🚨 New series 🚨
Empires of Iran
Persia was the first great superpower; at its peak it stretched from India in the east to the Mediterranean in the west, from the borders of Russia in the north to the Gulf of Oman in the south. It laid the foundation for empires of the future.
Incredible pleased to say that
@DalrympleWill
+
@tweeter_anita
have just hit 10,000,000 downloads 🎉
Thank you to everyone who has listened to the podcast, we appreciate every one of you!
If you've not yet heard our series on slavery, listen 👇
🚨 New episode 🚨
How Persian Religion Changed the World
Three great religions have come out of Persia and all have influenced world history. First there was Zoroastrianism, the first monotheistic religion, which had significant influence over Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.
Today is the birthday of the great king buried in this tomb. He founded a mighty empire, then the greatest the world had seen, which will be the subject of our next series
@EmpirePodUK
...
Any guesses?
🚨 New series 🚨
The Russian Empire
@DalrympleWill
+
@tweeter_anita
tell the tale of tsars and revolutionaries. Sex and power. Invasions and conquests.
From the first invasion of Ukraine to the birth of Asian nationalism, this has it all. Listen 👇
We did two episodes earlier this year on the roots of the current conflict in the Middle-East. Thank you to all who have messaged to say how useful they found them for understanding what is happening today.
If you haven't heard them, the links are below 👇
@tweeter_anita
&I did two episodes earlier this year
@EmpirePodUK
on the roots of the current conflict between the Palestinians and the Israelis.
One, with James Barr, was on the 1916 Sykes-Picot agreement and the way the British and the French partitioned the Middle East…
With the horrific scenes coming out of the Middle-East, do you want to understand more about the Israel-Palestine conflict?
Listen to the episode
@DalrympleWill
+
@tweeter_anita
did earlier this year on the origins of the conflict 👇
🚨 New episode 🚨
The Buddha & The Golden Road
India was the forgotten heart of the ancient world. For a millennium and a half, from about 250 BC to 1200 AD, India was a confident exporter of its diverse civilisation, creating around it a vast empire of ideas, an ‘Indosphere’.
One of the most pivotal exploration voyages in human history ⛵️
Part one of our discussion with Peter Moore on The Endeavour, Captain Cook, Joseph Banks, and more - Is Out Now On YouTube! 👇
Tomorrow we start our new season on the Ottoman Empire!!! The first episode is on...
The Last Days of Byzantium
@DalrympleWill
+
@tweeter_anita
are joined by
@peterfrankopan
to discuss the final days of the Byzantine Empire and the Rise of the Ottomans.
Incredibly pleased to have passed 20,000,000 downloads earlier this month 🎉 🍾
Thank you to everyone who has listened, shared, and written in to the podcast.
@DalrympleWill
+
@tweeter_anita
+ the team at
@GoalhangerPods
are so grateful.
Who's been enjoying the Persia series?
🚨 New episode 🚨
The Persian Renaissance
After the brutal, bloody conquests of Timur, his descendants then ushered in one of history’s great periods of cultural development. Huge advancements were made in art, maths, and science.
Listen to
@DalrympleWill
+
@tweeter_anita
👇🏻
🚨 New episode 🚨
The Rise of Islam
With the Sassanian Empire defeated and the Byzantine Empire exhausted, there is a power vacuum in the centre of the world. Both of these superpowers have drained their resources fighting each other over the past 30 years.
🚨 New episode 🚨
The Long Death of Slavery
Emancipations are never clean, they don't happen overnight. Instead, they are long, messy processes that leave many still oppressed.
@tweeter_anita
+
@DalrympleWill
are with
@histresist
to discuss 👇
🎉 Amazing listening figures for Empire recently! In January alone we had over 1 million downloads 🎉
Thank you so much for tuning in,
@DalrympleWill
+
@tweeter_anita
and the whole Empire team really appreciate it!
Due to you submitting so many excellent questions, there will be a second episode of Empire released this week!
Join
@DalrympleWill
+
@tweeter_anita
tomorrow for another special in which they answer the rest of your questions.
Absolutely brilliant to see the plaque for Sophia Duleep Singh unveiled today at Faraday House!
At Empire Pod we're very proud of
@tweeter_anita
who has done more than anyone else to bring this story to the fore. Amazing work.
Forgive me… but this is one of the happiest days of my life! Princess Sophia Duleep Singh gets her blue plaque at Hampton Court! And sisters from everywhere come to celebrate her in the blazing sun! Princess, Suffragette, Revolutionary.
#suffragette
#womem
🚨 New episode 🚨
Hezbollah: The Party of God
In June 1982, Israeli tanks rolled over the Lebanese border. Soon after, Iran sent 1,500 Revolutionary Guards into Lebanon to help fight them.
Consequently...
Our Spotify wrapped, what a year it has been!
A huge thank you from
@DalrympleWill
+
@tweeter_anita
+ the whole Empire team to everyone who has listened and shared the podcast this year.
Now let's see your Spotify wrapped 👀 there's a prize in it for our biggest fan 🎉
🚨Announcement🚨
We are THRILLED to announce that we are going to be doing a LIVE SHOW!!
Empire pod is coming to the Union Chapel, London on the 17th July.
Tickets go on sale TOMORROW, Wednesday 10th May, at 9am. Go to our Twitter feed then for the link.
Don't miss out!
🚨 New episode 🚨
Origins of the Israel-Palestine Conflict
@tweeter_anita
+
@DalrympleWill
discuss the Balfour Declaration, which planted the seeds of the conflict that continues to this day.
King Charles has embarked upon a trip to Kenya in which he will acknowledge 'painful aspects' of Britain's colonial history.
Earlier this year
@tweeter_anita
+
@DalrympleWill
did an episode on this history - The Mau Mau, the court case, and the hidden documents. Listen 👇
Want to know more about the much debated Koh-i-Noor diamond that is not in Camilla’s crown today?
Luckily for you
@DalrympleWill
+
@tweeter_anita
have done a four-part mini-series on it, beginning with ‘The Koh-i-Noor diamond’. Listen below 👇
🚨 New episode 🚨
The Slave who Ruled
Malik Ambar was sold into slavery at the age of 12. In time, he rose up through the ranks and became the ruler of Ahmednagar.
@DalrympleWill
+
@tweeter_anita
are joined by
@UnamPillai
to discuss his life. Listen 👇
🚨 New episode 🚨
Darius the Great: Ruling from India to the Mediterranean
The Persian Empire that Darius took control of was mighty and powerful; his predecessor, Cambyses, had conquered Egypt, further expanding its territory. But it was under Darius it reached its zenith.
🚨 New episode 🚨
Ferdowsi: How One Poet Saved Persian Civilisation
After the Arab conquest, Persia was turned upside down. It was dominated by a new language, culture, and religion. But what it was to be Persian was not lost. And at turn of the 10th century it was revived.
🚨 New episode 🚨
China's Greatest Admiral: The Story of Zheng He
In the 15th century, Admiral Zheng He, on the orders of the Emperor of China, embarked upon a series of extraordinary voyages of exploration.
🚨 New episode 🚨
Cyrus the Great: Building the First Superpower
Born the son of a a tribal chieftain, Cyrus would go on to be a titanic figure of world history. He took Persia from being a minor regional power to the first superpower the world has ever seen.
🚨 New episode 🚨
When Slaves Fought for the British Empire
The American Revolution has begun. The British need to bolster their forces, but to whom will they turn?
Their slaves.
To hear
@DalrympleWill
+
@tweeter_anita
tell this story, listen 👇
🚨 New episode 🚨
Shackleton: The Hero of Antarctica
As the timber creaked under the Antarctic ice, Shackleton knew his voyage was doomed. What the ice gets, the ice keeps. And so followed one of the most obscenely daring and heroic rescue attempts. But did he succeed?
🚨 New episode 🚨
The Great Game Begins
As its border moves rapidly southwards, the eyes of the Russian Empire begin to turn towards British India. What follows is one of the great imperial rivalries, as both empires fight for control of the centre of the world.
Listen now👂
Tomorrow's episode is...
The Origins of the Israel-Palestine Conflict
@tweeter_anita
+
@DalrympleWill
are joined by Tom Segev to discuss the Balfour Declaration.
🚨 New episode 🚨
Lenin and The Rise of the Bolsheviks
The Tsar has abdicated, but the radicals want more. Petrograd is becoming a hub of unrest and with Russia still in the Great War, the provisional government's authority is draining away. Lenin begins to see his moment.
🚨 New episode 🚨
The Dawn of Everything
Is slavery inherent in human society? Is hierarchy inevitable? Who built the pyramids?
@tweeter_anita
+
@DalrympleWill
are joined by
@davidwengrow
to discuss slavery in ancient civilizations. Listen 👇
🚨 New episode 🚨
Alexander the Great: The Conquest of Persia
Darius III, a brave warrior who commands the respect of his people, rules over Persia. His empire is strong and stable.
🚨 New episode 🚨
Ashoka: The Great Buddhist Emperor of India
Ruling in the 3rd century BC, Ashoka was one of India’s greatest ever rulers. Under his rule, the Mauryan Empire grew into the largest empire India had ever seen.
🚨 New episode 🚨
Tolstoy: War and the Russian Empire
He was one of the greatest writers of all time and his life was extraordinary. In his youth he fought in Chechnya and Crimea where he witnessed the horrors of war.
@DalrympleWill
+
@tweeter_anita
🚨 New episode 🚨
The Bloody History of Russia & Ukraine
Their history has been irrevocably entwined for centuries. When the Civil War erupted, Ukraine was one of the most brutal arenas. Then in the 1930s Russia inflicted upon Ukraine one of history's deadliest famines.
🚨 New episode 🚨
Punch & Chilli: The East India Company at the Table
When the East India Company first arrived on the shores of India, the food they ate in their first factories was not so different from that of Britain.
🚨 New episode 🚨
1842: The Retreat from Kabul
As the British occupation of Kabul collapses, the troops must flee. What follows is one of the darkest events in British imperial history. Thousands try to escape, legend says only one survives.
@DalrympleWill
+
@tweeter_anita
🚨 New episode 🚨
Murdering the Romanovs: The End of a Dynasty
The Romanovs are under armed guard in Ekaterinburg, but the Bolsheviks are losing ground in the Civil War. Lenin fears the whites seizing Nicholas and rallying around him.
So he gives the order, kill the Romanovs.
We have recorded a fantastic one-off episode with Caroline Elkins, one of the great historians of Empire!
Safe to say she blew the socks off
@tweeter_anita
+
@DalrympleWill
'In many ways is one of the most remarkable men of the 20th century' -
@DalrympleWill
Make sure you listen to yesterday's episode where William and
@tweeter_anita
tell the amazing story of Jinnah.
🚨 New series 🚨
The History of Slavery
@DalrympleWill
+
@tweeter_anita
outline what is next for the podcast, why they chose this topic, and lift a lid on some of the jaw-dropping details to come. Listen 👇
🚨 New episode 🚨
Slavery's Demise
The abolitionists want the complete eradication of slavery, but how will they fare against one of the most powerful lobbying groups in British history?
@tweeter_anita
+
@DalrympleWill
discuss with
@M_H_Taylor
👇
Have you listened to our episode on Queen Elizabeth II & Empire yet?
@tweeter_anita
+
@DalrympleWill
are joined by
@DavidOlusoga
to discuss the Commonwealth, the future of monarchy and the long shadow of Empire.
Apple
Spotify
🚨 New episode 🚨
The Iranian Revolution: The Rise of Ayatollah Khomeini
When the Last Shah’s reforms - the White Revolution - took effect, Iran looked to be in a healthy position. Economic growth was strong, Tehran was a thriving cultural centre, and women now had the vote.
🚨 New episode 🚨
Thermopylae: Xerxes, Leonidas, and the 300
480BC; the might of the Persian army, roughly 100,000 soldiers, lands on the shores of Greece. At its head was Xerxes, the Persian King of Kings, and within the army was his elite guard, the Immortals.
🚨 New episode 🚨
The Graveyard of Empires
The Army of Retribution brings the First Anglo-Afghan War to an end, but
@DalrympleWill
+
@tweeter_anita
discuss where Russia is in all of this, how giraffes ruin a dream of peace, and whether Afghanistan is the Graveyard of Empires.
We've had an overwhelming response to yesterday's episode on Partition.
@DalrympleWill
+
@tweeter_anita
+
@kavpuri
on the very best form.
If you haven't heard it yet, listen 👇
🚨New episode🚨
Lawrence of Arabia and the Arab Revolt
How did he impact the modern Middle-East?
@DalrympleWill
+
@tweeter_anita
are joined by
@anthonysattin
to delve into the truth behind Britain's most famous spy👇
🚨 New episode 🚨
The Russian Revolution: Overthrowing the Tsar
Russian politics is fast destabilising - strikes, assassinations, and famines. The nation stands on the verge of implosion and the Great War is on the horizon...
@DalrympleWill
+
@tweeter_anita
+ Antony Beevor
🚨 New episode 🚨
The History of Putin's War
Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine on 24th February 2022, but how did we get to this point?
@DalrympleWill
+
@tweeter_anita
+
@anneapplebaum
unpick the history of Ukraine from the Second World War to today.
Who's heard yesterday's podcast on Suleiman the Magnificent?
@tweeter_anita
+
@DalrympleWill
telling the story of one of the greatest Ottoman leaders.
Listen 👇
🚨 Sold out 🚨
Amazing amazing reaction to the live show!!! We can confirm it is now officially SOLD OUT.
Those who managed to get tickets to see
@tweeter_anita
+
@DalrympleWill
, we’ll see you on 17th July!!
Tomorrow on Empire is the first of two episodes this week, both focusing on the Armenian Genocide.
@DalrympleWill
+
@tweeter_anita
discuss the outbreaks of violence against the Armenians prior to 1915 and then the secret orders to deport hundreds of thousands of Armenians.
It's showtime! 🎉 🎭
Are you coming to the show tonight?
If you would like
@tweeter_anita
+
@DalrympleWill
to answer a question of yours in the second half, send it to us using the hashtag
#EmpireLive
"2023 marks the first time the Medal has been awarded to a podcast or any type of broadcast programme."
Very honoured that
@TheRestHistory
has won this year's President's Medal from
@BritishAcademy_
🚨 New episode 🚨
Isfahan: The City of Dreams
A place of wealth, of beauty, of pleasure. Isfahan was transformed at the end of the 16th century to become a city for the ages, encapsulating the golden age of Safavid Persia.
Listen to
@tweeter_anita
+
@DalrympleWill
👇🏻
🚨New episode🚨
Ivan the Terrible and the Founding of Russia
How did Muscovy, a small state under the foot of the Mongols, turn into one of the most powerful empires in history?
Listen to
@DalrympleWill
+
@tweeter_anita
+
@simonmontefiore
to find out👇
🚨 New episode 🚨
The Fall of the Royal African Company
@DalrympleWill
+
@tweeter_anita
discuss the end of the Royal African Company and the significant expansion of the slave trade that came with it 👇
🚨 New episode 🚨
The Russian Conquest of America
In the 18th century, Vitus Bering travelled from Russia to America. He set in motion a chain of events that would lead to Russia owning Alaska and land as far south as California.
@DalrympleWill
+
@tweeter_anita
+
@owenmatth
In
@EmpirePodUK
this week we tell the key story for understanding many of the tensions and undercurrents of the modern Middle East:
How did the great divide within Islam, the split between Sunni and Shia, develop?
Essential listening for anyone who wants to understand the…
So this was a bit of a surprise: just summoned to meet Rahul Dravid who says he's a big fan of
@EmpirePodUK
& has got his whole squad listening to
@tweeter_anita
& I blagging on about imperial history! Who knew? (And what a modest, charming & charismatic gent he is.)
#starstruck
🚨 New episode 🚨
Barbary Corsairs: Raiding the British Isles
Slave raids on the south coast of Britain. Islamic executioners from Exeter.
@DalrympleWill
+
@tweeter_anita
discuss the jaw-dropping story of the Barbary slave trade 👇
🚨 New episode 🚨
Francis Barber: Abolition, the Navy, and the Enlightenment
@tweeter_anita
+
@DalrympleWill
are again joined by
@petermoore
. They discuss Francis Barber, his time in the Navy, and his impact on Dr Johnson's abolitionism. Listen👇
🚨 New episode 🚨
The Final Act of the Great Game
At the heart of this clash is Francis Younghusband. For years he tried to counter the influence of Russia, but in 1903 he and Lord Curzon take their attempts further with an expedition to Tibet.
@DalrympleWill
+
@tweeter_anita
Tomorrow's episode is on...
PARTITION
Join
@DalrympleWill
+
@tweeter_anita
+
@kavpuri
as they discuss stories as to how partition impacted people across India and Pakistan.
🚨 New episode 🚨
Iran's First Revolution
Throughout the 19th century, Iran, ruled by the Qajars with their great beards, was a pawn of the great colonial powers. It failed to industrialise, its economy stagnated, and resentment at foreign interference grew.
🚨 New episode 🚨
Saddam Hussein vs The Ayatollah
In September 1980, Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi forces invaded neighbouring Iran and so began the longest conventional war in modern history.
Shackleton was a true hero who has been immortalised due to his legendary leadership of his expedition aboard the Endurance.
@DalrympleWill
+
@tweeter_anita
+
@GabrielleWalk3r
discuss Shackleton's voyage on the Endurance.
🚨 New episode 🚨
The Russo-Japanese War: Asia Strikes Back
The effects of 1905 rippled through the 20th century. Japan, the supposedly weaker Asian power, overwhelmingly defeated the mighty Russian Empire. This changed everything.
@DalrympleWill
+
@tweeter_anita
🚨 New episode 🚨
Iran & Saudi Arabia: The Rivalry that Split the Islamic World
How did we get to where we are today? When did the rivalry begin? What is the reason for it?
Listen to
@DalrympleWill
+
@tweeter_anita
+
@KimGhattas
👇🏻
🚨 New episode 🚨
Iran & Saudi Arabia: The Rivalry that Split the Islamic World
1979 was the year that set the Islamic world on the path to today. In Iran, the revolution established the nation as a theocracy that sought to defend Shi'ism across the world.
China looked set to become a great maritime power, with more advanced naval technology than anywhere else in the world - but Zheng He was mysteriously called home, further voyages were cancelled and all the records of the different expeditions cancelled.
Just recording the opening few episodes of this series with one of the most articulate historians we've ever had as a guest on the pod... Total knockout, barnstorming, passionate history, told with verve and wit and scholarship. First episode out early tomorrow morning, 22nd of…
🚨 New episode 🚨
India meets Rome: Making the Image of the Buddha
In the 1st century AD, the nomadic Kushans settled in what is now Afghanistan and established settlements and trade. From here, they moved down over the Hindu Kush and took large sections of Northern India.