In March 1623 Simon Digby noticed two suspicious looking blokes with dodgy beards hanging around outside his uncle’s house in Madrid. He rushed over to find out what they wereRead More
Tudors: Early
At A Gallop – Dawn of Stuart England to 1605
A gallop few a few themes of European histoy and a new dynasty for the English, Welsh and Irish
Margaret Omnibus 7 EPs 19-21 - Members Only
After her son become king, Margaret’s life was transformed and she was able to become the great magnate and princess she felt was her due – as great lord, benefactressRead More
Margaret 21 Death of a Princess - Members Only
By 1502 Margaret surely had nothing more to trouble her – her son’s legitimacy assures, heirs in place, status firmly established. But the wheel of Fortune had a fewRead More
Margaret 20 A Pious Legacy - Members Only
Margaret’s personal life and charitable activities were dominated by three priorities – piety, social and moral responsibility, and family, in common with many powerful women of the time. OneRead More
Margaret 19 Magnate - Members Only
From 1499, Margaret moved her main place of residence to Collyweston in Northamptonshire. Once there, she operated as the king’s agent as a regional magnate, with powers that onRead More
Margaret 17 Mother in Law - Members Only
After the marriage of Elizabeth of York and Henry VII, what sort of role was left for Margaret and how did she fulfill the role of the King’s Mother?Read More
Margaret 16 Enflushment - Members Only
1485 marked a watershed in Margaret’s life; though at the time, no one would have been expecting a bowl of cherries
HiT The Private Life of Henry VIII
The 1933 classic from Alexander Korda which certainly convinced my mother that Henry VIII threw chicken bones around. It was a major international success, in particular for Charles Laughton,
307a Renaissance Warfare by Ben Jacobs
Ben Jacobs talks about how the demands and costs of Renaissance warfare changed the nature of Europe for ever Wittenberg to Westphalia Podcast Ben Jacobs is the hostRead More
Margaret 1: Margaret through Time - Members Only
Margaret Beaufort through the eyes of historians
286 Sex and the Reformation of Manners
What concerned society about sexual behaviour and why ? How did they intervene in the way people lived their lives; what did you have to do to be whipped at fourRead More
284 Popular Culture in the Ritual Year
The Lord of Misrule, the Boy Bishop. dancing the Morris and May games. A little about the celebrations of the ritual year, and how things changed. Transcript Last timeRead More
283 Little Commonwealth
The patriarchy, love and marriage, gender roles and huswifery, the daily grind and a bit about food and clothing. It’s a smorgasbord. Transcript We have a few times talkedRead More
282 Parish and Protest
The parish was the essential and ever present canvas on which most lives were painted in early modern England. We discuss how it changes, it’s harmonies and the context of protestRead More
280 The Land was Never So Full
The start of a suite of 7 episodes about social and economic issues charts the changes in population and how the society it affected described itself. Transcript Now then, as promised,Read More
268a Thomas Cranmer with Diarmaid MacCulloch
Cranmer’s reputation has run from dishonest, ambitious politician to gentle, moderate Anglican. Prof. Diarmaid MacCulloch shed light on the life and motivations of the man central to the English Reformation. Read More
265a Nicola Tallis and the Crown of Blood
I chat with historian Nicola Tallis about the life, times and death of Lady Jane Grey. And also there are prizes and things.
265 Live Still to Die
After Mary’s victory, Jane Grey was imprisoned comfortably in the Tower, and spent her time studying – and had a reasonable expectation of long, if a little dull, life. Until in 1554Read More
264g Rebel Queen 8 The Duke
The game played out, the Mary entered London and the Duke was to die. But Northumberland had one more surprise to spring To find out more about our programme, andRead More
264f Rebel Queen 7 Regina
Whether Jane and Guildford understood the commotion in the city outside the Tower we do not know, but it was the duty of her father, the Duke of Suffolk, to breakRead More
HiT Lady Jane
Lady Jane was the first leading role for a very young Helena Bonham Carter, and a film debut for the renowned theatre director Trevor Nunn. Plus its an amazing story. So,Read More
264e Rebel Queen 6 The Fleet
Around the 14th July a ship called the Greyhound sailed into Orwell Haven. Its captain was in gaol in Lowestoft, its crew had smashed open the cash box. Meeting withRead More
264d Rebel Queen 5 Resistance
Northumberland made good speed towards East Anglia and Mary, and his army swelled with troops and artillery. But in London, the mood was ugly, and Mary was having some success too.Read More
264c Rebel Queen 4 War
Mary’s letter of 10th July brought home an uncomfortable truth that Northumberland had expected to avoid – that Jane must fight for her crown. If an army could be found ToRead More
264a Rebel Queen 2 Proclamation
On the morning of 9th July 1553 the 16 year old Jane was walking in the Grey manor at Chelsea in blissful ignorance. Then the Duke of Northumberland’s daughter, Mary Sidney,Read More
264 Rebel Queen 1 The Gathering
The life of Lady Jane Grey to 1553, and the fate of Edward VI is settled as the vultures gather. The first in our series on the succession crisis of 1553.Read More
263 The Devise
Edward VI’s ‘Devise for the Succession’ would plunge England into turmoil. Was it his own work, or was it the work of a manipulative and power hungry Northumberland? Here’s what happened.Read More
262 Northumberland
John Dudley, as Duke of Northumberland for a while dominated the King’s Council – and was a man with the imagination to change the rules. And the Edwardian Reformation continued,Read More
261a Professor MacCulloch talks Cromwell
Diarmaid MacCulloch brings wonderful scholarship, wit and humanity with a delightfully fresh biography of Thomas Cromwell, shot through with new insights. And I got to meet him! Here is what we talkedRead More
261 The Trouble with Mary
In 1550 Edward’s views on reformation began to harden – and brought him into conflict with his sister. Under pressure from King and Council, Mary decided that she must fleeRead More
260 A Double Coup
Somerset came away from the Commotion Time with a wobbly reputation. Could he survive politically ? Transcript Let me take you to London. The year is 1548, about aRead More
259 The Time of Camps
1549 was a year of upheaval which led to rebellions which offer a fascinating window into English society. It also saw the publication of the Book of Common Prayer,Read More
258 Protector Somerset
Somerset was an effective soldier, and as uncle to the king he seemed like an ideal choice as Protector. Would he prove an effective political? Good Duke, Bad Duke or justRead More
257 His Blood Crieth out against Thee
Within week, Edward Seymour was safely ensconced on the seat of power. But brother Thomas was not impressed, and would involve three women – Catherine Parr, Princess Elizabeth and JaneRead More
Sh 30 Hero of the People - Members Only
Robert Kett and the Rebels of Mousehold in Norfolk are part of a proud tradition of English protest
256 The Boy King
Poor Edward’s reign tends to be ignored, sandwiched as it is. This week we pay it proper respect – what has history had to say of the lad, what were theRead More
255 Europe XI The Spanish Century
By 1600, the Spain and her Empire was acknowledged as the richest and most powerful state in Europe. the hardworking Phillip II worked into the night deep in his massive palaceRead More
HiT A Man for all Seasons
High drama, a man dying for his beliefs, a roll call of brilliant actors – and presented with best picture at the Oscars by Aud herself. Who ask for more (haRead More
254 Europe X Chaos and Threat
Our survey of 16th century Europe moves on to the growth of the Ottoman Empire under Suleyman, and the chaos of the French religious wars. Religious division in Europe Here isRead More
253 Europe IX Confessionalism Unleashed
How the rise of Calvinism, the Catholic Reformation and the peace of Augsberg combined with attitudes towards heresy to divide Europe along harsher, confessional lines. The Hapsburg Empire under Charles VRead More
252 Henry VIII – Judgement Day and results
Posted on 5th August: Results now in! It was very close as the table below shows. But int he end, the History of England listeners declared that while Henry VIIIRead More
251a Henry VIII Abroad by Zack Twambley
Zack returns! Yay! Zack, of the ‘When Diplomacy Fails’ Podcast, survey’s Henry VIII’s foreign policy and weighs it up – is the word policy too complimentary? To find out moreRead More
251 The End of Days
In 1546, Gardiner and the religious conservatives moved their sights from Cranmer, to the new darling of the evangelical cause – the Queen. Getting evidence from Anne Askew was the keyRead More
250 Catherine and Anne
In 1545 the struggle between conservative and evangelical, between mumpsimus and sumpsimus grew more intense as Catherine Parr’s household shed an evangelical light over the court. And into this situation cameRead More
248 To Arms!
In 1544 Henry traveled to France and hauled himself into the saddle for his last chance to emulate Henry V. A little like his predecessor, he was also investing in a royal Read More
249 Knaves I Cannot Rule
It’s time for a naval encounter, marked by the sinking of the Mary Rose, and then we set the scene for the cut-throat politics of the last years with Richard Rich,Read More
Sh 27 Norfolk and Son - Members Only
Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk was a central figure in Henry VIII’s reign – what made him tick? His son, Henry Howard, was one of England’s most important poets, and bit ofRead More
247 Queen Catherine the Third
The arrival of Catherine Parr (and family) and preparations for war in France. And rather a lot of digressions. Transcript Last week I mentioned that after his despair at CatherineRead More
246 A Rough Wooing
In 1542, Henry’s sought war with France; but before that, he must make sure his northern borders were safe. So began the Rough Wooing, as Henry sought to bring a Pro-EnglishRead More