The Rest Is History

120. The Oil Weapon

15 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

1973: Major oil-producing nations led by Saudi Arabia quadruple the price of oil overnight, sending the West (particularly the United Kingdom) into cr...

119. World Cup of Kings & Queens preview

12 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Who's England's greatest monarch? Voting starts on Saturday 13th November, go to @TheRestHistory on Twitter to get involved. *The Rest Is History Liv...

118. End of the First World War & Remembrance

11 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On the anniversary of the day the guns fell silent on the Western Front, we look at the last moments of the First World War – and how we remember th...

117. Alexander the Great part 2

09 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the second part of our Alexander the Great special, we head to the limits of the known world, burning down palaces, storming mountain-top fortresse...

116. Alexander the Great Part 1

08 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Alexander the Great is the most charismatic conqueror in history. Tom and Dominic, in the first of a two part special, trace the course of his dazzlin...

115. The Gunpowder Plot

04 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

‘Remember, remember / the Fifth of November / Gunpowder, treason & plot.” But what is it exactly we are remembering on Bonfire Night? Tom & Domini...

114. Stonehenge, ancient ritual and the origins of paganism

02 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Like Merlin, who lived his life in reverse, we go backwards in time as we continue our two-part series on paganism. Renaissance philosophers; green me...

113. Hallowe'en and modern paganism

01 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the first of a two part Hallowe’en special, Tom and Dominic are joined by Professor Ronald Hutton to explore the history of modern paganism: from...

112. Medieval Science

28 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The word ‘medieval’ is often used to mean backward, benighted, unscientific. But is this fair? Historian of science Seb Falk joins Tom and Dominic...

111. Golden Ages

25 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Oh, to be Dutch in the seventeenth century. Or Roman in 150 AD. Or British in the 1990's. Tom and Dominic debate the merits of various "Golden Ages" i...

110. History of India in 10 Buildings

21 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Curator and art historian Aparna Andhare gives Tom and Dominic her selection of the ten buildings that best illustrate India’s past 4,500 years. Ra...

109. Dinosaurs

18 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How did the existence of dinosaurs come to be discovered, & what role have they played in the popular imagination over the past 200 years? And what c...

108. The Industrial Revolution

14 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Did the industrial revolution really improve people’s lives? And why was Britain first to industrialise? Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook are joine...

107. Watergate: Part 2

12 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Despite his overwhelming lead in the polls, President Richard Nixon’s paranoia leads to the criminal actions of the Watergate scandal. In this secon...

106. Watergate: Part 1

11 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What led Richard Nixon into the greatest political scandal in American history? Dominic Sandbrook, acclaimed historian of the period, leads Tom Hollan...

105. Classics

07 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The world’s most famous classicist, Professor Mary Beard, joins Tom and Dominic to discuss how the legacy of classical Greece and Rome has been inte...

Bonus Episode: No Time to Die

06 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

WARNING: THIS PODCAST INCLUDES SPOILERS ABOUT THE NEW JAMES BOND MOVIE. DO NOT LISTEN UNTIL YOU’VE SEEN THE FILM. What does the new Bond movie tell ...

104. Macbeth

04 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Something wicked this way comes. Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook take a deep dive into the real history of Scotland’s most notorious king. Was he ...

103. The Norse Sagas

30 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s episode, Tom and Dominic are joined by Dr Eleanor Barraclough as they sail across the Atlantic in a dragon-ship, bound for the epic world...

102. Germany from Adenauer to Angela

28 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As Angela Merkel bows out of German politics, Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland explore the surprisingly colourful world of Germany’s Chancellors si...

101. James Bond

27 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The fictional British agent James Bond returns to our cinema screens this week, but what do the history and evolution of Ian Fleming’s iconic charac...

100. Decolonising Africa

23 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Writer and critic Tomiwa Owolade joins Dominic and Tom to discuss the pan-African movement and the varying ways in which African states became indepen...

99. Thermopylae & Salamis Episode 2

21 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook continue their celebration of the 2,500th anniversary of the Persian invasion of Greece. Today, they look at two bat...

98. Thermopylae & Salamis Episode 1

20 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In 480 BC, 300 Spartans made a famous stand at Thermopylae, as hordes of Persian soldiers, led by Xerxes, seemed set to succeed in their aim of conque...

97. Top Ten Mistresses

16 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tom Holland is joined by Ali Ansari to discuss the most influential mistresses in history. The definition of success is to impact history, despite oft...

96. The UK’s Best Churches

13 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There are estimated to be around 16 thousand churches in England alone. But which are the finest in the UK? Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook are jo...

95. 9/11

09 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001, four commercial airliners were hijacked above the US by the militant Islamist terrorist group al-Qaeda...

94. Silicon Valley Part 2

07 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The rise of social media is the central subject of our second instalment with tech pioneer Marc Andreessen. Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook ask wh...

93. Silicon Valley Part 1

06 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland are joined by tech pioneer Marc Andreessen. Has the internet been the most important force in modern history? In par...

92. Nuclear Weapons

01 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The year is 1983, and on November the 8th the world is the closest it’s ever been to nuclear destruction, yet nobody at the time realises. Dominic ...

91. The Beatles

30 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook are live at the Chalke Valley History Festival to discuss the cultural impact of the Fab Four. What were the social...

90. The Western Front

26 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The slaughter and bloodshed on the Western Front in World War One helped shape the narrative of the 20th century. But was it a case of lions led by do...

89. Climate & Weather

23 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

From the Ice Age to the Winter of Discontent, climate and weather have hugely impacted historical events. Wars halted by freezing conditions, Prime Mi...

88. The First Anglo-Afghan War

19 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

“A war begun for no wise purpose.” This description of the First Anglo-Afghan War, fought in the early-mid 19th Century, could stand as an epitaph...

87. Afghanistan - Part 1

18 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the first of a two-part series exploring the history of Afghanistan, Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook examine the nation’s complicated relations...

86. The Enlightenment

16 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Once there was darkness and then there was light. What was the Enlightenment and why did it matter? Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook explore the Enli...

85. Sherlock Holmes

12 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The games afoot! Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook discuss the world’s favourite consulting detective. Why has the popularity of Sherlock Holmes sur...

84. Exams

09 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Even the memory of them is enough to make most people shudder. As thousands of British students wait nervously for their A-level and GCSE results, Tom...

83. The Berlin Wall

05 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

60 years ago this month, the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) began building a barrier that divided the city of Berlin. It stood until 1989 a...

82. Sparta

02 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What does it mean to be a Spartan? How much of this Spartan image is real and how much is based on projections and prejudices of others? Tom and Domi...

81. Modern Olympics - Part 2

30 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tom and Dominic continue their journey through the history of the Olympics, turning their attention from post-war to the present day.  They discuss ...

80. Modern Olympics - Part 1

29 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In 1896 the Olympic Games were reborn in Athens. Here we look at the forgotten tales and little known facts from the start of the modern Olympics thro...

79. Ancient Olympics

26 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

With the Games underway in Tokyo, Tom and Dominic look back to the Ancient Olympics. They discuss the heroic but incredibly violent stories of the Gr...

78. Statues: Parliament Square

22 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Statues: Parliament Square In the final part of their epic trilogy, Tom and Dominic arrive at Parliament Square to explore the statues of world leade...

77. Statues: Whitehall

20 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tom and Dominic continue their tour of London’s statues, arriving in Whitehall. War leaders, useless royals and courtesans all feature. A Goalhange...

76. Statues: Trafalgar Square

19 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the first of a three part series Tom and Dominic take a walking tour of central London to examine the statues of Trafalgar Square and explore the s...

75. The East India Company

15 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tom and Dominic are joined by historian William Dalrymple to tell the fascinating and shocking story of the East India Company in the 18th century. H...

74. The Six Wives of Henry VIII

12 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Henry VIII had the most notorious marital relations of any king in history. Tom and Dominic discuss the six women who became his queen. How did they i...

73. England v Italy

09 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

No country has enjoyed a greater influence on the English than Italy. Ahead of the European Championship final, Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland expl...

72. The Vietnam War

08 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

No war has divided public opinion more than the conflict in Vietnam. Andrew Preston, Cambridge University Professor of American History, joins Dominic...

71. England v Denmark

06 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Ahead of the two countries’ encounter at Wembley, Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook discuss Anglo-Danish history through the ages. Vikings, the dest...

70. Children’s History

05 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tom and Dominic discuss how to write history books for kids. What topics are they interested in? What will they find boring? How much detail is acc...

69. England v Ukraine

02 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On the eve of a huge sporting encounter in Rome between the English and Ukrainian football teams, Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook explore the histor...

68. The British Empire

01 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The British Empire: good, bad or neither? And how does its legacy shape us today? Journalist Sathnam Sanghera, author of “Empireland”, joins Tom H...

67. Anglo-German Relations

28 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

With England and Germany set to do sporting battle once again, Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook explore the historical events which have shaped the r...

66. Ghosts

24 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Settle down by the fire and prepare to be haunted. Roger Clarke, author of A Natural History of Ghosts, joins Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook to won...

65. A Very British Scandal

21 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Jeremy Thorpe was the most flamboyant politician of his day. Leader of the Liberal Party for nine years he was tried at the Old Bailey for conspiracy ...

64. Hitler, with Ian Kershaw - part 2

17 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the second part of our examination of Adolf Hitler, Sir Ian Kershaw joins Dominic Sandbrook to discuss the Nazi leader’s years leading up to and ...

63. Hitler, with Ian Kershaw - part 1

14 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

He was “the embodiment of modern political evil” according to historian Sir Ian Kershaw. In this first episode of a two-part investigation of the ...

62. Magna Carta

10 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Does the Magna Carta enshrine the liberties of every free-born Englishman? Or is it now irrelevant? Ted Vallance, Professor of History at Roehampton U...

61. California

07 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

No state in America captures the imagination quite like California. With its glitz and glamour and also its enormous economic disparities the state is...

60. Muhammad

03 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Who was Muhammad, where did he come from and what was the historical context for his life? Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook discuss one of the most i...

59. The World Cup of Gods - Part 2

01 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Competition for top deity hots up as we look back on the knock out stages of the Rest is History World Cup of Gods. Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland ...

58. The World Cup of Gods - Part 1

31 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In one of the most anticipated contests of the year, sixteen gods battled for the crown of ultimate deity. Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook offer ana...

57. Paris

27 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It may just be the most popular city on earth. Throughout history Paris has maintained a grip on the public imagination, thanks to its culture, archit...

56. Nero

24 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

He remains one of the great characters in all history. But was he depraved, corrupt and evil? Or an artist much maligned by elitist historians? Domini...

55. The World Cup of Gods - Preview

22 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It promises to be the biggest event of the summer - The Rest is History World Cup of Gods. Sixteen competitors, but there can be only one winner. Tom...

54. Cromwell and the Protectorate

20 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Did Oliver Cromwell save Britain from tyranny or was he a killjoy and military dictator? Paul Lay, author of Providence Lost: the Rise and Fall of Cro...

53. Game of Thrones

17 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What, if anything, can we learn about medieval history from Game of Thrones? Or is George R R Martin’s hugely popular series of books, and the block...

51. Aztecs

13 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook talk to award-winning writer Camilla Townsend, author of the revelatory Fifth Sun. Professor Townsend used Nahuatl l...

50. Teenagers

10 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

“They’re wasting their money and having sex with each other.” Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland explore the modern phenomenon of the teenager. W...

49. Food Glorious Food

06 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook tuck into the history of British food with author Pen Vogler. They debate the origins of curry and debate our obsess...

48. The French Revolution

03 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

With France facing economic struggles and rising unemployment revolution was in the air. But who was in charge of the uprising and what did it achieve...

47. The Seven Years' War

29 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook are joined by historian and broadcaster Dan Snow to discuss the biggest event of the 18th century - The Seven Years'...

46. Culture Wars

26 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The battle lines are drawn as Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook get involved in this most timely of subjects. They discuss the historical significance...

45. Top Ten Eunuchs

22 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook cross their legs and rank the best Eunuchs in history. From religious fanatics to operatic singers, they discuss the...

44. 1066

19 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It is perhaps the best known year in English history. But why has it endured in the national consciousness? Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook talk the...

43. 1940

15 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It is arguably the most important year in modern history. With the British Expeditionary Force trapped at Dunkirk, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain ...

42. The Wild West

12 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Podcasting’s answer to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid - that’s Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook of course - explore the Wild West in both fac...

41. Persia

08 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It is one of the truly great civilisations in world history and yet the story of Persia has faded from view in the west. Tom Holland and Dominic Sandb...

40. History as Entertainment

05 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

From re-enactment to reinforcing capitalism through the board game Monopoly. Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland examine the history of games and the po...

39. Elizabeth I

01 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

She famously claimed to have the heart and stomach of a king and remains one of Britain’s most talked about monarchs, despite having reigned more th...

38. Communism

29 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It was one of the great political ideologies of the 20th century, vying with capitalism for supremacy. Now communism has retreated from the political ...

37. Spies, with Ben MacIntyre

25 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

History is littered with stories of espionage and its capacity to change the course of events. But does spying truly matter and has the human operativ...

36. Our Greatest Prime Minister

23 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In our last episode we debated the merits of British Prime Ministers through the centuries. But who was voted the best of all by the public and why? D...

35. The Prime Ministers’ World Cup

22 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Who is the greatest British Prime Minister of them all? The bookmakers have Winston Churchill favourite to lift the crown, but William Gladstone and M...

34. St Cuthbert’s Day

20 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

March 20th marks the annual Feast day of the Northumbrian Saint Cuthbert. But why should we care about this largely forgotten figure from the 7th cent...

33. The Beautiful Game

18 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It has been described as the most universal cultural mode there has ever been, but is football a worthwhile object of study for historians? Sports jou...

32. What if?

15 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Counterfactuals are the great what ifs of history. Imagine the Nazis winning World War 2, or the Roman Empire never falling. Is this a valid form of h...

31. The Second Reich

11 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It emerged from the Prussian victory over France in 1870 and was destroyed by the First World War less than fifty years later. German historian Katja ...

30. A Royal Row

09 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

With the British monarchy under intense scrutiny following an interview with Harry and Meghan conducted by Oprah Winfrey, Tom Holland and Dominic Sand...

29. Americanisation

08 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Has America taken over the world? Did the dollar and Hollywood enable the US to replace the British empire as the dominant international influencer? A...

28. The Kings of Comedy

04 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Comedian Al Murray joins Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook to discuss the history of comedy as well as the funny side of history. Has comedy changed t...

27. Tutankhamun

01 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook ask why Tutankhamun remains the best known of the Egyptian pharaohs. They examine the discovery of the tomb by Howar...

26. Witches

25 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Suzannah Lipscomb joins Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook to discuss the history of witches and witchcraft. Why did society see witches as a threat an...

25. Empires

22 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Is the age of empires over? And are they always a bad thing? Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland explore empires through history, examining the modern a...

24. Sex in the City

18 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Everything you wanted to know about sex in the 18th and 19th Century but were afraid to ask. Hallie Rubenhold, author of The Covent Garden Ladies and ...

23. The 90s

15 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Ecstasy, emails and economic stability. Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland discuss the 1990s, a decade which brought us Oasis, Tony Blair, Monica Lewin...

22. Weird Wars

11 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Rest is History brings you the top ten strangest conflicts of all time. Obscure, little-known, downright strange. Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Hollan...

21. The History of the Future

08 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is history’s take on the future? Oracles, prophecies, apocalypse, scientific projection. Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook discuss them all. Le...