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Empire: World History

Empire: World History

By: Goalhanger
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Summary

 The rise and fall of empires and the events that shaped world history. William Dalrymple and Anita Anand explore the intricate stories of revolutions, imperial wars, and the people who built and lost empires. From the British Empire to the Ottomans to Ancient India, history is shaped by power struggles and territorial conquests. How does it continue to affect the world today? Empire Club: Become a member of the Empire Club to receive early access to miniseries, ad-free listening, early access to live show tickets, bonus episodes, book discounts, our exclusive newsletter, and access to our members’ chatroom on Discord! Head to empirepoduk.com to sign up. For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com. World
Episodes
  • 359. Spice Wars: The Birth of New York (Ep 2)

    359. Spice Wars: The Birth of New York (Ep 2)
    May 13 2026
    What drove the Dutch to employ samurai mercenaries to commit horrifying genocides in the Banda Islands? Why were European powers willing to torture and kill just to control the global supply of a dried seed? How did a peace treaty trade a spice island for Manhattan, giving birth to New York? Get the entire Dutch Empire miniseries early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com In the second episode of our series on the Dutch East India Company, William and Anita are joined by historian Giles Milton, author of Nathaniel's Nutmeg, to explore the deadly rivalry between the English and Dutch East India Companies. They discuss the brutal battle for Run Island, the horrific genocide committed by the Dutch in the East Indies, and how a trade for nutmeg gave us modern-day Manhattan. For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com. Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott Social Producer: Charlie Johnson Producer: Anouska Lewis Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    53 mins
  • The Scandal That Shaped Partition: The House of Mountbatten

    The Scandal That Shaped Partition: The House of Mountbatten
    May 12 2026
    Who was the last Viceroy of India and why was his marriage so unconventional? How many affairs did Edwina Mountbatten have? Why was Lord Mountbatten known as the “Master of Disaster” by senior Navy officials? In Episode 2 of Empire’s first members’ miniseries, Anita is joined once again by Alex Von Tunzelmann to discuss the origin story of the remaining two characters in the love triangle that shaped partition: Louis and Edwina Mountbatten. Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott Social Producer: Charlie Johnson Producer: Anouska Lewis Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    5 mins
  • 358. Spice Wars: The Rise of the Dutch East India Company (Ep 1)

    358. Spice Wars: The Rise of the Dutch East India Company (Ep 1)
    May 10 2026
    What’s the real story behind the creation of the Dutch East India Company, and how was espionage involved? What made the VOC the first ‘mega-corporation’ in history? And what was the horrific human cost of establishing a colonial stronghold in the East Indies? Get the entire Dutch Empire miniseries early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com William is joined by Dutch historian Herold van der Linde to explore the staggering rise of the Dutch East India Company - a company so rich it eclipsed the modern valuations of Apple and NVIDIA combined. They discuss how high-stakes espionage, revolutionary cargo ships, and military ruthlessness allowed the Dutch to dominate the 17th-century global economy. For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to ⁠www.goalhanger.com.⁠ Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott Social Producer: Charlie Johnson Producer: Anouska Lewis Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    51 mins
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All stars
Most relevant
Anita and Willie are a joy to listen to. If history had been like this at school I'd have paid a lot more attention. This is what we should have been taught too. It's joyous one moment and utterly devastating the next. Infectious curiosity and a thirst for knowledge are wonderful things. I recommend 100%!

Fantastical and terrible and mind blowing things

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The dynamics between the presenters and their guests is both informative and on many occasions humorous

Entertainment and learning

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Captivating! I've loved every second of it so far. Just finished Season 1, moving on to Season 2 now.

Exceptional

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This podcast is hugely informative and yet superbly engaging - Anita Anand and William Dalrymple have a terrific chemistry. I await every episode eagerly and savour it like good wine 🍷

Just brilliant..

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Likeable presenters engage the listener in a continuing story. Do all historians sound posh? Overall a great podcast and highly recommend

Engaging content

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