History Loves Company

If you, like me, are a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, then you're undoubtedly familiar with Wakanda, the advanced civilization hidden deep within the African continent and ruled by the mighty T'Challa, better known as the Black Panther. But did you know that Wakanda is based on a real place? For nearly nine centuries, the Benin Kingdom thrived in what's now Southern Nigeria. At its height, it was a highly sophisticated society, undertaking impressive engineering projects and producing some of the greatest works of art ever to come out of Africa. When did the civilization come about? What were its greatest achievements? And what brought about its end? Tune in to find out!

Over a three-day period in April of 1917, at the height of the Great War (World War One), the Battle of Vimy Ridge was fought between the Canadian Corps and the German Sixth Army. What made this particular skirmish so important and unique was not so much its outcome but what it represented. To this day, Canadians look to this battle as a turning point in their history, one in which the nation, which had long since stood in the shadow of the British Empire, proved that it could stand on its own two feet among the world's greatest countries. Tune in to this all new episode to learn all about it.

The Age of Exploration is inextricably tied to colonialism, as each "new" territory was quickly absorbed into the several European powers of the time. Spain was among the first to take advantage of this and, in the early 16th Century, toppled the Aztec Empire to gain control of Mexico. But what led up to this conflict? Who were the Aztec? And how did they build such a mighty empire in just two centuries? Tune in to this week's episode to find out.

This week marks the Jewish observance of Chanukah, the so-named "Festival of Lights" in which candles are lit to commemorate an event that took place centuries ago. The hero of said event, Judah Maccabee, has become a legend in Jewish tradition and lore just as much as the enemy, Antiochus, has become a hated and despotic villain. But just who were these historical figures and what are the origins of the holiday Jewish people celebrate today? Tune in to this brand-new episode to find out!

Celebrated on the last Thursday in November, Thanksgiving is a day in which Americans come together to honor and celebrate that for which they are thankful, marking the occasion with an elaborate feast that draws friends and family together. But what are the origins of this unique and beautiful holiday? What was the first Thanksgiving like? And who was in attendance? Join me this week, as we travel back four centuries, to discover the circumstances that led up to the celebration we know today.

For people outside Britain, the Fifth of November is perhaps best known as the holiday alluded to in Alan Moore's landmark graphic novel (as well as its subsequent film adaptation), 'V for Vendetta.' But despite its place in popular culture, it is, in fact, a real holiday based on a real event. The early 17th Century saw England's Catholic population on the receiving end of persecution by the country's Protestant majority. By 1605, the climate had become so intolerable that a group of conspirators plotted to overthrow the government. What were the details behind this plot? Who was involved? And how did one man in particular give rise to one of Britain's most important holidays? Join me as we take a look at the Gunpowder Plot, this week on the 'History Loves Company' podcast.

Haunted houses have become a staple of the Halloween season. Inhabited by ghosts and other supernatural entities, they can be fun walk-through displays, especially at theme parks or in your neighborhood. But every now and then, stories of REAL haunted houses capture the public's imagination and terrify those who experience them for themselves. One such house was located in the sleepy town of Amityville in Long Island, New York and was the site not only of several murders but an infamous haunting that spawned several books and films on the subject. But were the frightening events that followed the murders true or were they the brainchild of a couple who only wished to gain fame and notoriety? Find out in this, the chilling conclusion of the spooktacular October series of the 'History Loves Company' podcast.

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! If only the people of the former Gévaudan Province had those to worry about...What they faced over a three-year period in the 18th Century was decidedly scarier and much more horrifying. A mysterious creature, described as "like a wolf, but also not," stalked the French countryside, claiming many victims and traumatizing even more survivors. Dubbed the Beast of Gévaudan, what exactly was this nightmare-inducing creature? Find out in this all-new episode.

The day before Halloween in 1938, a curious broadcast broke through as most Americans were huddled around their radios in typical Sunday night fashion. This broadcast, which told of an alien invasion force that had landed in New Jersey, set the entire Northeastern United States into a panic. But, for those who had been listening from the start, it was, in fact, a dramatization of H.G. Wells' classic science fiction novel, 'War of the Worlds.' What caused the mass hysteria that ensued during the program? And how did it become infamous as a result? Tune in to the second episode in this spooktacular series to learn more!

The establishment of Jamestown Colony in what's now Virginia in 1607 is often seen as the genesis of Colonial America. But twenty years prior, the British had attempted to establish a colony further south on Roanoke Island in present-day North Carolina. Troubled from the start, it would exchange hands a couple of times before its inhabitants would ultimately and mysteriously vanish, seemingly without a trace. What fate befell the colonists at Roanoke? What clues did they leave behind? And how does this unsolved mystery continue to enthrall us? Tune in to this, the first in a series of "spooktacular" episodes I'll be doing throughout the month of October, to find out!