In this podcast, Dr Nicholas Morton of Nottingham Trent University, looks at the rise of Chinggis Khan and the Mongol Empire and the impact it had on the civilisations of the Near East. The podcast examines some of the themes and perspectives that he covers in his book: The Mongol Storm: Making and...

In this podcast Dr Nicholas Morton of Nottingham Trent University examines how the Mongols consolidated their vast empire, the impact of their domination on the cultures of the conquered, their defeat to the Mamluks at the Battle of Ayn Jalut and how internal disputes led to the division and disintegration of...

This podcast looks at the relations between the Papacy and the Patriarchate of Constantinople - between Schism and Union.

An HA Podcasted History of the Rise of an Islamic Civilisation featuring Dr Caroline Goodson of Birkbeck, University of London.

In this podcast Professor Jonathan Phillips of Royal Holloway, University of London examines the Frankish establishment of control of the coast, economic and political development of the Latin East, the Revolt of Count Hugh of Jaffa and Melisende, Edessa and the re-emergence of Jihad, Bernard of Clairvaux, motives for going...

The Silk Road was a network of Eurasian trade routes active from the second century BCE until the mid-15th century. Spanning over 6,400 kilometers (4,000 miles), it played a central role in facilitating economic, cultural, political, and religious interactions between the East and West.  The spice trade involved historical civilizations in Asia, Northeast Africa and Europe. Spices such as cinnamon, cassia, cardamom, ginger, pepper, nutmeg, star anise, clove, and turmeric were known and used...

In this podcast Lance Pursey, Chen Xue and Jonathan Dugdale of the University of Birmingham look at the culture, influence and the significance of the Tang Dynasty (618-907)

In this set of podcasts Emeritus Professor Gerald Hawting of SOAS, University of London provides an introduction to the Umayyad (661-750) Caliphate.

In modern times, occultists have spoken of a specifically western tradition of ceremonial magic, which has been continuously handed down through the millennia, in secret, from an original starting point in ancient Egypt. Although professional historians have become increasingly interested in the history of magic in general, there has not...

In this podcast Professor Rebecca Rist of the University of Reading provides an overview of medieval Europe and the Near East on the eve of the First Crusade.

In this podcast Dr Anna Chrysostomides of Queen Mary University of London discusses some of the current research on women and gender in medieval Islam, examines the changing role and status of women in the early years of Islam and looks at the lives of some of the key historical figures of...

In this podcast Dr Natasha Hodgson of Nottingham Trent University discusses the role and experience of women during the Crusades.  For Mediterranean women on the eve of the Crusades, life varied greatly depending upon their status. Women in positions of lordship were involved in all levels of strategy, and although women couldn’t...