History Rage

Discover how drugs shaped empires, creativity, and chaos throughout history.

From ancient battlefields to Victorian medicine cabinets, this week’s episode of History Rage dives into the surprising — and often shocking — role of substance use across the ages. Host Paul Bavill is joined by historian and writer Sam Kelly (@humanhistoryondrugs) for a deep, thought-provoking journey through how drugs influenced the world’s most famous figures, ideas, and empires.

Together, they uncover how Alexander the Great, Sigmund Freud, Queen Victoria, and even Pope Leo XIII all encountered (and indulged in) mind-altering substances — often with world-changing consequences. From Freud’s cocaine-fuelled psychology to the British Empire’s opium trade, from religious visions to artistic inspiration, Sam and Paul reveal the hidden highs and devastating lows that shaped history’s greatest moments.

You’ll learn how drugs were once tools of power and creativity, but also instruments of destruction. And, as Sam reminds us, it’s never a simple story — these substances weren’t inherently good or bad, but they were always influential.

If you’ve ever wondered what connects emperors, popes, poets, and programmers — or how LSD helped inspire modern computing — this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

🎧 Episode Highlights
The Pope who publicly endorsed cocaine-infused wine 🍷
How opium funded the British Empire’s expansion into China 💰
Freud, Alexander the Great, and the deadly cost of indulgence ⚔️
The link between artistic creativity and chemical experimentation 🎨
Steve Jobs, LSD, and the psychedelic origins of the personal computer 💻
Why understanding substance use gives us a truer picture of history 🔍

📚 About the Guest – Sam Kelly
Sam Kelly is a historian, writer, and host of Human History on Drugs, where he explores the complex and often surprising intersections between humanity and its intoxicants. His work brings wit, nuance, and compassion to a subject too often oversimplified.
👉 Follow Sam on Instagram: @human_history_on_drugs
🎙️ Check out the TikTok Channel: @human_history_on_durgs
________________________________________
💬 Connect with History Rage
📱 Follow for more history myth-busting and expert rants:
Instagram: @historyrage
Twitter/X: @historyrage
TikTok: @historyrage
📧 Contact Paul Bavill: [email protected]

💥 Support History Rage
Love what we do? Help keep History Rage independent:
💰 Join us on Patreon for exclusive episodes, early access, and behind-the-scenes extras:
👉 https://www.patreon.com/historyrage
🎧 Subscribe on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode — and leave us a rating or review to help more listeners discover the truth behind the myths.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anne Boleyn myths destroyed live at Katherine of Aragon Festival
Recorded live at the Katherine of Aragon Festival, this special episode of History Rage sees host Paul Bavill joined on stage by Owen Emerson (Assistant Curator, Hever Castle) and Alfred Hawkins (Curator, Tower of London) to challenge the biggest myths surrounding Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII and Tudor England.

Anne Boleyn remains one of the most mythologised figures in British history. Was she a ruthless schemer? A Protestant heroine? A tragic innocent? Owen Emerson argues that much of what we “know” about Anne was shaped by Victorian historians. Far from being a woman without substance, she was highly educated, shaped by Renaissance France, politically aware and deeply engaged in religious reform — though not the architect of the English Reformation.

The panel explores:
Anne Boleyn’s relationship with Catherine of Aragon
Whether Anne pursued Henry VIII — or resisted him
The political reality behind the Break with Rome
The truth about her execution and burial
Why we don’t actually know what most ordinary people thought of her

Alfred Hawkins also tackles a major misconception: the idea that the Tower of London is simply a grim execution site. While Anne’s death looms large, the Tower was a royal palace, administrative hub, armoury, archive and community for centuries. Reducing it to a Tudor “theatre of death” ignores over 1,000 years of English history.
This live discussion is packed with Tudor historiography, debates about historical “expertise”, the limits placed on queenship, and why applying modern labels to early modern women can distort more than it clarifies.

If you’re interested in Anne Boleyn, Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII, the English Reformation, Tudor queens, or the Tower of London, this episode restores complexity to one of the most dramatic periods in British history.

Guest Details
Owen Emerson
Assistant Curator, Hever Castle
Visit: https://www.hevercastle.co.uk
Alfred Hawkins
Curator, Tower of London
Visit: https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london

Follow & Support History Rage
🌐 Website: https://www.historyrage.com
📩 Email: [email protected]
📱 Follow on social media: @HistoryRage
🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all major platforms
⭐ Leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover the show
❤️ Support via Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/historyrage
Recorded live at the Katherine of Aragon Festival.
Stay angry.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Desert Fox legend endures, but how much of it is true?
In this landmark 200th episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill is joined once again by military historian and author Peter Caddick Adams to dismantle the enduring myths surrounding one of WWII’s most famous — and most misunderstood — figures: Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, the Desert Fox.

Rommel has long been painted as the daring genius of North Africa and even as a “good German” who stood against Hitler. But how much of that is reality, and how much is myth-making? Paul and Peter dig deep into the legend, the propaganda, and the politics that shaped Rommel’s reputation during the war — and long after it.

The Strategic Genius?
Rommel’s early victories in North Africa cemented his reputation, but Peter reveals the other side: his lack of staff training, his tendency to lead like a battalion commander even at army level, and how much his success relied on captured British equipment, Allied weakness, and signals intelligence.

The Propaganda Machine
Rommel wasn’t just lucky; he was a propaganda dream. From his days as Hitler’s bodyguard in Poland to his carefully staged desert photographs, he cultivated the Desert Fox image with Nazi backing.

Politics and the July Plot
Did Rommel oppose Hitler? Peter explains why there’s no evidence he joined the July 20th plot — a post-war myth shaped by biography and politics.

The Post-War Reinvention
After 1945, Rommel was recast as the “clean Wehrmacht” figure NATO needed. Churchill himself called him “a daring and skilful opponent,” sealing the legend.

Packed with anecdotes — from a dachshund in the classroom, to Coronation Street’s “Rommel the cat” — this milestone episode strips away the myth to reveal the complex man behind the Desert Fox.

🎧 Celebrate 200 episodes of History Rage with a myth-busting deep dive into Rommel’s real legacy.

Guest Information:
Follow Peter Caddick Adams on X: @militaryhistori and Instagram: @pcaddickadams

Support History Rage:
Ad-free listening and exclusive content for just £3/month on Apple or Patreon. For £5/month, unlock even more perks at patreon.com/historyrage.

Contact History Rage:
📧 Email: [email protected]
🐦 Twitter/X: @HistoryRage
📸 Instagram: @HistoryRage
🌐 Website: www.historyrage.com
👉 Help us challenge the myths of history — share this episode and spread the rage!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why history lessons drain passion – and how we can fix it

History should ignite curiosity, creativity and connection. Instead, too often, it does the opposite.

In this powerful History Rage Live episode, host Paul Bavill is joined by medievalist, broadcaster and historian Professor Janina Ramirez to rage against the way history is taught – and how rigid curricula, “great man” narratives and siloed subjects are snuffing out a lifelong love of the past.
Drawing on her own personal journey, Janina explains how school history almost drove her away from the subject she loved, why women and ordinary people remain marginalised in classrooms, and how our education system has all but killed the polymath. From medieval walls to modern smartphones, she makes a passionate case for interdisciplinary history that reflects real human lives – not just battles, kings and dates.

Along the way, the conversation ranges widely:
• Why women’s history is still treated as optional or tokenistic
• How figures like Christine de Pizan and Hildegard of Bingen challenge everything we think we know about the past
• Why timelines matter – but rigid periodisation often doesn’t
• How digital access could create a new generation of polymaths
• And why rewriting history isn’t about politics, but accuracy

This episode is essential listening for teachers, students, parents, historians and anyone who’s ever felt bored by history lessons – and wondered why.
If you’ve ever loved history but felt pushed away by how it’s taught, this rage is for you.

About the guest: Professor Janina Ramirez
Professor Janina Ramirez is a medievalist, art historian and broadcaster, and President (for life) of the Gloucester History Festival. She is renowned for bringing interdisciplinary, people-centred history to wide audiences through books, television and public scholarship.

Books
📘 Legenda: The Real Women Behind the Myths That Shaped Europe
Available here: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9780753560419

Follow & contact Janina Ramirez
Twitter / X / Instagram: @drjaninaramirez
Gloucester History Festival: https://www.gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk

More History Rage with Janina Ramirez
🎧 Episode 82 – Medieval women written out of history: https://pod.fo/e/1ef944
🎧 Episode 147 – Life inside a medieval convent: https://pod.fo/e/269598

About History Rage
History Rage is the podcast where historians vent their frustrations and dismantle the myths we were taught at school. Hosted by Paul Bavill, each episode challenges comfortable narratives and puts passion back into the past.

Follow History Rage
Twitter / X / Instagram / Facebook: @HistoryRage
Website & bookshop: https://www.historyrage.com

Support the podcast
❤️ Join Patreon for live streams and exclusive content:
👉 https://www.patreon.com/historyrage
🎧 Listen ad-free on Apple Podcasts for just £3 per month via Apple Subscriptions
⭐ And if you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review or recommend History Rage to a friend – it really helps the podcast grow.

Stay angry. History depends on it.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why are we still obsessed with the Tudors?
In this lively episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill is joined by the brilliant comedian and World War II historian Al Murray to tackle the relentless fixation on the Tudor dynasty. With a blend of humour and historical insight, Al argues that it’s high time we move beyond the soap opera of Henry VIII and his six wives to explore the far more transformative events of the 17th century — namely, the English Civil War.

Join us as we delve into:
- Tudor Fatigue: Al’s candid thoughts on why the Tudors have overstayed their welcome in popular history.
- The English Civil War: Discover why Al believes this tumultuous period is far more relevant and interesting than the Tudor saga.
- Revolutionary Ideas: How the Civil War set the stage for modern British governance and the ongoing struggle between power and the people.
- Historical Narratives: The importance of perspective in history and how personal biases shape our understanding of the past.
- Fresh Approaches: Al shares insights from his writing, including how to approach historical events without the burden of hindsight.

With Al's unique blend of comedy and historical analysis, this episode is a call to arms for history enthusiasts to broaden their horizons and explore the rich tapestry of our past beyond the Tudors. Get ready for a passionate discussion that challenges the status quo of historical storytelling!

📚 Connect with Al Murray
Check out his latest book Victory 45 co-authored with James Holland: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781472146360
Follow Al on social media: Instagram/Threads: @thealmurray | Twitter/Bluesky: @almurray

❤️ If you’re enjoying this episode, support the show on Patreon for exclusive content, early access, and the iconic History Rage mug. Subscribe at www.patreon.com/historyrage

🔗 Follow History Rage on Social Media:
Twitter: @HistoryRage
Instagram: @historyrage
Facebook: History Rage

Join us for a spirited debate that’s sure to ignite your passion for history and challenge your views on what truly matters in our past!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.