Inventing Summitry

In episode 1 of Summitry, producer Russell Barnes and historian David Reynolds explore the backstory of high-stakes diplomacy on the world stage, from the Field of the Cloth of Gold (1520)—where Henry VIII and Francis I staged the ultimate power flex—to the Congress of Berlin (1878), where Europe’s balance of power was redrawn.

Fast forward to today: with seismic shifts in world affairs, the rise of digital diplomacy, and Trump’s dramatic, unpredictable summits, understanding the history of summitry has never been more urgent.

 

From Creating History - the team behind Creating Churchill - comes a gripping new season of high-stakes diplomacy, backroom negotiations and world-altering decisions.

 

This is Summitry.  Twelve episodes exploring pivotal meetings that shaped history.

 

When Hitler met Chamberlain. When Kennedy clashed with Khrushchev. When Bush and Blair stood shoulder to shoulder. When Trump had a shouting match with Zelenskyy... History isn’t just written - it’s negotiated.

 

Hosted by Russell Barnes and historian David Reynolds, Summitry takes you inside the rooms where power, pressure and politics collide. Each episode unpacks a defining diplomatic summit, revealing the human drama, strategic manoeuvring and lasting impacts of these encounters. Featuring expert analysis and rich historical context, this series pulls back the curtain on the meetings that changed the course of history.  Because when leaders meet, the world changes…

 

Follow the show at @Creating_Hist on X or Instagram, and send us your comments, voice notes and questions by email to: info@clearstory.co.uk

 

Please rate, review and recommend our show on your favourite podcast app. It really helps us get the word out and extend our reach.

 

Check out our first series Creating Churchill, also available wherever you get your podcasts: https://pod.link/1772845516

 

If you’d like to buy us or the team a coffee at Ko-Fi.com/creating_history, we’d be very grateful. https://ko-fi.com/creating_history

 

Creating History is hosted on Podbean, produced and edited by Russell Barnes, with music by Rich Farnsworth, digital marketing by Lee Mann, and sound engineering by Andrew Chappell.  Creating History is a ClearStory production. www.clearstory.co.uk