War — History’s Ultimate Failure

War — History’s Ultimate Failure

Author: Sony Music Entertainment May 12, 2026 Duration: 32:17
Elizabeth Day grew up in Belfast and would as a child walk past the most bombed hotel in Europe. Dan Jones recalls a Croatian widow whose husband went out for bread and never returned. In this final episode of History’s Greatest Fails, Dan and Elizabeth name war as history's ultimate failure and reflect on the changes that follow societal collapse. Together, they draw on conflicts that have changed the course of world history, such as the Hundred Years' War, the World Wars, the Troubles, and the breakup of Yugoslavia. Plus, Elizabeth delves into a special area of interest: How societies choose to remember war and how that has influenced the evolution of art, literature, and architecture. So what can we learn from history’s ultimate failure? – As always, Dan’s royal favourites can chime in anytime on the royal court on Patreon at patreon.com/thisishistory. And don’t forget to listen to this season’s accompanying bonus episodes for this miniseries, where Dan and Producer Al are dissecting the biggest historical failures as submitted by the royal favourites. In this episode, they attempt to answer why invading Russia is never a good idea, and the futility of France’s Maginot line amid the 20th-Century’s rapid technological change. – 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 –– Presented by Dan Jones and Elizabeth Day Producer - Alan Weedon Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman Researcher - Phoebe Joyce Executive Producer - Louisa Field Executive Producer - Dan Jones Executive Producer for Daylight Productions - Elizabeth Day Production Manager - Jen Mistri Production Coordinator - Eric Ryan Head of Content - Chris Skinner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is History: A Dynasty to Die For picks up the story after the death of Henry V, leaving England with an infant king, Henry VI. Historian Dan Jones guides listeners through the tumultuous reign that follows, a period defined by fragile regencies and escalating noble rivalries. This podcast delves into the power vacuums and personal dramas that set the stage for decades of conflict. The narrative explores how scandal, accusations of witchcraft, and the looming specter of madness intertwined with the brutal political machinations of the era. As factions vie for control both domestically and in England's French territories, the series charts the descent into the dynastic carnage known as the Wars of the Roses. Each episode builds a vivid picture of a kingdom teetering on the brink, where the crown itself becomes a lethal prize. The storytelling in this podcast focuses on the human ambitions and failures behind the historical events, offering a detailed and compelling audio experience. Listeners will hear a deep analysis of the key figures and turning points that shaped this pivotal century, moving beyond simple dates and battles to understand the motivations and consequences that defined a nation's destiny.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

THIS IS HISTORY — A DYNASTY TO DIE FOR
Podcast Episodes
S8 E5 | The Switch-Up [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:41
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 cele…
S8 E4 | Ballads and Brawls [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:56
Henry of Monmouth’s impatience reaches fever pitch when he tries to snatch the crown from his father, Henry IV. It backfires royally. To teach him a lesson, the king makes Henry’s boozehound brother, Thomas, the heir app…
S8 E3 | The Score [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:02
The trial of a tailor-turned-heretic tests Henry of Monmouth’s authority. Word on the street is that the heir apparent is flirting with the Lollards, who want reform of the church and state. It all comes to a head at Oxf…
S8 E2 | Whack a Mole [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:52
Henry IV is waking in the night screaming, convinced people are throwing fire at him. In truth, they’re throwing shade. Even the clergy are questioning his right to rule. And to silence the whispers, this pious king turn…
S8 E1 | A Hole in the Head [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:53
Turns out, wearing the crown is the easy part. Henry IV thought kingship would bring control—but the treasury’s running dry, rebellions are flaring, and his grip on power is slipping fast. Then his heir takes an arrow to…
Introducing… Season Eight of a Dynasty to Die For [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:24
When you survive an arrow shot to the face like Henry V did, you don’t waste your second chance. So when he’s finally crowned in 1413, it’s all systems go. He ruthlessly slaps down challenges to his rule, and launches a…
The Glass King | 6. A Jagged Peace [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:15
France is slipping through her fingers. With the kingdom on the brink of collapse, Queen Isabeau of Bavaria makes a desperate move: she offers her daughter’s hand to England’s King Henry V. It’s a bold bid for peace—but…
The Glass King | 5. The Enemy of My Enemy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:52
France is in ruins. Normandy has fallen to the English, and the rest of the kingdom is being ripped apart by civil war between the Burgundians and Armagnacs. In the midst of this chaos, Queen Isabeau of Bavaria faces an…
The Glass King | 4. A New Hope [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:04
Henry V shatters the Dauphin Louis’s hubris. Despite their superior numbers, carnage awaits the French at a battle called Agincourt. But the bad luck doesn’t end there. Two Dauphins die suddenly in quick succession, cata…
The Glass King | 3. Agent of Chaos [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:04
While King Charles VI is incapacitated, his brother Louis, and his queen, Isabeau, have been living large. The Duchy of Burgundy pays the price, drawing the ire of its powerful leader, John the Fearless. As England is dr…