Short History Of...

Though St Patrick is honoured by millions of revellers worldwide every year, few know more about him than the popular myths concerning shamrocks and snakes. The real story of St Patrick reads like an adventure story, involving kidnapping, enslavement, and daring escapes. But how did his commitment to spreading the word of God lead him to become the embodiment of all things Irish? This is A Short History of… St Patrick. Written by Dan Smith...

Frida Kahlo is as much a modern icon for her personal flair as she is for her paintings. But how did her style develop, and what did she intend it to communicate? What was so subversive about her work, and the subjects she chose to portray? And why is she such an enduring figurehead for feminists, women with fertility issues, the queer community, and those living with disabilities and chronic pain? This is a Short History of Frida Kahlo. Written by Lindsay Galvin...

When Edward Cope and OC Marsh began their race to identify and name new species of dinosaur in the 1870s, palaeontology was still a new discipline. Before these two wealthy men entered the field, just eight species had been identified in North America. In two decades, between them they added 136 more. But how did they manage to produce such a vast body of research? And why was their earlier friendship replaced by a bitter professional feud?  This is a Short History of the Dinosaur Rush...

From Noiser, comes the brand-new podcast Detectives Don’t Sleep. The show takes you beyond the police tape to shadow the real detectives who worked history’s most intriguing cases. In this taster episode, we’re in the Bahamas in 1943. One of the wealthiest men in the islands, Sir Harry Oakes, has been murdered - bludgeoned and burned in his mansion. The prime suspect is Oakes’ son-in-law, Count Alfred de Marigny...

From the day he burst onto the scene, Muhammad Ali changed boxing history. But he also influenced the American civil rights movement, the perception of Islam, the view of the war in Vietnam, and the self-branding of athletes themselves. So how did his beliefs affect his career? What drove him to keep fighting for so long – even when boxing itself was taking away the gifts that made him famous? And was he really the greatest of all time? This is a Short History of Muhammad Ali...

For over 600 years, castles played a leading role in the story of Britain. From the Norman Conquest to the English Civil War, they are woven into the tapestry of British history. But when did they start to be built, and why? How did their architecture evolve? And why did they fall out of fashion, leaving a landscape littered with crumbling ruins?  This is A Short History Of… British Castles.  Written by Joe Viner...

Think of the Wild West, and you’ll imagine cowboys, shootouts, bank robberies and saloons. But it was also a time of massive resettlement, new technology and communications...

From September 1940, Germany’s Luftwaffe subjected Britain to an intense bombing campaign lasting more than eight months. Around 43,000 civilians were killed, with many more injured or made homeless. But what led to the onslaught, and why could it not be stopped? How effective was Hitler’s campaign in achieving his aims? And how did the people of Britain react to this massive disruption to their daily lives and to the ever-present threat of death?  This is a Short History of the Blitz...

The British Crown Jewels is a priceless collection of items gathered over eight turbulent centuries. Consisting of 100 objects decorated with 23,000 gemstones, it’s held at the Tower of London, protected by guards and high-tech security. But why did one thief put the crown jewels down his trousers? Which king managed to lose his own crown? And why is one diamond so controversial that it is not invited to the coronation of King Charles III? This is a Short History of the Crown Jewels...

Though he ruled for just 13 years, Alexander the Great is as famed for his hedonistic lifestyle as his military genius. But how did he become one of the best known military leaders in history? What inspired such loyalty among his troops? And what drove this young man in his endless quest to conquer the known world? This is a Short History of Alexander the Great.  Written by Linda Harrison. With thanks to author Philip Freeman, a professor of humanities at Pepperdine University, Malibu...