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When was the best time in English history to be alive?.

A man in a suit and ruffed collar in front of a blue background

George Washington is an American hero – so why was he the pride of Victorian England?.

“I am to flirt my last”: Jane Austen’s twenties.

Meet the reluctant US president who accidentally changed American political norms forever

A black and white photograph of a plane with Japanese characters written on its side

He shot down 3 planes in 4 minutes: meet the WW2 pilot you won't have heard about.

The secret propaganda war against the Nazis.

Who was the REAL Santa?.

Did the ancient Romans wear underwear? The truth is surprisingly complicated

The many faces of James VI & I.

This portrait presents Saladin wearing an elaborate headdress, emphasising his status as a ruler of the medieval Islamic world.

Meet the shadowy assassins who were seconds from taking out Saladin – and upending the Crusades

Was the Boston Tea Party REALLY a peaceful protest?.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: life of the week.

This scene comes from the Bayeux Tapestry, the nearly 70-metre-long embroidered narrative that chronicles the events leading to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

The Bayeux Tapestry is beautiful, but what was its purpose? New research might have the answer

We often refer to countries as 'female' – so why has history excluded women from nation-building?.

A short history of ghost hunting.

Becoming Jane Austen.

Painted in 1540 by Hans Holbein the Younger, this iconic portrait shows Henry VIII at the height of his power. The king’s imposing stance and lavish dress project authority and magnificence, reflecting a reign that transformed England’s religion, politics, and monarchy.

Henry VIII wanted a giant Tudor tomb. So why didn’t he get it?

Ghosts, gods & sea monsters: a supernatural history of the Atlantic.

An illustration of a monk writing on a large piece of parchment, with colourful and dramatic scenes spilling out of the pen

The Book of Kells: "a masterpiece of medieval calligraphy and painting".

Everything you think you know about Vikings is WRONG.

Emperor Moctezuma II, ruler of the Aztec Empire at the height of its power. His reign oversaw a flourishing capital at Tenochtitlan and an expansive tribute system, but it ended abruptly with the arrival of Spanish conquistadors in 1519.

Did Aztec civilisation really ‘collapse’? The reality isn’t as simple as you might think

AI: good or bad for history? Our experts weigh in.

The summer that changed everything for the Kennedys.

Episode 1Why the Ancient Egyptians WEREN'T ancient.

This Roman mosaic depicts Orestes and Iphigenia, with Iphigenia holding a small statue of Artemis — imagery drawn from Greek myth and popular across the Roman world. Mosaics like this often decorated the floors of bath complexes and latrines, where vibrant storytelling scenes enlivened communal spaces.

Ancient Roman culture would be baffling to modern eyes – and their toilet habits prove it

News stories from the HistoryExtra podcast.

General History

Beyond the Podcast

Margaret Beaufort: life of the week.

Idi Amin's willing helpers.

A painting of a man with a snake like body, all piled on top of each other, with a sad face and long black hair, plus red wings

The US 'voodoo' scare: why 19th-century racists spread fake news about Haiti.