The Rest is History

701. Roman Civil War: Rise of the General (Part 1)

Who was Gaius Marius, one of the two men who would shape the fate of Rome in the first century BC? Why was his road to fame, fortune, and political greatness, from total

700. The Troubles: Bloody Sunday (Part 4)

How did Bloody Sunday erupt on the 30th of January 1972? Why did it follow on the heels of terrible violence? And, what were the consequences of that violent day?  Join T

699. The Troubles: Return of the IRA (Part 3)

What was the Provisional IRA, and why did they return to the fray at the high point of The Troubles in Northern Ireland? How did a series of bloody battles, including  th

698. The Troubles: The Brink of Civil War (Part 2)

Why did the violence of the Troubles escalate as it did in Ulster? How did a series of marches from Belfast to Derry in 1969 result in terrible violence, and heighten the

697. The Troubles: Murder in Belfast (Part 1)

How did the Troubles break out in Northern Ireland in the 1960s, and how far back does the dispute really go? Why did the conflict intensify as it did? And, what did it r

696. Elizabeth I vs The Catholics: Killing the Queen of Scots (Part 6)

How did the Babington Plot, another Catholic conspiracy to assassinate Elizabeth I and replace her with the imprisoned Mary Queen of Scots, unfold? Did the Spanish help h

695. Elizabeth I vs The Catholics: The Shadow War (Part 5)

Who was the charismatic Sir Philip Sidney, a beloved but also suspect courtier to Elizabeth I? Why, in 1585, was England in such danger from a Spanish invasion? And, woul

694. Elizabeth I vs The Catholics: A Treacherous Conspiracy (Part 4)

After ransacking Spanish treasure ships, would Elizabeth I betray Sir Francis Drake to her enemies? Who did she back in the French civil wars? And, with the help of Engli

693. Elizabeth I vs The Catholics: England’s Greatest Hero (Part 3)

Why is Sir Francis Drake enshrined as one of England’s greatest heroes? Where did he come from, and how did he rise to prominence and earn the adoration of Elizabeth I, f

692. Elizabeth I vs The Catholics: A Massacre in Paris (Part 2)

What inspired the deadliest bloodbath of the Tudor age: the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre of 1572, in which protestants were slaughtered en masse? How did it drive Elizab

691. Elizabeth I vs The Catholics: The Queen’s Spymaster (Part 1)

How did Elizabeth I rule England? Why was she constantly in mortal peril in 1569? Who was Sir William Cecil, and why was he so crucial to her reign? And, how did his netw

690. A Murderous Affair: Death at Mayerling (Part 2)

What really happened at the Habsburgian hunting lodge, Mayerling? Did Crown Prince Rudolf and his mistress, Baroness Mary Vetsera, really commit a romantic murder suicide

689. A Murderous Affair: The Habsburgs’ Greatest Scandal (Part 1)

What was Vienna like in the 1880s? Why was Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria seen as the outcast of the prestigious Habsburg dynasty? And, how would meeting 17 year-old Baro

688. The Odyssey: Return of the King (Part 2)

How did the second half of Odysseus’ long journey home to Ithaca play out?  What does the epic’s account of the Olympian gods indicate about Ancient Greek religion? And,

687. The Odyssey: Hero of the Trojan Horse (Part 1)

How does The Odyssey, one of the greatest stories of all time, unfold? What historical events may it be based on? And, where might Odysseus, the hero of Homer’s epic, hav

686. Jefferson: The Betrayal of Liberty (Part 4)

What part did Thomas Jefferson play in writing the American Declaration of Independence? Where did he come from, and how did it shape his attitude to the future of the U.

685. Hamilton: Duel to the Death (Part 3)

How did Alexander Hamilton go from impoverished orphan to one of the most important figures in the creation of the American constitution? Why was his relationship with Th

684. Franklin: Revenge of the American Genius (Part 2)

Was Benjamin Franklin really an American? What was his childhood like? How was he finally converted to the American Revolutionary cause? And, what role did he play in set

683. Washington: Hero of the Revolution (Part 1)

Where did George Washington come from, and what was he like? How did he come to take on such a pivotal role in the American Revolution? And, was he really central to Amer

682. South Africa: Mandela and the Death of Apartheid (Part 6)

How did the rugby World Cup final of 1995 inspire South Africa’s totemic national anthem? Why does the story shed a light on the history of Apartheid in South Africa? And