What Was Sport Really Like in the Middle Ages?

What made you attractive in the Middle Ages? In this filmed episode of the History Hit podcast Betwixt the Sheets, Dr Kate Lister interviews medieval historian Eleanor Janega about medieval beauty standards, hygiene and the perspectives of women throughout the Middle Ages. They also discuss Eleanor's new book 'The Once and Future Sex'. It's an illuminating exploration of medieval thinking on women’s beauty, sexuality, and behaviour. What makes for the ideal woman? How should she look, love, and be? You'll also find out if medieval people washed, shaved or brushed their teeth. Plus, why weren't nuns allowed to look after the sick overnight?

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.

How has the sniper rifle evolved over the last 100 years? It's time to find out! Luke Tomes returns to the Royal Armouries to fire some of the most iconic British sniper rifles of the last 100 years. As always, he is joined by Keeper of Firearms & Artillery, Jonathan Ferguson, who talks him through the history, design and development of each rifle, showcasing how British military sniping has evolved from the battlefields of the Second World War to the modern era. First up is the Lee-Enfield No. 4 Mk. I (T), the dedicated sniper variant of the British Lee-Enfield rifle developed during the Second World War. Chambered in .303 British, the No. 4 Mk. I (T) was selected for its accuracy and fitted with a telescopic sight, transforming the already proven Lee-Enfield into a specialist precision weapon. Used extensively by British and Commonwealth forces, it combined the fast, smooth action of the Lee-Enfield with the precision required for long-range shooting. It established a foundation for British military sniping that would influence specialist rifles for decades to come. Second is

Hero in war. Villain in peace? Historian Kevin Ruane answers your questions about Winston Churchill, the two-time Prime Minister celebrated for leading Britain through the Second World War, yet still one of the most controversial figures in modern British history. 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.

What was life really like for Anne Boleyn growing up? Prof. Suzannah Lipscomb investigates the story of Anne Boleyn's remarkable upbringing in the Netherlands and France before she arrived at the heart of Tudor England. For all Anne Boleyn’s fame, this is a period of her life where the evidence is hard to find and fact needs to be carefully sifted from fiction. Suzannah explores Anne’s childhood home, beautiful Hever Castle, to discover what made her - what formed her into the extraordinary woman who would change the course of history. With special access to a remarkable new exhibition at Hever, Suzannah joins the curatorial team to handle and analyse the original evidence relating to Anne’s upbringing and the shaping of her character, including a significant illuminated book of hours complete with Anne’s personal signature and a newly re-examined original painting, reattributed as being of Catherine of Aragon, Henry’s queen when Anne arrived at court.

Brutal Battles of WW1 & WW2 told by one German Solider. German Soldier’s letters and dairies reveal what life was really like for men fighting in the trenches on the frontline in the First World War. Published for the first time in this feature documentary, Wilhelm's letters and photos have been entrusted to History Hit by his family. Born in central Germany in 1888. Wilhelm studied to become a teacher, but like so many of his generation, was called to serve in the First World War. From 1914 to 1918 he saw action on the western front, where he experienced the horrors of trench warfare and endured the loss of some of his closest friends. Unlike many of his comrades, Wilhelm survived the war but returned to a defeated nation in the grips of political turmoil Wilhelm would play no part in the violent political battles of the early 1920s and instead would return to the classroom - but the coming of the great depression and the rise to power of the Nazis - would alter the course of his