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Long History

History is food for the brain. On Long History we split historic source documents into chunks of around ten minutes so you hear about historic events from the people who took part. Our previous series have included first-hand accounts of journeys by Magellan, Drake, Columbus and more. Treat yourself to something nourishing, and listen to real history while you’re doing it.

Random UK Prime Minister of the Week. 1721-1742: Robert Walpole

24 mins; October 20, 2023

The Second Voyage of Christopher Columbus. 4: Disease, Quarrels, Attacks and Fire in Navidad

14 mins; October 18, 2023

The Second Voyage of Christopher Columbus. 3: Perplexity and Astonishment – St Martin to Hispaniola

15 mins; October 16, 2023

Random UK Prime Minister of the Week. 1830-1834: Charles Grey – Earl Grey

14 mins; October 13, 2023

The Second Voyage of Christopher Columbus. 2: Rumours and Wanderers on Guadeloupe

14 mins; October 11, 2023

The Second Voyage of Christopher Columbus. 1: The Most Beautiful Thing in the World – The Canaries to Dominica and Guadeloupe

16 mins; October 09, 2023

Random UK Prime Minister of the Week. 1765-1766 & 1782: Charles Watson-Wentworth

20 mins; October 06, 2023

Conquering Manila. 5. Whoever is the Richest: Gold on the Philippines

16 mins; October 04, 2023

Conquering Manila. 4. The Last of the Wars

14 mins; October 02, 2023

Random UK Prime Minister of the Week. 1908-1916: Herbert Asquith

18 mins; September 29, 2023

Conquering Manila. 3. The Unsatisfactory Founding of the City of Manila

15 mins; September 27, 2023

Conquering Manila. 2. Fire in Manila

14 mins; September 25, 2023

Random UK Prime Minister of the Week. 1937-1940: Neville Chamberlain

17 mins; September 22, 2023

Conquering Manila. 1. The Expedition to Luzon in the Philippines

14 mins; September 20, 2023

How Manila became Spanish. 5. Treacherous Work: A Battle in Manila

13 mins; September 18, 2023

Random UK Prime Minister of the Week. 1905–1908: Henry Campbell-Bannerman

17 mins; September 15, 2023

How Manila became Spanish. 4: The Deceitful Plan of the King of Manila

12 mins; September 13, 2023

How Manila became Spanish. 3. The Marvellous Bay and the Magnificent Lord of Manila

14 mins; September 11, 2023

Random UK Prime Minister of the Week. 1806–1807: William Wyndham Grenville

15 mins; September 08, 2023

How Manila became Spanish. 2. Muskets Versus Poisoned Arrows. On the Way to Luzon

13 mins; September 06, 2023

How Manila became Spanish. 1. The People of the Philippines

15 mins; September 04, 2023

Henry Hudson: Top Ten Surprises

24 mins; September 01, 2023

Henry Hudson: Top Ten Events

18 mins; August 30, 2023

A Journal of the First Voyage of Vasco da Gama. 15. Face to Face with Death: The Journey Home

14 mins; August 28, 2023

A Journal of the First Voyage of Vasco da Gama. 14. A Westerner in India

12 mins; August 25, 2023

A Journal of the First Voyage of Vasco da Gama. 13. Greatly Rejoicing at our Good Fortune: Prisoners, Trade and the Voyage Home.

12 mins; August 23, 2023

A Journal of the First Voyage of Vasco da Gama. 12. Hostages in India

12 mins; August 21, 2023

A Journal of the First Voyage of Vasco da Gama. 11. Some Evil Design in India

12 mins; August 18, 2023

A Journal of the First Voyage of Vasco da Gama. 10. An Audience with the King of Calecut

14 mins; August 16, 2023

A Journal of the First Voyage of Vasco da Gama. 9. Arrival in India

12 mins; August 14, 2023

A Journal of the First Voyage of Vasco da Gama. 8. Fetes, fights and fanfares. Malindi to India

14 mins; August 11, 2023

A Journal of the First Voyage of Vasco da Gama. 7. Trust and The King of Malindi

15 mins; August 09, 2023

A Journal of the First Voyage of Vasco da Gama. 6. Mozambique to Mombasa

10 mins; August 07, 2023

A Journal of the First Voyage of Vasco da Gama. 5. The Island of Mozambique

13 mins; August 04, 2023

A Journal of the First Voyage of Vasco da Gama. 4. South East Africa

13 mins; August 02, 2023

A Journal of the First Voyage of Vasco da Gama. 3. Rounding the Cape of Good Hope

14 mins; July 31, 2023

A Journal of the First Voyage of Vasco da Gama. 2. Atlantic Islands

12 mins; July 28, 2023

A Journal of the First Voyage of Vasco da Gama. 1. Introduction: The Three Great Navigators

12 mins; July 26, 2023

The Age of Exploration: When Europeans met the locals part 2

22 mins; July 24, 2023

The Age of Exploration: When Europeans met the locals part 1

20 mins; July 21, 2023

Memorable Deaths in the Age of Exploration

24 mins; July 19, 2023

Henry Hudson – Journey 4 Part 9. Base Slanders Against the Master

12 mins; July 17, 2023

Henry Hudson – Journey 4 Part 8: A Joyful Cry and a Tragical End

15 mins; July 14, 2023

Henry Hudson – Journey 4 Part 7: The Mutineers

15 mins; July 12, 2023

Henry Hudson – Journey 4 Part 6: The Deed of Darkness – Mutiny in Canada’s Hudson Bay

14 mins; July 10, 2023

Henry Hudson – Journey 4 Part 5: Blood and Revenge

15 mins; July 07, 2023

Henry Hudson – Journey 4 Part 4: Winter in Hudson Bay – A Labyrinth Without End

18 mins; July 05, 2023

Henry Hudson – Journey 4 Part 3: Into Hudson Bay

14 mins; July 03, 2023

Henry Hudson – Journey 4 Part 2: The Waters to the North of Quebec

13 mins; June 30, 2023

Henry Hudson – Journey 4 Part 1: The Hunt for the North-West Passage in Henry Hudson’s Own Words

13 mins; June 28, 2023

Henry Hudson – Journey 3 Part 8: Back to New York Bay and home to England

18 mins; June 23, 2023

Henry Hudson – Journey 3 Part 7: Up the Hudson River: From the Narrows to Views of the Catskills

19 mins; June 21, 2023

Henry Hudson – Journey 3 Part 6: Staten Island and the Mouth of Hudson River: Welcomed and Attacked

17 mins; June 19, 2023

Henry Hudson – Journey 3 Part 5: The Atlantic Coast: Virginia, the Carolinas, Chesapeake Bay and the Delaware River

18 mins; June 16, 2023

Henry Hudson – Journey 3 Part 4: The Sweet Land of Massachusetts

18 mins; June 13, 2023

Henry Hudson – Voyage 3 Part 3: Trust and Betrayal – The Locals, The French and The Greatest Cods Ever Seen

17 mins; June 12, 2023

Henry Hudson – Voyage 3 Part 2: West Away For Newfound Land

17 mins; June 09, 2023

Henry Hudson – Journey 3 Part 1: The Norwegian Coast and the Faroe Islands in all Weathers

17 mins; June 07, 2023

Henry Hudson – Journey 2 Part 4: Leaving the Land of the Midnight Sun

14 mins; June 05, 2023

Henry Hudson – Journey 2 Part 3: Driving Ice, Walruses and the North-East Passage

15 mins; June 02, 2023

Henry Hudson – Journey 2 Part 2: Arctic Islands and the Hope of Passage

16 mins; May 31, 2023

Henry Hudson – Journey 2 Part 1: The Norwegian Coast and A Mermaid

18 mins; May 29, 2023

Henry Hudson – Journey 1 Part 4: The Passage Around Greenland to England

14 mins; May 26, 2023

Henry Hudson – Journey 1 Part 3: Whales, Bears, Walruses and Seals

15 mins; May 24, 2023

Henry Hudson – Journey 1 Part 2: Fog, Gales, Wind and Ice in Svalbard

14 mins; May 22, 2023

Henry Hudson – Journey 1 Part 1: Introduction. Frozen in Shetland and Greenland

16 mins; May 19, 2023

Sir Walter Raleigh’s The Discovery of Guiana. Top Ten Surprises

20 mins; May 17, 2023

Sir Walter Raleigh’s The Discovery of Guiana. Top Ten Events

18 mins; May 15, 2023

The Hunt for the Missing Captain. 5. Pacific Death and Rescue

11 mins; May 12, 2023

The Hunt for the Missing Captain. 4. Circling the Western Pacific

14 mins; May 10, 2023

The Hunt for the Missing Captain. 3. The Found Captain and the Battle with the Portuguese

13 mins; May 08, 2023

The Hunt for the Missing Captain. 2. Philippine Islands Hijack and Rescue

13 mins; May 05, 2023

The Hunt for the Missing Captain. 1. Saavedra Sets off in a Leaky Boat

14 mins; May 03, 2023

The Southern United States in the 1500s. Top Ten Surprises

22 mins; May 01, 2023

The Southern United States in the 1500s. Top Ten Events

18 mins; April 28, 2023

Sir Walter Raleigh’s The Discovery of Guiana. 18. The Shining Glory of This Conquest

19 mins; April 26, 2023

Sir Walter Raleigh’s The Discovery of Guiana. 17. The Great Rage and Increase of Orinoco

15 mins; April 24, 2023

Sir Walter Raleigh’s The Discovery of Guiana. 16. Gold Mines and Crystal Mountains

16 mins; April 21, 2023

Sir Walter Raleigh’s The Discovery of Guiana. 15. Topiawari and the War for Women

17 mins; April 19, 2023

Sir Walter Raleigh’s The Discovery of Guiana. 14. Beautiful Waterfalls, Riches and Men Without Heads

16 mins; April 17, 2023

Sir Walter Raleigh’s The Discovery of Guiana. 13. Beyond the Valley of Amariocapana

14 mins; April 14, 2023

Sir Walter Raleigh’s The Discovery of Guiana. 12. Heading West, with Wine and Poisoned Arrows

12 mins; April 12, 2023

Sir Walter Raleigh’s The Discovery of Guiana. 11. Bread and the Spanish

15 mins; April 10, 2023

Sir Walter Raleigh’s The Discovery of Guiana. 10. Lost in the Orinoco’s Tributaries

13 mins; April 07, 2023

Sir Walter Raleigh’s The Discovery of Guiana. 9. Raleigh’s Journey Begins - the Vast Orinoco Delta

13 mins; April 05, 2023

Sir Walter Raleigh’s The Discovery of Guiana. 8. Mortal Enemies in the Search for El Dorado

16 mins; April 03, 2023

Sir Walter Raleigh’s The Discovery of Guiana. 7. Amazonian Women and Berreo’s Search for El Dorado

14 mins; March 31, 2023

Sir Walter Raleigh’s The Discovery of Guiana. 6. The Loco Emperor and The Hunt for Gold

15 mins; March 29, 2023

Sir Walter Raleigh’s The Discovery of Guiana. 5. The Man Who Discovered El Dorado

10 mins; March 27, 2023

Sir Walter Raleigh’s The Discovery of Guiana. 4. The Case for El Dorado

15 mins; March 24, 2023

Sir Walter Raleigh’s The Discovery of Guiana. 3. Tension on Trinidad

13 mins; March 22, 2023

Sir Walter Raleigh’s The Discovery of Guiana. 2. Answering Malicious Slander

16 mins; March 20, 2023

Sir Walter Raleigh’s The Discovery of Guiana. 1. Who was Sir Walter Raleigh?

20 mins; March 17, 2023

One Year of Long History: The Most Memorable Events

18 mins; March 15, 2023

The Southern United States in the 1500s. 25. Rewarding their Escape

12 mins; March 13, 2023

The Southern United States in the 1500s. 24. Newly Given Life in Pánuco

11 mins; March 10, 2023

The Southern United States in the 1500s. 23. The Coast or the Sea?

12 mins; March 08, 2023

The Southern United States in the 1500s. 22. Menaced in the Mississippi

13 mins; March 06, 2023

The Southern United States in the 1500s. 21. Boatbuilding in Arkansas

10 mins; March 03, 2023

The Southern United States in the 1500s. 20. Searching for a Route Home in Texas

15 mins; March 01, 2023

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