Half-Arsed History
Half-Arsed History is a weekly podcast that explores absurd and entertaining stories from history. Host Riley Knight uses his history degree to bring listeners twice-weekly episodes filled with strange and humorous tales from the past. The show also offers a book titled 'History's Strangest Deaths' and encourages listener interaction via email and Patreon.
Episodes
Week 24: The 1955 Le Mans Disaster
This week in history we’ve got the reason the Taj Mahal was built, we’ve got the debut of the world’s first bike, we’ve got the delivery of the Statue of Liberty - and we’ve got the story of the most infamously deadly motorsports disaster in history. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 415: The History of the FIFA World Cup - Part 1
In this week's episode, get across the early history of the FIFA Men's World Cup, from its forerunners and precursors to its early emergence and development. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 23: The Treaty of Tordesillas
This week in history we’ve got an unlucky French astronomer, an absurd religious festival, and a riotous baseball game where beer was ten cents a cup - and we’ve got the history of a treaty that divided the world up between two European imperial powers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 414: The Hindenburg Disaster
In this week's episode, learn all about the Hindenburg Disaster, when a German rigid airship went up in flames in Lakehurst, USA - and the very significant long-term impact of this catastrophe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 22: The Disappearance of Maurice Wilson
This week in history we’ve got French heroes burning and Byzantine cities falling, we’ve got the birthdays of singers and spies and activists - that’s all actually just one person - and we’ve got the tale of the man who decided to reach the top of Mount Everest… by flying there in a plane. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 413: J.R.R. Tolkien and The Lord of the Rings
In this week's episode, meet J.R.R. Tolkien, the immensely influential fantasy author whose works, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, revolutionised the fantasy genre and made it what it is today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 21: Pepsi Number Fever
This week in history we’ve got assassinations and defenestrations and the release of a hugely popular global franchise, we’ve got the birthdays of palaeontologists and queens and jazz musicians, and we’ve got one of the most ridiculous promotional disasters you’ll ever come across. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 412: The Seven Voyages of Zheng He
In this week's episode, get to know the famed Chinese admiral Zheng He, who led seven voyages at the head of a huge treasure fleet for the glory of Ming China. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 20: The Fall of Acre
This week in history we’ve got the test of the first-ever vaccine, and the first woman to fly across the Atlantic, we’ve got the birthdays of artists and political leaders and walking disasters, and we’ve got the end of the Crusader States in the Holy Land. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 411: The True Story of Pocahontas
In this week's episode, meet Pocahontas, the famous Indigenous American woman, and uncover the truth of her story - or as much of it as we know, at any rate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 19: The Assassination of Spencer Perceval
This week in history we’ve got the theft of the crown jewels and of a Confederate steamboat, we’ve got the birthdays of nurses and composers and artists, and we’ve got the story of the only British prime minister ever to have been assassinated. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 410: John Harrison’s Marine Chronometer
In this week's episode, get to know John Harrison, and understand how his pioneering marine chronometers finally solved the famous longitude problem and ushered in a new age of navigation at sea. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 18: George Psalmanazar and the Formosa Hoax
This week in history we’ve got the union of crowns, the beginning of a revolution, and an aeronautical disaster, we’ve got the birthdays of political philosophers, and we’ve got the tale of one of the weirdest hoaxes you’ll ever hear. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 409: The Donner Party
In this week's episode, hear the gruesome tale of the Donner Party, when a group of westward migrants became trapped in snow on the Sierra Nevada, forced to horrifying and desperate lengths in order to survive. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 17: The Battle of Clontarf
This week in history we’ve got famous mutinies, huge canals, and wartime invasions, we’ve got the birthdays of writers of philosophy and plays and novels, and we’ve got something of a watershed moment in the history of Ireland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 408: The 1973 Oil Crisis
In this week's episode, explore the lasting consequences of the 1973 Oil Crisis, and compare it with the current energy crisis the world is experiencing today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 16: The Death of the Red Baron
This week in history we’ve got several important or at least interesting chapters in Australian history, we’ve got the birthdays of actors and queens and… someone else… and we’ve got the downfall of the famous Red Baron, the German flying ace. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 407: The Avignon Papacy
In this week's episode, learn all about the Avignon Papacy, to understand why and how the US recently invoked it as a threat against the Vatican. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 15: The Invention of Cornflakes
This week in history we’ve got maritime disasters caused by iceberg and by toilet, we’ve got the death of a president and the birth of a mother of kings, and we’ve got the invention of a bland breakfast cereal alongside a certain rumour that goes with it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 406: The East India Company - Part 6: Legacies and Lessons
In this week's episode, explore the historical and contemporary legacies of the British East India Company, examined through nationalist, political, economic, and moral lenses. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 14: The Rescue of Poon Lim
This week in history we’ve got volcanic eruptions and famous statues, we’ve got the birthdays of royals, representatives, and root rats, and we’ve got a bloke catching seagulls and killing sharks in a months-long ordeal of lonely maritime survival. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 405: The East India Company - Part 5: Downfall and Dissolution
In this week's episode, discover how and why the British East India Company, an immensely powerful and wealthy imperial institution, came crashing down after a slow and steady decline. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 13: The Spaghetti Tree Hoax
This week in history we’ve got the origin of gerrymandering, the renaming of Constantinople, we’ve got the birthdays of composers and scientists and painters, and we’ve got the time the BBC convinced half of Britain that spaghetti grew on trees. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 404: The East India Company - Part 4 Expansion and Empire
In this week's episode, hear about the phase of conquest and expansion that transformed the British East India Company into one of the largest and most powerful imperial institutions on Earth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 12: England Loses the 1966 World Cup
This week in history we’ve got monuments both finished and unfinished, we’ve got great escapes, we’ve got the birthdays of clockmakers, filmmakers, and musicmakers, and we’ve got the time that England lost the World Cup in 1966. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 403: The East India Company - Part 3: Conquest and Corruption
In this week's episode, get across how the British East India Company transformed from a purely commercial enterprise to a sovereign entity exercising colonial authority over a growing part of the Indian subcontinent. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 11: The Assassination of Julius Caesar
This week in history we’ve got the death of a saint, the discovery of a planet, and the theft of half a billion dollars of art, we’ve got the birthdays of scientists and explorers, and beware the Ides of March, we’ve got the assassination of Julius Caesar.Selene's Fun Animal Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6LMIgPToyL63jhxRKddc0a?si=3a181b5c586449b3 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for
Episode 402: The East India Company - Part 2: Footholds and Factories
In this week's episode, hear about the early history of the English East India Company, and how it moved away from the Indonesian spice trade and instead gained a foothold on the Indian subcontinent under the Mughal Empire. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 10: The 13 Original Rules of Golf
This week in history we’ve got the foundation of the French Foreign Legion and frozen food, we’ve got the birthdays of explorers and artists and activists, and we’ve got the establishment of the original and sometimes very amusing rules of the game of golf. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 401: The East India Company - Part 1: Spices and Stocks
In this week's episode, learn about the global 16th century trading conditions that ultimately led to the formation of the East India Company, an institution that would eventually grow to effectively rule as a nation in its own right. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 9: The Great Fire of Meireki
This week in history we’ve got the first Europeans in Australia, we’ve got the first Sherlock Holmes stories, we’ve got famous composers and an even famouser crook, and we’ve got the time the city that would go on to become Tokyo burnt to the ground. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 400: What Half-Arsed History Could Have Been
In this week's episode, get a taste of what this show might have sounded like if it had begun as a podcast of a different genre. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 8: Three Presidents in One Hour
This week in history we’ve got monuments, calendars, and the disastrous premiere of a popular opera, we’ve got the birthdays of astronomers and diarists and presidents, and we’ve got that time that Mexico got through three presidents in a single hour. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 399: Nicolaus Copernicus and Copernican Heliocentrism
In this week's episode, get to know Nicolaus Copernicus, the 15th-century astronomer who brought about a historical paradigm shift with his radical proposal that the Sun, not the Earth, is at the centre of the solar system. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 7: The Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre
This week in history we’ve got famous martyrdoms, global car races, and the discovery of former planets, we’ve got the birthdays of scientists and leaders and activists, and we’ve also got the story of an infamous Chicago bloodbath. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 398: The Foundation of Modern Singapore
In this week's episode, discover how, why, and perhaps most importantly where modern Singapore was founded, back in 1819 by Sir Stamford Raffles. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 6: The Sack of Baghdad
This week in history we’ve got riots and treaties, we’ve got the discovery of the world’s biggest gold nugget, we’ve got the birthday of a famous Victorian author, and of course, the end of the Islamic Golden Age with the Sack of Baghdad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 397: Catherine the Great, the Enlightened Empress
In this week's episode, meet Catherine the Great, the empress who successfully ruled Russia for almost 35 years despite usurping a throne she had no claim to. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 5: The Day the Music Died
This week in history we’ve got the execution of a famous traitor, a tale of revenge served cold, we’ve got the birthdays of conquerors and explorers and activists, and we’ve got the story behind the Day the Music Died. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 396: The Horrors of Sarah Island
In this week's episode, become acquainted with Macquarie Harbour Penal Station, known as Sarah Island, which was one of the cruellest and most brutal convict settlements in Australia's history. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 4: When Some Ships Sailed from Botany Bay to Port Jackson
This week in history: the publishing of Pride and Prejudice, the first-ever cans of beer, the birthdays of pirates, kings, and composers, and... that time some ships sailed from Botany Bay to Port Jackson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 395: The Raft of the Medusa
In this week's episode, head the gruesome and tragic tale of the Raft of the Medusa, when almost 150 people were set adrift and abandoned on a rickety raft, resorting to murder and cannibalism to survive. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 3: The Miracle on the Hudson
This week in history: inaugurations, executions, and people drowning in hot molasses, the birthdays of famous founding fathers, and the Miracle on the Hudson, when a passenger plane was safely landed in the middle of a river. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 394: Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the Great Engineer
In this week's episode, meet Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the famous and immensely influential engineer, whose work encompassed bridges, tunnels, railways, ships, and much more besides. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 2: Caesar Crosses the Rubicon
This week in history: rioting sports fans in sixth-century Constantinople, the first-ever meeting of the UN General Assembly, the birthdays of famous musicians, and a pivotal moment in world history as Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 393: Operation Just Cause
In this week's episode, get across the story of Operation Just Cause, when the US staged an invasion of Panama in 1989, capturing and airlifting its leader back to the US to face drug-related charges. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 1: The Introduction of the Euro
This week in history: the establishment of calendars and international timekeeping systems, the federation of Australia, the birthdays of several prominent authors, and the introduction of the euro as a currency. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Update: Half-Arsed History in 2026
Changes are coming to Half-Arsed History in 2026! Some positive, some negative - here is the TL;DL:• There will now only be two episodes released each week: the usual full-length episode and a new series called This Week in History, replacing QAH• I'm pulling back a little bit to try to bring my unsustainable workload back under control, reduce burnout, and find better balance• Half-Arsed History'
QAH Episode 143: William McGonagall, History's Worst Poet
Quarter-Arsed History presents: the story of William McGonagall, widely considered to be the worst English-language poet that history has ever seen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 392: Jean de Carrouges and the Last Duel
In this episode, hear the tale of Jean de Carrouges, who fought a duel to the death to seek justice for his wife Marguerite.WARNING: this episode contains content that may be distressing and is not appropriate for younger listeners. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Inventions Episode 52: The Smartphone
The smartphone is an invention that is currently bringing about a technological transformation of human civilisation - and an invitation to think about how other inventions from history have similarly impacted peoples' lives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
QAH Episode 142: The Principality of Sealand
Quarter-Arsed History presents: the very amusing history of Sealand, an unrecognised micronation located on an abandoned military fort off the coast of Britain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 391: History's Weirdest Epithets - Part 2
In this week's episode, meet five more historical figures with strange epithets: Æthelred the Unready, Constantine V Koprónymos, Louis Do-Nothing, Malcolm the Maiden, and Piero the Unfortunate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Inventions Episode 51: The Internet
The internet is not something you just dump something on. It's not a big truck. It's a series of tubes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
QAH Episode 141: The Stone of Scone
Quarter-Arsed History presents: the story of the Stone of Scone, a block of sandstone upon which Scottish, English, and then British kings and queens have been coronated for well over a thousand years. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 390: The Miracle Landing of the Gimli Glider
In this week's episode, hear the incredible tale of Air Canada Flight 143, when a Boeing 767 ran out of fuel mid-flight and so had to be flown and landed as a glider on a not-quite-abandoned airfield in the Canadian town of Gimli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Inventions Episode 50: The Global Positioning System
The Global Positioning System began as top-secret military technology, before a series of interesting (and some tragic) events opened up a world of convenience and logistical optimisation to the world at large. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
QAH Episode 140: A Brief History of Morse Code
Quarter-Arsed History presents: a brief history of Morse code, an encoding and transmission system that helped to transform long-distance communication in the mid 19th-century. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 389: The First Transatlantic Telegraph Cable
In this week's episode, hear about the series of ridiculous setbacks and disasters that took place as part of the laying of the first transatlantic telegraph cable, a revolutionary step forward in global communications. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Inventions Episode 49: The Personal Computer
The personal computer is an invention that defines the modern information age, a deeply entrenched part of daily life for billions of people all around the world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
QAH Episode 139: The SS Princess Alice Disaster
Quarter-Arsed History presents: the story of the SS Princess Alice Disaster, when hundreds of people drowned in raw sewage after two ships collided on the River Thames. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 388: Beatrix Potter, the Enterprising Author
In this week's episode, get to know the remarkable Beatrix Potter, whose historical legacy goes a lot further than just the authorship of an immensely successful series of children's books. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Inventions Episode 48: The Pill
The pill brought about a huge shift in the history of human civilisation, revolutionising the role of women in society, culture, politics, and economics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
QAH Episode 138: The Mad Trapper of Rat River
Quarter-Arsed History presents: the tale of the Mad Trapper of Rat River, a mysterious figure who led the Royal Canadian Mounted Police on a month-long manhunt through the frozen wilderness. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 387: Nations Named After People
In this week's episode, hear about the history behind the names of five nations, all named after real historical figures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Inventions Episode 47: Velcro
Velcro - or, officially, the hook-and-loop fastener - is a useful little invention that we all still use today, and one that was popularised after helping us get to the Moon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
QAH Episode 137: W.G. Grace, the Great Cricketer
Quarter-Arsed History presents: the story of W.G. Grace, one of the most famous cricketers from the 19th century, famous for his immense skill which helped to revolutionise the game. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 386: The History of the Ashes
In this episode, get across the origin and history of a fierce century-and-a-half sporting rivalry, brought to life whenever Australia face off against England in Test cricket: the Ashes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Inventions Episode 46: The Microwave Oven
The microwave oven came about due to a very lucky accident involving an electrical engineer and chocolate bar, and today is found in billions of homes worldwide. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
QAH Episode 136: The Petrov Affair
Quarter-Arsed History presents: the Petrov Affair, when two Soviet spies caused a major political upheaval by defecting to Australia in the 1950s. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 385: The 1975 Australian Constitutional Crisis
In this week's episode, hear the story of the Dismissal: the 1975 Australian Constitutional Crisis, when Prime Minister Gough Whitlam was turfed out by the governor-general. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Inventions Episode 45: The Ballpoint Pen
The ballpoint pen may not have ushered in a technological revolution as so many other inventions in this series did, but it nonetheless played a significant role in making everyday writing simple, cheap, and relatively smudge-free. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
QAH Episode 135: Robert Curthose, the Mutinous Elder Brother
Quarter-Arsed History presents: the story of Robert Curthose, who managed to cause all sorts of headaches for his two kingly brothers, despite being older than both of them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 384: History’s Problematic Princes
In this week's episode, apropos of nothing, meet three historical younger-born princes who nothing but a royal pain in the arse for their older brothers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Inventions Episode 44: Penicillin
Penicillin was a miraculous, marvellous discovery that revolutionised modern medicine and saved millions upon millions of lives, ushering in the age of antibiotics, where a little scratch doesn't result in amputation or death. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
QAH Episode 134: The Venus de Milo
Quarter-Arsed History presents: the story of the Venus de Milo, the most famous ancient statue in the world, and perhaps second-most famous artwork in the Louvre. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 383: That Time the Mona Lisa Was Stolen from the Louvre
In this week's episode, learn about the Louvre's most infamous heist: the time that the Mona Lisa itself was stolen by an Italian carpenter named Vincenzo Peruggia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Inventions Episode 43: Plastic
Plastic is everywhere - these days, it's impossible to live a completely plastic-free life; but that's not necessarily entirely a bad thing, as even with all its environmental ills, plastic has nonetheless ushered in an age of material abundance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
QAH Episode 133: The Lake Nyos Disaster
Quarter-Arsed History presents: the Lake Nyos Disaster, when over 1,700 people living around Lake Nyos mysteriously perished one night in 1986. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 382: The Tichborne Claimant
In this week's episode, get stuck into the mystery of the Tichborne Claimant, when a butcher from Wagga Wagga claimed to be the long-lost heir to a British noble family's fortune. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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