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Every episode
Empire: World History
30 episodes
387. The Vikings Invade Britain (Ep 5)
Ep 5 · Aug 16, 2026 · 47 min
Why did the Vikings invade Britain, and how did they mix into society? What did they do with the gold they stole from churches? Which Viking stereotypes are true - and which ones are total myths? In Episode 5 of this series, Anita Anand and William Dalrymple are joined by Dr Eleanor Barraclough, author of Embers of the Hand, to discuss the dramatic arrival of the Vikings in Britain. They dismantle Viking stereotypes, and explore how the raiders reshaped British society. Summer sale is here: get…
386. The Picts: Scotland’s Tattooed Warriors (Ep 4)
Ep 4 · Aug 12, 2026 · 46 min
Who were the mysterious peoples who ruled parts of Scotland for 500 years? What is the true origin of the Loch Ness Monster? Is there a secret code behind the Pictish carved stones? What do recent excavations at Rhynie tell us about the Picts? William and Anita are joined by Professor Gordon Noble, Director of the Northern Picts Project and co-author of Picts: Scourge of Rome, Rulers of the North, to uncover the hidden world of the Picts. Summer sale is here: get an annual Empire Club membership…
385. Saint Patrick: Slave, Rebel, & Ireland’s Patron Saint (Ep 3)
Ep 3 · Aug 9, 2026 · 55 min
Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated all over the world every year by the Irish diaspora, but what is the real history behind the patron saint of Ireland? How is the traditional story of his life almost entirely incorrect? And why were Irish people in Rome considered to be the most scholarly Christians? In Episode 3 of this series, William Dalrymple and Anita Anand are joined by Irish historian Dáibhí Ó Cróinín to bust myths about Saint Patrick. Summer sale is here: get an annual Empire Club…
384. The Roman Invasion: Gods on Hadrian’s Wall (Ep 2)
Ep 2 · Aug 5, 2026 · 48 min
The Roman Conquest of Britain. The furthest western point of the empire. How did life change for ordinary people after the invasion? Why do Middle Eastern gods end up on Hadrian’s Wall in Northern England? And how does the famous gorgon face carved into stone in Bath blend Celtic and Roman spiritual beliefs? In Episode 2 of this series, William Dalrymple and Anita Anand are joined by Dr Eleanor Barraclough, author of Beyond the Walls: In Search of the Celts, to discuss how the arrival of the Rom…
383. Romans vs Druids: The War For Celtic Britain (Ep 1)
Ep 1 · Aug 2, 2026 · 47 min
What are the links between the Druids and Stonehenge? Why did Romans massacre Druids in Anglesey, Wales? What is the Pagan Calendar and how is modern Halloween derived from it? What can we learn from the mysterious ‘bog bodies’? In Episode 1 of this new series, William Dalrymple and Anita Anand are joined by Professor Ronald Hutton, author of Pagan Britain, The Druids, and Blood and Mistletoe, to discuss the ancient spiritual practices of the British Isles. Sign up and get 10% off at Bette…
382. Empire of AI: Karen Hao On Today’s Hidden Colonialism (Ep 2)
Ep 2 · Jul 29, 2026 · 57 min
Are modern AI companies the new empires? What is the hidden human cost behind chatbots like ChatGPT? How does Silicon Valley’s rhetoric echo the East India Company? In this episode, Anita is joined by award-winning tech journalist Karen Hao, author of Empire of AI, to explore the hidden colonialism behind the artificial intelligence boom. They discuss the rise of Sam Altman, the industry’s reliance on precarious workers in the Global South, and the similarities between the East India Company and…
381. Musk, Bezos & The New East India Companies (Ep 1)
Ep 1 · Jul 26, 2026 · 54 min
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 Company. S…
380. Algerian Revolution: The Rise of Le Pen (Ep 6)
Ep 6 · Jul 22, 2026 · 35 min
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 bon…
379. Algerian Revolution: Black Panthers, LSD, & Nina Simone (Ep 5)
Ep 5 · Jul 19, 2026 · 47 min
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…
378. Algerian Revolution: Birth of Independence (Ep 4)
Ep 4 · Jul 15, 2026 · 31 min
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 attio.com/empi…
377. Algerian Revolution: The Battle of Algiers (Ep 3)
Ep 3 · Jul 12, 2026 · 38 min
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 an…
376. Algerian Revolution: Repression and Rebellion (Ep 2)
Ep 2 · Jul 8, 2026 · 44 min
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 radicalis…
375. Algerian Revolution: The French Invasion (Ep 1)
Ep 1 · Jul 5, 2026 · 42 min
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…
374. Ken Burns on the American Revolution and Empire
Ep 2 · Jul 4, 2026 · 36 min
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 e…
373. The Dark Truth About Mount Rushmore
Ep 1 · Jul 1, 2026 · 54 min
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 c…
372. The First British Indians: The Sisters Rejected By Queen Victoria (Ep 4)
Ep 4 · Jun 28, 2026 · 55 min
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: Unloc…
371. The First British Indians: Last Sikh In Lahore (Ep 3)
Ep 3 · Jun 24, 2026 · 42 min
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…
370. The First British Indians: Saving Jews In Nazi Germany (Ep 2)
Ep 2 · Jun 21, 2026 · 42 min
**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 Sin…
369. The First British Indians: The Suffragette Princess (Ep 1)
Ep 1 · Jun 17, 2026 · 54 min
**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 Sophia…
368. Ancient Egypt: The Origin of Abrahamic Religions? (Ep 7)
Ep 7 · Jun 14, 2026 · 45 min
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 show…
367. Ancient Egypt: “Tut-mania” And Tutankhamun’s Tomb (Ep 6)
Ep 6 · Jun 10, 2026 · 44 min
**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 Tut…
366. Ancient Egypt: Tutankhamun The Boy King (Ep 5)
Ep 5 · Jun 7, 2026 · 54 min
**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 Tut.…
365. Ancient Egypt: Who Was Nefertiti? (Ep 4)
Ep 4 · Jun 3, 2026 · 51 min
**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 attio.com/emp…
364. Ancient Egypt: The Fall of Akhenaten (Ep 3)
Ep 3 · May 31, 2026 · 53 min
**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 to min…
363. Ancient Egypt: Destroyer Of Gods – Pharaoh Akhenaten (Ep 2)
Ep 2 · May 27, 2026 · 57 min
**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 Empire exp…
The Scandal That Shaped Partition: Heartbreak & Secret Deals
May 26, 2026 · 7 min
**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 onc…
362. Ancient Egypt: Great Kings of The Bronze Age (Ep 1)
Ep 1 · May 24, 2026 · 54 min
**Unlock the entire Ancient Egypt series early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com** You’ve heard of Tutankhamun, but what do you know about the world he grew up in? In this series, we explore the Amarna Revolution, when Tutankhamun’s father instigated the biggest religious revolution the world had ever seen. Who were the individuals at the centre of the movement: Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and Tutankhamun? What are the Amarna Letters and how do they reveal the intricate lives o…
361. Louis Theroux On The Settlers, The Manosphere, & Tribalism
Ep 9 · May 20, 2026 · 49 min
William and Anita are joined by Louis Theroux to discuss his documentaries on the Settler movement in the West Bank, and explore how extremists operate. What are the commonalities between HS TikkyTokky and the mother of the settler movement, Daniella Weiss? How do the extremists in these documentaries use shamelessness to their advantage? And what does Louis think about having invented “The Theroux Method”? To listen to our series on the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict, head to episodes 346…
The Scandal That Shaped Partition: The Affair
May 19, 2026 · 6 min
**Unlock the full episode and the complete members’ miniseries by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com** How did Edwina Mountbatten literally fall into the arms of Jawaharlal Nehru in 1946? Who was Subhas Chandra Bose and why did he travel to Nazi Germany? How did Louis Mountbatten also become close with Nehru and in what way did this change Indian politics? In Episode 3 of Empire’s first members’ miniseries, Anita is joined once again by Alex Von Tunzelmann to discuss the moment that Edwi…
360. Spice Wars: The Battle of the East India Companies (Ep 3)
Ep 3 · May 17, 2026 · 55 min
What caused the mighty Dutch East India Company to plummet from immense Golden Age wealth to total bankruptcy? Who was ‘Peter Pepper’, and how did his stolen plants end the VOC's spice monopoly? And how did a tiny Caribbean island spark the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War simply by saluting the American flag? Get the entire Dutch Empire miniseries early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com In Episode 3 of our series on the VOC, William and Anita are joined by Dutch anthropologis…
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