Short History Of...

The official seat of Britain’s monarchy for almost 200 years, Buckingham Palace has provided the stage and backdrop to countless events that have shaped the nation and the wider world. An iconic building, family home, and nucleus of political power, it’s one of the nation’s most expensive estates. But how did a singular building become such a staple part of Britain’s landscape? How did the royal headquarters develop? And what is its future in the 21st century and beyond? This is a Short History Of Buckingham Palace. A Noiser production. Written by Nicole Edmunds. With thanks to Philip Scott, a City of Westminster tour guide with an interest in Buckingham Palace, as well as a former teacher of history and politics.   Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

02/12/24 • 61:48

Nestled in the heart of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, the ancient city of Chichén Itza stands as a majestic testament to the architectural ingenuity and cultural richness of the ancient Maya civilization. It’s long been regarded as a shining example of Maya influence, yet today, many experts agree it’s not typically Maya at all, but rather a reflection of a shifting, adapting civilisation.  So how did the city become such an important hub to a dominant Mesoamerican superpower? What were the cultural and political dynamics that shaped its unique evolution? And why was it so suddenly abandoned, and left to be reclaimed by the jungle?  This is a Short History Of Chichen Itza. A Noiser Production. Written by Sean Coleman. With thanks to Annabeth Headrick, Director of the School of Art and Art History at the University of Denver, and a specialist in Ancient American Cultures.  Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

25/11/24 • 59:20

Sir Isaac Newton became one of history’s most important scientists - all thanks, as legend has it, to an apple falling from a tree. But beyond the famous anecdote is the story of a polymath who revolutionised our grasp of how the universe works, and led a life plagued by rivalries, grudges, and accusations of plagiarism. Loved by some, derided by others, why was Newton so controversial? What were his most enduring discoveries? And why did he step away from science?  This is a Short History Of Sir Isaac Newton. A Noiser production, written by Fiona Ford. With thanks to Dr Patricia Fara, a historian, Fellow of Cambridge University, and author of Life After Gravity: Isaac Newton’s London Career. Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

18/11/24 • 56:28

Take a trip back in time to Ancient Rome, to discover the bizarre and barbaric world of the gladiators. But who were these mysterious warriors? And how much truth lies behind the legends? Take your seat in the Roman Colosseum, the games are about to begin. This is a Short History Of the Gladiators. A Noiser production, written by Addison Nugent. With thanks to Dr. Neville Morley, historian and author of The Roman Empire: Roots of Imperialism. Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

15/11/24 • 51:23

The Lighthouse of Alexandria was a testament to human ingenuity and architectural brilliance. Built in the third century BC on the small island of Pharos, it was the first lighthouse in recorded history and the last of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Standing over 100 metres high, it provided a vital beacon for sailors navigating the treacherous waters of the Mediterranean Sea.  But who built the lighthouse? How did it change during its 17 centuries overlooking the city? And, after its final collapse in the 1300s, how does its legend still endure?   This is a Short History Of The Lighthouse of Alexandria. A Noiser Production, written by Nicola Rayner. With thanks to Professor Islam Issa, British-Egyptian historian, and the author of Alexandria: The City that Changed the World.  Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

11/11/24 • 57:21

Vlad the Impaler is one of history’s most terrifying villains. A leader who used torture, terrorism, and sadistic punishment to retain his grip on power. Though he was considered a folk hero by some in his homeland, for many, he’s the inspiration behind the most spine-chilling tale of all time: Bram Stoker’s Dracula. But what sparked Vlad’s bloodthirsty obsession? How did he come to give his name - Dracul - to a vampire? And when it comes to medieval violence and tyranny, how did Vlad the Impaler keep raising the stakes? This is a Short History Of Vlad the Impaler. A Noiser production. Written by Jo Furniss. With thanks to Dacre Stoker, the great grandnephew of Bram Stoker, and a historian and writer of modern Dracula novels. Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

04/11/24 • 59:01

The Trojan War was a time of heroes. From the swift-footed Achilles, and the hot-headed Prince Paris, to the beautiful Queen Helen, and the all-powerful gods, Zeus, Athena, and Aphrodite. In these early days of what we now call Ancient Greece, the story of Troy was already a saga from a bygone age, re-imagined by Homer, and told around the world ever since. But was any of it true? Did those legendary heroes ever exist? How did Helen’s beauty launch a thousand ships? And could the Greeks really have breached the city walls by hiding inside a giant wooden horse? This is a Short History Of The Trojan War. A Noiser Production, written by Jo Furniss. With thanks to Professor Armand D’Angour, a classical scholar at Jesus College, Oxford, and presenter of the podcast It’s All Greek (And Latin) To Me. Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

28/10/24 • 57:20

Marie Curie was an extraordinary woman who, alongside her husband Pierre, turned the scientific world on its head. Their work led to the discovery of new elements, and a previously unknown process, called radioactivity. Over the course of a 40-year career, Marie Curie faced daunting challenges - from personal choices, to devastating health issues. But how did one woman make the journey from struggling immigrant to internationally recognised scientist? How important was her partnership with her husband? And what is the legacy of the research she began in a disused storeroom over a century ago. This is a Short History Of Marie Curie. A Noiser Production. Written by Kate Harrison. With thanks to Susan Quinn, biographer and author of Marie Curie: A Life. Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noisier.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

20/10/24 • 59:17

Walter Raleigh remains one of the most famous figures of the late-Tudor and early-Stuart period. His life epitomised Elizabethan energy and ambition - though many of his grand schemes ended in failure. Raleigh was a soldier, sailor, courtier, writer, politician, explorer, and colonist. Depending on who you ask, he was also a pirate and traitor, or a patriot and hero. So how did this perplexing figure rise from comparatively humble beginnings to become one of Queen Elizabeth’s favourites? Did he embark on overseas adventures for the sake of his nation, or for his own gain? And should we consider him an enlightened imperialist, or a man who oppressed and exploited indigenous communities? This is a Short History Of….Walter Raleigh. A Noiser Production, written by Dan Smith. With thanks to Dr Anna Beer, author of Patriot or Traitor: The Life and Death of Sir Walter Raleigh. Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noisier.com/subscriptions.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

13/10/24 • 60:53

This is a taster episode from our sister show, Real Survival Stories. Hosted by our very own John Hopkins, the show brings you astonishing tales of ordinary people thrust into extraordinary survival situations. In this episode, we meet Pat and Pete Etheridge. One tranquil day on holiday in Sri Lanka, the island is engulfed by a wall of water. Swept away in the torrent, the couple will face their own individual battles to survive before they can even begin to find their way back to each other… Real Survival Stories is released weekly, every Thursday. Find and follow the show wherever you get your podcasts. Or follow this link: https://podfollow.com/real-survival-stories/view Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

09/10/24 • 54:41

The battle for Vietnam waged between the communist-ruled North of the country, and the US-backed south, lasted almost 20 years, from 1955. It spilled over into neighbouring countries, and resulted in the deaths of an estimated 3.8 million people - half of them civilians. It was a brutal, un-winnable conflict, which reshaped global geopolitics. But how did what might have been a little local trouble in Southeast Asia evolve into an international conflict? Why did the rise of an anti-colonial, national movement prompt such a ferocious playing out of the Cold War? And what were its consequences? This is a Short History Of The Vietnam War. A Noiser Production, written by Dan Smith. With thanks to Max Hastings, a historian of the Vietnam War, and a former foreign correspondent in the country. Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

06/10/24 • 62:37

The story of Sitting Bull is inextricably linked to that of his immense, untamed homeland, which he fought to protect and preserve. Sitting Bull was feared as a villain to white settlers, but regarded as a warrior, a shaman, and a hero to his own people. Determined to protect his people’s culture, heritage, and dignity, he was the greatest chief the Lakota people had ever known. But why did his way of life become so threatened? How did he rise from a young warrior, to leader of the Lakota tribe? And how did his life - and his death - come to define the struggles of Native Americans? This is a Short History Of…Sitting Bull. A Noiser Production, written by Sean Coleman. With thanks to Mark Gardner, historian and author of ‘The Earth is all that Lasts: Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, and the Last Stand of the Great Sioux Nation’. Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

29/09/24 • 61:54

Born amid the turmoil of 16th century British society, Mary Queen of Scots was a leader trapped between Scotland and England, Catholic and Protestant ideologies, as well as love and duty. But she was also a woman with burning ambition, and her obsession with securing the English throne would define her life, and death. So, was Mary Stuart a plotter who would stop at nothing to realise her dreams? Or a wronged woman, manipulated by those around her? And did her dying father’s prophecy about her role in Scotland’s history prove correct? This is a Short History Of…Mary Queen of Scots. A Noiser Production, written by Jo Furniss. With thanks to Tracy Borman, a historian and author of several books, including The Private Lives of the Tudors.  Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

22/09/24 • 58:16

Over roughly a thousand years, the Kremlin has come to symbolise Russia itself, with all its varying fortunes, allegiances, and leaders. It’s a physical location that has become synonymous with government and nationhood. Through war and peace, Russia’s leaders have always striven to forge their own identities alongside that of this famous old complex.  But what were the origins of this forbidding citadel? How did it become intrinsically linked to the rise of Moscow? And what of its enemies - from the Mongols, to Napoleon, to Hitler, who have attempted to strike against it? This is a Short History Of….The Kremlin. A Noiser Production, written by Dan Smith. With thanks to Professor Catherine Merridale, author of Red Fortress: History and Illusion in the Kremlin. And John Sweeney, author of Killer in the Kremlin. Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

15/09/24 • 61:58

Ask any British school child for a significant date in history, and they’ll likely offer 1066 - the year of William the Conqueror’s Norman invasion of England. But William was just one prominent Norman figure, and 1066 was a single chapter in a much larger story. Settling in northern France in the early 10th century, the Normans were a formidable, cunning, bold and ruthless force, who moulded Medieval Europe, and left a lasting legacy across the British Isles. But where else did the Normans establish their dominance? Who were William’s compatriots, and how did they re-shape Britain? And did the Normans ever truly disappear? This is a Short History Of….The Normans. A Noiser Production, written by Nicola Rayner. With thanks to Professor Levi Roach, author of Empires of the Normans. Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

08/09/24 • 56:03

One of the best-selling solo music artists of all time, Elvis Presley embodied the spirit of rebellion and youth culture in the 1950s. He redefined popular music by blending his distinctive voice with elements of rock, country, blues and gospel. In addition to winning three Grammy awards, he also starred in 31 feature films, and two concert documentaries.  But how did a young working-class truck driver rise to unprecedented fame? Why did Elvis rarely leave the United States, despite offers from all over the world? And what led to his decline and early death at just 42 years old? This is a Short History Of….Elvis Presley. A Noiser Production, written by Nicola Rayner. With thanks to Mitch Benn, comedian, musician, author, and lifelong Elvis fan.  Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

01/09/24 • 61:12

The late 19th century was a period of imperialism for Europe, which resulted in a landgrab of epic proportions. The entire continent of Africa was sliced up, to be swallowed by five rival nations. In the blink of an eye, everything changed for the people of Africa, and within a decade, Europe controlled virtually the whole continent. But what prompted this undignified rush by foreign leaders to expand into Africa? What did colonialism do for the millions of subjugated New Europeans? And what legacy did this frenzy for territory leave behind? This is a Short History Of….The Scramble for Africa. A Noiser Production, written by Sean Coleman. With thanks to Anthony Bogues, Asa Messer Professor of Humanities and Africana Studies at Brown University. Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

25/08/24 • 63:07

For seafarers, merchants, travellers, and monarchs, the idea of the Northwest Passage from Europe to Asia was pursued as the holy grail of maritime exploration. Some of Europe’s finest explorers dedicated their lives to its discovery - braving uncharted waters, and freezing temperatures. But who were the men who gave up everything to find the passage? Why did its discovery remain so vital for so long? And who was the explorer to finally claim the discovery after centuries of futile searching? This is a Short History Of….The Northwest Passage. A Noiser Production, written by Sean Coleman. With thanks to Dr Russell Potter, Professor of English at Rhode Island College, and author of Arctic Spectacles: The Frozen North in Visual Culture.  Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

18/08/24 • 60:11

From humble beginnings as a modest Greek colony, through its later grandeur as part of the Roman and Ottoman Empire, the city of Constantinople has witnessed centuries of transformation. A melting pot of cultures and religions, it was the bridge between the East and West, where ideas, trade, and people converged.  How then, did Mehmed II succeed where so many others had failed? What did the fall of the city in 1453 mean for the next stage of its history? And what other highs, lows, and ruthless ambition did it witness for more than a millennium? This is a Short History Of….Constantinople. A Noiser production, written by Nicola Rayner. With thanks to Bryan Ward-Perkins, Emeritus Professor of Late Antique History at the University of Oxford, and the author of The Fall of Rome and the End of Civilization. And, Geoffrey Greatrex, professor of Classics at the University of Ottawa. Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

11/08/24 • 59:55

Every four years, the Modern Olympic Games is a celebration of athletic excellence. From modest roots in 19th Century Athens, to a worldwide phenomenon which will feature almost 15,000 athletes in Paris 2024, the Modern Olympics has developed into the largest sporting festival in the world. It unites the international community in the world’s greatest exhibition of human strength and agility.  But how was the Olympics revived, and by whom? Why does this sporting event hold such universal fascination? And how do events at the Games reflect cultural and political changes throughout the 20th century and beyond? This is a Short History Of….The Modern Olympics. A Noiser Production. Written by Lindsay Galvin. With thanks to David Goldblatt, sports writer, and author of The Games: A Global History Of The Olympics. Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

04/08/24 • 60:27

Harry Houdini is undoubtedly the best-known escape artist of all time. Even today, almost 100 years after his death, his celebrity lives on, and his incredible tricks, illusions and escapes have become the stuff of legend. But how did Houdini, a Hungarian immigrant, lift himself out of abject poverty to become a vastly wealthy celebrity? And why did he risk his life again and again, for over 30 years? This is a Short History Of…Harry Houdini. A Noiser production, written by Sean Coleman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

30/07/24 • 49:38

For nearly 12 centuries, the Ancient Greeks honoured their gods with one of the most famous sporting contests in the world: The Olympic Games. Athletes represented their city states to compete for the glory of the gods, knowing that winning or losing could change the course of their lives. From dangerous martial arts and the perilous chariot race, to sprints and the pentathlon, the Games showcased strength, skill, and stamina. But why did the Olympic Games first begin? What did the earliest competitions look like? What was it like to take part in a competition with no second place and, in some cases, no rules. And why did the Ancient Games die out for over a thousand years? This is a Short History Of….The Ancient Olympics. A Noiser production, written by Lindsay Galvin. With thanks to Dr Nigel Spivey, a senior lecturer in Classics, at the University of Cambridge. Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

28/07/24 • 57:58

The Beatles - made up of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison - were the biggest band the world has ever seen. Recording together for just over seven years, setting unprecedented sales, and revolutionising songwriting, theirs was a stardom that burned brightly, but quickly.  So who were the four ordinary Liverpudlian teenagers before they created a band that would change the music industry forever? How did their music, and fame, affect them? And what caused ‘Beatlemania’ to all come crumbling down so soon, and in such dramatic fashion? This is a Short History Of…The Beatles. A Noiser production, written by Olivia Jordan. With thanks to Kenneth Womack, Professor of English and Popular Music at Monmouth University, and author of The Cambridge Companion to The Beatles. Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

21/07/24 • 60:07

Mozart occupies a unique place in the history of culture, as his output of over 600 works defined the course of classical music, and remade the face of opera. Mozart’s compositions are staples of our cultural landscape, and his is a name which still, centuries later, sells out concert halls around the world. But how did the tear-away son of a middling family make it to the top? What impact did his commitment to his art have on his health? And what is the truth about his final days? This is a Short History Of….Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. A Noiser production, written by Dan Smith. With thanks to John Suchet, Classic FM radio presenter and author of Mozart: The Man Revealed. Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

14/07/24 • 60:44

Over 32 years of exploration, Dr David Livingstone made a name for himself as a renowned adventurer, doctor, and Christian missionary. He travelled more than 30,000 miles, and contended with disease, heartbreak, and brutal conflict on the way. His experiences also turned him into a fierce opponent of the slave trade. But despite his celebrated status, Livingstone is a flawed hero.  So how did he fight his way out of poverty to become one of the world’s most famous explorers? Why, over 200 years after his birth, is he still a source of fascination? How important was his work for the abolitionist movement? And what is his legacy today? This is a Short History Of…Dr David Livingstone. A Noiser production, written by Kate Harrison. With thanks to Dr Kate Simpson, director of education in the Digital Humanities Institute at the University of Sheffield, curatorial adviser for the David Livingstone Birthplace Museum in Blantyre, and the project scholar for Livingstone Online.  Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

07/07/24 • 61:41

Princess Diana was one of the most influential figures of the 20th century. Not only was she married to the future King of England, she was also a fashion icon, a humanitarian, a devoted mother, and a role model for millions. However, her life was far from the fairytale she’d envisioned, and was instead marred by heartbreak and tragedy.  So how did a young, shy girl cope with such massive fame? Why did her marriage to Prince Charles break down so spectacularly? And how should we remember the ‘People’s Princess’ today? This is a Short History Of… Princess Diana. A Noiser Production, written by Nicole Edmunds. With thanks to Dr Tessa Dunlop, historian, author, and award-winning broadcaster. Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

30/06/24 • 62:11

For a little over 200 years, the First Persian Empire ruled over a vast expanse across three continents, making it arguably the world’s first great superpower. At its peak, it stretched from its base in Persia - roughly analogous to modern-day Iran, all the way to India in the East, incorporating swathes of Central Asia, Egypt, Libya and Iraq. It also conquered ancient powers such as Pharaonic Egypt, and the Neo-Babylonian Empire. Altogether, it ruled an area that now comprises some twenty nation-states. But from where did it spring, and how did it establish such formidable power? Who were its leaders? And what led to its decline, completed with such ferocity by Alexander the Great? This is a Short History Of… The First Persian Empire. A Noiser production, written by Dan Smith. With thanks to Dr Christopher Farrell, assistant professor of Greek History and Culture at University College Dublin. Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

23/06/24 • 60:35

The top-secret Dambusters mission was one so crucial that British intelligence hoped it would hasten a triumph over Nazi Germany. But it was also highly dangerous, and required the 133 pilots to fly at high speed and exceptionally low altitudes, all in the dead of night. With only one bomb per plane, they had one shot at changing the course of the war.  So why did Britain feel the time was right to bomb Germany in such an audacious way? How effective was this campaign in bringing the war to a close? And how did the daring raid impact the lives of British people?  This is a Short History Of… The Dambusters. A Noiser production, written by Fiona Ford. With thanks to Dr Robert Owen, the official historian of the No.617 Squadron Association, and lead author of ‘Dam busters: Failed to Return.’ Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

16/06/24 • 63:25

Known as the ‘Crown of the Palace’, the Taj Mahal has become a global icon that’s visited by millions of people each year. Although it’s widely regarded as a masterpiece in architecture, design, and craft, its origin story is one of tragic love.  So who was the man who had the Taj Mahal built, and what of the woman he created it for? What was its fate under the rule of the British? And how did it grow to become a symbol of Indian nationhood in the twentieth century and beyond?  This is a Short History Of… The Taj Mahal. A Noiser production, written by Dan Smith. With thanks to Professor Najaf Haider, author of many books on the history of the Mughal Empire. Get every episode of Short History Of a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material, and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

09/06/24 • 63:17

This is a taster episode of a brand-new podcast from the Noiser network. Host Paul McGann follows the real people involved in the D-Day landings. It’s 1944 and Europe is in the grip of the Nazi war machine. But on the shores of Great Britain, thousands of men and women are planning the great fightback. What will it take to turn the tide of World War 2? Search ‘D-Day: The Tide Turns’ in your podcast app and hit follow to get new episodes each Thursday. Or listen at noiser.com Episode 2 is live now on D-Day: The Tide Turns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

05/06/24 • 54:01