Empire: World History

Latest Episodes:

The Scandal That Shaped Partition: The House of Mountbatten May 12, 2026

Show notes

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

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Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott

Social Producer: Charlie Johnson

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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358. Spice Wars: The Rise of the Dutch East India Company (Ep 1) May 10, 2026

Show notes

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.

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

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357. Liberator of Latin America: Revolutionary Hero Or Dictator? (Part 4) May 07, 2026

Show notes

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.

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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

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The Scandal That Shaped Partition: India’s First Prime Minister May 05, 2026

Show notes

*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

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356. Liberator of Latin America: Descent Into Tyranny (Part 3) May 04, 2026

Show notes

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

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Should The Koh-I-Noor Be Returned? Mamdani vs King Charles III EXPLAINED May 01, 2026

Show notes

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

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355. Liberator of Latin America: Napoleon & The Legions of Hell (Part 2) Apr 29, 2026

Show notes

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

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354. Liberator of Latin America: Simón Bolívar vs The Spanish Empire (Part 1) Apr 27, 2026

Show notes

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

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353. Hezbollah, Hostages, & Exploding Pagers (Part 8) Apr 22, 2026

Show notes

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.

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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

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352. Israel’s 1982 Invasion of Lebanon (Part 7) Apr 20, 2026

Show notes

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.

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

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