The Rest Is History

Tom and Dominic are joined by Helen Thompson, Professor of Political Economy at the University of Cambridge, to talk about the incredible influence of oil over the last couple of centuries.

Discussion covers the first oil well ever drilled, how it's hard to overestimate Hitler's obsession with oil, and the formation of OPEC in the aftermath of the Suez Crisis.

Helen's new book 'Disorder: Hard Times in the 21st Century' is out now.

Catch our second episode with Helen tomorrow, or get it right now by going to restishistorypod.com!

Producer: Dom Johnson

Exec Producer: Jack Davenport

*The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*:

Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia!

Buy your tickets here: restishistorypod.com

Twitter: 

@TheRestHistory

@holland_tom

@dcsandbrook

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The second of two episodes on Genghis Khan, listen to yesterday's pod (165. The Rise of Genghis Khan) before listening to this one!

'An almost sacral figure' in the words of Tom Holland, Genghis Khan has become the paramount leader of the Mongols. 

Can we call his kingdom a 'Mongol Empire'? What was his aim? And why are some now calling him an 'eco-warrior'?!

Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community.

Producer: Dom Johnson

Exec Producer: Tony Pastor

*The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*:

Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia!

Buy your tickets here: restishistorypod.com

Twitter: 

@TheRestHistory

@holland_tom

@dcsandbrook

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook speak to Ali Ansari about the origins of one of the greatest warlords in human history - Genghis Khan.

They discuss his early life as Temujin and how he became Genghis Khan, leader of the Mongols.

Catch the second episode - Genghis Khan: Lord of the Mongols - tomorrow! Or get it right now as a member of The Rest Is History Club, where you also get ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community.

Producer: Dom Johnson

Exec Producer: Tony Pastor

*The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*:

Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia!

Buy your tickets here: restishistorypod.com

Twitter: 

@TheRestHistory

@holland_tom

@dcsandbrook

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy St. Patrick's Day! 

No, Tom isn't turning Brixton's River Effra green, nor is Dominic distributing shamrocks throughout the Oxfordshire countryside, but they're here anyway with a very special pod on the mysterious Apostle of Ireland. 

When was St. Patrick alive? Where was he really born? Why was he kidnapped by pirates? And did he really banish the snakes from Ireland?

All this and more on today's episode of The Rest Is History.

Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community.

Producer: Dom Johnson

Exec Producer: Jack Davenport

*The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*:

Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia!

Buy your tickets here: restishistorypod.com

Twitter: 

@TheRestHistory

@holland_tom

@dcsandbrook

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What links the Mexican Republic, Palmerston, the Hapsburgs, Napoleon III and butterfly catching? Please tweet us if you can think of anything other than the following answer, which is the incredible story of the Last Emperor of Mexico.

Tom and Dominic are joined by Edward Shawcross as they travel back to recount and discuss this amazing moment in Mexican history.

Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community.

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If you are a new listener to The Rest Is History, you might enjoy these episodes from the archive:

Watergate

Alexander the Great

Afghanistan

Producer: Dom Johnson

Exec Producer: Jack Davenport

*The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*:

Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia!

Buy your tickets here: restishistorypod.com

Twitter: 

@TheRestHistory

@holland_tom

@dcsandbrook

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

[Episode 4 of 4]

'In the noughties, Russian democracy becomes a form of show business'

In the final instalment of our Russia mini-series, Tom and Dominic reach the climax of Putin’s rise to power, charting how a former KGB agent managed to climb from relative obscurity to become the uncrowned Tsar of Russia.

The episode also touches on his relationship with oligarchs such as Roman Abramovich, the hall of mirrors he's created, and a look at how his character has changed over the course of his presidency.

Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community.

Editor: Vasco Andrade

Producer: Dom Johnson

Exec Producers: Tony Pastor & Jack Davenport

*The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*:

Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia!

Buy your tickets here: restishistorypod.com

Twitter: 

@TheRestHistory

@holland_tom

@dcsandbrook

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

[Episode 3 of 4]

'You certainly won't understand what ordinary Russians see in Vladimir Putin if you don't understand what happened in the 1990s. A time of utter, utter collapse.' 

In part three of our Soviet Union, Russia and Putin series, Tom and Dominic drill down into the details of the chaos in 90s Russia, the laughing stock Yeltsin became on the global stage, and Putin's brutal rise to power on the back of the Second Chechen War. 

The final episode in the series is out tomorrow - or get it now by heading to restishistorypod.com!

Producer: Dom Johnson

Exec Producers: Tony Pastor & Jack Davenport

*The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*:

Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia!

Buy your tickets here: restishistorypod.com

Twitter: 

@TheRestHistory

@holland_tom

@dcsandbrook

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

[Episode 2 of 4]

This episode of The Rest Is History marks the second instalment in our four part series on the Soviet Union, Russia and the rise of Vladimir Putin.

From the 70th anniversary of the Russian Revolution in 1987 to the fall of the Soviet Union on Christmas Day 1991, this episode is jam-packed full of late Soviet drama. 

Tune in now to hear about the abuse Yeltsin received after his attempted suicide, the failed Soviet coup of 1991 and Putin's return from East Germany. 

Next episode out tomorrow - or get them all at once by heading to restishistorypod.com!

Producer: Dom Johnson

Exec Producers: Tony Pastor & Jack Davenport

*The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*:

Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia!

Buy your tickets here: restishistorypod.com

Twitter: 

@TheRestHistory

@holland_tom

@dcsandbrook

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

[Episode 1 of 4]

Welcome to our new four part series on the latter years of the Soviet Union, its fall, Putin's early life and his subsequent rise to power.

Today's episode focuses on Brezhnev, Putin's formative years, his early KGB career and Gorbachev's descent into chaos.

Was Putin a nationalist or a communist? What changed from Brezhnev to Gorbachev? What was Putin doing in East Germany during the Soviet twilight years?

Next episode out tomorrow - or get them all at once by heading to restishistorypod.com!

Producer: Dom Johnson

Exec Producers: Tony Pastor & Jack Davenport

*The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*:

Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia!

Buy your tickets here: restishistorypod.com

Twitter: 

@TheRestHistory

@holland_tom

@dcsandbrook

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How much do you know about the lethal price people have paid over the centuries to look fashionable?

In today's episode Tom and Dominic are joined by Dr. Alison Matthews David to discuss the dark secrets behind the history of garments.

Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community.

Producer: Dom Johnson

Exec Producers: Tony Pastor & Jack Davenport

*The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*:

Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia!

Buy your tickets here: restishistorypod.com

Twitter: 

@TheRestHistory

@holland_tom

@dcsandbrook

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices