Transcript for Marshal 26

    Well actually, the victory at Lincoln was not, in fact, to win the war. It was very close, but there was no cigar. It had however, put Marshal into theRead More

    295 Marvellous Good Order

    By David Crowther 3 Comments

    In Scotland Mary’s grasp on her kingdom begins to wobble. In 1566, Elizabeth’s parliament also gives her serious grief, drawing an increasingly waspish response.              Read More

    Transcript for Marshal 25

    While everyone one pondered who should be the young king’s protector, they found out that John had already thought all about that, and covered it in his will. There wasRead More

    25 Guardian - Members Only

      As John lay dying at Newark he dictated his will. It laid down that Henry III’s minority should be managed by 13 Ordainers. So how did we get fromRead More

    Transcript for Beaufort 1

    Well here we ar3e then, the trail not of the lonesome pine, but of a new character in medieval English history – Margaret Beaufort. By and large, Margaret has playedRead More

    294 Alarms and Excursions

    By David Crowther 6 Comments

      Did Elizabeth have a foreign ‘policy’? If so what principles drove it – dynasty, parsimony, protestantism? This week Elizabeth intervenes in Scotland and France.   Transcript   This week,Read More

    Transcript for HoS 46

    Mary made a remarkably good and quick crossing to Scotland from France, arriving in the firth of Forth on 10th August1561 as the sun was shining, at Leith. This hadRead More

    Transcript for HoS Episode 45

    So ladies and Gentlemen, we have arrived at one of THE stories of Scottish History, nay British History, nay European history. The story of Mary Queen of Scots, a storyRead More

    Transcript for Marshal 24

    John’s comeback plan in France relied on timing as exquisite as the delivery of a comedian’s punchline, the co-ordination of 3 armies. And I am sure I have read moreRead More

    iTunes Johnny Tight Lip

    Any odorous 30 minute tasks fly when listening to this podcast. Really puts you on the ground and allows you to feel what life was like not only for kings andRead More

    iTunes Scott MM18

    The most impressive podcast I have ever listened to. The sheer amount of information synthesized and presented in a fun, enjoyable format is astounding

    iTunes Mxrpl

    I’ve loved English history all my life. The podcast has it all: solid research, great storytelling, and the sense humour – and a host with a wonderful voice

    iTunes Emma SF

    David Crowther is great fun to listen to and seems to be very credible and unbiased (or at least, aware of his own biases and willing to admit them ifRead More

    Transcript for Marshal 23

    When John had demanded another Marshal son as a hostage, William and Isabel had dithered. They’d dithered a significant dither but in the end decided that the risks dictated thatRead More

    293 Sex and Marriage

    By David Crowther 8 Comments

        Dudley was for long considered the front runner for any possible marriage; but there was a long list of suitors. And Elizabeth was under pressure from the badgersRead More

    292 The Queen’s Marriage

    By David Crowther 7 Comments

    What were the issues around marriage for Elizabeth and her subjects? Because as the continuing barney between the two of them would prove, it really mattered to both parties.  Read More

    Transcript for HoS 44

    Last time, the good burgers of Perth had been persuaded that nothing good could come from standing against the Regent, persuaded among others by the protestant Lord James Stewart. TheyRead More

    The History of England Shop

    By David Crowther 3 Comments

      The History of England Shop returns! Some of you may remember that a shop appeared for a while last year – mugs and shirts. I closed it because of, wellRead More

    Transcript for HoS43

    Now then, in the last few episodes we have danced gaily through the meadow of James V’s reign, frolicked carelessly in the pastures of the early years of the Mary’sRead More

    291 Queen and Court

    By David Crowther 4 Comments

      How did Elizabethan government work, and what was Elizabeth’s court like? Transcript This week I thought we should have a bit of context, why don’t we? Over the nextRead More

    Transcript for HoS 42

    So, I have spent a deal of time on the last 30 years, time to summarise James V’s reign. Two contemporary opinions for you then which demonstrate that the pendulumRead More

    Transcript for Marshal 22

    There was a reason why the expected peace and quiet was not forthcoming – and it wasn’t specifically John pursuing Marshal for personal reasons to be fair, though probably makingRead More

    290 The Religious Settlement

    By David Crowther 7 Comments

    Elizabeth’s England was awash with expectation – from Mary’s bishops demanding that no change be made to Mary’s church, to a wave of Protestant Marian exiles returning with visions ofRead More

    Marshal 21 Humiliation - Members Only

    In 1203 John”s actions broke the loyalty of his French barons in Normandy and Anjou. And in the new world, Marshal got a taste of what living without the king’sRead More

    Transcript for Marshal 20

    Honestly, I was tempted to tell the story of Richard and Mercardier in front of the castle of Chalus one more time, just so that I could re-use the ‘shallRead More

    Transcript for HoS 41

    Last time we heard that, whatever the consequences, James V was very skilled at inter pocket accounting, using the cash from the Church pocket to support the monarchy. The approachRead More

    289 Elizabeth Regina

    By David Crowther 8 Comments

    A game of 2 halves this week; the major themes of Elizabeth’s reign and then the Funeral of Mary and Elizabeth’s  coronation . Ooh, and the appointment of Cecil asRead More

    288 Elizabeth I and the Historians

    By David Crowther 10 Comments

        Transcript Hello everyone and welcome to the History of England Episode 288 Elizabeth I and the Historians. We left Elizabeth passing through Temple Bar, with professions of loveRead More

    Marshal 18 Magnate - Members Only

      With the accession of Richard, Marshal faced an uncertain future at the hands of the man who he’d bested in battle. He waited at Fontvraud to hear his fate.Read More

    Transcript for Marshal 19

    On Richard’s stool of state, It was the Longchamp’s leg that appeared first to be shorter than the others and create a disturbing wobble. As we all know, there isRead More

    Transcript for Marshal 18

      OK onward; remember that HII has popped his clogs, shuffled on this mortal coil, gone to meet his maker and ceased to be. Marshal has gone to meet theRead More

    287 Enter Good Queen Bess

    By David Crowther 24 Comments

    Transcript Let me take you to London on a January morning in 1559. It’s cold, and there had been a light dusting of snow, and in January London 1559 letRead More

    285 Reformation of Manners

    By David Crowther 14 Comments

    How far did parish life change in the 16th century, and how far was the Reformation responsible? What did 16th century folk enjoy themselves, and how did that change over the century?  Read More

    Transcript for HoS 39

    Jane Dawson in her book ‘Scotland Re-Formed’, with a hyphen, does a piece on the really very lovely looking ceiling of St Machar’s cathedral in Aberdeen. I have been toRead More

    Transcript for HoS 38

    Last time I left you in 1513, bereft, bereft of the mighty and glorious James IV, dead in the Northumbrian mud, alongside a significant number of his political elite. InRead More