The Renaissance was an age of sweeping transformation in politics, literature, science, art and architecture. Perhaps nothing better represents the latter achievements than il Duomo di Firenze - the Cathedral of Florence, the city where the epic Ezio trilogy of Assassin’s Creed - and the Renaissance - began.

The story of the Duomo is both more complicated and more controversial than you’d expect. Matt Lewis is joined by architectural historian Emma Wells to shed light on the marvels and mysteries of Florence Cathedral.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit.

Hosted by: Matt Lewis

Edited by: Alex Jones

Produced by: Matt Lewis, Robin McConnell

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Coordinator: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music:

Approaching Target by Jesper Kyd

Earth by Jesper Kyd

Tour of Venice by Jesper Kyd

The Madam by Jesper Kyd

Sanctuary by Jesper Kyd

If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK

Tell us your favourite episode or Assassin's Creed game at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Borgias are a lynchpin in the history of the Italian Renaissance. Their tale of intrigue, corruption and cut-throat ambition still inspires storytellers, and they appear as primary villains in Assassin's Creed II.

But is their reputation deserved? To reveal how much history has underserved the Borgias, Matt Lewis talks to Associate Professor Jennifer DeSilva, whose book The Borgia Family: Rumour and Reputation peels back the layers of fiction shrouding the truth.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit.

Hosted by: Matt Lewis

Edited by: Tim Arstall

Produced by: Matt Lewis, Robin McConnell

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Coordinator: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music:

Ezio's Family by Jesper Kyd

Earth by Jesper Kyd

Venice Combat by Jesper Kyd

If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK

Tell us your favourite episode or Assassin's Creed game at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Viking Age saw the creation of new towns and new kingdoms in Britain and Ireland. What impact did Norse settlers have on politics, culture and the economy? Professor Fiona Edmonds joins Matt Lewis to reveal the ways in which Vikings shaped medieval Ireland and Britain.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit.

Hosted by: Matt Lewis

Edited by: Robin McConnell

Produced by: Matt Lewis, Robin McConnell

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Coordinator: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music:

Bounteous Fields by Max Aruj

Bury the Past, Build the Future by Max Aruj

Canaid Lia Fáil by Einar Selvik

If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK

Tell us your favourite episode or Assassin's Creed game at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Halloween is a tradition that only grows in popularity each year. Yet its origins are mysterious, shrouded by myth and misconception.

Some of its roots trace back to the Gaelic festival of Samhain. In this episode, Matt Lewis and Dr Kelly Fitzgerald explore the traditions and significance of Samhain to the people who celebrated it, and its connections to Halloween.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit.

Hosted by: Matt Lewis

Edited by: Robin McConnell

Produced by: Matt Lewis, Robin McConnell, Peta Stamper

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Coordinator: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music:

Assassin's Creed Valhalla Main Theme by Sarah Schachner, Einar Selvik, Jesper Kyd

Asgard Hall Of The Aesir by Sarah Schachner, Einar Selvik

Ravensthorpe by Sarah Schachner

If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK

Tell us your favourite episode or Assassin's Creed game at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Viking Age Ireland was divided into many rival kingdoms. However, some men could rise to become High King of Ireland. Men like Flann Sinna. How did he become High King? Did he wield real power over the other kingdoms? When did the High Kingship come to an end?

Matt Lewis is joined by Professor Máire Ní Mhaonaigh to explain the significance of the High Kingship and the reign of Flann Sinna, which oversaw the profound effects of the Norse arrival.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit.

Hosted by: Matt Lewis

Edited by: Robin McConnell

Produced by: Matt Lewis, Robin McConnell

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Coordinator: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music:

Canaid Lia Fáil by Einar Selvik, Julie Fowlis

Rivers and Fjords by Sarah Schachner

New People, Old Empires by Sarah Schachner

If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK

Tell us your favourite episode or Assassin's Creed game at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, we’ll study someone who was both a cause and a victim of the French Revolution: the cake-promoting queen, Marie Antoinette.

In Assassin’s Creed Unity, we glimpse Marie Antoinette living the high-life while the poor people of Paris starve. By walking the streets of Paris, we also get an idea of the public perception of her as a detached, and even cruel, consort. Understanding her reputation helps us understand her fate, which we’ll examine closely today.

Matt is helped Maddy and Anthony from the After Dark podcast to take us on a journey through the final days of Marie Antoinette.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit.

Hosted by: Matt Lewis

Edited by: Tomos Delargy

Produced by: Freddy Chick, Robin McConnell

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Coordinator: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music:

The Attainted One by Christ Tilton, Jesper Kyd

The Bottle of Solitude by Christ Tilton

Nothing Is True by Christ Tilton, Jesper Kyd

If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK

Tell us your favourite episode or Assassin's Creed game at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Storming of the Bastille is one of the key events of the French Revolution and is known throughout the world. But it is fair to say that the name is better known than the event itself. Was it more than just a prison break? Why was it so important to the revolutionaries? And what did this event contribute to the democratic and social changes that followed?

Matt Lewis is joined by Professor David Andress from the University of Portsmouth to reveal the events of that fateful day, the reasons behind them, and their lasting impact.

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit.

Hosted by: Matt Lewis

Edited by: Robin McConnell

Produced by: Matt Lewis, Robin McConnell

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Coordinator: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music:

Books of Grievances by Sarah Schachner

Versailles for Sore Eyes by Christ Tilton

A Leap Of Faith by Chris Tilton, Jesper Kyd

If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK

Tell us your favourite podcast episode or Assassin's Creed game at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Napoleon Bonaparte is a household name; a rare example of someone who is as well remembered by his supporters as by his enemies. His life is rich with dramatic irony. He was a key figure in the creation of the First French Republic, yet became a self-appointed Emperor. Surrounded by enemies, he secured peace in France through war abroad and was hated by the monarchies of Europe, who feared he would bring democracy to their lands.

Dan Snow from Dan Snow's History Hit joins Matt Lewis to ask who exactly was this man? Where did he come from and what is his legacy for the Western world?

Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit.

Hosted by: Matt Lewis

Edited by: Alex Jones

Produced by: Matt Lewis, Joseph Knight, Robin McConnell

Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff

Production Coordinator: Beth Donaldson

Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett

Music:

Binding Loyalties by Sarah Schachner

Breach Party by Chris Tilton

Chase by Chase Basis by Chris Tilton

Versailles for Sore Eyes by Chris Tilton

The Nation, The Law, and The King by Sarah Schachner

If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK

Tell us your favourite podcast episode or Assassin's Creed game at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.