I’ve loved and lived with the story of the history of the English for as long as I can remember. This is my retelling of that story, in a regular, chronological podcast; we go from the cataclysmic end of Roman Britain, and at some point will get all the way through to the present day. The History of England is available on iTunes and a podcatcher near you.
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
TTME Magna Carta
Magna Carta has a reputation as one of the foundational documents in the development of the rights of the individual and in limiting he powers of monarchs. What does it actuallyRead More
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
HiT Charge of the Light Brigade
Director Tony Richardson came from a background of kitchen sink dramas that challenged the accepted social norms. In Charge of the Light Brigade, he brought that same critical eye toRead 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
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
TTME The Longbow
For a while, from the 13th to 15th centuries, the king of England possessed a military tool that no other nation appeared to be able to imitate. The argument is whether it hadRead More
HiT Amadeus
Amadeus combined music, drama, hagiography and a spot of crime mystery. It won 8 awards. Has it stood the test of time, and how faithful to history was it in itsRead More
Roman Bath Museum Worship
Discussing what the Roman Baths can tell us about Religious worship in the Roman world, and introducing two of the Roman Baths’ most illustrious characters – the Goddess, Sulis Minerva, andRead More
The History of the Vikings by Noah Tetzner
The History of Vikings features in depth discussions with world-class scholars from Oxford, Harvard, and Yale University, and dives into Norse Mythology and Viking history. From myths and raids, toRead More
HiT Master and Commander
Master and Commander is a tale of community and belonging, friendship and the ‘failure of fellowship’ on board the good ship surprise. There’s a bit of war, derring do andRead 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
Introducing History in Technicolour
Announcing a new podcast from Wolf O’Neil and me, David Crowther. This is a superbrief explanation and a few tiny snippets which will hopefully give you a feel for itRead More
TTME Cricket
The greatest game invented by the human race. An Indian game accidentally invented by the English. A game for heroes. But we are not talking about tiddlywinks here – instead, this weekRead More
HiT – Zodiac
Zodiac is a 2007 true crime film directed by David Fincher, and starring Jake Gyllenhall, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey, Jr. It tells the story of the search for the ZodiacRead More
Roman Bath Museum Day to Day
The second episode in our series looks at how the Roman Baths operated day to day, the infrastructure and technology, how they were managed, what went on when visitors enteredRead 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
TTME The Flag of St George
The Thing that Made England Where does the flag of St George come from and why is it England’s national flag? Is it a symbol of unity or division, whyRead More
TTME English Accents
Are English accents a joy and delight, a sign of rich diversity or irritating and divisive? And what is it about the Midlands that makes everyone think they can ignoreRead More
TTME Ska
Roifield presents the proposition that Ska is not just important because it’s the one musical form everyone can dance to. Hi all…and welcome to Episode 2, where Roifield usesRead More
TTME 1066 – A New Dawn?
Was 1066 and iconic event that made England as she is. Was it a good thing a bad thing – or just a thing?
Roman Bath Museum Discovery
This is the first of three special episodes from the wonderful Roman Bath Museum at Bath. Experts from the museum talk about Bath’s history, from before Rome to Georgian Bath toRead 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
247a Roanoke – England’s First Colony by Joel Kindrick
In 1585, a colony was established at Roanoke, sponsored by Walter Raleigh. Find out what happens from historian and Birkenstock wearer Joel Kindrick.
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
245 The Prebendaries Plot
In 1543 religious conservatives were in the ascendant, dominated the aristocratic Privy Council and a wave of prosecutions for heresy followed. When some of Archbishop Cranmer’s own parishioners of Kent soughtRead More
244 No More Time to Dance
Catherine had made a decent start of being queen. And it was really in no body’s interest to reveal her old life. But dangers and memories were all around –Read More
243 A Jewel for Womanhood
In 1540 a new member at court, Catherine Howard, caught the eye of a king struggling with his marriage to Anne. By July Anne was gone and Catherine had embarkedRead More
242 Anne and Thomas
Anne arrived in England to be greeted by 6 burly disguised middle aged men. 1540 was a year neither Anne of Cleves nor Thomas Cromwell were to remember – with affectionRead More
241 The Illness of King Henry
Henry’s attitude to illness, and possible medical explanations for his character and events of his realm. And a negotiation starts for a new wife. A royal marriage proposal: Amelia andRead More
240 Henry VIII in Ireland and Wales
The 1530’s saw radical changes in both Ireland and Wales, following Cromwell’s same policy as applied to the northern borders. The outcomes though, were to be very different. IRead More
239 Henry VIII and his Realm
Henry wanted a different relationship with his nobility – a service, court based nobility. Royal power meanwhile must be extended and enhanced. Today we look at Tudor lordship and royal power inRead More
238 The Fight Back
In 1539, Henry became convinced that religious reform was going too far. Cromwell and Cranmer failed to see the signs and during the 1539 the act of Six Articles shocked evangelists.Read More
237 Dissolution and Destruction
At the start of 1538, the end of monasticism was widely predicted, and by 1540 the larger monasteries were all gone. Along with an assault on the veneration of relicsRead More
236 The Burning of Derfel Gadarn
In 1537 and 1538 the doctrinal debate intensified with the Evangelical cause appeared to advance step by step. Cromwell discredited the monastic movement by attacking the veneration of relics. The execution of JohnRead More
235 Pilgrimage of Grace II
By December 1536 there were 50,000 rebels camped around Pontefract Castle while inside their leader Robert Aske composed a petition of 24 articles, to re-instate traditional religion and the Pope.Read More
234 Pilgrimage of Grace I
It is not true to say that Henry died a Catholic without the Pope. The 1530’s were a time of increasing doctrinal confusion which together with the attack on monasticismRead More
233 Obedience
With Anne’s death the traditionalists breathed a heavy sign of relief. now all the bad stuff would stop – evangelical reform would be reversed, Mary would be re-instated. They had aRead More
232 Evangelicals
From the mid 1520s, the church authorities began to face a more serious challenge from evangelicals like Thomas Bilney and Hugh Latimer. And in 1526 and 1534, Tyndale’s New Testament in EnglishRead More
231b Medieval Castles by George of The World of Castles
George gives a survey of the medieval castle, from its first appearance in Europe to its eventual demise as gunpowder worked its changes. Go and look at The World ofRead More
231a English Music and the Reformation by Heather Teysko
Heather Teysko of the Renaissance English history podcast gives a wonderful and musical introduction to the English choral tradition at the time of the Reformation. Hello HistoryRead More
Scandal of Christendom results and prizes
The Scandal of Christendom is all over! Find out who won what on the podcast, or read on. But thank you to all of you for taking part. Read More
231 The Scandal of Christendom Debate
Some of the arguments about Anne Boleyn’s life and career, to help you make you make your choice and vote on the History of England Facebook page. And while you are hereRead More
230a The Fall of Anne Boleyn by Claire Ridgway
The fall of Queen Anne Boleyn and who was responsible has, as Claire Ridgway remarks, always divided historians and probably always will. Here Claire discusses some of the theories –Read More
230 The Execution of Anne Boleyn
On May Day 1536 at Greenwich, Anne and Henry could put their worries aside. Everything was well with the world as they watched the joust. Then Henry left suddenly and wasRead More