We can't stop talking about the Tudors. The Stuarts bestride the 17th century. Yet if you're looking for a family that truly changed the course of British history then, argues Miranda Malins, you need look no further than the Cromwells. In this episode, Miranda tells Spencer Mizen about the awesome impact of the two titans of the Cromwell family – Thomas and Oliver – on British history, the striking similarities between these two men, and how she thinks they'd have got on if they'd have met.

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To listen to a HistoryExtra podcast with Professor Ronald Hutton on what it was like to live during Oliver Cromwell’s protectorate, click here: https://bit.ly/4xxq20c

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Today on the HistoryExtra podcast, we’re bringing you a taster of the new season of History’s Greatest Dishes – the series in which food historian Annie Gray talks to Emily Briffett about some of the past’s most remarkable delicacies. In this episode, they discuss the history of a humble British favourite, from its curious role as a sickroom remedy to a whistle-stop tour of the best toppings.

To listen on, search for History’s Greatest Dishes or find the full episodes and follow the feed here: https://play.megaphone.fm/xw2gxlmhqtuybug6yxwzwa

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You may think of King Arthur as a chivalrous ruler, surrounded by noble knights, living in splendour in Camelot and setting out on amazing quests. However, that story originates from a late medieval account. Much more interesting is an earlier telling of the story, which is both weirder and more brutal, featuring dog-headed monsters and demon sex. Amy Jeffs, author of Arthur: A New Life, talks through this stranger side of Arthur with Dave Musgrove.

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Check out our deep dive on the Arthurian legends with Professors Ronald Hutton and Ad Putter here: https://bit.ly/4rfzFzl

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For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠historyextra.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠.

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Which battlefield victory did Napoleon rank as his most brilliant? How did Julius Caesar squeeze that extra one per cent commitment out of his soldiers? And what cunning ruse did George Washington implement to outfox the British at Yorktown? In this episode, Iain MacGregor talks Spencer Mizen through history's greatest battles, and considers what qualities separate the very best commanders from the also-rans.

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If you’d like to hear more from Iain MacGregor on the HistoryExtra podcast, why not listen to the episode in which he tells the incredible story of life in Hiroshima in the aftermath of the nuclear strike: https://bit.ly/4i4rvp9

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For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠historyextra.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠.

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We'd love to know what you think about the podcast, so leave us a review and let us know the topics you think we should be covering. Or, follow us on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠X⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠ or ⁠YouTube⁠ to keep in touch.

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Why did Henry VIII decide to break with Rome? From his turbulent personal life to a desire to rid the Catholic church of corruption, the Tudor king’s motivations have long proven a source of fascination. Yet, as historian and author Diarmaid MacCulloch tells Charlotte Vosper in this episode, the truth might be even more complicated than we sometimes think.

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For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠historyextra.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠.

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You might be forgiven for thinking there were no women on the frontline in the Second World War. But, that's not the case. In this episode of the HistoryExtra podcast, Lauren Good speaks to historian and author Leah Garrett about the unseen work of so-called 'flight nurses' at Iwo Jima and Okinawa - two of the most brutal battles of Pacific arena. She explores these women's stories, revealing how they risked their lives dodging enemy attacks in unreliable aircraft to tend to injured men.

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Don't miss this HistoryExtra article, which highlights what it was like to be in the Women's Royal Naval Service during the Second World War: https://bit.ly/4y7r2ss

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For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. Find out more at ⁠⁠historyextra.com/podcast⁠⁠.

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King Harold II of England – otherwise known as Harold Godwinson – famously died at the battle of Hastings, with his demise at the hands of Duke William of Normandy ushering in a new Norman era. Speaking to David Musgrove, historian Tom Licence draws on his new biography of the Anglo-Saxon king to explore Harold’s military experience, and investigate his complicated family and political ties. He also revisits the rival invasions of 1066, asks whether Harold could have won at Hastings, and examines what the Bayeux Tapestry and later legends tell us about his death – and his place in England’s national memory.

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You can hear Tom Licence reconsider King Harold's role in the battle of Stamford bridge here: https://bit.ly/4rFtFQy

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For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠historyextra.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠.

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We'd love to know what you think about the podcast, so leave us a review and let us know the topics you think we should be covering. Or, follow us on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠X⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠ or ⁠YouTube⁠ to keep in touch.

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What do goddesses of love have in common with goddesses of war? Historian Ronald Hutton argues that some of the ancient world’s most powerful female deities were united by a potent combination of sex, violence and ecstatic experience. Speaking to Danny Bird, Hutton traces a lineage from the Sumerian goddess Inanna through Ishtar, Aphrodite and Venus, all the way to the Norse Freyja and the Irish Morrigan. Along the way, they discuss why the Greeks were terrified of love, how Christianity tried to erase pagan goddesses, and why these extraordinary figures are enjoying a revival in the modern world.

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To find out more about the goddesses of antiquity, be sure to read our profile on Artemis, the ancient Greek deity with 30 breasts: https://bit.ly/4yb4lUd

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Become a HistoryExtra podcast member and unlock access to The Full Story podcast, plus enjoy ad-free listening, early access to other podcast episodes, and a member-exclusive newsletter. 

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For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠historyextra.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠.

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We'd love to know what you think about the podcast, so leave us a review and let us know the topics you think we should be covering. Or, follow us on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠X⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠ or ⁠YouTube⁠ to keep in touch.

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Who was the first Viking? Why did Norse people believe they could turn into animals? And what does all of this have to do with the fall of the western Roman empire? In this episode, Neil Price speaks to James Osborne about facets of the Viking age that go beyond boats and battles and asks: what do we really know about life and death in the Viking Age?

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To find out more about life in the Viking Age, you can listen to our four-part podcast series on the Viking invasion of Anglo-Saxon England in the second half of the ninth century, with historian Eleanor Barraclough: https://bit.ly/4AuA1q6

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For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. Find out more at ⁠⁠historyextra.com/podcast⁠⁠.

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What comes to mind when you think D-Day? Perhaps it’s the tactical brilliance of the commanders, or the brutal combat fought by the troops. But, what about meteorologist James Stagg? He’s the subject of the new Second World War thriller Pressure, and to find out more about his contribution to the War – and how you go about turning a Second World War story into a blockbuster – in this episode, Charlotte Vosper spoke to the writer of the film, David Haig, and Catherine Ross, the Met Office’s archive and library manager, who helped advise on the film.

This episode was recorded live at the Royal Society of Arts, in partnership STUDIOCANAL. Pressure is now available to buy and rent from digital platforms, and will be available to own on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD from 30 November.

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Become a HistoryExtra podcast member and unlock access to The Full Story podcast, plus enjoy ad-free listening, early access to other podcast episodes, and a member-exclusive newsletter. 

Find out more and sign up here: https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm

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For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. Find out more at ⁠⁠historyextra.com/podcast⁠⁠.

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We'd love to know what you think about the podcast, so leave us a review and let us know the topics you think we should be covering. Or, follow us on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠X⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠ or ⁠YouTube⁠ to keep in touch.

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Ghosts, witches, flying nuns, and spirits summoned from beyond the grave might seem to belong to a less rational age. But were our ancestors really so different from us in their beliefs? In this episode, historian Malcolm Gaskill joins Elinor Evans to discuss his new book, Worlds of Fear and Wonder, and reveals how emotions like grief and uncertainty have shaped our relationship with the supernatural for centuries.

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You can hear more from Malcolm Gaskill, talking about Helen Duncan, also known as 'Hellish Nell', the last woman to be convicted and imprisoned under the 1735 Witchcraft Act, in this episode: https://bit.ly/4z11DRV

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