As the Viking Great Heathen Army refused to leave Anglo-Saxon England, the pressure mounted on the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms to respond, placing the future of the land in the hands of Alfred the Great. In this second episode of our four-part Sunday Series on the Viking invasion of ninth-century England, James Osborne and historian Dr Eleanor Barraclough explore the regions overrun by Viking forces and the rise of Alfred the Great amid the collapse of Anglo-Saxon resistance.
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To deepen your understanding of this pivotal moment in Viking and Anglo-Saxon history, James Osborne has selected some essential reading and listening from our archives: https://bit.ly/412VTIB Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Stalin's murderous vendetta against Trotsky
2026-04-09 | 38 min.
Mexico City, August 1940: a study door closes, an ice axe is raised and the Bolshevik Revolution’s greatest exile meets his grisly end. But what led to this dramatic moment? Danny Bird speaks to Josh Ireland about Josef Stalin’s mortal enemy and the story behind their deadly rivalry. From his affair with artist Frida Kahlo to the pitiless destruction of his family, Josh explains how this is a story of exile, obsession and the long reach of totalitarian power.
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Trotsky’s assassination was one of the most brutal and shocking in history – but it's far from the only example of a leader meeting a grisly end. From Julius Caesar and Indira Gandhi to Empress Sisi of Austria and Martin Luther King, read our list of the 50 assassinations that changed the world: https://bit.ly/4t2JFLL Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
A new take on the battle of Hastings
2026-04-07 | 33 min.
It's long been assumed that King Harold's English army arrived tired and in disarray at the battle of Hastings, having had to march over 200 miles from fighting the battle of Stamford Bridge. Tom Licence's new analysis disputes this idea. In this conversation with David Musgrove, he explains why he thinks Harold is more likely to have sailed down the east coast of England.
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Check out our four-part video podcast series, 1066: The Battle for England, with Marc Morris: https://bit.ly/47wg3yl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mrs Beeton: life of the week
2026-04-06 | 37 min.
Mrs Beeton is a name synonymous with 19th-century domesticity – most notably in connection with the iconic Book of Household Management. But who was the real woman behind the name? Emily Briffett is joined by author, historian and biographer Kathryn Hughes to uncover the life of Isabella Beeton, an industrious editorial innovator whose influence is still felt today.
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HistoryExtra's new podcast series History's Greatest Dishes serves up a feast of facts about some of the past's most remarkable delicacies. Expect culinary legends, half-baked myths and deliciously odd tales – all in the company of Emily Briffett and food historian Annie Gray. You can listen wherever you get your podcasts, or by clicking here: https://play.megaphone.fm/j4kw8qtertcezl8owe6jza Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The battle of the Arctic: the overlooked crucible of WW2
2026-04-05 | 37 min.
The US and UK supplied the USSR with vast amounts of military materiel during the Second World War via the Arctic convoys. In this episode, Hugh Sebag-Montefiore speaks to David Musgrove about the importance of this campaign in shaping the outcome of the war – and details the many horrors faced by the merchant sailors who made the difficult and dangerous journey from Iceland to Russia.
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Read an article by historian Dr Harry Bennett on his take on the importance of the Arctic convoys: https://bit.ly/40UzpcA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The HistoryExtra podcast brings you gripping stories from the past and fascinating historical conversations with the world's leading historical experts.
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