Most of us can agree that Anne Boleyn was perhaps the most controversial woman to ever sit on the throne of England, but, her life has rarely been examined through a legal lens, until now. Today, historian Heather explains why religious reform and the break from Rome not only predate Anne Boleyn but the Tudors all together, why and how Anne Boleyn regularly broke the law and, perhaps most interestingly of all, why Heather firmly believes that even if Anne Boleyn had given birth to a son, that Henry would still have got rid of her, and that it would have been death. Controversial I know, but carry on listening to find out why.
Reginald Pole started out as a man who Henry VIII sponsored and celebrated, but soon turned on the king, becoming an outright and vocal critic of his all too bloody reign. To discuss Reginald with me, I am pleased to welcome historian Dr Helen Hyde onto the podcast for a discussion based around her recent book, The King’s Traitor, Reginald Pole and the Tudors. We explore Reginald's early life, his position as an arch enemy of Henry VIII, his very close bond to Queen Mary I and even his friendship with none other than Michelangelo himself!
The de la Pole family were one of the great noble houses of Tudor England, who awkwardly possessed a big dollop of York royal blood, tracing direct descent from Elizabeth of York, a sister of Kings Edward IV and Richard III. It was the de la Pole family whom Richard III intended to be his successors, and would in turn become figureheads of rebellion against the Tudors. Today, I am pleased to welcome historian and author Richard Anderton, onto the podcast, for a discussion based on his latest book, The Last Yorkists, Edmund and Richard de la Pole. We discuss these two brothers lives, early days, their connections to the other noble houses, their roles in rebellion against the Tudors and of course, how this would, inevitably, lead to their destruction.
The rule of the Plantagenets saw an unbroken line of fourteen kings reign over 300 years, but while these kings are undeniably interesting, often it is their wives, the queens of the medieval period who command the attention, I'm talking of histories she wolves, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Isabella of France and Margaret of Anjou, and as such, I am thrilled to welcome back the woman who wrote the book and fronted the series dedicated to histories she wolves, Dr Helen Castor, who joins me to discuss these three remarkable queens.
An aspect of Tudor history seldom discussed or, perhaps more accurately, all but ignored, is the role black people living and working in England across the 16th and 17th centuries. Today, to unpick the stories of some of Tudor England’s African population, I am pleased to welcome Dr Miranda Kaufmann onto the podcast for a discussion based around her book, Black Tudors, The Untold Story. We look at the stories of several figures from the time, including John Blanke, a black trumpeter for whom a contemporary image exists, to Diego the Circumnavigator, who helped Sir Francis Drake explore the globe, to Cattelena of Almondsbury, who livid in the Tudor countryside and made her way in the world owing to her most prized possession, a cow!
I was due to be speaking to Dr Helen Castor this week, but sadly that episode is being delayed by a couple of weeks. A follower wrote to me recently asking me whether I would do an episode telling people about my own story. How I came to do what I do now, what are my own historical opinions etc., and so I thought, well, why not! So, here it is, your chance to get to know me, the man behind the podcast, a bit better.
Hans Holbein was undoubtedly our window into the court of King Henry VIII. His remarkable portrait collection allows us to see who the figures of the Tudor court were, from Henry VIII’s queens to his political enemies, lawyers, churchmen and much more. To discuss this remarkable man with me, I am pleased to welcome Dr Elizabeth Goldring back onto the podcast for a discussion based around her upcoming book, Holbein, Renaissance Master. From Holbein's early life to the methods he used, to symbolism in his imagery, all will be discussed, so settle in as Elizabeth and I explore the life of the 16th centuries greatest artist.
Queen Mary I is the first undoubted queen regnant in English, later British history, but four hundred years before the crown was placed on her head, another woman attempted to get there first, she was Empress Matilda, the daughter of King Henry I of England, who had been named by her father as the rightful heir to the throne. Upon Henry’s death, Matilda was robbed of her throne when her cousin, Stephen snatched it from right beneath her feet. To discuss this utterly remarkable woman with me, I am pleased to welcome historian Dr Catherine Hanley onto the podcast for the first time. Catherine's biography of Matilda, Matilda, Empress, Warrior, Queen, acts as the basis for our conversation, so settle in, and get comfy, as we explore the life of the woman who should have been Queen Matilda
As Elizabeth I approached the end of her life, the constant topic of conversation was who would be her successor. Her ministers all had their own opinions, often varying, while Elizabeth herself never truly confirmed who her own preferred candidate was, but, in the end, it was the Scottish king, King James VI, who was selected to follow in her footsteps, so how did this come about? To discuss this, I am pleased to welcome historian Leanda de Lisle back onto the podcast for a discussion based around her book, after Elizabeth, the death of Elizabeth and the coming of King James. From those final few months of Elizabeth’s life to the journey James made through England, join Leanda and I as we examine the moment when the Tudor dynasty reached its conclusion.
From films to television, plays to musicals and hundreds and hundreds of books, Anne Boleyn has been portrayed in many different ways. Her story and the mythology around her has been a constant source of inspiration for the big and small screen, but how much of an impact has it had on the way we perceive Anne? Well to discuss this, I am pleased to welcome Susan Bordo onto the podcast for a discussion based around her book, The Creation of Anne Boleyn, In Search of the Tudor's Most Notorious Queen. In the episode Susan and I discuss the different portrayals of Anne, what parts of Anne’s story she would find amusing or baffling and also, which I am sure many people will be very excited to hear, what happened when Susan was able to spend three whole hours talking face to face with none other than Natalie Dormer herself!
Henry VI became king of England at the age of just nine months old, never knew his father and in many ways never truly grew up. His life was managed by a series of competing and often self-serving councillors. His many mental health issues placed incredible pressure on the court he nominally oversaw and thanks to his eventual overthrow at the hands of Edward, Earl of March, later Edward IV, we think of Henry as a largely inept, useless and pitiful figure, but was he? Well to discuss this fascinating man I am pleased to welcome back Lauren Johnson onto the podcast for a discussion all about him. Lauren’s book, Shadow King, the life and death of Henry VI acts as the basis of our conversation.
New portrait discoveries are always exciting, and when its a controversial figure from the reign of queen Elizabeth I and moreover one that may have been the gay lover of William Shakespeare, that's even more exciting! I am speaking of the recent discovery of a miniature by Nicholas Hilliard of Henry Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton. Today I am thrilled to welcome back art historians Emma Rutherford and Elizabeth Golding onto the podcast to discuss this miniature with me, from its highly androgynous appearance to the fact that it was deliberately defaced! Carry on listening to find out how and why!
On the 27th May 1541 the 67 year old Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury was escorted out onto the small green inside the walls of the Tower of London and beheaded in an execution which became infamous for how badly botched it was. This was the final dreadful act in a period known as the Exeter Conspiracy, which saw a total of 13 arrests and eight executions, with Margaret being the most notable victim, but what actually was the Exeter Conspiracy? Where did it start? Who was involved, and is there any truth to the accusations made?
Agnes Tilney, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk is a truly fascinating but often overlooked figure, a woman who for a time was one of the most powerful women in England, but by her dotage was overseeing a household which has been described as something akin to a noble whorehouse, the place in which her step-granddaughter, Katheryn Howard, may very well have lost her virginity. So, who was Agnes what were her early days like, what role did she play at court and what became of her once her name was tarnished in the wake of Katheryn Howard’s execution?
Long before she was Queen Mary I, or more infamously to her detractors as Bloody Mary, there was a young girl, born a princess, the first born child of King Henry VIII to reach adulthood, Mary, by his first with, Katherine of Aragon, so what was Mary’s young life like? Who was involved in her christening, spoiler, what were the many marriage prospects created, and did she ever blame her father rather than Anne Boleyn for what befell her? Well to discuss all of this and much more I am pleased to welcome back Dr Peter Stiffell onto the podcast for a discussion all about his favourite figure from history!
Courtly love was a game, a game in which figures of the Tudor court would happily indulge in, despite sometimes failing to recognise its pitfalls, one key example being Anne Boleyn herself. But what was courtly love, what were the rituals, where did it all begin as a concept? Well to discuss this very topic, I am honoured to have historian, author and broadcaster Sarah Gristwood onto the podcast for a discussion based on her book, The Tudors in Love!
Kings and Queens are undoubtedly one of the most fundamental aspects of British history. A question we often ponder is who was the best and who was the worst, but what if we approached it differently and asked which monarchs are grossly overrated and which for various reasons are repeatedly underrated? Well to discuss this question precisely, I am thrilled to welcome Dr Tim Hames onto the podcast to discuss his book, Measuring Monarchy, The Most Overrated and Underrated British Kings and Queens. Was King Stephen really all that bad? Why should we not throw so much love Richard I’s way and was Gloriana, Queen Elizabeth I herself, all that she's cracked up to be?
Elizabeth I famously never married or produced children. The subject of her succession was an almost constant conversation and concern for her councillors and courtiers, made more problematic by factionalism, for there were actually a great many people with a strong claim to the throne of England. To discuss these very people, I am pleased to welcome historian and author Beverley Adams onto the podcast. Her upcoming book is The Race for Elizabeth I’s Throne and acts as the basis for our conversation today. Who were the younger grey sisters and why did Elizabeth so clearly dislike them, what of their cousins, the Clifford's, who was the seldom discussed but fabulously named Ferdinando Stanley, one of the few men alive at the time with a strong claim, and why, in the end was James VI of Scotland always going to be the inevitable successor?
Coins are a physical tangible link to the past, history in metal that we can carry in our very hand. Coinage is central to the history of Great Britain, made more fascinating still because of our long and rich monarchical history. In todays episode, the 100th episode, I am pleased to talk to Gregory Edmund from Spink auctioneers. An expert in coinage, Gregory joins me to discuss something known collectively as the Carrington collection, a remarkable 130 piece collection of coins starting way back with King Henry III, through the hundreds years war, the wars of the roses and ending with Queen Elizabeth I herself.
This week, I am thrilled to welcome Dr Elizabeth Norton back to the podcast for the third time as we dive into the stories behind her upcoming book, Women who Ruled the World, 5000 Years of Female Monarchy. In this book, as you can probably guess, Dr Norton looks at female rule over the past five millennia, from Cleopatra of Egypt to Empress Wu of China, Catherine the Great to Elizabeth II, this book has it all - political pawns, fighters, murderers, victims, but all of them have something in common, they dared to rule, often in a world where the very notion was deemed impossible .