Week 9: The Great Fire of Meireki

Week 9: The Great Fire of Meireki

Author: Riley Knight February 25, 2026 Duration: 38:13
Half-Arsed History
HistoryComedyCultureSocietySociety & Culture

This week in history we’ve got the first Europeans in Australia, we’ve got the first Sherlock Holmes stories, we’ve got famous composers and an even famouser crook, and we’ve got the time the city that would go on to become Tokyo burnt to the ground.


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Half-Arsed History's first book, History's Strangest Deaths, is now available: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-strangest-deaths-riley-knight/book/9781761472589.htmlWelcome along to Half-Arsed History! It's a weekly podcast highlighting absurd and entertaining stories from history. Twice a week, it helps host Riley Knight feel as though his useless history degree has some kind of real-world relevance.Get in touch: halfarsedhistory@gmail.comSupport the show on Patreon: https://patreon.com/halfarsedhistorySubscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/halfarsedhistoryBuy Half-Arsed History merch: https://halfarsedhistory.theprintbar.comIf you've just discovered the show and aren't sure which of the 350+ episodes to start with, here are some...
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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Half-Arsed History
Podcast Episodes
Episode 398: The Foundation of Modern Singapore [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:20
In this week's episode, discover how, why, and perhaps most importantly where modern Singapore was founded, back in 1819 by Sir Stamford Raffles. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 6: The Sack of Baghdad [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:32
This week in history we’ve got riots and treaties, we’ve got the discovery of the world’s biggest gold nugget, we’ve got the birthday of a famous Victorian author, and of course, the end of the Islamic Golden Age with th…
Episode 397: Catherine the Great, the Enlightened Empress [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:47
In this week's episode, meet Catherine the Great, the empress who successfully ruled Russia for almost 35 years despite usurping a throne she had no claim to. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Week 5: The Day the Music Died [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:58
This week in history we’ve got the execution of a famous traitor, a tale of revenge served cold, we’ve got the birthdays of conquerors and explorers and activists, and we’ve got the story behind the Day the Music Died. H…
Episode 396: The Horrors of Sarah Island [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:40
In this week's episode, become acquainted with Macquarie Harbour Penal Station, known as Sarah Island, which was one of the cruellest and most brutal convict settlements in Australia's history. Hosted on Acast. See acast…
Week 4: When Some Ships Sailed from Botany Bay to Port Jackson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:02
This week in history: the publishing of Pride and Prejudice, the first-ever cans of beer, the birthdays of pirates, kings, and composers, and... that time some ships sailed from Botany Bay to Port Jackson. Hosted on Acas…
Episode 395: The Raft of the Medusa [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:15
In this week's episode, head the gruesome and tragic tale of the Raft of the Medusa, when almost 150 people were set adrift and abandoned on a rickety raft, resorting to murder and cannibalism to survive. Hosted on Acast…
Week 3: The Miracle on the Hudson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:37
This week in history: inaugurations, executions, and people drowning in hot molasses, the birthdays of famous founding fathers, and the Miracle on the Hudson, when a passenger plane was safely landed in the middle of a r…
Episode 394: Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the Great Engineer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:29
In this week's episode, meet Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the famous and immensely influential engineer, whose work encompassed bridges, tunnels, railways, ships, and much more besides. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy…
Week 2: Caesar Crosses the Rubicon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:15
This week in history: rioting sports fans in sixth-century Constantinople, the first-ever meeting of the UN General Assembly, the birthdays of famous musicians, and a pivotal moment in world history as Julius Caesar cros…

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