 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
With Britain at war for more than eight long years, and her people depleted and hungry, how did her government react to the news that Napoleon Bonapar...
610. Nelson: The Battle of Copenhagen (Part 3)
19 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
With fears that the powerful Danish fleet would join with the French against the British, what great gamble did Horatio Nelson take? After taking the ...
Alexander the Great, with Mary Beard
16 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
No one was like him, terrible were his crimes… Where was Alexander the Great born, and who were his parents? What drove him to go beyond the Aegea...
609. Nelson: The Gathering Storm (Part 2)
15 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After two years at sea, what happened when Horatio Nelson - now Britain’s most celebrated naval commander - finally returned home, to his wife and f...
608. Nelson: Slaughter in Naples (Part 1)
12 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happened when the heroic Horatio Nelson, victor of the Battle of the Nile, sailed into the seething city of Naples? Why would his meeting with th...
The Trojan War, with Mary Beard
09 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Did the Trojan War - the ten year, cosmic clash between the Greeks and the Trojans, featuring the Olympian gods, kings and heroes - actually happen? I...
607. Nelson’s Lover: The Scandalous Lady Hamilton
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Who was Emma Hamilton, Horatio Nelson’s strikingly beautiful, and famously fashionable mistress? How did she raise herself up from dire poverty, to ...
606. Enoch Powell: Rivers of Blood
05 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Who was Enoch Powell, the deeply controversial British conservative politician? Why is he the father of Brexit, and possibly even Reform? And, how did...
605. Greek Myths: Jason & The Quest for the Golden Fleece (Part 4)
01 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What terrifying trials did Jason and the Argonauts have to overcome to win the famous Golden Fleece from a fire-breathing dragon, in one of the greate...
604. Greek Myths: Sex, Drugs & Tragedy (Part 3)
28 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Who was Dionysus, the son of Zeus, and Greek god of ecstasy, revelry and madness? Why was he so central to the ancient Greeks? What is the story of th...
603. Greek Myths: The Riddle of the Sphinx (Part 2)
24 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What is the story behind the writing of Oedipus, the notorious king of Thebes who murdered his father and unwittingly married his mother? Was it based...
602. Greek Myths: Zeus, King of the Gods (Part 1)
21 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What are the mythic origins of Zeus, King of the Olympians, and the other Greek gods? From what period did the earliest of the Greek myths derive? Who...
601. Scandal in the White House
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Who was Grover Cleveland, and why is he one of the most controversial American Presidents of all time? Why was the run up to his first term, in 1884 a...
600. CHATHAM HIGH STREET
14 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why is Chatham High-street both futuristic and riddled with the past? Why was it a magnet for historical figures such as King John, Charles II, Nelson...
599. The First World War: Downfall of the Habsburgs (Part 6)
10 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After endeavouring to wreak their revenge on Serbia, what would be the greatest hammer blow to the Austro-Hungarian Empire during the First World War?...
598. The First World War: The Eastern Front Explodes (Part 5)
05 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
While the Western front was raging following the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, what was unfolding on the Eastern Front? Why was it an even ...
597. The First World War: The Massacre of the Innocents (Part 4)
03 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happened at the crucial, bloody, Battle of Ypres in October 1914? How did the battle come about? Why did the Germans and the British fight each o...
596. The First World War: The Miracle on the Marne (Part 3)
31 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What extraordinary events saw the French - already on the brink of defeat - take on the formerly formidable German army in a remarkable counter-offens...
595. The First World War: The Battle of the Frontiers (Part 2)
27 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What was Britain's first military move following the outbreak of the First World War? Where did the French launch their initial attack on the Germans?...
594. The First World War: The Invasion of Belgium (Part 1)
24 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Following the declaration of war in 1914, how did the outbreak of the First World War unfold? What were the earliest military engagements of this terr...
593. The Fight of the Century
20 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why did two men - John Heenan and and Tom Sayers - illegally meet in a field in Hampshire, in 1860, to brutally fight one another, captivating Britain...
592. Mad Victorian Sport
17 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How and when was football invented, and what are the origins of football clubs? What is the connection between public hangings, highwaymen, and early ...
591. The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln: Manhunt for the Killer (Part 2)
13 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How was President Abraham Lincoln murdered on Good Friday 1865, at Ford’s Theatre, just five days after Robert E. Lee’s surrender? Who was John Wi...
590. The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln: Death at the Theatre (Part 1)
10 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After passing the 13th amendment, in the closing weeks of the brutal American Civil War, what did president Abraham Lincoln - recently re-elected - do...
589. Mary, Queen of Scots: Downfall (Part 6)
06 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Following the murder of her husband, Lord Darnley, how did Mary Queen of Scots - thought to have conspired for his death - navigate the most precariou...
588. Mary, Queen of Scots: The Mystery of the Exploding Mansion (Part 5)
03 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How and why was Mary Queen of Scots’ traitorous husband, Lord Darnley, murdered, and by whom…? Was Mary complicit? Why was his death one of the gr...
587. Mary, Queen of Scots: Murder Most Foul (Part 4)
30 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why did Mary Queen of Scots’ second marriage to the volatile Lord Darnley threaten to send Scotland into civil war? In what way did she essentially ...
586. Mary, Queen of Scots: The Battle for Scotland (Part 3)
27 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Following the death of her husband, the King of France, was the glamorous Mary welcomed back to Scotland, her kingdom since infancy, with open arms or...
585. Mary, Queen of Scots: The Royal Rivals (Part 2)
23 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What was life like in the glittering French court, for the young and newly married Mary Queen of Scots? What momentous destiny was her formidable moth...
584. Mary, Queen of Scots: Birth of a Legend (Part 1)
20 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Where was Mary Queen of Scots - Elizabeth I’s most famous rival - born, and who were her parents? What was the nature of the turbulent politically a...
583. The Lion, the Priest and the Parlourmaids: A 1930s Sex Scandal
16 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Who was the Rector of Stiffkey, Harold Davidson - the "Prostitutes' Padre" - and why was he Britain’s most notorious curate? Was it his unnerving in...
582. The Body in the Woods: A Medieval Murder Mystery
13 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why was a boy grotesquely and mysteriously murdered in a wood in Norwich in the 12th century? Who was his killer? Was it a ritual child sacrifice? Why...
581. The Irish Civil War: The Killing of Michael Collins (Part 2)
09 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After the assassination of Sir Henry Wilson and the signing of the polarising Anglo-Irish Treaty, how did the bombastic Battle of the Four Courts brea...
580. The Irish Civil War: The Assassination of Sir Henry Wilson (Part 1)
06 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Who was Sir Henry Wilson, and how was he shockingly murdered in 1922? Who ordered it? What was his attitude to the question of Irish Home Rule? Why ha...
579. The Irish War of Independence: Showdown in London (Part 4)
02 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What were the terms of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed in December 1921, following negotiations between the UK and Sinn Féin? How was it received by t...
578. The Irish War of Independence: Bloody Sunday (Part 3)
29 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What occurred on Bloody Sunday on 21 November 1920 - a turning point in the Irish War of Independence and one of the bloodiest and most brutal moments...
577. The Irish War of Independence: The Violence Begins (Part 2)
25 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What was Sinn Féin’s totemic first move after winning a majority seat in 1917? Were the IRA’s methods during this early stages of the war as viol...