Dan Snow's History Hit

The Kim Kardashian of Georgian England; she was a young housemaid who became one of the most famous socialites in the Western world and stole the heart Lord Nelson. Emma Hamilton, born Amy Lyon, grew up in abject poverty and at 13 travelled to London from Wales, where became a service maid. She was enthralled by the beauty and glamour of the actresses in Covent Garden and would miss work to go see them, eventually getting herself fired. She ended up destitute on the street until self proclaimed doctor and showman James Graham put her on the stage at his Temple of Good Health. Although still a teenager, men would come to oggle her beauty. Eventually she found work as a prostitute and became a mistress for the upper echelons of British society. She was effectively bought by Sir Henry Featherstonehaugh and while with him, learnt social graces, how to read, write and ride. Portraits were painted of her, she operated as a diplomat during the French revolution and became a socialite about Europe.

It was her relationship with Lord Nelson that gave her the greatest love affair and heartbreak of her life. It's said they had an electrifying chemistry and when Nelson hobbled into the Port of Naples in 1973, war-weary and sick she nursed him back to health. For years the pair enjoyed the highlife of the Enlightenment, inseparable, much to the disdain of the high society they mixed with. But, his death would mark the beginning of a steady decline- consumed by grief, addiction and debt, she died with just £10 in her pocket, some pawn receipts and just the clothes she was wearing.

Professor Joanna Lewis is a descendent of Lady Emma Hamilton and takes Dan through the twists and turns of her truly extraordinary life.

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

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Matt Lewis continues his Mystery Month on Gone Medieval with another tantalising enigma of the Middle Ages - possibly the most mysterious manuscript that exists anywhere in the world. Carbon-dated to the early 15th century, the Voynich manuscript is hand-written in an unknown script, embellished with illustrations and diagrams, showing people, fantastical plants and astrological symbols.

Yet the origins, authorship, and purpose of the manuscript continue to baffle experts, which have even included British codebreakers from both World War I and World War II. Matt finds out more from Raymond Clemens, Curator of Early Books and Manuscripts at Yale University.

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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In late February 1943, Norwegian commandos were given the details of their mission, Operation Gunnerside. Their job would be to sabotage the Vemork heavy water facility in Norway, hindering German industry and their development of the atomic bomb. Before they left, Norwegian Royal Army Colonel and pioneering chemist, Leif Tronstad, told his soldiers, “I cannot tell you why this mission is so important, but if you succeed, it will live in Norway’s memory for a hundred years.” Fully aware of the danger they faced, the men were handed suicide pills in case of capture. On the 80th anniversary of this daring raid, Dan is joined by the survival expert and TV presenter Ray Mears to discuss the challenges they faced, and the consequences of their mission.

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.

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It's hard to imagine a time when we didn't write things down- on stone, papyrus or parchment. Who was the first to actually put 'pen to paper' and write. Well, her name was Enheduanna. She was an Akkadian poet, writer and high priestess, remembered as the first named author in recorded history. She lived in the 3rd millennium BCE in the city-state of Ur, and was a figure of immense significance in the Mesopotamian world. As the high priestess of the moon god Nanna, she would help to cement ties between the newly merged Sumerian and Akkadian civilisations. She would also pen the first authored literary works, and her poems on womanhood and faith hold great meaning through to this day. Dan speaks to Sidney Babcock, the Jeannette and Jonathan Rosen Curator at the Morgan Library and Museum, to find out how we know so much about her, and what her significance is today.

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.

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On the 24th of February, 2022, the world looked on in disbelief as Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. One year on he shows no signs of easing his commitment to the conflict, despite the many setbacks that Russian forces have faced. The question is, why hasn't Russia's invasion gone to plan? Where did they get it wrong, where have the Ukrainians got it right, and how can we make sense of the conflict as it stands today? To answer these questions, we are joined by conflict scholar Mike Martin, who explains Russia's issues by looking at how wars have been waged in the past. We are also joined by the Ukrainian medical student and refugee, Margo Bendeliani, who gives us the perspective of someone who lives this war every day and reminds us of the conflict's human cost.

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.

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When you think of some of the remarkable feats of airpower throughout history, you might think of the Dambusters, or the Battle of Britain. But what about some of the untold stories of Britain's remarkable black airmen? Since the early 20th Century, black airmen played vital roles as pilots, ground crew, and even resistance fighters across the world wars and beyond. But what do we actually know about these exceptional figures?

In this episode, James is joined by author K.N. Chimbiri to shine a light on some of the incredible men who helped shape Britain's future. Looking at the vital contributions these individuals made to the war effort, and even world history, what can we learn from Britain's black airmen?

Kandace's book The Story of Britain's Black Airmen is available here.

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Sophie Scholl was an anti-Nazi political activist who stood up to the regime as a student under the Third Reich and paid with her life. Sophie lived, like most middle class Germans, very comfortably under the Nazi regime - if you kept your head down, you didn't have anything to fear. But Sophie and her brother Hans refused to stay silent on what they saw happening.

Her activism began when she was forced to do National Labour Service in the form of passive resistance to the military-like regime she had to follow. After Labour service, in May 1942, she enrolled at the University of Munich where her brother was studying medicine. He introduced her to his friends and eventually they formed the White Rose resistance group - a non-violent, anti-totalitarian organisation who wrote flyers and graffiti and distributed leaflets that called for the toppling of National Socialism. But on the 18 February 1943, Sophie and Hans Scholl went to the Ludwig Maximilian University to leave flyers out when they were caught and arrested. The pair were charged with treason and eventually executed by Guillotine four days later. She was 21 years old.

In the years after Germany's reunification, Scholl became an icon of German resistance and free-thinking and her story is now widely celebrated, thanks in part to Frank McDonough, an internationally renowned expert on the History of the Third Reich, who joins Dan on this podcast to talk about Sophie's life, on the anniversary of her death and his book 'Sophie Scholl.'

Produced by James Hickmann and mixed by Dougal Patmore 

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On the 1st of December, 1955, Rosa Parks boarded a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. After taking her seat in the section designated for people of colour, Rosa was asked to move for white passengers that wanted to sit down. She refused, and was arrested. This incident has become one of the most infamous examples of segregation in the U.S., and Mrs. Parks has gained an iconic status in the civil rights movement. A lifetime of activism and campaigning earned her the title, ‘the first lady of civil rights’. On today’s episode, Dan is joined by Reverend H. H. Leonards, author of Rosa Parks: Beyond the Bus. Mrs. Parks was a guest in her home for nearly a decade, and she recounts for us her memories of this extraordinary person.

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.

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We think of our natural environment as a subset of history, like studying the history of warfare or economics. But in truth, climate is the driving force of humanity, and understanding our climate helps us to understand life on earth in an entirely different way. Of all natural disasters, earthquakes are amongst the most impactful and the most destructive. The tragic Turkey–Syria earthquake on the 6th of February, 2023 came with a deadly cost, and will likely change the futures of both nations. With us is Peter Frankopan, Professor of Global History at Oxford University and author of the soon to be published book, The Earth Transformed: An Untold History. Peter will guide us through the main themes of climate history, how it has impacted on the human species, and it's power to change our future.

Produced by James Hickmann and mixed by Stuart Beckwith.

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This episode contains graphic references.

Aphrodite is the goddess of love and beauty in Greek mythology.

Her origin story is one of the more colourful ones, being born from the foam of Uranus’s castrated genitals. Her life is no less dramatic, and one where love and war are intimately connected. She is unhappily married to the son of Zeus and Hera, Hephaestus, yet carries on her affair with Ares, God of War, and her competitive relationship with Hera and Athena results in the beginning of the Trojan War. In this episode, Tristan Hughes is joined by host of the Let’s Talk About Myths, Baby! podcast, Liv Albert. Together they discuss Aphrodite’s origin in both myth and what she shares with warrior goddesses from other ancient cultures, as well as her most famous myths, and how she’s become one of the most iconic deities history has ever known.

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie

Script written by Andrew Hulse

Voice over performed by Nichola Woolley

The Assistant Producer was Annie Coloe

Edited by Aidan Lonergan

If you'd like to learn more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe to History Hit today!

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