Marco Polo and The Court of the Great Kublai Khan

The Making of Osama bin Laden

A deep dive into the rise and fall of Osama bin Laden, from his affluent childhood in Saudi Arabia to his assassination during the biggest manhunt in modern history. For this, Dan is joined by Jason Burke, author of 'The Revolutionists: The Story of the Extremists Who Hijacked the 1970s’, to make sense of the forces that inspired the world's most infamous Jihadist, the beginnings and growth of Qaeda, and 9/11 and its aftermath. Produced by James Hickmann and Mariana Des Forges, and edited by Dougal Patmore. We need your help! Let us know what you want from Dan Snow's History Hit by filling in our anonymous survey here: https://forms.gle/PvgayWLkWGjYT4St6 [https://forms.gle/PvgayWLkWGjYT4St6] Dan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcast] Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe [https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe]. You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com [ds.hh@historyhit.com]. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Marco Polo and The Court of the Great Kublai Khan

No throne on Earth came close to rivalling it. The court of Kublai Khan stood at the centre of an empire that threw every other power of its age into shadow. Vast and wealthy beyond comprehension, it seemed a world away from medieval Europe. Yet one young Venetian made the staggering 4-year journey, and wrote down everything that he saw. His name was Marco Polo. Today, Dan draws on Marco's extraordinary diary to take you on a journey across deserts, mountains and oceans, to glimpse the splendour and spectacle of this medieval superpower. Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Natasha Hughes. We need your help! Let us know what you want from Dan Snow's History Hit by filling in our anonymous survey here: https://forms.gle/PvgayWLkWGjYT4St6 [https://forms.gle/PvgayWLkWGjYT4St6] Dan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcast] Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe [https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe]. You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com [ds.hh@historyhit.com]. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

The Naval Revolution: Triumph and Disaster

A deafening impact, a shattered destroyer, and a legacy that completely revolutionised warfare at sea. When HMS Tiger sank beneath the waves one dark night in 1908, over half of her crew were lost to the depths, and the nation went into mourning. But this was more than a tragic, peacetime accident. It was a warning that the age of steam, steel and speed had transformed warfare faster than navies could adapt. And the sinking of HMS Tiger revealed the hidden dangers and profound upheavals of this naval revolution. Today we're joined by expert divers and wreck specialists Dan, Dave and Leo, who have just discovered the wreck of HMS Tiger, 118 years after her sinking. They tell us all about this remarkable find, and the advent of a revolutionary new class of warship - the destroyer. Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore. We need your help! Let us know what you want from Dan Snow's History Hit by filling in our anonymous survey here: https://forms.gle/PvgayWLkWGjYT4St6 [https://forms.gle/PvgayWLkWGjYT4St6] Dan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcast] Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe [https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe]. You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com [ds.hh@historyhit.com]. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

The Fall of the Ancient Maya

What happens when a civilisation at its peak begins to fail? Historians have long been fascinated by the Maya Collapse in the 9th century: why the great cities of Mesoamerica were abandoned, why their populations disappeared, and why the construction of magnificent monuments came to a halt. To trace the story of this mighty fall, Dan travels to the ancient Maya cities hidden in the jungles of Belize to investigate star wars, climate crisis, Spanish conquest and Maya resistance. He also ventures deep into Belize's extraordinary cave system with archaeologist Dr Rafael Guerra to uncover how the ancient Maya turned to human sacrifice in an attempt to appease forces beyond their control- leading to an astonishing discovery. If you'd like to visit any of the places mentioned in this episode, like the ancient cities of Caracol, Lamanai or Belize's many caves, you can find out more at www.travelbelize.org [https://www.travelbelize.org]. If you want more Maya history, you can sign up to watch our History Hit documentary The Secrets of the Maya at https://access.historyhit.com/videos/secrets-of-the-maya [https://access.historyhit.com/videos/secrets-of-the-maya] With huge thanks to Jonnell Augustine and Simon Noralez from the Belize Tourism Board, Natalie Wilson and Gabriella Bustone from Finn Partners. Thank you to all our contributors, including archaeologists Dr Adrian Chase, Dr Rafael Guerra, guide Reuben Arevalo and Juan Cal. Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

The Rise of the Ancient Maya

For more than 3,000 years, the Maya built one of the Ancient world's greatest civilisations. They raised towering pyramids in the rainforest, mastered the environment and established powerful dynasties- long before the rise of the Aztecs or the Inca. Their city-states waged wars, forged alliances, and practised elaborate rituals as they competed for power across Central America. In a special mini-series, Dan travels to the remote jungles of Belize to trace the remarkable story of the Maya: from their earliest beginnings and astonishing rise to their golden age, to the enduring mystery of the ninth-century collapse that continues to puzzle historians. In episode one, Dan discovers exactly how the Maya emerged to become a dominant force in the ancient Americas. If you would like to find out how to visit the ancient city of Caracol and the many places mentioned in this podcast, visit www.travelbelize.org [https://www.travelbelize.org] for more information! If you want more, you can sign up to watch our History Hit documentary The Secrets of the Maya at https://access.historyhit.com/videos/secrets-of-the-maya [https://access.historyhit.com/videos/secrets-of-the-maya] With huge thanks to Jonnell Augustine and Simon Noralez from the Belize Tourism Board, Natalie Wilson and Gabriella Bustone from Finn Partners. Our contributors: Dr Adrian Chase, Dr Diane Chase and Jose Mes. Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore.  ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.