Historian, Author, Podcaster
About Scott
A historian of the Ottoman Empire and modern Turkey, Scott Rank is an author, academic, and podcaster. He is the author of twelve books, including The Age of Illumination: Science, Technology, and Reason in the Middle Ages, Lost Civilizations, and History’s Nine Most Insane Rulers, and Off the Edge of the Map: Travelers and Explorers That Pushed the Boundaries of the Known World. His books have been translated into nine languages. He currently hosts the show History Unplugged, which has over 700 episodes and 20 million downloads.
He earned his Ph.D. in history from Central European University in Budapest, Hungary. Before going down the academic route he worked as a journalist in Istanbul and reported on human rights issues.
He’s been featured on international media outlets, including PBS.
If you would like to reach out to his team regarding History Unplugged or other history-related events, please click here.
History Unplugged Podcast
In May 2017, Scott launched History Unplugged. Over the course of hundreds of episodes, he’s covered practically every era of human history, from the pre-Holocene to the post-Cold War.
History Unplugged features interviews with best-selling authors and historical consultants for film and television. Topics include Viking travel itineraries and trade networks, arguments for and against dropping atomic bombs in WW2, and Old World visitors to the Americas before Columbus.
Scott also answers audience questions on nearly any topic, such as Alexander the Great’s supposed plans to circumnavigate Africa, the origins of slavery (he did a 5-hour series on that question, starting with civilization’s beginning and ending in 1865), and whether Warren G. Harding was really a terrible president or the victim of a posthumous media smear campaign.
Published Works
The Most Powerful Women in the Middle Ages: Queens, Saints, and Viking Slayers, From Empress Theodora to Elizabeth of Tudor
