Cesare Borgia

**Contains graphic description of execution**What happened when one monarch's personal obsession dismantled an entire international order? How did Henry VIII transform a marriage crisis into the English Reformation—and at what point did royal ambition cross the line into outright ...  Show more

In the 1520s, a dynastic crisis loomed behind the brilliance of Henry VIII's court. Desperate for a male heir after Catherine of Aragon's string of tragic pregnancies, Henry's frustration mounted as his foreign military adventures failed and the pope stalled his annulment. Follow ...  Show more

Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the Borgias, the most notorious family in Renaissance Italy. Famed for their treachery and corruption, the Borgias produced two popes during their time of dominance in Rome in the late 15th century. The most well-known of these two popes is Ale ...  Show more

The Borgias are a lynchpin in the history of the Italian Renaissance. Their tale of intrigue, corruption and cut-throat ambition still inspires storytellers, and they appear as primary villains in Assassin's Creed II.But is their reputation deserved? To reveal how much history ha ...  Show more

Julius Caesar is one of history’s most famous figures. But before his legendary conquests and romance with Cleopatra, how did he rise to power?

In this episode of The Ancients, host Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Catherine Steel to explore Caesar’s ea ...

Have you ever heard of the Emperor who made his horse a senator? Seems like a top bloke, right? Today on Betwixt the Sheets we’re going to meet (possibly) the most debauched Roman Emperor.From stealing brides from their wedding days to an unhealthy obsession with his sister, who ...  Show more