The Rest Is History

Latest Episodes:

693. Elizabeth I vs The Catholics: England’s Greatest Hero (Part 3) Aug 02, 2026

Show notes

Why is Sir Francis Drake enshrined as one of England’s greatest heroes? Where did he come from, and how did he rise to prominence and earn the adoration of Elizabeth I, from obscure poverty? And, why is he also such a controversial figure…?

Join Tom and Dominic as they sail into the remarkable life and adventures of Sir Francis Drake. From his controversial piracy, and his explorations around the world, to his burgeoning feud with the Spanish, ultimately culminating in his clash with Armada in 1588…

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*The Rest Is History LIVE: The Ultimate Victorian Adventure*

The maddest expedition in history and it’s NEVER been heard before on the show: join Tom Holland & Dominic Sandbrook LIVE at the Southbank as they tell the bonkers story of Queen Victoria ordering one of history’s most daring assignments ever. ⁠⁠⁠Tickets available for Friday 4th September⁠⁠⁠, the Saturday show is SOLD OUT.

Summer sale is here: get an annual membership for an extra 20% off with code SUMMER26. That's ad-free listening, every bonus episode, and full access to our exclusive members' series. Sale ends August 31st, so grab it before summer's over.

To read our new newsletter, sign up at:

⁠therestishistory.com/newsletters⁠

Advertise with us: ⁠Partnerships@goalhanger.com

_______

Twitter:

@TheRestHistory

@holland_tom

@dcsandbrook

Video Editors: Jack Meek, Harry Swan + Adam Thornton

Social Producer: Harry Balden

Producers: Tabby Syrett & Aaliyah Akude

Senior Producer: Callum Hill

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

692. Elizabeth I vs The Catholics: A Massacre in Paris (Part 2) Jul 29, 2026

Show notes

What inspired the deadliest bloodbath of the Tudor age: the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre of 1572, in which protestants were slaughtered en masse? How did it drive Elizabeth I’s spy master, Francis Walsingham, to repress all treasonous activity in her realm? And, what terrible treason was brewing in Rome…?

Join Tom and Dominic as they discuss the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, Sir Francis Walsingham, and one of the most devilish religious conspiracies of all time…

Lloyds. 250 years on and still backing the nation's aspirations.

*The Rest Is History LIVE: The Ultimate Victorian Adventure*

Summer sale is here: get an annual membership for an extra 20% off with code SUMMER26. That's ad-free listening, every bonus episode, and full access to our exclusive members' series. Sale ends August 31st, so grab it before summer's over.

https://therestishistory.com/club?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=summersale26&utm_term=listeners&utm_content=epdescriptionsummer

To read our new newsletter, sign up at:

⁠therestishistory.com/newsletters⁠

Advertise with us: ⁠Partnerships@goalhanger.com

_______

Twitter:

@TheRestHistory

@holland_tom

@dcsandbrook

Video Editors: Jack Meek, Harry Swan + Adam Thornton

Social Producer: Harry Balden

Producers: Tabby Syrett & Aaliyah Akude

Senior Producer: Callum Hill

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

691. Elizabeth I vs The Catholics: The Queen’s Spymaster (Part 1) Jul 26, 2026

Show notes

How did Elizabeth I rule England? Why was she constantly in mortal peril in 1569? Who was Sir William Cecil, and why was he so crucial to her reign? And, how did his network of spies keep her alive, and England uninvaded…?

Join Tom and Dominic as they discuss the secret war raging in the heart of Elizabeth I’s Tudor England, the religious unrest flaming throughout Europe, and Elizabeth’s master of Spies: Sir William Cecil.

_______

Lloyds. 250 years on and still backing the nation's aspirations.

*The Rest Is History LIVE: The Ultimate Victorian Adventure*

https://therestishistory.com/club?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=summersale26&utm_term=listeners&utm_content=epdescriptionsummer

To read our new newsletter, sign up at:

⁠therestishistory.com/newsletters⁠

Advertise with us: ⁠Partnerships@goalhanger.com

_______

Twitter:

@TheRestHistory

@holland_tom

@dcsandbrook

Video Editors: Jack Meek, Harry Swan + Adam Thornton

Social Producer: Harry Balden

Producers: Tabby Syrett & Aaliyah Akude

Senior Producer: Callum Hill

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

690. A Murderous Affair: Death at Mayerling (Part 2) Jul 22, 2026

Show notes

What really happened at the Habsburgian hunting lodge, Mayerling? Did Crown Prince Rudolf and his mistress, Baroness Mary Vetsera, really commit a romantic murder suicide, or did the heir cold-heartedly murder the 17 year old girl? And, why did the Austrian royal family try to erase all traces of this tragic incident?

Join Dominic and Tom as they solve the mysterious tale of the Mayerling Incident.

_______

Lloyds. 250 years on and still backing the nation's aspirations.

*The Rest Is History LIVE: The Ultimate Victorian Adventure*

The maddest expedition in history and it’s NEVER been heard before on the show: join Tom Holland & Dominic Sandbrook LIVE at the Southbank as they tell the bonkers story of Queen Victoria ordering one of history’s most daring assignments ever. ⁠⁠Tickets available for Friday 4th September⁠⁠, the Saturday show is SOLD OUT.

Join The Rest Is History Club: Unlock the full experience of the show – with exclusive bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to every series and live show tickets, a members-only newsletter, discounted books from the show, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at the⁠⁠restishistory.com⁠

To read our new newsletter, sign up at:

⁠therestishistory.com/newsletters⁠

Advertise with us: ⁠Partnerships@goalhanger.com

_______

Twitter:

@TheRestHistory

@holland_tom

@dcsandbrook

Video Editors: Jack Meek, Harry Swan + Adam Thornton

Social Producer: Harry Balden

Producers: Tabby Syrett & Aaliyah Akude

Senior Producer: Callum Hill

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

689. A Murderous Affair: The Habsburgs’ Greatest Scandal (Part 1) Jul 19, 2026

Show notes

What was Vienna like in the 1880s? Why was Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria seen as the outcast of the prestigious Habsburg dynasty? And, how would meeting 17 year-old Baroness Mary Vetsera on his 30th birthday change both of their lives, and the trajectory of Europe, forever?

Join Dominic and Tom as they unravel the mysterious tale that is the Mayerling Incident.

*The Rest Is History LIVE: The Ultimate Victorian Adventure*

The maddest expedition in history and it’s NEVER been heard before on the show: join Tom Holland & Dominic Sandbrook LIVE at the Southbank as they tell the bonkers story of Queen Victoria ordering one of history’s most daring assignments ever. ⁠⁠Tickets available for Friday 4th September⁠⁠, the Saturday show is SOLD OUT.

To read our new newsletter, sign up at: ⁠⁠therestishistory.com/newsletters⁠⁠

_______

Lloyds. 250 years on and still backing the nation's aspirations.

_______

Advertise with us: ⁠Partnerships@goalhanger.com⁠

_______

Twitter:

@TheRestHistory

@holland_tom

@dcsandbrook

Video Editors: Jack Meek, Harry Swan + Adam Thornton

Social Producer: Harry Balden

Producers: Tabby Syrett & Aaliyah Akude

Senior Producer: Callum Hill

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

688. The Odyssey: Return of the King (Part 2) Jul 15, 2026

Show notes

How did the second half of Odysseus’ long journey home to Ithaca play out? What does the epic’s account of the Olympian gods indicate about Ancient Greek religion? And, how did Odysseus finally make it home to Penelope and her suitors?

Join Tom and Dominic as they reach the dramatic conclusion of Homer’s Odyssey, and the story of Odysseus’ dreadful return…

*The Rest Is History LIVE: The Ultimate Victorian Adventure*

The maddest expedition in history and it’s NEVER been heard before on the show: join Tom Holland & Dominic Sandbrook LIVE at the Southbank as they tell the bonkers story of Queen Victoria ordering one of history’s most daring assignments ever. ⁠⁠Tickets available for Friday 4th September⁠⁠, the Saturday show is SOLD OUT.

_______

Lloyds. 250 years on and still backing the nation's aspirations.

_______

Twitter:

@TheRestHistory

@holland_tom

@dcsandbrook

Video Editors: Jack Meek, Harry Swan + Adam Thornton

Social Producer: Harry Balden

Producers: Tabby Syrett & Aaliyah Akude

Senior Producer: Callum Hill

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

687. The Odyssey: Hero of the Trojan Horse (Part 1) Jul 12, 2026

Show notes

How does The Odyssey, one of the greatest stories of all time, unfold? What historical events may it be based on? And, where might Odysseus, the hero of Homer’s epic, have faced his various trials in real life?

Join Tom and Dominic as they unravel the legendary story of Homer’s Odyssey, and its historical precedents.

_______

Lloyds. 250 years on and still backing the nation's aspirations.

_______

*The Rest Is History LIVE: The Ultimate Victorian Adventure*

The maddest expedition in history and it’s NEVER been heard before on the show: join Tom Holland & Dominic Sandbrook LIVE at the Southbank as they tell the bonkers story of Queen Victoria ordering one of history’s most daring assignments ever. Tickets available for Friday 4th September, the Saturday show is SOLD OUT. https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/the-rest-is-history-the-ultimate-victorian-adventure/

To read our new newsletter, sign up at:

⁠therestishistory.com/newsletters⁠

Advertise with us: ⁠Partnerships@goalhanger.com

_______

Twitter:

@TheRestHistory

@holland_tom

@dcsandbrook

Video Editors: Jack Meek, Harry Swan + Adam Thornton

Social Producer: Harry Balden

Producers: Tabby Syrett & Aaliyah Akude

Senior Producer: Callum Hill

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

686. Jefferson: The Betrayal of Liberty (Part 4) Jul 08, 2026

Show notes

What part did Thomas Jefferson play in writing the American Declaration of Independence? Where did he come from, and how did it shape his attitude to the future of the U.S.A? And, why was he such a contentious figure?

Join Tom and Dominic as they reach the epic conclusion of their series delving into the lives of the men who made America, and end with the most controversial figure of them all: Thomas Jefferson.

_______
Lloyds. 250 years on and still backing the nation's aspirations.

To read our new newsletter, sign up at:

therestishistory.com/newsletters

Advertise with us: Partnerships@goalhanger.com

_______

Twitter:

@TheRestHistory

@holland_tom

@dcsandbrook

Video Editors: Jack Meek, Harry Swan + Adam Thornton

Social Producer: Harry Balden

Producers: Tabby Syrett & Aaliyah Akude

Senior Producer: Callum Hill

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

685. Hamilton: Duel to the Death (Part 3) Jul 05, 2026

Show notes

How did Alexander Hamilton go from impoverished orphan to one of the most important figures in the creation of the American constitution? Why was his relationship with Thomas Jefferson so strained? And, what happened in the famous duel that would ultimately claim his life…?

Join Dominic and Tom as they discuss one of America’s most fiery founding fathers: Alexander Hamilton, and his duel with Aaron Burr.

To read our new newsletter, sign up at: ⁠⁠therestishistory.com/newsletters⁠⁠

_______

Lloyds. 250 years on and still backing the nation's aspirations.

_______

Advertise with us: ⁠Partnerships@goalhanger.com⁠

_______

Twitter:

@TheRestHistory

@holland_tom

@dcsandbrook

Video Editors: Jack Meek, Harry Swan + Adam Thornton

Social Producer: Harry Balden

Producers: Tabby Syrett & Aaliyah Akude

Senior Producer: Callum Hill

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

684. Franklin: Revenge of the American Genius (Part 2) Jul 01, 2026

Show notes

Was Benjamin Franklin really an American? What was his childhood like? How was he finally converted to the American Revolutionary cause? And, what role did he play in setting the struggle in motion?

Join Tom and Dominic as they discuss the life of the most unique of the American founding fathers: Benjamin Franklin.

To read our new newsletter, sign up at: ⁠⁠therestishistory.com/newsletters⁠⁠

_______

Lloyds. 250 years on and still backing the nation's aspirations.

_______

Advertise with us: ⁠Partnerships@goalhanger.com⁠

_______

Twitter:

@TheRestHistory

@holland_tom

@dcsandbrook

Video Editors: Jack Meek, Harry Swan + Adam Thornton