The BEST Episodes of Horrible Histories (2009)
Every episode ever - ranked by fan votes!
Last Updated: Jun 29, 2019
Sketches, cartoons and quizzes liberally splattered with blood and gore, based on the books published by Scholastic.
#1 - Chaotic Collabs
Season 8 - Episode 3
History is filled with tales of great minds coming together, and collaborating, to achieve incredible things. It’s also full of idiots working together to create an unholy mess, and people forming partnerships for decidedly sinister reasons - welcome to Horrible Histories’ Chaotic Collabs! The Black Hand Gang worked together to assassinate Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, and thus trigger a chain of events that led to World War One, but did you know that their collaboration was almost unsuccessful, owing to how many mistakes they made? Here, we reveal how they achieved their aim almost by luck, rather than judgement. Elsewhere, Burke and Hare get jobs as supply business teachers in historical educating, King Akhenaten and Queen Nefertiti collaborate with Sophie and Sebastian in a bid to rejuvenate their Gods, and “Ahoy!” magazine reveals how Admiral Nelson is seemingly enjoying a collaboration with someone else’s wife. We admire one of history’s great duos - Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay - whose journey together to be the first people to reach the summit of Everest is rightly the stuff of legend - but there seems to be some disagreement between them as to who was actually the very first to set foot on the top. The collaboration between Great Britain and America has often been referred to as a 'special relationship' - so special in fact, that Winston Churchill once made President Roosevelt take a meeting with him whilst he was in the bath. Literature and the arts are filled with tales of group creativity - did you know that William Shakespeare sometimes brainstormed his plays? One of these instances surrounds Macbeth, and the decision to change his fairy characters into witches. Finally, we take a musical look at one of the finest ever artistic groups: the romantic poets.
10.00 
#2 - Episode 11
Season 5 - Episode 11
DI Bones investigates an unusual Victorian traffic accident, Roman scientist Pliny the Elder suffers a Stupid Death in ancient Pompeii, Prime Ministers Neville Chamberlain and Winston Churchill argue online over what to do about Adolf Hitler, and we discover the horrible history of early Australia.
9.00 
#3 - Episode 13
Season 1 - Episode 13
A lazy aristocrat invents the sandwich, the Romans host their own revolting cookery show and William Shakespeare is haunted by the ghost of King Richard III.
8.94 
#4 - Episode 6
Season 3 - Episode 6
Henry VIII promotes his all meat, no vegetables diet plan, Bob Hale struggles desperately to explain the Middle Ages War of the Roses, a Stone Age man invents farming, and Admiral Nelson confuses everyone with his last words.
8.56 
#5 - Episode 10
Season 4 - Episode 10
William the Conqueror has some trouble conquering the town of Ely, Greek philosopher Diogenes reveals his disgusting tactic for getting rid of people he doesn't like, a Saxon joins a modern dating agency and there is a surprise in store for the people on Victorian Wife Swap.
8.56 
#6 - Episode 7
Season 4 - Episode 7
Emperor Napoleon plays in a very unusual chess match, a Victorian inventor builds an anti-seasickness ship with one small design flaw, a snowball fight breaks out at a public execution and the British army hires a dead tramp to defeat the Germans in World War II.
8.44 
#7 - Episode 6
Season 1 - Episode 6
An evil Greek god appears on a daytime chat show, a rich Georgian swaps his wife with a peasant, and we meet some weird medieval monsters.
8.40 
#8 - Episode 12
Season 3 - Episode 12
The people of Strasbourg literally can't stand still with 'Dance Fever', HHTV presenter Fearne Polyester reports from a bizarre Greek festival, two Celtic warriors hold a rap battle to see who is best at boasting, and King Charles II meets the man who tried to steal the Crown Jewels.
8.31 
#9 - Episode 7
Season 1 - Episode 7
There is a terrible smell in the Houses of Parliament, Cinderella struggles with the Blitz, and Helen of Troy reveals her complicated love life.
8.30 
#10 - Episode 8
Season 2 - Episode 8
Some Vikings attack a monastery but can't remember why, a peasant gets a posh makeover on Georgian Fashion Fix, Crimewatch BC tries to solve the murder of Julius Caesar, and prepare to be confused by the Egyptian Hieroglyphics song.
8.27 
#11 - Episode 5
Season 1 - Episode 5
A priest makes a piano from live pigs, Emperor Caligula declares war on the sea, and there are some disgusting beauty tips from Ancient Egypt.
8.22 
#12 - Episode 11
Season 1 - Episode 11
Queen Victoria learns that her British comforts are not very British, a Viking warrior won't stop talking in rhyme, and on 'Axe Factor', the contestants try to become executioners.
8.21 
#13 - Gorgeous George III Special
Season 6 - Episode 8
A special episode of the historical sketch show about King George III, starring Simon Farnaby. We follow George from a young unpopular king to a much loved figure some 60 years later, and check out a bit of his court life along the way. Meanwhile across the world we hear about some of the words we have got from India, and the Battles of the Day team give us their unique insight into the American Revolution. With, of course, our host Rattus to guide the way!
8.20 
#14 - Ingenious Inventors
Season 7 - Episode 6
Mankind's most ingenious inventors are given the Horrible Histories treatment, as we take in everything from the invention of the wheel to the crisp. Featuring the Gutenberg press, the man who invented both the dictionary (very successfully) and manned flight (less successfully). Also the Greeks and the Chinese battle as to which of them are history's best inventors.
8.20 
#15 - Preposterous US Presidents
Season 7 - Episode 7
Horrible Histories takes a look at America and its various presidents, from George Washington to the present day, including President Jackson's rude parrot, the establishment of the Secret Service, German cowboys, and spy Mary Elizabeth Bowser.
8.20 
#16 - Episode 10
Season 1 - Episode 10
HHTV News reports live from the Battle of Thermopylae, Celt housewives find decorative uses for severed heads, and we learn the revolting truth about Roman toilets.
8.19 
#17 - Episode 11
Season 3 - Episode 11
We rejoice in the odd marriage of Mary I and Philip II of Spain, whilst a pirate chef disgusts the judges on Historical Masterchef and a Stone Age man appears on Dragons' Den with his innovative inventions. Plus, the Victorian paramedics offer their bizarre medical advice to a modern patient.
8.18 
#18 - Episode 10
Season 3 - Episode 10
Some WWI soldiers try some very unusual ways to cure frostbite in the winter. Plus, the not at all romantic movie starring William the Conqueror, the story of Aztec Emperor Motecuhzoma, and a strange Stuart doctor takes a snooze during the middle of a battle.
8.14 
#19 - Episode 8
Season 5 - Episode 8
The surprising identity of Britain's top-scoring footballer is revealed, things get ridiculous on Germany's version of Historical Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, a Celtic farmer isn't terribly keen on plans for Hadrian's Wall, and the brainy pioneers of transportation sing about their inventions.
8.14 
#20 - Episode 4
Season 1 - Episode 4
The Tudors sing their family history, Bob explains the complete history of Rome in two minutes, and a mad Victorian gentleman eats King Louis XIV's mummified heart.
8.14 
#21 - Episode 3
Season 1 - Episode 3
Wicked Witches: Witchfinders Direct, Twisted Fairytales: The Frog Prince (witchcraft involving frogs) and The Middle Ages Witchcraft Show Vicious Vikings: Viking Beliefs , Eric and Asgot and Valhalla or Hel Potty Pioneers: Captain Scott and the South Pole Race Awful Egyptians: Making a Mummy (song), The History of Mummies and Shouty Man: All Purpose Ancient Egyptian Mummy Rotten Romans: Nero's Christian Candles and HHTV Sport: Lions v Christians Slimy Stuarts: HHTV News: Charles I's Execution and Historical Wife Swap: Puritans and Cavaliers
8.13 
#22 - Wily Winston Churchill Special
Season 6 - Episode 10
A special episode of the historical sketch show about Winston Churchill, starring Jim Howick. We follow Churchill from a young soldier in India during the time of Queen Victoria, through the First World War, to victory in World War II, and finally to his retirement in the Swinging Sixties - what a journey! Meanwhile across the world we meet the American soldier literally spreading propaganda around the battlefields, and learn about Gandhi's more eccentric side. With of course, our host Rattus to guide the way!
8.12 
#23 - Episode 10
Season 2 - Episode 10
King Charles I sends someone else to get married for him, a new recruit regrets joining the Georgian army, and Queen Cleopatra reveals her weird beauty secrets.
8.11 
#24 - Episode 8
Season 3 - Episode 8
HHTV reporter Mike Peabody gets caught up in the French Revolution, Henry VIII enjoys a highly dangerous sport for children, Saxon King Ethelred the Unready suffers online bullying from the Vikings, and the Suffragettes set the record straight in song.
8.08 
#25 - Episode 4
Season 2 - Episode 4
Britain's greatest sailor, Admiral Nelson, turns out to be horribly seasick, two doctors from the Middle Ages argue over how to treat a patient, discover the many uses for an Incan llama, and the World War 2 Girls sing about Girl Power on the Home Front.
8.07