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HistoryExtra podcast - Christopher Marlowe: life of the week
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Christopher Marlowe: life of the week

HistoryExtra podcast

11/25/25

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42m

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From his possible espionage work for the Elizabethan state to his open flirtations with atheism and subversive sexual themes, the brief life of playwright Christopher Marlowe tells us much about the shadowy edges of 16th-century England. Stephen Greenblatt joins Elinor Evans to discuss the subversive, dangerous life of 'Kit', who became both a collaborator and rival of his contemporary, William Shakespeare.

(Ad) Stephen Greenblatt is the author of Dark Renaissance: The Dangerous Times and Fatal Genius of Shakespeare’s Greatest Rival, Christopher Marlowe (Bodley Head, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dark-Renaissance-Dangerous-Shakespeares-Christopher/dp/1847927130/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.

The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.

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Uprising: the Civil Wars untangled

November 24, 2025

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37m

On 30 January 1649, Charles I was led on to a freshly erected scaffold outside Whitehall’s Banqueting House in London. Thousands of spectators watched in shock and awe as the king of England, Scotland and Ireland was executed as a traitor. It was the climax of one of the most destructive sagas in Britain and Ireland's history – but what led to this brutal outcome? Was conflict inevitable?

HistoryExtra's new podcast series, Uprising: The Civil Wars, produced by HistFest, sees historian Rebecca Rideal chart this extraordinary story, from the first battles in Scotland to all out-war in England and Wales. Speaking to historical experts, she explores a story of shifting loyalties and devastating conflict. In this special bonus episode, Rebecca and one of those experts, Dr Jonathan Healey, spoke to Emily Briffett about why this era of history is so fascinating, and the causes and consequences of the conflict.

To find out more and and listen to Uprising: The Civil Wars, subscribe now wherever you listen.

The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.

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Next Episode

The new BBC TV series Civilisations: Rise and Fall charts the decline of some of history's most famous cultures, from the Aztecs to the ancient Egyptians. Three of its experts – Islam Issa, Caroline Dodds Pennock and Luke Kemp – joined Matt Elton to explore some of the series' major themes, and why stories of a civilisation's decline might be more complicated than we first think.

The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.

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