Podcasts about tudor england

**Note - I gave Cattalena's death date wrong - it's 1625 and I said 1525! So sorry!!! *** When I picture Tudor England, I used to picture... white people. Portraits. Ruffs. Henry VIII being grumpy. And then I read Miranda Kaufmann's book Black Tudors. Because it turns out there were around 200 free Africans living in England during the Tudor period (probably more, but that's what we know for sure). Working, raising families, going to church, getting buried with full rites. And we almost completely forgot about them. In this episode we're looking at the stories of John Blanke, Jacques Francis, Reasonable Blackman, and Cattelena of Almondsbury. And then I want to talk about something that I've been thinking about: scientific racism, the Enlightenment, Darwin, eugenics, and the strange human pattern of taking progress and using it to build a hierarchy. Miranda Kaufmann's Black Tudors: https://www.amazon.com/Black-Tudors-Miranda-Kaufmann-audiobook/dp/B076ZS1K75/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tudor and Stuart England is sometimes considered "a scepter'd isle," as Shakespeare put it--proudly alone. But in fact, the history is much more complicated. Nandini Das explores how small and interconnected the world was in the 16th and 17th centuries, and how that contributed to the nature and character of England at the time.Nandini DasUniversity of Oxfordhttps://www.english.ox.ac.uk/people/nandini-das https://www.english.ox.ac.uk/people/nandini-das @rentravailer on TwitterThis Little World: A New History of Tudor and Stuart EnglandCourting India: England, Mughal India and the Origins of EmpireKey Words of Identity, Race, and Human Mobility in Early Modern EnglandCarol Ann LloydTEDx talk: 3 Leadership Secrets from Shakespeare@shakeuphistoryhttps://carolannlloyd.com/https://patreon.com/carolannlloydhttps://bookshop.org/shop/carolannThe Tudors by NumbersCourting the Virgin QueenSupport the showHistory reveals what's possible.

Someone asked me this from their pool. They were floating around listening to the podcast and thought, "did the people I'm obsessed with ever do this?" And it sent me down a rabbit hole, because the answer is so much more complicated and class-loaded than I expected. In this episode we cover: Why Tudors avoided hot baths (and why that was actually logical given what they believed about disease) Who could swim in Tudor England, and it's the opposite of what you'd expect The first swimming manual ever published in England, written by a Cambridge academic who was simultaneously being expelled for blowing a horn around the college grounds The Thames, which was exactly as bad as you're imaginingThe superstition sailors swore by to protect themselves from drowning, and why it made complete sense Tudor history isn't about dirty people who didn't know any better. It's about people with a completely different framework for understanding the world. Water was essential, deadly, and magical to them all at once. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The history of immigration in England is far older than many people realise. Immigration in Tudor England, medieval England and even Roman Britain helped shape the nation we know today. People often talk about immigration as though it is a modern issue, but England's history tells a very different story. In this video, we explore over a thousand years of migration to England, from the Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Vikings and Normans to medieval Jewish communities, Flemish weavers, Italian bankers, Tudor refugees, African residents and Muslim diplomats. You'll discover how immigrants helped shape England's economy, culture and society, and how concerns about jobs, wages and foreign competition were being debated centuries ago. We'll examine events such as the York massacre of 1190, the anti-immigrant riots of Evil May Day in 1517, the arrival of Huguenot refugees, the story of John Blanke, Henry VIII's Black royal trumpeter, and England's diplomatic links with Morocco and the Ottoman Empire. History doesn't tell us what immigration policy should be today, but it can challenge assumptions about the past. Was England ever truly isolated? What does the historical evidence actually reveal? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.   #History #EnglishHistory #TudorHistory #MedievalHistory #BritishHistory #BlackTudors #ImmigrationHistory #HistoryDocumentary #HenryVIII #ElizabethI

In 1533, the Boleyns seemed to have it all. Anne Boleyn was Queen, and her family were reaping the rewards of Henry VIII's favour. But it was not to last.   Within three years, each member of the faction was fighting for survival as their power evaporated.  In this second episode of a two-part series on the Rise and Fall of the Boleyns, Tracy Borman is joined by Gareth Russell at Hampton Court Palace. They explore how the House of Boleyn was dismantled with such devastating consequences. Who, if anyone, dared to try and save them? And who was left as the faction crumbled? Read more from Tracy Borman: Was Jane Boleyn the most hated woman in Tudor England? 

What did it actually take to keep Tudor England clean? Before dawn, before the court woke up, before Henry VIII put on his famous doublet, someone was already up to her elbows in lye, urine, and other people's laundry. That someone was the Tudor laundress, and her story is one I have been wanting to tell for a long time. In this episode we follow three very different women doing the same essential work: the royal laundress at Hampton Court, who washed the king's most intimate linen and had to pretend she knew absolutely nothing about what those sheets revealed; the household laundress in a noble family, including the remarkable story of Bess Holland, who went from washer in the nursery to mistress of the Duke of Norfolk; and the independent washerwoman working on her own, building a business in a world that viewed her very existence with suspicion. Plus: the Tudor hygiene experiment that will completely change how you think about cleanliness, the Flemish refugee who arrived in London and built an empire out of a bucket of starch, and why the most fashionable accessory in Elizabethan England was basically a laundress's worst nightmare. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Professor Nandini Das explores how Tudor and Stuart England were shaped by movement, exchange, and diverse individuals—artists, scholars, missionaries, and sailors—whose lives challenge the idea of a sealed island nation. Through four vivid case studies (the court miniaturist Levina Teerlinc from Bruges, the roaming thinker Giordano Bruno, the missionary Thomas Stevens in Goa, and William Adams in Japan), the episode reveals how identity, belonging, and nationhood were negotiated across borders in the 16th and 17th centuries. JOIN 365 DAYS IN ELIZABETHAN ENGLAND https://www.nataliegrueninger.com/2026/05/17/365-days-in-elizabethan-england/ Learn more about your host: https://www.nataliegrueninger.com Support Talking Tudors on Patreon!

Before it was an insult, "spinster" was a job title. It meant a woman who spins thread. It appeared in tax rolls, court records, and legal documents. It was an occupation. And then the economy collapsed, the guilds shut women out, and the word became something else entirely. In this episode we're looking at the women who quite literally kept Tudor England running -- the spinners, weavers, and dyers whose labor underpinned the most important industry in the country. We're talking about the guild system that excluded them from legal protections while depending entirely on their work, the enclosure crisis that pulled the floor out from under their livelihoods, and the Statute of Artificers that gave magistrates the power to imprison women who weren't working hard enough. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In early June in Tudor England, one woman was already up before sunrise. She had roughly four months to produce everything her household needed to survive the next twelve months. Medicine. Preserves. Cosmetics. Cleaning products. The entire household pharmacy. All of it, from scratch, while the plants were available. She had no name in the history books. But without her, the household didn't make it through winter. We follow a Tudor stillroom mistress through a day at the start of summer, from the early morning herb harvest before the dew burns off, through the hours of distilling rose water and filling the medicine chest, all the way to the evening ledger by candlelight. Along the way we get into the dissolution of the monasteries and why it made her job dramatically higher stakes, the cosmetics she was producing that were slowly poisoning the people she was trying to care for. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

In its 80-year history, no woman has ever held the role of United Nations Secretary-General. The race for the job, which happens every 10 years, began in January and the candidates have recently appeared in their one and only TV debate. Four people are currently in the running, two of whom are female. But should it matter if the top job goes to a woman? Nuala McGovern discusses with Susana Malcorra, former Chief of Staff to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and founder of GWL Voices, which stands for Global Women Leaders, and Ben Donaldson, advisor to 1 For 8 Billion, a campaign group calling for an open, inclusive and merit-based selection process to appoint a woman as Secretary-General. Nuala speaks to actors Liv Hill and Tanya Reynolds, stars of the new West End play 1536. Set in Tudor England, the drama follows three young women in Essex as they grapple with the shockwaves of Anne Boleyn's execution. Through the stories of Jane, Anna and Mariella, the play explores how events at the Royal court ripple through ordinary lives, and what the fall of a queen means for women far beyond the palace walls.It has been called 'a last ditch reset', 'a very important moment' and 'the speech of his career'. That's the speech that Prime Minister Keir Starmer is giving today as he tries to convince Labour MPs he's the right man for the job after heavy election losses last week. One of those listening is Labour backbencher Catherine West who, if still dissatisfied after hearing him, says she will send out an email and attempt to trigger a leadership contest. Meanwhile Angela Rayner put out a 1000-word statement yesterday, warning that the party's current approach isn't working and it needs to change. Joining Nuala to discuss what the political landscape looks like for women after the elections is BBC political correspondent Alicia McCarthy and Dr Annabel Mullin, Director of communications at Elect Her, an organisation that works to get women into elected office. M&S have announced that following a successful trial they are ditching the measuring tape for bra fittings. Other underwear retailers have done this for years, but how does it work fitting a bra by eye? Nuala is joined by Joanna Wakefield-Scurr, Professor of Biomechanics at Portsmouth University, and virtual bra fitter Katie Weir.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Andrea Kidd

What happened in Tudor England when someone's mind turned against them? There was no therapist, no diagnosis, no prescription. But there was a whole system, and it was more coherent than you'd expect. We dig into the four humors as a complete theory of the mind, Timothy Bright's 1586 Treatise of Melancholie (the first English book on mental illness), music as formally prescribed medical treatment, and the social structures that made room for people who thought differently. We also look at Will Somers, Henry VIII's jester, what Bedlam actually was in the Tudor period, and why the Henry VIII personality change story is more complicated than it first appears. The Tudors were trying to make sense of suffering with the tools they had. Some of those tools were wrong. The impulse behind them is completely recognizable. Music of the Spheres episode is here: https://youtu.be/SPlfSROH4TU Will Sommers episode is here: https://youtu.be/Xs8SwqZXPxc It's Mental Health Awareness Month, and people care about you and your health. If this episode touched something personal: Call or text 988 (US) to reach the Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7. You don't have to figure it out alone. Sources: Timothy Bright, A Treatise of Melancholie (1586), free on Internet Archive. Andrew Boorde, The Breviary of Healthe (1552). Peter Andersson, Fool: In Search of Henry VIII's Closest Man (2023). Susana Lipscomb, 1536: The Year That Changed Henry VIII. Historic England's overview of mental illness in the 16th and 17th centuries at historicengland.org.uk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Someone left a comment asking about Tudor dairymaids, and I went down a rabbit hole I did not expect. The dairymaid looks like a background character in Tudor history. She is absolutely not. We're covering her daily work, the surprising economic independence the dairy gave women in a world designed to give them none, and why the phrase "as smooth as a milkmaid's skin" is actually encoding centuries of accumulated medical knowledge that eventually gave Edward Jenner the lead for the smallpox vaccine. She woke up before dawn, milked the cows, made the cheese, sold the butter, saved her money, and changed the world in ways no one thought to write her name next to.

Thomas Wolsey was born the son of a butcher from Ipswich, yet he rose to become one of the most powerful men in Tudor England as Henry VIII's Lord Chancellor. He was even known as 'The Other King', and built a palace that rivalled Henry VIII's.  This spectacular rise was only matched by the drama of his fall.  In this first episode of our new series on Henry VIII's ministers, Tracy Borman is joined by historian Elizabeth Norton to explore Wolsey's time in Henry's court. How powerful was he? Why did he fall from Henry VIII's favour? And what legacy did he leave behind?  Read more about Thomas Wolsey and see inside his palace at Hampton Court on our website.

Before hospitals, painkillers, or germ theory, the Tudor midwife was the most powerful person in the room. Licensed by the Bishop, sworn to secrecy, she outranked duchesses, performed sacraments no other woman was allowed to touch, and knew every secret in the neighborhood. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The story of how a respected Elizabethan botanist looked at a tomato, applied perfectly logical medical reasoning, and concluded that English people shouldn't eat one, and why it took two hundred years for anyone to prove him wrong. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if one of the most powerful men in Tudor England was responsible for helping the king go to the toilet? It sounds like the lowest of the low, but the Groom of the Stool was anything but a menial servant. In fact, this role placed a man at the very heart of royal power. In this video, I explore the surprisingly influential position of the Groom of the Stool under Henry VIII. From managing the king's private chambers and personal belongings to controlling the privy purse and overseeing daily finances, this role was built on trust, access, and intimacy. And in the Tudor court, access to the monarch meant influence. Men like William Compton and Henry Norris held this office, men who weren't just attendants, but key figures in the political world surrounding the king. I also look at how queens such as Mary I of England and Elizabeth I relied on their own trusted attendants for similarly intimate roles. #TudorHistory #HenryVIII #RoyalHistory #HistoryExplained #BritishHistory #AnneBoleyn #HistoryFacts #Tudors #HistoryChannel #OnThisDay

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

In Tudor England, a dream wasn't private. It was medical evidence, potential divine communication, and possibly a message from Satan. This video explores the three frameworks Tudor people used to understand their dreams, and the story of Elizabeth Barton, the Holy Maid of Kent, whose visions made her famous across England and then got her executed in 1534. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Easter Sunday marks one of the most important moments in Christian history, the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In this video, I explore the events of that first Easter morning through the Gospel of John, including Mary Magdalene's discovery of the empty tomb and her powerful encounter with the risen Christ. I also share a passage from William Tyndale's Bible, a version of the New Testament that brought these words to English readers in the 16th century. But how was Easter Sunday celebrated in Tudor England? From darkened churches being filled with light again, to the opening of the Easter sepulchre and joyful feasting after Lent, this video looks at both the spiritual meaning of Easter and the traditions that surrounded it. We also explore the symbolism that continues today, from roast lamb to Easter eggs, all reflecting themes of resurrection, renewal, and hope. Do you celebrate Easter? I'd love to hear your traditions in the comments. #EasterSunday #EasterHistory #ChristianHistory #TudorHistory #Resurrection #OnThisDay #BibleHistory #EasterTraditions

Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, a moment at the heart of the Christian faith, remembered as the ultimate act of sacrifice and redemption. But how was Good Friday marked in Tudor England? In this video, I explore both the meaning of Good Friday and the powerful, physical rituals that shaped its observance in medieval and Tudor times. From the biblical account of Christ's trial before Pontius Pilate and crucifixion at Calvary, to the dramatic church practices of the period, including the Easter Sepulchre and the deeply symbolic ceremony of “creeping to the cross”. By the reign of Henry VIII, even the monarch took part in these rituals, approaching the cross on his knees in an act of humility. But the Reformation brought change and controversy. Under Edward VI, such practices were abolished, only to be restored with intensity under Mary I of England, whose Good Friday ceremonies also included the blessing of cramp rings and the royal healing touch. With the reign of Elizabeth I, these traditions were once again swept away, reflecting the shifting religious landscape of the Tudor period. This is a glimpse into a world where faith was not just believed, it was expressed physically, emotionally, and publicly, by both ordinary people and monarchs. How is Good Friday marked where you are? Let me know in the comments. #TudorHistory #GoodFriday #HenryVIII #MaryTudor #ElizabethI #BritishHistory #HistoryExplained #Reformation #Easter #OnThisDay

Maundy Thursday is often overlooked today, but in Tudor England it was marked with powerful and symbolic royal rituals. In this video, I explore the meaning of Maundy Thursday - from the Last Supper and the washing of the disciples' feet, to the development of royal Maundy ceremonies in medieval and Tudor England. By the reign of Henry VIII, the monarch would wash the feet of poor people and give alms, with the number of recipients reflecting the monarch's age. We also have a fascinating eyewitness account from the reign of Mary I of England, showing just how personal and devotional this ceremony could be, with the queen washing, drying, and even kissing the feet of poor women before giving them gifts. Although the foot-washing ritual eventually ended, the tradition of Maundy money continues today. Charles III still distributes Maundy coins each year in recognition of service to the community. This is a glimpse into a lesser-known aspect of Tudor life,  one that combines faith, monarchy, and charity. Do you mark Maundy Thursday in your community? Let me know in the comments.  

Sir Thomas More is one of the most famous men of the 16th century. A figure of colossal significance at the court of King Henry VIII, a figure who stood up to the king, always remaining loyal but unable to accept the royal supremacy, a decision which would cost him his life. Today, I am pleased to welcome back onto the podcast historian Dr Joanne Paul for a discussion on Thomas More, following the recent release of Joanne's incredible book, Thomas More, A Life and Death in Tudor England. From Thomas's early life to his own involvement in the torture and burning of protestants through to his trial and how he was set up by Richard Rich, all will be discussed, so settle in as we explore the life of the man who's last words were "I die the kings good servant and gods first".

In the 1550s, Tudor England created exiles going both ways. When Mary I came to the throne, Protestants fled. When Elizabeth came to the throne, Catholics fled. Today we're looking at two women caught on opposite sides of that chaos: Katherine Willoughby, Duchess of Suffolk, who endured poverty and Lithuania rather than pretend to be Catholic for one single day, and Jane Dormer, Mary I's closest friend, who left England in 1559 and never came back. Both women refused to compromise. Both held onto who they were no matter what it cost them. But one always knew she was going home, and one quietly stopped thinking of England as home at all. This is part of an ongoing series on Tudor women who did things their own way despite what authority was telling them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I recently watched Louis Theroux' documentary "Inside the Manosphere", in which he interviewed several members of the online Manosphere, a community of influencers promoting controversial views of women.  And I couldn't stop thinking about Tudor England, because as I listened to these modern influencers, their ideas about women - what they expect, how they judge, and how they define women's roles - felt strangely familiar. It connected directly with something I've been exploring recently: how women like Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth Woodville have been labelled as the seductress and the witch, and how history is full of women branded as she-wolves, unnatural, or dangerous.   In this video, I explore: How Manosphere views on women compare to attitudes in the medieval and Tudor periods The historical roots of double standards around sex, power, and control Whether these modern ideas are echoes of the past, or something even more extreme And I ask: Are these attitudes really new, or have we heard them all before?  And why are some voices trying to turn back the clock? A big thank you to my Privy Council channel members for their insights during our recent Zoom discussion, some of which helped shape this video.   Sources:  Louis Theroux: Inside The Manosphere, Netflix Adultery in the Middle Ages by Jo Geisen - https://sites.up.edu/earlybritishsurvey/adultery-in-the-middle-ages/  Women in Early Modern England by Sara Mendelson and Patricia Crawford

This week, we’re time traveling with Philippa Gregory, prolific author and feminist historian (and maybe Danielle’s new bestie???). Philippa is the woman behind over 50 historical fiction novels that trace narratives across Medieval and Tudor England, including The Other Boleyn Girl, which was adapted into a film starring Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson. Her latest novel, The Boleyn Traitor, follows the infamous Anne Boleyn’s sister-in-law, Jane Boleyn, through her life as a spy in the English court. And this story, as so many of Philippa Gregory's do, brings a complicated, sometimes unlikeable, largely forgotten woman to the forefront. Because Philippa doesn’t really trust pure, pious women. She’s drawn instead to the truth – that women in from history are just as layered and diverse as we are today. BOOKS MENTIONED: The Boleyn Traitor by Philippa Gregory Normal Women: 900 Years of Making History by Philippa Gregory Wild Acre by Philippa Gregory The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory Richard III by William Shakespeare This Little World: A New History of Tudor and Stuart England by Nandini Das The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling Little Grey Rabbit by Alison Uttley The Female Eunuch by Germaine Greer Ulysses by James Joyce Mine Own Executioner by Nigel BalchinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What toys did children play with in Shakespeare's lifetime? In this episode, historian Dr. Julia Martins joins That Shakespeare Life to explore the games, dolls, rattles, hobby horses, and playground activities that shaped childhood in Tudor England—and how these playful details appear in Shakespeare's world.      

In this interview with renowned Tudor art and cultural historian Professor Elizabeth Goldring, we go beyond the famous portraits of Hans Holbein the Younger and into his fascinating life — exploring the man behind the masterpieces. (Get early access to all historian interviews plus bonus content and the videos ad-free, so no interruptions at Patreon.com/BritishHistory)Elizabeth shared with me insights into Holbein's religion, his journey from Augsburg to Tudor England, how the Shrove Tuesday riots in Basel affected him, plus, his relationships, artistic challenges, and the enduring legacy of his work in British history.We discussed Holbein's contribution to how we see the Tudor court of Henry VIII, if the Tudors would have been as famous as they are without Holbein and how Holbein was pivotal in the beginnings of art collecting.Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Holbein's Impact on Tudor History00:24 Holbein's Early Life and Artistic Beginnings01:20 Holbein's Move to England and Court Patronage02:16 Holbein's Personal Life and Challenges12:58 The Basel Riots and the Reformation's Impact on Holbein16:32 Holbein's Role in the Tudor Court and Portraiture24:33 The Realism and Flattery in Holbein's Portraits30:17 Holbein's Death and Legacy49:35 The Roots of Art Collecting and Connoisseurship in England54:59 Holbein's Influence on Modern Perceptions of the TudorsWhat to do next?Visit a museum to see Holbein's works up closeBuy Elizabeth Goldring's book on HolbeinExplore the history of Tudor portraitureWATCH THIS EPSODE ON YOUTUBE AT youtube.com/@britishhistoryThank you for listening to this episode, I hope you enjoyed it. There are many more history episodes here for you to enjoy including around 60 fantastic historian interviews with people such as Tracy Borman OBE, Gareth Russell, Helen Castor, Helen Carr and many more. Join my Patreon to enjoy ad-free, extended interviews with bonus content, Historical Book Club, early access to content, exclusive blogs, discounts on British History Events and more, all for £5/month.You can also give me one off support by donating at www.buymeacoffee.com/PhilippaYou can support me for free by commenting on this episode and subscribing to the podcast.Visit www.BritishHistoryTours.com for full details of history tours and events.⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️About PhilippaPhilippa is a Historian and the founder of British History Tours and British History Events.Receive weekly history news (including links to new historian interviews) from Philippa by subscribing to my Substack at Substack.com/ ⁨@BritishHistory⁩I'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.

Related episode on Isabella Whitney: https://youtu.be/JoSeTYE22SE Before newspapers, before coffeehouses, Tudor England had its own chaotic information ecosystem, and it reached further down the social ladder than most people realize. In this episode we're looking at who could actually read, what ordinary people were reading (broadside ballads, almanacs, monster news), and how the Crown kept losing the information war no matter how hard it tried. Turns out the Tudor relationship with fake news, spin, and banned texts looks a lot more familiar than you'd expect. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.

The Tudors were prolific builders, from grand palaces such as Hampton Court Palace and Greenwich to imposing castles, small townhouses and narrow cobbled streets with black and white timber structures jutting out at odd angles. Sadly, many of the great sites of Tudor England are now either greatly reduced or completely lost, but what happened in them is not. Today, I am pleased to welcome back onto the podcast my friend Dr Sarah Morris, for a discussion all about her very favourite topic - Tudor buildings. Sarah has an encyclopaedic knowledge of practically every Tudor building in the UK, including many that people have never heard of but can still be visited, so stay tuned to find out some of the secrets and lesser known locations and stories from the myriad Tudor buildings spread across Great Britain!

As complex figures go, you can't get much more complex than Sir Thomas More. Was he a Saint? Was he a Sinner? Was he simply a man of his time? Dr Joanne Paul seeks to answer these questions in her book ‘Thomas More. A Life and Death in Tudor England' which explores More's roles as a statesman, scholar, and martyr, and understand how his beliefs, actions, and the historical context shaped his enduring reputation.(WE WILL BE COVERING JOANNE'S BOOK IN BOOK CLUB ON 24TH MAY - JOIN IN AT PATREON.COM/BRITISHHISTORY)In my interview with Joanne, filmed at the Harvington History Festival 2025, I asked her about Thomas More's multifaceted identity, his role in Henry VIII's court, his religious beliefs and persecution of heretics, and his influence on political and religious history.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Thomas More and his significance01:45 Different ways people encounter Thomas More02:40 Was Thomas More as complex as his legacy suggests?03:46 The importance of understanding his life in context05:46 More's family and personal beliefs07:53 The roots of his religious fervor and fear08:54 His stance on heretics and persecution10:53 His beliefs about society and community12:55 The impact of the Reformation on his views13:46 Where to find more about Joanne Paul and her workBuy the book at Blackwells for Worldwide Delivery - Click Here If you've enjoyed this please follow and rate this podcast.Hi! I'm Philippa, welcome to the British History Channel. Thank you for listening to this episode, I hope you enjoyed it. There are many more here for you to browse through including over 50 fantastic historian interviews with people such as Tracy Borman OBE, Gareth Russell, Helen Carr and many more. Buy books from these incredible historians, shipped worldwide from Blackwells - click here (This is an affiliate link. I get a commission on books sold via this link but they are at no extra cost to you).Join my Patreon - click here and enjoy ad-free extended interviews with bonus content, Historical Book Club, early access to content, exclusive blogs, discounts on British History Events and more for all for £5/month.You can also give me one off support by donating at www.buymeacoffee.com/PhilippaYou can support me for free by commenting and rating this episode. Visit British History Tours for full details of history tours and events.⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️About PhilippaPhilippa is a Historian and the founder of British History Tours and British History Events.Receive weekly history news (including links to new historian interviews) from Philippa by subscribing to my Substack 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.

A pendant linked to Catherine of Aragon has reportedly been discovered — and it's more than just Tudor jewellery. It's a window into one of the most dramatic marriages in English history, the break with Rome, and the personal cost of power.In this episode of Mark and Pete, we explore the significance of a newly identified Tudor pendant associated with Henry VIII's first wife, Catherine of Aragon. Was it a romantic gift? A royal emblem? A symbol of legitimacy? Or a silent witness to the collapse of a marriage that changed the course of England forever?Catherine of Aragon was not merely a discarded queen. She was a Spanish princess, daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella, regent of England during Henry's campaigns, and a woman of formidable intelligence and deep Catholic faith. Her refusal to accept Henry's annulment triggered the English Reformation and the establishment of the Church of England under royal supremacy.We examine how Henry VIII used Scripture to justify his desire for a male heir, how the Tudor court turned marriage into political theatre, and how Catherine's dignity in exile reshaped the moral narrative of the Reformation. The discovery of a Catherine of Aragon pendant invites fresh discussion about Tudor history, royal authority, marriage, conscience, and the abuse of power.With Mark's poetic reflections and Pete's Christian commentary, this episode asks: what happens when rulers bend truth to serve appetite? And what does this Tudor drama teach modern Britain about covenant, leadership, and integrity?This is history, faith, politics, and cultural reflection — all wrapped in one small piece of gold.Topics include: Catherine of Aragon pendant, Henry VIII marriage crisis, Tudor England, English Reformation, Church of England origins, royal divorce, Catholic vs Protestant history, biblical marriage, power and conscience, British history podcast.

In May 1536, Anne Boleyn went from Queen of England to execution in just eighteen days. It remains one of the most shocking political collapses in English history - a moment that destroyed families, reshaped the Tudor court, and sent shockwaves across Europe. Having researched Anne Boleyn's life and fall since 2009, I still find these events deeply affecting. Each return to the primary sources - letters, trial records, ambassadorial reports and eyewitness accounts - raises the same question:  Was Anne Boleyn's fall truly a tragedy… or had her fate already been decided? To mark the 490th anniversary, I'm hosting a live anniversary intensive exploring Anne Boleyn's final weeks through contemporary evidence and Tudor political reality. If you'd like to study these events in depth with me, you can find full details here: https://claireridgway.com/events/last-18/ Early Bird Offer ends 27 February Use code AB2026 for $20 off. Thank you for supporting my work and for continuing to explore Tudor history with me.

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

Was Henry VIII's fifth wife a promiscuous teenager and then heartless adulteress and schemer? Celebrated, scrutinised, and endlessly talked about at court, Katherine Howard's reign was dazzlingly brief; within two years of marrying the king, she was accused of adultery and treason and executed.Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Gareth Russell and Dr Nicola Clark to get to know the real young woman who was plucked from obscurity, whose life was cut short by the unforgiving power politics of Tudor England.MORE:Anne Boleyn's Final YearListen on AppleListen on SpotifyAnne Boleyn & Katherine Howard's Uncle, Thomas HowardListen on AppleListen on SpotifyPresented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. 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 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.

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

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

Greg Jenner is joined in the sixteenth century by Dr Alanna Skuse and comedian Ria Lina to learn all about medicine and medical professionals in Tudor and Stuart England. In Renaissance-era England, medicine was still based on the theory of the four humours, passed down from ancient Greek and Roman physicians like Hippocrates and Galen. But from the reign of Henry VIII, there were signs of change. The invention of the printing press led to an explosion in medical and anatomical books, and the circulation of ideas from across Europe. The College of Physicians was founded in 1518, and the Company of Barber-Surgeons in 1543. Medicine became a real business, with a range of specialists, professional bodies overseeing different kinds of healthcare, and an explosion of medical providers advertising their services to the general public. This episode explores the landscape of healthcare in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century England, looking at everyone from physicians, surgeons and apothecaries to domestic healers and midwives, and even taking in quacks and frauds. Along the way, it examines the sensible social distancing measures taken during the Great Plague, the cures both sensible and dangerous offered for all kinds of diseases, and the cutting-edge experiments men like William Harvey and Christopher Wren were carrying out on the circulation of the blood. If you're a fan of the history of everyday life in Tudor England, petty professional rivalries, and the whacky wellness trends of the past, you'll love our episode on medicine in Renaissance England. If you want more from Ria Lina, listen to our episodes on pirate queen Zheng Yi Sao and medieval traveller Marco Polo. And for more on the history of health and wellness, check out our episodes on Ancient Medicine, Renaissance Beauty and the Kellogg Brothers. You're Dead To Me is the comedy podcast that takes history seriously. Every episode, Greg Jenner brings together the best names in history and comedy to learn and laugh about the past. Hosted by: Greg Jenner Research by: Katharine Russell Written by: Dr Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow, Dr Emma Nagouse, and Greg Jenner Produced by: Dr Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow and Greg Jenner Audio Producer: Steve Hankey Production Coordinator: Gill Huggett Senior Producer: Dr Emma Nagouse Executive Editor: Philip Sellars

Sir Thomas Wyatt was more than a courtier with a gift for words. He was a man whose life unfolded against the turbulent backdrop of Henry VIII's reign — a world of shifting alliances, dangerous intrigue, and sudden reversals of fortune. Though best remembered today for introducing the sonnet into English literature, Wyatt was also a diplomat, a one time prisoner of the Tower of London, and a figure whose personal story has long been entangled with that of Anne Boleyn. Thomas's life shows us a vivid window into the volatile world of Tudor England, so lets explore his story!

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

Coucou everyone!In this episode we dive into the previously unknown histories of Black people living in Tudor England. Members of court, musicians, sex workers, adventurers, seamstresses, and even a deep-sea diver - their stories play a deeply important part of English history! Then we chat about a London icon - the black cab. Apologies in advance for going off the rails this episode - we are just so happy to be back!Main topic sources: Black Tudors: the Unknown Story Tudor, English and black – and not a slave in sight | Black History Month | The GuardianThe Black Presence in Tudor England - The Metropolitan Museum of ArtThe Ladies of SpayneWe have always been: a black Tudor story

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

Imagine waking in Tudor England with a fever and no paracetamol, no antibiotics, and no doctor to call. In this first part of A Beginner's Guide to Tudor Medicine, we step inside the Tudor worldview,  a world where illness was not an enemy to be fought, but a sign of imbalance within the body. You'll discover: – The theory of the Four Humours – How personality, seasons, and health were linked – Why bloodletting made sense – How astrology shaped medical treatment – What it really meant to “heal” in the sixteenth century Tudor medicine was not random superstition. It was a coherent system, built on centuries of observation and experience. In Part 2, we'll explore the strangest Tudor cures, and the ones that actually worked.   #TudorHistory #TudorMedicine #HistoryExplained #HistoryTok #LearnHistory #MedicalHistory #EarlyModern #SixteenthCentury #FourHumours #HistoryEducation #WomensHistory #LifeInThePast #TudorLife

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

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

In this minicast, we spend twenty-four hours with a yeoman farmer and his family, the solid middle of Tudor society. From waking before dawn to fieldwork, food, spinning, neighborly chatter, and falling asleep by firelight, this is an ordinary working day in rural England. No court, no kings, just the daily rhythm that fed the country and kept Tudor England running. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This talk was recorded live at Tudorcon 2025.In this lecture, Mallory Jackson explores the work of Hans Holbein the Younger, the artist whose portraits defined how we visualize the Tudor court. Focusing on key paintings from Holbein's years in England, she looks at how symbolism, material culture, and political change shaped portraits of figures such as Henry VIII, Thomas More, and Thomas Cromwell.This is a detailed, art-driven discussion of Holbein's most famous works, including The Ambassadors, and what they reveal about power, belief, and uncertainty in Tudor England. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A skull found in a Mexican mine 90 years ago has features that no single known medical condition can fully explain. Doctors and scientists have studied this misshapen skull for decades, but no one can agree on what it actually is.IN THIS EPISODE: If you are into aliens or conspiracies, you've likely heard of the StarChild skull – a strange skull that appears either misshapen, or – as many believe – is the skull of a hybrid between extraterrestrials and human beings. What is the truth behind the StarChild? (What Is The StarChild?) *** In the 1700s life-saving techniques were obviously not as advanced as those we have today. Case in point – one doctor wanted to know if and how a drowned person might be brought back to life. The solution? Go to a hanging and try to revive the executed man. How do you think that went? (The Hanged Man) *** We've spoken often here on Weird Darkness about shadow people – what their purpose is, where they come from, whether they are malevolent or not… but are they ghosts, or something else entirely? (Are Shadow People Considered Ghosts?) *** A Reddit user shares his true story of hiking in the wilderness and suddenly being tracked and hunted over several days by a stranger with unknown intentions. (A Strange Man Hunted Me Through The Park) *** Within the walls of one of England's most picturesque castles, a queen gave birth to her only child and set in motion a chain of events that would become one of Tudor England's most intriguing mysteries. (The Unexplained Disappearance of the Queen's Daughter)CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Lead-In00:01:28.939 = Show Open00:03:41.187 = What Is The Starchild?00:22:20.388 = *** The Hanged Man00:30:05.929 = A Strange Man Hunted Me Through The Dark00:35:03.546 = *** The Unexplainable Disappearance of the Queen's Daughter00:47:09.487 = *** Are Shadow People Considered Ghosts?00:56:43.391 = Show Close*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad breakSOURCES and RESOURCES...“The Hanged Man” by Romeo Vitelli for Providentia: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/32j6zyb7“Are Shadow People Considered Ghosts?” by Jacob Shelton for Ranker's Graveyard Shift: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/uej2nyca“A Strange Man Hunted Me Through The Park” by Redditor u/ValyrianJedi: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/436p34t7“The Unexplained Disappearance of the Queen's Daughter” by Lydia Starbuck for Royal Central:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/bfhkxthc“What Is The Starchild?” by Dr. Elizabeth Mitchell, posted at Anomalien: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/ewccfd5c, and from StarChildProject.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/wb8daydd=====(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired: April 12, 2021EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/starchildABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.DISCLAIMER: Ads heard during the podcast that are not in my voice are placed by third party agencies outside of my control and should not imply an endorsement by Weird Darkness or myself. *** Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.#StarchildSkull #AncientMystery #UnexplainedMysteries #AlienHybrid #MexicanMine #AncientDNA #ParanormalMystery #ArchaeologicalMystery #UnsolvedMysteries #WeirdDarkness