History Now

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Author and historian Guy Walters presents a Mail+ history podcast talking to top experts on stories from the past which still have an impact on our lives today

  1. The real Game of Thrones: The true story of John of Gaunt

    05/13/2021

    The real Game of Thrones: The true story of John of Gaunt

    Even today, there are pubs and a horse race named after John of Gaunt, a 14th century prince and warrior who rose to become one of the most powerful men in England, and whose son would return from exile to claim the throne, and found the House of Lancaster. Author and historian Guy Walters talks to Helen Carr, author of The Red Prince, on how John of Gaunt schemed his way through a real-world game of thrones, becoming the forefather of all English kings and queens. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    36 min
  2. Hitler's hoard: The real place where looted Nazi treasures still lie hidden

    05/06/2021

    Hitler's hoard: The real place where looted Nazi treasures still lie hidden

    From half a billion buried in a Polish palace to submarines full of glittering loot, ‘lost Nazi gold’ is an urban myth which refuses to die - but there IS one place where there genuinely is a huge amount of Nazi treasure still waiting to be discovered. Author and historian Guy Walters talks to World War 2 expert James Holland on why most hoards of Nazi treasure are never found - and where the thugs of the Third Reich REALLY hid their loot (so safely that it’s still there today). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    25 min
  3. The real enigma: Why every story you have heard about Alan Turing is a lie, by Dermot Turing

    04/29/2021

    The real enigma: Why every story you have heard about Alan Turing is a lie, by Dermot Turing

    Alan Turing was the oddball genius who single-handledly broke the Enigma code, ended World War II, and was hounded to death by the ungrateful authorities over his homosexuality… right? Wrong, says his nephew Dermot Turing, who tells author and historian Guy Walters that his uncle’s story has been seriously distorted to fit in with modern-day obsessions - and that the story told in films such as The Imitation Game risks masking many of Alan Turing’s real achievements in the field of computer science.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    33 min
  4. 'Never greater slaughter': The ancient battle which spelt life or death for the English

    04/22/2021

    'Never greater slaughter': The ancient battle which spelt life or death for the English

    In the year 937, the idea of Englishness came close to being wiped off the face of the Earth as four armies faced off against the shield wall of the Anglo-Saxon king Athelstan in a brutal battle which left thousands dead. Author and historian Guy Walters talks to author Michael Livingston about why the Battle of Brunanburh was so pivotal for the English - and why the battle arouses such strong passions today that Livingstone had death threats after suggesting a location where it may have taken place. (Photo: Richard Cutts) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    26 min
  5. Crumbs! The curious history of a very British treat - the biscuit

    04/18/2021

    Crumbs! The curious history of a very British treat - the biscuit

    From its origins in Mesopotamia in 3,000 BC, the history of Britain’s favourite tea-time snack takes many surprising turns - from biscuit recipes made by alchemists, to sponge fingers dipped in wine by aristocrats. Author and historian Guy Walters talks to biscuit guru Elizabeth Collingham about the history of a treat which Britain eats more of than any country on Earth (and how eating Custard Creams was once seen as daringly cutting-edge). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    28 min
  6. The real Great Escape: The very different true story behind the stirring Hollywood tale

    04/08/2021

    The real Great Escape: The very different true story behind the stirring Hollywood tale

    It was one of World War II’s most daring escapes, where dozens of POWs attempted to crawl to freedom down tunnels built under the noses of their German guards - and the 1963 Steve McQueen film became a cherished Bank Holiday favourite in Britain. But what was the real story? Author and historian Guy Walters reveals why the reality of the escape from Stalag Luft III was VERY different (and why not everyone in the camp wanted to escape in the first place).  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    32 min
  7. The swords and the stone: The tiny bead which tells us so much about the Vikings

    04/06/2021

    The swords and the stone: The tiny bead which tells us so much about the Vikings

    A small reddish-orange bead unearthed in a Viking grave in Derbyshire reveals that the Scandinavian sailors were far more than brutal warriors who loved raiding British monasteries. Author and historian Guy Walters talks to bioarchaeologist Dr Cat Jarman, who reveals how the bead helped her unravel how the Vikings engaged with the East just as much as the West, sailing across Russia by river boat and even travelling to Baghdad.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    25 min
  8. Heil school: The Nazi finishing school in East Sussex (and other British friends of the Third Reich)

    03/27/2021

    Heil school: The Nazi finishing school in East Sussex (and other British friends of the Third Reich)

    A new film tells the story of a villa in Bexhill-on-Sea which played host to an extraordinary finishing school, where the children of elite Nazis such as Himmler and von Ribbentrop learned English (while doing Nazi salutes and celebrating the Fuhrer’s birthday). Author and historian Guy Walters talks to author Adrian Weale on why the school existed at all - and the inglorious history of British believers who supported Hitler and the Third Reich. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    26 min
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About

Author and historian Guy Walters presents a Mail+ history podcast talking to top experts on stories from the past which still have an impact on our lives today

Information

  • Creator
    Mail+
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Clean