{"podcast":{"title":"HistoryExtra podcast","slug":"historyextra-podcast-746104","podcast_index_feed_id":746104,"rss_url":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/GLT5697813216","website_url":"http://www.historyextra.com/","image_url":"https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/190b5144-ab83-11ed-82db-5fcd2fc76b79/image/b0b3b47eb14297ab7b0906abab7b8b52.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress","author":"HistoryExtra","episode_count":2624,"summary":"The HistoryExtra podcast brings you gripping stories from the past and fascinating historical conversations with the world's leading historical experts. HistoryExtra is a free history podcast, with episodes released six times a week. Subscribe now for the real stories behind your favourite films, TV shows and period dramas, as well as compelling insights into lesser-known aspects of the past. We delve into global history stories spanning the ancient world right up to the modern day. You’ll hear deep dives into the lives of famous historical figures like Cleopatra, Anne Boleyn and Winston Churchill, and explorations of intriguing events from the past, such as the Salem witch trials, the battle of Waterloo and D-Day. Expect fresh takes on history, helping you get to grips with the latest research, as we explore everything from ancient Roman archaeology and Viking mythology to Renaissance royals and Tudor kings and queens. Our episodes touch on a wide range of historical eras – from the Normans and Saxons to the Stuarts, Victorians and the Regency period. We cover the most popular historical subjects, from the medieval world to the Second World War, but you’ll also hear conversations…","last_synced_at":"2026-07-19T22:18:48.611786+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/historyextra-podcast-746104"},"episode":{"title":"Niccolò Machiavelli: life of the week","slug":"niccol-machiavelli-life-of-the-week","published_at":"2026-05-04T23:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/historyextra-podcast-746104/niccol-machiavelli-life-of-the-week","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/historyextra-podcast-746104","url":"https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pdst.fm/e/pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR5168155673.mp3?updated=1777636376","audio_url":"https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pdst.fm/e/pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR5168155673.mp3?updated=1777636376","summary":"From obscure beginnings to torture, exile, and desperate reinvention, the biography of Renaissance diplomat and author Niccolò Machiavelli reads like political theatre at its most brutal. In this episode, Alexander Lee speaks to Danny Bird about the man behind the myth. He presents Machiavelli as an 'everyman', who loved his family and friends, sang poetry, drank, gambled, and wrote by night, producing one of the most contentious books ever: The Prince. Long condemned as a manual for tyrants, might it instead be better to see it as a clear-eyed guide to political survival in unstable times? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices","meta_description":"From obscure beginnings to torture, exile, and desperate reinvention, the biography of Renaissance diplomat and author Niccolò Machiavelli reads like poli…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2990,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/historyextra-podcast-746104/episodes/niccol-machiavelli-life-of-the-week/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/historyextra-podcast-746104/niccol-machiavelli-life-of-the-week.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}