Dan Snow's History Hit

From icy seas to fire-lit longhouses, Dan heads to Iceland to trace the birth of one of the world’s most unique medieval cultures — at the very edge of the known world. He joins experts across the country to discover how those early Vikings survived brutal winters in total isolation, save for their tight-knit communities and (surprisingly) warm turf houses. He explores the remarkable medieval chronicle Book of Settlement (Landnámabók) and the dramatic stories preserved in the Sagas of Icelanders (Íslendingasögur) that tell us who the first settlers were, where they came from, and how they carved out a new society on a raw volcanic island.Produced by Anne-Marie Luff and edited by Dougal PatmoreYou can see Dan's adventures in Iceland in his brand new documentary on History Hit. Sign up to watch the mini-series Icelandic Vikings here: https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.If you'd like to explore Iceland yourself, head to https://www.visiticeland.com/You can email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

Who were the Picts, the warriors who stalked Rome’s northern frontier and refused to be conquered? In this episode, we explore how they resisted empire, expanded their power across northern Britain, and built a kingdom of their own. Finally, we tackle the great mystery - why did the Picts disappear?For this, we're joined by Professor Gordon Noble, Senior Lecturer in Archaeology at the University of Aberdeen.Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on.You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

He had at least 14 known mistresses and a hoard of illegitimate children; Charles II's private life was as politically charged as it was scandalous. He presided over the Restoration court, a world of excess, intrigue, gambling, gossip and a lot of sex. Dan is joined by the host of the Betwixt the Sheets podcast, Dr Kate Lister, to explore the salacious side of Restoration England and examine how power, pleasure, and reputation collided at court.A warning that this episode isn't suitable for children! Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore.You can learn more about Nell Gwynn from Kate in her TV documentary on the History Hit website: sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe to watchDan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcastSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on.You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

In the late 19th century, Ireland suffered a potato blight that became a mass catastrophe. Today, we explore the conditions that left millions vulnerable, and assess the role of the British government in shaping the crisis.For this, we're joined by Professor Christine Kinealy, founding Director of Ireland's Great Hunger Institute at Quinnipiac University.Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.Dan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcastSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

Today, we dive into the chaotic final act of Japan’s Warring States period, and hear about the three warlords who brought it to an end. Oda Nobunaga, the ruthless innovator who shattered the status quo on the battlefield. Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the peasant-born schemer who climbed from the lowest social ranks to the very top of Japan's hierarchy. And Tokugawa Ieyasu, the patient survivor who outlasted them all and built a shogunate that would rule Japan for over 250 years.Joining us for this is Chris Harding, a cultural historian of Japan, India and East-West connections, based at the University of Edinburgh.Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.Dan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcastSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on.You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

The history of whaling is complicated. At its height in the 18th and 19th centuries, whaling was a global enterprise built on perilous voyages, long seasons at sea, and a fierce chase for oil and baleen that illuminated streets and homes and lubricated the industrial revolution. In doing so, obsessed nations like Britain, Norway and America hounded whale populations to the brink, decimating populations and altering marine ecosystems forever. But it's important to remember that this industry also has a rich social history. Whaling sustained communities across the globe, providing work, culture and a crucial way of life for working people in coastal regions and on remote islands like Shetland off the coast of Scotland. In this episode, Dan heads to Dundee, once a hub of the whaling industry, to explore both the devastating ecological impact and the rich human story to give us a fuller understanding of the history of whaling. He speaks to the curators at the South Georgia Museum, Jayne Pierce and Helen Balfour, as well as Richard Sabin from the Natural History Museum and also one of Shetland's last remaining whalers, Gibby Fraser. You can explore more at https://whalersmemorybank.sgmuseum.gs/ to read through testimonies from other whalers, see incredible archive images and learn more about whales in the Arctic and Antarctic. Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal PatmoreDan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcastSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

In 1708, a gigantic Spanish galleon laden with gold, silver and emeralds was blown apart by British cannon fire off the coast of Cartagena. More than 300 sailors went down with it. Three centuries later, the wreck of the San José has resurfaced at the centre of a global legal storm, as nations, corporations and communities clash over who truly owns one of the world's most valuable shipwrecks.To hear all about this, we're joined by Julian Sancton, author of 'Neptune's Fortune: The Billion-Dollar Shipwreck and the Ghosts of the Spanish Empire'.Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on.You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

Teenage peasant, visionary commander, convicted heretic, national saint - Joan of Arc's life reads like a legend. Today, Dan digs past that legend to understand who Joan really was, and why her story still provokes devotion, debate and reinvention 6 centuries later.Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore.Dan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcastSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on.You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

In May 1943, the RAF launched one of the Second World War’s most audacious missions: the Dambusters Raid. Today, we follow the raid as it unfolded, hearing about the remarkable people involved and examining its lasting impact.Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore.Dan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcastSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on.You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.