The House of Medici ruthlessly wielded control of Florence for nearly 300 years. Through financial and political machinations, they transformed the city into a cultural powerhouse and the epicentre of the Renaissance, spawning popes and royalty along the way. 

Across four special episodes, Not Just the Tudors takes a deep dive into this complex and controversial dynasty that left an indelible mark on Western civilisation.

In this first episode, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Tim Parks, author of Medici Money, about the dramatic, frequently bloody story of how the Medici rose to power through their banking activities.

Presented by Professor Susannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith, the audio editor was Ella Blaxill and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

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Robert Bruce Lockhart was one of the most extraordinary and unconventional agents of the 20th century. A British diplomat, spy, and propagandist, his life was one of scandal and deception - from the jungles of Malaysia to the streets of Moscow, he bore witness to some of history's most pivotal moments. He even took part in a plot to kill Vladimir Lenin and bring down the Communist regime.

Today we're joined by James Crossland, Professor of International History at Liverpool John Moores University and author of 'Rogue Agent'. James tells us how this gifted yet flawed character went from a teenage upstart to a crucial Cold War intermediary and a master of psychological warfare.

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.

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On the 1st of October 1949, a huge crowd gathered in Tiananmen Square. In the shadow of Beijing's imperial Forbidden City, they listened as Mao Zedong, Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party, proclaimed the birth of the People's Republic of China. The trials and tribulations of the Chinese people were over, he told them, and their liberation from the shackles of imperialism had finally arrived.

To mark the 75th anniversary of the creation of the PRC, we're joined by Dr Jeremiah Jenne, an expert in Late Imperial and Modern China. He explains how the nation transitioned from imperial rule to Chinese Socialism and all about the key characters whose opposing visions for China's future created so much chaos along the way.

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.

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On the drizzly, grey morning of 30th April 1980, six heavily armed gunmen stormed the Iranian Embassy in London. They charged through the front door and took 26 people hostage, including embassy staff and a policeman. A nail-biting six-day siege ensued, culminating in an explosive SAS raid - broadcast live to the world - that thrust the secretive special forces unit into the limelight.

For this story, Dan is joined by best-selling historian Ben Macintyre, author of 'The Siege'. From outside the embassy itself, they retrace the footsteps of the people involved in this gripping hostage crisis.

Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore.

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Mansa Musa's wealth is a thing of legend. It's impossible to know exactly how much he was worth, but he himself spread rumours that gold grew like a plant within the Mali Empire. When he embarked on a storied pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324, he gave away so much gold in Egypt that the value of the ore depreciated. But there was much more to the ninth Mansa of Mali than his great wealth - under his reign the empire prospered as a trade hub between West Africa and the Mediterranean World and a centre of Islamic culture and learning.

Dan is joined by Sirio Canós-Donnay, an archaeologist specialising in the pre-colonial states of West Africa. She charts the course of the Mali Empire from its founding by the legendary warrior-king Sundiata Keita, to the zenith of its power under Mansa Musa.

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.

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Dan explains the bloody Battle of Stalingrad alongside exclusive, never before heard frontline accounts from the German soldiers who were there. They shed light on the agonising final moments of the men trapped in the ruins of Stalin's city, and the circumstances that brought them there in the first place. To watch the exclusive History Hit Original documentary 'Stalingrad: The Last Letters', sign up for History Hit HERE. Use code 'DANSNOW' for 50% off for 3 months.

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.

We'd love to hear from you - what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at [email protected].

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Al Murray, host of WWII podcast We Have Ways of Making You Talk joins Dan to tell the story of the most catastrophic 24-hours the British military faced in the Second World War. Known as ‘Black Tuesday’ the battle of Arnhem was a daring but doomed attempt to secure a vital bridgehead across the Rhine in order to end the war before Christmas 1944.

Al takes Dan through a moment by moment retelling of those 24 hours, the key characters, what went right, what went wrong and where bad decisions were made and opportunities squandered.

His new book is called ‘Arnhem Black Tuesday’

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.

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Operation Market Garden was an ambitious Allied airborne offensive to secure a quick victory in WWII. It failed disastrously.

The plan was to capture key bridges in the Netherlands via a frank plan to outflank German defences and bring an early end to the conflict. But the Allies hadn’t anticipated the extent of German resistance. Dan is joined for the first episode in this two-part series by military historian Mike Peters as they delve into the planning, the chaotic execution, and what exactly went wrong.

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.

Listen to Pegasus Bridge: The First Assault of D-Day to hear more about the role of the airborne forces during D-day:

https://shows.acast.com/dansnowshistoryhit/episodes/pegasus-bridge-the-first-assault-of-d-day

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Jesse Owens' victories at the 1936 Berlin Olympics made him an international sports hero, and a symbol of the civil rights movement. His friendship with the German long jumper Carl 'Luz' Long also stood as an outward act of defiance against Adolf Hitler, and fuelled condemnation of the racial ideology of the Third Reich. However, his life away from the Olympics is less widely understood, as are the challenges that he faced back in the United States.

Today we're joined by David Lee Morgan Jr., a sportswriter and author of the children's book series 'Black Trailblazers in Sports'. Dan and David outline the context of Owens' storied Olympic wins and ask why a man received as a hero abroad was treated like a second-class citizen at home.

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.

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Have you ever wondered what it would take to live in Viking Britain? When they arrived and settled in the British Isles, Viking settlers didn't just face a violent death at the hands of disgruntled locals. They had to contend with vicious weather, famine and disease, as well as simply navigating a new and unfamiliar world.

Today we're joined by Eleanor Barraclough, a cultural historian and broadcaster. She explains exactly what it would have been like to survive and thrive in Viking Britain.

Produced by Mariana Des Forges and James Hickmann, and edited by Dougal Patmore.

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code DANSNOW sign up at https://historyhit/subscription/

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