The Rest Is History

Goalhanger

  • 1 hour 9 minutes
    654. The Ku Klux Klan: The Rise of Evil (Part 1)

    How did the three iterations of the Ku Klux Klan come into being in 1866, 1915, and the late 1940s? What was the impact of the American Civil War and the Abolition of slavery in 1863 on the rise of this terrifying institution? And, what was the condition of the former slaves in the American South?


    Join Dominic and Tom as they unfold the history behind the formation of the first Ku Klux Klan, its ideology and structure, and the abominable treatment of freedmen in the Confederacy South, following the American Civil War.


    This episode is sponsored by Anthropic, the team behind Claude. Try Claude for free today at Claude.ai/restishistory.


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    Join The Rest Is History Club: Unlock the full experience of the show – with exclusive bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to every series and live show tickets, a members-only newsletter, discounted books from the show, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at the⁠restishistory.com⁠


    For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com


    _______
    Twitter:
    @TheRestHistory
    @holland_tom
    @dcsandbrook
    Video Editors: Jack Meek + Harry Swan
    Social Producer: Harry Balden
    Producers: Tabby Syrett & Aaliyah Akude 
    Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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    23 March 2026, 12:05 am
  • 1 hour 7 minutes
    653. London’s Golden Age: The Shadow of the Madhouse (Part 4)

    Who did Samuel Johnson fall in love with towards the end of his life, and why did it break his heart? How did it enrage his old friend James Boswell? And, why did he fear imprisonment in an asylum…?


    Join Tom and Dominic as they reach the fascinating, but devastating conclusion of the life of one of Britain’s greatest men, and the completion of his immortality… 


    Advertise with us: [email protected]

    _______

    Twitter:

    @TheRestHistory

    @holland_tom

    @dcsandbrook

    Video Editors: Jack Meek + Harry Swan 

    Social Producer: Harry Balden

    Producers: Tabby Syrett & Aaliyah Akude 

    Executive Producer: Dom Johnson 

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    19 March 2026, 12:05 am
  • 1 hour 4 minutes
    652. London’s Golden Age: The Ghosts of Culloden (Part 3)

    What adventures occurred during Samuel Johnson and James Boswell’s journey into the heart of Scotland? How was their trip a gateway to the history of Scotland’s union with England in 1707? And, was Dr Johnson embroiled in the bloody Battle of Culloden…?


    Join Tom and Dominic as they travel into Scotland’s dark history, alongside Samuel Johnson and James Boswell, and discuss their fascinating and funny adventures in the Highlands.


    Advertise with us: [email protected]

    _______

    Twitter:

    @TheRestHistory

    @holland_tom

    @dcsandbrook

    Video Editors: Jack Meek + Harry Swan

    Social Producer: Harry Balden

    Producers: Tabby Syrett & Aaliyah Akude 

    Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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    16 March 2026, 12:05 am
  • 1 hour 8 minutes
    651. London’s Golden Age: Sex and Scandal in Georgian Britain (Part 2)

    Why was London such a cauldron of sexual scandal and political tumult in the 18th century? What licentious escapades did the infamous Scottish nobleman, James Boswell, get up to there? And, how did his legendary first meeting with the renowned wit Samuel Johnson, unfold?  


    Join Tom and Dominic, as they delve into the tumultuous, salacious life of James Boswell - the ultimate celebrity hunter - his extraordinary adventures in 18th century London, and his encounters with three of the greatest men of the age. 


    This episode is sponsored by Anthropic, the team behind Claude. Try Claude for free today at Claude.ai/restishistory.


    Advertise with us: [email protected]

    _______

    Twitter:

    @TheRestHistory

    @holland_tom

    @dcsandbrook

    Video Editors: Jack Meek + Harry Swan 

    Social Producer: Harry Balden

    Producers: Tabby Syrett & Aaliyah Akude 

    Executive Producer: Dom Johnson 

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

    12 March 2026, 12:05 am
  • 1 hour 5 minutes
    650. London’s Golden Age: The Mad Life of Dr Johnson (Part 1)

    Who was Samuel Johnson, the dominant literary celebrity of 18th century London and the man who wrote the Dictionary? Why did his friendship with James Boswell, a sex and celebrity obsessed, but very talented writer, flourish? And, how does this titanic friendship open a window onto Georgian Britain; from slavery to the politics of the day? 


    Join Tom and Dominic as they discuss one of history’s greatest Englishmen, Samuel Johnson, and his infamous friendship with the man who immortalised him forever, in an age that changed Britain’s politics forever… 



    Advertise with us: [email protected]

    _______

    Twitter:

    @TheRestHistory

    @holland_tom

    @dcsandbrook

    Video Editors: Jack Meek + Harry Swan 

    Social Producer: Harry Balden

    Producers: Tabby Syrett & Aaliyah Akude 

    Executive Producer: Dom Johnson 

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

    9 March 2026, 12:05 am
  • 1 hour 12 minutes
    649. The Fall of the Incas: The Last Emperor (Part 6)

    With the Incan emperor on the run, and the Spanish divided, what atrocities would unfold in the final phase of this brutal conquest? Who would triumph, Francisco Pizarro or his brutal former partner Diego de Almagro? And how would the once mighty Incas, finally fall…?


    Join Dominic and Tom for the epic conclusion of one of the most epic stories in all of world history: a hunt for gold and glory, drenched in blood and tragedy, in which the collision of two worlds would reverberate across time.


    _______

    Twitter:

    @TheRestHistory

    @holland_tom

    @dcsandbrook

    Video Editors: Jack Meek + Harry Swan

    Social Producer: Harry Balden

    Producers: Tabby Syrett & Aaliyah Akude 

    Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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

    5 March 2026, 12:05 am
  • 1 hour 7 minutes
    648. The Fall of the Incas: Battle for the Sacred City (Part 5)

    Three years into the conquest of the Incas, how did the Spaniards respond to the Incan uprising, lead by their puppet emperor Manco? How did the despicable behaviour of Pizarro and his men spark the rebellion? And, how would the terrifying assault of Manco and his Incan warriors, on a stranded contingent of Spaniards, play out…? 


    Join Dominic and Tom, as they reach the thrilling climax of this tragic, dramatic tale of death, conquest and betrayal…  


    _______

    Twitter:

    @TheRestHistory

    @holland_tom

    @dcsandbrook

    Video Editors: Jack Meek + Harry Swan 

    Social Producer: Harry Balden

    Producers: Tabby Syrett & Aaliyah Akude 

    Executive Producer: Dom Johnson 

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

    2 March 2026, 12:05 am
  • 1 hour 10 minutes
    647. The Fall of the Incas: The King in the North (Part 4)

    How did the Spanish conquistadors under Francisco Pizarro take advantage of the Incan civil War? Were they able to discover the glorious city of Cusco, with all of its riches? And, what terrible brutalities did they commit along the way…?


    Join Dominic and Tom, as they discuss the next dramatic phase of the Spaniards conquest of the Incas, as the violence escalates and the city of gold prepares to fall…


    _______

    This episode is sponsored by Anthropic, the team behind Claude. Try Claude for free today at Claude.ai/restishistory.

    _______

    Twitter:

    @TheRestHistory

    @holland_tom

    @dcsandbrook

    Video Editors: Jack Meek + Harry Swan

    Social Producer: Harry Balden

    Producers: Tabby Syrett & Aaliyah Akude 

    Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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

    26 February 2026, 12:05 am
  • 6 minutes 34 seconds
    Greatest Paintings: The French Revolution - Millet's Angelus

    Why was Jean-François Millet’s The Angelus considered highly controversial and politically divisive in pre-industrial 19th-century France? What do we know about his personal background, his ambiguous relationship with his subjects, and the scene of the famous Barbizon School? And, how did artists like Salvador Dalí and Vincent Van Gogh draw inspiration and reinterpret the painting? 


    In this new The Rest Is History Club series, Tom is joined by art critic and author Laura Cumming to discuss the histories behind famous paintings and put them in their historical contexts.


    To hear the full episode, and all the other exclusive new episodes from Laura and Tom's paintings  series, coming out every Wednesday for the next four weeks, join The Rest is History Club at therestishistory.com


    _______

    Twitter:

    @TheRestHistory

    @holland_tom

    @dcsandbrook

    Video Editors: Jack Meek + Harry Swan

    Social Producer: Harry Balden

    Producers: Tabby Syrett & Aaliyah Akude

    Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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

    25 February 2026, 12:05 am
  • 1 hour 5 minutes
    646. The Fall of the Incas: Death to the Emperor (Part 3)

    What happened to the emperor of the Incas after he was taken prisoner by the Spanish conquistadors? Did the formidable buccaneer, Francisco Pizarro, and his men succeed in discovering the treasure troves of the Incas? And, could the Incan empire stand united against this terrifying, alien invasion…?


    Join Dominic and Tom, as they charge into the bloodiest moment of the whole conquest of the Incas thus far….


    To listen to or watch The Book Club, go to: The Book Club


    _______

    Twitter:

    @TheRestHistory

    @holland_tom

    @dcsandbrook

    Video Editors: Jack Meek + Harry Swan

    Social Producer: Harry Balden

    Producers: Tabby Syrett & Aaliyah Akude 

    Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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

    23 February 2026, 12:05 am
  • 20 minutes 57 seconds
    The Book Club: Wuthering Heights

    Why does Emily Brontë's novel, Wuthering Heights, have such an enduring romantic association? Is Heathcliff a romantic lead, or an abusive antihero? Are the characters aspirational in any way, or irredeemable?

    Join Dominic Sandbrook and Tabitha Syrett as they discuss all this and more.



    Email us: [email protected]

    Instagram: ⁠@bookclubpodhq⁠

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    X: ⁠@bookclubpodhq⁠

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    Senior Producer: Nicole Maslen

    Social Producer: Harry Balden

    Video Editor: James Clayden

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    20 February 2026, 12:05 am
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