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PODCAST

Empire: World History

The rise and fall of empires and the events that shaped world history. William Dalrymple and Anita Anand explore the intricate stories of revolutions, imperial wars, and the people who built and lost empires. From the British Empire to the Ottomans to Ancient India, history is shaped by power struggles and territorial conquests. How does it continue to affect the world today? Empire Club: Become a member of the Empire Club to receive early access to miniseries, ad-free listening, early access to

history

All Episodes

53:36

381. Musk, Bezos & The New East India Companies (Ep 1)

Empire: World History ·

2026/07/26

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, X and Amazon, and how they have followed the historical template set by the East India

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34:40

380. Algerian Revolution: The Rise of Le Pen (Ep 6)

Empire: World History ·

2026/07/22

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. Summer sale is here: get an annual Empire Club membership for an extra 20% off with code SUMMER26. That's ad-free listening, early-access, every

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46:47

379. Algerian Revolution: Black Panthers, LSD, & Nina...

Empire: World History ·

2026/07/19

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 Episode 5 of the series, William and Anita explore the aftermath of independence in Algeria. Summer sale is

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31:20

378. Algerian Revolution: Birth of Independence (Ep 4)

Empire: World History ·

2026/07/15

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 collapse of the Fourth Republic, and the historic 1962 Évian Accords. Try Attio for free at

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37:55

377. Algerian Revolution: The Battle of Algiers (Ep 3)

Empire: World History ·

2026/07/12

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 reprisals, and the legendary female bombers of the Battle of Algiers. Summer sale is here: get an annual Empire

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43:39

376. Algerian Revolution: Repression and Rebellion...

Empire: World History ·

2026/07/08

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 Algeria paved the way for war. They discuss the infamous Sétif massacres, how World War Two radicalised young

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41:37

375. Algerian Revolution: The French Invasion (Ep 1)

Empire: World History ·

2026/07/05

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 Algeria was like before the French, the trivial diplomatic incident that sparked the invasion, and early

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36:02

374. Ken Burns on the American Revolution and Empire

Empire: World History ·

2026/07/04

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 and the nation’s dark imperial past. Summer sale is here: get an annual Empire Club membership for an extra

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53:43

373. The Dark Truth About Mount Rushmore

Empire: World History ·

2026/07/01

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 beloved American landmark. They discuss the Native American wars, illegal seizure of sacred land, and the contested meaning

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54:55

372. The First British Indians: The Sisters Rejected...

Empire: World History ·

2026/06/28

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: the forgotten lives of Princesses Pauline and Irene Duleep Singh. Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full

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42:28

371. The First British Indians: Last Sikh In Lahore...

Empire: World History ·

2026/06/24

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 the eldest Duleep Singh sister, Princess Bamba. Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience

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42:20

370. The First British Indians: Saving Jews In Nazi...

Empire: World History ·

2026/06/21

**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 History? In Episode 2 of this series, William and Anita discuss the hidden history of Princess Duleep

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54:05

369. The First British Indians: The Suffragette...

Empire: World History ·

2026/06/17

**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 the last Maharaja of the Punjab, William and Anita discuss the incredible, forgotten life of Princess

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44:56

367. Ancient Egypt: The Origin of Abrahamic...

Empire: World History ·

2026/06/14

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 the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live

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44:00

367. Ancient Egypt: “Tut-mania” And Tutankhamun’s...

Empire: World History ·

2026/06/10

**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, author of Golden Mummies of Egypt, and Curator of Ancient Egypt and Sudan at Manchester Museum, to discuss

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53:35

366. Ancient Egypt: Tutankhamun The Boy King (Ep 5)

Empire: World History ·

2026/06/07

**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 Egypt, and Curator of Ancient Egypt and Sudan at Manchester Museum, to discuss the life of King

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50:34

365. Ancient Egypt: Who Was Nefertiti? (Ep 4)

Empire: World History ·

2026/06/03

**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 Pharaoh of Egypt: Her Life and Afterlife, to discuss the iconic queen. Try Attio for free at

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53:11

364. Ancient Egypt: The Fall of Akhenaten (Ep 3)

Empire: World History ·

2026/05/31

**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 Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access

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56:38

363. Ancient Egypt: Destroyer Of Gods – Pharaoh...

Empire: World History ·

2026/05/27

**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 religious revolution and whether he was a pioneer or a tyrant. Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full

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6:53

The Scandal That Shaped Partition: Heartbreak &...

Empire: World History ·

2026/05/26

**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 rest of their lives? In the final episode of Empire’s first members-only miniseries, Anita is joined

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