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Would you swap a tiny island just 1 mile (or 3 kilometres) square for New York City?

Crazy though that sounds, that is exactly what the British and the Dutch did in 1667.

In a peculiar twist in history, the Dutch swapped their settlement of New Amsterdam on Manhattan island for the island of Run, in modern-day Indonesia.

The Barbary Pirates & England's White Slaves

Rule Britannia

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The little known story of the Barbary pirates and England's White Slaves.

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Did you know that at the same time that the British were involved in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, white Britons were being sold into slavery in Africa?

For over 200 years, from the reign of James I right up until George III, Muslim pirates from the abducted thousands of British sailors and sold them in the slave markets on the Barbary Coast in North Africa.

They even landed in Cornwall raiding coastal villages and taking men, women and children into captivity.

It is a fascinating and little known story from British history.

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Measuring less than one square mile, the island of Heligoland in the North Sea, just 30 miles off the north German coast, is an easily forgotten British colony.
But, this Frisian (not German) peaking island of 3,000 inhabitants was part of the British Empire from 1814 to 1890.

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Heligoland had its own British governor (or.Lt. governor), its own flag incorporating the Union flag, and from 1867 issued its own stamps with Queen Victoria’s head on them.

During British rule, the island became a spa resort attracting the cream of European society.
The laid-back colony, became a hub for German liberals, avoiding the more draconian
governments in places like Prussia.
One of these liberal was the poet, August Heinrich Hoffman von Fallersleben.
Whilst staying on the island in 1841 he wrote a poem entitled “Das Lied der Deutschen”
Put to a tune previously written by Joseph Hayden 40 years before, it has become the German National Anthem.

In 1890 in a bizarre land deal, Britian gave up the island to Kaiser Wilhelm II's Germany in return for recognition of her colonial ambitions in Uganda, Kenya & Zanzibar.

During both the First and Second World Wars the island was heavily fortified by the Germans.
During WW2, it suffered from a 1,000 bomber raid from the RAF and after the war, in 1947 the British conduscted one of the largest ever non-nuclear explosions to destroy German fortifications once and for all (operation Big Bang).

Nowadays, Heligoland, with a population of just over 1,000 is part of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein.

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“Rule Britannia” is one of the most recognised songs that identifies Great

Britain.

But what is the history behind the song?

In this episode you will discover:

The little-known story of why it was actually written,

The real person Britannia was modelled on,

And why most people are singing the wrong words!

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Almost wiped out by the Zulus, Losing half their men charging Sikh cannon with bayonets, Surrendered twice, captured twice, losing their colours...

Were the 24th Regiment of Foot the unluckiest regiment in the British army?

You decide, as we explore their heroic, bloody and forgotten charge ta the battle of Chillianwala in 1849.

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My other episodes about the British - Sikh Wars:

133 The Battle of Mudki - Opening battle of the 1st war
137 Ferozeshah
141 Battle of Aliwal
143 Sobraon - the Indian Waterloo?
151 Ramnagar - the opening battle of the 2nd Anglo Sikh War

Further episodes about the 24th Regiment in the Anglo Zulu War:

104 The Battle of Isandlwana
107 Saving the colours at Isandlwana

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King Raedwald of East Anglia (reign 599-624 AD), an Anglo Saxon Bretwalda (sort of high king) is believed to be the man who was buried in the Sutton Hoo Ship.

The ship and its treasures (many of which are on display in the British Museum) were discovered in 1939. The centre piece is an amazing warrior helmet.

This is the story of Raedwald, the forgotten warrior king from Dark Ages Britain.

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The battle of New Orleans fought between Great Britain and the USA on the 8th January 1815 resulted in a resounding American victory in which the British lost over 2,000 men killed, wounded or captured.

And Whilst It was the last battle of the war of 1812, it was actually fought after the US and the British had already agreed a peace treaty.

So, was this battle just pointless bloodshed?

Here is a my British perspective.

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The War of 1812, was fought between the United States of America and Great Britain and was a spin off from the Napoleonic Wars in Europe.

Chris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.

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