High & Late Middle Ages

Joan of Arc: Heroine in Chains (Part 3)

Hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook narrate the middle-to-late career of Joan of Arc, focusing on the months after …

Joan of Arc: Saviour of France (Part 2)

In the gripping continuation of Joan of Arc's story, Tom and Dominic delve into her audacious plans to crown Charles VI…

Joan of Arc: Warrior Maid (Part 1)

Hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook explore the turning point of the Hundred Years' War centred on Joan of Arc. The…

Joan of Arc: For Fear of the Flames (Part 4)

This episode is the final instalment of The Rest Is History’s multi-part exploration of Joan of Arc. Tom Holland and Do…

RIHC: King and Conquerer, Bad Vice Presidents, and Christian Colonies

This bonus episode of The Rest Is History (recorded at Goalhanger) features hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook ans…

The Body in the Woods: A Medieval Murder Mystery

Hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook examine the medieval text The Life and Miracles of St. William of Norwich by Th…

RIHC: Irish Kings, Medieval Magic, and The Norman Invasion of Ireland

This bonus episode features historian Gillian Kenny discussing the social, legal and ecclesiastical world of Ireland be…

The Medici: Masters of Florence (Part 1)

Hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook introduce a multi-episode series on the Medici, beginning with Cosimo de' Medic…

RIHC: The Medieval World, Mystical Manuscripts, and the Red Book of Bath

This on-location bonus episode (recorded at the British Library) features curator Julian Harrison unveiling five mediev…

RIHC: The Fall of the Roman Empire, Edward the Confessor’s True Heir, and Vikings Abroad

This bonus Q&A episode of The Rest Is History features hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook answering listener quest…

The Golden Age of Japan: Lady Murasaki and the Shining Prince (Part 1)

Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook discuss The Tale of Genji as both a literary masterpiece and a historical window into…

The Golden Age of Japan: Secrets of the Imperial Court (Part 2)

The episode examines Heian-period Japanese court culture through two seminal literary works: The Pillow Book by Sei Shō…

RIHC: 1066 and The Norman Conquest EXTRA

This bonus episode of The Rest Is History (hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook) reassesses the consequences of 1066…

1066: The Battle of Hastings (Part 3)

Hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook trace the build-up, conduct and contested details of the Battle of Hastings (14…

1066: The Norman Conquest (Part 4)

This episode concludes the hosts' multi-episode account of 1066 and the Norman Conquest, examining the immediate afterm…

1066: Slaughter at Stamford Bridge (Part 2)

Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook narrate and analyse the run-up to and fighting at the Battle of Stamford Bridge (25 S…

1066: The Shadows of War (Part 1)

Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook discuss the lead-up to 1066, beginning with Edward the Confessor’s declining health, …

The Last Viking: Warrior of the New Rome (Part 2)

Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook discuss the career of Harald Hardrada, contrasting colourful Icelandic saga accounts …

The Last Viking: The Saga of Harald Hardrada (Part 1)

This episode introduces the early life and dramatic career of Harald Hardrada (Harald Sigurdsson). Using saga material …

The Road to 1066: Revenge of the Vikings (Part 2)

This episode shifts focus from England to Scandinavia in the run-up to 1066, tracing the transformation of Viking socie…

The Road to 1066: Countdown to Conquest (Part 4)

This episode examines the rise and dominance of the Godwin family in mid-11th-century England and the political dynamic…

The Road to 1066: Rise of the Normans (Part 3)

Hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook discuss the rise of the Normans from their origins in Normandy through their ex…

The Road to 1066: Anglo-Saxon Apocalypse (Part 1)

Hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook introduce a multi-episode series on the Norman Conquest, centring on the dramat…

RIHC: Heroic Vikings, Greek Epics, and The Rules of War

This bonus episode features hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook answering listener questions and discussing recent …

RIHC: Gladiator II, Narcissistic Poets, and The Princes in the Tower (Livestream)

This is a live Rest Is History stream in which hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook recap their recent US tour, desc…

RIHC: Medieval Women, Predicting the Future, and the Silk Roads

This bonus episode is a free-form visit to the British Library by Tom Holland with guest Tabby Syrett filling in for th…

RIHC: The Hundred Years' War EXTRA with Helen Castor

Tom Holland interviews historian Helen Castor about her new book The Eagle and the Heart: The Tragedy of Richard II and…

Hundred Years’ War: England Triumphant (Part 4)

Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook conclude their multi-episode study of Henry V by examining the immediate aftermath of…

Hundred Years’ War: Bloodbath at Agincourt (Part 3)

Hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook continue their multi-part examination of the Agincourt campaign, focusing on th…

Hundred Years’ War: Henry V’s Invasion of France (Part 1)

This episode surveys the lead-up to Henry V's 1415 invasion of France, situating his campaign in the context of French …

Hundred Years’ War: The Road to Agincourt (Part 2)

This episode chronicles Henry V's 1415 campaign in Normandy: the surprise landing at Harfleur, the prolonged and destru…

Henry IV: Warrior Princes and Fat Knights (Part 2)

This episode examines the crisis years of Henry IV’s reign, focusing on the 1403 Battle of Shrewsbury and the Prince of…

Henry IV: The Usurper King (Part 1)

Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook discuss the life and reign of Henry IV of England, using Shakespeare's Henry IV plays…

St George: Dragon-Slayer

This episode examines the legend and cult of Saint George: its murky origins, how early martyr narratives coalesced int…

RIHC: Medieval Martians, Samurai, and Mythical Mysteries

In this Rest Is History weekly bonus episode Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook chat informally about recent and upcomin…

RIHC: Medieval Monarchs, Historical Epochs and The Crown

This bonus episode features Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook answering listener questions and reflecting on recent and…

RIHC: Pointless Prime Ministers, The Rolling Stones and Medieval Giants

This bonus Q&A episode of The Rest Is History features hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook answering listener quest…

RIHC: Murder Mysteries, Historical Rebellions and Zombie Rome

This bonus Q&A episode of The Rest Is History features hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook answering listener quest…

The Canterbury Tales (Ep 4)

This episode examines Geoffrey Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales as both a literary masterpiece and a vivid window onto …

The Peasants’ Revolt: England Erupts (Ep 1)

Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook trace the causes and early outbreak of the 1381 Peasants' Revolt. Placing the uprisin…

The Peasants’ Revolt: London’s Burning (Ep 2)

This episode examines the Peasants' Revolt of 1381, focusing on the dramatic events around Blackheath, Mile End, London…

The Murder of Richard II (Ep 3)

Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook narrate the rise and fall of Richard II, tracing how his personality, favourites and …

The Mystery of the Pregnant Pope

Hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook examine the legend of Pope Joan — a purported female pope said to have reigned …

RIHC: The Princes in the Tower, Fabricated Evidence and History in the News

In this on-the-road episode recorded in Adelaide, Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook answer listener questions and discu…

Baghdad: The Arabian Nights (Ep 4)

This episode — the fourth in the hosts' series on Baghdad and the Islamic Golden Age — examines how medieval Baghdad be…

Baghdad: The Golden Age (Ep 3)

In this episode Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook examine Harun al-Rashid and Baghdad at the height of the early Abbasi…

The History Behind Hogwarts: Ancient Schools and Revolting Students (Ep 2)

Hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook continue their multi-episode examination of the origins and cultural resonances…

Viking Sorcery

Hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook interview archaeologist and scholar Neil Price about Norse religion, magic (sei…

The Blood-Drinking Bride of Christ

This episode of The Rest Is History (hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook) examines the life, mystical experiences, …

Amsterdam: Miracles, Money and Mud (Ep1)

This Rest Is History Club episode is a walking tour of Amsterdam that traces the city’s rise from a 13th‑century fishin…

The Mystery of the Holy Grail (Ep 2)

Hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook examine the origins, meanings and later receptions of the Holy Grail legend. Tr…

Coronations: The Deep History (Ep 1)

This episode is the first of a three-part series on coronations. Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook trace the British co…

RIHC: Dominic’s top books, the purpose of History, and 14th century war crimes (livestream)

This bonus live episode features hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook. They speak to the podcast's community, acknow…

RIHC: The Anglo-French truce, latin periodicals, and a cinematic smackdown

This is a bonus episode recorded without Dominic Sandbrook; Tom Holland is joined by Theo (the show's producer) to disc…

RIHC: Longbow revisionism, Churchill's stately home, and the BBC in crisis

This bonus episode is hosted by Tom Holland with guests Tony Pasta (Goalhanger head) and Theo. The conversation opens o…

Hundred Years' War: A Storm of Swords (Ep 4)

This episode of The Rest Is History (hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook) examines the aftermath of the English vic…

Hundred Years' War: A Game of Thrones (Ep 1)

Hosts discuss the cultural and political background to the outbreak of the Hundred Years' War, opening with a reading f…

Hundred Years' War: Triumph of the Longbow (Ep 2)

Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook discuss the early campaigns of the Hundred Years' War, focusing on Edward III's strat…

Hundred Year's War: The Black Prince (Ep 3)

In this episode Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook continue their series on the Hundred Years' War, examining how chival…

RIHC: Class in Britain, heretical historians, and dead men talking

This is a Rest Is History bonus episode in which Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook celebrate milestones, read listener …

The Real Da Vinci Code (Ep 1)

The hosts mark the twentieth anniversary of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code and use it to trace a 20th-century lineage of…

The Mystery of the Cathars (Ep 2)

Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook examine the historiography behind the Cathars and the Albigensian Crusade, arguing th…

The Bloodiest Crusade (Ep 3)

Hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook discuss the Cathars and the Albigensian Crusade, contextualizing the movement’s…

Spain: The Caliphate of Córdoba

Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook trace the rise, golden age and collapse of the Caliphate of Córdoba. They open with t…

Belgium: History's Greatest Artist

In this episode of The Rest Is History hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook welcome Bart van Loo to discuss Jan van …

South Korea: The Riddle of Hwang Jini

Hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook continue their World Cup marathon with an episode focused on Korean culture, sp…

Medieval Treason (Ep 1)

Hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook visit the National Archives with treason expert Ewan Roger to preview the new e…

Portugal: On the Edge of the World (Ep 1)

This episode inaugurates a multipart history of Portugal. The hosts trace Portugal's long, layered past from ancient ti…

Robin Hood

Hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook explore the origins, evolution and cultural afterlife of the Robin Hood legend.…

Genghis Khan: Lord of the Mongols

This episode is the second instalment on Genghis Khan, hosted by Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook with guest Ali Ansar…

The Rise of Genghis Khan

In this episode Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook are joined by Professor Ali Ansari (St Andrews) to discuss the origin…

Byzantium and the Ghosts of Rome (Part 2)

Hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook continue their multipart discussion about when — and how — the Roman Empire end…

ARCHIVE: The Vikings and the birth of Kyiv

This episode of The Rest Is History (recorded early February 2022, re-airing material first published January 2022) exa…

Valentine's Day

This Valentine's Day special of The Rest Is History (hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook) traces the complex origin…

The Birth of Russia

This episode is the second part of a mini-series focused on the Vikings in the East and the origins of Kievan Rus. Tom …

The Princes in the Tower Part 2

This episode is the second part of The Rest Is History’s examination of the Princes in the Tower. Tom Holland and Domin…

The Princes in the Tower Part 1

Hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook introduce the story of the Princes in the Tower, concentrating on the family an…

30 Dec: The Battle of Wakefield and Emperor Karl I

In this episode Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook continue their "12 Days of Christmas" mini-series by marking annivers…

29 Dec: The Murder of Thomas Becket and the Wounded Knee Massacre

This episode of The Rest Is History (a special from the hosts' '12 Days of Christmas / 13 days of Christmas' series) ex…

5 Jan: Death of Edward the Confessor and the Dreyfus Affair

This episode (broadcast around 5 January as part of the hosts' seasonal "12 Days of Christmas" series) pairs two sombre…

1 Jan: Nero's succession and the fall of the Byzantine Empire

Hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook mark New Year’s Day with a two-part Roman-themed discussion. Tom opens with eve…

Christmas churches

This festive episode of The Rest Is History (the second of two holiday specials) features hosts Tom Holland and Dominic…

Burgundy: Europe's forgotten superpower

This episode is an extended interview with Bart (van Leeuw) about the Dukes of Burgundy and the rise and fall of the Bu…

Magna Carta

Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook discuss Magna Carta with guest Ted Vallance, Professor of History at Roehampton and a…

Game of Thrones

In this episode Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook examine Game of Thrones as a cultural phenomenon and a lens on popula…

Aztecs

Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook interview historian Camilla Townsend about her book The Fifth Sun: A New History of t…

1066

In this episode Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland discuss 1066 and the Norman Conquest, treating it as both a dramatic …

King Arthur

Hosts Dominic Samuruk and Tom Holland debate the historicity and cultural afterlife of King Arthur. They evaluate early…

Conspiracy Theories

In this episode Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook discuss conspiracy theories across history and how they both reflect …

Medieval Science

In this episode Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook host historian Seb Falk to discuss medieval science and to challenge …

The Norse Sagas

Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook host Eleanor Rosamond Barraclough to discuss Viking voyages, the Icelandic sagas and …

Macbeth

Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook examine the real history behind Shakespeare's Macbeth, contrasting the effective 11th…

World Cup of Kings & Queens - Part 2

This episode of The Rest Is History runs through the hosts' "World Cup of Kings and Queens of England," recapping the e…

1066

5 episodes Aired: 2025-04-06 – 2025-04-22

The Hundred Years' War (S2)

5 episodes Aired: 2024-08-25 – 2024-09-10

12 (or 13) Days of Christmas

4 episodes Aired: 2021-12-25

Joan of Arc

4 episodes Aired: 2026-01-05

The Hundred Years' War (S1)

4 episodes Aired: 2023-04-03

The Road to 1066

4 episodes Aired: 2025-03-17

Cathars and the Albigensian Crusade

3 episodes Aired: 2023-02-06

Great World Cup Saga

3 episodes Aired: 2022-11-28 – 2022-12-13

The Peasants' Revolt

3 episodes Aired: 2024-01-29

Baghdad

2 episodes Aired: 2023-10-09

Edward III of England

25 episodes

William I of England (William the Conqueror / William, Duke of Normandy)

23 episodes

Richard II of England

20 episodes

Harold Godwinson (Harold II of England)

18 episodes

Henry V of England

18 episodes

Henry IV of England (Henry Bolingbroke)

16 episodes

Edward the Confessor

15 episodes

Harald Sigurdsson (Harald Hardrada, Harald III of Norway)

15 episodes

Cnut the Great (Canute)

13 episodes

Edward, the Black Prince (Edward of Woodstock)

13 episodes

Hundred Years' War (1337–1453, Western Europe)

28 episodes

Battle of Hastings (1066)

18 episodes

Norman Conquest

14 episodes

Battle of Agincourt (25 October 1415)

13 episodes

Battle of Crécy (26 August 1346)

11 episodes

Battle of Stamford Bridge (1066)

11 episodes

Black Death (c.1347–1351)

11 episodes

Battle of Poitiers (19 September 1356)

10 episodes

Peasants' Revolt (1381, England)

10 episodes

Albigensian Crusade

7 episodes

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

Author: Traditional Attribution or Various

8 episodes

Millennium: The End of the World and the Forging of Christendom

Author: Tom Holland

8 episodes

Holy Blood and the Holy Grail

Author: Michael Baigent; Richard Leigh; Henry Lincoln

6 episodes

Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic

Author: Tom Holland

5 episodes

The Canterbury Tales

Author: Geoffrey Chaucer

5 episodes

The Da Vinci Code

Author: Dan Brown

5 episodes

Henry V

Author: William Shakespeare

4 episodes

The Last English King

Author: Julian Rathbone

4 episodes

1066 and All That

Author: W. C. Sellar & R. J. Yeatman

3 episodes

A Most Holy War: The Albigensian Crusade and the Battle for Christendom

Author: Mark Gregory Pegg

3 episodes

Traditional Attribution or Various

24 episodes

Tom Holland

16 episodes

William Shakespeare

9 episodes

Dominic Sandbrook

7 episodes

Geoffrey Chaucer

6 episodes

Michael Baigent; Richard Leigh; Henry Lincoln

6 episodes

Dan Brown

5 episodes

Charles Dickens

4 episodes

Julian Rathbone

4 episodes

Snorri Sturluson

4 episodes