177 episodes

How do empires rise? Why do they fall? And how have they shaped the world around us today?

William Dalrymple and Anita Anand explore the stories, personalities and events of empire over the course of history.

Empire The Empire Club

    • History
    • 4.6 • 2.2K Ratings

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

How do empires rise? Why do they fall? And how have they shaped the world around us today?

William Dalrymple and Anita Anand explore the stories, personalities and events of empire over the course of history.

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

    159. The American Revolution: Building The New Rome (Ep 4)

    159. The American Revolution: Building The New Rome (Ep 4)

    The British have surrendered, they’ll be leaving soon. Now the Americans have a new and arguably harder task than before. They have to meld those 13 states, each with their own sense of independence and unique characteristics, into a country. Taking inspiration from Rome, the Enlightenment, and their own experience of British rule, the Founding Fathers created a republic that lasts until today. Listen as William and Anita are joined by Maya for the last of our episodes on the American Revolution.

    Twitter: @Empirepoduk

    Email: empirepoduk@gmail.com

    Goalhangerpodcasts.com

    Assistant Producer: Anouska Lewis

    Producer: Callum Hill

    Exec Producer: Neil Fearn

    158. The American Revolution: Life, Liberty & The Pursuit of Happiness (Ep 3)

    158. The American Revolution: Life, Liberty & The Pursuit of Happiness (Ep 3)

    The Declaration of Independence establishes the ideals on which this break away nation founds itself on. But it’s full of contradictions. It complains of white colonists being enslaved by King George III, yet its signatories own enslaved Africans. It declares all men are created equal, but what about women? Listen as Anita and William are joined by Maya Jasanoff as they explore the war, from the evacuation of Boston, to the battle of Yorktown.

    Twitter: @Empirepoduk
    Email: empirepoduk@gmail.com
    Goalhangerpodcasts.com
    Assistant Producer: Anouska Lewis
    Producer: Callum Hill
    Exec Producer: Neil Fearn
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    • 58 min
    157. The American Revolution: The Shot Heard Around the World (Ep 2)

    157. The American Revolution: The Shot Heard Around the World (Ep 2)

    The infamous Boston Tea Party sees colonists dressed as Native Americans dump British tea in the surrounding waters. Calls of “the British are coming!” rally untrained militias to stand together against one of the most advanced militaries in the world. The two sides have their first face off. A war begins. Listen as Anita and William are joined by Maya Jasanoff who explains how the War of Independence was just as much a civil war as any other kind.

    Twitter: @Empirepoduk
    Email: empirepoduk@gmail.com
    Goalhangerpodcasts.com
    Assistant Producer: Anouska Lewis
    Producer: Callum Hill
    Exec Producer: Neil Fearn
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    • 50 min
    156. The American Revolution: No Taxation Without Representation (Ep 1)

    156. The American Revolution: No Taxation Without Representation (Ep 1)

    From sugar to paper, a series of taxes in the 1760s spark outrage amongst American colonists that snowball into a revolution. Was it inevitable that thirteen of Britain's 26 colonies in the Atlantic would band together and break away from the British Empire? Listen as Anita and William are joined by Maya Jasanoff to discuss the beginning of the American Revolution.

    Twitter: @Empirepoduk
    Email: empirepoduk@gmail.com
    Goalhangerpodcasts.com
    Assistant Producer: Anouska Lewis
    Producer: Callum Hill
    Exec Producer: Neil Fearn
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    • 47 min
    Bonus: Buddhism in Africa, British colonialism in America vs Asia, & winning at Cannes

    Bonus: Buddhism in Africa, British colonialism in America vs Asia, & winning at Cannes

    Why did the British behave differently when colonising India vs when colonising America? How did William's book inspire an award-winning film at Cannes Festival? Did Buddhism ever go to Africa? Will Empire podcast explore more Chinese history? Listen as Anita and William answer these questions and reveal the histories hidden in the boxes in their garages.

    Twitter: @Empirepoduk

    Email: empirepoduk@gmail.com

    Goalhangerpodcasts.com

    Assistant Producer: Anouska Lewis

    Producer: Callum Hill

    Exec Producer: Neil Fearn

    155. The Founding Fathers: Benjamin Franklin (Ep 5)

    155. The Founding Fathers: Benjamin Franklin (Ep 5)

    We're all about the Benjamins. Franklin is unquestionably the most well-rounded of the Founding Fathers. Not only did he help draft the Declaration of Independence and help America define itself, but he also discovered that electricity and lightning were one and the same, reformed the postal system, and proved you couldn't catch colds from swimming. Listen as William and Anita look at their last Founding Father and his incredible range of skills.

    Twitter: @Empirepoduk

    Email: empirepoduk@gmail.com

    Goalhangerpodcasts.com

    Assistant Producer: Anouska Lewis

    Producer: Callum Hill

    Exec Producer: Neil Fearn
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    • 39 min

Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5
2.2K Ratings

2.2K Ratings

SuCarli ,

Excellent

Best way to learn history

sldjp102 ,

The first podcast I’ve loved.

Anita and William are refreshing voices. Their objective and all-encompassing take on historic events sheds light on what seems to be a systemic version of inaccuracy and down right propaganda . Our education system has failed us and is continuing to do so , it is our duty to seek the truth and challenge what we’re fed.

girlgoneglobal ,

Don’t mention the elephant in the room!

I didn’t realise quite how good the ‘other’ history podcast was until I listened to Empire. The flow and production are poor and there is limited chemistry between to the two presenters. The series on the Founding Fathers is disappointing and to my ears lacked coherence and insight and felt disjointed. History podcasts and subjects covered better elsewhere. Will put it on however as noise in the background.

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