Empire: World History
William Dalrymple and Anita Anand explore the rise and fall of empires, from the British Empire to the Ottomans to Ancient India. They delve into revolutions, imperial wars, and the people who built and lost empires, examining how these power struggles continue to shape the world today. The podcast also offers an Empire Club membership with bonus content and ad-free listening.
Episodes
389. Road To 9/11: Origin of Al-Qaeda (Part 1)
What were the building blocks of the rise of Radical Islamism that paved the road to the 9/11 terror attacks? How did the torture of radical members of the Muslim Brotherhood fan the flames of Islamist thought in the 1960s? Who were Sayyid Qutb and Ayman al-Zawahiri, and how did their experience in Egyptian prisons lead to the rise of extremist ideologies?
In Episode 1 of this new series,
388. Viking Mythology: Thor, Ragnarok, & Jesus Christ (Ep 6)
Who are Thor and Ragnarok in Norse Mythology? How did the Vikings fuse their own spiritual beliefs with Christianity? And how do Norse spiritual practices continue in some ways today through Scandinavian indigenous cultures?
In Episode 6 of this series, Anita Anand and William Dalrymple are joined by Dr Eleanor Barraclough, author of Embers of the Hand, to discuss the sunset of this era, and ho
387. The Vikings Invade Britain (Ep 5)
Why did the Vikings invade Britain, and how did they mix into society? What did they do with the gold they stole from churches? Which Viking stereotypes are true - and which ones are total myths?
In Episode 5 of this series, Anita Anand and William Dalrymple are joined by Dr Eleanor Barraclough, author of Embers of the Hand, to discuss the dramatic arrival of the Vikings in Britain. They disman
386. The Picts: Scotland’s Tattooed Warriors (Ep 4)
Who were the mysterious peoples who ruled parts of Scotland for 500 years? What is the true origin of the Loch Ness Monster? Is there a secret code behind the Pictish carved stones? What do recent excavations at Rhynie tell us about the Picts?
William and Anita are joined by Professor Gordon Noble, Director of the Northern Picts Project and co-author of Picts: Scourge of Rome, Rulers of the Nor
385. Saint Patrick: Slave, Rebel, & Ireland’s Patron Saint (Ep 3)
Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated all over the world every year by the Irish diaspora, but what is the real history behind the patron saint of Ireland? How is the traditional story of his life almost entirely incorrect? And why were Irish people in Rome considered to be the most scholarly Christians?
In Episode 3 of this series, William Dalrymple and Anita Anand are joined by Irish histor
384. The Roman Invasion: Gods on Hadrian’s Wall (Ep 2)
The Roman Conquest of Britain. The furthest western point of the empire. How did life change for ordinary people after the invasion? Why do Middle Eastern gods end up on Hadrian’s Wall in Northern England? And how does the famous gorgon face carved into stone in Bath blend Celtic and Roman spiritual beliefs?
In Episode 2 of this series, William Dalrymple and Anita Anand are joined by Dr Eleanor
383. Romans vs Druids: The War For Celtic Britain (Ep 1)
What are the links between the Druids and Stonehenge? Why did Romans massacre Druids in Anglesey, Wales? What is the Pagan Calendar and how is modern Halloween derived from it? What can we learn from the mysterious ‘bog bodies’?
In Episode 1 of this new series, William Dalrymple and Anita Anand are joined by Professor Ronald Hutton, author of Pagan Britain, The Druids, and Blood and Mistletoe,
382. Empire of AI: Karen Hao On Today’s Hidden Colonialism (Ep 2)
Are modern AI companies the new empires? What is the hidden human cost behind chatbots like ChatGPT? How does Silicon Valley’s rhetoric echo the East India Company?
In this episode, Anita is joined by award-winning tech journalist Karen Hao, author of Empire of AI, to explore the hidden colonialism behind the artificial intelligence boom. They discuss the rise of Sam Altman, the industry’s reli
381. Musk, Bezos & The New East India Companies (Ep 1)
Are modern tech corporations the new East India Company? What is the dark history behind Silicon Valley? What do Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos have in common with Cecil Rhodes?
In this episode, William and Anita explore the sinister origins of Silicon Valley and the striking parallels between today’s tech billionaires and historical imperialists. They discuss the rise of tech companies like PayPal,
380. Algerian Revolution: The Rise of Le Pen (Ep 6)
How is Marine Le Pen connected to the Algerian War of Independence? What can the cult film, La Haine, tell us about life in the banlieues for people of Algerian descent? What happened to Algerian protestors in Paris in 1961?
In the final episode of the series, William and Anita explore how the Algerian war continues to echo in French politics today.
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379. Algerian Revolution: Black Panthers, LSD, & Nina Simone (Ep 5)
How did Algiers become a centre for revolutionaries from around the world in the 1960s? What happened to the “pied noirs” white settlers after Algeria gained independence?
Who was Frantz Fanon, and why did he end up in Algeria where he was inspired to write Wretched of The Earth? Why did the Black Panthers, the Viet Cong, Nina Simone and Maya Angelou all arrive in Algeria in 1969?
In E
378. Algerian Revolution: Birth of Independence (Ep 4)
How did the French use systemic torture during the Battle of Algiers? Which army generals plotted to overthrow the French president? Why did the bloody birth of an independent Algeria herald further trouble to come?
In the fourth episode of this series, William and Anita explore the bloody road to the declaration of Algerian Independence. They discuss France’s horrifying use of torture, the col
377. Algerian Revolution: The Battle of Algiers (Ep 3)
What really happened during the infamous Battle of Algiers? How did the Algerian War of Independence begin? Who was the radical mastermind who restructured the resistance movement under the noses of the French army?
In the third episode of this series, William and Anita discuss the explosive start of the Algerian revolution. They discuss the guerrilla tactics of the FLN, brutal French repri
376. Algerian Revolution: Repression and Rebellion (Ep 2)
Who were the ‘pied noirs’ and how did they come to dominate Algerian society? What was life like for the millions of Muslim Algerians living under French rule? Why did VE Day celebrations trigger horrific massacres? How did the French defeat in Vietnam inspire Algerian revolutionaries?
In the second episode of this series, William and Anita explore how the harsh reality of colonial rule in
375. Algerian Revolution: The French Invasion (Ep 1)
How did the French colonise Algeria? Was the Algerian economy built on slavery? Who was the revolutionary priest who united Algerians against the invaders? What atrocities did the French commit in the mountains?
In the first episode of this series on the Algerian Revolution, William and Anita explore how France colonised Algeria, sowing the seeds of the War of Independence. They discuss what Al
374. Ken Burns on the American Revolution and Empire
How did the United States change from a revolutionary experiment into a global empire? Was the American Revolution really a civil war over Native American land? Why was George Washington known as the ‘Town Destroyer’? How do the Civil War and Vietnam continue to haunt America?
Anita is joined by legendary filmmaker Ken Burns to discuss his fifty-year career documenting the American story
373. The Dark Truth About Mount Rushmore
What is the dark past of Mount Rushmore, America’s most famous national
Monument? How did a sacred indigenous site become a colossal shrine to the American empire? What ties did sculptor Gutzon Borglum have to the Ku Klux Klan?
Anita speaks with Matthew Davis, author of A Biography of a Mountain: The Making and Meaning of Mount Rushmore, to reveal the sinister past of the bel
372. The First British Indians: The Sisters Rejected By Queen Victoria (Ep 4)
Who were Princesses Irene and Pauline, the forgotten Duleep Singh sisters? Why did Queen Victoria shun them? Why did Irene choose to leave her fortune to Dr Barnado's, sparking a vicious legal battle? And why has the fate of Paulina remained a mystery to historians for decades?
In the final episode of this series, William and Anita explore the darkest chapter of the Duleep Singh family saga
371. The First British Indians: Last Sikh In Lahore (Ep 3)
Who was Bamba Duleep Singh, the self-styled 'Queen of the Punjab'? How did she survive Partition to become one of the last Sikh residents of Lahore? Why did she turn her back on British high society in favour of radical Indian revolutionaries? Why was her attempt to become the first Indian female doctor thwarted?
In Episode 3 of this series, William and Anita discuss the extraordinary life of th
370. The First British Indians: Saving Jews In Nazi Germany (Ep 2)
**Unlock the entire First British Indians series ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com**
During the rise of Hitler, how did a brown-skinned Indian princess survive living in Germany? Who was Catherine Duleep Singh, the ‘Indian Schindler’ who rescued Jewish families from the Gestapo? Why was she accused of treason by the British government? And how is her story part of Lesbian Hist
369. The First British Indians: The Suffragette Princess (Ep 1)
**Unlock the entire First British Indians series ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com**
Sophia Duleep Singh: heiress to the Sikh Empire, ward of Queen Victoria, suffragette and revolutionary. How did this Indian princess end up fighting alongside Emmeline Pankhurst and infuriating Winston Churchill?
In Episode 1 of this mini-series exploring the extraordinary daughters of t
368. Ancient Egypt: The Origin of Abrahamic Religions? (Ep 7)
Was monotheism passed down from Pharaoh Akhenaten of Ancient Egypt? Who was the ancient goddess Asherah? How did exposure to other empires shape the Hebrew Bible?
William is joined by Francesca Stavrakopoulou, author of God: An Anatomy, to explore the evolution of the deity Yahweh, and Freud’s theory that Jewish monotheism was passed down from Ancient Egypt.
Join the Empire Club: Unlock th
367. Ancient Egypt: “Tut-mania” And Tutankhamun’s Tomb (Ep 6)
**Unlock the entire Ancient Egypt series early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com**
Why did the world go crazy for all things Ancient Egypt after the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922? How were his treasures used in Cold War Diplomacy? And why did they invent Ancient Egypt-themed contraceptives?
Anita and William are joined once again by Dr Campbell Price, auth
366. Ancient Egypt: Tutankhamun The Boy King (Ep 5)
**Unlock the entire Ancient Egypt series early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com**
His death mask is one of the most famous faces in Ancient Egyptian history, but who was the real Tutunkhamun? What do the items found in his tomb tell us about his life? And what myths have been spread about him?
Anita and William are joined by Dr Campbell Price, author of Golden Mummies of
365. Ancient Egypt: Who Was Nefertiti? (Ep 4)
**Unlock the entire Ancient Egypt series early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com**
Her image has been reproduced by countless artists in recent years, but who was the real Nefertiti? How did she become a pharaoh in her own right? And why is there still controversy over her statue?
Anita and William are joined once again by Aidan Dodson, author of Nefertiti, Queen and
364. Ancient Egypt: The Fall of Akhenaten (Ep 3)
**Unlock the entire Ancient Egypt series early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com**
Why did Akhenaten’s name get struck from the historical record after his death? Why did he build a new city in the sparse desert? Who ruled after he died?
Anita and William are joined by Aidan Dodson, author of Amarna Sunset, to discuss the collapse of the Amarna Revolution.
Join the
363. Ancient Egypt: Destroyer Of Gods – Pharaoh Akhenaten (Ep 2)
**Unlock the entire Ancient Egypt series early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com**
Why did Egyptian priests wear animal masks? Who was the goddess of hangovers? And how did the Pharaoh, Akhenaten, destroy the many Egyptian gods to worship the sun disc, the Aten?
William and Anita are joined by Professor Lloyd Lewellyn-Jones to discuss Akhenaten’s extraordinary relig
The Scandal That Shaped Partition: Heartbreak & Secret Deals
**Unlock the full episode and the complete members’ miniseries by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com**
How did the relationship between Nehru and Edwina Mountbatten tangibly change the course of Partition? What were the parting words that Nehru said to his love when the Viceroy and Vicereine left India? How did the relationship between these three important individuals change over the r
362. Ancient Egypt: Great Kings of The Bronze Age (Ep 1)
**Unlock the entire Ancient Egypt series early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com**
You’ve heard of Tutankhamun, but what do you know about the world he grew up in? In this series, we explore the Amarna Revolution, when Tutankhamun’s father instigated the biggest religious revolution the world had ever seen. Who were the individuals at the centre of the movement: Akhenate
361. Louis Theroux On The Settlers, The Manosphere, & Tribalism
William and Anita are joined by Louis Theroux to discuss his documentaries on the Settler movement in the West Bank, and explore how extremists operate. What are the commonalities between HS TikkyTokky and the mother of the settler movement, Daniella Weiss? How do the extremists in these documentaries use shamelessness to their advantage? And what does Louis think about having invented “The Therou
The Scandal That Shaped Partition: The Affair
**Unlock the full episode and the complete members’ miniseries by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com**
How did Edwina Mountbatten literally fall into the arms of Jawaharlal Nehru in 1946? Who was Subhas Chandra Bose and why did he travel to Nazi Germany? How did Louis Mountbatten also become close with Nehru and in what way did this change Indian politics?
In Episode 3 of Empire’s first
360. Spice Wars: The Battle of the East India Companies (Ep 3)
What caused the mighty Dutch East India Company to plummet from immense Golden Age wealth to total bankruptcy? Who was ‘Peter Pepper’, and how did his stolen plants end the VOC's spice monopoly? And how did a tiny Caribbean island spark the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War simply by saluting the American flag?
Get the entire Dutch Empire miniseries early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empir
359. Spice Wars: The Birth of New York (Ep 2)
What drove the Dutch to employ samurai mercenaries to commit horrifying genocides in the Banda Islands? Why were European powers willing to torture and kill just to control the global supply of a dried seed? How did a peace treaty trade a spice island for Manhattan, giving birth to New York?
Get the entire Dutch Empire miniseries early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com
The Scandal That Shaped Partition: The House of Mountbatten
Who was the last Viceroy of India and why was his marriage so unconventional? How many affairs did Edwina Mountbatten have? Why was Lord Mountbatten known as the “Master of Disaster” by senior Navy officials?
In Episode 2 of Empire’s first members’ miniseries, Anita is joined once again by Alex Von Tunzelmann to discuss the origin story of the remaining two characters in the love triangle that sh
358. Spice Wars: The Rise of the Dutch East India Company (Ep 1)
What’s the real story behind the creation of the Dutch East India Company, and how was espionage involved? What made the VOC the first ‘mega-corporation’ in history? And what was the horrific human cost of establishing a colonial stronghold in the East Indies?
Get the entire Dutch Empire miniseries early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com
William is joined by Dutch hi
357. Liberator of Latin America: Revolutionary Hero Or Dictator? (Part 4)
How should we view Simón Bolívar today – as a racist tyrant or as a revolutionary founding father? Who was his lover Manuela Sáenz, and how did she save his life during a midnight attack? And did his slide into tyranny inspire the 20th century dictators of Latin America?
Get the entire Simón Bolívar miniseries early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com
In the final episode
The Scandal That Shaped Partition: India’s First Prime Minister
*Unlock the full episode and the complete members’ miniseries by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com*
How did the first Prime Minister of India start an affair with the wife of the last Viceroy? Who was Jawaharlal Nehru and how did he become part of the independence movement? Why was he furious about his first marriage?
In Empire’s first members’ miniseries, Anita is joined by Alex Von Tu
356. Liberator of Latin America: Descent Into Tyranny (Part 3)
How did a treacherous trek across the freezing Andes lead to the creation of Gran Colombia? Why did Irish, British and Bengali mercenaries travel across the world to join his fight against the Spanish? How did exile to Haiti change Simón Bolívar’s views on slavery?
Get the entire Simón Bolívar miniseries early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com
In Episode 3 of our series,
Should The Koh-I-Noor Be Returned? Mamdani vs King Charles III EXPLAINED
Who does the Koh-I-Noor diamond truly belong to? Why is it considered cursed? And should it be returned?
The Koh-I-Noor diamond has been in the headlines this week with Mayor Zohran Mamdani stating that he would tell King Charles III to return it to India. As William and Anita wrote the definitive book on the cursed jewel, they provide a round-up of its long history and how it made its way into t
355. Liberator of Latin America: Napoleon & The Legions of Hell (Part 2)
Who were the cowboys and Indigenous people who made up the “Legions of Hell” and why did Bolívar fear them so deeply? How did Napoleon’s invasion of Spain speed up the collapse of its empire? What was Simón Bolívar’s secret revolutionary mission in London?
Get the entire Simón Bolívar miniseries early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com
In Episode 2 of this series, Anita a
354. Liberator of Latin America: Simón Bolívar vs The Spanish Empire (Part 1)
Who was the man who liberated Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia from Spanish rule? How did a privileged upper-class teenage boy become South America’s leading revolutionary of the 19th century? How did tragedy in his youth set Simón Bolívar on the pathway to power?
Get the entire Simón Bolívar miniseries early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com
In Ep
353. Hezbollah, Hostages, & Exploding Pagers (Part 8)
What lessons have been learned from Occupation? How did Hezbollah emerge in the wake of the Iranian Revolution and the Israeli invasion of Lebanon? How did Hezbollah evolve from 1982 to 2023?
In the final episode in the series on the Arab-Israeli Conflict of 1967-1982, William is joined by Kim Ghattas, author of Black Wave: Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Rivalry That Unravelled the Middle East, to di
352. Israel’s 1982 Invasion of Lebanon (Part 7)
Is the current invasion of Lebanon a direct ancestor of the 1982 Israeli invasion? How did broken American promises lead to the tragedies of the Sabra and Shatila massacres? Who was Ariel Sharon and why did he spearhead attacks on Beirut?
Anita and William are joined by Kim Ghattas, author of Black Wave: Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Rivalry That Unravelled the Middle East, to discuss the pivotal
351. Camp David: The Day Israel & Egypt Made Peace (Part 6)
**Binge the entire series ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com**
In November 1977, Egyptian President Sadat shocked the entire Arab world by boarding a flight to Israel. After refusing to acknowledge its existence, Egypt was seeking to make peace with its neighbour, and was willing to be outcast by every other Arab nation in the process.
When did the Israeli government transfor
350. 1973: The Yom Kippur War & The First Oil Crisis (Part 5)
**Binge the entire series ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com**
How did the oil crisis totally transform the wealth of the Gulf states and alter the power balance of the Middle East? Who was Egypt’s underrated president, Sadat? How did water cannons destroy Israel’s seemingly impenetrable defenses along the Suez Canal in 1973?
In Episode 5 of our series on the Arab-Israeli Conf
What Is Life Like For Palestinians Under Occupation?
William is joined by Raja Shehadeh, the leading Palestinian writer, lawyer and human rights activist, to discuss his experience of living under Israeli occupation in the West Bank.
Raja describes how his daily life in Ramallah is shaped by segregation, travel restrictions and settler violence. He explains how segregated roads and settlements have physically reshaped the Palestinian landscape. And
349. Occupation of The West Bank (Part 4)
What happened to the Palestinians who chose not to flee the West Bank in 1967? How did Israel use old British and Ottoman laws to seize land and control the occupied territory? And what happened in Jordan during Black September?
William and Anita are joined by Eugene Rogan, Oxford Professor of Modern Middle Eastern History and author of The Arabs: A History, to discuss the human cost of the 1967
348. How 1967 Changed The Middle East Forever (Part 3)
How did The Six-Day War redraw the map of the Middle East and establish Israel as a regional superpower? How did the catastrophic Arab defeat unleash a new wave of armed Palestinian resistance? Did the road to modern Islamic extremism begin in Egyptian prisons?
William and Anita are joined once again by Eugene Rogan, Oxford Professor of Modern Middle Eastern History and author of The Arabs: A His
Jung Chang On Life Under Mao & Being Banned From China
To listen to the full bonus episode, join the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com.
Wild Swans author, Jung Chang, joins William to discuss her family’s harrowing experiences during Mao’s Cultural Revolution and how Xi Jinping continues his memory in China today.
She tells the story of how her father defied Mao and paid the price in a detention facility. She explains how she travelled across the coun
347. The Six Day War (Part 2)
**Listen to the first 4 episodes of the series today by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com.**
How did Israel defeat the armies of Egypt, Jordan and Syria in just six days in 1967? Why did Egyptian media report victory whilst their army was retreating? How did the war replace Palestinian hopes of liberation with the tragedy of a ‘second exodus’?
William and Anita are joined by Eugene Rog
346. From Suez To The Palestinian Liberation Organisation (Part 1)
**Listen to the first 4 episodes of the series today by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com.**
What was the Arab Cold War, and how did it violently divide the Middle East in the 1950s and 60s? What is the origin story of the Palestine Liberation Organisation? And how did Soviet disinformation and a closed maritime strait push the region to war?
This series explores the history of this piv
345. Chairman Mao: The Cultural Revolution (Ep 6)
What were Mao’s motivations for launching The Cultural Revolution? Who were the Red Guards, and why did Mao indoctrinate teenagers? How did Mao die, and who came next?
Anita and William are joined once again by Rana Mitter, author of A Bitter Revolution: China’s Struggle with the Modern World, and Modern China: A Very Short Introduction, to discuss the final years of Mao’s rule.
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344. Chairman Mao: The Great Leap Forward (Ep 5)
Why did Mao declare war on sparrows as part of The Great Leap Forward? What caused China to attack India in 1962? How did Mao use a swimming pool to embarrass Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev?
Anita and William are joined once again by Rana Mitter, author of A Bitter Revolution: China’s Struggle with the Modern World, and Modern China: A Very Short Introduction, to discuss The Great Leap Forward a
Christiane Amanpour On Iran & Trump’s Miscalculations
William and Anita are joined by renowned British-Iranian journalist, Christiane Amanpour, to discuss the war in Iran, and how it has echoes of the events she has covered since leaving Tehran in 1979.
How did the Iran-Iraq War of 1980 shape the military tactics of today’s Islamic Regime? What is the endgame for the US-Israeli strikes? Is the war strengthening Iranian nationalism?
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343. Lebanon: Hezbollah, Israel, & Fifty Years As A Battleground
What is the long history behind the current Israeli strikes on Lebanon? Why did Israel sell weapons to Iran in the 1980s? How was the Lebanon’s map drawn by European powers after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire?
Lebanese historian and author of Black Wave, Kim Ghattas, joins William to discuss the historical view of the current attacks on Lebanon.
**To listen to the rest of the Mao series to
342. Iran: The Three Ayatollahs – From Revolution to Dynasty
How did Ayatollah Khamenei ensure his son, Mojtaba, would take over after his death? How is this war a product of deep historical trends? What internal crises have been plaguing Iran’s government in recent years? Is there hope for Iran after this war?
**To listen to the rest of the Mao series today, join the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com**
In light of the war in Iran, we disrupt our current ser
341. Chairman Mao: The Clash With Stalin (Ep 4)
Mao has declared that China is a communist republic. How did life change for ordinary people living in this new nation? To what extent was Mao’s China modelled on the USSR, and how did Mao and Stalin feel about each other? And how did Mao destroy the pillars of traditional culture and violently purge “class enemies”?
William and Anita are joined once again by Rana Mitter, author of A Bitter Revo
340. Chairman Mao: World War II, Japanese Invasion, & Massacre in Nanjing (Ep 3)
How did World War II break out in Asia in 1937? Why did Mao Zedong and his fellow communists live in caves after the Long March? How did the notorious Nanjing Massacre occur?
** Binge all six episodes of the series on Chairman Mao by joining the Empire Club today at empirepoduk.com. **
Anita and William are joined once again by Rana Mitter, author of China’s War with Japan 1937-1945, The Strug
339. Chairman Mao: China's Communist Uprising (Ep 2)
Why did the communists and nationalists join forces with the USSR during the Chinese Civil War? When did the nationalists purge communists in what is known as the “White Terror”? Why did 80,000 communists walk across the country in the “Long March”, and how is this retreat reframed in Chinese political memory today?
** Binge all six episodes of the series on Chairman Mao by joining the Empire Clu
338.Chairman Mao: Birth of A Dictator (Ep 1)
A revolutionary hero or a brutal despot? Mao Zedong has one of the most recognisable portraits on Earth. How did he rise to become the founder of the People’s Republic of China?
** Binge all six episodes of the series on Chairman Mao by joining the Empire Club today at empirepoduk.com. **
A child born in a rural village, Mao hated the Confucian traditions he grew up with. He read profusely and
337. Bronze Age Apocalypse: Philistines, Israelites, & Rebuilding The Ruins (Ep 6)
How did the Phoenicians create the alphabet we still use today? Was the Bronze Age collapse comparable to the fall of Rome? What does DNA evidence tell us about the origins of the Philistines and Israelites?
William is joined by Professor Eric Cline, author of 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed and After 1177 B.C.: The Survival Of Civilizations, to explore the era of recovery that followe
336. Bronze Age Apocalypse: How To Survive The End of The World (Ep 5)
Which ancient civilisation was the best at surviving the Apocalypse, and which was the worst? Who were the Hittites, and what did they actually call themselves? Does the Bronze Age collapse serve as a warning to the modern world?
William and Anita are joined by Professor Eric Cline, author of 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed and After 1177 B.C.: The Survival Of Civilizations, to discus
335. Bronze Age Apocalypse: Solving The Mystery of The Collapse (Ep 4)
Who were the ‘Sea Peoples’? Was the Bronze Age Collapse caused by a single catastrophic event? How did the Egyptians try to adapt to the changing climate? From the scientific evidence hidden in ancient pollen to the first historical mention of "Israel" and the rise of the Philistines, this episode uncovers how a global systemic collapse redrew the map of the ancient world.
William and Anita are
334. Bronze Age Apocalypse: Did Homer Write History? (Ep 3)
The legendary ancient Greek poet, Homer, is a key source to our understanding of the Bronze Age Collapse, but did a single genius named Homer even exist? How could sophisticated poems like The Iliad and The Odyssey survive a "Dark Age" where even writing was destroyed? And what can the depiction of Greek gods in these poems tell us about religion at the time?
William and Anita are joined by Simo
333. Bronze Age Apocalypse: The Fall of Troy with Stephen Fry (Ep 2)
Stephen Fry joins William and Anita to discuss how Greek Myths have shaped our understanding of the Bronze Age Collapse.
Was the Trojan Horse real? What can we learn about the end of ancient civilisations through The Odyssey and The Iliad? How much truth lies within the story of the Trojan War, and where is the real archaeological site of Troy today?
Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empir
332. Bronze Age Apocalypse: Before The Collapse (Ep 1)
This is the beginning of the most dramatic imperial collapses in history. Why were Ancient civilisations so interconnected 3000 years ago? How did this interconnectedness lead to their downfall? Did people at the time know that disaster was on the horizon?
In Episode 1 of a brand new series, Anita and William are joined by Josephine Quinn, author of How The World Made The West, and Professor of A
331. The Iranian Revolution: Will The Shah Return To Iran? (Ep 2)
In 1979, the people of Iran took to the streets to topple the Shah. This year they are back in the streets shouting “Long Live The Shah”. How did this happen? How did a country which so volcanically threw out the Shah in 1979 want the same family back again in 2026? What are the parallels between the Iranian Revolution then and the protests today?
William and Anita are joined by Scott Anderson, a
330. The Iranian Revolution: 1979 vs. 2026 (Ep 1)
In recent weeks, protestors have swarmed the streets in Iran in defiance of the regime, and it feels as if the country is on the precipice of a transformative change. Yet these scenes feel familiar. In the 1970s, mass protests led to a religious revolution which replaced a monarchy led by the Shah with the Islamic Republic of Iran. What can this history tell us about today?
To discuss the paralle
329. Indian Uprising 1857: The British Raj is Born (Part 8)
How did Lucknow become the final battleground of the 1857 Uprising? Who was Begum Hazrat Mahal, and how did she hold together a rebellion against overwhelming odds? How did the 1857 Uprising lead to the fall of the East India Company, and the rise of the harsher British Raj?
In the final episode of the series, Anita and William explain how northern India’s organised rebellion came to an end, us
328. Indian Uprising 1857: The Reign of Terror (Part 7)
How did the British finally break into Delhi during the 1857 Uprising? Why did a sudden solar eclipse change the fate of the siege overnight? Why is the British victory considered one of Delhi’s greatest tragedies?
In Episode 7 of the series, William and Anita discuss the bloody Siege of Delhi, the British assault which spelled the end of the Mughal Empire.
Join the Empire Club: Unlock the
327. Indian Uprising 1857: The British Strike Back (Part 6)
How did the tide turn towards the end of 1857 as British reinforcements gathered to strike the hearts of the rebellion: Delhi and Lucknow? Who was the British Commander, John Nicholson, and why was he feared by both friend and foe? Was the city of Delhi, under control of the last Mughal emperor, doomed from within?
In Episode 6 of the series, Anita and William cover how Indian resistance during
326. Indian Uprising 1857: India’s Joan of Arc – Rani of Jhansi (Part 5)
The warrior queen who fought the British on the battlefield, Rani of Jhansi –or Rani Lakshmibai– is still a hero in India, with comic books and Bollywood movies about her. But what’s the true history behind her legend? How did she become a fierce leader of resistance who led her men to fight fearlessly against the East India Company?
In Episode 5 of the series, William and Anita are joined by I
325. Indian Uprising 1857: The Siege of Lucknow (Part 4)
An entire city turns on the British and revolts in unison. 3000 East India Company soldiers and civilians in Lucknow are under siege in one compound, hiding in tunnels and surrounded by snipers. But who will break first the besieger the besieged?
In Episode 4 of the series, William and Anita discuss how Lucknow became one of the centres of resistance standing up to East India Company power.
Joi
324. Indian Uprising 1857: Massacre and Revenge in Kanpur (Part 3)
In one of the darkest chapters of the 1857 uprising, brutal massacres are met with revenge brutal massacres as the rebellion reaches the East India Company garrison town of Kanpur or “Cawnpore”. Who was General Wheeler and why was the entrenchment he built so fragile? How were the atrocities at Kanpur used to justify gruesome violence against Indians?
In Episode 3 of the series, Anita and Willia
323. Indian Uprising 1857: The Rebels March On Delhi (Part 2)
How did the mutiny amongst sepoys –Indian soldiers– turn into a national crisis? What ultimatum did the rebels give the Mughal emperor when they reached the Red Fort in Delhi? Why did the British fail to see what was coming?
In Episode 2 of the series, William and Anita discuss how the rebel sepoys travelled along the Bridge of Boats to take the rebellion to Delhi.
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322. Indian Uprising 1857: The Mutiny (Part 1)
Secret messages are being passed from city to city inside chapattis, rebellion is in the air. When Indian soldiers in the East India Company army hear that bullet cartridges are greased with pig and cow fat, they take a stand against their British generals. A mutiny begins that will soon explode into an all-out revolution… This is the Indian Uprising of 1857.
How did India’s Greatest Rebellion be
321. Exploding Rum-filled Coffins, Anglo-Indian Sisterhood, & Julia Margaret Cameron
How did Julia Margaret Cameron - Virginia Woolf's great aunt - become one of the most influential photography artists of her time? Who were the Anglo-Indian Pattle Sisters who charmed Victorian society in India and London? How did the family create a warm artistic oasis where celebrities like Tennyson and Watts loved spending time?
William is joined by art historian Emily Burns to discuss the lif
320. Photos That Shook The World: Exposing Leopold in The Congo
How did one woman take on the brutal colonial King Leopold II in Congo with her camera? Who was Alice Seely Harris and why should we remember her name? How did she smuggle her photographs of the horrors going on in the Congo out of the country?
Anita and William discuss the life of Alice Seely Harris, the mouse who stood up to a lion using the power of her Kodak Camera…
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319. Heist of St Nicolas: The Medieval Mafia Who Stole Santa (Part 2)
Who were the Italian sailors who stole the bones of St Nicolas from his church in Turkey in 1087? How was the mythology of St Nicolas combined with Germanic pagan stories of Odin riding a white horse accompanied by ravens? How did polar-mania and Coca Cola advertising transform Dutch traditions around St Nicolas into the Santa Claus we know today?
William and Anita are joined once again by Sam Da
318. Heist of St Nicolas: Raiding Santa's Tomb (Part 1)
The original Santa Claus, Saint Nicolas, was a real bishop from Myra in modern-day Turkey, whose tomb there was popular with pilgrims, but 700 years after his death, a group of sailors decided to steal his magic bones…
What myth about St Nicolas first associated him with gift-giving? How did his story get merged with the Greek god of the seas, Poseidon? How were the tombs in his hometown connecte
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