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  • The Fatwah

    SEASON 1, EPISODE 1

    1

    The Fatwah

    How a religious ban on tobacco jump-started the fight for Persia’s democracy. The story of the Qajar dynasty, their attempt at auctioning Persia’s resources and how Iranians came together to fight foreign influence and protect their right to smoke. Episode Summary: Nasir al-Din Shah and the Qajar dynasty ruled over Persia in the late 19th century. They were known for their lavish lifestyles and giving concessions to foreign powers like Britain and Russia. Nasir al-Din Shah sold Iran’s entire tobacco industry to Major G.F. Talbot and the Imperial Tobacco Corporation of Persia in 1890. After this deal, the British had monopoly control over Iran’s lucrative tobacco trade. In the aftermath of this deal, protests against the tobacco concession led by Persian merchants and clerics started. Persians were concerned about foreign control over the economy and the influx of Christian foreigners. After seeing the anger, Mirza Hassan Shirazi, a powerful Shia marja, issued a fatwa banning tobacco use. This turned public opinion against the deal. The boycott of tobacco in Iran after the fatwa was issued was successful as everyone stopped smoking immediately. Within a day, tobacco consumption ceased across the country. Even the Shah’s wives in the royal harem refused to smoke. After 55 days of tobacco protests and boycotts that crippled the tobacco industry, Nasir al-Din Shah agreed to rescind the concession in 1892. However, this was seen as a major failure and sunk Persia further into debt. Though limited in impact, the tobacco movement was seen as an important early victory against the monarchy and foreign domination. It set the stage for later constitutional and pro-democracy efforts in Iran. Music: Difference – Kai Engel Suspense – Alena Smirnova Machinery – Kai Engel Dark Alleys – Kai Engel February – Kai Engel Never Ending – Alena Smirnova For more information, read our blog or follow us on Instagram. The post Book One – Ep.1: The Fatwah appeared first on The Lion and The Sun Podcast.

    S1, E1

    •
    28 min
  • Kennedy and Khrushchev: 3. Gamble

    SEASON 3, EPISODE 3

    2

    Kennedy and Khrushchev: 3. Gamble

    The Soviets secretly plan to move an arsenal of nuclear weapons to Cuba. It is an audacious move by Nikita Khrushchev, to protect Fidel Castro’s communist regime from an American invasion. Since Castro and the Soviet leader met in a New York hotel in 1960, they’ve had a personal bond. Hosts Nina Khrushcheva and Max Kennedy, relatives of the superpower leaders, tell the story of how America plotted to overthrow Castro and how Khrushchev persuaded the Cuban leader to go along with his bold plan. This is the personal and political history of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

    S3, E3

    •
    36 min
  • Rasputin

    2 FEB

    3

    Rasputin

    ⁠A Short History of Ancient Rome⁠ - the debut book from the Noiser Network is out now! Discover the epic rise and fall of Rome like never before. Pick up your copy now at your local bookstore or visit ⁠⁠noiser.com/books⁠⁠ to learn more. At the dawn of the twentieth century, Russia was a nation on the brink. Strikes, protests, and brutal uprisings were shaking the empire. Public faith in the monarchy was hanging by a thread. It was into this fragile world that Grigori Rasputin stepped. Whether he was truly a holy man, blessed with healing powers, or a fraud and a drunkard, his closeness to the Tsarina gave him a hold over the Russian court which seemed both inexplicable and irresistible.   But what was it about Rasputin that allowed him to enchant a desperate empress? How did rumours of scandal and corruption turn one man into a symbol of national decay? And why, even after his violent death, does his shadow still hang over the fall of Imperial Russia? This is a Short History Of Rasputin. Take back your personal data with Incogni! Use code shorthistory at the link below and get 60% off annual plans: https://incogni.com/shorthistory A Noiser podcast production. Hosted by John Hopkins. With thanks to Francis Welch, a historian and author of Rasputin: A Short Life. Written by Sean Coleman | Produced by Kate Simants | Production Assistant: Chris McDonald | Exec produced by Katrina Hughes | Sound supervisor: Tom Pink | Sound design by Oliver Sanders | Assembly edit by Anisha Deva | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cody Reynolds-Shaw Get every episode of Short History Of… a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to shows across the Noiser podcast network. Click the subscription banner at the top of the feed to get started. Or go to noiser.com/subscriptions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    2 Feb

    •
    57 min
  • Jean-Bédel Bokassa Part 3: A Coronation for the Ages

    31/12/2025

    4

    Jean-Bédel Bokassa Part 3: A Coronation for the Ages

    The new emperor of the Central African Republic is introduced to the world in a totally surreal manner - with white horses from Belgium, finery from France and songs from a Broadway musical. The CAR’s finances continue to tumble. A controversial policy about school uniforms leads to one of the most tragic episodes in the country’s history. And as the emperor loses control, old friends become foes, old foes return from the dead, and Bokassa’s day of judgement is at hand… A Noiser podcast production. Narrated by Paul McGann. Featuring Louisa Lombard, Richard Moncrieff, Gino Vlavonou. This is Part 3 of 3. Written by John Bartlett | Produced by Ed Baranski and Edward White | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Fact check by Heléna Lewis | Sound supervisor: Tom Pink | Sound design & audio editing by George Tapp | Assembly editing by Dorry Macaulay, Rob Plummer, Anisha Deva | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cian Ryan-Morgan | Recording engineer: Joseph McGann. Real Dictators will be back in the new year with the story of Marshal Tito. Get early access and ad-free listening by joining Noiser+. Click the subscription banner or go to noiser.com/subscriptions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    31/12/2025

    •
    1h 3m
  • Fidel Castro Part 1: Rise of ‘The Crazy One’

    29/04/2025

    5

    Fidel Castro Part 1: Rise of ‘The Crazy One’

    Fidel Castro - a revolutionary turned strongman dictator, beloved by his supporters and loathed by his enemies. The bête noire of the United States who pushed the world to the brink of annihilation. The ultimate political survivor who evaded hundreds of barely believable assassination attempts. We scroll back to the early years of the one they would call El Loco. It all begins on a farm in the east of Cuba - an island paradise with dark undercurrents swirling beneath the surface… A Noiser podcast production. Narrated by Paul McGann. Featuring Michael J. Bustamante, Carlos Eire, Lillian Guerra, Jonathan Hansen, Peter Kornbluh, Jennifer Lambe, Rogelio Martinez, Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo, Alex von Tunzelmann, Ileana Yarza, Eduardo Zayas-Bazan. Special thanks to University of Miami Libraries for the use of the Huber Matos archive. This is Part 1 of 10. Written by Edward White | Produced by Ed Baranski and Edward White | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Sound supervisor: Tom Pink | Sound design & audio editing by George Tapp | Assembly editing by Dorry Macaulay and Anisha Deva | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cian Ryan-Morgan | Recording engineer: Joseph McGann. Get every episode of Real Dictators a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to shows across the Noiser podcast network. Click the subscription banner at the top of the feed to get started. Or go to noiser.com/subscriptions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    29/04/2025

    •
    1h 6m
  • Chichen Itza

    SEASON 2, EPISODE 36

    6

    Chichen Itza

    Nestled in the heart of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, the ancient city of Chichén Itza stands as a majestic testament to the architectural ingenuity and cultural richness of the ancient Maya civilization. It’s long been regarded as a shining example of Maya influence, yet today, many experts agree it’s not typically Maya at all, but rather a reflection of a shifting, adapting civilisation.  So how did the city become such an important hub to a dominant Mesoamerican superpower? What were the cultural and political dynamics that shaped its unique evolution? And why was it so suddenly abandoned, and left to be reclaimed by the jungle?  This is a Short History Of Chichen Itza. A Noiser Production. Written by Sean Coleman. With thanks to Annabeth Headrick, Director of the School of Art and Art History at the University of Denver, and a specialist in Ancient American Cultures. For ad-free listening, exclusive content, and early access to new episodes across the Noiser network, join ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Noiser+⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Now available for Apple and Android users. Click the subscription banner at the top of the feed to get started. Or go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠noiser.com/subscriptions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    S2, E36

    •
    56 min
  • The Trojan War

    SEASON 2, EPISODE 35

    7

    The Trojan War

    The Trojan War was a time of heroes. From the swift-footed Achilles, and the hot-headed Prince Paris, to the beautiful Queen Helen, and the all-powerful gods, Zeus, Athena, and Aphrodite. In these early days of what we now call Ancient Greece, the story of Troy was already a saga from a bygone age, re-imagined by Homer, and told around the world ever since. But was any of it true? Did those legendary heroes ever exist? How did Helen’s beauty launch a thousand ships? And could the Greeks really have breached the city walls by hiding inside a giant wooden horse? This is a Short History Of The Trojan War. A Noiser Production, written by Jo Furniss. With thanks to Professor Armand D’Angour, a classical scholar at Jesus College, Oxford, and presenter of the podcast It’s All Greek (And Latin) To Me. For ad-free listening, exclusive content, and early access to new episodes across the Noiser network, join ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Noiser+⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Now available for Apple and Android users. Click the subscription banner at the top of the feed to get started. Or go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠noiser.com/subscriptions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    S2, E35

    •
    54 min
  • Nepal Mountains of Conflict

    19/09/2025

    8

    Nepal Mountains of Conflict

    This episode examines Nepal's devastating civil war from 1996-2006, beginning with the Maoist insurgency's first attacks in remote Rolpa district. The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), led by Prachanda, launched their "People's War" after the government dismissed their forty-point demands addressing poverty, inequality, and social exclusion. The conflict rapidly spread as Maoists tapped into deep grievances among marginalized communities - dalits facing caste discrimination, landless farmers under feudal arrangements, women denied basic rights, and ethnic minorities facing cultural assimilation. The insurgents established parallel governments, schools, and courts while recruiting thousands including child soldiers. Government forces responded with counterinsurgency operations marked by arbitrary detention, torture, and collective punishment. The war escalated dramatically in 2001 when the army was deployed, leading to systematic human rights violations by both sides. The turning point came when King Gyanendra's 2005 coup united parliamentary parties with Maoists against royal authoritarianism. The 2006 peace agreement ended the conflict, leading to Maoist integration into democratic politics and lasting social transformations, particularly in gender relations and caste dynamics. https://amzn.to/44cW4lP This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

    19/09/2025

    •
    29 min
  • Nepal The Last Hindu Kingdom

    19/09/2025

    9

    Nepal The Last Hindu Kingdom

    This episode chronicles the dramatic end of Nepal's 240-year-old monarchy, beginning with the shocking 2001 royal massacre that killed King Birendra and nine other family members. The official account blamed Crown Prince Dipendra, but persistent questions and conspiracy theories have never been resolved. His brother Gyanendra's ascension marked a turning point - unlike the diplomatic Birendra, the businessman-king proved authoritarian and impatient with democracy. Facing a growing Maoist insurgency, Gyanendra seized absolute power in 2005, dismissing parliament and suspending civil liberties. This backfired spectacularly, triggering the 2006 Jana Andolan II democracy movement that united political parties with Maoist rebels against royal rule. Massive peaceful protests forced the king's capitulation, leading to a peace agreement and constituent assembly elections. In 2008, the assembly formally abolished the monarchy, establishing Nepal as a federal republic. The episode explores how this peaceful transformation, while creating new democratic opportunities, also introduced political instability and governance challenges that persist today. https://amzn.to/3TvKq0c This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

    19/09/2025

    •
    46 min
  • Nepal Fault Lines

    19/09/2025

    10

    Nepal Fault Lines

    This episode explores the devastating 2015 earthquakes that killed nearly 9,000 people and exposed Nepal's deep vulnerabilities. The magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck on April 25th, toppling UNESCO World Heritage sites including Kathmandu's iconic Dharahara Tower and ancient temples. The village of Langtang was completely obliterated by avalanches, while rural areas faced widespread destruction. The disaster revealed how corruption and poor construction practices had made Nepal's infrastructure dangerously vulnerable - building codes existed but were routinely ignored by developers and inadequately enforced by officials. The earthquake struck during political instability, hampering coordinated disaster response. While international aid poured in, coordination problems at Kathmandu's overwhelmed airport delayed crucial assistance. The government's response was widely criticized as slow and disorganized, though local communities demonstrated remarkable resilience through grassroots relief efforts. The disaster highlighted stark inequalities, as wealthy residents recovered faster than poor rural communities. Reconstruction has been slow and uneven, raising complex questions about rebuilding cultural heritage sites with earthquake-resistant technology while preserving historical authenticity. The episode examines how natural disasters intersect with human choices about governance, development, and social priorities. https://amzn.to/3TvKq0c This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

    19/09/2025

    •
    33 min

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