Disastrous History: A Disasters of History Podcast
Historian Dan Snow investigates the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of history’s defining moments.
From the Colosseum of Ancient Rome and the battlefields of Waterloo to the tomb of Tutankhamun, Dan journeys across the globe to share the greatest stories from the past that help us understand the present.
New episodes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
You can get in touch with us at ds.hh@historyhit.com
A podcast by History Hit, the world’s best history channel and creators of award-winning podcasts The Ancients, Gone Medieval, and Betwixt the Sheets.
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In the shadowy halls of Dublin Castle, 1907, a daring heist shook the British Empire. Four days before King Edward VII’s royal visit, the priceless Irish Crown Jewels vanished without a trace. Sir Arthur Vicars, the somewhat incompetent Ulster King of Arms, found himself at the centre of the scandal that threatened to expose dark secrets lurking in Ireland’s high society. As Scotland Yard tried to unravel the mystery, suspicion fell on the charismatic Francis Shackleton, brother of the famed explorer…
To this day the jewels have never been found. But now, Dan wants to try and find them, with your help. If you’ve ever come across any information relating to this story – an old newspaper article, a story from a relative or friend… we want to hear from you! Please write to us at ds.hh@historyhit.com.
Maybe Dan Snow’s History Hit can solve the case once and for all.
Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore.
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We’d love to hear from you – what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.
You can take part in our listener survey here.
In small wooden canoes and with just the stars for navigation, how did the first Polynesians conquer the largest ocean on earth? For centuries this has perplexed scholars and anthropologists. The Polynesian Triangle is drawn by connecting the points of Hawaii, New Zealand, and Easter Island and encompasses countries like Samoa, Tonga and Tahiti with each island connected to the others by common traditions of sea-faring, celestial navigation and mythology, all passed down the generations through stories and song.
To unravel the mystery, Dan is joined by Opetaia Foa’i, the award-winning composer and singer who wrote the Polynesian music in Moana and whose band Te Vaka had sung the stories of their ancestors on some of the world’s biggest stages for years. They’re also joined by Christina Thompson, author of ‘Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia’ whose encyclopaedic knowledge on this fascinating subject fills in all the blanks. Together Dan, Opetaia and Christina weave music and history in this episode to unravel Polynesia’s past.
Music courtesy of Spirit of Play Productions, with thanks to Julie Foa’i.
Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore.
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We’d love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.
You can take part in our listener survey here.
