Simon Schama joins Dominic Sandbrook as The Rest Is History passes 125 million views
A special bonus conversation on how the French Revolution slid into the Terror sat alongside episodes on Danton's fall and Robespierre's festival to a Supreme Being.
The Rest Is History
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Why the French Revolution Turned Violent With Simon Schama
Somewhere in the past seven days, The Rest Is History quietly passed 125 million lifetime views. It got there in its usual company: Robespierre, Danton and a France that turned on its own revolutionaries.
The week's big draw was a bonus episode. Dominic Sandbrook sat down with Simon Schama, whose 1989 book Citizens is still one of the best-known narratives of the Revolution, to ask why it descended into the Terror and whether anyone could have stopped it. They range from Marat and the uses of "the people" to Danton against Robespierre, and close on why Citizens caused such a stir when it came out. The comment section reads like a reading list. Many viewers say they are ordering the book, one remembers Schama's old BBC history of Britain rekindling an interest in the past, and a few simply wish the 43 minutes had run longer.
The main series kept marching. Part 21 of 23 follows Danton's turn against the Terror and his road to the guillotine. On Monday, Tom Holland and Dominic took on the Festival of the Supreme Being, Robespierre's strange 1794 spectacle, and that episode is gathering views about twice as fast as the Schama conversation is now. A day-old short on how little Romans knew of their own faces is moving just as quickly, a small nod back to Tom's old territory.
Daily views held right on their usual line, and about 4,000 new subscribers arrived. Among the history and explainer channels nearest its size, none added more views over the week. EmperorTigerstar had the liveliest stretch relative to its own norm.
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What viewers say
Simon Schama is always a pleasure to listen to
@JeffVenndiagramSee it on YouTubeooooh! Simon Schama on the show!
@jimmywang1586See it on YouTubeOnly 43 minutes? We want more!
@credwordsfulSee it on YouTube
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- Channel
- The Rest Is History
- Subscribers
- 591,000 ▲ 4,000 this week
- Channel views, last 7 days
- 2,647,991
- Videos published this week
- 7
- Video published
- September 30, 2026
- Video views so far
- 259,459
- Views on its first day
- 119,480
The numbers
Here is how The Rest Is History's week looks in figures.
💡 Test your knowledge
In which year did the storming of the Bastille take place?
The Bastille fell on July 14, 1789, the date France still celebrates as its national day.