History Rage

Is Europe strictly a Judeo-Christian entity, or have we forgotten 1400 years of Islamic history?

In this explosive episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill sits down with author, journalist, and historian Tharik Hussain to smash the persistent myth that Europe’s cultural identity is solely Judeo-Christian. Tharik exposes how Islamic heritage is woven directly into the fabric of European identity, tracing back to the earliest days of Islam.

Key Insights & Episode Highlights

The First Muslim European Navy: Discover how Caliph Uthman and Muawiyah ibn Abu Sufyan launched Islam’s first organized naval presence in Cyprus around the 640s AD, placing early companions of Prophet Muhammad on European soil within the first generation of the faith.
The Myth of Conquest vs Liberation: Revisit the 711 AD Muslim arrival in the Iberian Peninsula and how local Jewish communities viewed it as a liberation from severe Visigothic persecution, sparking the Jewish Golden Age.
Golden Age Innovations: Learn about Abbas ibn Firnas—the 9th-century polymath who achieved human flight 600 years before Leonardo da Vinci—and Abu al-Qasim al-Zahrawi (Albukasis), the father of modern surgery whose tools mirror modern medical instruments today.
Weaponized Mythologies: Deconstruct nation-building legends like Santiago Matamoros ("Moor Slayer") and the fictional Tribute of 100 Virgins, created to fuel anti-Muslim rhetoric during the Reconquista and Crusades.
Living Indigenous History: Recognize indigenous European Muslims across Bosnia, Albania, and Kosovo, proving that Islam never left the continent.

Guest Information & Book Links

Guest: Tharik Hussain
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tharik_hussein
Buy the Book: Support independent bookshops and the podcast by purchasing Muslim Europe: A Journey in Search of the 1400 Years of History at the History Rage Bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9780241742822

Recommended Episodes
Keep the historical rage going with these referenced episodes from the archive:

Episode 304: Tom Asbridge on why the Black Death was actually a global problem
Episode 237: Steve Tibble on dismantling the glamorization of the Assassins

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Patreon: Join the Angry Mob for early ad-free episodes, monthly live streams, and the official History Rage mug at https://www.patreon.com/historyrage

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Marilyn Monroe was a savvy, trailblazing studio boss—not a helpless starlet.

In this centennial year of Marilyn Monroe's birth, historian and author Lucy Jane Santos joins Paul Bavill on History Rage to shatter decades of Hollywood mythmaking.

From taking on studio executives to setting up her own production company, Marilyn Monroe fought relentless 1950s misogyny to take control of her career—only to be dismissed by contemporaries as a "dumb blonde" or a "diva" on set.

Lucy peels back the layers of retro gossip surrounding the chaotic, brilliant production of Some Like It Hot. Discover the real dynamics between Marilyn, director Billy Wilder, and co-stars Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. Plus, unearth the truth about acting coach Paula Strasburg and why this timeless comedy continues to captivate audiences over six decades later.

Guest Information & Recommended Book

Guest: Lucy Jane Santos
Website: https://www.lucyjanesantos.com/
Social Media: Follow Lucy on X @lucyjanesantos and Instagram @lucyjanesantos_
Buy the Book: Support the guest and the podcast by buying Nobody's Perfect: The Making of Some Like It Hot from the History Rage Bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781036138806

Recommended Additional Episodes

Episode 175: Guy Walters on our obsession with the Mitford sisters.
Episode 227: Anne de Courcy on Coco Chanel.

Follow, Contact & Support History Rage

Support on Patreon: Join the Rage Train at https://www.patreon.com/historyrage for £5/month to get early ad-free episodes, monthly live streams, and the official History Rage mug!
Follow Us: Twitter/X @HistoryRage | Instagram @HistoryRage
Website: https://www.historyrage.com
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Is America really the global saviour of democracy it claims to be, or is that just a myth?

Dive deep into the complex world of US Politics and American History with host Paul Bavill and guest historian Jackson Van Uden on this special episode of History Rage. Far from being a pure bastion of freedom from its inception, the History of the United States reveals a consistent, hidden vein of authoritarianism and anti-democratic behaviour that stretches all the way from the American Revolution to the modern era.

Discover how Founding Fathers like Thomas Jefferson used George III as a political scapegoat, why early elections like 1824 subverted the popular will, and how figures from Abraham Lincoln to Richard Nixon wrestled with executive overreach. Whether you are fascinated by American Presidents, the History of Democracy, or the complex realities of US Midterm Elections, this episode dismantles centuries of sanitized Political History to challenge everything you thought you knew.

Key Highlights & Topics Covered
The Founding Myth: Unpacking how Thomas Jefferson blamed King George III to mask elite power grabs during the American Revolution.
Elitism and the Electoral College: Why the architects of the Constitution feared direct democracy and how early presidential choices sidelined everyday citizens.
Wartime Powers & Expansion: Examining executive overreach, civil liberties, and authoritarian measures from the Civil War to Woodrow Wilson and FDR.
Homegrown Tyrants & Watergate: Looking at domestic demagogues like Huey Long and the legacy of Richard Nixon and Watergate.

Recommended Episodes Referenced in This Transcript
Episode 262: It's Time to Stop Glorifying Henry VIII
Episode 129: Totalitarianism is a 20th Century Phenomenon

Guest Information & Links
Guest: Jackson Van Uden (Historian of authoritarianism, curator of the Katherine of Aragon Festival, and host of History with Jackson)
History with Jackson Podcast: Available on all major podcast platforms
https://historywithjackson.co.uk/podcast
Katherine of Aragon Festival: Keep an eye out for the festival coming to Peterborough in January 2027

How to Follow, Contact, and Support History Rage
Support the Show on Patreon: Join as a History Rager at patreon.com/historyrage to get early ad-free episodes, monthly live streams, and the coveted History Rage mug (tiers starting at £3 to £5 per month).
Apple Podcasts: Subscribe for early, ad-free episodes directly through Apple Podcasts.
Spread the Word: Tell a friend and help grow the community—stay angry!
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Think you know the history of early Cold War espionage? Think again.

In this gripping episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill sits down with Dr. Stephen Long, Assistant Professor of International Relations and author of A Rich Harvest of Bitter Fruit, to dismantle decades of myths surrounding the CIA and MI6’s covert operations in communist Albania.

For years, mainstream history has claimed that the West launched a failed "rollback" operation to achieve regime change against Albanian dictator Enver Hoxha, and that notorious Soviet mole Kim Philby single-handedly sabotaged the mission. Using a massive cache of recently declassified CIA documents, Dr. Long exposes these narratives as fundamental fallacies. Discover how the operation was actually constrained by geopolitical anxieties surrounding Yugoslavia's Tito, how the CIA "cut its teeth" on a sophisticated propaganda war, and why Kim Philby's true significance has been vastly distorted by his historical celebrity.

From the heartbreaking double-cross of the "Apple" agent team to the tactical lineage that led directly to the Bay of Pigs, this episode completely rewrites the playbook on early Western intelligence failures.

Recommended Additional Episodes

Episode 103: Beyond the Stasi: The Untold Story of East Germany with Katja Hoyer
Episode 285: The Cambridge Five Are a Bunch of Shit with Antonia Senior

About the Guest

Dr. Stephen Long is an Assistant Professor of International Relations at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University and an expert in US foreign policy and intelligence history.
Buy the Book: Grab your copy of A Rich Harvest of Bitter Fruit: MI6, CIA Covert Action in Communist Albania directly from the History Rage Bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781837732241

Support & Follow History Rage

Support us on Patreon: Get early, ad-free episodes, access to monthly live streams, and the coveted History Rage mug for just £5/month: https://www.patreon.com/historyrage
Follow the Rage: Share this episode, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Google, and help another passenger climb aboard the rage train!
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Think the legendary detective began at 221B Baker Street?

Step onto the Victorian hospital wards of 19th-century Edinburgh! Before Arthur Conan Doyle created the master sleuth, he was a medical student mesmerized by Dr. Joseph Bell—a Scottish surgeon who could read a human body like a crime scene. Long before standard forensic science existed, Bell used acute observational deduction to unmask army deserters, uncover poisons, and assist Edinburgh’s police surgeon in solving headline-grabbing murders.

In this gripping episode, medical historian, bestselling author, and YouTube host Dr. Lindsey Fitzharris joins Paul Bavill to tear away the fictional facade and reveal the real, complex man behind the Sherlock Holmes legend. Discover how Bell’s groundbreaking diagnostic eye helped pioneer courtroom expert testimony, reform Victorian nursing, and inspire a literary icon—even if both Bell and Doyle grew to despise the famous detective!

Guest Links & Social Details:
Official Website: https://drlindseyfitzharris.com/
YouTube Series (Under the Knife): https://www.youtube.com/@UnderTheKnifeShow
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlindseyfitzharris/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/DrLindseyFitz
Buy the Book (History Rage Bookshop): https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9780241632611

Recommended Episodes Referenced in Transcript:
Episode 1: Cat Irving rages that Burke and Hare were not body snatchers.
Episode 254: Debunking the Lizzie Borden axe murder myths.
Episode 280: Alanna Skuse rages that Renaissance medicine is not quackery.

Follow, Contact & Support History Rage:
Support the Podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/historyrage
Follow on X (Twitter): https://x.com/HistoryRage
Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyrage/
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