Italy was a divided nation, a pawn in the machinations of empires. Camillo Benso, the Count of Cavour, dreamed of a day when Italy could take its place among the nations of the world. As a journalist, Cavour fought for a constitution and parliament. As a statesman, he needed all his cunning (and a little luck) to make friends, scheme with emperors, and pull the disparate parts of Italy together... by force, if necessary. Recorded on location (and vacation!) in Aosta and Venice, in Italy. Our cover art is the Cavour lego mural in his ancestral home of Santena, Italy, which we visited.

From the depths of the Kollur Mine to the apex of the French crown, the Pitt Diamond (later known as the Regent Diamond) is either the story of a great British adventure, or a terrible Indian tragedy. We retell this story briefly in a bonus scene from William Pitt, Part 1.

As a boy, William Pitt grew up on stories of his merchant adventuring family. The Pitt fortune was smuggled out of the mines of India, even while his grandfather was the Governor of Madras. Pitt's father nearly lost it all betting on the Jacobites, but they survived. As the second son however, William had to find his own way as he sought fortune in the military and government. The story of one of Britain's greatest military leaders begins here.

Who was really the first Prime Minister? Do Prime Ministers even exist? And was Robert Walpole one of those? This bonus episode (recorded at Intelligent Speech 2025) looks at the lies and half-truths behind early British Prime Ministers.

As the Grenville government was on its final legs, Prince William Augustus, the Duke of Cumberland, was tasked with forming a new one... unfortunately right during the Ascot Races. Fortunately for Charles Watson-Wentworth, he was also enjoying the races that day. No one was more surprised than he was to discover that he was now Prime Minister.

Recorded in Portsmouth, Rockingham County, New Hampshire.

Charles Watson-Wentworth was not a serious person. After failing to run away at 15 to join Cumberland's army, he spent the remainder of his young adulthood entertaining his way across Europe before throwing one of the largest birthday parties that Yorkshire had ever seen. He loved horse racing, not elections. But with the Whigs floundering and Bute in ascendance, could this party boy be just what the nation needed?

Prime Time and Prime Factors, united at last! Join John, Rob, Abram, and Joe as they look back at the first forty years of British Prime Ministers, answer some quiz questions, and have a great time.

This is Part 1 of 2, you can find the second part by searching for Prime Time Prime Ministers in your podcast app of choice or at www.primetimepod.com. Recorded on location at the Travel Cafe in Waterloo, London!

Having abandoned his family in the pursuit of power, George Grenville rose to the highest office in the land. As riots broke out in England and the New World over his unpopular policies, would George Grenville rise above the fray and find success as a Prime Minister? Well, no.

Recorded once again at the Walpole Public Library as we continue to celebrate our anniversary.