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Stígðu inn í heim af óteljandi sögum

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Sony Music Entertainment

Season 8 brought us Henry V who was pretty fun but this mini season introduces a peasant girl called Mary whose piety even Henry would struggle to match. It’s time for Nativity! 

Dan Jones retells the classic story of the Nativity and gives it the This Is History treatment as he does. A Nativity to Die For. Over three episodes join Dan for the biblical tale of Mary, Joseph and the whole Gospel-featuring Nativity crew, sticking to the stories told in the Gospels. Along the journey he asks questions about why the Nativity story — as we’ve come to know it — is the way it is.

Edinburgh University’s Professor Helen Bond, an incredible scholar of early Christianity, is joining us on the bonus episodes for this miniseries. Consider her your resident Nativity expert and follow the link below to join us as a subscriber to hear those.

That’s for you to discover on This Is History — A Nativity to Die For. 

Become a This Is History Royal Favourite subscriber and get ad free listening, bonus video episodes, and access to our virtual royal court on Patreon. It’s your behind-the-scenes space where you can watch and hear all the goings-on at This Is History HQ. Oh, and a very fun royal menagerie. We’d love to have you: patreon.com/thisishistory

A Sony Music Entertainment production.

To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com

This is History: A Dynasty to Die For

The story continues as the holy family make their way to Bethlehem for a Roman census. Along the way they meet classic characters from the Nativity including an inn keeper and some shepherds who, while watching their flocks, get jump scared by an angel into going to visit a baby in a manger. But why is Luke, the gospelist, telling us all this? Who is the Jesus Christ he is trying to present in this gospel?

Want to delve deeper? Become a This Is History Royal Favourite subscriber on Patreon. You get ad free listening, exclusive behind the scenes videos, and a weekly bonus episode. On this week’s bonus episode, Dan and resident Nativity expert Professor Helen Bond zoom into the intentions behind Luke’s Gospels. What was the manger really trying to convey — to early Christians and the Romans looking over them? Listen to that episode here: patreon.com/thisishistory

–

A Sony Music Entertainment production. 

Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts 

To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com 

Learn more about your ad choices. 

Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices 

Written and presented by Dan Jones. 

Producer - Alan Weedon 

Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman

Executive Producer - Simon Poole 

Production Manager - Jen Mistri 

Production coordinator: Eric Ryan 

Mixing - Amber Devereux

Head of content – Chris Skinner 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

2. A Nativity to Die For — Away in a manger

Dan kicks off a new three part series with a retelling of the biblical tale of Mary, Joseph and the whole Gospel-featuring Nativity crew, asking questions about why they say what they say - why sometimes they agree, and sometimes they disagree. 

In this first episode we meet a peasant girl called Mary who gets jump scared by an angel and thereafter has quite a lot of information to get her head around. First on the list is learning she’s pregnant despite being a virgin and having to explain this fact to her carpenter husband…

Want to delve deeper? Become a This Is History Royal Favourite subscriber on Patreon. You get ad free listening, exclusive behind the scenes videos, and a weekly bonus episode. On this week’s bonus episode, Dan and resident Nativity expert Professor Helen Bond take a forensic lens to Nativity story’s authors: Luke, Matthew, and a James that history forgot. Listen to that episode here: patreon.com/thisishistory

–

A Sony Music Entertainment production. 

Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts 

To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com 

Learn more about your ad choices. 

Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices 

Written and presented by Dan Jones 

Producer - Alan Weedon 

Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman

Executive Producer - Simon Poole 

Production Manager - Jen Mistri 

Production coordinator: Eric Ryan 

Mixing - Amber Devereux

Head of content – Chris Skinner 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

1. A Nativity to Die For — Surprise!

Henry V stands at the peak of his power. He’s not just England’s king—he’s heir and regent of France. But for Henry, two crowns aren’t enough. His eyes are fixed on the ultimate prize: the Holy Land. A crusade promises glory, conquest, and divine favor. To Henry, it’s more than ambition—it’s obedience to the only master he truly serves: God. Yet destiny has its own designs, and the Almighty may not share Henry’s plan…

To hear about how the French fared under Henry’s rule, listen back to our last miniseries, The Glass King. 

Remember, you can always delve deeper into the history behind each episode by becoming a This Is History Royal Favourite on Patreon. In addition to ad-free listening and bonus episodes — now available to watch on video — you get to chat with mediaeval buffs from around the world, chat with Dan and the team, and get exclusive access to behind the scenes extras just for favourites. 

Don’t miss out. Sign up at patreon.com/thisishistory 

– 

A Sony Music Entertainment production. 

Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts 

To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com 

Learn more about your ad choices. 

Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices 

Written and presented by Dan Jones

Producer - Alan Weedon 

Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman

Executive Producer - Simon Poole

Production Manager - Jen Mistri 

Production coordinator - Eric Ryan 

Sound Design and Mixing - Amber Devereux

Head of content - Chris Skinner 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

S8 E12 | To Jerusalem

Henry V’s lightning campaign across France is sputtering. His army is exhausted, starving, and dangerously restless—a powder keg waiting to blow. The French know time is on their side; all they have to do is wait. But then, in a shocking twist, Dauphin Charles strikes a fatal blow: the assassination of John of Burgundy, the one man who could match Henry move for move. Suddenly, the game changes—and the stakes skyrocket.

To hear the French perspective of John the Fearless's murder, listen back to The Enemy of My Enemy, from our last miniseries, The Glass King. 

Remember, you can always delve deeper into the history behind each episode by becoming a This Is History Royal Favourite on Patreon. In addition to ad-free listening and bonus episodes — now available to watch on video — you get to chat with mediaeval buffs from around the world, chat with Dan and the team, and get exclusive access to behind the scenes extras just for favourites. 

Don’t miss out. Sign up at patreon.com/thisishistory 

– 

A Sony Music Entertainment production. 

Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts 

To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com 

Learn more about your ad choices. 

Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices 

Written and presented by Dan Jones

Producer - Alan Weedon 

Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman

Executive Producer - Simon Poole

Production Manager - Jen Mistri 

Production coordinator - Eric Ryan 

Sound Design and Mixing - Amber Devereux

Head of content - Chris Skinner 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

S8 E11 | Winner Takes All

Surely Henry V can’t like what he’s about to do, but he knows enough about what cruelty can deliver. It’s 1418 and his forces have been instructed to lay siege to Normandy’s glittering capital, Rouen. If he takes this city, Henry places himself in prime position to take the French crown. With this stakes this high, Rouen’s starved and desperate citizens call for help from Paris. It falls on deaf ears. 

To hear about the last time an English monarch invaded France, listen back to The Battle of Crecy in season 6. 

Remember, you can always delve deeper into the history behind each episode by becoming a This Is History Royal Favourite on Patreon. In addition to ad-free listening and bonus episodes — now available to watch on video — you get to chat with mediaeval buffs from around the world, chat with Dan and the team, and get exclusive access to behind the scenes extras just for favourites. 

Don’t miss out. Sign up at patreon.com/thisishistory 

– 

A Sony Music Entertainment production. 

Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts 

To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com 

Learn more about your ad choices. 

Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices 

Written and presented by Dan Jones

Producer - Alan Weedon 

Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman

Executive Producer - Simon Poole

Production Manager - Jen Mistri 

Production coordinator - Eric Ryan 

Sound Design and Mixing - Amber Devereux

Head of content - Chris Skinner 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

S8 E10 | The Road to Rouen

We have a small favour to ask! We’ve put together a survey about This Is History, and it would mean a lot to us if you could fill it out. You can find it at: https://bit.ly/4oFyVRg 

In northern France, Henry V spots a glaring weakness — an undefended flank begging to be conquered. It’s the perfect chance to flip the script on history and avenge England’s humiliation in 1066, when William the Conqueror launched his invasion from Caen. Now, Henry storms that very town, rewriting the legacy of Normandy with fire and steel.

But while victory brews abroad, rebellion festers at home. The infamous Lollard heretic John Oldcastle resurfaces in Wales — defiant, dangerous, and utterly unrepentant. The crown may be winning battles, but the war for England’s soul is far from over.

To learn more about the last time a Norman took the English throne, listen back to episode 3, season 1 — Rough Crossings — where Henry II settles a civil war. And for more on the civil unrest in Paris, listen back to our miniseries, The Glass King. 

Remember, you can always delve deeper into the history behind each episode by becoming a This Is History Royal Favourite on Patreon. In addition to ad-free listening and bonus episodes — now available to watch on video — you get to chat with mediaeval buffs from around the world, chat with Dan and the team, and get exclusive access to behind the scenes extras just for favourites. 

Don’t miss out. Sign up at patreon.com/thisishistory 

– 

A Sony Music Entertainment production. 

Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts 

To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com 

Learn more about your ad choices. 

Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices 

Written and presented by Dan Jones

Producer - Alan Weedon 

Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman

Executive Producer - Simon Poole

Production Manager - Jen Mistri 

Production coordinator - Eric Ryan 

Sound Design and Mixing - Amber Devereux

Head of content - Chris Skinner 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

S8 E9 | Henry the Conqueror

We have a small favour to ask! We’ve put together a survey about This Is History, and it would mean a lot to us if you could fill it out. You can find it at: https://bit.ly/4oFyVRg 

Fresh from his jaw-dropping triumph at Agincourt, King Henry V rides into London not just as a victor—but as a legend. The city explodes in celebration: mock castles tower over cheering crowds, wine gushes from fountains, and the streets roar with praise for England’s warrior king. But behind the spectacle, Henry is already scheming. Cold, calculating, and relentless, he wastes no time turning glory into power—securing a high-stakes alliance with Sigismund of Luxembourg. The war with France isn’t over. In fact, it’s only just begun. Henry’s next chapter will be bigger, bolder, and even more ruthless.

To learn about how France fared after Agincourt, listen back to The Enemy of My Enemy from our last miniseries, The Glass King. 

Remember, you can always delve deeper into the history behind each episode by becoming a This Is History Royal Favourite on Patreon. In addition to ad-free listening and bonus episodes — now available to watch on video — you get to chat with mediaeval buffs from around the world, chat with Dan and the team, and get exclusive access to behind the scenes extras just for favourites. 

Don’t miss out. Sign up at patreon.com/thisishistory 

– 

A Sony Music Entertainment production. 

Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts 

To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com 

Learn more about your ad choices. 

Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices 

Written and presented by Dan Jones

Producer - Alan Weedon 

Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman

Executive Producer - Simon Poole

Production Manager - Jen Mistri 

Production coordinator - Eric Ryan 

Sound Design and Mixing - Amber Devereux

Head of content - Chris Skinner 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

S8 E8 | The Triumph

Outnumbered. Exhausted. Unyielding.

Fresh from the brutal siege of Harfleur, King Henry V marches his exhausted, disease-ridden army across hostile French territory—toward Azincourt, and into the jaws of disaster. Outnumbered, starving, and surrounded, the English face a vast French force confident of crushing them. But Henry is no ordinary king. With icy resolve and tactical brilliance, he prepares for a showdown that will defy the odds. What follows is the legendary Battle of Agincourt: a thunderous clash of steel, mud, and willpower that rewrites the rules of medieval warfare. This is the story of one of history’s most astonishing military victories—and the king who dared to risk it all.

For more This Is History on Agincourt, listen back to The Battle of Crecy in season 6, or hear about the French experience of Agincourt in episode 4 of our miniseries, The Glass King. 

Remember, you can always delve deeper into the history behind each episode by becoming a This Is History Royal Favourite on Patreon. In addition to ad-free listening and bonus episodes — now available to watch on video — you get to chat with mediaeval buffs from around the world, chat with Dan and the team, and get exclusive access to behind the scenes extras just for favourites. 

Don’t miss out. Sign up at patreon.com/thisishistory 

– 

A Sony Music Entertainment production. 

Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts 

To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com 

Learn more about your ad choices. 

Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices 

Written and presented by Dan Jones

Producer - Alan Weedon 

Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman

Executive Producer - Simon Poole

Production Manager - Jen Mistri 

Production coordinator - Eric Ryan 

Sound Design and Mixing - Amber Devereux

Head of content - Chris Skinner 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

S8 E7 | The Battle of Agincourt

When the newly crowned King Henry V receives a mocking gift from the French Dauphin — a box of tennis balls — he doesn’t laugh. He retaliates with cannonballs and a thunderous claim to the French throne. What begins as a petty insult escalates into a seismic clash of empires. From the opulent courts of Paris to the blood-soaked fields of Agincourt, this episode unpacks the moment England’s young king turned humiliation into history — and launched a war that would shake Europe to its core.

For more context behind this episode’s history, listen back to The Battle of Crecy in season 6, or hear about the French version of the tennis ball story in episode 3 of our miniseries, The Glass King. 

Remember, you can always delve deeper into the history behind each episode by becoming a This Is History Royal Favourite on Patreon. In addition to ad-free listening and bonus episodes — now available to watch on video — you get to chat with mediaeval buffs from around the world, chat with Dan and the team, and get exclusive access to behind the scenes extras just for favourites. 

Don’t miss out. Sign up at patreon.com/thisishistory 

– 

A Sony Music Entertainment production. 

Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts 

To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com 

Learn more about your ad choices. 

Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices 

Written and presented by Dan Jones

Producer - Alan Weedon 

Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman

Executive Producer - Simon Poole

Production Manager - Jen Mistri 

Production coordinator - Eric Ryan 

Sound Design and Mixing - Amber Devereux

Head of content - Chris Skinner 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

S8 E6 | The Gun Show

Henry V has finally seized the throne—but this is no coronation of peace. With chilling precision, he tightens his grip on power, silencing reformists and casting former allies into prison. His reign begins not with celebration, but with severity. Yet behind the cold walls of authority, a daring jailbreak sparks whispers of insurrection. As Christmas approaches, rebellion brews in the shadows. Will the young king’s iron rule hold—or will the ghosts of his inner circle rise to challenge him?

To delve deeper into the history behind each episode, become a This Is History Royal Favourite on Patreon. In addition to ad-free listening and bonus episodes, you get to chat with mediaeval buffs from around the world, shape the direction of the show, and watch exclusive behind the scenes videos from the team. 

Sign up at patreon.com/thisishistory 

– 

A Sony Music Entertainment production. 

Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts 

To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com 

Learn more about your ad choices. 

Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices 

Written and presented by Dan Jones

Producer - Alan Weedon 

Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman

Executive Producer - Simon Poole

Production Manager - Jen Mistri 

Production coordinator - Eric Ryan 

Sound Design and Mixing - Amber Devereux

Head of content - Chris Skinner 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

S8 E5 | The Switch-Up

Stephen Fry joins Dan to discuss his latest book, Odyssey, and how Greek myths have delighted people for thousands of years, right through the Middle Ages to the current day. Plus, Britain’s secret origins as “a new Troy”.

Image Credit - Billie Charity and Haye Festival

A Sony Music Entertainment production.

Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts

To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com

Learn more about your ad choices.

Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hosted by Dan Jones and Stephen Fry

Producer - Georgia Mills

Assistant Producer - David Pearce

Executive Producer - Louisa Field

Production Manager - Eric Ryan

Marketing - Kieran Lancini

Mixing - Gulliver Lawrence-Tickell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Conversation | Greek myths in the Middle Ages- with Stephen Fry

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