The Untitled History Podcast

Episode 34: The last stand of HMS Glowworm and the invasion of Norway

On the 8th of 1940, a lone British destroyer encountered part of the German invasion force bound for Norway. The heroic last stand of HMS Glowworm against overwhelming od

Episode 33: Charles De Gaulle and the birth of the 5th Republic

In 1940, Charles de Gaulle saved France. He called for resistance to the Nazi occupation from London. In 1958, with the French republic crumbling, he stepped forward to s

Episode 32: Forgotten Crusader Queens of Cyprus

In 1458, the Kingdom of Cyprus was the last of the Crusader States. Over the next 30 years, two remarkable women would fight to rule it as queen. Their rivalry would see

Episode 31: Origins of Celebrity with Greg Jenner

Celebrity feels like a modern idea. Something that owes its origins to the rise of Hollywood, television and reality TV. But its cultural origins run far deeper. People w

Episode 30 Extra Bit: Rescuing Pilots From the Channel

In this Extra Bit episode, Gareth and Matt Bone shine a light on the pilots of the Typhoon and Spitfire raids on D-Day's radar stations: the air-sea rescue crews. They co

Episode 30: How the Allies punched the hole in German radar for D-Day

By 1944, the German’s had a highly-advanced radar system covering the entirety of the Channel coast. That radar would, if left intact, provide considerable warning of any

Episode 29: 1983: The year of crises that almost ended the world

In September 1983, the Soviet missile launch detection system falsely reported an inbound US missile strike. The actions of Stanislav Petrov that day, who refused to repo

Episode 28: Agatha Christie goes to war

Agatha Christie is the world’s best selling author and rightly regarded as the queen of crime. But less well known is her medical service in both world wars, and its infl

Episode 27: The history and cultural impact of Asterix the Gaul

The best selling comic series in the world is One Piece. But the second best selling, with almost 400 million copies sold, is neither British nor American. It is, in fact

Episode 26: The myth and reality of medieval Crusader States

In the aftermath of the First Crusade, four Christian kingdoms were established in the near east. In this episode we explore the history of the Crusader States, and the m

Episode 25: 18th Century letter writing and the hidden history of women

In 1740, Samuel Richardson published Pamela, a novel purporting to be the letters of a young woman. In 1748, he followed this up with Clarissa, written on the same princi

Episode 24: How Games Workshop changed the world with Jordan Sorcery

In 1975, three young men sat in a grotty flat in West London decided to launch a games company. Over the next few years, they would find themselves at the centre of the g

Episode 23: Robin Hood: The Truth Behind the Myth

Lythe and listin Gentilmen, That be of freebore blode I shall tell you of a gode Yeman His name was Robyn Hode These are the opening words to The Gest of Robin Hood, fir

Episode 22: How Piracy Actually Worked

Ask most people to describe a pirate and their ship, and they’ll likely conjure up an image of an eye-patch-wearing man commanding a huge ship. An image that, in most cas

Episode 21: America’s Influence on Tudor England

The 16th Century saw a two way exchange of objects, ideas and people between Europe and the Americas to a far greater extent than is often understood. Much of that excha

Episode 20: When Radium Was Put in Everything

The discovery of Radium in 1898 opened up new frontiers of science and medicine. But the sheer difference between the behaviour of radium and every element that had been

Episode 19: Demonology and the Dead Sea Scrolls

The period of the Second Temple was a time of cultural change for Jewish communities, including in how they regarded concepts such as magic and demons. But evidence for w

Episode 18: Everyday Clothing in Roman Judea

Jesus in flowing robes. Mary, his mother, in a veil. Mary Magdalene in red with loose flowing hair. Even the disciples in short tunics bare-headed. All these, and more, a

Episode 17: The Forgotten Kingdoms That Vanished: Britain After Rome

The withdrawal of Rome from Britain in the 4th Century wasn’t quick. The slow decline created an environment in which small kingdoms and communities emerged as independen

Episode 16: Antarctica: The Nazi Whale Oil Mission

Between 1936 and 1939, Nazi Germany operated the thirds largest whaling fleet in the world. Its giant processing ships roamed the Antarctic, almost driving the Blue Whale