Joan of Arc: inspirational leader or flawed failure?

Joan of Arc's story is one of the most remarkable chapters in medieval history: that of a rebellious teenage peasant girl rising to become a military leader, before suffering an equally precipitous fall from favour. But what leadership qualities contributed to her success? In today's episode, which originally featured in our History's Greatest Leaders series, entrepreneur and author of Next-Gen CEO Mike Soutar talks to historian Janina Ramirez about Joan's story, and the lessons it could offer for today's leaders. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST Don't miss more of Mike Soutar's conversations about some of the past's most powerful people – just search for History's Greatest Leaders or follow the feed here: https://play.megaphone.fm/xim3wnhes9qxso8n8kjlaa Go to ⁠https://surfshark.com/historyextra⁠ or use code HISTORYEXTRA at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Who were the people who financed Britain’s transatlantic slave trade – and how did their money transform the nation? Elinor Evans speaks to historian William A Pettigrew, who has led a landmark project identifying some 13,000 investors connected to the trafficking of 3.2 million enslaved African people. William reveals how profits and networks associated with the trade influenced Britain’s politics, industry, culture and institutions, from the Royal Navy and canal building to theatres and charities. He also reveals the work behind a new register of the traders and how our ancestors' involvements can be tracked in more detail than ever before. Don't miss a new BBC television series, Finding Britain’s Slave Traders with David Olusoga, which explores these stories. The first episode airs at 9pm on Monday 21 September on BBC Two, with all episodes also available on BBC iPlayer. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST To hear more about how the ruthless exploitation of people and resources supercharged the Industrial Revolution in Britain, listen to our interview with Edmond Smith, who was also one of the historians who worked on the project to surface the wider roles of Britain's slave traders: https://bit.ly/4gAfNlh Go to ⁠https://surfshark.com/historyextra⁠ or use code HISTORYEXTRA at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What defines Europe – is it geography, politics, a shared culture, or perhaps a mix of all three? In this episode, historian Roderick Beaton tells Emily Briffett about the ways in which it has been defined, and redefined, as an idea by its people over the centuries. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST National icons aren’t born – they’re engineered. But how were historical figures such as Joan of Arc and Isabella of Castile transformed into political symbols, their real lives lost beneath centuries of myth-making? Find out in this episode of the HistoryExtra podcast with Janina Ramirez: https://bit.ly/4tZbwgL Go to ⁠https://surfshark.com/historyextra⁠ or use code HISTORYEXTRA at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He's well-known for creating children's classic The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, but what else can history teach us about CS Lewis? Michael Ward explores the life of the author with Isabel King – from a tragic childhood to his turbulent relationship with faith. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST If CS Lewis's experience of combat has piqued your interest and you'd like to learn more about the First World War, don't miss our six-episode HistoryExtra Academy course WW1: Myths and Misconceptions, in which Alex Churchill challenges the most significant misunderstandings about the global conflict: https://bit.ly/4ezpcbT Go to https://surfshark.com/historyextra or use code HISTORYEXTRA at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Napoleon III's family was, in the words of historian Edward Shawcross, “the most cutthroat mafioso soap opera in the world”. Exiled to Switzerland as a boy and disowned by his own father, he spent years as a laughing stock of French politics, twice arrested trying to seize power. Here, in conversation with Danny Bird, Edward traces Louis-Napoleon's strange path from mocked pretender in exile to Emperor of the French, and explores whether Napoleon III can really be regarded as an early populist dictator. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST To find out more about Napoleon III's long-suffering consort, Eugénie de Montijo, don't miss our podcast episode on her relationship with Empress Sisi of Austria, in conversation with author Nancy Goldstone: https://bit.ly/3SfJfVR Go to ⁠https://surfshark.com/historyextra⁠ or use code HISTORYEXTRA at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Bayeux Tapestry exhibition at the British Museum is set to be the biggest historical event in decades. In conversation with David Musgrove, its curator Michael Lewis gives the lowdown on what the exhibition is all about, and how you should make the most of your trip if you do get a ticket to the show. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST Check out David Musgrove's 6-part Academy series on the Bayeux Tapestry for HistoryExtra: https://bit.ly/3SWpfYC Go to ⁠https://surfshark.com/historyextra⁠ or use code HISTORYEXTRA at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What can DNA tell us about who we are and where we came from? Professor Turi King – who previously appeared on the podcast to discuss her research into Adolf Hitler’s DNA – returns to explore modern genetics and its role in solving some of history’s biggest mysteries. Speaking to Jon Bauckham, Turi discusses the surprising origins of DNA fingerprinting, common misconceptions surrounding testing, and her role in the groundbreaking discovery of King Richard III. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST Listen to Turi King discussing her research into Hitler's DNA in an episode of the HistoryExtra podcast from November 2025: https://bit.ly/4gaHcKt Go to ⁠https://surfshark.com/historyextra⁠ or use code HISTORYEXTRA at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Did Lucy Worsley have 'the best job in history'? And what did she do when she worked in it? In this episode, Lucy reflects on her career so far, her time as Chief Curator at Historic Royal Palaces and how the job has changed her perspective on some of our favourite monarchs from royal history... ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST To find out more about Lucy Worsley's role in changing our understanding of royal history, then check out this feature which she wrote for HistoryExtra: https://bit.ly/4hNBgtr Go to ⁠https://surfshark.com/historyextra⁠ or use code HISTORYEXTRA at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Before Rome's republic and the age of emperors, there were kings… or so the story goes. Beginning with Romulus, and ending with Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, these rulers loomed large in the Roman imagination – but is their narrative fact or fiction? In this episode, Emily Briffett is joined by ancient historian Christopher Smith, as they sift myth from memory, and uncover how seven legendary figures shaped Rome’s ideas of power and identity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

King Philip Augustus of France was the Plantagenets’ ultimate enemy. A ruler with an iron fist and sharp political instincts, he consistently exploited the squabbles of the English dynasty, all while transforming France into a dominant power in Western Europe. Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian and author Catherine Hanley reveals the cunning and ruthless tactics he employed against the English kings to become medieval England’s most formidable foe. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST 1217 is not one of the most famous years in English history. But with a major French invasion looming and a brutal war that wracked both towns and the countryside, this was a year that could have altered the nation's history beyond recognition. Hear from Catherine Hanley as she discusses Prince of Louis of France's invasion of England: https://bit.ly/4bQ8Yuk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices