Renaissance English History Podcast: A Show About the Tudors

Did Elizabeth I actually name James VI of Scotland as her heir? Historian Dr. Tracy Borman joins me to talk about her new book, The Stolen Crown, and the newly uncovered evidence showing that the deathbed scene we’ve all heard was rewritten after the fact. We talk about the real contenders for the throne, the political panic around Elizabeth’s refusal to name an heir, Robert Cecil’s king-making, James’s shaky reputation in England, and why the 1603 succession was anything but inevitable. Tracy Borman is Chief Historian for Historic Royal Palaces and the author of numerous Tudor histories. The Stolen Crown is out now. Order it on Amazon or your favorite bookstore! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1596, a young man crossed England with a passport so convincing that constables let him pass from county to county without a second glance. The problem? The document was entirely fake. When Justice Edward Hext finally examined it, he realized it had fooled officials from one end of the kingdom to the other. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we’re looking at what Tudor people actually did to stay clean. From linen “dry baths” and herbal wash water to tooth powders made from salt, sage, and charcoal, this episode walks through the real routines behind Tudor bathing and daily mouth care. It’s a closer look at how people washed, groomed, and kept themselves presentable in a world without modern plumbing or toothpaste. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we’re looking at what a “passport” meant in Tudor England. There were no little booklets, but anyone leaving the kingdom needed royal permission in the form of licences and safe-conducts. Let's do a quick dive into how these documents worked and why the Privy Council watched foreign travel so closely. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The other day we looked at the nobility and what they did - today, a look at the gentry, the thousands of families who handled the everyday work of running the kingdom. From managing estates to serving as Justices of the Peace, they kept local government functioning while pursuing their own ambitions. It’s a quick tour of the people who made Tudor England operate behind the scenes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Blounts of Mountjoy were everywhere in Tudor England, from Bessie Blount, Henry VIII’s mistress and mother of his only acknowledged son, to Charles Blount, Elizabeth I’s trusted commander and scandalous lover of Penelope Rich. This episode looks at how one family quietly threaded through a century of royal power, war, and intrigue. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1592, Queen Elizabeth’s favorite, Sir Walter Raleigh, and her maid of honour, Bess Throckmorton, were sent to the Tower - not for treason, but for love. Their secret marriage scandalized the court and cost them everything. This is the story of their forbidden romance, their fall from favor, and the loyalty that lasted long after the Queen’s anger cooled. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever wonder what a Tudor duke actually did all day? In this minicast, we dig into the real jobs of England’s nobles, landlords, courtiers, commanders, and sometimes survivors of royal politics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1533, a woman named Alice Tankerville pulled off one of the boldest acts in Tudor history, escaping from the Tower of London. Accused of piracy and murder, Alice used her wit, charm, and the affection of a lovestruck guard to slip out of her chains and nearly make it to freedom. This is the real story of love, betrayal, and a desperate flight under the shadow of Henry VIII’s Tower - featuring lost gold, a doomed romance, and an unforgettable escape. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Russell family - future Dukes of Bedford - rose from obscure West Country gentry to the heights of Tudor power. Starting with John Russell, a trusted courtier of Henry VIII, they built their fortune from the lands of dissolved monasteries and turned Woburn Abbey into one of England’s grandest estates. In this episode, we trace how the Russells survived through the shifting faiths of the Tudor court, survived rebellion and revolution, and eventually reshaped London itself through Russell Square and Bedford Square. From monks to magnates, this is the story of the family who built both a dynasty and a city. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Think you know the story of Guy Fawkes? Think again. In this mini episode, we’re uncovering six myths about the Gunpowder Plot, from who really led it to whether the barrels could have actually blown up Parliament. Check out the full episode on the Gunpowder Plot here: https://www.englandcast.com/2018/11/episode-113-remember-remember/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Tudor England, portraits became more than decoration, they were tools of influence. This minicast explores how Renaissance humanism brought individuality and ambition to English art, from Holbein’s lifelike studies of Henry VIII’s court to Elizabeth I’s carefully crafted royal image. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Richard Topcliffe was one of Elizabeth I’s most feared servants - a gentleman who became England’s chief interrogator, hunting Catholic priests in the name of loyalty and faith. Today we'll look at his rise, his notorious torture methods, the scandal that nearly ended him, and his grim legacy as the man who turned service to the Crown into cruelty. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode looks at the changing face of witchcraft from the Middle Ages through the Tudor and early Stuart eras. We’ll start with royal women accused of sorcery, like Joan of Navarre and Eleanor Cobham - and trace how superstition turned into state policy under Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, and finally King James I. https://www.englandcast.com/haunted-tudor-london-walk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

He was handsome, ambitious, and despised... accused of being Queen Margaret’s lover and blamed for losing England’s empire in France. When Edmund Beaufort fell at St. Albans, the prophecy of his death came true, and England tumbled into civil war. Sources: The Reign of King Henry VI by Ralph Griffiths AJ Pollard - The Wars of the Roses Tudor London Halloween Walk: https://www.englandcast.com/haunted-tudor-london-walk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Tudor England, potions promised power, whether to spark desire or to silence rivals. In this spooky Halloween Spooky Week minicast, we’re diving into real Tudor recipes for love and poison, pulled straight from 16th-century sources like The Good Huswifes Jewell and early herbals. Here's the link to the Haunted Tudor London halloween tour: https://www.englandcast.com/haunted-tudor-london-walk/ Sources: https://carolcmcgrath.co.uk/aphrodisiacs-in-tudor-times/ https://www.historyanswers.co.uk/medieval-renaissance/mandrake-menstrual-blood-10-medieval-love-potion-recipes-and-ingredients https://distillatio.wordpress.com/2013/12/16/medieval-poisons-for-killing-animals-and-people/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re kicking off spooky week with a talk from Tudorcon 2024! Victoria Thompson takes us deep into the haunted landscape of East Anglia; a place of ghostly monks, witchcraft, and eerie folklore that has lingered since the Tudor period. Hear stories of drowned towns, spectral hounds, and strange rituals hidden inside old Suffolk homes. It’s the perfect start to a week filled with Tudor hauntings and supernatural tales. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elizabeth Sydenham was the Somerset heiress who married Sir Francis Drake, but only after a meteor crashed through the roof of the church on her first wedding day. That fiery omen ended her engagement and changed her fate. This is the story of the woman who became Lady Drake and then vanished from history. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A countess, a court favorite, and a corpse in the Tower. Frances Howard and Robert Carr’s forbidden love became England’s first celebrity crime, complete with potions, poison, and accusations of witchcraft. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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/1639363289 Dudley Family History on Internet Archive https://ia601608.us.archive.org/29/items/historyofdudleyf115dudl/historyofdudleyf115dudl.pdf Support the show and unlock exclusive Tudor deep dives at patreon.com/englandcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.