Podcast appearances and mentions of Henry VII

Almost a prince, almost a duke, almost a kingmaker, almost a rebel - this man teeters on the edge of history, but will Elizabeth Woodville's son, stepson to Edward IV and brother-in-law to Henry VII, be able to escape from the shadow of his incredibly dramatic family? Maybe if we can just work out what a Marquis actually is...   You can find images and a full bibliography on our website - Episode Information – Tudoriferous Join our Patreon family for yet more episodes and to join our Discord - Tudoriferous | creating a Podcast discussing the great, good and mad Tudor Era | Patreon   Relevant Episodes - S1 - 42 - Edward Woodville, feat. The Woodvilles S1 - 042 - Edward Woodville- Part Two Cameo 51 - Richard Grey, 3rd Earl of Kent   Image: Detail from King Edward IV and His Queen, Elizabeth Woodville at Reading Abbey, 1464 by Ernest Board (1877-1934) Copyright Reading Museum  

It's Memorial Day, and I've been thinking about patriotism -- where it comes from, why people feel it so strongly, and whether Tudor people felt anything like it at all. The answer is more interesting than I expected. In 1485, when Henry VII takes the throne after the Battle of Bosworth Field, England is basically a collection of feudal relationships. Loyalty runs to your lord, your family, your region -- not to some abstract idea of "England." There's no standing army, no national church, no real sense of a shared national identity. And then the Reformation happens. And everything changes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the medieval world did not end with a bang, but with a messy argument over who gets to define history itself? Professor Suzannah Lipscomb spars with Gone Medieval's host Matt Lewis over Gutenberg, the Reformation, witchcraft, plague, the Renaissance, and the Wars of the Roses to ask where medieval ends and early modern begins. The result is a lively, surprising fight over power, change, and the making of the modern world.More:Mother of All Tudors: Margaret BeaufortListen on AppleListen on SpotifyHenry VIIListen on AppleListen on SpotifyPresented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Max Wintle, audio editor is Amy Haddow and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcastSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've covered all of the popes who ran the Catholic Church during Henry VII's reign (and at least one who didn't), and who better to tell us how we've done than Bry and Fry from "Pontifacts - ranking all of the Popes from Peter to Leo XIV"! Listen on to hear why we let Sixtus IV off far too lightly, why pious men don't make good Renaissance Popes, and why Julius II was just so, so obsessed with Alexander VI. And why didn't they listen to Burchard?   Find Pontifacts here! https://pontifacts.podbean.com/ And on many, many other podcatchers.   Join our Patreon family for yet more episodes and to join our Discord - Tudoriferous | creating a Podcast discussing the great, good and mad Tudor Era | Patreon   Relevant Episodes of Tudoriferous - Pope Sixtus IV Pope Innocent VIII Pope Alexander VI Pope Pius III Pope Julius II (though this one is mostly on the Alum trade - to get properly into Julius II's story, start here with part two)  

This week Beau continues his chat all about the English monarchy, focussing on the reign of Henry Tudor - Henry VII. From his decisive victory at Bosworth Field in 1485, to the various rebellions and pretenders he had to put down, to his domestic and foreign policy; of one of England's greatest dynasties was established.

In 1499, Henry VII had two men in the Tower of London. One claimed to be his wife's long-lost brother. The other was an innocent young man who had been locked up since he was ten years old. And the King and Queen of Spain wouldn't send Catherine of Aragon to England until both of them were dead. This is History as an Empathy Machine, a new thought experiment where we lay out the real options historical figures had and ask: knowing only what they knew, what would YOU have done? Today: Henry VII, Perkin Warbeck, the Earl of Warwick, and Elizabeth of York, who grew up with the man in the Tower and was never allowed to see him again. Tell me in the comments what you would have done. Two questions at the end of the episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two young princes vanished inside the Tower of London, and history has never agreed on what happened next. In 1483, Edward V and his younger brother Richard, Duke of York, disappeared from public view after their uncle seized the throne as King Richard III. Were they murdered? If so, who was responsible? For centuries, suspicion has fallen on Richard III, but was the case really that simple? In this video, I explore: • the disappearance of the Princes in the Tower • Richard III and the evidence against him • the role of Buckingham, Henry VII, and Margaret Beaufort • medieval politics and rival claimants • Thomas More and the James Tyrell confession story • the mystery of Perkin Warbeck and survival theories • the bones discovered in the Tower of London • what contemporary sources actually tell us Was this a royal murder, a political conspiracy, or one of history's greatest misunderstandings? Let me know your theory in the comments. #PrincesInTheTower #RichardIII #WarsOfTheRoses

In this episode of the Anglotopia Podcast, Jonathan Thomas is joined by Sarah Morris — creator of the Tudor Travel Guide, author of multiple Tudor books, including her novel about Anne Boleyn, and co-founder of Simply Tudor Tours — for a sweeping, entertaining, and deeply informative crash course in Tudor Britain. Calling it Tudor 101, Jonathan and Sarah walk through the full arc of the dynasty: from the unlikely origins of Henry VII emerging from exile to win the crown at Bosworth, through the world-altering reign of Henry VIII and the break with Rome, the short and turbulent reigns of Edward VI and Mary I, and the remarkable story of Elizabeth I and how she turned vulnerability into a kind of genius. Along the way, they tackle the most misunderstood Tudor wife, untangle the confusing web of Marys in the family tree, explain the real-world devastation of the dissolution of the monasteries, and map out the social hierarchy of Tudor England from vagabonds to dukes. Sarah also shares her essential must-visit Tudor sites for American Anglophiles, gives insider tips on getting the most from historic houses and ruins, makes a passionate case for the Mary Rose Museum, and reveals which controversial Tudor drama she secretly loves — and why it launched her writing career. Links Tudor Travel Guide — tudortravelguide.com Simply Tudor Tours — simplytudortours.com Le Temps Viendra (Sarah's Anne Boleyn novel) Sarah's Tudor books on Amazon Hampton Court Palace — hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace Hever Castle — hevercastle.co.uk Tower of London — hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london Westminster Abbey — westminster-abbey.org National Portrait Gallery — npg.org.uk Mary Rose Museum, Portsmouth — maryrose.org Portsmouth Historic Dockyard — historicdockyard.co.uk Hatfield House — hatfield-house.co.uk Hardwick Hall — nationaltrust.org.uk/hardwick Penshurst Place — penshurstplace.com Haddon Hall — haddonhall.co.uk Kenilworth Castle — english-heritage.org.uk/kenilworth Fountains Abbey — nationaltrust.org.uk/fountains-abbey Rievaulx Abbey — english-heritage.org.uk/rievaulx Weald & Downland Living Museum — wealddown.co.uk Little Moreton Hall — nationaltrust.org.uk/little-moreton-hall Adam Pennington episode Friends of Anglotopia ⠀ Takeaways The Tudor dynasty was a genuinely unlikely outcome — Henry VII spent 12 years in exile before winning the crown at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, and his claim to the throne depended on a chain of improbable events all lining up just so. Henry VIII's most consequential legacy isn't his six wives — it's the break with Rome and the dissolution of the monasteries, which was the largest transfer of wealth in British history and permanently reshaped the country's physical landscape, religious life, and social structure. Anne Boleyn is the most misunderstood Tudor wife — not the romantic schemer of popular legend, but a woman of serious religious principle who was a genuine catalyst for the English Reformation, including passing Henry the book that sharpened his theological break with Rome. The dissolution of the monasteries was not an orderly administrative process — it was ransacking, burning, hacking apart, and looting of some of the most important buildings in medieval England, with monastic communities thrown out onto the street and abbots executed for resistance. Tudor society was rigidly stratified into distinct layers — from outcasts and vagabonds at the bottom, through the deserving and undeserving poor, yeoman farmers, merchants, the gentry, the nobility, and the monarch — and most people's lives were entirely shaped by where they sat in that hierarchy. Elizabeth I's greatest political achievement was turning her femininity from a perceived weakness into a kind of myth — culminating in the Virgin Queen persona, which elevated her to an almost goddess-like status and was, in Sarah's words, "a stroke of PR genius." Bloody Mary and Mary Queen of Scots are entirely different people — Mary I was Henry VIII's Catholic daughter by Catherine of Aragon; Mary Queen of Scots was a separate Scottish monarch and great-granddaughter of Henry VII, whose claim to Elizabeth's throne made her a lifelong political threat. For first-time visitors to Tudor England, Sarah's essential London list is Hampton Court Palace, the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey's Lady Chapel, and the National Portrait Gallery — and outside London, Hever Castle and Hatfield are the top priorities. The Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth is Sarah's single most important Tudor site recommendation — 19,000 artefacts from Henry VIII's sunken flagship, now with immersive film experiences, offering an unparalleled window into everyday Tudor life. Sarah's top pre-visit tip: always read about a place before you go, not after — and always step into the local parish church, which often contains extraordinary Tudor and medieval tombs that most visitors rush straight past. ⠀ Soundbites "It is time and not space that separates us from the past. When I walk into a space and I can recreate in my mind's eye what it was like in the 16th century, I feel like I'm much closer to history. It's like pulling back the veil of time." — Sarah on why visiting Tudor places transforms the experience of history. "The Tudors have everything. Power, betrayal, brutality, glamour, the six wives of Henry VIII. These stories seem like they should belong literally in a Netflix movie rather than in history." — Sarah on why the Tudor era captivates us five centuries later. "Without Henry VII, there is no Tudor dynasty. You could imagine this nine-year-old lad fleeing to Brittany — the likelihood of him inheriting the crown is really slim. And yet these whole series of circumstances just line up." — Sarah on the dynasty's unlikely founder. "Henry VIII bent the nation to serve his personal will. The break with Rome and the dissolution of the monasteries absolutely changed the physical landscape, the societal structure, and many aspects of cultural life in England." — Sarah on Henry VIII's true legacy. "Anne Boleyn was a woman of profound religious principle. She was a catalyst — a really important catalyst — in the whole Reformation process, which had massive ramifications for the social and cultural and religious landscape of the country." — Sarah on the most misunderstood Tudor wife. "People turned up and ransacked these incredible medieval buildings. They pulled them apart, they hacked at them, they burned books and precious artifacts, they melted the roofs down and sold off all the goods and left these piles of smouldering ruins." — Sarah on the dissolution of the monasteries. "I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king — and a king of England too. That encapsulates the miracle of Elizabeth." — Sarah quoting Elizabeth I's Tilbury speech. "She created this version of the Virgin Queen — a physical image of almost deity. She elevated herself to almost a goddess-like quality that people could look up to and worship. It was an utter stroke of PR genius." — Sarah on Elizabeth I's most brilliant political move. "Do your reading before you go, not after. And always go into the local parish church. I've been in some remote, out-of-the-way parish churches and found the most incredible medieval and Tudor tombs. They're very easily rushed by." — Sarah's top two tips for visiting Tudor sites. "I loved The Tudors. I know. Controversial. There was a lot in there that was not historically accurate — but it created this milieu of energy and interest that sparked my writing career off. So I've probably got a lot to be grateful for." — Sarah on her favourite — and most controversial — Tudor drama. ⠀ Chapters 00:00 Introduction — Jonathan sets up Tudor 101 and introduces Sarah Morris 01:50 How Tudor History Became Sarah's Career — From doctor to executive coach to Anne Boleyn novelist 03:36 The Pivotal Moment at Hever Castle — A hot August day, a picnic on the lawn, and a novel begins 06:09 The Tudor Travel Guide — Mission, audience, and connecting people to Tudor places 08:15 Tudor 101: Origins of the Dynasty — The Wars of the Roses, Owen Tudor, and Henry VII's unlikely path to the crown 11:23 Why the Tudors Loom So Large — A turning point between medieval and modern, plus drama, portraiture, and artifacts 14:19 Henry VII — The overlooked founder who brought stability and created the dynasty 16:43 Henry VIII — Beyond the six wives: the break with Rome, Thomas Cromwell, and reshaping a nation 19:16 Historical Blind Spots — Churchill off the money, digressing into post-1603 history, and everyone's gaps 20:32 The Six Wives — Which wife is most misunderstood, and Anne Boleyn's real role in the Reformation 23:21 Edward VI, Mary I & Elizabeth I — Walking through the three children and their dramatically different reigns 28:45 Untangling the Marys — Bloody Mary vs Mary Queen of Scots, and how the family tree connects 33:22 Elizabeth I — Intelligence, the Virgin Queen, Tilbury, Shakespeare, and the age of exploration 37:50 The Reformation and the Dissolution of the Monasteries — The biggest wealth transfer in British history and its devastating human cost 42:49 Daily Life in Tudor England — The full social hierarchy from vagabonds to dukes 47:33 What the Tudors Left Behind — A more unified nation, rising nationalism, and the seeds of civil war 49:29 Essential Tudor Sites in London — Hampton Court, the Tower, Westminster Abbey, and the National Portrait Gallery 52:26 Beyond London — Hever Castle, Hatfield, and why you should always pair Hever with Penshurst 54:41 Sites for Every Social Class — Weald & Downland, Little Moreton Hall, Speke Hall, Haddon Hall 56:37 The Best Tudor Ruins — Fountains, Rievaulx, Jervaulx, Kenilworth, and Cowdray House 58:32 The Mary Rose Museum — Sarah's single most essential Tudor recommendation and why 59:22 Portsmouth Historic Dockyard — Three eras of naval history and the ongoing HMS Victory restoration 1:02:35 The "If Only I'd Known" Problem — Read before you go, and never skip the parish church 1:05:44 Simply Tudor Tours — How Sarah and Adam Pennington founded the company and what makes it different 1:08:33 2026 Tour Dates — Mary Queen of Scots in Scotland, the 1502 Progress, and the Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn 1:10:21 Favourite Tudor Drama — Sarah's controversial answer, Natalie Dormer, and why inaccurate TV still matters 1:13:31 The Downton Abbey Parallel — How popular drama creates waves of new history enthusiasts 1:13:54 Wrap-Up — Links, tour spaces available, and an open invitation to return Video Version

Host Natalie Grueninger speaks with Dr Sean Cunningham about Henry VII's unlikely path from exile to king, the political alliances and myths he used to secure power, and the major challenges of his reign, including rebellions and pretenders. They explore Henry's strategies for legitimacy, his marriage to Elizabeth of York, the role of Margaret Beaufort, and how Tudor symbolism and governance shaped the dynasty's future. Find out more about your host: https://www.nataliegrueninger.com Support Talking Tudors on Patreon!

Misha Glenny and guests discuss the woman who, as a child bride, became mother to the boy who would eventually become the first king in the Tudor dynasty. Lady Margaret Beaufort (c1443-1509) was twelve when she married Edmund Tudor, half his age, and gave birth to their son Henry when she was thirteen and Edmund was already dead from the plague. Margaret Beaufort made it her life's work to protect Henry during the Wars of the Roses, which had begun soon before his birth and, as many more obvious successors to the crown died or were killed in the wars, she pivoted to supporting Henry when he became the strongest contender against Richard III. She was to survive Richard III declaring her a traitor and went on to see Henry become Henry VII, the first Tudor king, and herself become the King's Mother. Outliving her son by a few months, she was then to help her grandson Henry VIII succeed and the Tudor dynasty continue.WithJoanna Laynesmith Visiting Research Fellow at the University of ReadingKatherine Lewis Honorary Professor of Medieval History at the University of Lincoln and Research Associate at the University of YorkAndDavid Grummitt Staff Tutor in History at the Open UniversityProducer: Simon TillotsonReading list:Nathen Amin, The House of Beaufort (Amberley Publishing, 2017)Rachel Delman, 'The Vowesses, the anchoresses, and the aldermen's wives: Lady Margaret Beaufort and the Devout Society of Late Medieval Stamford' (Urban History 49, 2022) David Grummitt, A Short History of the Wars of the Roses (revised edition, Bloomsbury Academic, 2025)Michael Hicks, The Wars of the Roses (Yale University Press, 2010)Lauren Johnson, Margaret Beaufort: Survivor, Rebel, Kingmaker (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2025)Michael K. Jones and Malcolm G. Underwood, The King's Mother: Lady Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and Derby (Cambridge University Press, 1991)Rebecca Krug, Reading Families: Women's Literate Practice in Late Medieval England (Cornell University Press, 2008), especially the chapter ‘Margaret Beaufort's Literate Practice: Service and Self-Inscription'J.L. Laynesmith, Cecily Duchess of York (Bloomsbury Academic, 2017)Susan Powell, The Household Accounts of Lady Margaret Beaufort, 1443-1509 (The British Academy, 2022)Nicola Tallis, Uncrowned Queen: The Fateful Life of Margaret Beaufort, Tudor Matriarch (Michael O'Mara, 2019) Micheline White (ed.), English Women, Religion, and Textual Production, 1500-1625 (Ashgate, 2016), especially ‘Lady Margaret Beaufort's Translations as Mirrors of Practical Piety' by Brenda M. Hosington In Our Time is a BBC Studios productionSpanning history, religion, culture, science and philosophy, In Our Time from BBC Radio 4 is essential listening for the intellectually curious. In each episode, host Misha Glenny and expert guests explore the characters, events and discoveries that have shaped our world.

Misha Glenny and guests discuss the woman who, as a child bride, became mother to the boy who would eventually become the first king in the Tudor dynasty. Lady Margaret Beaufort (c1443-1509) was twelve when she married Edmund Tudor, half his age, and gave birth to their son Henry when she was thirteen and Edmund was already dead from the plague. Margaret Beaufort made it her life's work to protect Henry during the Wars of the Roses, which had begun soon before his birth and, as many more obvious successors to the crown died or were killed in the wars, she pivoted to supporting Henry when he became the strongest contender against Richard III. She was to survive Richard III declaring her a traitor and went on to see Henry become Henry VII, the first Tudor king, and herself become the King's Mother. Outliving her son by a few months, she was then to help her grandson Henry VIII succeed and the Tudor dynasty continue.WithJoanna Laynesmith Visiting Research Fellow at the University of ReadingKatherine Lewis Honorary Professor of Medieval History at the University of Lincoln and Research Associate at the University of YorkAndDavid Grummitt Staff Tutor in History at the Open UniversityProducer: Simon TillotsonReading list:Nathen Amin, The House of Beaufort (Amberley Publishing, 2017)Rachel Delman, 'The Vowesses, the anchoresses, and the aldermen's wives: Lady Margaret Beaufort and the Devout Society of Late Medieval Stamford' (Urban History 49, 2022) David Grummitt, A Short History of the Wars of the Roses (revised edition, Bloomsbury Academic, 2025)Michael Hicks, The Wars of the Roses (Yale University Press, 2010)Lauren Johnson, Margaret Beaufort: Survivor, Rebel, Kingmaker (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2025)Michael K. Jones and Malcolm G. Underwood, The King's Mother: Lady Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and Derby (Cambridge University Press, 1991)Rebecca Krug, Reading Families: Women's Literate Practice in Late Medieval England (Cornell University Press, 2008), especially the chapter ‘Margaret Beaufort's Literate Practice: Service and Self-Inscription'J.L. Laynesmith, Cecily Duchess of York (Bloomsbury Academic, 2017)Susan Powell, The Household Accounts of Lady Margaret Beaufort, 1443-1509 (The British Academy, 2022)Nicola Tallis, Uncrowned Queen: The Fateful Life of Margaret Beaufort, Tudor Matriarch (Michael O'Mara, 2019) Micheline White (ed.), English Women, Religion, and Textual Production, 1500-1625 (Ashgate, 2016), especially ‘Lady Margaret Beaufort's Translations as Mirrors of Practical Piety' by Brenda M. Hosington In Our Time is a BBC Studios productionSpanning history, religion, culture, science and philosophy, In Our Time from BBC Radio 4 is essential listening for the intellectually curious. In each episode, host Misha Glenny and expert guests explore the characters, events and discoveries that have shaped our world.

In our first ever special guest episode, John from the Prime Time: Prime Ministers podcast tells us all about Parliament in the reign of Henry VII. Why was parliament so full of marriage councelors? What do Eleanor of Provence and Liz Truss have in common? What did the members of the House of Commons have to fear from hordes of hungry monks? And why did Penny Mordaunt give a long parliamentary speech about chickens? You might need to cover any young listeners' ears for that one...   Find the Prime Time - Prime Ministers Podcast here: https://shows.acast.com/prime-time, and in all of the usual podcatchers. John kindly shared his Bibliography for his research, which you can find here - Episode Information – Tudoriferous Join our Patreon family for yet more episodes and to join our Discord - Tudoriferous | creating a Podcast discussing the great, good and mad Tudor Era | Patreon

Who had a stronger claim to the English throne than Henry VII? When Henry Tudor took the crown on the battlefield at Bosworth, his hereditary claim was fragile. Eighteen Plantagenet descendants had a more legitimate right to rule, while pretenders Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck kept the Tudor court under constant threat. Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Gone Medieval host Matt Lewis to unravel one of the great mysteries of history: if not Henry VII, then who was the rightful king of England?MOREHenry VII: Reign of JeopardyListen on AppleListen on SpotifyPrinces in the Tower: The Tudor Pretenders?Listen on AppleListen on SpotifyPresented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Max Wintle, audio editor is Hannah Feodorov and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcastSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Anglotopia Podcast, host Jonathan Thomas sits down with retired British police officer, military veteran, and author John Donoghue to discuss his remarkable journey from the Royal Navy and British Army to 40 years in the police — and then, in retirement, accidentally becoming a castle guide at Pembroke Castle in Wales. John's new book, *Castles, Crime and Cake: A Policeman's Accidental Guide to History*, blends laugh-out-loud stories from the beat with medieval history, bizarre forgotten British laws, and surprisingly profound reflections on finding purpose in later life. Along the way, Jonathan and John explore how British policing differs from American policing, the absurdity of some 999 emergency calls, what it means to police without firearms, the infamous Salmon Act of 1986, and the ghost of a murderous monkey haunting a Welsh castle. Links Castles, Crime and Cake by John Donoghue — Amazon Link John's police memoir trilogy Pembroke Castle, Wales — pembrokcastle.co.uk Durham Constabulary — durham.police.uk Friends of Anglotopia Takeaways John Donoghue served in the Royal Navy, British Army, and police across a 40-year career before retiring to become an accidental castle guide. British police operate without firearms in most situations, relying instead on communication, humor, and patience to defuse confrontations. The UK has 43 regional police forces, each covering a defined geographic area and handling all crimes within it — unlike America's layered federal, state, and local system. "Policing by consent" means British officers see themselves as part of the community, earning authority through trust rather than force. The 999 emergency line receives some truly baffling calls — including reports of stolen snowmen, dogs looking at people funny, and complaints about McDonald's breakfast hours. John accidentally became a Pembroke Castle guide after sending a CV that included a photo of his dog eating birthday cake — and still got the job. The Obscure Crime Preservation Society (membership: two, including Jonathan) was founded to highlight Britain's forgotten and bizarre laws still on the statute books. The Salmon Act of 1986 makes it illegal to handle a salmon in suspicious circumstances — and John tried to get himself arrested under it. Police humor and dark comedy are genuine coping mechanisms for officers exposed to high levels of trauma and PTSD. The biggest life lesson John took from policing: approach everything with a sense of humor — it won't always work, but it's the best tool you have. Soundbites "I could either go to university like my brothers had, or do something more exciting. For me it was a choice between more schoolwork or a life of adventure — so I chose the latter." — John on why he joined the Royal Navy at 18. "I thought, what other job would you have where a dog comes into the room and just does a poo and nobody says a word? So I thought, I've got to start writing these stories down." — John on the incident that convinced him to write his police memoirs. "I've been punched, kicked, had broken bones, been stabbed in the face, put in hospital. That's the downside — but we don't carry guns because our public don't carry guns." — John on the realities of unarmed policing. "We police because the community wants itself to be kept safe and kept lawful. We don't do it with a heavy hand — talk first, and then force if needs be. Not the other way around." — John explaining policing by consent. "My CV basically consisted of: I can navigate a warship, I can shoot the enemy, and I can arrest baddies. So I thought it's not a great CV." — John on applying to work at Pembroke Castle. "I want it to be like the best tour since Willy Wonka's tour of his factory — but with maybe less deaths." — John on his approach to castle guiding. "Women can't eat chocolate on a bus. You can't wear armour in the House of Commons. You're not allowed to be drunk in a pub. These laws are still on the statute books." — John listing Britain's strangest surviving laws. "The fishmonger asked if I wanted him gutted — but to be honest, he looked gutted enough already." — John on acquiring Steve the salmon for his Salmon Act experiment. "Every contact leaves a trace — like fingerprints and DNA. And just the same, every contact leaves a trace on your soul. All that negativity can have an effect on you." — John on the psychological toll of policing. "I don't know where they could have parked — it's double yellow lines outside." — A robbery victim's response moments after an armed raid, which John recalls as a reminder that hope is always the last thing left. Chapters 00:00 Welcome & Introduction — Jonathan introduces John Donoghue and his new book 01:42 A Life of Service — From the Royal Navy to the British Army to the police 03:10 Writing the Police Memoirs — How bizarre incidents on the job inspired John to write 06:33 The Bravery Commendation — Rescuing a family (and their pets) from a house fire 07:50 Police Humor & the Women's Institute — Writing for a general audience 09:34 British vs. American Policing — Core similarities and key differences 10:51 Policing Without Firearms — What it's really like to work unarmed 12:45 Rank Structure Explained — What a PC is, and how it compares to American officers 13:44 How UK Police Forces Are Organized — 43 forces, one geographic system 15:39 Absurd 999 Calls — Stolen snowmen, dog stares, and McDonald's complaints 17:52 Policing by Consent — What it means in everyday practice 19:31 British Police Jargon Decoded — Response officers, custody suites, and more 20:11 Becoming an Accidental Castle Guide — The CV, the dog photo, and the job offer 23:31 The Crime Preservation Society — Breaking Britain's forgotten laws 25:25 The Salmon Act of 1986 — Handling Steve the salmon in suspicious circumstances 27:28 More Bizarre British Laws — Armour, top hats, chocolate, and convicted Egyptians 29:38 Obscure Laws in Police Training — What they never taught at the academy 30:22 Pembroke Castle — History, Henry VII, and why it's never been taken by force 31:45 The Monkey Ghost — A Welsh castle's most unusual haunting 34:20 Police Skills Meet Castle Tours — Crowd control, hecklers, and bored teenagers 36:01 Strangest Tourist Questions — Railway lines, castle roofs, and knight nurses 37:03 Getting Banned by a Police Force — How the books opened and closed doors 38:28 The Biggest Life Lesson from Policing — Humor, hope, and the Pandora's Box story 41:41 What's Next — Jesters, Roland the Farter, and no writing projects yet 43:37 Wrap-Up — Book details and how to find John's work Video Version

Willy Willy Harry Stee, Harry Dick John Harry Three, One Two Three Neds, Richard Two, Henry's Four Five Six.........then who? Edward Four Five...Dick The Bad, Harry's Twain.......Yes, Charlie Higson's personal history of the Monarchy lands on Henry VII, the victor at the Battle Of Bosworth and our first Tudor King, and it turns out he was a pretty good one!Joining Charlie is this episodes 'Proper Historian', is Nathen Amin, author of Tudor Wales, The House of Beaufort, and Henry VII and the Tudor Pretenders: Simnel, Warbeck and Warwick The book of this podcast, Willie Willie Harry Stee is out now, the perfect feast for your eyes as this podcast is a feast for your ears.https://www.amazon.co.uk/Willie-Harry-Stee-brand-new-hilarious/dp/0008741050 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elizabeth Goff, aka The Historical Gal, brings the Tudors to life, with 100 tales of gowns, gossip, and gory ends!Show NotesElizabeth Goff @TheHistoryGal  @thehistoricalgal@the_historical_gal on InstagramBloody, Brilliant TudorsCarol Ann Lloyd@shakeuphistoryhttps://carolannlloyd.com/ https://patreon.com/carolannlloydThe Tudors by NumbersCourting the Virgin QueenHistory reveals what's possible.Support the showHistory reveals what's possible.

Today's guest, Sean Cunningham, takes us back to a particularly perilous year in the eventful reign of King Henry VII. He explains that 1497 was a year of brinkmanship, battles, plots and disasters that very nearly resulted in the fall of the House of Tudor. Sean Cunningham is Head of Collections, Medieval, Early Modern and Legal, at the National Archives in Kew. He is one of the leading authorities on the life and times of Henry VII – the first of the Tudor monarchs. Often overshadowed by his attention-hogging son (he of the six wives), Henry VII was a formidable operator: wily, quicksilver, determined, restless. He needed all these qualities to survive the multiple threats to his rule. Sean Cunningham is the author of Henry VII: Treason and Trust.  Read an accompanying article about Henry VII at Unseen Histories. Show notes Scene One: August 1497. King James IV of Scotland challenges the Earl of Surrey to single combat. Scene Two: October 1497. Henry VII interviews Perkin Warbeck in Taunton Castle. Scene Three: December 1497. The fire at Sheen Palace. Memento: The original manuscript of Perkin Warbeck's confession. People/Social Presenter: Peter Moore Guest: Sean Cunningham Production: Maria Nolan Theme music: Firelight by Minka

We don't have to wait for Walsingham to find out about spies.  Edward IV and Henry VII both had their spy networks.  But who were they, what did they do and what happened when they got caught?   Join our Patreon family for yet more episodes and to join our Discord - Tudoriferous | creating a Podcast discussing the great, good and mad Tudor Era | Patreon   Relevant Episodes - Cameo 10 - Roger Machado | Tudoriferous Conspiracy to Kill Henry VII | Tudoriferous Cameo 49 - Alexander Symson | Tudoriferous

Was Henry Tudor a tyrant obsessed with control, or a visionary who created peace and prosperity? How did a penniless exile with a tenuous claim to the crown found a dynasty that reshaped the nation? How did he fight off pretenders to the throne?Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. Sean Cunningham to explore how Henry VII, from unlikely beginnings, stabilized a kingdom torn apart by decades of civil war and laid the foundations of the Tudor age.MORE:The Last Plantagenets in Tudor EnglandListen on AppleListen on SpotifyPrinces in the TowerListen on AppleListen on SpotifyPresented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Max Wintle, audio editor is Amy Haddow and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcastSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's episode, I take a historical digression to look at the four major Thomases of the English Reformation - Thomas Wolsey, Thomas More, Thomas Cromwell, and Thomas Cranmer. This coupon code will get you 25% off the ebooks in the Dragonskull series at my Payhip store: QUEST25 The coupon code is valid through March 9 2026. So if you need a new ebook this winter, we've got you covered! TRANSCRIPT 00:00:00 Introduction and Writing Updates Hello, everyone. Welcome to Episode 292 of The Pulp Writer Show. My name is Jonathan Moeller. Today is February 27th, 2026. Today we are taking a digression into history by looking at the four Thomases of the English Reformation (with one bonus Thomas). We'll also have Coupon of the Week and a progress update on my current writing and publishing projects. First up, let's do Coupon of the Week. This week's coupon code will get you 25% off the ebooks in the Dragonskull series at my Payhip store. That coupon code is QUEST25 and as always, the links to the store and the coupon code will be available in the show notes of this episode. This coupon code is valid through March 9th, 2026. So if you need a new ebook this winter, we have got you covered. Now for an update on my current writing, publishing, and audiobook projects. I am very nearly done with Cloak of Summoning. As of this recording, I am 35% of the way through the final editing pass. This episode should be coming out on, let's see, March the 2nd. I'm hoping Cloak of Summoning will be available a few days (hopefully like one or two days) after this episode goes live, but we'll see how things go. In any event, it should be out in very early March, which is not far away at this point. I'm also 14,000 words into Blade of Wraiths, the fourth book in my Blades of Ruin epic fantasy series. Hopefully that will be out in April, if all goes well. That's my secondary project right now, but once it gets promoted to primary project once Cloak of Summoning is available, my new secondary project will be Dragon Mage, which will be the sixth book in the Rivah Half-Elven Thief series. I'm looking forward to that since it is going to bring to an end a lot of ongoing plot threads. So it should be quite a fun book to write and hopefully to read. That should hopefully be out in May or possibly June, depending on how things go. In audiobook news, Cloak of Titans, the audiobook narrated by Hollis McCarthy, should be available in more audiobook stores than it was this time last week, though it's still not on Amazon, Audible, or Apple. Brad Wills is working on recording Blade of Storms and I think the first six chapters are done. Hopefully we should have those audiobooks available to you before too much longer. So that is where I'm at with my current writing, publishing, and audiobook projects. 00:02:18 Main Topic: The Four Thomases of the English Reformation Now without further ado, let's get to our main topic and it's time for another of my favorite topics overall, a digression into obscure points of history. I've mentioned before that Wolf Hall (both the TV show and the book) is a lot easier to understand if you are at least passingly familiar with the key figures of the English Reformation, which happened during the reign of King Henry VIII. But who were these key figures? I had a history professor who said that to understand the English Reformation, you need to know about the four Thomases of the English Reformation: Thomas Wolsey, Thomas More, Thomas Cromwell, and Thomas Cranmer, since each one of them altered events in a major way. Fun fact: only one of the four died from natural causes and right before he was about to go on trial for treason, which would have likely ended with his execution. The English Reformation was a tumultuous time and the Tudor court was not a place for the faint of heart or the morally scrupulous. So let's talk about the four Thomases and one bonus Thomas today. But first to understand them, we should look at three background trends that converged and boiled over during their lifetimes. #1: Henry VIII needs an heir. King Henry VIII was quite famously married six times and executed two of his wives in his quest for a male heir. To the modern era, this sounds odd and chauvinistic, but one of the errors of studying history is assuming that the residents of the past had any interest in 21st century standards of behavior. By the standards of Henry's time, having a male heir to assume the kingdom after his death was absolutely vital. In fact, an argument could be made that Henry was attempting to act responsibly by going to such lengths to father a male heir, though naturally he went about it in a spectacularly destructive and self-absorbed way. Remember, Henry's father, Henry VII, came to the throne after a 30-year civil war, and there were noble families that thought they had a better claim to the throne than Tudors and would be happy to exercise it. A good comparison is that the lack of a male heir for Henry VIII was as serious a crisis as a disputed presidential election in 21st century America would be. You can see evidence for this in Henry's famous jousting accident in 1536. For a few hours, people were certain that he was dead or was about to die, and this incident caused a brief constitutional crisis. If Henry died, who would rule? His daughter, Mary, who he had just declared a bastard? His young daughter Elizabeth from Anne Boleyn? His bastard son, Henry FitzRoy? A regent? One of the old families who thought they had a claim to the throne? Now, these are the sort of questions that tend to get decided by civil wars, which nobody wanted. So Henry needed a male heir and it weighed on him as a personal failure that he had been unable to produce one, which was undoubtedly one of the reasons he concluded that several of his marriages had been cursed by God and needed to be annulled. Though, of course, one of Henry's defining traits was that his self-absorption was such that nothing was ever his fault, but a failing of those around him. #2: The Reformation is here. At the same time Henry was beginning to have his difficulties, the Protestant Reformation exploded across Europe. The reasons for the Reformation were manifold. There was a growing feeling across all levels of society that the church was corrupt and more concerned about money than tending to Christ's flock, a feeling not helped by the fact that several of the 15th and 16th century popes were essentially Renaissance princelings more interested in luxury, money, and expanding the power of the papal states than in anything spiritual. Many bishops, archbishops, abbots, and other high prelates acted the same way. The situation the early 16th century church found itself in was similar to American higher education today. Many modern professors and administrators go about their jobs quietly, competently, and diligently, but if you want to find examples of corruption, folly, and egregious waste in American higher education, you don't have to try very hard. Reformers could easily find manifold examples of clerical and papal corruption to reinforce their arguments. Additionally, nationalism was beginning to develop as a concept, as was the idea of the nation state. People in England, Scotland, Germany, and other countries began to wonder why they were paying tithes to the church that went to build beautiful buildings in Rome and support the lavish lifestyle of the papal court when that money might be better spent at home. For that matter, the anti-clericalism of the Reformation was not new and had time to mature. At the end of the 14th century, Lollardy was a proto-Protestant movement in England that challenged clerical power. In the early 15th century, the Hussite wars in Bohemia following the teachings of Jan Hus were a preview of the greater Reformation to come. Papal authority had been severely damaged by the Great Schism at the end of the 14th and the start of the 15th century when two competing popes (later expanded to three) all tried to excommunicate each other and claim control of the church. In the aftermath, Renaissance Humanists had begun suggesting that only the Bible was the proper source and guide for Christianity, and that papal authority and many of the church's practices were merely human traditions that had been added later and were not ordained by God. A lot of the arguments of the Reformation had their earliest form from the writers of the 15th century. Essentially, the central argument of the Reformation was that the believer's personal relationship with God is the important part of Christianity and doesn't need to be mediated through ordained priests in the official sacraments of the church, though such things were still important. Of course, all the various reformers disagreed with each other about just how important and what the nature of that relationship was, how many sacraments there should be, and what the precise relationship between the individual, the church, and the state should be (and that argument got entangled with many other issues like nationalism), but that was a central crux of the Reformation. So all these competing pressures have been building up, and when Martin Luther posted his statements for debate on church reform in October of 1517, it was the equivalent of lighting a match in a barn that had been stuffed full of sawdust and was suffering from a natural gas leak. #3: The printing press. So why did Luther's action kick off the Reformation as we know it and not the other proto-Protestant movements we mentioned? I think the big part of that is the printing pass, perhaps the biggest part. The printing press did not exist during the early proto-Protestant movements, which meant it was a lot harder for the ideas of reform to spread quickly. The Lollards in particular wanted to translate the Bible into English instead of Latin, but the Bible is a big book and that is a lot of copying to do by hand. In 1539, after a lot of encouragement from Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII decreed that an English Bible should be placed at every church in England. In 1339, that would have been an impossible amount of copying by scribes. In 1539, thanks to the printing press, it was essentially on the scale of the government embarking on a mid-sized industrial project, perhaps a bit of a logistical and organizational challenge and you have to deal with contractors, but by no means impossible. The printing press made it possible for the various arguments and pamphlets of the Reformers to spread quickly throughout Europe. Luther published tracts on a variety of religious and political topics for the rest of his life, and those tracks were copied, printed, and sold throughout Europe. In fact, he had something of a flame war with Thomas More over Henry VIII's "Defense of the Seven Sacraments". Kings and governments frequently tried to suppress printers they didn't like, but the cat was out of the bag and the printing press helped drive the Reformation by spreading its ideas faster than had previously been possible. AI bros occasionally compare modern large language model AIs to the printing press as an irreversible technological advancement, but one should note that the printing press of the 16th century did not require an entire US state's worth of electricity and an unlimited supply of water. So those were some of the undercurrents and trends leading up to the English Reformation. With that in mind, let's take a look at our four Thomases. #1: Thomas Wolsey. Cardinal Thomas Wolsey was Henry's right hand man during the first 20 years of his reign and essentially the practical ruler of England during that time. He started his career in Henry's reign as the almoner, essentially in charge of charity, and it ended up becoming the Lord Chancellor of England. Since Henry was not super interested in actually doing the hard work of government, Wolsey ended up essentially running the country while Henry turned his full enthusiasm towards the more ceremonial aspects of kingship. Wolsey was an example of the kind of early 16th Century church prelate we mentioned above, more of a Renaissance princeling than a priest. However, as Renaissance princelings went, you could do worse than to have been ruled by someone like Wolsey. And if you were a king, you would be blessed to have a lieutenant as diligent in his work as the Cardinal. Granted, Wolsey did amass a large fortune for himself, but he frequently patronized the arts, education and the poor, pursued some governmental reforms, and deftly maintained England's position in the turbulent diplomacy of the time. He was also much more forgiving in questions of religious dissent than someone like Thomas More. Wolsey was the most powerful man in England at his apex, and the nobility hated it for him because his origins were common. So long as he had Henry's favor, Wolsey was untouchable and the nobility couldn't move against him. But the royal favor came to an end as Henry's marriage to Catherine of Aragon was unable to produce a son. Since Catherine had previously (and briefly) been married to his older brother Arthur before Arthur's death, Henry became convinced (or succeeded in convincing himself) that his marriage was cursed by God for violating the prohibition against sleeping with your brother's wife in the book of Leviticus. His eye had already fallen on Anne Boleyn and Henry wanted an annulment and not a divorce in his marriage with Catherine. In the eyes of God, he would never have been married at all, and then he could marry Anne Boleyn with a clear conscience. Here, Wolsey's gift for diplomacy failed him, but perhaps it was an impossible task. Catherine of Aragon was the aunt of Emperor Charles V, who at the time was the most powerful man in Christendom. All of Wolseley's efforts to persuade the pope to annul the marriage failed, partly because the pope had already given Henry VIII dispensation to marry his brother's widow. Wolsey's failure eroded his support with the king. Anne Boleyn likewise hated Wolsey partly because she believed he was hindering the annulment, and partly because he had blocked her from marrying the Earl of Northumberland years before she had her eyes set upon Henry. Finally, Henry stripped Wolsey of his office of Lord Chancellor, and Wolsey retired to York to take up his role as archbishop there. Wolsey's popularity threatened Henry and Anne, so Henry summoned him back to London to face treason charges. Perhaps fortunately for Wolsey, he died of natural causes on the journey back to London. His replacement as Lord Chancellor was Thomas More, the next of our major for Thomases. #2: Thomas More. More was an interesting contrast-a Renaissance Humanist who remained a staunch Catholic, even though Renaissance Humanists in general tended towards proto-Protestantism or actual Protestantism. He was also in some ways oddly progressive for his time. He insisted on educating his daughters at a time was considered pointless to educate women about anything other than the practical business of household management. Anyway, More's training as a lawyer and a scholar led him to a career in government. He held a variety of posts under Henry VIII, finally rising to become the Lord Chancellor after Wolsey. In the first decades of his brain, Henry was staunchly Catholic and despised Protestantism, in particular, Lutheranism in general and Martin Luther in particular. In 1521, Henry published "Defense of the Seven Sacraments" against Luther, and More helped him write it to an unknown degree. In their dislike for all forms of Protestantism, More and Henry were in harmony at this point. More was involved in hunting down heretics (i.e. Protestants) and trying to convince them to recant. During his time as the Lord Chancellor, More ended up sending six people to be burned at the stake for heresy, along with the arrest and interrogations of numerous others. This rather clashes with his "humanist man of letters" aspect, but More was undoubtedly convinced he was doing the right thing. And while he might have believed in education, he most definitely did not believe in freedom of conscience in several areas. To be fair to More, in the view of many at the time, Protestants, especially Anabaptists, were dangerous radicals. Likely More viewed hunting heretics in the same way as some modern politicians view hunting down covert terrorist cells or surveilling potential domestic terrorists. Harsh measures true, but harsh measures allegedly necessary for the greater good of the nation. However, the concord between More and Henry would not last. Henry wanted to set aside Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn, which More staunchly opposed. More especially opposed Henry breaking away from Rome and becoming head of an independent English Church. At first, More was able to save himself by maintaining his silence, but eventually Henry required all of his subjects take an oath affirming his status as head of the church. Thomas Cromwell famously led a deputation to try and change More's mind, but he failed. More refused, he was tried on specious treason charges, and beheaded in 1535. Later, the Catholic church declared him the patron saint of politicians. This might seem odd given that he oversaw executions and essentially did thought police stuff against Protestants, but let's be honest-it's rare to see a politician even mildly inconvenience himself over a point of principle, let alone maintain it until death when he was given every possible chance to change his mind. Probably the most famous fictional portrayals of More are A Man For All Seasons and Wolf Hall. I would say that A Man For All Seasons was far too generous to More, but Wolf Hall was too harsh. #3: Now for the third of our four Thomases, Thomas Cromwell. After Wolsey's fall and More's refusal to support Henry's desire to either annul his marriage to Catherine or to make himself head with the church so he couldn't annul the marriage, Thomas Cromwell rose become Henry's new chief lieutenant. Cromwell is both a fascinating but divisive figure. For a long time, he was cast as the villain in Thomas More's saga, but Hillary Mantel's Wolf Hall really triggered a popular reevaluation of him. Like A Man For All Seasons was too generous to More, I would say Wolf Hall was too generous to Cromwell. Nonetheless, I suspect Cromwell was and remained so divisive because he was so effective. He got things done on a scale that the other three Thomases of the English Reformation never quite managed. Cromwell's origins are a bit obscure. It seems he was either of non-noble birth or very low gentry birth and his father Walter Cromwell was a local prosperous tradesman in a jack of all trades with a reputation for litigiousness. For reasons that are unclear, Cromwell fled his birthplace and spent some time in continental Europe, possibly as a mercenary soldier. He eventually made his way to Italy and started working for the merchant families there, gaining knowledge of trade in the law, and then traveled to the Low Countries. When he returned to England, he became Cardinal Wolsey's right hand man. After Wolsey's fall, Cromwell went into Parliament and defended his master whenever possible. This loyalty combined with his significant talent for law and administration caught the eye of Henry and he swiftly became Henry's right-hand man. Amusingly, Cromwell never became Lord Chancellor like More or Wolsey, but instead accumulated many lesser offices that essentially allowed him to carry out Henry's directives as he saw a fit. Unlike More and Wolsey, Cromwell had strong Protestant leanings and he encouraged the king to break away from the Catholic Church and take control of the English Church as its supreme head. Henry did so. His marriage to Catherine of Aragon was nulled. The rest of Europe never accepted this until Catherine died of illness and it became a moot point. In 1533, he married Anne Boleyn. Like Cromwell, Anne had a strong Protestant bent and began encouraging reformers to take various offices and began pushing Henley to make more reforms than he was really comfortable doing. For example, Cromwell was one of the chief drivers behind the English Bible of 1539. This, combined with Anne's inability to give Henry a son, contributed to Anne's downfall. Unlike Catherine, she was willing to argue with Henry to his face and was unwilling to look the other way when he wanted a mistress, and this eventually got on Henry's nerves. Events are a bit murky, but it seems that Henry ordered Cromwell to find a way he could set aside Anne and Cromwell complied. Various men, including her own brother, were coerced and confessing to adultery with Anne on charges that were most likely fabricated and Anne's "lovers" and Anne herself were executed for treason in 1536. Cromwell had successfully used a technique that many modern secret police organizations and dictatorships employ- if you want to get rid of someone for whatever reason, accuse them of a serious crime, coerce them to a confession, and then have them executed. Joseph Stalin did basically the same thing when he purged the Old Bolsheviks after Lenin's death. Henry married Jane Seymour shortly after Anne's execution, and she finally gave Henry his long-waited son, though she died soon afterwards of postpartum complications. Cromwell also oversaw the dissolution of the English monasteries in the 1530s. Monasticism had become quite unpopular even before the Reformation, especially among humanist writers. The concentration of property in the hands of monasteries made for a ripe target. Using Parliament and with Henry's approval, the monasteries of England were dissolved, the monks and nuns pensioned off, and the various rich properties held by the monasteries were given to the king and his friends. Cromwell himself profited handsomely. This was essentially legalized theft, but there was nothing the monasteries could do about it. Cromwell pushed for more religious reforms, but that combined with the dissolution of the monasteries caused "The Pilgrimage of Grace" in 1537, a rebellion that Henry was able to put down through a combination of lies, stalling, outright bribery, and brutal repression under the Duke of Norfolk (more about him later). Cromwell was at the zenith of his power and influence, but his reformist bent and made him a lot of enemies. For that matter, Henry was increasingly uncomfortable with further religious changes. He wanted to be head of his own church, but essentially his own Catholic Church, not his own Reformed or Lutheran one. Cromwell's alignment with the reform cause gave his more traditionalist enemies a tool to use against him. Cromwell's foes had their chance in 1540 when Henry married his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves. Cromwell had heavily pushed for the match, hoping to make an alliance with the Protestant princes of Germany against the Catholic Holy Roman Emperor. For whatever reason, Henry took an immediate dislike to Anne and never consummated the marriage, which was swiftly annulled and Anne pensioned off. Henry blamed Cromwell for the failed marriage and Cromwell's enemies, particularly Duke of Norfolk and Bishop Gardiner of Winchester, were able to convince Henry to move against him. Cromwell was arrested, stripped of all the titles and property he had amassed, and executed in July of 1540. The sort of legal railroading process he had born against Anne Boleyn's alleged lovers and numerous other enemies of Henry's was used against him. This was one of the very few executions Henry ever regretted. Within a year, the French ambassador reported that Henry was raging that his counselors had misled him into putting to death the most faithful servant he had ever had. Once again, nothing was ever Henry's fault in his own mind. The fact that Henry allowed Cromwell's son Gregory to become a baron and inherit some of his father's land shows that he likely changed his mind about the execution. For once in his life, Henry was dead on accurate when he called Cromwell his "most faithful servant". He never again found a lieutenant with Cromwell's loyalty and skill. The remaining seven years of Henry's reign blundered from setback to setback and all the money Henry obtained from the dissolution of the monasteries was squandered in indecisive wars with France and Scotland. I think it's fair to say that the English Reformation would not have taken the course it did, if not for Cromwell. As ruthless and as unscrupulous as he could be, he nonetheless did seem to really believe in the principles of religious reform and push such policies whenever he could do so without drawing Henry's ire. #4: Now the fourth of our four major Thomases, Thomas Cranmer. If Thomas Cromwell did a lot of the political work of the English Reformation, then Thomas Cranmer wrote a lot of its theory. Cranmer was a scholar and something of a gentle-minded man, but not a very skillful politician. He seemed happy to leave the politicking to Cromwell. I think Cranmer would have been a lot happier as a Lutheran pastor in say, 1950s rural Nebraska. He could have married a farmer's daughter, had a bunch of kids, and presided at weddings, funerals, and baptisms where he could talk earnestly about Jesus and Christian virtues, and he probably would have written a few books on obscure theological points. But instead, Cranmer was destined to play a significant part in the English Reformation. He started as a priest and a scholar who got in trouble for marrying, but when his wife died in childbirth, he went back to the priesthood. Later, he became part of the team of scholars and priests working to get Henry's marriage to Catherine of Aragon annulled. While he was at university and later in the priesthood, he became fascinated by Lutheran ideas and became a proponent of reform. As with Cromwell, Henry's desire to marry Anne Boleyn gave Cranmer his great opportunity. Anne's family were also in favor of reform, and they arranged for Cranmer to become the new Archbishop of Canterbury. The new archbishop and the like- minded clerics and scholars laid the legal and theological groundwork for Henry to break with Rome and become head of the English church with Cranmer and the rest of the reform faction wanted to be used to push for additional church reforms. He survived the tumults of Henry's reign by total loyalty to the king – he mourned Anne Boleyn, but didn't oppose her execution (though he was one of the few who mourned for her publicly), did much the same when Cromwell was executed, and personally sent news of Catherine Howard's adultery to the king. Because of that, Cranmer had a great chance to pursue the cause of reform when Henry died and his 12-year-old son Edward VI became King. Edward's uncle Edward Seymour acted as the head of the King's regency council, and Seymour and his allies were in favor of reform. Cranmer was at last able to steer the English church in the direction of serious reform, and he was directly responsible for writing the Book of Common Prayer and several other key documents of the early Anglican church. But Cranmer's of luck ran out in 1553 when Edward VI died. Cranmer was part of the group that tried to put the Protestant Lady Jane Grey on the throne, but Henry's daughter Mary instead took the crown. Mary had never really wavered from her Catholicism despite immense pressure to do so, and she had last had a chance to do something about it. She immediately brought England back to Rome and started prosecuting prominent reform leaders, Cranmer among them. Cranmer was tried for treason and heresy and sentenced to be burned, but that was to be commuted if he recanted his views in public during a sermon, which he did. However, at the last minute, he thunderously denounced his previous recantation, asserted his reformist faith, and vowed that he would thrust the hand that signed the recantation into the flames first. Cranmer was immediately taken to be burned at the stake, and just as he promised, he thrust his hand into the flames, and his last word is that he saw heaven opening and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Cranmer had spent much of his life trying to appease Henry while pushing as much reform as possible, but in his final moments, he had finally found his defiance. When Mary died and Elizabeth took the throne, she returned England to Protestantism. Elizabeth was much more pragmatic than her half siblings and her father ever were, so she chose the most expedient choice of simply rolling the English church back to as it was during Edward VI's time. Cranmer's Book of Common Prayer and religious articles, lightly edited for Elizabeth's sensibilities, became the foundational documents of the Anglican church. So these four Thomases, Thomas Wolsey, Thomas More, Thomas Cromwell, and Thomas Cranmer were central to the events of the English Reformation. However, we have one bonus Thomas yet. Bonus Thomas: Thomas Howard, the Duke of Norfolk. Thomas Howard was a powerful nobleman during the reign of Henry, and the Duke of Norfolk was frequently Henry's lieutenant in waging various wars and putting down rebellions. He was also the uncle of Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, Henry's second and fifth queens. He was also involved in nearly every major event of Henry's reign. So with all that, why isn't Norfolk as remembered as well as the other four Thomases of the English Reformation? Sometimes a man would be considered virtuous by the standards of the medieval or early modern age, yet reprehensible in ours. For example, for much of the Middle Ages, crusading was considered an inherently virtuous act for a knight, whereas in the modern age, it would be condemned as war mongering with a religious veneer. However, by both modern standards and Tudor standards, Thomas Howard was a fairly odious character. For all their flaws and the morally questionable things they did, Wolsey, More, Cromwell, and Cranmer were all men of conviction in their own ways. More and Cranmer explicitly died with their faith. Cromwell's devotion to the Protestant cause got him killed since he insisted on the Anne of Cleves match. Even Wolsey, for all that he enriched himself, was a devoted servant of Henry after his downfall never betrayed the king. By contrast, Norfolk was out for Norfolk. This wasn't unusual for Tudor nobleman, but Norfolk took it to a new level of grasping venality. He made sure that his daughter was married to Henry's bastard son, Henry FitzRoy, just in case FitzRoy ended up becoming king. He used both his nieces, Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard, to gain power and lands for himself, and then immediately turned against him once he became politically expedient. In fact, he presided over the trial where Anne Boleyn was sentenced to death. After the failure of the Anne of Cleve's marriage, Norfolk made sure to bring his young niece Catherine Howard to court to catch Henry's eye, and to use the Anne of Cleve's annulment as a lever to get rid of Thomas Cromwell. Both stratagems worked, and he attempted to leverage being the new Queen's uncle to bring himself to new power and riches, as he had with Anne Boleyn. Once Henry turned on Catherine Howard, Norfolk characteristically and swiftly threw his niece under the bus. However, as Henry aged, he grew increasingly paranoid and vindictive, and he had Norfolk arrested and sentenced to death on suspicion of treason. Before the execution could be carried out, Henry died, and Norfolk spent the six years of Edward VI's reign as a prisoner in the Tower of London. When Edward died and Mary took the throne, she released Norfolk since she was Catholic and Norfolk had always been a religious traditionalist suspicious of reform. He spent the remaining year of his life as one of Mary's chief advisors before finally dying of old age. As I often say, history can be a rich source of inspiration for fantasy writers, and the English Reformation is full of such inspiration. Wolsey, More, Cromwell, and Cranmer can all make excellent inspirations for morally ambiguous characters. For that matter, you can see why the reign of Henry VIII has inspired so many movies, TV shows, and historical novels. The real life events are so dramatic as to scarcely require embellishment. So that's it for this week. Thank you for listening to The Pulp Writer Show and thank you for listening as I went on one of my little historical digressions. I hope you found the show enjoyable. A reminder that you can listen to all the back episodes on https://thepulpwritershow.com. If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave a review on your podcasting platform of choice. Stay safe and stay healthy, and we'll see you all next week.

Henry VII was dying… but as the first Tudor monarch slowly drifted towards death, in London the city was stilled gripped by the terrible regime of his loyal lapdog, Edmund Dudley. As the kings health began to decline, the arrests continued, the terror remained, but around him, various figures, from the desperate Catherine of Aragon, to the kings elderly but wise mother, began to sense the growing anger towards the regime, and made careful moves to make sure the correct scapegoats were prepared.This week we follow the incredible transformation of young prince Henry, the intricate politics of the court, London surviving oppression and epidemic, and the final retribution inflicted upon those chosen to take the fall for the late King's folly's.Cover shows the terracotta portrait bust of Henry VII by Pietro Torrigiano.

Everyone knows the Princes in the Tower, but what happened to their sisters? After Bosworth, five daughters of Edward IV faced a new Tudor king who needed one of them and feared the rest. This is the story of how Henry VII solved the problem of Elizabeth, Cecily, Anne, Catherine, and Bridget of York... and what each solution cost. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone has heard of Shakespeare, but what was going on in the world of drama a century before the height of the Elizabethan Stage? What could the subjects of Henry VII go and see? Why might Ali from the Rex Factor podcast have another reason to dislike St Dunstan? How did community theatre traumatise at least two kings? Who were the most dramatic monks? And which demon should you watch out for if you start to nod off in church? The show is about to start, so grab your anachronistic popcorn and get ready...   Join our Patreon family for yet more episodes and to join our Discord - Tudoriferous | creating a Podcast discussing the great, good and mad Tudor Era | Patreon

In the second part of ‘The Spanish Gambit' we start to draw together the diverse threads of this story- Henry VII's changing foreign policy ambitions, the ambitions of the Hapsburgs, the desperation of Catherine of Aragon, the Pope's fury at the Alum smuggling network, the power of the Italians in the capital and above all… Edmund Dudley's onslaught against London itself. With elections being nullified, innocent men and women being locked up for no good reason, with a cohort of some of the seediest criminals now seemingly dominating everyone from the mayor down, the city was plunged into an era of darkness it had not seen for hundreds of years. The Spanish Gambit had dark implications for London…Cover art includes detail from “Portrait of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor”

Margaret Beaufort was a leading figure in the tumultuous Wars of the Roses and would go on to become the matriarch of the Tudor Dynasty.  Mother to Henry VII and a key player in bringing the Tudors to the throne, was Margaret a manipulative schemer as she has sometimes been portrayed, or instead a resilient survivor of trauma and decades of civil conflict?   To better understand Margaret in the context of her time, Curator Charles Farris is joined by historians Dr Joanna Laynesmith and Lauren Johnson, as they explore the power and perception of this 15th century matriarch.

Towards the end of his reign, Henry VII really came into his own; he stood as a giant on the European stage, a player in THE most dynamic and profound change in European politics in decades, poised to strike down his enemies and ensure his dynasty was cemented into the high seat of European politics… but how did he do it?What follows is the opening part of a story involving corrupt popes, holy cartels, dodgy Italians living in London, dubious Spaniards, an eager but devout heir to the throne, and one of the most lucrative smuggling operations of the era, all of which has Henry VII right in the heart of it. Welcome to the first part… of The Spanish Gambit.Cover features portrait of Pope Julius II by Raphael.

In my conversation with historian Dr. Lauren Johnson we discussed her biography of Margaret Beaufort, exploring Margaret's complex life, maternal relationships, and political influence during the Wars of the Roses. We delved into Margaret's nurturing nature, her traumatic experiences as a mother, and her significant role in the Tudor dynasty. Lauren also addressed misconceptions about Margaret, highlighting her intelligence and agency in a male-dominated society.Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Lady Margaret Beaufort03:27 Introduction and Technical Difficulties05:17 Margaret Beaufort's Relationships and Networks08:11 Maternal Instincts and Early Life of Henry Tudor11:06 Margaret's Role in Political Alliances14:22 The Secret Marriage of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York16:59 Margaret Beaufort's Image and Vowess Attire32:17 The Complexity of Margaret's Wardrobe33:05 Contrasting Appearances: External vs. Internal34:53 Health Implications of Fasting and Mortification36:15 Margaret's Views on Henry's Governance40:04 The Cycle of Joy and Hardship40:56 Margaret's Emotional State in Her Final Years46:52 Challenging Misconceptions about Margaret48:26 A Pivotal Decision: Margaret's Choice Against Richard III51:24 Margaret's Conversation with Richard IIIThank you for listening to this episode, I hope you enjoyed it. There are many more historian interviews for you to enjoy including interviews with people such as Tracy Borman OBE, Gareth Russell, Helen Castor, Helen Carr and many more. You can also watch all the interviews on Youtube.com/@BritishHistory Join Patreon.com/BritishHistory to watch the ad-free, extended edit with bonus content, and for your opportunity to ask future guests your own questions. I'd really appreciate your help in making this show the best it can be. I know time is precious but if you do have 10 minutes you can spare to fill out this anonymous listener survey, I'd be really grateful - http://bit.ly/britishhistorypodcast-surveyPhilippa founded award-winning Historic Tour Operator British History Tours in 2014. Find out about these luxury, fully-escorted, immersive historical experiences at BritishHistoryTours.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the dying years of the reign of Henry VII, some big changes happened, which London witnessed and had to cope with. This weeks chapter covers quite a lot- what happened to Catherine of Aragon when she was staying in London after her first husband died? How the city witnessed the growing power (and occasional ineptitude) of Henry VII's spy networks? Why Catherine of Aragon and Prince Henry ended up getting engaged down on Fleet Street? What caused the King to briefly shut down the sex trade in the city? And how a London based lawyer, living near the London Stone, unleashed a new wave of terror in the name of the King?Cover contains a detail of a picture of Henry VII, Edmund Dudley and Richard Epsom.

In this episode, Natalie Grueninger speaks with historian Lauren Johnson about Margaret Beaufort — a child bride turned survivor whose political skill, marriages, and networks helped secure Henry VII's rise. They trace her early life, complex role during the Wars of the Roses, and her close but often-misunderstood relationship with her son and Elizabeth of York. The conversation also busts long-standing myths, explores Margaret's religious patronage and use of early printing, and highlights her cultural legacy. Lauren discusses her new biography, Margaret Beaufort's Survivor Rebel Kingmaker, and why Margaret's story matters today. Visit Lauren Johnson's official website http://www.lauren-johnson.com/ Join Natalie Grueninger and Dr Owen Emmerson's new online event:  'Rethinking Anne Boleyn' https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/rethinking-anne-boleyn-tickets-1981325385564?aff=oddtdtcreator Find out more about your host at  https://www.nataliegrueninger.com Support Talking Tudors on Patreon!  

Margaret Beaufort, the mother of Henry VII, is often characterised as a domineering woman who plotted her son's rise to the throne. But how true is that depiction? This Long Read, written by Lauren Johnson, explores the life of the founding matriarch of the Tudor dynasty. Today's feature originally appeared in the December 2025 issue of BBC History Magazine, and has been voiced in partnership with the RNIB. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Step with me into a palace that no longer stands, yet once witnessed some of the most important Christmases of the Tudor age. In this episode of my Tudor Christmas Advent series, we journey to Richmond Palace, once known as Shene: a beloved winter residence of the Tudor monarchs, rebuilt by Henry VII after a devastating fire and transformed into one of the most elegant palaces of the dynasty. Although Richmond has almost entirely disappeared, surviving sketches, descriptions, and ground plans allow us to reconstruct it in our imagination - its great halls glowing with candlelight, greenery hung for Christmas, music echoing through long galleries, and the Thames mist curling around red-brick towers. This was a palace where: Henry VII celebrated Christmas with ceremony and splendour Henry VIII spent tense, politically charged winters during the Great Matter and Elizabeth I passed her final Christmas, bringing the Tudor dynasty quietly to a close Richmond was not just a festive retreat — it was a stage for power, diplomacy, celebration, and endings. If you enjoy uncovering lost Tudor places, imagining historic Christmases, and exploring the quieter, more atmospheric side of royal history, this episode is for you. If Richmond Palace still stood today, would you want to walk its halls at Christmastime? Let me know in the comments. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and click the bell so you don't miss the rest of my Tudor Christmas Advent series. #RichmondPalace #TudorChristmas #TudorHistory #LostPalaces #HenryVII #HenryVIII #ElizabethI #TheAnneBoleynFiles #TudorCourt

Today we're stepping into one of the most colourful, energetic, and wonderfully noisy traditions of the Tudor festive season, Morris dancing. You might picture modern dancers with bells and handkerchiefs on a village green… but in Tudor England, Morris dancing was bolder, brighter, and far more theatrical. In this video, we'll explore: - What Morris dancing really looked like in the 15th and 16th centuries - bells, ribbons, masks, mock combat, clashing staves, blackened faces, and vibrant costumes How it became part of court entertainment - including Henry VII's Christmas revels and Henry VIII's masques - Its deep roots in English folk culture - from May Day to Whitsun ales, parish festivals to civic pageantry - The unforgettable stock characters - Maid Marian (played by a man!), jesters, hobby-horses, Robin Hood, even dragons! - Why it mattered at Christmas and Twelfth Night - joy, misrule, community, and celebration at the darkest time of year - And how Morris dancing survives today - a living tradition linking us directly to the Tudor world If you've ever seen Morris dancing and wondered where it came from, or if you simply love the colour, spectacle, and spirit of Tudor celebrations, this episode is for you. Thank you so much for watching! If you're enjoying this festive journey through Tudor Christmas, please like, subscribe, and click the bell - there's more Yuletide history coming your way tomorrow.   #TudorChristmas #MorrisDancing #TudorHistory #ClaireRidgway #ChristmasTraditions #HistoryYouTube #TwelfthNight #TudorCourt #EnglishFolkDance #YuletideHistory #TheAnneBoleynFiles #HistoryChannel #BritishHistory

Born in the tumultuous 15th century, Margaret Beaufort – mother of Henry VII – endured personal tragedy, dynastic danger, and the ever-shifting fortunes of power. Yet she emerged as one of the most influential figures of late medieval England. In this episode, Emily Briffett is joined by historian Lauren Johnson to delve into the remarkable life of Margaret – a mother and patron whose autonomy, determination and political acumen helped forge the Tudor dynasty. (Ad) Lauren Johnson is the author of Margaret Beaufort: Survivor, Rebel, Kingmaker (Apollo, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Margaret-Beaufort-Survivor-Rebel-Kingmaker/dp/1789541646/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode Summary:In this episode of Explaining History, Nick takes a deep dive into the history and necessity of taxation, connecting the Tudor reign of Henry VII to the modern crisis of inequality in the UK.With the Green Party surging past Labour in recent polls by promising to "tax the rich," we explore why this idea is about more than just funding public services—it's about democracy itself. Nick draws a parallel between the "overmighty nobles" of the 15th century, whose private armies threatened the crown, and today's billionaires, whose vast wealth allows them to purchase political influence and bypass democratic norms.From the dismantling of the post-war social democratic consensus to the devastating impact of austerity (or "de-development") on British society, we ask: Can a society survive when capital has captured the state?Key Topics:The Green Surge: Zack Polanski and the political shift to the left.Henry VII's Strategy: How taxing the nobility prevented civil war and consolidated power.Rentier Capitalism: Why "lazy money" prefers property to innovation.Austerity as De-development: The stealth privatization of British life.The Threat to Democracy: How extreme wealth inequality destabilizes nations.Explaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.▸ Support the Show & Get Exclusive ContentBecome a Patron: patreon.com/explaininghistory▸ Join the Community & Continue the ConversationFacebook Group: facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcastSubstack: theexplaininghistorypodcast.substack.com▸ Read Articles & Go DeeperWebsite: explaininghistory.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Age of the Tudors… and we begin with an busy episode filled with Henry VII's immediate impact upon the city, a epidemic killing thousands and two Mayors, a marriage of a Mercer that reveals hidden insights into life in London, the formation of the Beefeaters, and why the merchants of The City and the new King, found themselves getting off on the wrong foot… all of this and more to be found in this weeks Chapter.Cover contains a detail of “A Young Man,” painted ca. 1490 by Andrea Solario.

In this episode, we trace the Vaux family from their Lancastrian beginnings in the fifteenth century to their role in the Catholic underground during the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I.We follow the line from Katherine Peniston and her loyalty to Margaret of Anjou, through Nicholas Vaux's rise under Henry VII and Henry VIII, and into the recusant world shaped by William Vaux. The story leads to Anne Vaux; her safe houses, her connection to Father Henry Garnet, and her brush with the Gunpowder Plot. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Step into the turbulent heart of the Wars of the Roses and meet one of history's most formidable survivors: Lady Margaret Beaufort.A child bride, a teenage mother, and ultimately the mastermind behind the rise of the Tudor dynasty, Margaret navigated betrayal, bloodshed, and political chaos with nerves of steel.Professor Suzannah Lipscomb sits down with leading biographers Lauren Johnson and Dr. Nicola Tallis to uncover the real woman behind the legend: her extraordinary resilience, razor-sharp political instincts and the unyielding drive that helped place her son on the throne as Henry VII, the first Tudor monarch.MOREHenry VIIListen on AppleListen on SpotifyHenry VIII's Sister, Margaret, Queen of ScotsListen on AppleListen on SpotifyPresented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Max Wintle. Edited and produced by Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this day in Tudor history, 28 November 1489, a princess was born at Westminster Palace whose life would be shaped by diplomacy, danger, and dynastic destiny. Her name was Margaret Tudor: daughter of Henry VII, sister of Henry VIII, Queen of Scots… and the woman whose descendants would one day unite the crowns of England and Scotland. Sent to Scotland at just thirteen, Margaret became queen consort to James IV, then a young widow after Flodden, and even regent for her infant son, the future James V. Her life, however, was anything but stable. Politics, broken alliances, unhappy marriages, exile, divided loyalties - Margaret endured all of it. But her legacy changed the course of British history. In today's video, I explore the remarkable, emotional, and often overlooked story of this Tudor princess whose bloodline still sits on the throne. Thank you for watching, and don't forget to subscribe for your regular dose of Tudor history. Links to more videos: Margaret Tudor's Flight - https://youtu.be/XOQH9WlmhOU Margaret Tudor's Secret Marriage - https://youtu.be/CEE88HDbM4M Margaret Tudor, Queen of Scotland - https://youtu.be/4MyX4SfN5IE The birth of King James V - https://youtu.be/CiXTTLBhjus   #TudorHistory #OnThisDay #MargaretTudor #HenryVII #HenryVIII #MaryQueenOfScots #Scotland #HistoryYouTube #ClaireRidgway #BritishHistory

Covering the reign of Henry VII, all the way to the death of his granddaughter, Elizabeth I, the 6th Book of the Story of London is an immense dive into the life of the city- its people, its events and its ever changing face. W wild and detailed account of life in London, where some of the residents were to embed themselves into our very national consciousness, and where the children of poor residents were to rise to the highest levels of society. A wild and fascinating journey lies ahead… welcome then to Book 6 of The Story of London- Glorianna!Cover features the ‘Whitehall Mural' by van Leemput, after Hans Holbein the Younger, 1667

And this is it… a bumper Chapter as we focus on the event that was to change the history of London irrevocably; how the hell a complete non-entity like Henry Tudor was able to suddenly and dramatically take the throne of England; and along the way, have London witness an amazing local woman with impressive powers of reinvention; arguably the most awkward statement ever made by a king in the cities history, and the prototype of all future pushy showbiz mothers… Book 5 of The Story of London, concludes with the final twist in the Wars of the Roses.

The Bizarre Death of Sir Marmaduke Constable   On this day in Tudor history, 20th November 1518, a seasoned soldier and loyal servant of four Tudor kings met one of the strangest deaths ever recorded: Sir Marmaduke Constable supposedly died after swallowing a frog or toad that had slipped into his drinking water. Yes… you read that correctly. I'm historian and author Claire Ridgway, and in today's video I reveal the incredible life, and legendary death, of this remarkable Tudor knight. Before the bizarre tale that made him a Yorkshire legend, Marmaduke Constable had lived a life of true service and courage. He fought in France under Edward IV, earned a knighthood at Berwick, served as Knight of the Body to both Richard III and Henry VII, and commanded the left wing of the English army at Flodden, one of the great military victories of Henry VIII's reign. But it was the story of his extraordinary death that captured imaginations for centuries. Local tradition claimed that a frog or toad lodged itself near his heart and killed him, and his tomb at St Oswald's Church, Flamborough, even includes a carving said to show the creature believed to have ended his life. Was this legend rooted in truth? A misunderstanding? Or just a macabre Tudor tale that grew in the telling? In this episode, you'll discover: • Marmaduke's rise through the great northern families • His service under four monarchs • His command at the Battle of Flodden • Why Henry VIII personally thanked him • How a strange rumour turned into a centuries-old legend • The real history behind “the knight who died of a toad” Join me as we dive into bravery, loyalty, and one unforgettable Tudor mystery. If you enjoyed today's story, don't forget to like, subscribe, and ring the bell for more daily Tudor history videos. #TudorHistory #OnThisDay  #WeirdHistory  #ClaireRidgway #TheAnneBoleynFiles #StrangeDeaths #StupidDeaths

A thin, cautious man stepped onto a Welsh beach in August 1485 with fewer soldiers than his enemy, and more to lose than anyone in England. Three weeks later, he had killed a king, married his rival's niece, and founded a dynasty that still shapes Britain. He was Henry VII - quiet, calculating, and absolutely not boring. In this beginner's guide, I explore how the first Tudor monarch ended the Wars of the Roses, rebuilt royal authority, and quietly transformed England from chaos to stability. Forget the myth of the miserly king in his counting house, this Henry knew how to wield power, throw a party with dragons and castles on wheels, and plan dynasties like a master strategist. In this podcast: • How Henry won Bosworth and united Lancaster and York • His clever diplomacy, finances, and propaganda • The truth behind his “boring” reputation • The personal losses that reshaped his reign • How his quiet vision laid the groundwork for Henry VIII and Elizabeth I If Henry VIII was fireworks, Henry VII was the fuse, less flashy, but far more important. Recommended reading: Nathen Amin, Son of Prophecy Tell me in the comments: what surprised you most about Henry VII? #HenryVII #TudorHistory #WarsOfTheRoses #TudorDynasty #BritishHistory #ClaireRidgway #HistoryYouTube #BeginnerHistory

On this day in Tudor history, 28 October 1479, a man was born who would rise to the highest offices of state, and somehow survive the reigns of four Tudor monarchs. I'm historian and author Claire Ridgway, and today I'm talking about Sir John Gage: soldier, administrator, and courtier to Henry VII, Henry VIII, Edward VI, and Mary I. Gage's life was a masterclass in cautious loyalty. He held the keys to the Tower of London, helped dissolve the monasteries, investigated conspiracies, and stood at the heart of Tudor power through decades of religious and political upheaval. But what was he really: a man of faith and duty, or a shrewd survivor in a dangerous age? Join me as we explore the extraordinary life of Sir John Gage, the Tudor who managed to keep his head while those around him lost theirs. Tell me in the comments: Was Gage's careful loyalty wisdom… or opportunism? #OnThisDay #TudorHistory #SirJohnGage #TowerofLondon #HenryVIII #MaryI #EdwardVI #HenryVII #Tudors #TudorCourt#TheAnneBoleynFiles

Who were the many uncrowned heirs to Elizabeth I, and how did their role as unnamed successors shape their lives?   In this second episode of the series, we're back with Chief Curator Tracy Borman, as she follows the Tudor family tree back to Henry VII, to unpick the complicated web of successors to Elizabeth I's throne.     Find out more about the claimants to the Tudor Crown.    Read about the tragic story of Lady Katherine Grey.    Learn more about Edward VI's nursery at Hampton Court Palace. 

They served every Tudor monarch, and often paid dearly for it.From their medieval stronghold at Dudley Castle to the heart of the Tudor court, the Dudley family shaped English history for five hundred years. They raised money for Henry VII, ruled the realm under Edward VI, tried to make Lady Jane Grey queen, and stood beside Elizabeth I as she faced the Spanish Armada.This episode traces their meteoric rise and tragic fall from Edmund Dudley's execution, to John Dudley's failed gamble for the crown, to Robert Dudley's service to Elizabeth, and finally to exile in Florence, where the last of the line became a scientist and mapmaker.Sources mentioned:House of Dudley by Joanna Paul: https://www.amazon.com/House-Dudley-History-Tudor-England/dp/1639363289Dudley Family History on Internet Archivehttps://ia601608.us.archive.org/29/items/historyofdudleyf115dudl/historyofdudleyf115dudl.pdfSupport the show and unlock exclusive Tudor deep dives at patreon.com/englandcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this day in Tudor history, 22 October 1521, Sir Edward Poynings, soldier, administrator, and diplomat,died at his manor of Westenhanger in Kent. He's not a household name, but if you've ever heard of “Poynings' Law,” you already know his legacy. I'm historian and author Claire Ridgway, and in today's episode we meet the Kentish gentleman who helped Henry VII restore royal control in Ireland, hunted pirates off the Flemish coast, and later steered diplomacy for Henry VIII. From rebellion and exile to power and reform, Poynings' life shows how Tudor government really worked, through loyal, tireless fixers. His “law” would shape Irish governance until the late 18th century. If you enjoy discovering the forgotten figures behind Tudor power, please like, subscribe, and ring the bell for more daily Tudor stories.

Most people know Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, and Thomas Cromwell, but not the man who kept their orders moving, their money counted, and their papers straight. John Uvedale (or Woodall) royal service took him from Henry VII to Edward VI, and he even held the title of secretary to Queen Anne Boleyn. He worked the border wars, the Council of the North, and the quiet engine room of Tudor power: the Exchequer. On this day in Tudor history, 20 October 1549, he died after nearly fifty years of service. Discover the world of Tudor clerks, paymasters, and fixers, the men who kept things running smoothly behind the scenes of Tudor government. #OnThisDay #AnneBoleyn #HenryVIII #EdwardVI #TudorHistory #JohnUvdeale #Cromwell #CouncilOfTheNorth #TudorBureaucracy #HiddenTudors

Before Henry VIII, there was another heir. Prince Arthur Tudor, Prince of Wales, married to Katharine of Aragon, and dead at fifteen. In this interview, Gareth Streeter (author of Arthur, Prince of Wales: Henry VIII's Lost Brother and founder of Royal History Geeks) explores the prince's real life beyond the footnotes. We discuss: - Why Arthur, not Henry, was central to Henry VII's vision & propaganda - Reconstructing the Arthur–Katharine marriage - The big one: consummation, weighing contemporary evidence vs later “Great Matter” claims - Education, character & the king Arthur might have become - Illness and cause of death: what we know, what remains mystery - Gareth's research process, sources that changed his mind, and advice for new history writers Find Gareth & the book: Arthur, Prince of Wales: Henry VIII's Lost Brother - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Arthur-Prince-Wales-Henry-Brother-ebook/dp/B0C6NLT7NJ/, https://www.amazon.com/Arthur-Prince-Wales-Henry-Brother-ebook/dp/B0C6NLT7NJ/ Royal History Geeks - https://www.royalhistorygeeks.com/ If you enjoy deep dives into Tudor history, please like, subscribe, and tell us in the comments: What kind of king do you think Arthur would have been, and why? #ArthurTudor #PrinceOfWales #TudorHistory #HenryVII #KatharineOfAragon #WarsOfTheRoses #GarethStreeter #HistoryInterview

Host Natalie Grueninger interviews Dr James Freeman about the Curious Cures exhibition at Cambridge University Library, exploring medieval and early Tudor medical manuscripts, household remedies and charms, and how knowledge moved from ancient texts to everyday practice. Highlights include the digitisation project, the role of physicians, surgeons and domestic healers, manuscripts linked to Elizabeth of York and Henry VII, and how visitors can view the exhibition and digital copies through the Cambridge Digital Library. Dr James Freeman https://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/research-institute/people/james-freeman Learn more about the 'Curious Cures' exhibition https://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/exhibitioncuriouscures University of Cambridge Digital Library https://cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/ Join Dr Owen Emmerson & Natalie Grueninger for 'The Rise of a Queen: Anne Boleyn, 1526-1533' https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/the-rise-of-a-queen-anne-boleyn-1526-1533-tickets-1363827166769?aff=oddtdtcreator Find out more about your host at https://www.nataliegrueninger.com Support Talking Tudors on Patreon  

A King clinging to his right to rule. A young Tudor ready to snatch the crown and begin a new dynasty.With immersive sound design and cinematic story-telling; Matt Lewis brings to life one of the pivotal moments in English history—the Battle of Bosworth.On August 22, 1485, Richard III faced off against Henry Tudor, a clash that culminated in the end of the Wars of the Roses and marked a turning point for the English crown. From the strategic moves on the battlefield to the dramatic death of Richard III and the rise of Henry VII, Matt delivers a vivid recounting of the events that reshaped England's monarchy.MORERichard IIIPrinces in the Tower: New Evidence RevealedWatch Matt Lewis at Bosworth on History Hit's YouTube channelGone Medieval is written and presented by Matt Lewis. Sound design by Amy Haddow. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries including Matt Lewis' two part documentary on Richard III. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.