• 1 hour 10 minutes
    705. Queen Victoria’s Revenge: The Mad Emperor of Abyssinia (Part 1)

    Who was Emperor Tewodros II, the colourful and controversial Emperor of Abyssinia? Why did he brutally imprison a number of British emissaries, and how did Queen Victoria respond? And, how would this spark one of the most ambitious expeditions undertaken by the British Empire…?


    Join Dominic and Tom as they launch into one of the most extraordinary military expeditions in all world history.  


    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.


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    This episode is sponsored by Anthropic, the team behind Claude. Try Claude for free today at http://Claude.ai/restishistory.

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    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

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    13 September 2026, 11:05 pm
  • 1 hour 10 minutes
    704. Roman Civil War: Master of the Republic (Part 4)

    Who was Gaius Marius’ son, and how did he set out to bring down his father’s rival, Sulla? Which two rising stars in Sulla’s faction, Crassus and Pompey, would go on to bring down the Republic, with Julius Caesar? And, how did a momentous battle in the East see Sulla elevated to the master of Rome?


    Join Tom and Dominic as they reach the climactic conclusion to the remarkable rise of one of Rome’s greatest generals: Lucius Cornelius Sulla, a man who would destroy his rivals, win victories in the east, and ruthlessly change the destiny of the Roman Republic forever.  


    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


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    Advertise with us: [email protected]


    _______

    This episode is sponsored by Anthropic, the team behind Claude. Try Claude for free today at http://Claude.ai/restishistory.


    _______

    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

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    9 September 2026, 11:05 pm
  • 1 hour 13 minutes
    703. Roman Civil War: Marching on the Senate (Part 3)

    What shocking, unprecedented act did Sulla commit with his legions after having his ambitions frustrated once more by his bitter rival, the tribune Marius? How did Marius escape capture and death? And, would Marius retaliate…?


    Join Tom and Dominic as they unfold the mounting rivalry between two Roman generals - Marius and Sulla - as they battle for ultimate control of the empire, and Sulla takes a fateful step that will change the fate of the Republic forever….  


    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: [email protected]


    _______

    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

    6 September 2026, 11:05 pm
  • 1 hour 18 minutes
    702. Roman Civil War: The Barbarian Invasion (Part 2)

    What was the ancient city of Rome actually like in the first century BC? Who was Lucius Cornelius Sulla, another great, but aristocratic, Roman general who would clash with Gaius Marius in a totemic struggle termed the Social War? And, who were the terrifying Germanic tribes amassing on the borders of the empire, potentially spelling its doom…?


    Join Tom and Dominic as they discuss Rome’s apocalyptic threat from the North, Marius’ wars in defence of the empire, and the rise of his greatest adversary: Sulla. 


    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


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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.

    _______

    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

    2 September 2026, 11:05 pm
  • 1 hour 13 minutes
    701. Roman Civil War: Rise of the General (Part 1)

    Who was Gaius Marius, one of the two men who would shape the fate of Rome in the first century BC? Why was his road to fame, fortune, and political greatness, from total obscurity, so dangerous? And, would Marius be the man to face down the existential threat facing the empire during this period? 


    Join Tom and Dominic as they launch into one of the greatest struggles in the history of Rome, as two titanic generals and politicians clash over hegemony of the empire, in an age of tumult. 


    *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.

    _______

    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

    30 August 2026, 11:05 pm
  • 1 hour 24 minutes
    700. The Troubles: Bloody Sunday (Part 4)

    How did Bloody Sunday erupt on the 30th of January 1972? Why did it follow on the heels of terrible violence? And, what were the consequences of that violent day? 


    Join Tom and Dominic as they discuss the tragic events of Bloody Sunday, and the final attempt at peace in Northern Ireland. 


    *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.

    _______

    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

    26 August 2026, 11:05 pm
  • 1 hour 23 minutes
    699. The Troubles: Return of the IRA (Part 3)

    What was the Provisional IRA, and why did they return to the fray at the high point of The Troubles in Northern Ireland? How did a series of bloody battles, including  the Short Strand Battle, brutally intensify tensions between the British Army and Catholic communities? And, how did the conflict spiral into attacks on civilians…?


    Join Dominic and Tom as they discuss the violent escalation of The Troubles.



    *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.

    _______

    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

    23 August 2026, 11:05 pm
  • 1 hour 22 minutes
    698. The Troubles: The Brink of Civil War (Part 2)

    Why did the violence of the Troubles escalate as it did in Ulster? How did a series of marches from Belfast to Derry in 1969 result in terrible violence, and heighten the conflict? And, which terrible events saw the British army cross the border to intervene?


    Join Dominic and Tom as they discuss the next tumultuous stage of The Troubles in Northern Ireland. 


    *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.

    _______

    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

    19 August 2026, 11:05 pm
  • 1 hour 26 minutes
    697. The Troubles: Murder in Belfast (Part 1)

    How did the Troubles break out in Northern Ireland in the 1960s, and how far back does the dispute really go? Why did the conflict intensify as it did? And, what did it really mean to be a Catholic in Northern Ireland? 


    Join Dominic and Tom as they discuss one of the darkest and most contentious periods of British history: The Troubles. 


    *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


    _______


    Advertise with us: [email protected]

    _______

    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

    16 August 2026, 11:05 pm
  • 1 hour 9 minutes
    696. Elizabeth I vs The Catholics: Killing the Queen of Scots (Part 6)

    How did the Babington Plot, another Catholic conspiracy to assassinate Elizabeth I and replace her with the imprisoned Mary Queen of Scots, unfold? Did the Spanish help her? How did Sir Francis Walsingham and his web of spies foil the plot? And, what would become of Mary once put on trial?


    Join Tom and Dominic for the dramatic conclusion to their mighty series on the most climatic period of the reign of Elizabeth I, as she faces another assassination attempt, and decides whether to execute her cousin, and a fellow queen…



    *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.

    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: [email protected]

    _______

    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

    12 August 2026, 11:05 pm
  • 1 hour 1 minute
    695. Elizabeth I vs The Catholics: The Shadow War (Part 5)

    Who was the charismatic Sir Philip Sidney, a beloved but also suspect courtier to Elizabeth I? Why, in 1585, was England in such danger from a Spanish invasion? And, would Sydney, with his friend Sir Francis Drake, help to save their beloved queen?


    Join Tom and Dominic as they plunge into the high point of the Tudor Cold War: with Philip II brooding on war in Spain, Holland ablaze, and religious tension gripping Europe, what would Elizabeth I do? 



    *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.

    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: [email protected]

    _______

    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

    9 August 2026, 11:05 pm
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