180. England & Englishness

What are the origins of Merlin, the powerful wizard and King Arthur’s advisor? Who was Geoffrey of Monmouth, and what role did he play in evolving the tales of Arthur and the Round Table? And, was Merlin based on a real historical figure from the Saxon invasion of Britain in the ...  Show more

Who was the real Lancelot, King Arthur’s dashing love rival from the Arthurian legends? Was he the first medieval knight? How would his relationship with Queen Guinevere come to shape romance and chivalry for centuries to come? And, was there a historical Camelot…? Join Tom and D ...  Show more

Who spoke English first and what was it like? Nothing like it is today. Listen in to learn all about it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

Miles Russell explores the mystery of the Roman Ninth Legion, Tara Hamling discusses Elizabethan drama and Paul Addison and Jeremy Crang reveal how British morale held up during the Second World War. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about yo ...  Show more

From the First World War to the Cold War, conflict in the 20th century has been crucial in shaping England as we know it. This is the final episode of Dan’s epic adventure, taking him deep inside the famous White Cliffs of Dover with Gavin Wright, into the complex warren of tu ...

Kevin Stroud from the History of English Podcast joins me for a fascinating discussion and dive into... well, the history of English!In this episode, we talk about a variety of things, including:Why TH doesn't have its own letterIn what part of England the language was standardis ...  Show more