A history of magic

Bess of Hardwick fell out spectacularly with Mary, Queen of Scots and was dumped in the Tower of London by Elizabeth I. Yet nothing could get in the way of this extraordinary social climber. In this episode, Tracy Borman tells Spencer Mizen about a woman who accrued vast wealth, ...  Show more

From Islam’s emergence in the early medieval period, Muslims have been deeply connected with the followers of another faith: Judaism. In conversation with James Osborne, historian Marc David Baer examines the long relationship between these two religions and their communities, tr ...  Show more

Long before witch trials, magic was the domain of ‘cunning folk’ who were part of the fabric of medieval and early modern life. Their charms, filters and spells - for personal advancement, aiding fertility, predicting the future, even exacting revenge - offered people sol ...

It’s that time of year again, Halloween. A word which conjures up images of pumpkins, ghosts, and of course…witches.But have you ever wondered what the ancient origins of witchcraft is? How did the black-hat-broomstick stereotype emerge? And what causes the waves of witch trials ...  Show more

In this podcast, I walk through Magic's history to talk about how the use of creature types has changed over time.

One of the oldest beliefs in human history is also the root of countless stories in our collective folklore. But to understand the power of those tales, we need to understand the people who brought them to life.

————————

Lore Resources: