History's Devils
History's Devils is a weekly deep-dive podcast that investigates the world's most infamous historical figures. Hosted by Professor James Crossland, each episode explores the life, actions, and impact of a notorious person from history, examining the facts behind their reputation and the events that shaped their legacy. The podcast covers dictators, tyrants, war criminals, cult leaders, revolutionaries, con-artists, conspiracy theorists, and other controversial historical figures, combining deep research with compelling storytelling to reveal the darker side of human history.
Episodes
Kim Philby: Britain's Most Dangerous Spy Was Also A Terrible Human Being
In this episode, James is joined by Antonia Senior (author of Stalin’s Apostles: The Cambridge Five and the Making of the Soviet Empire) to discuss Kim Philby, the most notorious member of the Cambridge Five spy ring, and explain how a Cambridge-educated British intelligence officer became one of the Soviet Union's most damaging Cold War agents.From his privileged upbringing and communist rad
Allan Pinkerton: Spy, Detective, Strike-Breaking Conspiracy Theorist
In this episode of History’s Devils, James is joined by Lewis Sage-Passant (How To Get on A Watchlist) to explore the rise of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency and the violent contradictions at the heart of its founder, Allan Pinkerton.Once a Chartist radical, Pinkerton reinvented himself in America as a celebrated detective and Union intelligence agent during the American Civil War. After t
The Gentleman Pirate with the Mid-Life Crisis: Stede Bonnet and the Golden Age of Piracy
This week, James sets sail with Jamie Goodall (author of The Pirates of Chesapeake Bay and Pirates and Privateers) into one of the strangest true stories of the Golden Age of Piracy – the rise and fall of the so-called “Gentleman Pirate”, Stede Bonnet who abandoned wealth, status, and family for a life of crime at sea. Often described as a pirate driven by a midlife crisis, Bonnet’s journey from p
The Truth About Satanism: Anton LaVey, the Church of Satan & America’s Moral Panic
This week, James welcomes Mikki Brock (@historymikki) back onto the show to dive deep into the controversial world of Satanism and the cultural impact of the Church of Satan’s founder, Anton LaVey. This episode explores the origins of LaVey’s church and how his philosophy challenged traditional religion, focusing on libertarian personal freedom and the rejection of societal norms. This episode als
The First War on Terror? Irish Dynamiters and the Bombing of Victorian Britain
Long before The Troubles, 7/7 and other modern terrorism, Britain faced a wave of bombings that shocked the Victorian world.Step into one of the most overlooked chapters of British history in this gripping episode on the "Dynamite War" of the 1880s - often described as the first “war on terror.” Joined by Gillian O'Brien (author of The Darkness Echoing: Ireland's Places of Fam
The Legend of Billy The Kid: Murder, Myth and Reality in the Old West
In this episode, James is joined by Jem Duducu (author of The History of the Western Movie) to tell the story of a teenage gunslinger who became a legendary figure wrapped in folklore, media exaggeration, and historical debate – Billy the Kid.Tracing the story of Billy’s criminal career and involvement in the Lincoln County War, we discuss how Hollywood films and pop culture transformed a young ou
The Carny & The Showman: How Donald Trump and Vince McMahon Conquered America, Pt.2
In Part Two of this two-part History's Devils episode, James and Jayne finish the story of Donald Trump and Vince McMahon by explaining how the psychology of professional wrestling shaped Trump's two presidencies, and altered the way in which American politics operates. Along the way, they discuss the similarities between alternative facts and Kayfabe (wrestling speak for "keeping i
The Carny & The Showman: How Donald Trump and Vince McMahon Conquered America, Pt.1
SummaryDive into one of the strangest and most revealing alliances in modern history as History’s Devils unpacks the decades-long relationship between Donald Trump and Vince McMahon.In Part One of this two-part series, James and Jayne trace a 40-year connection between the future U.S. president and the controversial boss of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). From glitzy spectacle to behind-the-s
She Poisoned Everyone? The Story of Mary Ann Cotton, Serial Killer
This week, James is taking a backseat and letting Paul Bavill (History Rage Podcast) dive into one of the most chilling true crime stories in British history – the poisonous rampage of Mary Ann Cotton. Widely believed to be Britain’s first female serial killer, Cotton was a seemingly ordinary Victorian who woman became known as the infamous “Black Widow,” accused of poisoning those closest to her
The Queen's "Magician": Angels, Demons and the Occult World of John Dee
In this episode of HISTORY’S DEVILS, host James Crossland is joined by historian, author and scholar of Satan, Mikki Brock to explore the extraordinary life of John Dee, the famed court magician of Elizabeth I.From occult practices and alchemy to conversations with angels - and possibly demons - this episode dives into Dee’s myth-making, confidence tricks, and his role in the intrigues of Queen El
The Devil from the Galaxy Far, Far Away: How Darth Vader Became Cinema’s Greatest Villain
In this episode of HISTORY’S DEVILS, host James Crossland is joined by historian and author Chris Kempshall to explore the rise, fall, and legacy of Darth Vader—one of the greatest villains in cinematic history.From his origins as Anakin Skywalker to his transformation into a Sith Lord, this episode dives deep into Vader’s character development across the Star Wars saga. What drove his fall the da
The First Terrorist? Felice Orsini - The Man Who Tried to Kill Emperor Napoleon III
In this episode of HISTORY’S DEVILS, host James Crossland is joined by Lisa Traynor (Royal Armouries) to uncover the story of Felice Orsini—the little-known figure behind the first modern terrorist attack.A radical Italian nationalist, Orsini changed undertandings of political violence with his 1858 assassination attempt on Napoleon III in Paris. Using a unique improvised explosive device known as
Was He Jack The Ripper? The Scandalous Life of Francis Tumblety, Pt.2
In this HISTORY’S DEVILS two-parter, James Crossland is joined by Jayne Friend to explore the shocking true story of Francis Tumblety - one of the most disturbing conmen of the 19th century. A self-proclaimed doctor, master grifter, and notorious charlatan, Tumblety’s dark life intersects with some of history’s most infamous crimes, including the Assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the terror of
Quack, Conspirator, Assassin? The Scandalous Life of Francis Tumblety, Pt.1
In this HISTORY’S DEVILS two-parter, James Crossland is joined by Jayne Friend to explore the shocking true story of Francis Tumblety - one of the most disturbing conmen of the 19th century. A self-proclaimed doctor, master grifter, and notorious charlatan, Tumblety’s dark life intersects with some of history’s most infamous crimes, including the Assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the terror of
Hitler's Best Friend? How Rudolf Hess became a Human Conspiracy Theory
In this episode of HISTORY’S DEVILS, host James Crossland is joined by Paul Woodadge (WW2TV) to examine the strange and controversial life of Rudolf Hess, one of the most enigmatic figures of World War II.As Deputy Führer to Adolf Hitler, Hess played a key role in the rise of Nazi Party. But in 1941, he shocked the world with his solo flight to Scotland - an extraordinary and desperate attempt to
The Cosplay Diplomat Who Made Friends With Nazis: James Lonsdale-Bryans and the British “Peace Party”
In this episode of HISTORY’S DEVILS, James Crossland and Phil Craig, author of 1945: The Reckoning: War, Empire and the Struggle for a New World, delve into the complex web of the British Peace Party and its connections to Nazi sympathizers during the late 1930s and early 1940s. They explore the origins of this group, the appeal of fascism in Britain, and the key figures involved in the mission to
"Ace of Spies" or Ultimate Grifter? Sidney Reilly and the World of British Intelligence
This episode of HISTORY’S DEVILS delves into the life of Sidney Reilly, a dashing, semi-mythical MI6 officer who has often been referred to – without much reason – as the “Ace of Spies”. James Crossland is joined by Professor Rory Cormac (author of How to Stage a Coup, and Fakers: A Top Secret Tale of Phantoms and Forgeries of the Disinformation Front) for a conversation that explores Reilly’s dua
Nathan Bedford Forrest: Massacre-Ordering General and First Grand Wizard of the KKK
This episode of History's Devils delves into the life of Nathan Bedford Forrest, a Confederate general and the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. Joined by the incomparable Edd Mair, James explores Forrest's early life, his rise in the Confederate army, the controversial Battle of Fort Pillow, and his post-war activities, including his leadership in the KKK. The discussion highlight
First Fascists: How Posh Dreamers, Military Washouts and Thugs Brought Poison to Britain
In the very first episode of History’s Devils, hosts James Crossland and Jayne Friend explore the roots of British Fascism by traveling back to the 1920s. They uncover the extraordinary story of Rotha Lintorn Orman, an upper-class tomboy, socialite, and drinker, who became Britain’s first fascist.Lintorn Orman led the British Fascisti, a small but influential group of military veterans, street fig
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