Tudors Dynasty Podcast

We have now come to the final years and death of Queen Mary I. On this episode we learn how Besant saw London during the reign of Queen Mary. --- London in the Time of the Tudors was written by well-respected 19th-century historian, Sir Walter Besant (1836-1901). Love the Tudors? Read the stories of the Tudors on Tudors Dynasty! Shop Tudors Dynasty…

Charlotte Cooper-Davis delves into the life and legacy of Christine de Pizan, a late medieval writer who was actively involved in the production of her own works. Speaking with Emily Briffett, Charlotte explores Christine’s vast catalogue of written work and how she has since become seen as a feminist icon. (Ad) Charlotte Cooper-Davis is the author…

How do you fight a disease, when you don’t know what causes it? In this episode, Ellie Cawthorne speaks to Elma Brenner about medieval medical thinking and how it informed responses to the Black Death, from ideas about how bad air and misaligned planets could make you sick, to the rituals and remedies used to treat plague victims and the state of 1…

Imperialism led to eye-watering profits for the British, and after decolonisation those who had grown rich from the colonial project rewrote the rules to keep the coffers open. Rhiannon Davies speaks to Kojo Koram about the economic and legal effects of decolonisation, and how growing global inequality has its roots in empire. (Ad) Kojo Koram is th…

In this special mini-series, Lacey Bonar Hull chats with Dr. Kirstin Bundesen about the rumors and gossip surrounding the sister of Anne Boleyn - Mary. This episode is also available on video via Spotify or YouTube. -- Credits: Hosted by: Lacey Bonar Hull - Twitter Guest: Dr. Kristin Bundesen - Twitter Editing: Troy Larson Voice Over: David Black M…

Journalist Philip Oltermann explores the unusual story of the poetry group run by the East German Ministry for State Security. Speaking to Rob Attar, he explains why the Stasi decided to employ rhyme and verse in their battle against capitalism. (Ad) Philip Oltermann is the author of The Stasi Poetry Circle (Faber & Faber, 2022). Buy it now from Wa…

Nicholas Orme speaks to Emily Briffett about the long story of English cathedrals, tracing their role in society from their beginnings in the early Middle Ages to the modern day. Nicholas reveals how cathedrals have survived the turbulence of religious and social change, and explores what they can reveal to us about our history. See acast.com/priva…

How did the Restoration of the monarchy come about, after a period of civil war and 11 years of Republican rule? How smooth was the transfer of power? And what did it mean for the everyday person? Speaking with Elinor Evans, Dr Clare Jackson tackles listener questions and popular internet search queries on Charles II’s ascension to the throne, in t…

Enjoying our new Black Death series? Listen to the next three episodes right now on our new subscription podcast channel HistoryExtra Plus, along with early access to our new series on the end of Roman Britain. Follow the link below to sign up now: https://apple.co/3w0aaXz See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.…

From voting scandals and political messaging to drag queens and ABBA, Dr Dean Vuletic speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about the history of the Eurovision Song Contest. He discusses some of the controversies in the competition’s past and reveals what it can tell us about the changing face of Europe over the last six decades. (Ad) Dean Vuletic is the autho…

What would it have been like to live through a Black Death outbreak? In this episode, Ellie Cawthorne speaks to Professor Samuel Cohn about the experiences of medieval people in communities ravaged by the deadly disease. He reveals what the chroniclers tell us about the range of responses to the crisis in the late 1340s, and the lengths people went…

On this Ask the Expert, Steph chats with one of our all-time favorite guests, Matthew Lewis about the fascinating family of Edward III - The king with too many sons. Family Tree of Edward III -- Love the Tudors? Read the stories of the Tudors on Tudors Dynasty! Love the show and want to show your support? Become a patron on Patreon! Credits: Hosted…

Jacob Mchangama explores the global history of free speech, discussing its ancient origins, staunchest defenders and biggest critics. Speaking to Matt Elton, he also reveals the ways the right to speak freely has been threatened at moments of social upheaval. (Ad) Jacob Mchangama is the author of Free Speech: A Global History from Socrates to Socia…

Phillipa Vincent-Connolly explores the lives of disabled people in the Tudor era. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, she uncovers complex attitudes to disability in the period, and reveals how some disabled figures played key roles at the royal court. (Ad) Phillipa Vincent-Connolly is the author of the Disability and the Tudors: All the King's Fools (Pen…

In September 1519, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan set off on a fateful voyage to find a route to the Spice Islands. In the centuries since, Magellan has gone down in history as a chivalric adventurer, his name forever linked to the first circumnavigation of the globe. But, as Professor Felipe Fernández-Armesto tells Ellie Cawthorne, Magella…

Rebecca is joined by Heather R. Darsie to debunk the myths surrounding the life of Anna, Duchess of Cleves - fourth wife of King Henry VIII. Love the Tudors? Read the stories of the Tudors on the blog: Tudors Dynasty Buy Tudors Dynasty Merchandise Love the show and want to show your support? Become a patron on Patreon! Credits: Hosted by: Rebecca L…

What are the origins of aircraft being used in war? How common were dogfights? And were early fighter pilots really the ‘knights of the air’? Speaking with Emily Briffett, Paul Beaver answers your top questions about military aviation in our latest Everything you wanted to know episode. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.…

The might of the Tudor dynasty was built on the blood and sweat of three generations of another family – the Dudleys. And sometimes, they paid the ultimate price. Rhiannon Davies speaks to Joanne Paul about the members of the family who were key players in the Tudor era, from Edmund Dudley’s efforts to raise taxes for Henry VII to Robert Dudley’s f…

Over recent years, our understanding of the Black Death has been radically transformed by new scientific developments. In this episode, Ellie Cawthorne speaks to Professor Monica Green about what the latest research can tell us about where the plague originated, and how it spread to eventually engulf vast swathes of the globe. The primary sources q…

Giles Tremlett explores the turbulent history of Spain. Speaking to Elinor Evans, he explores how its position on Europe's south-western corner has exposed it to influences from all over the world, giving it a history unlike any other nation on the continent. (Ad) Giles Tremlett is the author of España: A Brief History of Spain (Apollo, 2022). Buy …

On this episode of A Brief History Christine continues on from Edward VI into the reign of Mary I. We begin with her coronation, and then look at Besant's version of Lady Jane Grey's execution and Mary's desire to burn all the heretics. --- London in the Time of the Tudors was written by well-respected 19th-century historian, Sir Walter Besant (183…

Deborah Cohen discusses a close-knit group of American foreign correspondents who reported on the tumult of interwar Europe in the 1920s and 1930s. She talks to Elinor Evans about how they dispatched breaking news back to the US, becoming some of the most famous names of the day in the process. (Ad) Deborah Cohen is the author of Last Call at the H…

Britain is a land full of lost settlements – villages, towns and even cities. Matthew Green explores these deserted places with David Musgrove, looking at their scarred and romantic remains in the landscape, and considering how and why they became lost to time. (Ad) Matthew Green is the author of Shadowlands: A Journey through Lost Britain (Faber &…

What was it like to grow up in the Middle Ages? In our latest Everything you wanted to know episode, Dr Emily Joan Ward answers your questions about medieval childhood. Speaking to Dave Musgrove, she discusses topics including education, how children were put to work, and what they did for fun. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out informat…

Professor Kris Manjapra speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about his book Black Ghost of Empire, which reveals how the end of slavery helped perpetuate systems of oppression and racial injustice, rather than disrupt them. (Ad) Kris Manjapra is the author of Black Ghost of Empire: The Long Death of Slavery and the Failure of Emancipation (Penguin, 2022). Buy…

In the late 1340s, people in cities, towns and villages across the medieval world began to fall ill from a mysterious pestilence. This six part series looks at the how the Black Death shook the Middle Ages, killing millions and transforming societies. Speaking to expert historians, we'll track the spread of this devastating disease, reveal what it …

Fifty years on from the launch of the world’s first commercial home video game console – the Magnavox Odyssey – John Wills talks to Matt Elton about how videogames have reflected the world around them over the past half century, and the ways in which history and gaming increasingly overlap. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.…

On this Ask the Expert, Steph chats with author and historical researcher Sara Cockerill to chat about the ever-fascinating Eleanor of Aquitaine. Cockerill's book Eleanor of Aquitaine: Queen of France, Queen of England, Mother of Empires is out now! Eleanor's life was so amazingly long that there is a lot of turf to cover - so get ready for a wild …

Andrew Pettegree and Arthur der Weduwen delve into the history of libraries, from the humble book lover’s private selection to the most lavish literary collections. In conversation with Emily Briffett, they explore the innovations and ideas that made libraries what they are today. (Ad) Andrew Pettegree and Arthur der Weduwen are the authors of The …

In the latest episode of our monthly series marking the centenary of the BBC, media historian David Hendy speaks to Matt Elton about the rise of television during the 1950s – and how the decade saw the BBC increasingly clash with the political world. (Ad) David Hendy is the author of The BBC: A People’s History (Profile Books, 2022). Buy it now fro…

How much of a gamble did sending a task force to the South Atlantic represent for Margaret Thatcher? How close did Britain come to losing the conflict? And did victory change the nation’s relationship with its armed forces? Speaking to Spencer Mizen, Helen Parr answers listener questions about British troops’ campaign to retake the Falkland Islands…

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Corresponding video available on Spotify and YouTube! On this episode of Tudors Dynasty: Hands-On History, Heather chats with Melanie V. Taylor about what it means to be an Art Historian. Melanie also shares with us some interesting insight on a recent project that she had been investigating. If you've ever been interested in becoming an art histor…

Ninety years on from the Kinder Mass Trespass, Ben Anderson speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about what this act of popular protest achieved in 1932, how it became mythologised as a key moment in the right-to-roam campaign, and how we should remember it today. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.…

Lucy Ward speaks to Elinor Evans about the story of English Quaker doctor Thomas Dimsdale, who took up the risky challenge of inoculating Empress Catherine II against smallpox, as a powerful statement at a time when the disease was ravaging Russia and superstition held sway. (Ad) Lucy Ward is the author of The Empress and the English Doctor: How Ca…

Stephen Bourne introduces Spencer Mizen to some of the pioneers of black British theatre, from Ira Aldridge, who in 1825 became the first black actor to play Othello, to the emergence of Britain’s black-led theatre companies. (Ad) Stephen Bourne is the author of Deep Are the Roots: Trailblazers Who Changed Black British Theatre (The History Press 2…

On this episode of A Brief History historian, Christine Morgan finishes the story of Henry VIII and finished with Edward VI. --- London in the Time of the Tudors was written by well-respected 19th-century historian, Sir Walter Besant (1836-1901). --- Love the Tudors? Read the stories of the Tudors on the blog: Tudors Dynasty Buy Tudors Dynasty Merc…

Natalia Nowakowska reveals the story of the Jagiellonians – one of the most successful dynasties that many people have never even heard of. Speaking with Emily Briffett, she discusses how they rose from pagan tribal origins in Lithuania to become one of the biggest Catholic dynasties in Europe, with an expansive empire and a legacy that can still b…

In 1943, British agents concocted a daring plot to trick Hitler, involving a dead body, fake love letters and a false identity. Speaking with Emily Briffett, author and historian Ben Macintyre discusses the real history behind Operation Mincemeat, a new film adapted from his 2010 book of the same name. Operation Mincemeat is in UK cinemas from 15 A…

Historian Tracy Borman answers listener questions about the history of British royal residences, from imposing castles to decadent palaces. She speaks to Rachel Dinning about secret rooms, spooky hauntings, and her work as Joint Chief Curator at Historic Royal Palaces. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.…

A blood-splattered slice of Viking action arrives in UK cinemas today with the release of Robert Eggers’ new saga-inspired epic, The Northman. Professor Neil Price, archaeologist and historical consultant on the film, speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about the process of recreating the Viking world on screen, and some of the historical themes that inspire…

Over time, we’ve viewed birds as pets, pests, natural delights and bad omens. Roy and Lesley Adkins tell Emily Briffett about our complex and lengthy relationship with birds – a story of changing landscapes, fluctuating tastes in food and fashion, enjoyment and exploitation. (Ad) Roy and Lesley Adkins are the authors of When There Were Birds (Littl…