Empire: World History

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 anthropologist and historian Michiel Baas to explore the staggering collapse of the Dutch East India Company. They discuss the greatest commercial reversal in history, as the English East India Company transformed into a powerful corporate state, while the mighty VOC went completely bankrupt.

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

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Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott

Social Producer: Charlie Johnson

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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What drove the Dutch to employ samurai mercenaries to commit horrifying genocides in the Banda Islands? Why were European powers willing to torture and kill just to control the global supply of a dried seed? How did a peace treaty trade a spice island for Manhattan, giving birth to New York? 

Get the entire Dutch Empire miniseries early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com 

In the second episode of our series on the Dutch East India Company, William and Anita are joined by historian Giles Milton, author of Nathaniel's Nutmeg, to explore the deadly rivalry between the English and Dutch East India Companies. They discuss the brutal battle for Run Island, the horrific genocide committed by the Dutch in the East Indies, and how a trade for nutmeg gave us modern-day Manhattan.

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

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Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott

Social Producer: Charlie Johnson

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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Who was the last Viceroy of India and why was his marriage so unconventional? How many affairs did Edwina Mountbatten have? Why was Lord Mountbatten known as the “Master of Disaster” by senior Navy officials?

In Episode 2 of Empire’s first members’ miniseries, Anita is joined once again by Alex Von Tunzelmann to discuss the origin story of the remaining two characters in the love triangle that shaped partition: Louis and Edwina Mountbatten.

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Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott

Social Producer: Charlie Johnson

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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What’s the real story behind the creation of the Dutch East India Company, and how was espionage involved? What made the VOC the first ‘mega-corporation’ in history? And what was the horrific human cost of establishing a colonial stronghold in the East Indies?

Get the entire Dutch Empire miniseries early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com 

William is joined by Dutch historian Herald van der Linde to explore the staggering rise of the Dutch East India Company - a company so rich it eclipsed the modern valuations of Apple and NVIDIA combined. They discuss how high-stakes espionage, revolutionary cargo ships, and military ruthlessness allowed the Dutch to dominate the 17th-century global economy.

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For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to ⁠www.goalhanger.com.⁠

Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

Blue Sky: @empirepoduk

X: @empirepoduk

Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott

Social Producer: Charlie Johnson

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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How should we view Simón Bolívar today – as a racist tyrant or as a revolutionary founding father? Who was his lover Manuela Sáenz, and how did she save his life during a midnight attack? And did his slide into tyranny inspire the 20th century dictators of Latin America?

Get the entire Simón Bolívar miniseries early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com 

In the final episode of this series, Anita and William discuss Simón Bolívar’s death, the heartbreaking fate of the brilliant Manuela Sáenz and how modern Venezuelan leaders like Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro have co-opted his complex legacy. 

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

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Assistant Producers: Alfie Rowe and Imogen Marriott

Social Producer: Charlie Johnson

Editor: Vasco Andrade

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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*Unlock the full episode and the complete members’ miniseries by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com*

How did the first Prime Minister of India start an affair with the wife of the last Viceroy? Who was Jawaharlal Nehru and how did he become part of the independence movement? Why was he furious about his first marriage?

In Empire’s first members’ miniseries, Anita is joined by Alex Von Tunzelmann to tell the story of the love triangle that completely transformed the pathway to Partition. How did the intimate relationship between three powerful individuals change the shape of India forever?

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Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott

Social Producer: Charlie Johnson

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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How did a treacherous trek across the freezing Andes lead to the creation of Gran Colombia? Why did Irish, British and Bengali mercenaries travel across the world to join his fight against the Spanish? How did exile to Haiti change Simón Bolívar’s views on slavery?

Get the entire Simón Bolívar miniseries early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com 

In Episode 3 of our series, William and Anita discuss Simón Bolívar’s legendary military victories, the forgotten combat roles of women in the revolution, and his gradual shift towards autocratic rule.

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

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Assistant Producers: Alfie Rowe and Imogen Marriott

Social Producer: Charlie Johnson

Editor: Vasco Andrade

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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Who does the Koh-I-Noor diamond truly belong to? Why is it considered cursed? And should it be returned?

The Koh-I-Noor diamond has been in the headlines this week with Mayor Zohran Mamdani stating that he would tell King Charles III to return it to India. As William and Anita wrote the definitive book on the cursed jewel, they provide a round-up of its long history and how it made its way into the British crown still on display in the Tower of London. 

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

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Assistant Producer and Editor: Imogen Marriott

Social Producer: Charlie Johnson

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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Who were the cowboys and Indigenous people who made up the “Legions of Hell” and why did Bolívar fear them so deeply? How did Napoleon’s invasion of Spain speed up the collapse of its empire? What was Simón Bolívar’s secret revolutionary mission in London?

Get the entire Simón Bolívar miniseries early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com 

In Episode 2 of this series, Anita and William discuss the fragile nature of the Spanish Empire and the total war that broke out in South America in the fight for independence.

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

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X: @empirepoduk

Assistant Producers: Alfie Rowe and Imogen Marriott

Social Producer: Charlie Johnson

Editor: Vasco Andrade

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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Who was the man who liberated Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia from Spanish rule? How did a privileged upper-class teenage boy become South America’s leading revolutionary of the 19th century? How did tragedy in his youth set Simón Bolívar on the pathway to power?

Get the entire Simón Bolívar miniseries early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com 

In Episode 1 of this series on the life of Simón Bolívar, Anita and William explore his childhood and what it meant to be from the Creole class in Venezuela in the 1800s. 

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

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Assistant Producers: Alfie Rowe and Imogen Marriott

Social Producer: Charlie Johnson

Editor: Vasco Andrade

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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What lessons have been learned from Occupation? How did Hezbollah emerge in the wake of the Iranian Revolution and the Israeli invasion of Lebanon? How did Hezbollah evolve from 1982 to 2023?

In the final episode in the series on the Arab-Israeli Conflict of 1967-1982, William is joined by Kim Ghattas, author of Black Wave: Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Rivalry That Unravelled the Middle East, to discuss the origins of Hezbollah and their role in the Middle Eastern conflict of the 21st century.

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Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

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Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott

Editors: Charlie Rodwell and Harry Swan

Social Producer: Charlie Johnson

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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Is the current invasion of Lebanon a direct ancestor of the 1982 Israeli invasion? How did broken American promises lead to the tragedies of the Sabra and Shatila massacres? Who was Ariel Sharon and why did he spearhead attacks on Beirut?

Anita and William are joined by Kim Ghattas, author of Black Wave: Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Rivalry That Unravelled the Middle East, to discuss the pivotal events of the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon.

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

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Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott

Editors: Bruno Di Castri and Josh Smith

Social Producer: Charlie Johnson

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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**Binge the entire series ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com**

In November 1977, Egyptian President Sadat shocked the entire Arab world by boarding a flight to Israel. After refusing to acknowledge its existence, Egypt was seeking to make peace with its neighbour, and was willing to be outcast by every other Arab nation in the process. 

When did the Israeli government transform from Labour to a conservative right-wing leadership? How did American President Carter enact “cabin diplomacy” between Egypt and Israel when all three leaders stayed at Camp David in Maryland? And why were Palestinians excluded from the negotiations? 

William and Anita are joined once again by Professor Eugene Rogan, author of The Arabs: A History, to discuss the 1978 peace negotiations that shifted the power balance of the Arab world.

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

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Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott

Editor: Bruno Di Castri

Social Producer: Charlie Johnson

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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**Binge the entire series ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com**

How did the oil crisis totally transform the wealth of the Gulf states and alter the power balance of the Middle East? Who was Egypt’s underrated president, Sadat? How did water cannons destroy Israel’s seemingly impenetrable defenses along the Suez Canal in 1973?

In Episode 5 of our series on the Arab-Israeli Conflict of 1967-1982, William and Anita discuss the shocking events of the Yom Kippur War and the first time that oil prices were used as a weapon of war.

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Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

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Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott

Editor: James Clayden

Social Producer: Charlie Johnson

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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William is joined by Raja Shehadeh, the leading Palestinian writer, lawyer and human rights activist, to discuss his experience of living under Israeli occupation in the West Bank.

Raja describes how his daily life in Ramallah is shaped by segregation, travel restrictions and settler violence. He explains how segregated roads and settlements have physically reshaped the Palestinian landscape. And he discusses why he is hopeful that Palestinians and Israelis can co-exist peacefully in the future.

Raja Shehadeh’s Forgotten: Searching for Palestine's Hidden Places and Lost Memorials is available to buy now. 

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

Blue Sky: @empirepoduk

X: @empirepoduk

Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott

Editor: Imogen Marriott

Social Producer: Charlie Johnson

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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What happened to the Palestinians who chose not to flee the West Bank in 1967? How did Israel use old British and Ottoman laws to seize land and control the occupied territory? And what happened in Jordan during Black September? 

William and Anita are joined by Eugene Rogan, Oxford Professor of Modern Middle Eastern History and author of The Arabs: A History, to discuss the human cost of the 1967 Six-Day war, and the reality of life in the occupied territories.

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Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

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Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott

Editor: James Clayden

Social Producer: Charlie Johnson

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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How did The Six-Day War redraw the map of the Middle East and establish Israel as a regional superpower? How did the catastrophic Arab defeat unleash a new wave of armed Palestinian resistance? Did the road to modern Islamic extremism begin in Egyptian prisons?

William and Anita are joined once again by Eugene Rogan, Oxford Professor of Modern Middle Eastern History and author of The Arabs: A History, to explore the transformative consequences of the Six-Day War.

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

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Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott

Editor: Alex Thornton

Social Producer: Charlie Johnson

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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To listen to the full bonus episode, join the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com.

Wild Swans author, Jung Chang, joins William to discuss her family’s harrowing experiences during Mao’s Cultural Revolution and how Xi Jinping continues his memory in China today. 

She tells the story of how her father defied Mao and paid the price in a detention facility. She explains how she travelled across the countryside as a teenager, working as a peasant labourer and a barefoot doctor. And she discusses how Mao’s legacy in China continues to shape global politics, from Iran to Venezuela.

Jung Chang’s Fly, Wild Swans, is available to buy now.

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

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Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott

Editor: Josh Smith

Social Producer: Charlie Johnson

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

Wild Swans author, Jung Chang, joins William to discuss her family’s harrowing experiences during Mao’s Cultural Revolution and how Xi Jinping continues his memory in China today. 

She tells the story of her 2 weeks as a Red Guard, and how her father defied Mao and paid the price in a detention facility. She explains how she travelled across the countryside as a teenager, working as a peasant labourer and a barefoot doctor. And she discusses how Mao’s legacy in China continues to shape global politics, from Iran to Venezuela.

Jung Chang’s Fly, Wild Swans, is available to buy now.

For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com.

Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

Blue Sky: @empirepoduk

X: @empirepoduk

Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott

Editor: Josh Smith

Social Producer: Charlie Johnson

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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**Listen to the first 4 episodes of the series today by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com.**

How did Israel defeat the armies of Egypt, Jordan and Syria in just six days in 1967? Why did Egyptian media report victory whilst their army was retreating? How did the war replace Palestinian hopes of liberation with the tragedy of a ‘second exodus’? 

William and Anita are joined by Eugene Rogan, Oxford Professor of Modern Middle Eastern History and author of The Arabs: A History, to explore how Israel won the Six-Day War of 1967.

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

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Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott

Editor: Bruno Di Castri

Social Producer: Charlie Johnson

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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**Listen to the first 4 episodes of the series today by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com.**

What was the Arab Cold War, and how did it violently divide the Middle East in the 1950s and 60s? What is the origin story of the Palestine Liberation Organisation? And how did Soviet disinformation and a closed maritime strait push the region to war?

This series explores the history of this pivotal fifteen-year period and how its events mirror the crises in the Middle East today, and in Episode 1, William and Anita are joined by Eugene Rogan, Oxford Professor of Modern Middle Eastern History and author of The Arabs: A History, to discuss the build-up to the Six-Day War 1967. 

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

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Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott

Editor: James Clayden

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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What were Mao’s motivations for launching The Cultural Revolution? Who were the Red Guards, and why did Mao indoctrinate teenagers? How did Mao die, and who came next?

Anita and William are joined once again by Rana Mitter, author of A Bitter Revolution: China’s Struggle with the Modern World, and Modern China: A Very Short Introduction, to discuss the final years of Mao’s rule.

Try Attio for free at attio.com/empire

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

Blue Sky: @empirepoduk

X: @empirepoduk

Editor: Bruno Di Castri

Researcher: Imogen Marriott

Assistant Producer: Alfie Norris

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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Why did Mao declare war on sparrows as part of The Great Leap Forward? What caused China to attack India in 1962? How did Mao use a swimming pool to embarrass Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev?

Anita and William are joined once again by Rana Mitter, author of A Bitter Revolution: China’s Struggle with the Modern World, and Modern China: A Very Short Introduction, to discuss The Great Leap Forward and its consequences.

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com.

Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

Blue Sky: @empirepoduk

X: @empirepoduk

Editor: Bruno Di Castri

Researcher: Imogen Marriott

Assistant Producer: Alfie Norris

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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William and Anita are joined by renowned British-Iranian journalist, Christiane Amanpour, to discuss the war in Iran, and how it has echoes of the events she has covered since leaving Tehran in 1979. 

How did the Iran-Iraq War of 1980 shape the military tactics of today’s Islamic Regime? What is the endgame for the US-Israeli strikes? Is the war strengthening Iranian nationalism?

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

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Assistant Producer: Alfie Norris

Editor: James Clayden

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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What is the long history behind the current Israeli strikes on Lebanon? Why did Israel sell weapons to Iran in the 1980s? How was the Lebanon’s map drawn by European powers after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire? 

Lebanese historian and author of Black Wave, Kim Ghattas, joins William to discuss the historical view of the current attacks on Lebanon.

**To listen to the rest of the Mao series today, join the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com**

Listen to Kim’s previous Empire episode on Hezbollah by finding Episode 123 on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

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Assistant Producer: Alfie Norris

Editor: Bruno Di Castri

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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How did Ayatollah Khamenei ensure his son, Mojtaba, would take over after his death? How is this war a product of deep historical trends? What internal crises have been plaguing Iran’s government in recent years? Is there hope for Iran after this war?

**To listen to the rest of the Mao series today, join the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com**

In light of the war in Iran, we disrupt our current series to bring you the vital historical view of a region we have often covered on Empire. William is joined by Ali Ansari, author of Iran (Polity Histories), to discuss the decades of history that have led to this war in 2026.

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Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

Blue Sky: @empirepoduk

X: @empirepoduk

Assistant Producer: Alfie Norris

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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Mao has declared that China is a communist republic. How did life change for ordinary people living in this new nation? To what extent was Mao’s China modelled on the USSR, and how did Mao and Stalin feel about each other? And how did Mao destroy the pillars of traditional culture and  violently purge “class enemies”?

William and Anita are joined once again by Rana Mitter, author of A Bitter Revolution: China’s Struggle with the Modern World, and Modern China: A Very Short Introduction, to discuss The Great Leap Forward and its consequences.

Try Attio for free at attio.com/empire

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com.

Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

Blue Sky: @empirepoduk

X: @empirepoduk

Editor: Bruno Di Castri

Researcher: Imogen Marriott

Assistant Producer: Alfie Norris

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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How did World War II break out in Asia in 1937? Why did Mao Zedong and his fellow communists live in caves after the Long March? How did the notorious Nanjing Massacre occur?

** Binge all six episodes of the series on Chairman Mao by joining the Empire Club today at ⁠empirepoduk.com⁠. **

Anita and William are joined once again by Rana Mitter, author of China’s War with Japan 1937-1945, The Struggle for Survival (or Forgotten Ally, China’s World War II), and Modern China: A Very Short Introduction.

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com.

Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

Blue Sky: @empirepoduk

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Editor: Adam Thornton

Researcher: Imogen Marriott

Assistant Producer: Alfie Norris

Producer: Anouska Lewis

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Why did the communists and nationalists join forces with the USSR during the Chinese Civil War? When did the nationalists purge communists in what is known as the “White Terror”? Why did 80,000 communists walk across the country in the “Long March”, and how is this retreat reframed in Chinese political memory today?

** Binge all six episodes of the series on Chairman Mao by joining the Empire Club today at ⁠empirepoduk.com⁠. **

William and Anita are joined once again by Rana Mitter, author of A Bitter Revolution: China’s Struggle with the Modern World, and Modern China: A Very Short Introduction, to discuss the Chinese Civil War and the Long March. 

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

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Editor: James Clayden

Researcher: Imogen Marriott

Assistant Producer: Alfie Norris

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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A revolutionary hero or a brutal despot? Mao Zedong has one of the most recognisable portraits on Earth. How did he rise to become the founder of the People’s Republic of China? 

** Binge all six episodes of the series on Chairman Mao by joining the Empire Club today at empirepoduk.com. **

A child born in a rural village, Mao hated the Confucian traditions he grew up with. He read profusely and rebelled against his father. But how did his early life shape him into the dictator he would become?

William and Anita are joined by the brilliant Rana Mitter, author of A Bitter Revolution: China’s Struggle with the Modern World, Modern China: A Very Short Introduction and China’s War with Japan 1937-1945, The Struggle for Survival (or Forgotten Ally, China’s World War II) to discuss the origin story of Mao Zedong. 

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com.

Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

Blue Sky: @empirepoduk

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Editor: James Clayden

Researcher: Imogen Marriott

Assistant Producer: Alfie Norris

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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How did the Phoenicians create the alphabet we still use today? Was the Bronze Age collapse comparable to the fall of Rome? What does DNA evidence tell us about the origins of the Philistines and Israelites?

William is joined by Professor Eric Cline, author of 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed and After 1177 B.C.: The Survival Of Civilizations, to explore the era of recovery that followed the Bronze Age collapse and the new world which emerged from its ashes. 

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

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Editor: Adam Thornton

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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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 world.

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

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Editor: Charlie Rodwell

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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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 B.C.: The Survival Of Civilizations, to explore how a series of catastrophes shattered the interconnected superpowers of the Pharaohs, Hittites, and Mycenaeans… 

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

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Editors: Bruno Di Castri and Jack Meek

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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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 Homer wrote History…

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

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Editor: Bruno Di Castri

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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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, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

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Editor: Bruno Di Castri

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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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 on the brink of the Bronze Age Collapse of 1147 BCE.

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

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Editor: James Clayden

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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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 Navai, documentary-maker and author of City of Lies.

Disclaimer: We recorded these episodes on January 17th 2026. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency has confirmed that 5,459 protestors in Iran have died, and the organisation is investigating 17,031 more. Two senior officials of Iran’s Ministry of Health have reported that as many as 30,000 people have been killed. In such a volatile situation, predictions are difficult to make and these figures are ever changing.

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

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Editor: Bruno Di Castri

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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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, author of King of Kings, and Ramita Navai, documentary-maker and author of City of Lies.

Disclaimer: We recorded these episodes on January 17th 2026. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency has confirmed that 5,459 protestors in Iran have died, and the organisation is investigating 17,031 more. Two senior officials of Iran’s Ministry of Health have reported that as many as 30,000 people have been killed. In such a volatile situation, predictions are difficult to make and these figures are ever changing.

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com.

Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

Blue Sky: @empirepoduk

X: @empirepoduk

Editor: Bruno Di Castri

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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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 experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com.

Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

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X: @empirepoduk

Editors: Bruno Di Castri and Lorcan Moullier

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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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 show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

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Editor: Bruno Di Castri

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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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 force.  

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

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Editor: Vasco Andrade

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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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 the leaders of the Indian Rebellion, Rani of Jhansi.

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com.

Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

Blue Sky: @empirepoduk

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Editor: Charlie Rodwell

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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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 access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com.

Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

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Editor: Bruno Di Castri

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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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 that followed.

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

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Editor: Bruno Di Castri

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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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 show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

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Editor: Bruno Di Castri

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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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 British react when the mutiny broke out?

William Dalrymple and Anita Anand launch a brand new series on the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

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Editor: Bruno Di Castri

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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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 the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com.

Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

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Producer: Anouska Lewis

Assistant Producer: Alfie Norris

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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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 live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

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Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

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Producer: Anouska Lewis

Assistant Producer: Alfie Rowe

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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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: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com.

Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

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Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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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 the build up to the heist of St Nicolas’ body…

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com.

Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

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Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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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 episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Just go to https://empirepod.supportingcast.fm/gifts

And of course, you can still join for yourself any time at empirepoduk.com or on apple podcasts.

Email: empire@goalhanger.com

Instagram: @empirepoduk

Blue Sky: @empirepoduk

X: @empirepoduk

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Assistant Producer: Alfie Norris

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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