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PODCAST

Dan Snow"s History Hit

Historian Dan Snow journeys across the globe to tell the stories of history"s defining moments. From the Colosseum in Rome to the Great Wall of China, the battlefields of Waterloo to the Tomb of Tutankhamun, join Dan as he explores the how and why of the greatest monuments, battles, heroes, villains and events that have shaped our world.New episodes on Mondays and Thursdays with bonus subscriber only episodes every other Friday.You can get in touch with us at ds.hh@historyhit.comA podcast by History

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All Episodes

42:12

Mary, Queen of Scots

Dan Snow"s History Hit ·

2025/02/26

This is the story of the incredible rise and fall of Mary, Queen of Scots. She was queen of Scotland, she was queen of France, and she could have been queen of England. She led armies, lived as a fugitive, became embroiled in love affairs and spent nearly two decades in jail.Dan is joined by the great Kate Williams, a presenter, historian and professor at Reading University, to take us through the twists and turns of Mary's tumultuous life.Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.Sign

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29:39

Soho: London's Most Notorious Neighbourhood

Dan Snow"s History Hit ·

2025/02/24

Soho was once a thriving melting pot of speakeasies, sex work and organised crime. From razor gangs of the 1920s to money laundering, the area has always been a hotbed for thieves, conmen, drug dealers, and shady goings-on… but it's also provided fertile ground for revolution, ground-breaking jazz, rock n roll and countercultural movements. Joining Dan to discuss the extraordinary history of London’s most notorious neighbourhood in the 1920s is sex historian and host of the Betwixt the Sheets

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26:29

Dogs

Dan Snow"s History Hit ·

2025/02/21

From the small corgis that drove cattle to Smithfield market to the Dalmatians that protected carriages from highwaymen, humans and dogs have relied on each other for millennia. Historian and dog-lover Mike Loades joins Dan to trace the history of our close relationship with dogs. They discuss the first proto-dogs, the bloodhounds that hunted down William Wallace and the little lap dog that hid under Mary Queen of Scots' skirts during her beheading (allegedly.)You can see History Hit's 'History of

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44:02

Josef Mengele

Dan Snow"s History Hit ·

2025/02/19

The Nazi doctor who committed heinous experiments on prisoners of Auschwitz was harboured by a network of Nazi supporters in Argentina after the war. As an SS officer and physician, he conducted horrific tests on prisoners, particularly twins, in pursuit of pseudoscientific racial theories. His name has become synonymous with Nazi war crimes.After World War II, Mengele evaded justice, escaping to South America. He lived in Argentina for years under an assumed identity, avoiding capture despite

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44:59

Why Isn't Canada the 51st State?

Dan Snow"s History Hit ·

2025/02/17

Dan explains how Canada has resisted many American attempts at annexation since the Revolution in 1775. From the tariff tensions of 1911 to President Trump's recent remarks about making Canada the 51st state, this episode delves deep into the various moments over the last 250 years when American leaders have eyed their northern neighbour for expansion. Dan examines the American invasions during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 and explains how Canada's resistance and unique circumstances

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52:23

The Bombing of Dresden

Dan Snow"s History Hit ·

2025/02/14

As the Second World War neared its bloody climax, Allied bombers unleashed a devastating firestorm on Dresden. In just two days the historic city was reduced to rubble, and tens of thousands were killed. The question remains - was this a legitimate military operation, or an unjustifiable act of destruction?For the latest episode in our 'D-Day to Berlin' series, we're joined by Sinclair McKay, author of 'Dresden: The Fire and the Darkness'. Aided by the words of Victor Gregg, a British POW who was in

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44:41

The Siege of Malta: Knights Hospitaller vs The Ottomans

Dan Snow"s History Hit ·

2025/02/12

This is the story of Suleiman the Magnificent's attempt to conquer Malta, the headquarters of a Catholic military order that had become a thorn in his side. They were known as the Knights Hospitaller, and the siege to come would pit Grand Master Jean de Valette and his force of outnumbered defenders against an elite Ottoman army.For this, we're joined by Marcus Bull, author of 'The Great Siege of Malta'. Marcus takes us through this tale of siege warfare and explains how luck as much as skill helped

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41:49

Iwo Jima: WWII in the Pacific

Dan Snow"s History Hit ·

2025/02/10

80 years ago, on the rocky volcanic island of Iwo Jima, the vicious battle for the Pacific reached ever bloodier crescendos. As Allied forces crossed the Rhine in Europe, American Marines won a costly victory on Iwo Jima in their island-hopping campaign towards the Japanese mainland.For the latest instalment of our 'D-Day to Berlin' series, we're joined by Timothy Heck, an artillery officer in the US Marine Corps Reserve and a supervisory historian with Naval History and Heritage Command. Tim

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30:56

Nostradamus

Dan Snow"s History Hit ·

2025/02/07

For centuries, Nostradamus has been hailed as the man who saw the future—his cryptic quatrains allegedly foretelling everything from the French Revolution and the rise of Hitler to the 9/11 attacks and the Covid-19 pandemic. But how much is true, and how much is myth?Joining Dan in this episode to unravel the true history of the French soothsayer is John Hogue, a renowned Nostradamus scholar. Together they explore Nostradamus' life as a plague doctor, the occult during the Renaissance, his most

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48:35

2. The English Civil War: Roundheads vs Cavaliers

Dan Snow"s History Hit ·

2025/02/05

Episode 2/2. This week, we have a two-part series on the catastrophic English Civil War in the 17th century. We trace the twists and turns of this tumultuous period from the perspective of Bulstrode Whitelocke and Edward Hyde, two close friends who reluctantly found themselves on opposing sides of the conflict that split England in two.For this, Dan is joined by Minoo Dinshaw, author of 'Friends in Youth: Choosing Sides in the English Civil War'. In this second episode, we hear about some of the

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50:12

1. The English Civil War: Rising Tensions

Dan Snow"s History Hit ·

2025/02/03

Episode 1/2. This week, we have a two-part series on the catastrophic English Civil War in the 17th century. We trace the twists and turns of this tumultuous period from the perspective of Bulstrode Whitelocke and Edward Hyde, two close friends who reluctantly found themselves on opposing sides of the conflict that split England in two.For this, Dan is joined by Minoo Dinshaw, author of 'Friends in Youth: Choosing Sides in the English Civil War'. In this first episode, we learn how subtle religious

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1:04:16

Auschwitz Commandant: Rudolf Höss

Dan Snow"s History Hit ·

2025/01/31

Every day Rudolf Höss oversaw the killing of thousands of people at the death camp and then went home and acted like a doting father to his family. Höss was brought in by top Nazis to pioneer the industrialisation of the mass murder of Europe's Jews and others. He lived in a house that shared a wall with Auschwitz, metres from the crematorium, where he and his family enjoyed a happy domestic life - his wife once described their life at the house as 'paradise'.The house was home to a Polish family

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29:44

The Hunt for Pablo Escobar

Dan Snow"s History Hit ·

2025/01/29

By the early 1990s, the Colombian city of Medellín was at the centre of the world's largest drug empire. The fearsome Medellín Cartel, led by the notorious drug lord and narcoterrorist Pablo Escobar, brought murder and mayhem to the city and the world for nearly two decades.In this episode, Dan is joined by the men portrayed in the critically acclaimed series Narcos, ex-DEA agents Javier Peña and Steve Murphy. They tell us the true story behind the rise and fall of the infamous Pablo

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58:31

A History of Auschwitz

Dan Snow"s History Hit ·

2025/01/27

On January 27th 1945, the Red Army liberated the concentration camp at Auschwitz unveiling its almost unspeakable horrors to the world.The concentration camp system began almost immediately after Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in 1933. It was an integral part of the Nazi regime's rapid dismantling of German democracy. Within weeks, the first concentration camp, Dachau, was opened to imprison political opponents, marking the start of a vast and brutal system of camps across Germany and

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33:32

The Panama Canal

Dan Snow"s History Hit ·

2025/01/24

What is the history of the Panama Canal and why does Trump think he can 'take it back'? Dan is joined by Professor Julie Greene to delve into the long backstory of this 50-mile waterway that changed the world. Its journey from concept to completion was fraught as many nations sought to build it over several centuries, with the US eventually taking up the costly task in the 1900s. During the decade-long construction, many workers, mostly from the Caribbean, suffered awful working conditions and were

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31:49

How WW1 Inspired The Lord of The Rings

Dan Snow"s History Hit ·

2025/01/22

J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth is perhaps the most captivating fantasy world ever created. His mythology and folklore continue to influence the work of writers, filmmakers, musicians and artists to this day. He first conceived of the idea during the First World War and built his world to examine the fear and courage, despair and hope that he witnessed. So how exactly did this brutal, bloody war help to shape Middle-earth? Dan is joined by John Garth, an award-winning Tolkien biographer and author of

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1:05:24

Charlemagne

Dan Snow"s History Hit ·

2025/01/20

Charlemagne was king of the Franks and Emperor of the mighty Carolingian Empire. His unusually long reign saw him conquer vast swathes of Europe, and shape them into an empire that would inspire rulers for centuries to come. His efforts earned him the title of the "Father of Europe", and the consequences of his reign would be felt long after he was gone.Dan is joined by Matthew Innes, a Professor of History and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Birkbeck, University of London. Matt takes us on a tour de

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42:05

The Rise of Napoleon

Dan Snow"s History Hit ·

2025/01/17

Napoleon Bonaparte is a household name; a rare example of someone who is as well remembered by his supporters as by his enemies. His life is rich with dramatic irony. He was a key figure in the creation of the First French Republic, yet became a self-appointed Emperor. Surrounded by enemies, he secured peace in France through war abroad and was hated by the monarchies of Europe, who feared he would bring democracy to their lands.Dan was recently a guest on the Echoes of History podcast, hosted by

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34:03

Who Owns Greenland?

Dan Snow"s History Hit ·

2025/01/15

It sounds outlandish that President-Elect Donald Trump has said he wants to buy Greenland but this isn't the first or even second time the United States has tried to acquire this arctic territory. Dan is joined by Professor Robert Rix from the University of Copenhagen to trace the long history of settlement in Greenland - from the Indigenous Inuit to the Norse colonisers and the American soldiers stationed there in the Second World War. Trump might want to buy Greenland, but it isn't necessarily

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47:58

Roald Amundsen

Dan Snow"s History Hit ·

2025/01/12

Roald Amundsen was surely one of history's greatest explorers. He beat Scott to the South Pole, and was the first person to reach the North Pole and to traverse the perilous Northwest Passage. His adaptability, meticulous precision and fearlessness propelled him to international fame in life and beyond.Today we're joined by Stephen R. Bown, author of 'The Last Viking: The Life of Roald Amundsen'. Stephen tells us all about this fascinating man, who died as mysteriously as he lived.Produced by James

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