Pope Pius the Silent

When Josphine failed to produce heirs, Napoleon secured a divorce and arranged for another marriage: to the 18-year-old daughter of the Emperor of Austria. Young Marie-Louise arrived in Paris and, to her surprise, found herself enchanted by her new husband. But Napoleon's Empire ...  Show more

When Ian Fleming needed a name for the secret agent at the center of his new novel, he stole one from the cover of a birdwatching book. The real James Bond wasn’t a martini-drinking spy, but a shy American ornithologist who spent decades exploring the Caribbean. Then one surreal ...  Show more

Next week an eight-part mini-series called Hollywood Hates History launches. Scott co-hosts with fellow history podcaster Steve Guerra to look at some of the most historically inaccurate movies ever made. Offenders include "The Scarlet Letter," the 1995 Demi Moore atrocity; "The ...  Show more

In 1192, Conrad of Montferrat was assassinated, the question was, did Richard I have anything to do with it? Then, 80 years later Lord Edward, who would soon become King Edward I of England, survived an assassination attempt while on crusade in the Holy Land. Two crusader king ...

In the latest in our series charting the contested reputations of key historical figures, Laura O’Brien and David Andress discuss the life and afterlife of Napoleon Bonaparte, and explore why his story – including his rise to power and his role as the driving force in the bloodsh ...  Show more

Dans cet épisode de Crousti-History, on vous parle de la famille Borgia ! L’histoire de cette sacrée famille commence en Espagne au XIIIe siècle. Et c’est au XVe qu’elle prend de l’importance ! Le roi d’Aragon engage Alfonso Borgia comme diplomate. Mais son parcours est loin d’êt ...  Show more