What the Tudors REALLY ate
In this episode of her series on Tudor Life, Ruth Goodman explains how no two weeks of the Tudor diet were ever the same. Each food source had its own…
History Extra podcast: Giuseppe Garibaldi
He led one of history's most celebrated guerrilla campaigns, showed remarkable political acumen, and drove aristocratic English women wild. Is it any wonder that Giuseppe Garibaldi is one of the…
History Extra podcast: Tragedy and triumph: a 500-year history of Mexico
The chaos of the Spanish conquest, the humiliation of military defeat to the United States, the disruption of the revolution… Mexican history is often viewed through the lens of trauma…
History Extra podcast: The librarian who stole KGB secrets
When an elderly man with a battered suitcase walked into the British embassy in Vilnius in 1992, few could have guessed what he was about to hand over. Gordon Corera…
History Extra podcast: The problem with poo: a millennium of manure
When did poo become a problem? Why was manure so important in the medieval economy? And why don't we have vacuum-powered sewers? All these questions – and more – are…
The tough reality of Tudor childhood: Ruth Goodman on harsh lessons and discipline
Historian Ruth Goodman dives into the demanding world of Tudor childhood – a world where respect was compulsory, work began early, and most young people were expected to leave home…
What did ordinary Tudors do for work? Inside the 16th-century daily grind
Forget silk-clad courtiers – most people in the 16th-century toiled from dawn to dusk just to keep food on the table. Men ploughed, hedged, and hauled in the fields while…
History Extra podcast: Bodies, bones & overflowing churchyards: a history of graveyards
Burying the dead has never been a simple matter. Whether due to elaborate grave goods, unique burial rituals, or public health concerns, burial places through history have taken on a…
History Extra podcast: Sex and sensationalism: a history of the tabloids
Tabloid journalists often get a bad press. From publishing libellous headlines to hacking celebrities’ phones, recent years have not exactly done much to enhance Fleet Street’s reputation. But where did…
History Extra podcast: 11th-century Europe: not just the Norman Conquest
When we think of Europe in the 11th century, one date stands out: 1066. However, as Professor Charles West explains, this was a century of great change, and great events,…