Al Andalus
Greg Jenner is joined by Prof Amira Bennison and comedian Fatiha El-Ghorri to learn about Al Andalus.
From 711 to 1492, a significant amount of the Iberian peninsula – modern day Spain and Portugal – was ruled by a succession of Islamic rulers.
This era was a golden age as people and customs were imported from as far away as Iraq and North Africa to mix with what already existed on the Iberian peninsula.
The short distance between North Africa and Western Europe at the Strait of Gibraltar has meant there has been a constant interchange and exchange across the centuries.
But how did this process of raiding, trading and invading create some of the most sophisticated and populous cities of early Medieval Europe?
Research by Jessica HoneyWritten by Emma Nagouse, Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow and Greg JennerProduced by Emma Nagouse and Greg JennerAssistant Producer: Emmie Rose Price-GoodfellowProject Management: Isla MatthewsAudio Producer: Steve Hankey
You’re Dead To Me is a production by The Athletic for BBC Radio 4.
You're Dead to Me
The comedy podcast that takes history seriously. In each episode of You’re Dead to Me from BBC Radio 4, Greg Jenner is joined by a comedian and an expert historian to learn and laugh about the past.
History isn’t just about dates and textbooks – it’s about extraordinary characters, amazing stories, and some very questionable fashion choices. How long did it take to build an Egyptian pyramid? What does the Bayeux Tapestry reveal about medieval life? Why did it take nearly half a millennium for Joan of Arc to become a saint? And was Catherine the Great really all that great? Whether you want to explore ancient landmarks like Stonehenge and Machu Picchu, dance through the history of Broadway and Bollywood, or find out how the Tudors rose to power, Greg and his guests promise to teach you something new that you won’t have heard in history lessons.
Previous episodes of You’re Dead To Me have covered everything from royals to revolutionaries, actors to activists and divas to dictators. Take a stroll through the history of high-heeled shoes or get the scoop on the history of ice cream. Maybe you’d like to paint like the cave artists of the Palaeolithic era, work out like a Victorian bodybuilder, or fight like a Spartan? We’ve even hosted a special, live episode with the BBC Concert Orchestra to explore the dramatic life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Whatever your historical interests, Greg and his guests make even the trickiest topics easy to follow. Join them for a history lesson that’s as entertaining as it is enlightening - with no homework required.
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