Empire: World History

364. Ancient Egypt: The Fall of Akhenaten (Ep 3) 31.05.2026 53мин

**Unlock the entire Ancient Egypt series early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com** Why did Akhenaten’s name get struck from the historical record after his death? Why did he build a new city in the sparse desert? Who ruled after he died? Anita and William are joined by Aidan Dodson, author of Amarna Sunset, to discuss the collapse of the Amarna Revolution. Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com. For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com. Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott Editor: Bruno Di Castri Social Producer: Charlie Johnson Producer: Anouska Lewis Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

363. Ancient Egypt: Destroyer Of Gods – Pharaoh Akhenaten (Ep 2) 27.05.2026 56мин

**Unlock the entire Ancient Egypt series early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at ⁠empirepoduk.com⁠** Why did Egyptian priests wear animal masks? Who was the goddess of hangovers? And how did the Pharaoh, Akhenaten, destroy the many Egyptian gods to worship the sun disc, the Aten? William and Anita are joined by Professor Lloyd Lewellyn-Jones to discuss Akhenaten’s extraordinary religious revolution and whether he was a pioneer or a tyrant. Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at ⁠empirepoduk.com⁠. For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to ⁠www.goalhanger.com⁠. Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott Editor: James Clayden Social Producer: Charlie Johnson Producer: Anouska Lewis Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Scandal That Shaped Partition: Heartbreak & Secret Deals 26.05.2026 6мин

**Unlock the full episode and the complete members’ miniseries by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com** How did the relationship between Nehru and Edwina Mountbatten tangibly change the course of Partition? What were the parting words that Nehru said to his love when the Viceroy and Vicereine left India? How did the relationship between these three important individuals change over the rest of their lives? In the final episode of Empire’s first members-only miniseries, Anita is joined once again by Alex Von Tunzelmann to discuss the parting of the Mountbattens and Nehru, and how the romance with Edwina changed the future of India. Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott Social Producer: Charlie Johnson Producer: Anouska Lewis Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

362. Ancient Egypt: Great Kings of The Bronze Age (Ep 1) 24.05.2026 53мин

**Unlock the entire Ancient Egypt series early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com** You’ve heard of Tutankhamun, but what do you know about the world he grew up in? In this series, we explore the Amarna Revolution, when Tutankhamun’s father instigated the biggest religious revolution the world had ever seen. Who were the individuals at the centre of the movement: Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and Tutankhamun? What are the Amarna Letters and how do they reveal the intricate lives of the kings of the Late Bronze Age? Who was Pharaoh Amenhotep III? What was the status of Ancient Egypt on the eve of the revolution? Anita and William are joined by the brilliant Eric Cline, author of Love, War, and Diplomacy: The Discovery of The Amarna Letters and The Bronze Age World They Revealed, to discuss the revelations of these insightful clay tablets. Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com. For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com. Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott Editor: Lorcan Moullier Social Producer: Charlie Johnson Producer: Anouska Lewis Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

361. Louis Theroux On The Settlers, The Manosphere, & Tribalism 20.05.2026 49мин

William and Anita are joined by Louis Theroux to discuss his documentaries on the Settler movement in the West Bank, and explore how extremists operate. What are the commonalities between HS TikkyTokky and the mother of the settler movement, Daniella Weiss? How do the extremists in these documentaries use shamelessness to their advantage? And what does Louis think about having invented “The Theroux Method”? To listen to our series on the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict, head to episodes 346-353. Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com Try Attio for free at attio.com/empire For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com. Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott Editor: Bruno Di Castri Social Producer: Charlie Johnson Producer: Anouska Lewis Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Scandal That Shaped Partition: The Affair 19.05.2026 6мин

**Unlock the full episode and the complete members’ miniseries by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com** How did Edwina Mountbatten literally fall into the arms of Jawaharlal Nehru in 1946? Who was Subhas Chandra Bose and why did he travel to Nazi Germany? How did Louis Mountbatten also become close with Nehru and in what way did this change Indian politics? In Episode 3 of Empire’s first members’ miniseries, Anita is joined once again by Alex Von Tunzelmann to discuss the moment that Edwina Mountbatten and Nehru met for the first time, and how their relationship changed the course of Partition. Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott Social Producer: Charlie Johnson Producer: Anouska Lewis Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

360. Spice Wars: The Battle of the East India Companies (Ep 3) 17.05.2026 54мин

What caused the mighty Dutch East India Company to plummet from immense Golden Age wealth to total bankruptcy? Who was ‘Peter Pepper’, and how did his stolen plants end the VOC's spice monopoly? And how did a tiny Caribbean island spark the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War simply by saluting the American flag? Get the entire Dutch Empire miniseries early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at ⁠⁠empirepoduk.com⁠ ⁠ In Episode 3 of our series on the VOC, William and Anita are joined by Dutch anthropologist and historian Michiel Baas to explore the staggering collapse of the Dutch East India Company. They discuss the greatest commercial reversal in history, as the English East India Company transformed into a powerful corporate state, while the mighty VOC went completely bankrupt. For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to ⁠www.goalhanger.com.⁠ Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott Social Producer: Charlie Johnson Producer: Anouska Lewis Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

359. Spice Wars: The Birth of New York (Ep 2) 13.05.2026 53мин

What drove the Dutch to employ samurai mercenaries to commit horrifying genocides in the Banda Islands? Why were European powers willing to torture and kill just to control the global supply of a dried seed? How did a peace treaty trade a spice island for Manhattan, giving birth to New York? Get the entire Dutch Empire miniseries early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com In the second episode of our series on the Dutch East India Company, William and Anita are joined by historian Giles Milton, author of Nathaniel's Nutmeg, to explore the deadly rivalry between the English and Dutch East India Companies. They discuss the brutal battle for Run Island, the horrific genocide committed by the Dutch in the East Indies, and how a trade for nutmeg gave us modern-day Manhattan. For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com. Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott Social Producer: Charlie Johnson Producer: Anouska Lewis Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Scandal That Shaped Partition: The House of Mountbatten 12.05.2026 4мин

Who was the last Viceroy of India and why was his marriage so unconventional? How many affairs did Edwina Mountbatten have? Why was Lord Mountbatten known as the “Master of Disaster” by senior Navy officials? In Episode 2 of Empire’s first members’ miniseries, Anita is joined once again by Alex Von Tunzelmann to discuss the origin story of the remaining two characters in the love triangle that shaped partition: Louis and Edwina Mountbatten. Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott Social Producer: Charlie Johnson Producer: Anouska Lewis Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

358. Spice Wars: The Rise of the Dutch East India Company (Ep 1) 10.05.2026 51мин

What’s the real story behind the creation of the Dutch East India Company, and how was espionage involved? What made the VOC the first ‘mega-corporation’ in history? And what was the horrific human cost of establishing a colonial stronghold in the East Indies? Get the entire Dutch Empire miniseries early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com William is joined by Dutch historian Herald van der Linde to explore the staggering rise of the Dutch East India Company - a company so rich it eclipsed the modern valuations of Apple and NVIDIA combined. They discuss how high-stakes espionage, revolutionary cargo ships, and military ruthlessness allowed the Dutch to dominate the 17th-century global economy. Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/EMPIRE. For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to ⁠www.goalhanger.com.⁠ Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott Social Producer: Charlie Johnson Producer: Anouska Lewis Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

357. Liberator of Latin America: Revolutionary Hero Or Dictator? (Part 4) 07.05.2026 42мин

How should we view Simón Bolívar today – as a racist tyrant or as a revolutionary founding father? Who was his lover Manuela Sáenz, and how did she save his life during a midnight attack? And did his slide into tyranny inspire the 20th century dictators of Latin America? Get the entire Simón Bolívar miniseries early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com In the final episode of this series, Anita and William discuss Simón Bolívar’s death, the heartbreaking fate of the brilliant Manuela Sáenz and how modern Venezuelan leaders like Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro have co-opted his complex legacy. Try Attio for free at attio.com/empire For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com. Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk Assistant Producers: Alfie Rowe and Imogen Marriott Social Producer: Charlie Johnson Editor: Vasco Andrade Producer: Anouska Lewis Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Scandal That Shaped Partition: India’s First Prime Minister 05.05.2026 9мин

*Unlock the full episode and the complete members’ miniseries by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com* How did the first Prime Minister of India start an affair with the wife of the last Viceroy? Who was Jawaharlal Nehru and how did he become part of the independence movement? Why was he furious about his first marriage? In Empire’s first members’ miniseries, Anita is joined by Alex Von Tunzelmann to tell the story of the love triangle that completely transformed the pathway to Partition. How did the intimate relationship between three powerful individuals change the shape of India forever? Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott Social Producer: Charlie Johnson Producer: Anouska Lewis Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

356. Liberator of Latin America: Descent Into Tyranny (Part 3) 04.05.2026 41мин

How did a treacherous trek across the freezing Andes lead to the creation of Gran Colombia? Why did Irish, British and Bengali mercenaries travel across the world to join his fight against the Spanish? How did exile to Haiti change Simón Bolívar’s views on slavery? Get the entire Simón Bolívar miniseries early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com In Episode 3 of our series, William and Anita discuss Simón Bolívar’s legendary military victories, the forgotten combat roles of women in the revolution, and his gradual shift towards autocratic rule. For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com. Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk Assistant Producers: Alfie Rowe and Imogen Marriott Social Producer: Charlie Johnson Editor: Vasco Andrade Producer: Anouska Lewis Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Should The Koh-I-Noor Be Returned? Mamdani vs King Charles III EXPLAINED 01.05.2026 29мин

Who does the Koh-I-Noor diamond truly belong to? Why is it considered cursed? And should it be returned? The Koh-I-Noor diamond has been in the headlines this week with Mayor Zohran Mamdani stating that he would tell King Charles III to return it to India. As William and Anita wrote the definitive book on the cursed jewel, they provide a round-up of its long history and how it made its way into the British crown still on display in the Tower of London. For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com. Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk Assistant Producer and Editor: Imogen Marriott Social Producer: Charlie Johnson Producer: Anouska Lewis Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

355. Liberator of Latin America: Napoleon & The Legions of Hell (Part 2) 29.04.2026 43мин

Who were the cowboys and Indigenous people who made up the “Legions of Hell” and why did Bolívar fear them so deeply? How did Napoleon’s invasion of Spain speed up the collapse of its empire? What was Simón Bolívar’s secret revolutionary mission in London? Get the entire Simón Bolívar miniseries early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com In Episode 2 of this series, Anita and William discuss the fragile nature of the Spanish Empire and the total war that broke out in South America in the fight for independence. For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com. Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk Assistant Producers: Alfie Rowe and Imogen Marriott Social Producer: Charlie Johnson Editor: Vasco Andrade Producer: Anouska Lewis Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

354. Liberator of Latin America: Simón Bolívar vs The Spanish Empire (Part 1) 27.04.2026 35мин

Who was the man who liberated Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia from Spanish rule? How did a privileged upper-class teenage boy become South America’s leading revolutionary of the 19th century? How did tragedy in his youth set Simón Bolívar on the pathway to power? Get the entire Simón Bolívar miniseries early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com In Episode 1 of this series on the life of Simón Bolívar, Anita and William explore his childhood and what it meant to be from the Creole class in Venezuela in the 1800s. For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com. Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk Assistant Producers: Alfie Rowe and Imogen Marriott Social Producer: Charlie Johnson Editor: Vasco Andrade Producer: Anouska Lewis Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

353. Hezbollah, Hostages, & Exploding Pagers (Part 8) 22.04.2026 58мин

What lessons have been learned from Occupation? How did Hezbollah emerge in the wake of the Iranian Revolution and the Israeli invasion of Lebanon? How did Hezbollah evolve from 1982 to 2023? In the final episode in the series on the Arab-Israeli Conflict of 1967-1982, William is joined by Kim Ghattas, author of Black Wave: Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Rivalry That Unravelled the Middle East, to discuss the origins of Hezbollah and their role in the Middle Eastern conflict of the 21st century. Try Attio for free at attio.com/empire Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com. Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott Editors: Charlie Rodwell and Harry Swan Social Producer: Charlie Johnson Producer: Anouska Lewis Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

352. Israel’s 1982 Invasion of Lebanon (Part 7) 20.04.2026 51мин

Is the current invasion of Lebanon a direct ancestor of the 1982 Israeli invasion? How did broken American promises lead to the tragedies of the Sabra and Shatila massacres? Who was Ariel Sharon and why did he spearhead attacks on Beirut? Anita and William are joined by Kim Ghattas, author of Black Wave: Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Rivalry That Unravelled the Middle East, to discuss the pivotal events of the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon. Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com. Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott Editors: Bruno Di Castri and Josh Smith Social Producer: Charlie Johnson Producer: Anouska Lewis Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

351. Camp David: The Day Israel & Egypt Made Peace (Part 6) 15.04.2026 54мин

**Binge the entire series ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com** In November 1977, Egyptian President Sadat shocked the entire Arab world by boarding a flight to Israel. After refusing to acknowledge its existence, Egypt was seeking to make peace with its neighbour, and was willing to be outcast by every other Arab nation in the process. When did the Israeli government transform from Labour to a conservative right-wing leadership? How did American President Carter enact “cabin diplomacy” between Egypt and Israel when all three leaders stayed at Camp David in Maryland? And why were Palestinians excluded from the negotiations? William and Anita are joined once again by Professor Eugene Rogan, author of The Arabs: A History, to discuss the 1978 peace negotiations that shifted the power balance of the Arab world. Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com. Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott Editor: Bruno Di Castri Social Producer: Charlie Johnson Producer: Anouska Lewis Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

350. 1973: The Yom Kippur War & The First Oil Crisis (Part 5) 13.04.2026 41мин

**Binge the entire series ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com** How did the oil crisis totally transform the wealth of the Gulf states and alter the power balance of the Middle East? Who was Egypt’s underrated president, Sadat? How did water cannons destroy Israel’s seemingly impenetrable defenses along the Suez Canal in 1973? In Episode 5 of our series on the Arab-Israeli Conflict of 1967-1982, William and Anita discuss the shocking events of the Yom Kippur War and the first time that oil prices were used as a weapon of war. Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/EMPIRE. Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com. Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott Editor: James Clayden Social Producer: Charlie Johnson Producer: Anouska Lewis Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices