162 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 • 2.1K 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

    147. Queen Victoria: Empress of India (Ep 4)

    147. Queen Victoria: Empress of India (Ep 4)

    In 1877 Queen Victoria took on the title Empress of India, a nation which she undoubtedly had close to her heart. Yet, under her reign and that of her successors, India was exploited. At the same time, she takes Abdul Karim, known as the Munshi, into her court. Many of her courtiers despised this Indian man and his influence, but Victoria stuck by him. Undoubtedly, Empire was central to Victoria and she saw it as a force for good, but how do we see that and the rest of her reign now? Listen as William and Anita discuss Victoria’s final years and her legacy.

    Twitter: @Empirepoduk

    Email: empirepoduk@gmail.com

    Goalhangerpodcasts.com

    Assistant Producer: Anouska Lewis

    Producer: Callum Hill

    Exec Producer: Neil Fearn

    146. Queen Victoria: The Empire on which the Sun never sets (Ep 3)

    146. Queen Victoria: The Empire on which the Sun never sets (Ep 3)

    Across 1851, over 6,000,000 people went to London to see the Great Exhibition. Designed to showcase the very best of what Britain and the empire could offer the world, the event was an incontrovertible success which cemented Britain’s status as the nation at the centre of the world economy. But, with the events of 1857 in India and the extreme levels of violence that came with it, followed by the death of Albert in 1861, Victoria’s rule was not plain-sailing even at this point. Listen as William and Anita discuss Victoria and her interactions with the empire on which the sun never sets.

    Twitter: @Empirepoduk

    Email: empirepoduk@gmail.com

    Goalhangerpodcasts.com

    Assistant Producer: Anouska Lewis

    Producer: Callum Hill

    Exec Producer: Neil Fearn

    145. Victoria & Albert (Ep 2)

    145. Victoria & Albert (Ep 2)

    It is one of the great love affairs of history. Upon meeting again shortly after her 18th birthday, Victoria and Albert became smitten with each other and within 5 days Victoria asked him to marry her. Whilst initially an unpopular match, the spectacle of the Royal Wedding dispelled some of the public’s misgivings about Albert. However, all was not well in the first decade of Victoria’s reign. The turbulence of 1840s Europe is ripping through Victoria’s nation. Listen as William and Anita discuss the first years of Victoria’s reign as she deals with assassination attempts and the Irish famine.

    Twitter: @Empirepoduk

    Email: empirepoduk@gmail.com

    Goalhangerpodcasts.com

    Assistant Producer: Anouska Lewis

    Producer: Callum Hill

    Exec Producer: Neil Fearn

    144. The Making of Queen Victoria (Ep 1)

    144. The Making of Queen Victoria (Ep 1)

    Born on the 24th May 1819, Alexandrina Victoria was fifth in line to the throne at a time in which the monarchy’s popularity was declining. Yet, over the course of her reign, which at the time was the longest of any British monarch, Victoria transformed the monarchy, Britain, and its place in the world. She endured a tortured childhood in which she was controlled and mollycoddled to the extent she could not even walk down the stairs without holding someone’s hand. But, before she was even 20, she was crowned to much jubilation - Britain had entered a new era. Listen as William and Anita discuss the formative years of Queen Victoria.

    Twitter: @Empirepoduk

    Email: empirepoduk@gmail.com

    Goalhangerpodcasts.com

    Assistant Producer: Anouska Lewis
    Producer: Callum Hill
    Exec Producer: Neil Fearn
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    • 53 min
    143. Isabella of Castile: The Spanish Inquisition, the conquest of Granada, and Columbus

    143. Isabella of Castile: The Spanish Inquisition, the conquest of Granada, and Columbus

    For centuries Spain had been an outlier in Europe due to its religious diversity; Christians, Jews, and Muslims all existed reasonably peacefully across the Iberian peninsula. Under Isabelle of Castile that all changed. She began the Spanish Inquisition and brought to the fore a religious fundamentalism that would eventually force out of the country the muslims and the jews. In the epoch defining year of 1492, she also conquered Granada with her husband Ferdinand, ending the era of Islamic Spain, and gave patronage to Columbus as he took his first voyage to the new world. Listen as William and Anita are once again joined by Brian Catlos.

    **Empire Live**
    Empire live show tickets are ON SALE NOW!! Join Anita and William at the London Barbican 8 July 2024! Buy your tickets here or here.

    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

    • 54 min
    142. Isabella of Castile: Uniting Spain

    142. Isabella of Castile: Uniting Spain

    To some she is Europe’s first great queen, to others she is one of history’s great villains, but there is no doubt that Isabella of Castile holds one of the most significant legacies in European history. Born third in line to the throne of Castile, she asserted herself and rose to be queen of Castile and then through her fiery marriage to Ferdinand of Aragon, laid the foundations for the unification of Spain. But as soon as she rose to dominance, she made it clear that she was willing to use terror to enforce her rule. Listen as William and Anita are joined by Brian Catlos to discuss the rise to power of Isabella of Castile.

    **Empire Live**
    Empire live show tickets are ON SALE NOW!! Join Anita and William at the London Barbican 8 July 2024! Buy your tickets here or here.

    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

    • 46 min

Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5
2.1K Ratings

2.1K Ratings

AdamzT ,

Amazing podcast series

Dalrymple love of India and history shines through. Entertaining, informative and fun. Reading the anarchy by Dalrymple and loving it.

Rare to find someone able to pain such a vivid history of the past in such and engaging way.

tott stu ,

Annoying but interesting

There’s really interesting content here and some wonderful storytelling. But the annoying dynamic between WD and AA often gets in the way.
WD giggles inanely a lot. There are a lot of in jokes and teasing which is clearly between the two of them and I feel I’m not really in on the joke.
When they’re serious and focused they are a heavyweight duo who tell a cracking story.
Spoiler alert: pretty much all roads lead to India and how bad was the British empire. Other than that…

sheerhulk ,

Unlistenable.

Jolly hockey sticks and self important.

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