Nelson: a life of heroism and scandal

Ghosts, witches, flying nuns, and spirits summoned from beyond the grave might seem to belong to a less rational age. But were our ancestors really so different from us in their beliefs? In this episode, historian Malcolm Gaskill joins Elinor Evans to discuss his new book, Worlds ...  Show more

If you had to survive a siege, which medieval fortress would you choose to be holed up inside? In today's episode, Dan Jones surveys the world's historic fortifications to cherry-pick the fashionable and functional features which he thinks would make the ultimate castle. Speaking ...  Show more

After two years at sea, what happened when Horatio Nelson - now Britain’s most celebrated naval commander - finally returned home, to his wife and father? Following his involvement in the poisonous politics of Naples, his terrible treatment of the Jacobite rebels, and starting an ...  Show more

What happened when the heroic Horatio Nelson, victor of the Battle of the Nile, sailed into the seething city of Naples? Why would his meeting with the glamorous celebrity, Lady Emma Hamilton, shape the rest of his life? And, why would his decision to lend his support to the fool ...  Show more

It’s 1758 and Britain’s greatest naval commander has just been born. The young Horatio Nelson has inherited his father’s love of god and his mother’s hatred of the French. At age 12, he leaves Norfolk for a life on the high seas. As a teen, Nelson narrowly avoided death on multip ...  Show more