Shows / The History of England
The History of England
This my re-telling of the story of England. I aim to be honest, and rigorous - but always loving of my country's history. It is a regular, chronological podcast, starting from the end of Roman Britain. There are as many of the great events I can squeeze in, of course, but I also try to keep an eye on how people lived, their language, what was important to them, the forces that shaped their lives and destinies, that sort of thing. To listen free of adverts, support the podcast, access a library…
Episodes
The History of England323 Europe XII Absolutely Nations
Hobbes argued that only an all powerful ruler could do what was required to protect the people and preserve property, and for that the loss of individual…
The History of England322Europe XII Religion & Science
In the first of three episodes on Europe 1600-1650, we talk about religion, scientific revolution, and Witchcraft. And why Galileo was a weaker No 8 than Dean…
The History of England321 Fin de Siecle
The final years of Elizabeth's reign inevitably have the sense of the end of an era; she retreated to her chambers, court was no longer the attraction it had…
The History of England320 Justice and the State
Crime in England saw a sharp growth between the 1580s and 1640s; and the hand of justice lay heavy. But at the same time was forged a system of local and royal…
The History of England319 Dearth and Discord
The last 15-20 years of Elizabeth's reign have been described as the Golden Age. It's a description that might have seemed incomprehensible to many of the…
The History of England318 The Nine Years' War
In Ulster near the end of the 16th century, it appeared that Elizabeth could reply at least on one of her favoured Irish subjects - Hugh O'Neill, Baron of…
The History of England317 Well Worth a Mass
Henry IV of France, regarded as one of France's greatest leaders, looks for way to bring peace and unity to his divided country, while England and Spain trade…
The History of England316 The Valois Extinguished
The defeat of the Armada feels in retrospect like a watershed in Elizabeth's reign; many of her closest advisers and companions died, and for the remainder of…
The History of England315 God Breathed
As the Armada sailed serenely up the Channel, the English tried desperately to make some impression before it reached Flanders. But Medina Sidonia had worries…
The History of England314 Drake goes Bowling
The Great Armada was do to sail in 1587; but Elizabeth had other ideas. By in May 1588 the Duke of Medina Sidonia led his fleet of 130 ships down the Tagus…
The History of England313 England is Ours
From a desk in a small suite of rooms in El Escorial Philip II ran a vast colonial empire. With France torn by civil war, war against the Dutch improving…
The History of England312 My Heart is my Own
By the mid 1580's Mary was at her wits' end - feeling betrayed by her son, 18 years of incarceration, beset by a unsympathetic jailer. She would listen to…
The History of England311 Fears of State
In a time of existential and moral threat, the English state developed a network of informants and spies at home and abroad. While Catholics tried to steer a…
The History of England310 The English College
By the 1580s, the confessional lines between Protestant and Catholic were increasingly strongly drawn; repressive legislation increased, and the English…
The History of England309 Godly, Godlier and Godliest
Elizabeth set her face against further reform, against pressures from within the church and without; in her view, hers was a Godly church. How far did her…
The History of England308 Fool's Gold
A host of Elizabeth explorers explored the world in the late Elizabethan reign. Did they achieve anything, or were there efforts a false start? For maps…
The History of England307 All Around the World
For a couple of years in the mid 1570s Elizabeth nixed proposed exploration projects for fear of Spain. At the same time she was discussing a secret voyage…
The History of England306 A Devil and No Man
Together the Elizabethan explorers, and authors like John Dee and Richard Hakluyt built excitement about the possibilities of global exploration. Francis Drake…
The History of England305 The Frog Prince
From 1578 to 1582 the courts of France, Spain and England buzzed with the possibility of the latest office romance - between the Queen of England and Duke of…
The History of England304 Seeds of Irish Nationhood
By the 1580s, the English atrocities and the rebellion of James Fitzmaurice and the Earl of Desmond, Catholicism and its association with resistance ot English…
The History of England303 Shane the Proud
The later Tudors faced a choice in their policy towards Ireland - would they resign themselves to the old ways, ruling through the Old English with minimal…
The History of England302 England's Garland
There are many myths about the Elizabethan Navy, the idea of a world-beating tool that created an international Empire. It wasn't quite, and it didn't, at all…
The History of England301 Black Tudors
Black Africans began to make their way in increasing numbers to England - firstly mainly via trading countries like Spain and Portugal, but increasingly…
The History of England300 Trade and Exploration
Elizabeth's reign famously saw England enter the search for new markets with which to trade and explore. In this episode, we focus on trade with West Africa…
The History of England299 West Africa
A horribly brief introduction to the West African kingdoms with which the Portuguese started to trade and a smidge of their backstory, before the English began…
The History of England298 A Curate's Egg
What started as a curate's egg of an episode, ends up with an introduction to a new player, Francis Walsingham, and the story of the St Bartholomew's Day…
The History of England297 Servant of Crime
Through the 1560s, the progress of the reformation gave both the Protestant Godly and Catholics much leeway and wriggle room. A series of events in the late…
The History of England296 Rising of the North
The saga of the life and times of Mary Queen of Scots continues, but in 1568 something stirs in the north of England...For maps, resources, transcripts or to…
The History of England295 Marvellous Good order
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…
The History of England294 Alarms and Excursions
Did Elizabeth have a foreign 'policy'? If so what principles drove it - dynasty, parsimony, protestantism? This week Elizabeth intervenes in Scotland and…
The History of England293 Sex and Marriage
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…
The History of England292 The Queens Marriage
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…
The History of England291 Queen and Court
How did Elizabethan government work, and what was Elizabeth's court like?For maps, resources, transcripts or to become a member, head for…
The History of England290 The Religious Settlement
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…
The History of England289 Elizabeth Regina
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…
The History of England288 Elizabeth I and the Historians
Elizabeth's reputation has been broadly positive except for Catholic historians, established by the man pictured, William Camden (1551-1623) though sometimes…
The History of England287 Enter Good Queen Bess
In January 1559, Elizabeth finally entered London, and on the day of her coronation, she processed through London. Elizabeth's personality turned the event…
The History of England286 Sex and the Reformation of Manners
What concerned society about sexual behaviour and why ? How did they intervene in the way people lived their lives; what did you have to do to be whipped at…
The History of England285 Reformation of Manners
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…
The History of England284 Popular Culture in the Ritual Year
The Lord of Misrule, the Boy Bishop. dancing the Morris and May games. A little about the celebrations of the ritual year, and how things changed.For maps…
The History of England283 Little Commonwealth
The patriarchy, love and marriage, gender roles and huswifery, the daily grind and a bit about food and clothing. It's a smorgasbord.For maps, resources…
The History of England282 Parish and Protest
The parish was the essential and ever present canvas on which most lives were painted in early modern England. We discuss how it changes, it's harmonies and…
The History of England281 Winners and Losers
The population growth and inflation of the 16th century had different impacts depending on your situation. And the difference was land. Plus we talk about the…
The History of England280 The Land was Never So Full
The start of a suite of 7 episodes about social and economic issues charts the changes in population and how the society it affected described itself.For maps…
The History of England279 Who Wished All for the Best
1558 was a fateful year for England which would have a fundamental impact on its future. Find out why.For maps, resources, transcripts or to become a member…
The History of England278 The King's Honour
The return of the King meant demands for the English to enter a war they did not want, and in which none of their interests were really at stake.For maps…
The History of England277 A Firm Hand
The story of the Marian persecution. And of a Queen's need to have her Prince at her side to help with the alarms and excursions of protestant rebels.For maps…
The History of England276 The Reformation of England
The plan was that 1555 saw the transformation of England - the birth of an heir for Mary and Philip, the launch of a new Reformation Anglicae to re-invigorate…
The History of England275 The Time of Trial
Once Pole had returned and parliament had re-enacted the heresy legislation after the brief Edwardian holiday, the Marian church could at last exercise the…
The History of England274 Not to Destroy but to Build
When Pole told parliament that he came to build he meant what he said., and would deliver, in part. And join us on Flick Chat…
The History of England273 Pope II - The Return
In 1554, 300 schoolboys of London played out the divisions of their parents on the fields of Finsbury. It was an instructive backdrop to the return of Papal…
The History of England272 The Spanish Marriage
In July 1554 Philip finally landed in England, and all went very well; Mary and Philip were married, and were kind to each other, there was a great pageant of…
The History of England271 Most Faithful Subject
Once Wyatt had been dealt with, Gardiner, Renard, Mary - all could see a greater target in their sights. Surely the Lady Elizabeth had been involved, and here…
The History of England270 Wyatt's Doom
Mary faced the biggest challenge to her reign in 1554 as the London Trained Bands, the White Coats, joined Wyatt's army of Kent. She responded like a Tudor…
The History of England269 Scorn and Ill Will
In 1553, Mary's real religious policy become clear. More worrying for many was the announcement of her choice of husband Philip of Spain. Some blokes met in a…
The History of England268 This Hand Offendeth
After Mary rode into London in August 1553, Thomas Cranmer must have known he would be in the firing line - and yet at first nothing happened. And it was his…
The History of England267 Girt with a Sword
Mary was well aware that it was critical for her to establish her right and authority as equal to that of any king; and she consciously pursued that aim. Which…
The History of England6.1 - 266 The Late Tudors, 1554 - 1603
After a quick survey of Series 6, the reigns of Elizabeth and Mary, we spend the epiosde considering Mary's historical reputation.After her brave and audacious…
The History of England265 Live Still to Die
After Mary's victory, Jane Grey was imprisoned comfortably in the Tower, and spent her time studying - and had a reasonable expectation of long, if a little…
The History of England264g Rebel Queen 8 The Duke
The game played out, the Mary entered London and the Duke was to die. But Northumberland had one more surprise to springFor maps, resources, transcripts or to…