Why isn’t Leonardo Da Vinci remembered as an engineer?

Why isn’t Leonardo Da Vinci remembered as an engineer?

Author: Sony Music Entertainment April 28, 2026 Duration: 32:18
If you judge him by his own elaborate metrics, Leonardo da Vinci was a failure. Long before the Mona Lisa became shorthand for genius, Leonardo imagined himself as something else entirely: a military engineer, a designer of bridges and armoured vehicles, a master of siegecraft and architecture. In 1482, he wrote a breathless letter to Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan, itemising these talents with bravado and noting, quickly, that oh, he could paint, too. Many of his boldest designs never left the page, or arrived centuries too early to be built. By his own standards, the future-facing polymath fell short. In this episode, Elizabeth Day and Dan Jones roam through history’s workshops, laboratories, monasteries, and battlefields to ask what failure really looks like. From Leonardo’s unrealised machines to Antonie van Leeuwenhoek’s accidental discovery of microbiology, from champagne’s explosive beginnings to gunpowder’s grim transformation, they trace how curiosity, misjudgement, and wrong turns can quietly reshape the world. What emerges is a gentler, stranger truth: failure is often just invention, waiting for the world to catch up. – 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 discuss history’s colossal maritime failures, from the White Ship disaster to the Titanic. – 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 - Simon Poole 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
3. A Nativity to Die For — Gold, Frankincense... and Murder [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:11
In the final episode of Dan’s three-part retelling of the Nativity we enter the gospel of Matthew, as we explore the story according to him. Matthew is all about Jesus’s royal line so expect kings, royalty and great gift…
2. A Nativity to Die For — Away in a manger [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:39
The story continues as the holy family make their way to Bethlehem for a Roman census. Along the way they meet classic characters from the Nativity including an inn keeper and some shepherds who, while watching their flo…
1. A Nativity to Die For — Surprise! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:52
Dan kicks off a new three part series with a retelling of the biblical tale of Mary, Joseph and the whole Gospel-featuring Nativity crew, asking questions about why they say what they say - why sometimes they agree, and…
S8 E12 | To Jerusalem [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:51
Henry V stands at the peak of his power. He’s not just England’s king—he’s heir and regent of France. But for Henry, two crowns aren’t enough. His eyes are fixed on the ultimate prize: the Holy Land. A crusade promises g…
S8 E11 | Winner Takes All [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:07
Henry V’s lightning campaign across France is sputtering. His army is exhausted, starving, and dangerously restless—a powder keg waiting to blow. The French know time is on their side; all they have to do is wait. But th…
S8 E10 | The Road to Rouen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:28
Surely Henry V can’t like what he’s about to do, but he knows enough about what cruelty can deliver. It’s 1418 and his forces have been instructed to lay siege to Normandy’s glittering capital, Rouen. If he takes this ci…
S8 E9 | Henry the Conqueror [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:30
We have a small favour to ask! We’ve put together a survey about This Is History, and it would mean a lot to us if you could fill it out. You can find it at: https://bit.ly/4oFyVRg In northern France, Henry V spots a gla…
S8 E8 | The Triumph [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:59
We have a small favour to ask! We’ve put together a survey about This Is History, and it would mean a lot to us if you could fill it out. You can find it at: https://bit.ly/4oFyVRg Fresh from his jaw-dropping triumph at…
S8 E7 | The Battle of Agincourt [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:22
Outnumbered. Exhausted. Unyielding. Fresh from the brutal siege of Harfleur, King Henry V marches his exhausted, disease-ridden army across hostile French territory—toward Azincourt, and into the jaws of disaster. Outnum…
S8 E6 | The Gun Show [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:24
When the newly crowned King Henry V receives a mocking gift from the French Dauphin — a box of tennis balls — he doesn’t laugh. He retaliates with cannonballs and a thunderous claim to the French throne. What begins as a…