In 1461 the Queen failed to seize London,and retreated to the north. Warwick and Edward walked through London's empty gates and then chased north for the largest, and bloodiest battleRead More
Plantagenets 1216 – 1485
169 King without Rule
After the victory at Northampton and the Act of Accord, it looked as though all Richard of York had to do was wait or the crown to be his. ButRead More
168 With Horns and Trumpets
Warwick swashed and buckled his way up and down the channel until the Yorkists were ready to invade England again. But on his return from Ireland with horns and trumpetsRead More
167b Hundred Years’ War – Formigny and Castillon by Carl Rylett
I found it rather difficult to cover the critical events and battles around Formigny and Casttillon in quite the same depth as I covered Agincourt, Crecy and Poitiers. Obviously, IRead More
167a The Fall of Constantinople by Paul Vincent
The fall of Constantinople in 1453 is one of the most momentous events in world history. Sure, the power of the Roman Empire had long since faded; but here atRead More
167 The Triumph of Lancaster
In 1459 the trigger point was finally reached; after a year of phony war, both sides preparing for war, the call for a great council in 1459 proving the triggerRead More
166 The Reign of Queen Margaret
In 1455 it briefly looked as though York had won; but in fact it solved nothing – the king remained the centre of power, and the king was weak. ByRead More
165 Bloodshed
In 1455, the quality and nature of the arguments and disputes about the king's fitness to reign and the need to reform the way England was governed changed very significantly.Read More
164 Madness
In 1452 and 1453 Henry enjoyed a brief spell where he was on top of his job after the events at Dartford. But fate had something in mind. 164 MadnessRead More
163 The Cousins’ War
How did previous generations view the Wars of the Roses? What are the interpretations of the Wars of the Roses now? This, and an introduction to some key families, areRead More
162 The Return of York
It's still 1450. Because it was something of an eventful year. Richard of York, sat in Ireland, was worried – his name had been bandied about by Jack Cade andRead More
161 Captain of Kent
1450 was an eventful year. The fall of Suffolk, and now Kent was once again in flames, just as it had been in 1381. This time the leader that emergedRead More
160 The Fall of Suffolk and Normandy
B y 1445, William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk was clearly Henry's most trusted adviser. He faced a difficult task – to steer a bankrupt nation into the harborRead More
159 From Arras to Tours
Through the late 1430's and early 1440's the situation in Normandy got no better, until a failed expedition convinced Henry and Suffolk that peace was required at any price. AndRead More
158 Catastrophe at Arras
In December 1431, Henry VIth became the only king of England crowned king of France in France. Which sounds great. But in fact it was a sign of English weaknessRead More
157 Joan of Arc
In 1428, the English were still sweeping all before them. Then came a figure so famous, that she was selected by Bill and Ted for their history project – andRead More
156 Reivers
There's really often little practical difference between what we call politics and some of what we call crime. Essentially it the history of the struggle for power by a bunchRead More
155 Henry VIth – The Wonder Years
While Bedford and talented commanders like Salisbury were alive, the cause of the English in France was far from dead. But in 1423, buoyed by the arrival of the Scots,Read More
154 Henry VIth – A Weak King
An introduction to a new reign – Henry VIth, a name to make grown men tremble – and to the political leaders that dominated it. 154 Henry VIth – ARead More
153a Wycliffe, Hus and Bohemia
This week a guest episode on Wycliffe, Hus and their influence on the history of Bohemia. With many thanks to Pete Collman from the Bohemican Podcast, and Travis Dow ofRead More
153 The Medieval Working Woman
Only 4% of women remained unmarried in the middle ages, and therefore for both men and women working life was a matter of team work. In towns in particular, womenRead More
152 The Death of a Conquering Hero
Henry's talents ran as much to managing his back yard as it did to war; this week how Henry organised his kingdom for war, and the last days of hisRead More
151 The Bridge at Montereau
In 1420, Henry faced an uphill battle again; his negotiations had failed with both Dauphinists and Burgundians, and instead they'd patched it up. So he faced an alliance – Dauphinist,Read More
150a Grace Dieu and Henry Vth’s Proto-Royal Navy by Brandon Huebner
Henry Vth was the first monarch since Richard the Lion Heart to pay much attention to the English fleet. The experience of putting maybe as many as 1,500 ships ontoRead More
150 Conquering Hero
By 1417, Henry had sorted out his support in England, and was able to launch a war of conquest in Normandy. After butchery at Caen, castles and towns fell, andRead More
149 Sex, Childbirth and Children
Medieval understanding of physiology had an impact on attitudes to sex, just as much as did the teachings of the church. Though who knows how much it had an impactRead More
147a The Pitfalls of being a Medieval Queen by Melisende
Being a medieval queen could be a hazardous business – find why, and how, by Melisende of Outremer, and visit Melisende's blog, www.womenofhistory.blogspot.com. 147a The Pitfalls of being a MedievalRead More
146 The Agincourt Campaign – Part III: The Battle
And so at last to one of England's most famous battles. Outnumbered and trapped, Henry and his English and Welsh faced the cream of the French warrior class. The DukeRead More
145 The Agincourt Campaign Part II
Henry probably now intended to be King of France or Duke of Normandy as a minimum. So what he planned was a war of conquest, not just the traditional chevaucee.Read More
144 The Agincourt Campaign – Part I
There is little doubt that Henry Vth always intended to fight in France – unless they completely rolled over. Which was unlikely; the French were perfectly ready to fight andRead More
143 The Champion of Christ
In 1413, Henry's friend John Oldcastle very probably celebrated the arrival of his prince on the English throne – now at last, surely, the Lollards would have their chance toRead More
142 Greatest Man – or Monster?
Henry Vth is a man who has a reasonable claim to be the greatest of English kings. But what did contemporaries think of him? Successful he was no doubt –Read More
141 De Heretico Comburendo
With John Wycliffe and the Lollards in the 14th century, heresy finally came to England. Up to this point, rural England had been notable for avoiding the religious turmoils thatRead More
140 Fathers and Sons
In his final years, Henry faced a new challenge – from his ambitious son Henry. Ill and tired, For a while he loses control to the young bucks, the newRead More
139 The Fall of Glyn Dwr
The younger Henry enters our story full time as he leads to fight to Glyn Dwr. And for the alternative Prince of Wales after the failure of the French invasionRead More
138 Glyn Dwr and the Showdown
In 1405, yet more rebellion in England, this time from the north led by an Archbishop; and the crowning glory of Glyn Dwr's diplomacy led to the arrival of theRead More
137 The Battle of Shrewsbury
The battle of Shrewsbury of 1403 is one of those battles that deserves to be more remembered than it is – along with Lincoln in 1217 for example. The issueRead More
136 Glyn Dwr Ascendant
In 1402 and 1403 Glyn Dwr's power and influence grew and he scored some dramatic successes that made the world look up and take notice. As Glyn Dwr looked forRead More
135 Glyn Dwr Rising
As he looked around after dust of the Epiphany Rising had settled, Henry began to realise that he had problems that would make his life difficult; a mega fall inRead More
4.1 – 134 Golden Child Made King
The reputation of Henry IVth has changed through history – where he’s remembered at all! So we look at that – we are left with those that think Henry wasRead More
133 The History of Europe Part VII
This week we finish off our survey of Europe, bringing us up to date with Byzantium, and the threat from the East. But we’ll also bring you up to dateRead More
132 The History of Europe Part VI
The growth of Aragon and its mediterranean empire, consolidation and political change in Northern Italy, fragmentation in Germany; Jan Hus, heresy and the Council of Constance. 132 A History ofRead More
131 The History of Europe Part V: Economic change and technology
Ths episode is the first of 3 to bring us up to date with the history of Europe to the time of Henry IVth. This week it's all about theRead More
130 Usurpation
In 1399 Bolingbroke and Richard were locked in a struggle – who would rule England and how. 130 Usurpation The traditional picture of Bolingbroke is a much laterRead More
129 Dominion
At last in 1397 Richard would have felt that he had put his past humiliation from the Appellants behind him. But he was no happier or secure. He gathered hisRead More
128 The Narcisist
In 1397, Richard finally saw the chance to try to get his revenge on the Appellants – Gloucester, Arundel and Warwick. So the parliament of September 1397 was momentus. 128Read More
127 The Model of Chivalry
Henry Bolingbroke, Earl of Derby, son of the most powerful magnate in England, was a golden child blessed with every advantage. While Richard tried to get his royal feet underRead More
126 An Uneasy Calm
Between the Appellants crisis of 1388 and 1397, Richard ruled with increasingly confidence. He was hardly the most impressive English king but he appeared to have cast off the wildnessRead More
125 Accusatio
By 1387, it was becoming clear that the Wonderful Parliament of 1385 had not solved the problem. Pressure had been building, and Gloucester, Warwick and Arundel were far from satisfiedRead More
124 The Character of a King
From the end of the Peasant's Revolt in 1381, England continues to be managed by the Council, but the young Richard began to have more and more influence. And despiteRead More