When the late Queen acceded to the throne in 1952, Britain, though left bankrupt and reeling from the Second World War, was still a major global power. By the end of Elizabeth II’s reign in 2022 – the longest in Britain’s history – the nation and its place in the world was markedly different. Sir David Cannadine guides Danny Bird through the contours of the Second Elizabethan Age – from 'de-Victorianisation' to deindustrialisation – and the ways in which the monarchy responded to such dizzying change.
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Apr 28
37 min
Johannes Vermeer is now regarded as one of the leading lights of the Dutch Golden Age, and indeed one of the greatest artists of all time. But in his own lifetime he was hardly known outside his own circle, and made so little money that he could barely afford to feed his large family. In this episode of the HistoryExtra podcast, Andrew Graham-Dixon, author of a new biography of Vermeer, chronicles the artist’s life – and argues that to fully understand the man and his work, we need to explore the religious milieu of the Dutch Republic in the 17th century. He was joined in conversation by Rob Attar.
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Apr 27
42 min
How did England – and Englishness – emerge from the final days of Roman Britain? And what separated Englishness from Britishness? Emeritus professor Nicholas Higham –whose latest book is How England Began: From Roman Britain to the Anglo-Saxons – speaks to James Osborne to explore the twisting and turning tale of England's origins from post-Roman Britain: a story of clashing cultures, religion, and migration.
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Apr 26
32 min
Alfred the Great’s victory over the Vikings at the battle of Edington brought the campaign of the Great Heathen Army to an end – but it didn't conclude the wider story. In the final episode of our Sunday Series on the ninth-century Viking invasion of Anglo-Saxon England, Dr Eleanor Barraclough and James Osborne trace how the outcome of the battle rewrote the future of Anglo-Saxon England.
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GO BEYOND THE PODCAST
To deepen your understanding of this pivotal moment in Viking and Anglo-Saxon history, James Osborne has selected some essential reading and listening from our archives: https://bit.ly/412VTIB
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Apr 25
35 min
It's now among the world's most popular foods – but what do we know about the origins of pizza? Today on the HistoryExtra podcast, we're bringing you a slice of our new series, History's Greatest Dishes, that serves up a feast of facts about some of the past's most remarkable delicacies. Food historian Annie Gray tells Emily Briffett about its genesis as humble street treat, the currents of migration and innovation that transformed it into a cultural icon, and truth behind that most controversial of pizza toppings: pineapple.
To listen on, search for History's Greatest Dishes or find the full episodes and follow the feed here: https://play.megaphone.fm/pw_5oanmtdswsp80w0rl0q
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Apr 24
14 min
Why do people run marathons in their thousands these days? Carl Morris, in conversation with Dave Musgrove, traces the origins of running as a sport back to the heyday of 19th-century pedestrianism. These Victorian competitors were superstars of their day and performed in front of huge crowds – and from that starting line, we can chart the growth of the modern passion for marathons.
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GO BEYOND THE PODCAST
To find out more about the strange story of long-distance wheelbarrow pedestrianism, check out the HistoryExtra podcast series The Tiger Tamer who Went to Sea: https://bit.ly/4db4D6L
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Apr 23
35 min
What's the role of the classical past in the modern day? In this episode of the HistoryExtra podcast, internationally renowned classicist Mary Beard reflects on her long career, and discusses the ongoing importance of the subject. Speaking to Charlotte Vosper about her new book, Talking Classics: The Shock of The Old, Mary explores her relationship with antiquity – and explains why the ancient past is still relevant today.
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Apr 21
41 min
This April marks the centenary of the birth of Elizabeth II. In this special episode of our Life of the Week series, historian Kate Williams guides Charlotte Vosper through the late Queen’s life, picking a key moment from each decade that illuminates the monarch's personality, public role, and private life. How did she feel when she unexpectedly became heir apparent to the throne? What did she really think about the media furore that surrounded her and her family? And how should we look back on her reign, almost four years on?
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GO BEYOND THE PODCAST
Join Professor Kate Williams for a six-part HistoryExtra series uncovering the little-known stories behind some of history’s most famous queens.
You’ll meet Cleopatra, the brilliant strategist who fought Rome for Egypt’s survival; Marie Antoinette, the queen blamed for a revolution she couldn’t control, and Elizabeth II, whose image shaped modern royalty.
Across millennia, we’ll explore how royal women navigated power, politics, and expectation and how their legacies were shaped long after their deaths.
Find out more at historyextra.com/academy. And all videos are available now, on the HistoryExtra app – click here to learn more and join today: https://www.historyextra.com/app?utm_source=HistoryExtra+podcast&utm_medium=podcast+feed
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Apr 20
49 min
At the end of the 13th century, England was gripped by grief as news of the queen's death shook the nation. Eleanor of Castile's funeral procession from Lincoln to London would become one of the most remarkable journeys in medieval English history – and would also be immortalised in stone through the famous Eleanor Crosses. More than seven centuries later, Alice Loxton has retraced that historic route on foot – and, in her latest book, Eleanor: A 200-Mile Walk in Search of England's Lost Queen, she explores the landscapes that connect us to this past.
Emily Briffett caught up with Alice to find out more about how 12 stone crosses act as enduring testaments to royal love – and the history that we can uncover for ourselves by simply stepping outside.
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Apr 19
39 min
As the Viking Great Heathen Army advanced to the borders of Wessex, the conquest of Anglo-Saxon England appeared all but complete. In the third episode of our Sunday Series on the Viking invasion of Anglo-Saxon England in the ninth century, James Osborne is joined by historian Dr Eleanor Barraclough to examine how Alfred the Great rose from the cusp of defeat to a stunning military victory at the battle of Edington.
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GO BEYOND THE PODCAST
To deepen your understanding of this pivotal moment in Viking and Anglo-Saxon history, James Osborne has selected some essential reading and listening from our archives: https://bit.ly/412VTIB
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 18
33 min
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