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 43: The Charge of the Light Brigade
This week in history we’ve got yet another important historical battle, we’ve got a very stupidly named war, we’ve got the closest we ever came to the Third World War - and we’ve got the story behind the famous Charge of the Light Brigade.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://bo
Week 42: The "Discovery" of the Cardiff Giant
This week in history we’ve got a twelve-year-old girl crowned as a king, we’ve got a turning point in Japanese history, we’ve got a disastrous Russian naval campaign - and we’ve got a huge petrified figure proving the existence ancient race of giants.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link)
Week 41: Theodore Roosevelt Survives Being Shot
This week in history we’ve got an extremely important but rather unknown battle, we’ve got an extremely important but very famous battle, we’ve got the construction of Brazil’s most famous landmark - and we’ve got the time TR was shot in the chest and survived.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affil
Week 40: The Siege of Leiden
This week in history we’ve got the introduction of the Gregorian Calendar, we’ve got a full-scale riot caused by cheese, we’ve got the birth of the unsinkable stewardess - and we’ve got a Dutch city rescued by pirates surfing across farmland.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https:/
Episode 435: The Book Tour 2026 - Chapter Readings
In this week's episode, get across four of the chapters taken from the new book, The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of: Tarrare, William Buckley, Unaarrimin, and Countess Black Agnes Dunbar. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9Int
Week 39: The First Black Friday
This week in history we’ve got the battle that ended the Viking Age, we’ve got the second circumnavigation of the Earth, we’ve got the discovery of the first antibiotic - and we’ve got the financial crisis that gave us the term “Black Friday”.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https:
Episode 434: The Book Tour 2026 - LIVE in Perth
In this week's episode, learn more about what went into the creation of The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, while enjoying some truly first-rate gear making fun of Perth. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9International: https
Episode 433: The Book Tour 2026 - LIVE in Adelaide
In this week's episode, get a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, as well as a bunch of really excellent gags about Adelaide. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9International: https://
Week 38: The Straw Hat Riot
This week in history we’ve got the very first circumnavigation, we’ve got the establishment of a weird neutral country, we’ve got the publication of a beloved children’s book - and we’ve got a week-long New York City riot kicked off by people wearing straw hats.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affi
Episode 429: The Viking Age - Part 4: Society
In this week's episode, explore the everyday lives of the Vikings, learning about how their society was organised, what they wore, what they ate, what they did for fun, and how their religion changed over time. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G
Second Book Available Now & Live Show Tickets Running Out
Half-Arsed History's second book, The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, is available now at all good bookshops (and probably some bad ones, too). Alternatively, you can snag your copy at one of the upcoming live shows, but don't delay in securing your tickets - some shows are running low. Head to halfarsedhistory.net to book!The Most Interesting People You've Never Hea
Week 37: The Execution of “Martin Guerre”
This week in history we’ve got a a turning point in an ancient war, we’ve got a turning point in evolutionary biology, we’ve got a turning point in very stupid decision-making - and we’ve got an intriguing tale of fraud and deception, with a man executed for claiming to be someone he wasn’t.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now!
Episode 428: The Viking Age - Part 3: Expansion
In this week's episode, learn all about the far-reaching regions to which the Vikings expanded, including Ireland, Iceland, Central and Eastern Europe, and beyond. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9International: https://www.readings.com.au/pro
Week 36: The End of the Western Roman Empire
This week in history we’ve got a battle that defined the history of ancient Rome, we’ve got a famous abolitionist breaking his chains, we’ve got the extinction of an Australian marsupial - and we’ve got the event that marked the downfall of the Western Roman Empire after years of declineThe Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Ord
Episode 427: The Viking Age - Part 2: Conquest
In this week's episode, continue discovering the story of the Viking Age, including learning why Vikings transitioned from raiding to conquest and settlement, and the consequent establishment of the Danelaw and Normandy. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net
Week 35: The Origin of Stockholm Syndrome
This week in history we’ve got London destroyed by a fire, we’ve got the shortest war in history, we’ve got an Olympic marathon won by a bloke in a car - and we’ve got the interesting but somewhat dubious psychological origin of the term Stockholm Syndrome.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate
Episode 426: The Viking Age - Part 1: Raids
In this week's episode, begin an exploration of the Viking Age, beginning with its origins by getting into how and why Norse raiders spread across the seas from Scandinavia, looting and pillaging as they went.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9I
Update: Brisbane and Maroochydore Tickets, Date Change, Sorry for Lack of Episodes
Half-Arsed History is going on tour yet again - this time across the entire country - to celebrate the release of The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of!For the first time, as part of this tour I'm coming to both Perth and Adelaide, in addition to shows in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and at home on the Sunshine Coast.Sydney - 6:00pm 6th October at Dymocks City Store, tickets $12*:
Week 34: Edmond Halley Observes His Comet
This week in history we’ve got an ancient volcanic eruption, we’ve got a prime minister being devoured, we’ve got a mysterious gas cloud killing thousands - and we’ve got Edmond Halley discovering something important about the famous comet that still bears his name today.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - A
Tickets for the 2026 Book Tour are now available!
Half-Arsed History is going on tour yet again - this time across the entire country - to celebrate the release of The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of!For the first time, as part of this tour I'm coming to both Perth and Adelaide, in addition to shows in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and at home on the Sunshine Coast.Maroochydore - 6:00pm 2nd October at Harry Hartog: Tickets avail
Episode 425: The Capture of the USS Chesapeake
In this week's episode, learn all about the capture of the USS Chesapeake, a fascinating duel that took place between two frigates during the War of 1812.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/978176147
Week 33: The Bermuda Gunpowder Heist
This week in history we’ve got the birth of a great friend of the show, we’ve got a marvel of modern engineering, we’ve got armies mobilising to cut down a tree - and we’ve got an audacious heist of gunpowder which was instrumental to the American Revolution.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affilia
Episode 424: Vincent van Gogh, the Tortured Artist
In this week's episode, meet Vincent van Gogh, the famous Dutch painter whose colourful and vivid paintings stood in sharp contrast to his difficult and troubled life. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9International: https://www.readings.com.au/pro
Week 32: Lt. General Patton Slaps a Soldier... Again
This week in history we’ve got the defeat of a great Spanish fleet, we’ve got the construction of a famous but slightly wobbly Italian landmark, we’ve got the infamous end of a US presidency - and we’ve got the time a US general slapped one of his soldiers, again.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (af
Episode 423: The Plague of Athens
In this week's episode, hear all about the deadly horrors of the Plague of Athens, and tackle the question - what was the plague itself, in the first place?The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761
Week 31: The Hammer and Feather on the Moon
This week in history we’ve got ancient Romans slaughtered by the thousand, we’ve got champagne not getting invented, we’ve got the disaster that was the first transatlantic telegraph cable, and we’ve got a famous physics demonstration held on the Moon.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link
Episode 422: Athens vs. Sparta - the Peloponnesian War
In this week's episode, learn all about one of the most important and iconic conflicts from the history of Ancient Greece: the Peloponnesian War, when the rivalry between Athens and Sparta was settled once and for all. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/b
Apologies to Apple Podcasts Subscribers
I can't log into my Apple Podcasts account - the 2FA code thing isn't working while I'm overseas (despite me setting it up with my overseas number before I left), so ads might be playing on what should be ad-free episodes for Apple Podcasts subscribers. I'm really, really sorry; I'm still trying to fix it, worst case scenario is I'll (hopefully) be able to back in Australia. In the meantime, pleas
Week 30: Tobacco Comes to England
This week in history we’ve got skulls being made into drinkware, we’ve got German nobles drowning in sewage, we’ve got the death of the last Sapa Inca, and we’ve got the official introduction of tobacco to England, thanks to the efforts of the famous Sir Walter Raleigh.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/
Episode 421: The Successful Failure of Apollo 13
In this week's episode, learn all about the disasters that beset the Apollo 13 mission to the Moon, and how the astronauts aboard and the ground team on Earth worked tirelessly to stave off a terrible catastrophe. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9
Week 29: The Football War
This week in history we’ve got the birth of a famous conqueror, we’ve got the dawn of the atomic age, we’ve got a giant leap for mankind - and we’ve got the story of a brief but bloody war sparked by a series of soccer matches in Central America.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): htt
Episode 420: The History of Cannabis
In this week's episode, explore the history of the cannabis plant, including its role in historical and modern textile industries, as well as its medicinal, religious, and recreational uses. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9International: https://
Week 28: The First Ascent of the Matterhorn
This week in history we’ve got an iconic moment from the French revolution, we’ve got a famous historical duel, we’ve got someone trying to get to the North Pole in a balloon - and we’ve got the tale of the first expedition to summit the Matterhorn, and the tragedy that struck afterwards.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Or
Episode 419: Mata Hari, the Seductress-Turned-Spy
In this week's episode, meet Mata Hari, the internationally-renowned exotic dancer who became a spy for... someone... during the First World War. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the
Week 27: Oxford University’s 500-Year Grudge
This week in history we’ve got the origin of Independence Day, we’ve got a slightly-bungled assassination, we’ve got a bloke who used to surgically attach goat’s testicles to people - and we’ve got the grudge that the University of Oxford held for over 500 years without knowing why.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order yo
Announcing: The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book
The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings:AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting-people-youve-never-heard-of--rile
Episode 418: The Stonewall Riots, the Origin of Pride
In this week's episode, learn about the Stonewall Riots, which took place in the wake of a police raid on a NYC gay bar and catalysed the growing gay rights movement. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9International: https://www.readings.com.au
Week 26: The Tunguska Event
This week in history we’ve got the battle that unified Japan, we’ve got the death of a famous detective, we’ve got the event that kicked off the First World War - and we’ve got the time a mysterious Siberian fireball left scientists baffled for decades.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate li
Episode 417: The History of the FIFA World Cup - Part 3
In this week's episode, conclude the tour of World Cup history with the details of the tournaments from 1990 onwards - all the highlights and lowlights, including persistent issues surrounding bribery and corruption. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq
Week 25: The Hand of God
This week in history we’ve got decisive battles for the East India Company and for friend of the show Napoleon, we’ve got a river of burning whiskey flowing through Dublin, and we’ve got the infamous Hand of God, from the 1986 World Cup.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://book
Episode 416: The History of the FIFA World Cup - Part 2
In this week's episode, continue to discover the story of the FIFA Men's World Cup, from the postwar return of the tournament in 1950, across years of development and controversy, to the end of the 1980s, as the modern event took shape. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://book
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.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link):
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. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/
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.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate lin
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. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9International: https
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.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! O
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. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9International:
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.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order you
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. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/978
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.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate
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. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/97817
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.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https
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. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9International: htt
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.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktop
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. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9Int
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.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4f
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.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781
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.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https:
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.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-
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.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate l
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. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9International: https://www.readings.c
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.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): h
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. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9International: https://www.re
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.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): http
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. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9International: https:
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.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4
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. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bk
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=3a181b5c586449b3The Most Interesting People You've Neve
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. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.
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.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate
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. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://bookto
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.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link):
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. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the-most-interesting
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.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link)
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. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.
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.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia
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. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761472596/the
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.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://boo
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. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G9International: https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781
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.The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, is available now! Order your copy - AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bk
