Renaissance English History Podcast: A Show About the Tudors

If you emptied the pockets of a Tudor woman in 1535, what would spill out? In this episode, we’re opening the drawstring purses, apron folds, and girdles of 16th-century women to see what they actually carried. Not the romanticized version. The practical one. From gold pomanders packed with ambergris and spices… To iron keys tied on fraying string… To bread wrapped in linen because there was no such thing as “grabbing something later.” We’ll look at: • The scented luxury of court life • The devotional habits that traveled at the waist • The money, keys, and tools women kept on their bodies • The stark differences between noblewomen, merchants’ wives, and servants • And what everyday objects quietly reveal about class, privacy, and control This is a “What’s In My Bag” video: Tudor edition. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There were moments in Mary Tudor’s life when escape seemed like the safest choice. Imperial ambassadors discussed secret routes to the coast. Ships waited across the Channel. Loyal advisers urged her to leave England before her enemies could move against her. In this video, we look at the most dangerous periods of Mary’s early life, first under her father Henry VIII, when Anne Boleyn’s rise left her isolated, illegitimate, and under constant pressure, and then again under her brother Edward VI, when her refusal to abandon the Catholic Mass brought her into direct conflict with the Protestant government. At least once, imperial ships were ready to carry her to safety in the Low Countries. All she had to do was go. But Mary refused every plan. She stayed in England, even when it put her at risk, and that decision would shape the dramatic events of 1553, when she claimed the throne. This is the story of the times Mary nearly escaped, and why she chose not to. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did the Tudors celebrate Valentine’s Day? And if so, what did it actually look like before chocolates, roses, and greeting cards? In this episode, we step into mid-February in Tudor England, that quiet stretch between Candlemas and the start of Lent, and explore how people marked St. Valentine’s Day. From candlelit church processions and weather lore to love poems written in the Tower of London, we look at the real traditions behind the holiday. You’ll hear about the medieval belief that birds chose their mates in mid-February, the Duke of Orléans writing a valentine from captivity, and Margery Brews’ heartfelt love letter to John Paston. We’ll also look at how Tudor households actually celebrated, from drawing valentines by lot to exchanging gloves, ribbons, and small gifts. It’s a gentler, quieter kind of Valentine’s Day, set in a world of church calendars, cold February mornings, and handwritten letters carried across the countryside. A small holiday, but one that brought a little warmth to the middle of winter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What did a typical morning look like in Tudor England? There were no alarm clocks, no hot showers, and no coffee waiting in the kitchen. Instead, people woke in cold rooms, often sharing beds, with the fire nearly out and the day’s work already ahead of them. In this episode, we walk through a full Tudor morning routine, from first light to the start of work. You’ll hear about rush-covered floors, chamber pots, quick basin washes, layered clothing, bread and small beer for breakfast, morning prayers, and the all-important task of bringing the fire back to life. It’s a practical, physical start to the day that depended on the household, the season, and the light of the sun. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Late February was one of the hardest times of year in Tudor England. Food stores were running low, the weather was damp and cold, and spring still felt far away. But in the middle of that hungry season came Shrovetide, a brief burst of pancakes, games, and noise before the long fast of Lent began. In this video, we spend a day inside a Tudor household at the end of winter. From thin pottage and smoky hearths to Shrove Tuesday pancakes and rough village football, this is what the season actually looked like for ordinary people. We’ll follow the rhythm from the final feast of Shrovetide into the quiet first days of Lent, when the tables grew plainer and the long wait for spring began. If you’d like to experience this season in a more reflective way, you can join The Tudor Spring: A 40-Day Sanctuary, a gentle, history-based journey through Lent with daily stories, music, and reflections:https://heatherteysko.thrivecart.com/the-tudor-spring-a-40-day-sanctuary/ #TudorHistory #Shrovetide #DailyLifeHistory #Lent #SocialHistory Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if Mary I had listened to her people instead of her heart? When Mary Tudor took the throne in 1553, she was a survivor who had beaten the odds. But she was also a woman in a hurry. She needed an heir, she needed to secure the Catholic faith, and she needed a husband. In our timeline, she chose Philip of Spain, a decision that brought Wyatt’s Rebellion, the loss of Calais, and the nickname "Bloody Mary." But it didn't have to be that way. In today’s episode, we’re diving into a fascinating "sliding doors" moment in Tudor history. We explore what would have happened if Mary had chosen the handsome, erratic, and purely English Edward Courtenay instead. We’re breaking down the ramifications of that one choice: Why the Spanish match was so loathed by the English public. How the survival of Lady Jane Grey and the freedom of Princess Elizabeth hinged on this wedding. The economic "miracle" of a timeline where England never loses Calais. Whether a secure, "English" Mary would have ever become the "Bloody" queen we remember today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arbella Stuart was born with royal blood, raised under watch, and treated as a possible queen her entire life. She never claimed the throne, but her lineage made her dangerous simply by existing. In this episode, we follow Arbella from her childhood under Bess of Hardwick to her secret marriage to William Seymour, and the dramatic 1611 escape attempt that ended in pursuit, capture, and imprisonment in the Tower of London. It’s the story of a woman who spent her life waiting for permission, and what happened when she finally stopped. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve ever visited a Tudor palace in winter and wondered why it feels so cold inside, the answer is simple: it always was. In this episode, I explore how people in Tudor England actually stayed warm indoors. Not central heating, not roaring fires in every room, but a daily system built around one hearth, heavy clothing, hot food, shared warmth, and carefully managed routines. We’ll look at fireplaces and fuel, why most rooms were never heated at all, how beds were warmed instead of bedrooms, and how people wrote, read, and worked with numb fingers in firelit rooms. From foot warmers taken to church to warming pans slipped between the sheets, heat in the Tudor world was local, temporary, and precious. Understanding how the Tudors dealt with cold changes how we think about daily life, privacy, sleep, work, and even learning in the sixteenth century. Warmth wasn’t ambient. It was something you had to make, protect, and share. This is the everyday reality of living in cold stone houses, with one fire, long winters, and no escape from the chill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In November 1605, the Gunpowder Plot came terrifyingly close to reshaping England’s future. This episode explores what would have happened if Parliament had actually exploded - killing the king, his ministers, and much of the political class in a single moment. Rather than retelling the familiar story, this video focuses on the aftermath that never came to pass: the succession crisis, the fate of Princess Elizabeth, the absence of a functioning government, and the realities the conspirators failed to anticipate. We then return to what did happen, how the plot unraveled, how the conspirators were hunted down, and how the trials and executions turned a failed conspiracy into a permanent political myth. On a different note... VDay merch at TudorFair.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Henry VIII died at Whitehall Palace in January 1547, England faced a dangerous moment. His heir was nine years old, power was about to shift, and the death of a king had to be handled with extreme care. In this video, we follow Henry VIII from his deathbed through one of the most elaborate royal funerals of the sixteenth century. We look at how his body was prepared, why his burial was delayed, how the funeral procession moved from Whitehall to Windsor, and what those towering candle-filled hearses actually were. Along the way, we examine one of the most enduring stories associated with Henry’s death - the claim that his coffin burst open at Syon Abbey - and why that story almost certainly isn’t true. We also explore Henry’s plans for a monumental tomb and a perpetual chantry at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, and why neither was ever completed. Despite the scale of his funeral, Henry VIII ended up buried without a visible monument, his vault unmarked for centuries. To celebrate the announcement of Nathen Amin as our Tudorcon keynote, Tudorcon tickets are currently on flash sale - use the code BEAUFORT to save 15 percent (including on payment plans) at https://tudorcon.englandcast.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What role did women actually play in England’s early colonial experiments? In this Tudorcon 2025 talk, Colleen Parker explores the overlooked but essential role of women in early English colonization, beginning in Ireland and continuing through Roanoke and Jamestown. Rather than treating women as background figures, this talk shows how they functioned as household managers, negotiators, landholders, cultural intermediaries, and, in many cases, the key to whether a colony survived at all. Topics include: • Women in the Irish plantations as a testing ground for colonization • The role of women in Roanoke and the mystery of Virginia Dare • The Jamestown Brides and why “mail-order brides” is a misleading label • Women as property holders and legal actors in early Virginia • Daily survival, childbirth, labor, and negotiation with Native communities This is a rich, thoughtful look at how women shaped colonization on both sides of the Atlantic. 📣 Tudorcon 2026 Updates Speaker proposals for Tudorcon are open until February 15. If you’d like to present at a future Tudorcon, the submission form is linked below. 🎉 Flash Sale We’ve also announced Nathen Amin as our Tudorcon keynote. A limited-time flash sale is running this week ...save 15% with the coupon code BEAUFORT. 👉 Speaker form and tickets are all here: https://tudorcon.englandcast.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the summer of 1488, a King of Scots lay dying in a flour mill, allegedly murdered by a man disguised as a priest. But how did James III - a man who preferred lutes to longswords and architects to Earls - find himself fleeing for his life from his own son? This week, we’re venturing just north of the border and slightly back in time to explore the chaotic, culture-clashing reign of James III. From the dramatic "kidnapping" of his childhood to the brutal executions at Lauder Bridge and the mystery of his final moments at Sauchieburn, we look at a monarch who was perhaps too "Renaissance" for his own good. We’ll also trace the thread that leads directly to the Tudor dynasty, exploring how this medieval tragedy set the stage for the "Union of the Thistle and the Rose" and the eventual rise of the United Kingdom. It’s a story of gold, betrayal, and a lifelong penance worn in the form of an iron belt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At the height of his power, Thomas Wolsey stood at the center of Europe’s grandest spectacle - the Field of Cloth of Gold. Ten years later, he was alone, under arrest, and dying far from court. In this What Were They Thinking? episode, we trace Wolsey’s downfall step by step - from supreme confidence in 1520 to political isolation in 1530. We follow how he reacted to each loss of power: his removal from office, his enforced move north to York, the dangerous letters he continued to write, and the fatal belief that service, law, and process might still save him. This is not a story of sudden collapse, but of a man who could not stop thinking like a statesman long after the state had turned against him. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elizabeth I’s decision not to marry shaped the entire character of her reign. But what if she had chosen differently, early on, when the pressure was highest and the risks were lowest? In this Thought Experiment, we explore how an early marriage might have changed the succession, court politics, religion, and England’s place in Europe, and what Elizabeth gained, and gave up, by refusing to say yes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a major winter storm is hitting much of the United States, it’s hard not to think about how dependent we are on forecasts, alerts, and advance warnings. We know when snow will start, how bad it might get, and when it should be over. The Tudors had none of that. In this episode, we explore how people in Tudor England understood the weather, what “forecasting” meant in a world without instruments or data, and how households prepared for winter when storms arrived without warning. We’ll look at seasonal preparation, food storage, fuel shortages, and what happened when cold lasted longer than anyone expected. We’ll also examine real historical examples of severe winters from the Tudor period and just beyond it, including prolonged frosts that froze rivers, stalled trade, and tested the limits of everyday life. This isn’t a story about cozy snowfalls. It’s about uncertainty, preparation, and what winter meant in a world where no one could say how long the storm would last. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the final years of Henry VIII’s reign, even conversation could be dangerous. Katharine Parr was not simply a dutiful queen consort. She was highly educated, deeply interested in theology, and unusually willing to debate religion with the king. At first, Henry encouraged these exchanges. He enjoyed having a companion who could follow his arguments and respond thoughtfully. By 1546, however, those same conversations were being reported very differently. An arrest warrant was prepared. Bishops took notice. Courtiers repeated her words. Katharine found herself in the same position that had destroyed others before her. This video explores: Why Katharine felt secure enough to debate theology with Henry How court politics turned her speech into a risk What she understood about Henry’s need for control at the crucial moment And how a carefully chosen conversation stopped the arrest from going forward This is not a story about luck or silence. It is about timing, perception, and knowing when the safest move was to change the way the story was being told. 📌Join my newsletter for exclusive Tudor news and updates: https://www.englandcast.com/newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we think about death in Tudor England, we usually picture executions, plague, or war. But for most people living in 16th-century England, death came much closer to home. In this episode, we explore accidental deaths recorded in coroners’ inquests: drownings while fetching water, fatal after-work swims, farm accidents, falls, fires, and moments of ordinary life that went catastrophically wrong. Drawing on recent research by historian Steven Gunn, these cases reveal what people were actually doing all day, the risks they lived with, and how unforgiving the physical world of Tudor England could be. This isn’t a story about kings or court politics. It’s about laborers, women, children, and families navigating daily work, domestic chores, and leisure in a landscape with very little margin for error. If you’ve ever wondered what Tudor life really looked like beyond the palace walls, this episode offers a stark and fascinating answer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In early 1540, Thomas Cromwell was still powerful, but he knew something had shifted. Today we look at the final year before Cromwell’s fall, not as a sudden collapse, but as a slow recognition that his influence was draining away. As the court reoriented itself, allies fell silent, old enemies returned, and the systems Cromwell built no longer protected him. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if Catherine of Aragon had agreed to an annulment in 1527? Today we explore a Tudor what-if with enormous consequences. If Catherine had stepped aside quietly, Henry VIII might never have broken with Rome, Anne Boleyn might have had time to secure her position, Mary Tudor’s future could have been settled early, and England might have remained a far quieter place. A meditation on how one refusal, rooted in conscience, reshaped a kingdom. Check out the Vday collection: https://tudorfair.com/collections/valentines-day-2026 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this minicast, we spend twenty-four hours with a yeoman farmer and his family, the solid middle of Tudor society. From waking before dawn to fieldwork, food, spinning, neighborly chatter, and falling asleep by firelight, this is an ordinary working day in rural England. No court, no kings, just the daily rhythm that fed the country and kept Tudor England running. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices