The 10 Key Battles That Made Napoleon Bonaparte

Historian Dan Snow answers the most asked questions about the Napoleonic Wars. Did Napoleon start the wars? How many Napoleonic Wars were there? How passionate is Dan about this history? Watch to find out. You can now become a History Hit member right here on the original video platform! Join for access to a new exclusive documentary every week, and access to over 160+ of our documentaries presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Eleanor Janega, Tristan Hughes, Mary Beard, Matt Lewis and more.

The night was freezing cold. The hard ground shrouded in mist. By dawn the soldiers were on the move. It was 2 December 1805 and just outside what is now Brno, 3 mighty armies were about to fight one of the greatest battles in history. By the time the sun set, the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte had achieved a stunning victory, a victory so decisive that it would set the course of European history for a decade. It was the Battle of Austerlitz. Did Napoleon really fire cannonballs onto frozen ponds? Watch this video to find out!

Alexander the Great forged one of the largest empires of ancient history. But his early death, aged 32, ensured that it came crashing down within decades of his passing. In many ways, the story of this extraordinary conqueror’s early demise is more fascinating than that of his life. Over the years, lots of legendary stories became closely entwined with Alexander’s early death, written centuries after his passing by those eager to mythologise his story with an abundance of romantic, wondrous tales. So what’s the fact and what’s the fiction? Did Alexander die of illness? Or was it murder? And did he really leave his empire ‘to the strongest’. History Hit’s Tristan Hughes tells the story of Alexander the Great’s final days and addresses some of the myths around his passing. He also examines the aftermath of Alexander’s death and how this conqueror’s corpse ultimately ended up in Egypt.

When you think about Napoleon, you might think of the battles of Austerlitz, Borodino, the retreat from Moscow and Waterloo, but Napoleon was so much more than just a conqueror and emperor, he was a lover and he had an extraordinary love life. In particular, historians have been obsessed over the centuries with Napoleon's tempestuous, passionate and deeply complicated relationship with his wife, Joséphine de Beauharnais. That marriage and their traumatic divorce plays centre stage in the extraordinary new film 'Napoleon' (2023) directed by Ridley Scott, which features an image of this relationship that runs right the way through Napoleon's career. To get to the bottom of this complicated relationship, Dan Snow seeks the help of historian Dr Kate Lister, using Napoleon's raunchy love letters to get a better understanding of the real history behind their love life and how well both Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby depict this on screen. SONY social pages

What is it about the Viking Age that drives so much interest? A common view is that it was a violent period across Europe, beset by raiding, conquest and plunder, led by people from Scandinavia. But is this really an accurate take on some 300 years of history? In this video James Carson talks through the Viking Age, bringing in expert opinion from a range of History Hit podcasts and documentaries to explain the more complex reality. What actually is the definition of a Viking? Did they really wear horned helmets? What was the legacy of the Norse on Europe, both in terms of colonisation and trade? You can find out more about the Vikings in the following links

Snow crab fishing is one of the deadliest jobs in the world. Storms, breakdowns, ice, snow, and rain being driven by the wind. Top it off with three-meter waves and fatigue and you have the recipe for a profession that truly demands nerves of steel. Nerves Of Steel takes us on a journey where each week we see incredible people who risk their lives every day doing jobs that most of us would find impossible. From animal tracking in low flying helicopters, to saving the nation as an elite task force, there's nothing these people can't do. WONDER is packed with binge worthy reality documentaries for hours of entertainment. Check out our hub of diverse and empowering stories which explore the extreme side of life!