HistoryExtra podcast

Think of alchemy, and you likely imagine bubbling vials of strange potions and molten metals. But how close is this popular perception to the truth? That’s the question behind historian and adventurer Kit Chapman’s latest book, The Age of Alchemy, which was recently announced as winner of the 2026 Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize.

In this episode, Kit guides Emily Briffett through a remarkable story of discovery that blurred the boundaries between science and mysticism – and explains how alchemists pursued dreams of fortune and immortality that laid the foundations for modern science.

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An unlikely mix of scientist, scholar, engineer and magician, the 'magus' was a figure that sat at the heart of the transformative Renaissance period. Don’t miss this episode of the HistoryExtra podcast charting the careers of these men, seen as genius scholars by some and charlatans by others: https://bit.ly/47A7pyN

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More than three decades after the end of the Cold War and the fall of the USSR, the North Korean regime remains steadfastly in place, defiantly ploughing its own path some eight decades after its founding. What might explain this remarkable longevity?

In Jonathan Cheng’s new book, Korean Messiah, the Wall Street Journal correspondent argues that it owes much to the enduring cult of personality around its founder, Kim Il-Sung, who took inspiration from his own Christian roots to create a modern religion that endures to this day.

Jonathan’s book is a finalist for the 2026 Cundill History Prize, and in today’s episode he explores these ideas with Rob Attar.

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In the early 16th century, Venice confined its Jewish population to a restricted quarter on an island in the city. It was the first settlement to bear the name 'ghetto' – a word that would go on to shape the history of Jewish persecution and segregation.

Alexander Lee explores this history in his book The First Ghetto, which is a finalist for the 2026 Cundill History Prize, and in this episode he talks to Emily Briffett about what life was like within its walls – from its vibrant culture to fragile relationship with the Venetian authorities.

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With the Inquisition active throughout much of Europe, the first half of the 16th century was a perilous time for Jewish people. Andreé Aelion Brooks explores how the fabulously wealthy Doña Gracia worked tirelessly to protect her community: https://bit.ly/4xMFmq5

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In 1944, the Allies unleashed an offensive in Burma – a brutal campaign spearheaded by 3 Commando Brigade alongside the Indian and West African troops of XV Corps. Against a ruthless enemy and in one of the world’s most unforgiving environments, these men launched daring amphibious assaults deep into Japanese-held territory, turning the tide of the Burma campaign and delivering a devastating blow to the Imperial Japanese Army. Military historian Lucy Betteridge-Dyson has written a book on the subject, Jungle Commandoes, and Emily Briffett spoke to her to find out more.

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Mia Hansson has spent 10 years making an exact replica of the Bayeux Tapestry. In conversation with Dave Musgrove, she explains what her modern remake experience can teach us about the women who made the original artefact in the 11th century, and the secrets she has spotted in her decade of close attention to the embroidery

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Henry VII is often remembered as a cold, calculating and penny-pinching monarch whose relentless pursuit of an ever-tightening grip on the throne overshadowed his achievements. But how fair is that reputation? And what can the real history behind this popular perception tell us about the challenges, anxieties and realities of Henry's kingship? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Sean Cunningham reassesses the first Tudor king's critical reputation, exploring the delicate balancing act that defined his reign as he sought to reward loyalty, root out treason and secure a fragile new dynasty.

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Curious to find out more about the battle that gave rise to Henry VII? Check out this series of History's Greatest Battles, where Lauren Johnson explores the most momentous clashes of the Wars of the Roses, the 15th-century struggle for the English throne that ushered in the Tudor dynasty: https://bit.ly/4gUGQcR

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In 1981, a Soviet spy walked into MI6 HQ in Tehran and offered to defect to Britain – if, in return, Britain could help him improve his performance in bed.

In this episode, Ben Macintyre introduces Spencer Mizen to an extraordinary agent with a sexual secret – a secret that changed the course of Iranian history and may, just may, have averted nuclear war.

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If you’d like to hear more from Ben Macintyre on the HistoryExtra podcast, why not listen to the episode in which he tells the incredible story of Oleg Gordievsky, the double agent who was sensationally exfiltrated from the Soviet Union in 1985: https://bit.ly/4i3FsW7

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In 1781, more than 130 enslaved Africans were deliberately thrown from a ship called the Zorg into the Atlantic. The horrifying story of this slave ship – long mistakenly known as the Zong – was to have consequences far beyond its murderous voyage. In this episode, historian and author Siddharth Kara speaks to Elinor Evans about the brutal economics of the Atlantic slave trade, the extraordinary court case that followed the massacre, and how the Zorg helped galvanise the abolitionist cause.

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Find out more about the massacre and its place in the fight for abolition, from Professor Hannah Greig and Professor James Walvin: https://bit.ly/4x8ks5b

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What happens to English history when you view it through a local lens, rather than a national one? Did people even notice when the Romans left Britain? Was 1066 really that important outside of London? And did the Black Death affect the English population equally? In this episode, Ian Mortimer guides Charlotte Vosper through the past 1,500 years of English history, viewed from the perspective of his own medieval home in Devon...

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If you'd like to hear more from Ian about what ordinary life was like in the past, then check out his HistoryExtra Academy series. Across six videos, Ian guides us through a fascinating A to Z of medieval life. You can find those videos here: https://bit.ly/4x76tMh

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The Middle East has, for decades, been riven by violent conflict. But what are the roots and ongoing causes of this violence? In this episode, Simon Sebag Montefiore discusses The Cauldron, his new book exploring the forces and figures that forged the region. Speaking to Charlotte Vosper, Simon takes us from the creation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, through the decline of the imperial powers and the rise of Pan-Arabism, to 9/11 and the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

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For more on how the past shapes today’s world, don’t miss our fortnightly podcast series History Behind the Headlines: https://bit.ly/3SSjdbq

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