Empire: World History

In 1979, the people of Iran took to the streets to topple the Shah. This year they are back in the streets shouting “Long Live The Shah”. How did this happen? How did a country which so volcanically threw out the Shah in 1979 want the same family back again in 2026? What are the parallels between the Iranian Revolution then and the protests today?

William and Anita are joined by Scott Anderson, author of King of Kings: The Fall of the Shah and the Revolution That Forged Modern Iran, and Ramita Navai, documentary-maker and author of City of Lies.

Disclaimer: We recorded these episodes on January 17th 2026. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency has confirmed that 5,459 protestors in Iran have died, and the organisation is investigating 17,031 more. Two senior officials of Iran’s Ministry of Health have reported that as many as 30,000 people have been killed. In such a volatile situation, predictions are difficult to make and these figures are ever changing.

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com.

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @empirepoduk

Blue Sky: @empirepoduk

X: @empirepoduk

Editor: Bruno Di Castri

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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In recent weeks, protestors have swarmed the streets in Iran in defiance of the regime, and it feels as if the country is on the precipice of a transformative change. Yet these scenes feel familiar. In the 1970s, mass protests led to a religious revolution which replaced a monarchy led by the Shah with the Islamic Republic of Iran. What can this history tell us about today?

To discuss the parallels between 1979 and 2026, William and Anita are joined by two leading experts on Iran: Scott Anderson, author of King of Kings, and Ramita Navai, documentary-maker and author of City of Lies.

Disclaimer: We recorded these episodes on January 17th 2026. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency has confirmed that 5,459 protestors in Iran have died, and the organisation is investigating 17,031 more. Two senior officials of Iran’s Ministry of Health have reported that as many as 30,000 people have been killed. In such a volatile situation, predictions are difficult to make and these figures are ever changing.

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com.

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @empirepoduk

Blue Sky: @empirepoduk

X: @empirepoduk

Editor: Bruno Di Castri

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How did Lucknow become the final battleground of the 1857 Uprising? Who was Begum Hazrat Mahal, and how did she hold together a rebellion against overwhelming odds? How did the 1857 Uprising lead to the fall of the East India Company, and the rise of the harsher British Raj?

In the final episode of the series, Anita and William explain how northern India’s organised rebellion came to an end, ushering in a new era of British rule in India. 

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com.

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @empirepoduk

Blue Sky: @empirepoduk

X: @empirepoduk

Editors: Bruno Di Castri and Lorcan Moullier

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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How did the British finally break into Delhi during the 1857 Uprising? Why did a sudden solar eclipse change the fate of the siege overnight? Why is the British victory considered one of Delhi’s greatest tragedies?

In Episode 7 of the series, William and Anita discuss the bloody Siege of Delhi, the British assault which spelled the end of the Mughal Empire. 

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com.

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @empirepoduk

Blue Sky: @empirepoduk

X: @empirepoduk

Editor: Bruno Di Castri

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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How did the tide turn towards the end of 1857 as British reinforcements gathered to strike the hearts of the rebellion: Delhi and Lucknow? Who was the British Commander, John Nicholson, and why was he feared by both friend and foe? Was the city of Delhi, under control of the last Mughal emperor, doomed from within?

In Episode 6 of the series, Anita and William cover how Indian resistance during the 1857 uprising became weakened by dwindling resources, tactical disunity, and the growing British force.  

Join the Empire Club: Unlock the full Empire experience – with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to miniseries and live show tickets, exclusive book discounts, a members-only newsletter, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at empirepoduk.com 

For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com.

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @empirepoduk

Blue Sky: @empirepoduk

X: @empirepoduk

Editor: Vasco Andrade

Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producer: Dom Johnson

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