Welcome to a shadowy realm where the divide between the noble and the nefarious isn’t quite as clear as it seems. Where supposed saints appear suspiciously traitorous, and so-called scoundrels reveal unexpected glimmers of virtue. Prepare for sword fights, scandals and enough moral ambiguity to make Machiavelli blush – from the imperial court of eleventh-century Japan to the studios of twentieth-century Hollywood. Along the way, Holland and Sandbrook debate questions like: -Was Caligula an irredeemable monster or history’s favourite scandal magnet? -Was Joan of Arc a saintly saviour or a dangerous heretic? -Was Wojtek the bear a true Second World War hero or simply a cuddly mascot? -Was Elizabeth I a true Virgin Queen or just brilliant at branding? So polish your armour, don your villainous moustache and get ready to choose a side in the ultimate showdown between history’s greats and rogues…
