138. The Graceful Reed: Ruling the Islamic Em...

After facing Nixon in America’s first televised electoral debate, JFK charms the nation. As president, he soon faces what could be the end of the world – the Cuban Missile Crisis. Anita Anand is joined by historian Frederik Logevall to discuss the presidency of John F. Kennedy. J ...  Show more

After his brother’s death in the skies over Britain, a young JFK must fulfil his father’s dynastic dream, but does he want it? The whole family supports his campaign to become Senator, and a new character enters his life… Jacqueline Kennedy. Anita Anand is joined by historian Fre ...  Show more

For the very first time in Arab history, a child became the umma’s caliph. The 13 year old had not yet left his royal harem and was totally under his mother’s control. She used her influence over al Muqtadir to to extend her personal wealth and authority. It was a fundamentally c ...  Show more

The Abbasid caliphs sat at the head of a vast Islamic empire that stretched from Tunisia to the frontiers of India, which they ruled over for several centuries. But how did they first come to power? What tools did they utilise to control such a significant swathe of land? And to ...  Show more

Hürrem Sultan, aka Haseki Sultan, aka Roxelana, was born around 1502 and was captured and sold into slavery as a young girl. She caught the attention of the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, and wound up shattering all kinds of glass ceilings for women, the enslaved, and concubines a ...  Show more