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History credits a man with inventing the motorcar. This episode tells the story of the woman who made it work. In 1888, Bertha Benz took an untested invention on the world’s first long-distance drive, inventing brake linings, solving breakdowns with a hat pin, and creating the first fuel stop along the way. Blind History reveals how one quiet rebel forced the future to move.

This episode dives into the extraordinary life of Grace O’Malley, the legendary 16th-century Irish pirate queen who defied every rule of her time. From commanding ships as a teenager and raiding along the Atlantic coast, to ruling castles, outwitting enemies and even negotiating directly with Queen Elizabeth I, Grace lived as a fearless warlord, strategist and mother who never bowed to authority. Blending piracy, politics and personal grit, her story reveals how one unstoppable woman carved out power in a lawless age and became a lasting symbol of resistance and independence.

He ruled for just two years, but his reputation has lasted five centuries. Richard III is remembered as a villain — but was he a brutal usurper or the victim of Tudor propaganda amplified by William Shakespeare? In this episode of Blind History, we revisit the Wars of the Roses, the mystery of the Princes in the Tower, Bosworth Field, and the shocking discovery of Richard’s remains — uncovering why England’s most accused king is still on trial today.

In this episode of Blind History, Gareth and Anthony dive into the extraordinary life of Charles XII of Sweden — a teenage warrior king who turned an entire empire into a battlefield. From hunting bears as a child to humiliating Peter the Great, sleeping on the ground with his soldiers, and leading charges into blizzards and cannon fire, Charles lived like a man possessed. Fearless, devout, stubborn to a fault, and dead by 37, his story is a brutal masterclass in leadership, hubris, and why history keeps repeating itself.

A warplane falls from the sky over Libya. A badly injured man crawls from the wreckage, one eye, one hand, and a will made of iron. What follows is the unbelievable true story of Adrian Carton de Wiart, the soldier who refused to die. Shot in the face, stomach, leg, ear… surviving plane crashes, warzones, and even biting off his own fingers — he broke out of POW camps five times and still asked to return to the front lines. Winston Churchill trusted him. Enemies feared him. History almost forgot him.

A toddler crowned the “Son of Heaven.” An emperor who never ruled. A puppet of Japan, a prisoner of the Soviets, and finally a humble gardener sweeping leaves in Beijing. In this haunting episode of Blind History, Gareth and Anthony trace the extraordinary rise and devastating fall of Pu Yi — the last emperor of China. From the golden throne of the Forbidden City to communist re-education camps, this is the unbelievable true story of a man born to rule eternity… and forced to live a life of anonymity.

In this gripping Blind History episode, Gareth Cliff and Anthony Mederer unpack the rise and fall of Haile Selassie. The “King of Kings” who became a god to some, a symbol of resistance to others, and a deeply flawed ruler to those closest to his throne. From ancient bloodlines and global coronations to exile, famine, and a secretive death, this is the extraordinary and tragic story behind one of Africa’s most mythologised leaders.

Gareth Cliff and Anthony Mederer uncover the extraordinary rise of Theodora — the seductive stage performer who became one of the most powerful women in Byzantine history. From scandalous beginnings in Constantinople’s seedy theatres to ruling side-by-side with Emperor Justinian, Theodora’s journey is a tale of grit, ambition, and sheer brilliance. Discover how this former “circus act” became an unshakeable empress who faced down riots, shaped an empire, and redefined what power looked like in the ancient world. A love story, a political thriller, and a legend wrapped into one remarkable woman.

Gareth Cliff and Anthony Mederer dive into the wild, gruesome, and utterly fascinating life of England’s most infamous monarch, Henry VIII. From Renaissance poster boy to paranoid tyrant, Henry’s story is one of brilliance, blood, and betrayal. The man who split from the Church of Rome for love, kept a polar bear as a pet, and had servants wipe his royal behind. This episode unpacks how one king reshaped England forever… and nearly destroyed it in the process.

The most famous South African, the first democratically elected president of the Rainbow Nation, the anti-apartheid icon, and the man who spent 27 years in prison for his conviction and devotion to the cause. There are many ways to describe Nelson Mandela, but we had to end this season with a big one. Here’s the story of a man most of us wouldn’t even think of as a part of history - mostly because he’s still very much in our present.

Long before Elon Musk and Steve Jobs, there was a billionaire playboy who set the standard - a genius with a passion for flying and designing planes, a womaniser who bedded the sexiest women in Hollywood, and a man who was eccentric enough to be declared mentally ill by today’s standards. Howard Hughes was many things... but he certainly wasn’t boring!

The fiery, furious relationship between the medieval era’s most famous power couple led to glory and terrible failure. The empire they presided over was the greatest empire in the West since the time of Charlemagne. He was 9 years younger than her, but she matched his energy. When they weren’t making love and producing one of many children, they were plotting against each other or fighting like cat and dog. She took no prisoners, but he made her one for 15 years. The world, it seems, wasn’t big enough for Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine.

Vice Admiral Viscount Horatio Nelson was the greatest British sailor of all time, possibly the greatest sailor in all the world’s history. His adventures, tactical genius and courage inspired Britain to become the naval superpower that it was in the 1700s and 1800s, and helped bring about the fall of Napoleon and a change in the balance of power throughout the world. Though he had only one eye and one arm, he seems to have brought enough energy and ambition for two lifetimes, and history looks fondly on his contribution.

In 1742 a Russian aristocrat and military engineer, fluent in Turkish and French, rose to prominence in the Imperial court of Peter the Great. He had all the trappings of nobility, and was held in such high regard that the Tsar adopted him. This great figure of Russian history's name is Gannibal - charming, intelligent and a man of extraordinary achievement. Oh, and also a black African.

If there were a prize for genocide, one man would have unbeatable odds at claiming it. He began life as a bright young revolutionary with enormous enthusiasm for change and fairness - but he devolved into a fat, dirty, old tyrant who filled everyone with fear and loathing. He was at China’s helm when up to 55 million people died in just four devastating years. He was known as Chairman Mao, and he changed China forever.