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
The "Father" of Drones: Archibald Low and the Future of War
James Crossland is joined by aerospace historian and author Mark Piesing – author of N-4 Down: The Hunt for the Arctic Airship Italia – to explore the extraordinary life and legacy of British inventor and “father of drones” Archibald Low (1888–1956), from his early experiments with television to his pioneering work on the First World War’s Aerial Target – one of the first full-size radio-controlle
Charles Manson Part 2: Helter Skelter? Understanding the Manson Family Murders
In part two of our Charles Manson episode, James and Jayne discuss how the Manson Family spiralled out of control in the summer of 1969, leading to the infamous Tate-LaBianca murders.Picking up where the previous episode left off, this episode follows the Manson Family during their final months at Spahn Ranch as paranoia, drug use, violence and criminal activity escalated into murder. James and Ja
Charles Manson Part 1: The Making of a Maniac and His Murderous "Family"
For this episode, James is joined by the ever-game Jayne Friend to explore the early life of Charles Manson, how he built the Manson Family, his connections to the 1960s counterculture and his bizarre relationship with the Beach BoysJames and Jayne trace Charles Manson's childhood, criminal career and repeated imprisonments before examining how his release into the social upheaval of late-196
Merchant of Death: Basil Zaharoff and the Origins of the First World War
Who was Basil Zaharoff and how did he lay Europe's path to the First World War?This week, James Crossland is joined by military historian and Not So Quiet on the Western Front co-host Spencer Jones to examine the extraordinary life of Sir Basil Zaharoff, the mysterious international arms dealer whose influence stretched from the Ottoman Empire to Britain, Russia, Greece, Spain and Japan. The
Scourge of God or Just a Guy with a "Magical" Sword? Attila the Hun and the Fall of Rome
Who was Attila the Hun? Did he really bring down the Roman Empire? How much of his reputation as the "Scourge of God" is actually justified? In this episode, James is joined by Jem Duducu (@jemduducu), author of The Devil's Horsemen: A Thousand Years of Conquest by Eurasian Steppe Horse Archers to separate fact from myth in the life, military campaigns and legacy of Attila the Hun d
America's Forgotten King: James Jesse Strang and the Mormon Cult of Beaver Island
James Jesse Strang, the only man in U.S. history to crown himself a king, is the focus of this podcast episode exploring his rise as a Mormon schismatic leader, cult founder, and self-declared monarch on Beaver Island, Michigan.Joined by Peter Zablocki (History Shorts Podcast), James uncovers the shocking story of Strang’s transformation from a sickly but highly ambitious child in upstate New York
Sidney Gottlieb Part 2: MK Ultra and the CIA's Insane Assassination Plots
James is joined once again by Jayne Friend for part two of our exploration of Sidney Gottlieb, the CIA chemist who led MK-Ultra, developed Cold War mind control experiments, and became involved in some of the agency's most controversial covert operations.This episode continues to story of Gottlieb's obsessions with LSD and psychological warfare, whilst covering his involvement in CIA ass
Sidney Gottlieb Part 1: MK Ultra and the CIA's Search for Mind Control
Who was Sidney Gottlieb, and how did the CIA's MKUltra program attempt to use LSD and psychological warfare to create mind control during the Cold War?In Part One of this epic two-part episode, James is joined by Jayne Friend to explore the origins of MKUltra through the remarkable life of it's chief, Sidney Gottlieb, the CIA chemist who became America's leading architect of mind co
The Devils of Red Dead Redemption: How a Video Game Shines a Light on America's Dark History
What can a video game teach us about American history, morality, capitalism, race, violence, and the myth of the Wild West?This week, James is joined by Torre Olsen (author of Red Dead's History: A Video Game, an Obsession, and America's Violent Past) to explore the moral grey areas of the Wild West by diving into the Red Dead Redemption video game franchise, and its powerful portrayal o
Andrew Jackson Part 2: Populist Politics, The Trail of Tears, and the Creation of the American Presidency
In part two of this double-episode on Andrew Jackson, James and Edd explore his rise to the presidency, his turbulent years in the White House, and the lasting impact of his populist politics on America.From the disputed election of 1824 to his victory in 1828, Andrew Jackson transformed American politics and became one of the most controversial presidents in U.S. history. This episode examines Ja
Andrew Jackson Part 1: The Rise of America's Most Violent President
This week, James (@historysdevils) is joined by Edd Mair (@eplmair) for a double episode on the life of Andrew Jackson, examining how the seventh president of the United States rose from a frontier orphan to become a war hero, slaveholder, populist political figure, and one of the most influential and controversial presidents in American history.In this first part of Andrew Jackson's story, w
William Joyce Part 2: The Making of "Lord Haw Haw", Hitler's Voice in Britain
In part two of this double episode on William Joyce, James Crossland and Jayne Friend explain how he became Lord Haw Haw, the infamous Nazi broadcaster who transmitted propaganda from Germany to Britain during the Second World War.James and Jayne follow Joyce's journey from fleeing Britain in 1939 to becoming the most recognizable English-language voice of Nazi propaganda. The episode examine
William Joyce Part 1: How a British Patriot Became a Nazi Traitor
This double episode explores the life of William Joyce, better known as Lord Haw-Haw, the infamous Nazi propagandist who went from self-described British patriot to one of the most notorious collaborators of the Third Reich during World War II.In this first part of the story, James - with the help of Jayne Friend - examines William Joyce's early life, political radicalization, and rise within
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, Part 2: How Wrestling Explains the Donald Trump Presidency
SummaryIn part two of the exploration of Donald Trump and Vince McMahon, James and Jayne examine how Trump’s 2015 presidential campaign announcement at Trump Tower resembled a professional wrestling entrance, setting the tone for his presidency. The episode explains key wrestling concepts including the gimmick, promo, work, shoot, kayfabe and pop, then applies them to Trump’s political persona, ca
The Carny & The Showman, Part 1: How Donald Trump and Vince McMahon Conquered America
SummaryDonald Trump’s political success cannot be fully understood without understanding his decades-long relationship with professional wrestling and Vince McMahon, and this episode explores how WWE’s culture of spectacle, audience manipulation, mythology, and “perception is reality” shaped Trump’s public and political career.In part one of this two-parter, James is joined by Jayne Friend to disc
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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