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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

48:13

336. Bronze Age Apocalypse: How To Survive The End of...

Empire: World History ·

2026/02/24

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 discuss how the end of the ancient "globalised" system serves as a chilling warning for our own interconnected

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60:29

335. Bronze Age Apocalypse: Solving The Mystery of...

Empire: World History ·

2026/02/19

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 joined by Professor Eric Cline, author of 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed, and After 1177

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42:54

334. Bronze Age Apocalypse: Did Homer Write History?...

Empire: World History ·

2026/02/17

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 Simon Goldhill, Professor in Greek Literature and Culture at King's College, Cambridge, to discuss whether

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52:04

333. Bronze Age Apocalypse: The Fall of Troy (Ep 2)

Empire: World History ·

2026/02/12

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

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41:12

332. Bronze Age Apocalypse: Before The Collapse (Ep 1)

Empire: World History ·

2026/02/10

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 Ancient History at Cambridge University, to discuss the interconnected Ancient Mediterranean city states

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37:32

331. The Iranian Revolution: Will The Shah Return To...

Empire: World History ·

2026/02/05

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, author of King of Kings: The Fall of the Shah and the Revolution That Forged Modern Iran, and Ramita

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33:11

330. The Iranian Revolution: 1979 vs. 2026 (Ep 1)

Empire: World History ·

2026/02/03

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 parallels between 1979 and 2026, William and Anita are joined by two leading experts on Iran: Scott Anderson,

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41:43

329. India’s Greatest Rebellion: The British Raj is...

Empire: World History ·

2026/01/29

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, ushering in a new era of British rule in India. Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire

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48:17

328. India’s Greatest Rebellion: The Reign of Terror...

Empire: World History ·

2026/01/27

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

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48:28

327. India’s Greatest Rebellion: The British Strike...

Empire: World History ·

2026/01/22

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 the 1857 uprising became weakened by dwindling resources, tactical disunity, and the growing British

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63:30

326. India’s Greatest Rebellion: The Indian Joan of...

Empire: World History ·

2026/01/20

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 Ira Mukhoty, author of Heroines: Powerful Indian Women of Myth & History, to discuss the life of one of

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54:25

325. India’s Greatest Rebellion: The Siege of Lucknow...

Empire: World History ·

2026/01/15

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

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52:58

324. India’s Greatest Rebellion: Massacre and Revenge...

Empire: World History ·

2026/01/13

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 William discuss the gruesome history of the Kanpur massacre which lived on in Victorian memory for the decades

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53:11

323. India’s Greatest Rebellion: The Rebels March On...

Empire: World History ·

2026/01/08

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. 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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50:58

322. India’s Greatest Rebellion: The 1857 Mutiny...

Empire: World History ·

2026/01/06

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 begin? Why did the dynamic between British and Indian soldiers start to change in the 1850s? How did the

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50:02

321. Exploding Rum-filled Coffins, Anglo-Indian...

Empire: World History ·

2026/01/01

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 life of his relative, the pioneering photographer, Julia Margaret Cameron. Join the Empire Club: Unlock

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46:05

320. Photos That Shook The World: Exposing Leopold in...

Empire: World History ·

2025/12/30

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… Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and

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32:23

319. Heist of St Nicolas: The Medieval Mafia Who...

Empire: World History ·

2025/12/25

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 Dalrymple to discuss his original research on the epic Heist of St Nicolas… Join the Empire Club:

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32:21

318. Heist of St Nicolas: Raiding Santa's Tomb (Part 1)

Empire: World History ·

2025/12/23

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 connected with Ancient India? Anita and William are joined by Sam Dalrymple to discuss his original research on

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48:25

317. Churchill's Photographer: From Escaping Genocide...

Empire: World History ·

2025/12/18

Who was Karsh and how did he become one of the most famous portrait photographers of the 20th century? How did Karsh escape from the Armenian Genocide as a child? What was the story behind some of the most famous photographs of Churchill, Einstein, Castro, Queen Elizabeth II, and Martin Luther King?Anita and William explore the fascinating life of one of the photographers of Empire, Yousuf Karsh. Make someone an Empire Club Member this Christmas – unlock the full Empire experience with bonus

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343 results

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