43. 1940

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

Winston Churchill's ascension to Prime Minister in 1940 was a key turning point in world history, ultimately being one of the first steps to help the Allies secure victory in the Second World War. The legacies of Churchill’s decisions still shape our world today, but a lesser kno ...  Show more

James Holland tells the story of the dramatic Allied assault on the island of Sicily in the Second World War Military historian James Holland tells the story of the dramatic assault on the island of Sicily in 1943 – a key moment in the Second World War that saw Allied forces batt ...  Show more

As we reach the 80th anniversary of the outbreak of World War Two, historian Roger Moorhouse tells the story of the 1939 battle for Poland that saw the country dismembered by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. Historyextra.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mo ...  Show more

At the beginning of 1940 Germany was at the pinnacle of its power. By May 1945 Hitler was dead and Germany had suffered a disastrous defeat. Hitler had failed to achieve his aim of making Germany a super power and had left her people to cope with the endless shame of the Holoc ...