Prince Salim grows up in the continuously expanding empire of his father, Akbar. The young prince is being primed to take on this legacy, but he is more interested in studying the natural world with intense curiosity by dissecting animals and observing their mating rituals. Later, with Akbar dead and Salim ready to rule, he fights off claims to power from his own son, blinding him as punishment for his insubordination. In 1605, Prince Salim becomes Emperor Jahangir, but is it his love of nature or his brutish desire for revenge that characterises his rule? Is he more David Attenborough or Hannibal Lecter? 

Join Anita and William as they debate this question and explore the early life of the fourth Mughal Emperor.

Twitter: @Empirepoduk

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Assistant Producers: Anouska Lewis & Alice Horrell

Producer: Callum Hill

Exec Producer: Neil Fearn

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“The Nabateans are a silent partner in everything that goes on in the high summer of the Ancient period” - Bettany Hughes

By the time of Jesus’ birth, a mysterious empire had built its wealth through trading two of the gifts present at the Nativity: frankincense and myrrh. Aromatic crystals harvested from the sap of gnarled trees, frankincense and myrrh were highly desirable commodities known as the tears or the breath of the gods. Based along the coast of the Red Sea, the nomadic Nabatean people were engineers, mariners and savvy traders, and they cleverly placed themselves as the middlemen in the trade of this incense. The Nabateans gave the world Arabic, and had a kingdom that even Alexander the Great could not siege - so why do so many of us know nothing about them?

Listen as Anita and William are joined by Bettany Hughes to discuss how the Christmas gifts of frankincense and myrrh powered a mysterious and innovative kingdom…

Twitter: @Empirepoduk

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Assistant Producers: Anouska Lewis & Evan Green

Producer: Callum Hill

Exec Producer: Neil Fearn

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The story of the Three Wise Men has been reinterpreted since it was first written down. The gift-bearing visitors to the newborn Jesus were initially described as “Magi”, meaning Persians of a priestly caste, but by the 4th century they were given the individual names of Gaspar, Melchior and Balthazar. And in Medieval Europe they were described not as Three Wise Men, but as Three Kings. Yet there’s more to the evolution of the Magi than Western ideas, in Syriac Christian traditions there are up to 24 Magi, and in the Ethiopian church they are named Hor, Karsudan, and Basanater. So how have these ideas developed over time?

Listen as William and Anita are again joined by Professor Lloyd Lewellyn-Jones to discuss the evolution of the story of the Magi, and the influence of British imperialism on their symbolism…

Twitter: @Empirepoduk

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Assistant Producers: Anouska Lewis 

Producer: Callum Hill

Exec Producer: Neil Fearn

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The truth behind the story of the Three Wise Men has more connections to empire than many of us realise…

Featured in every Nativity scene in school plays, churches, and art around the world, the Three Wise Men are key characters in the Christmas story. They are only mentioned once in the Bible, appearing in Matthew’s gospel described as the Magi - meaning Persians of a priestly caste from Persia. But who were they? Where were they from? And what was the meaning behind their gifts?

Listen as Anita and William are joined by Professor Lloyd Lewellyn-Jones to discuss how the story of the Magi highlights the intermingling of Persian and Jewish culture at the time, as well as tensions between two great empires: the Parthians and Rome…

Twitter: @Empirepoduk

Email: [email protected]

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Assistant Producers: Anouska Lewis & Becki Hills

Producer: Callum Hill

Exec Producer: Neil Fearn

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As a dyslexic child, Akbar explored his curiosities about the world through visual wonders, and by having literature read aloud to him. As an adult, his love of art evolved as he became the patron of a multicultural group of calligraphers, painters, poets and more. A now infamous Mughal artistic style developed from his court, with iconic paintings full of bright colours and meticulous details. How did Akbar shape this style? And how was his art and architecture impacted by the religious tolerance he promoted?

Listen as William and Anita explore the art and architecture that emerged from Akbar’s court.

Twitter: @Empirepoduk

Email: [email protected]

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Assistant Producer: Anouska Lewis

Producer: Callum Hill

Exec Producer: Neil Fearn

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Raja Birbal is a man of such exceptional wisdom and wit that he will become the stuff of legends. Birbal is just one of the Nine Gems Akbar surrounds himself with, remarkable people who will help the emperor enact a series of wide reaching and radical reforms. The ruler takes it upon himself to absorb the teachings of all religions he has access to, which includes the Portuguese Jesuits who are making Goa their home. In rejecting tradition in the pursuit of reason, how will Akbar foster open minded religious debate? And how, amidst all this peaceful dialogue, does he still manage to wage war and expand his kingdom? 

Listen as William and Anita discuss how Akbar revolutionised his governance and promoted religious tolerance in his realm. 

Twitter: @Empirepoduk

Email: [email protected]

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Assistant Producers: Anouska Lewis & Alice Horrell

Producer: Callum Hill

Exec Producer: Neil Fearn

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It’s 1542, and the baby who will grow up to be Akbar the Great is born into nothing and nowhere. His father, Humayun is on the run to Persia and the young family are living like beggars in the desert. Later, in the impossibly wealthy Mughal court, the prince becomes emperor at aged just thirteen. Akbar is a unique example of tolerance in an era of religious divisions, presiding over an empire of flourishing religious pluralism and meritocracy. But how will he first go about building and cementing this empire? And what lengths will he go to to eliminate those threatening his rule? 

Listen as William and Anita explore how Akbar consolidated his power through any means necessary.

Twitter: @Empirepoduk

Email: [email protected]

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Assistant Producers: Anouska Lewis & Alice Horrell

Producer: Callum Hill

Exec Producer: Neil Fearn

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Kicked out of India, Humayun roams the desert as a nomad, accompanied by his young pregnant wife, his court poets, and his library camels. Sher Shah has taken his throne and the Mughal Empire seems as though it will end soon after it had begun. But Humayun does not give up, he seeks refuge in Iran and seeks the support of a Persian cavalry to overthrow Sher Shah in India, and Humayun’s own treacherous brothers in Afghanistan. All the while, the openminded leader continues to explore his curiosities in astrology, inventions, and design.

Listen as William and Anita discuss how the emperor Humayun reconquered India.

Twitter: @Empirepoduk

Email: [email protected]

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Assistant Producer: Anouska Lewis + Becki Hills

Producer: Callum Hill

Exec Producer: Neil Fearn

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On his death bed, Babur tells his eldest son not to fight with his brothers however awful they will be to him. As his father passes away, Humayun inherits a fragile empire on shaky ground. And his dad’s message of peace quickly comes to the fore when his treacherous younger brothers plot to take his throne. Once thought of as the hopeless hippie son, Humayun was an accomplished military general who had served in Babur’s forces as a teenager, and as emperor he continued to command troops against a familiar enemy – Sher Shah. But despite Humayun’s military might, he seemingly cannot win against the formidable Afghan warlord. Will he lose all that his father had built for their dynasty?

Listen as William and Anita explore the life of the second Mughal emperor, Humayun.

Twitter: @Empirepoduk

Email: [email protected]

Goalhangerpodcasts.com

Assistant Producer: Anouska Lewis

Producer: Callum Hill

Exec Producer: Neil Fearn

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It's Iran 1951. Mohammad Mosaddegh, fuelled by an ever-growing nationalism, has just been elected Prime Minister. Immediately he chooses to nationalise the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, much to the anger of the British who control the majority stake. In response, MI6 are determined to destabilise his government and remove him from power. So they begin to conspire with the CIA. Kermit Roosevelt, grandson of Teddy Roosevelt and agency man, will go from Washington to Iran and, building on existing instability, foment chaos on the streets. But it won't be plain sailing...

Listen to Goalhanger's latest podcast, The Rest Is Classified, as David McCloskey and Gordon Corera tell the story of the 1953 Iranian coup orchestrated by the CIA and MI6.

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