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Students have been protesting throughout France in recent weeks, with hundreds of thousands of people taking to the streets in cities including Paris and Marseille. It’s far from the first time that students have been involved in such mass demonstrations, and in this episode regular panellists Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter explore some notable historical parallels. Plus, as the UK’s politicians gather for their respective annual conferences, we take a look at some key moments that have defined the politics of their era. ------ If you have any questions that you'd like Rana and Hannah to tackle, get in touch: [email protected] For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠historyextra.com/podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We'd love to know what you think about the podcast, so leave us a review and let us know the topics you think we should be covering. Or, follow us on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠X⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠ or ⁠YouTube⁠ to keep in touch. You can listen ad-free to this episode and more by subscribing to HistoryExtra Plus here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm/⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

US President Donald Trump has hosted Chinese leader Xi Jinping for a summit in Washington this week, with topics including AI and international trade up for discussion. But how have such meetings reflected the way in which the United States has thought about Asia? And in what ways do imperial ambitions play into this story? Regular panellists Rana Mitter and Hannah Skoda explore the longer history. Plus, closer to home: what hidden histories might lurk in a hedgerow near you? ------ If you have any questions that you'd like Rana and Hannah to tackle, get in touch: [email protected] For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠historyextra.com/podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We'd love to know what you think about the podcast, so leave us a review and let us know the topics you think we should be covering. Or, follow us on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠X⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠ or ⁠YouTube⁠ to keep in touch. You can listen ad-free to this episode and more by subscribing to HistoryExtra Plus here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm/⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The British Museum’s major Bayeux Tapestry exhibition finally opens its doors in London this week, following months of build-up and excitement. But why are blockbuster historical events such as this so important in bringing history to a wider audience? And why is the Tapestry such a big deal in the first place? In this episode, regular panellists Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter delve into the production, politics and pertinence of the Bayeux Tapestry, and look back at some other moments in which history has captured the imagination of a nation. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST You can explore HistoryExtra’s full coverage of the Bayeux Tapestry and the new exhibition, including podcasts, videos and articles, here: https://bit.ly/3V0x2oQ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

US president Donald Trump issued his latest tranche of tariffs this week, as talks between the United States and Canada broke down. But what would economists of the past have made of his ongoing trade war? Regular panellists Rana Mitter and Hannah Skoda look back at the historical parallels. Plus, with summer holiday season coming to an end, they explore the innovations that have made international travel easier – and, on occasion, more exasperating throughout the centuries. ------ If you have any questions that you'd like Rana and Hannah to tackle, get in touch: [email protected] For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠historyextra.com/podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We'd love to know what you think about the podcast, so leave us a review and let us know the topics you think we should be covering. Or, follow us on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠X⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠ or ⁠YouTube⁠ to keep in touch. You can listen ad-free to this episode and more by subscribing to HistoryExtra Plus here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm/⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Christopher Nolan’s big-budget adaptation of The Odyssey has become the film-maker’s highest grossing film, surpassing $1.1 billion at the box office. Why has the story proven such a draw for audiences – not just now, in the 21st century, but across the centuries since it was first composed? In this episode of History Behind the Headlines, regular panellists Rana Mitter and Hannah Skoda discuss the epic’s enduring appeal. But first: what’s the longer history behind the current fears about so-called ‘smart glasses’? And were newspaper columnists really responsible for the first clickbait? ------ If you have any questions that you'd like Rana and Hannah to tackle, get in touch: [email protected] For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠historyextra.com/podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We'd love to know what you think about the podcast, so leave us a review and let us know the topics you think we should be covering. Or, follow us on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠X⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠ or ⁠YouTube⁠ to keep in touch. You can listen ad-free to this episode and more by subscribing to HistoryExtra Plus here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm/⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The British Museum's upcoming blockbuster exhibition of the Bayeux Tapestry marks the likely homecoming of this venerable artefact, to immense excitement. But why has it taken so long for it to return? And how has it become such a political football in our own time? In this special episode of History Behind the Headlines, HistoryExtra's Dr David Musgrove tells James Osborne about the long story of the Bayeux Tapestry's travels from England to France – and back again – and explains why its journeys have always been fraught with politics, drama, and mystery. ------ If you have any questions that you'd like Rana and Hannah to tackle, get in touch: [email protected] For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠historyextra.com/podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We'd love to know what you think about the podcast, so leave us a review and let us know the topics you think we should be covering. Or, follow us on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠X⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠ or ⁠YouTube⁠ to keep in touch. You can listen ad-free to this episode and more by subscribing to HistoryExtra Plus here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm/⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A by-election in the UK constituency of Clacton, triggered by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage's decision to quit as an MP and fight to reclaim his seat, features an unusual rival: Count Binface. Yet the costumed candidate is far from the first novelty character to seek election and, in this episode, regular panellists Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter look back at some of the other contenders. Plus, as Britain bakes in its third heatwave of the summer, we explore the ways in which extreme weather impacted on the lives of people in previous generations. ------ If you have any questions that you'd like Rana and Hannah to tackle, get in touch: [email protected] For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠historyextra.com/podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We'd love to know what you think about the podcast, so leave us a review and let us know the topics you think we should be covering. Or, follow us on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠X⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠ or ⁠YouTube⁠ to keep in touch. You can listen ad-free to this episode and more by subscribing to HistoryExtra Plus here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm/⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The news of Sir Keir Starmer's resignation as prime minister and leader of the Labour Party means that the UK is set to have its seventh PM in ten years. But what are the historical factors that have led to this instability? And what comparisons can we meaningfully draw to the political unrest of previous decades, including the 1920s and 1970s? In this episode, regular panellists Rana Mitter and Hannah Skoda are joined by journalist, author and documentary-maker Phil Tinline, who explores the roles that technology, devolution and a sense of disenfranchisement have played in this story – and the key moments that we might otherwise overlook. ------ If you have any questions that you'd like Rana and Hannah to tackle, get in touch: [email protected] For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠historyextra.com/podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We'd love to know what you think about the podcast, so leave us a review and let us know the topics you think we should be covering. Or, follow us on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠X⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠ or ⁠YouTube⁠ to keep in touch. You can listen ad-free to this episode and more by subscribing to HistoryExtra Plus here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm/⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

US business leader Elon Musk has been in the headlines again in recent weeks, as a result of becoming the world's first trillionaire. But how were enormously rich people seen in past centuries? In this episode, regular panellists Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter explore how Musk's forerunners were regarded, and how they accrued their wealth in the first place. Meanwhile, a high-profile row about defence spending here in the UK has led to the resignation of two government ministers – but such arguments are nothing new. We look back at previous debates around how state finances have been used during periods of geopolitical uncertainty, and where the extra money has come from. Finally, with the men's World Cup in full swing, we look back at a particularly unusual game of football in 17th-century Florence. ------ If you have any questions that you'd like Rana and Hannah to tackle, get in touch: [email protected] For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠historyextra.com/podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠ We'd love to know what you think about the podcast, so leave us a review and let us know the topics you think we should be covering. Or, follow us on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠X⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠ or ⁠YouTube⁠ to keep in touch. You can listen ad-free to this episode and more by subscribing to HistoryExtra Plus here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm/⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There have been plenty of headlines over the past month about the possible financial impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. But what does history tell us about the ways in which the impact of war has been felt far from the battlefield? Regular panellists Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter chronicle some of the most dramatic examples, from medieval England to the Second World War. Plus, with Britain experiencing unprecedented spring heat in recent weeks, we investigate the draw of swimming when the temperature rises – and the surprising role it played in a key moment of international diplomacy. ------ If you have any questions that you'd like Rana and Hannah to tackle, get in touch: [email protected] For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠historyextra.com/podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠ We'd love to know what you think about the podcast, so leave us a review and let us know the topics you think we should be covering. Or, follow us on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠X⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠ or ⁠YouTube⁠ to keep in touch. You can listen ad-free to this episode and more by subscribing to HistoryExtra Plus here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm/⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The past fortnight has seen headlines here in the UK dominated by news of potential leadership challenges to Labour prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, following the party's heavy losses in recent local council elections in Wales, Scotland and England. But how were such bids to topple leaders mounted in the past? And what happened to those who tried, and failed? Regular panellists Rana Mitter and Hannah Skoda look at some of the most dramatic examples – from 1970s Britain to the Tudor court and communist China. ------ If you have any questions that you'd like Rana and Hannah to tackle, get in touch: [email protected] For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠historyextra.com/podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠ We'd love to know what you think about the podcast, so leave us a review and let us know the topics you think we should be covering. Or, follow us on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠X⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠ or ⁠YouTube⁠ to keep in touch. You can listen ad-free to this episode and more by subscribing to HistoryExtra Plus here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm/⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

King Charles's recent visit to the United States prompted much commentary on both sides of the Atlantic, with particular praise given to his speech to Congress. But at what other moments in recent history has the royal family been used as a way to reach a political goal? And what did this 'soft diplomacy' look like in the medieval era? Regular panellists Rana Mitter and Hannah Skoda share their thoughts. Plus, as David Attenborough marks his 100th birthday, what contribution has he made to our understanding of the natural world? -----GO BEYOND THE PODCASTFor more on  the contribution that David Attenborough has made to our understanding of the natural world, don't miss our interview with media historian David Hendy on the HistoryExtra podcast: https://play.megaphone.fm/otka-gd3qcgzhvfk7nw6_q Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A high-profile spat between Pope Leo and leading figures in the US administration has made headlines in recent weeks, after United States president Donald Trump and vice-president JD Vance disagreed with comments the pope made about US-Israeli actions in the war with Iran. But it's far from the first time that the papacy and other powerful figures have butted heads. In this episode, regular panellists Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter look back at other points of tension between politics and religion. But first: following Viktor Orbán's seismic election defeat in this month's elections in Hungary, what parallels can we meaningfully draw from this moment in the nation's political history? And what's the unsung contribution that Hungarians have made to culture here in the UK? ------ If you have any questions that you'd like Rana and Hannah to tackle, get in touch: [email protected] For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠historyextra.com/podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠ We'd love to know what you think about the podcast, so leave us a review and let us know the topics you think we should be covering. Or, follow us on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠X⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠ or ⁠YouTube⁠ to keep in touch. You can listen ad-free to this episode and more by subscribing to HistoryExtra Plus here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm/⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The loan of the Bayeux Tapestry from France to the UK has caused great excitement, but also some concerns. Lord Peter Ricketts is the UK government's Bayeux Tapestry Envoy, and here in conversation with David Musgrove, he gives the lowdown on how the loan is progressing. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCASTThere is a wealth of Bayeux Tapestry content on the HistoryExtra site, including a comprehensive five-part podcast series with a panel of experts: https://bit.ly/4c7ivhv Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has dominated news coverage, and episodes of this podcast, in recent weeks – and because we chose to focus on those pressing events, some other stories have taken a back seat.So, in this special episode, regular panellists Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter catch up with some of the headlines we’ve missed over the past few months, from new theories about the ninth-century Book of Kells to a fresh take on how chess was regarded in the Middle Ages. ------ If you have any questions that you'd like Rana and Hannah to tackle, get in touch: [email protected] For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠historyextra.com/podcast/⁠⁠⁠ We'd love to know what you think about the podcast, so leave us a review and let us know the topics you think we should be covering. Or, follow us on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠X⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠ or ⁠YouTube⁠ to keep in touch. You can listen ad-free to this episode and more by subscribing to HistoryExtra Plus here: ⁠⁠⁠https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm/⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices