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PODCAST

History Rage

Think history is boring? That’s because you’ve only ever heard the fake version.On History Rage, professional historians come in swinging — smashing the myths, clichés, and half-truths that keep getting recycled in classrooms, documentaries, and TikToks. Vikings with horned helmets? Nope. Britain standing alone in 1940? Wrong. Medieval people never bathed? Rubbish.Why listen? Because the truth is way more exciting. You’ll leave every episode with jaw-dropping stories, killer facts to shut down pub

history comedy interviews

All Episodes

54:17

333. Genealogy is not second rate history with Jen...

History Rage ·

2026/09/20

Unlock the hidden secrets of your ancestors because history didn't just happen, it happened to families.Are you tired of dry, dusty history books that only talk about prime ministers and battlefield generals? It is time to smash the myth that genealogy is just an isolated, second-rate hobby for tracking pedigree charts. In this episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill sits down with professional genealogist and research specialist Jen Baldwin to blow the lid off traditional historical

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44:57

332. The SAS Founder History Forgot! With Lt-Col. Tim...

History Rage ·

2026/09/16

Was the Special Air Service truly built solely by David Stirling and rogue, unmanageable mavericks?Think you know the full origin story of the Special Air Service? The popular myth paints the WWII SAS as a rogues' gallery of unmanageable, rule-breaking mavericks who single-handedly reshaped special warfare before quietly vanishing at the end of the conflict. But this narrative ignores the quiet leadership, sharp political intellect, and crucial post-war battle that actually preserved the regiment's

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54:58

331. Rome was NOT just a Land Power with Stephen...

History Rage ·

2026/09/13

Why the "Roman Land Power" Myth is a Massive Historic LieThere is a stubborn myth floating around popular culture and older history books that the Romans hated the sea, were terrible at sailing, and let their navy rot the second a war ended. But according to ancient historian and nautical archaeologist Dr. Stephen DeCasien, that is complete history rage material.In this episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill dives deep into the ancient Mediterranean to shatter the misconception that Rome was

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52:00

330. The Home Guard Were NOT Doddering Old...

History Rage ·

2026/09/09

Were 2 million unpaid British civilians really just doddery, helpless old men?Think Private Godfrey and Corporal Jones speak for the Home Guard? Think again! Captain Mannering's platoon gets a complete reality check in this fiery episode of History Rage.Join host Paul Bavill as he chats with author and historian Sinclair McKay to shatter the sitcom myths and restore dignity to Britain's WWII civilian army. From guerrilla warfare tactics taught by Spanish Civil War veterans at Osterley Park to the

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1:00:45

329. Edward VIII Did NOT Give Up The Throne for Love...

History Rage ·

2026/09/07

The Abdication Crisis DemolishedIn 1936, King Edward VIII gave up the British throne for the woman he loved—or so the story goes. But was the abdication of Edward VIII really the ultimate modern fairy tale, or a carefully orchestrated establishment takedown?Journalist and author Sian Evans joins host Paul Bavill on History Rage to shatter the classic fig leaf surrounding Wallis Simpson and the crown. Evans uncovers the political maneuvers, secret service surveillance, and establishment panic behind

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52:08

328. Elizabeth Báthory was NOT a Blood-Bathing Serial...

History Rage ·

2026/09/06

Vampires, bloodbaths, and historical smear campaigns: why the legends you know are dead wrong.Think you know the story of Elizabeth Báthory, the "Blood Countess" who bathed in the blood of virgins to stay forever young? Think again. In this episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill sits down with former professor and author Shelley Puhak to tear down four centuries of myth and reveal the real woman behind the monster.The canonical legend has cemented Báthory as the world's most prolific female

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55:16

327. Stop Trying To Find The Real King Arthur with...

History Rage ·

2026/09/02

Was King Arthur real? or are we looking at history all wrong?If you think finding a 6th-century tomb solves the Arthurian legend, think again. Medievalist, artist, and author Dr. Amy Jeffs (author of Arthur: A New Life) joins host Paul Bavill to dismantle the obsession with "smoking gun" popular history. From giant-descended queens to shape-shifting wizards, the true power of King Arthur lies not in a single dead warlord, but in centuries of evolving folklore, political propaganda, and captivating

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54:20

326. Nuclear Civil Defence is NOT a futile joke with...

History Rage ·

2026/08/30

Britain’s terrifying Cold War survival plans were far more serious than imagined.Was Cold War civil defence genuinely useful — or simply political theatre designed to comfort a frightened population? In this explosive episode of History Rage, emergency planning historian Dr. Nathan Hazlehurst dismantles decades of myths surrounding Britain’s nuclear preparedness.From Protect and Survive and regional nuclear bunkers to the grim realism of Threads and When the Wind Blows, Nathan reveals the

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47:02

325. Tudors are NOT overdone with Joanne Paul |...

History Rage ·

2026/08/26

Think we’ve exhausted Tudor history? Think again — what are we missing?Are the Tudors really overdone, or are we simply telling the same stories over and over again? Dr Joanne Paul joins Paul Bavill for a counter-rage against the idea that historians should stop studying the Tudors.From the English Reformation and the Break with Rome to poverty, politics, women, immigrants, people of colour and the extraordinary figures operating beyond the royal spotlight, there is far more to sixteenth-century

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52:16

324. The British were NOT "too slow" liberating Caen...

History Rage ·

2026/08/23

Why Caen’s ‘slow’ liberation actually won the Battle of Normandy.Historian and battlefield guide Ben Mayne joins https://historyrage.com to dismantle one of the most persistent myths of the Second World War: that the British and Canadians were “too slow” to break out from Caen after D-Day.Drawing on years of battlefield research, veterans’ testimonies and deep study of Operation Charnwood, Ben argues that the fighting around Caen unfolded exactly as Bernard Montgomery intended. Rather than a failed

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49:54

323. Jane Austen was NOT a genteel saintly woman with...

History Rage ·

2026/08/16

Jane Austen wasn’t polite—she was sharp, savage, and brilliantly misunderstoodFor generations, Jane Austen has been portrayed as a quiet, genteel figure—an almost saintly observer of polite Regency society. But what if that image is completely wrong?In this episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill is joined by Austen expert and What The Austen podcast host Izzy Meakin to dismantle one of literary history’s most persistent myths. Drawing on Austen’s surviving letters, family history, and the subtext

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57:01

322. There is no real version of a Greek Myth with...

History Rage ·

2026/08/12

Are you sure there is a single, "real" version of Achilles, Helen, or the Odyssey?In this episode, classicist and author Emily Hauser (creator of Mythica) joins Paul Bavill to dismantle one of the biggest misconceptions in classical literature: the search for a single, definitive "truth" behind ancient myth. From Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey to modern cinematic interpretations, myth was never meant to be a static rulebook. It is a living, flexible oral tradition shaped by who is telling the story, why

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56:41

321. The English Civil Wars were WAY more than King v...

History Rage ·

2026/08/09

The English Civil Wars were far messier than King versus ParliamentThe English Civil Wars are often reduced to a simple clash: King versus Parliament, Cavaliers versus Roundheads, tyranny versus democracy. But as historian Jonathan Healey reveals, that tidy narrative collapses the moment you look closer.In this episode of History Rage, Jonathan dismantles the myths surrounding the mid-17th century conflicts and shows just how tangled the reality truly was. Parliament itself was divided, loyalties

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51:59

320. The Crusades are not the only thing going on in...

History Rage ·

2026/08/05

Think the Crusades were the defining conflict of the medieval Middle East? Think again.In this opening special for the Gloucester History Festival, host Paul Bavill welcomes back Associate Professor of History at Nottingham Trent University, Dr Nicholas Morton, to tear down one of history’s most persistent misconceptions. While popular memory draws a neat line down the Middle East dividing Crusaders and Islamic forces in endless war, the reality was far richer, more complex, and endlessly

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50:28

319. The Italians Were Not Cowards with Karen Farrington

History Rage ·

2026/08/03

Were Italian soldiers really cowards in World War Two? Think again!In this episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill is joined by author, former journalist, and WWII enthusiast Karen Farrington to challenge the widespread myth of "Italian cowardice" during the Second World War.Together, they dive deep into the overlooked history of Italian soldiers, the harsh realities of the Allied prisoner-of-war camps in Italy, and the incredible, highly dangerous escape network that saved thousands of Allied

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49:30

318. The Fall of the Byzantine Empire was NOT...

History Rage ·

2026/08/02

The Byzantine Empire didn’t have to fall—history simply chose differently.The fall of Constantinople in 1453 is often presented as the inevitable end of a decaying empire—but what if that narrative is completely wrong? In this episode of History Rage, historian and author Laura Bolick dismantles one of history’s most persistent myths: that the Byzantine Empire was doomed long before the Ottoman cannons fired.Drawing on her book Saving Byzantium: The Struggle to Salvage an Empire, Laura reveals a

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52:19

317. The Russians and Austro-Hungarians in WWI are...

History Rage ·

2026/07/29

Think the First World War was just the Western Front and incompetent Eastern armies? Think again!In this explosive episode of History Rage, First World War historian, Trustee of the Great War Group, and Ring of Fire co-author Nicolai Eberholst tears down the persistent myths surrounding the Russian and Austro-Hungarian armies. Nicolai breaks down why dismissing these powers as "bad armies" or useless corpses is wrong, proving how vital they were to the conflict.What You’ll Discover:The Russian Army:

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57:53

316. The B-17 Was Crap with Will Carver aka...

History Rage ·

2026/07/26

Was the legendary B-17 really brilliant—or dangerously overrated wartime myth?The B-17 Flying Fortress is one of the most iconic aircraft of the Second World War—but what if its reputation doesn’t match reality?In this explosive episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill welcomes aviation historian and YouTube creator Will Carver to challenge one of the biggest myths of Allied air power. Known for his sharp analysis and uncompromising views, Will argues that the B-17’s legendary status owes more to

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1:00:39

315. The Battle of Badon was NOT a Britain-defining...

History Rage ·

2026/07/19

The battle that built Arthur’s legend may never have matteredWas the Battle of Badon really the decisive moment that saved Britain from the Anglo-Saxons — or has history given it far more importance than it deserves?In this episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill is joined by leading early medieval historian Professor Nick Higham to challenge one of the most persistent myths in British history. The popular narrative tells us that Badon was a crushing British victory that halted Anglo-Saxon

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1:00:42

314. The Fifth Crusade is the coolest Crusade with...

History Rage ·

2026/07/13

Forget what you think you know about medieval holy wars. Move over, Richard the Lionheart—the most action-packed, technologically wild campaign happened in the land of the pyramids, and it’s time to stop ignoring it!In this live episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill sits down with public historian, fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and author Thomas Smith to rescue the Fifth Crusade from historical obscurity. If you think the Crusades were just knights waiting around in a dusty Syrian

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347 results

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