Best Keith Hockton Podcasts (2025)

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The Mau Mau - Empire of Blood - Part Two 43:40

5h ago43:40

43:40

Send us a text In Part One, we uncovered the foundations of a rebellion—the Mau Mau oath, the theft of ancestral land, and the British Empire’s ruthless response. But what came next was even more chilling. This is the part they tried to erase. Thousands of files—detailing torture, rape, and castration—vanished. Some were locked away. Others were bu…

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The Mau Mau - Empire of Blood - Part One 47:46

6h ago47:46

47:46

Send us a text Kenya, 1952. Beneath the surface of the colonial order, something was stirring—something ancient, defiant, and dangerous to the British Empire. This is the story of the Mau Mau: a secretive and feared movement, bound by a powerful oath of loyalty, land, and blood. An oath whispered in the forests, taken in darkness, and sworn to recl…

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Virginia Wolf - The Bloomsbury Group and Much Much More 49:17

3d ago49:17

49:17

Send us a text Virginia Woolf didn’t just write novels—she cracked open the mind and bled onto the page. Time, memory, madness, sex, death—nothing was too sacred. Nothing was off limits. In the heart of Bloomsbury, she found her tribe—artists, rebels, lovers who believed in truth over convention. They questioned everything: war, empire, gender, eve…

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Newton’s Eye and Homer’s Sky 42:55

10d ago42:55

42:55

Send us a text In the 1660s, Isaac Newton sat alone in the dark… and slid a needle behind his eyeball — not out of madness, but to unlock the secrets of light. Centuries earlier, Homer described the ocean not as blue, but “wine-dark.” In fact, in the Iliad and the Odyssey, the colour blue doesn’t exist. It’s never mentioned. Not once. That strange …

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Mallory and Irvine - Ghosts on Everest 52:20

17d ago52:20

52:20

Send us a text High above the clouds, where the air thins and every step is a battle, two men vanished into legend." In June 1924, George Mallory and Andrew Irvine set out to conquer the unconquerable — the summit of Mount Everest — armed with little more than grit, woolen coats, and an indomitable spirit." "They were last seen alive, climbing high…

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JFK: The Man Who Dared to Dream 55:59

25d ago55:59

55:59

Send us a text He had the jawline of a movie star, the charm of a matinee idol, and the pedigree of American royalty. But John Fitzgerald Kennedy was more than just a handsome face — he was a war hero, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, and the youngest man ever elected President of the United States. He was the golden boy — but behind the perfect sm…

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Nicholas Flamel: The Immortal Alchemist 40:32

28d ago40:32

40:32

Send us a text They say he died in the fourteenth century. But his tomb was empty. No body. No bones. Just silence. Nicholas Flamel—a name etched into dusty grimoires and whispered in secret circles. A medieval scribe who, legend claims, unlocked the secrets of the Philosopher’s Stone. Gold from lead. Life from death. Immortality. For over six cent…

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Rome's Scandalous Emperors 30:01

1M ago30:01

30:01

Send us a text How depraved was Caligula? More than Tiberius? How monstrous was Nero? The dark reputations of these emperors owe a great deal to the Roman writer Suetonius, whose 121 AD work, "Lives of the Caesars" offered intimate portraits of 12 rulers of Rome - from Julius Caesar to Domitian. Join Keith as he interviews historian and podcaster T…

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Lord Lucan - what really happened? 35:42

2M ago35:42

35:42

Send us a text In the dead of night on November 7, 1974, Lord Lucan vanished without a trace after the brutal murder of his children's nanny, Sandra Rivett, in a case that gripped Britain like a thriller novel come to life. Was this aristocratic gambler a cold-blooded killer who took his own life to escape justice—or did he disappear into a world o…

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Three Scots in Africa - Slave, Slaver, Abolitionist 47:55

2M ago47:55

47:55

Send us a text Today’s journey takes us deep into the heart of Africa – a continent rich in culture, but ravaged by the forces of empire, greed… and the struggle for humanity. Sir John Henderson – the nobleman who was a slave. Richard Oswald – Politician and slaver, and Dr. David Livingstone – the missionary, explorer, and abolitionist, whose foots…

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J.R.R Tolkien - Part Two - The Lord of the Rings 1:02:30

2M ago1:02:30

1:02:30

Send us a text Welcome back to Rearview Mirror Chronicles! Last time, we explored J.R.R. Tolkien’s early life and the war that shaped him. Now, we turn to The Lord of the Rings—a story born from his experiences of battle, loss, and faith. The trenches of World War I echo in the battlefields of Middle-earth, while his Catholic beliefs infuse the sto…

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J.R.R Tolkien - Part One - The Hobbit 54:07

2M ago54:07

54:07

Send us a text In the quiet corners of a small English town, in the flickering glow of candlelight, a boy loses himself in the pages of myth and legend—unaware that one day, his own words will shape the greatest fantasy saga ever written. John Ronald Reuel Tolkien… a name that would one day transport millions to the lands of elves, dwarves, and dra…

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Malta - The Greatest Siege in History 47:45

2M ago47:45

47:45

Send us a text Picture this: A sun-scorched island in the heart of the Mediterranean. A desperate band of knights, vastly outnumbered, stands against the might of an empire. It is the year 1565, and the Ottoman war machine—30,000 strong—has arrived on the shores of Malta, determined to wipe the Knights of St. John off the face of the earth. But wha…

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Nostradamus 33:50

3M ago33:50

33:50

Send us a text For centuries, Nostradamus has loomed over history like a spectral prophet, his cryptic quatrains sending shivers down the spines of believers and skeptics alike. Did he truly foresee the rise of Napoleon, the horrors of World War II, or even the attacks of September 11th? Or was he just a clever wordsmith, spinning riddles vague eno…

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Banking Collapses - Why they Happen and How to Avoid them in the Future 35:32

3M ago35:32

35:32

Send us a text Money makes the world go ‘round… until it doesn’t. From the financial districts of ancient Rome to the stock exchanges of London and the skyscrapers of Wall Street, history has been shaped—again and again—by catastrophic banking failures. When credit dries up, confidence crumbles, and fortunes vanish overnight, the same question alwa…

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Greenland 36:57

3M ago36:57

36:57

Send us a text Greenland, the world’s largest island, has a history shaped by its harsh Arctic environment and the strategic interests of powerful nations. First settled by the Inuit over 4,500 years ago, it later became home to Norse settlers led by Erik the Red in the 10th century, though their colonies mysteriously vanished by the 15th century. …

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The Madman’s Library - Macabre Books and Bizarre Manuscripts 45:10

3M ago45:10

45:10

Send us a text The madman’s library is a realm where the bizarre and the forbidden collide, a collection of history’s most unsettling tomes. Dusty shelves groan under the weight of grimoires devoted to demonology, their pages inked with occult symbols and sinister invocations. There are volumes written in blood, their creators driven by obsession o…

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The Panama Canal 34:48

3M ago34:48

34:48

Send us a text The Panama Canal is one of the greatest engineering marvels in history—a saga of ambition, failure, and triumph. It all began in the 1880s when the French, fresh from their success with the Suez Canal, attempted to carve a passage through the dense jungles of Panama. Led by Ferdinand de Lesseps, the effort was doomed by rampant disea…

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Greatness 31:28

3M ago31:28

31:28

Send us a text Greatness is a concept that has shaped history, yet it feels increasingly rare in modern discourse. From Alexander the Great to Catherine the Great, history has bestowed this title upon figures whose vision, ambition, and impact transcended their time. But what made them "great"? Was it military conquest, statesmanship, cultural infl…

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Alexander The Great - Part 2 55:56

4M ago55:56

55:56

Send us a text As Alexander the Great marched triumphantly into the Indian subcontinent, his ambition burned brighter than ever. He faced the fierce resistance of King Porus at the Battle of the Hydaspes River, where the Macedonian phalanx clashed with towering war elephants in a battle of unparalleled ferocity. Yet, victory was his, and Porus, imp…

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Alexander The Great - Part 1 54:02

4M ago54:02

54:02

Send us a text Alexander the Great’s story begins in 356 BC, born in Pella to King Philip II and the fiercely ambitious Olympias. From his earliest days, Alexander was surrounded by greatness—his mother claimed divine lineage from Achilles, and his father, a master strategist, shaped Macedonia into a military powerhouse. Tutored by Aristotle, young…

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The Great Fire of London 40:21

4M ago40:21

40:21

Send us a text In September 1666, the heart of London became an inferno, devouring over 13,000 homes, landmarks, and centuries of history in just four days. But the Great Fire was more than just a catastrophe—it was a crucible of chaos, courage, and transformation. What ignited the blaze that reshaped the city? How did a baker's oven spark a firest…

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Christmas 34:52

5M ago34:52

34:52

Send us a text This week on Rearview Mirror Chronicles, we unwrap the rich tapestry of Christmas history! From the sacred nativity stories in the Gospels to the Reformers’ bold attempts to redefine the holiday, we trace the evolution of this beloved celebration. We'll explore how St. Nicholas inspired the jolly figure of Santa Claus, revisit Dicken…

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The Colosseum - Rome's Arena of Death 53:01

5M ago53:01

53:01

Send us a text Step back in time to the heart of ancient Rome, where the roar of the crowd rivaled the clash of swords, and the sands of the arena were stained with the stories of bravery, betrayal, sheer spectacle and blood. The Colosseum wasn’t just a stadium; it was a symbol of an empire’s power and its people’s unyielding thirst for entertainme…

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Persia 44:45

5M ago44:45

44:45

Send us a text Persia, the land of kings and legends, was a marvel of human achievement, blending unparalleled innovation, cultural sophistication, and vast empire-building. Stretching from the Mediterranean to the Indus Valley, the Persian Empire was a beacon of connectivity, uniting diverse peoples under the revolutionary rule of Cyrus the Great …

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Kipling's "IF" and "The Two Sided Man" - Your Questions Answered 8:44

5M ago8:44

8:44

Send us a text Rudyard Kipling’s "If—" and "The Two-Sided Man" are masterclasses in poetic craftsmanship, distilling the essence of human resilience and complexity into words that resonate across generations. Join Keith as he explains why these two poems mean so much to him, and why together, these poems reflect Kipling’s genius in capturing the un…

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What Ifs - Counterfactuals 55:00

6M ago55:00

55:00

Send us a text What Ifs, Counterfactuals, are a gateway to the infinite possibilities of history, where imagination collides with reality to unravel the fragile threads of what might have been. They remind us that history is not a predetermined march but a chaotic web of choices, accidents, and pivotal moments where a single decision could have res…

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Thomas Cochrane - Part 3 - Admiral 53:22

6M ago53:22

53:22

Send us a text In the twilight of his turbulent life, Lord Thomas Cochrane stood as a testament to unyielding defiance and unrelenting ambition. Once jailed and cast out of the Royal Navy under a cloud of scandal, his indomitable spirit found new purpose across oceans. Hired by Chile, Brazil, and Greece, he became a liberator and naval genius, carv…

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Thomas Cochrane - Part 2 - Post Captain 59:08

7M ago59:08

59:08

Send us a text Thomas Lord Cochrane's daring assault at the Battle of Basque Roads in 1809 was nothing short of audacious. Leading a fleet of fire and bomb ships, Cochrane, a brilliant but rebellious Royal Navy officer, spearheaded a bold night attack against the anchored French fleet. In a blaze of chaos, the fire ships hurtled toward the French v…

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Thomas Cochrane - Part 1 - Master and Commander 45:16

7M ago45:16

45:16

Send us a text Thomas Cochrane's meteoric rise to Post Captain was a whirlwind of audacity, brilliance, and defiance. In 1801, after just a few years of service, Cochrane's relentless daring at sea earned him the rank, Master and Commander, of the tiny HMS Speedy, a 14 gun sloop with just 54 men and boys. Against all the odds, he captured or sank 5…

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Pompeii 48:04

7M ago48:04

48:04

Send us a text The ancient city of Pompeii, frozen in time by the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, offers one of the most extraordinary glimpses into Roman life. Imagine walking through streets where vibrant murals still adorn walls, bread sits petrified in ovens, and people were caught in their final moments by a deadly cloud of a…

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The Rosetta Stone 34:13

7M ago34:13

34:13

Send us a text In the summer of 1799, a simple black slab unearthed by a group of French soldiers in Egypt would forever change our understanding of ancient history. This stone—now known as the Rosetta Stone—bore a decree written in three scripts: Greek, Demotic, and Egyptian hieroglyphs. It was the key that unlocked the mysteries of a lost languag…

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Aphra Behn - English 17th Century Writer, Author, Playwight and Spy 35:45

8M ago35:45

35:45

Send us a text Welcome to today's episode, where we dive into the daring and double life of Aphra Behn, the first Englishwoman to support herself through her writing — and perhaps the most intriguing spy of the 17th century. Imagine being a playwright whose biting satires thrilled Restoration audiences, all while secretly working as a government ag…

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Crossing The Rubicon - Part Two 37:41

8M ago37:41

37:41

Send us a text After crossing the Rubicon, Caesar plunged Rome into chaos, setting the stage for one of history's most dramatic power struggles. With his legions at his back, he marched swiftly towards Rome, sending shock waves through the Senate and striking fear into the heart of his rival, Pompey. As panic spread, Pompey and the senators fled th…

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Crossing of the Rubicon - Part One 34:33

8M ago34:33

34:33

Send us a text The year is 49 BC, and Rome teeters on the edge of chaos. Julius Caesar, a brilliant general with legions of fiercely loyal soldiers, stands on the banks of the Rubicon River—a shallow stream marking the point of no return. Behind him lies the safety of his command in Gaul; ahead, the looming threat of civil war. The Senate has order…

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Verses of Resilience - 8 Inspirational Masterpieces 31:39

8M ago31:39

31:39

Send us a text Keith has a cold this week (cue the sad violins) and couldn’t finish the research for the podcast he really wanted to do. So instead, he's decided to take us on a thrilling poetic ride—because why not, right? Join us as he dives into eight of the most powerful and timeless poems ever written. We’re talking about the defiant resilienc…

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The Bloomsbury Group 43:02

9M ago43:02

43:02

Send us a text The Bloomsbury Group was an eclectic circle of intellectuals, artists, and writers who defied convention and redefined the cultural landscape of early 20th-century Britain. Imagine a salon where Virginia Woolf's groundbreaking narratives, John Maynard Keynes' revolutionary economic theories, and Vanessa Bell's avant-garde paintings c…

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The Freemasons - Their Secrets Revealed 1:02:10

9M ago1:02:10

1:02:10

Send us a text The Freemasons have long been a subject of fascination and intrigue, shrouded in secrecy, mystique, and conspiracy theories. Originating as a stonemason guild in the late medieval period, the organization evolved into a global fraternity with a complex system of rituals, symbols, and philosophies. The allure of the Freemasons lies in…

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Napoleon - The Greatest Art Thief of All Time 37:15

9M ago37:15

37:15

Send us a text Napoleon Bonaparte wasn’t just a military genius; he was also one of history’s most audacious art thieves. During his campaigns across Europe, he systematically looted countless masterpieces, amassing an unparalleled collection of art for France. His most notorious haul came from Italy, where he plundered treasures like the "Laocoön …

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Robin Hood 1:02:57

9M ago1:02:57

1:02:57

Send us a text In the heart of Sherwood Forest, the legendary Robin Hood, along with his loyal band of Merry Men, including the formidable Little John, the cunning Will Scarlet, and the ever-faithful Friar Tuck, waged a relentless war against the tyranny of the Sheriff of Nottingham. By his side stood the enchanting Maid Marian, whose love and cour…

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Hawaii - Paradise Stolen 54:53

10M ago54:53

54:53

Send us a text The overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893 was a dramatic and tumultuous event, marked by a strategic and calculated coup orchestrated by a small group of American and European business interests. Queen Lili'uokalani, the last reigning monarch, its first Queen, faced mounting pressure from these powerful elites who sought to annex…

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The Trafalgar Chronicles: Nelson's Finest Hour 57:00

10M ago57:00

57:00

Send us a text At the Battle of Trafalgar on October 21, 1805, Admiral Horatio Nelson solidified his legendary status in naval history. Leading the British fleet with unparalleled strategic brilliance, Nelson defied conventional tactics by dividing his forces into two columns and charging directly at the Franco-Spanish line. This bold maneuver shat…

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Agatha Christie - The Missing Eleven Days 33:44

10M ago33:44

33:44

Send us a text Agatha Christie, the renowned mystery writer, became the subject of her own real-life mystery when she disappeared for 11 days in December 1926. On the evening of December 3, Christie left her home, and her car was later found abandoned with an expired driving license and clothes inside. The ensuing search, involving over a thousand …

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The Kaaba - That Mysterious Cube in Mecca 43:55

10M ago43:55

43:55

Send us a text The Kaaba, a cuboid structure draped in black silk and gold-embroidered fabric, stands majestically at the heart of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Revered as the most sacred site in Islam, this ancient edifice draws millions of pilgrims annually, who circle it in a profound act of devotion known as Tawaf. Built by the Proph…

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George Orwell 57:26

10M ago57:26

57:26

Send us a text George Orwell was a British writer and journalist whose works have left an indelible mark on literature and political thought. Known for his keen observations on social injustice and totalitarianism, Orwell's most famous works, "1984" and "Animal Farm," are masterful critiques of oppressive regimes and the dangers of unchecked power.…

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Ghosts of the Ninth: Rome's Lost Legion 37:50

11M ago37:50

37:50

Send us a text The Ninth Legion, or Legio IX Hispana, stands as one of the most enigmatic and storied units of the Roman Empire, its fate shrouded in mystery and intrigue. Formed in the 1st century BC, this elite legion earned its stripes in the fierce battles of Hispania and played a pivotal role in the Roman conquest of Britain. Stationed in the …

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Letters of Note - Letters that Changed the World 31:02

11M ago31:02

31:02

Send us a text Historical letters and correspondence offer an invaluable window into the past, serving as personal time capsules that reveal the thoughts, feelings, and day-to-day experiences of individuals from different eras. These documents provide a unique insight into the social, political, and cultural contexts of their times, allowing us to …

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Amelia Earhart 50:30

11M ago50:30

50:30

Send us a text Amelia Earhart, a pioneering aviator and one of the most daring adventurers of the 20th century, captivated the world with her fearless spirit and groundbreaking achievements. In 1932, she became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, defying the odds and battling fierce storms and mechanical issues to land in Ireland…

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The Book Forger 41:03

11M ago41:03

41:03

Send us a text In the shadowy literary underworld of 1930s London, Thomas Wise reigned supreme as a master forger, weaving intricate deceptions that captivated the most astute bibliophiles. His forgeries were so exquisite that they fooled even the most discerning eyes, transforming mundane texts into priceless artifacts. Wise's creations included "…

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Rudyard Kipling 46:55

11M ago46:55

46:55

Send us a text Rudyard Kipling, the master storyteller of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, captivated the world with his vibrant tales set against the exotic backdrops of British India and beyond. His timeless works, such as "The Jungle Book" and "Kim," overflow with vivid characters and thrilling adventures, painting a picture of colonial l…

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