British History: Royals, Rebels, and Romantics

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Monarch Madness Final Five (episode 50) Apr 07, 2021

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We celebrate our 50th episode by celebrating the FINAL FIVE, the winners of our first ever Monarch Madness!
1. King Arthur
In many ways, the musical Camelot is a fitting way to think of King Arthur. We don’t know if he was a real person or not. There are stories that start in the fifth and sixth century of a great warrior. Later stories turned him into a military leader and eventually a King. The stories continued to grow.
From fifth century to today, the legend of King Arthur and what he stood for, a fleeting wisp of glory, has lived on. No surprise he was a big winner in Monarch Madness.
2. Edward IV and Team York
Team York was another big winner in Monarch Madness! It was another one-sided contest, with Edward IV outstripping Henry VI by a long way. Henry VI really never had a chance. He was not a great King, and he allowed factions to fill and ultimately destroy his government. He didn't have what it took to be King.
Edward IV definitely had what it took. He was the only King in history to take his throne by force, lose it by force, and then invade his country and take it by force again. Edward took up the Yorkist standard and brought the family to the throne—twice. He was a strong and successful King.
3. Henry VII
Henry VIII might be one of the most famous Kings of England—if not the most famous—but he did not prevail against his father in Monarch Madness. This would have been infuriating for him, as he seemed to be fighting against his father’s memory and achievements his entire life. So perhaps even Henry VIII realized that the most significant of the first two Tudor Kings was, indeed, Henry VII.
Henry VII created the Tudor dynasty. He created the Tudor story. He created the narrative of his claim to be the Lancastrian heir. He created the Tudor rose. He ensured the succession. Henry VII created a dynasty that would last 118 years and change England—and Europe—forever.
4. Elizabeth I
Two women battled for power in the sixteenth century. Both Mary Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I of England were center stage. After centuries of male rule, England and Scotland were ruled by women. And both women were ambitious, interested in gaining and maintaining power, and willing to fight for the throne. Eventually, only one would prevail.
Ultimately, Elizabeth I was voted most successful Queen. It’s partly her choice of advisors that gave Elizabeth the opportunity to be the more successful Queen. William Cecil and Francis Walsingham and others worked tirelessly to secure Elizabeth’s throne. In addition, Elizabeth had cultivated a relationship with her people from the time of her accession to the throne. Most English Catholics remained loyal to her, despite the efforts of the Pope to turn them against her.
5. All Six Wives
Although I am committed to considering each of Henry VIII’s wives as an individual and seeing her for who she really was, as we went on with the experience I realized that it’s not really the point to look at which wife changed Henry most. They all changed Henry in various important ways. Overall, I’d say he wasn’t worthy of those women, and they all deserved better. And they all changed Henry VIII and his reign, changed Tudor England, and changed history.
The wives showed Henry the value and power of women. The wives taught Henry about courage. The wives taught Henry that women could rule. The wives provided Henry with future leaders of the Tudor dynasty. Over the length of his reign, together and individually, the wives of Henry VIII changed him.
Monarch Madness was an opportunity to shake up history together. Thank you for joining me!!

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Round Five: Six Wives Who Changed the King (ep 49) Mar 31, 2021

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Henry VIII was married more times than any monarch in English history! Being the King’s wife certainly changed each of the women. But how did the women change Henry? And which wife changed him the most…or the most significantly? That’s our debate for Round Five of Monarch Madness. Or should I say Marital Madness? With Henry VIII, marriage was a bit of a mad gamble!
Katharine of Aragon changed Henry by loving him and seeing him at his best and most promising moments. She created a happy marriage and tried to give him a son. She also taught him the essence of disappointment, both in their inability to have a son and in her refusal to accept his desire to annul their marriage. Her determination and stubbornness was an unexpected lesson for Henry.
Anne Boleyn taught Henry to fall, for the first time in his life, head over heels in love. This great love inspires Henry to his “Great Matter.” She also, unfortunately for her, taught Henry he could move on. After spending the first 27 years of his reign with Katherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn, Henry married four other women in the final eleven years of his reign. Henry had a much easier time envisioning the end of an inconvenient relationship after Anne Boleyn.
Jane Seymour gave him his greatest desire: a healthy legitimate son. This showed the world Henry's dynasty would continue. Having a son and heir was the crowning glory of Henry VIII's reign. Her death devastated him. Jane's impact is evidenced by Henry's including her in his family dynasty portrait and choosing to be buried with her.
Anna of Cleves didn't recognize Henry as King when he dressed as a servant, instead seeing him as an old, unattractive, pushy, unappealing man. He never forgave her. But he also made her the best "get out of jail" offer when he ended their marriage. She had a better relationship with the King after their marriage ended, showing the value of playing nice.
Katheryn Howard first gave Henry an opportunity to regain moments from his younger days. Married to a young bride (possibly as young as 18), Henry was able to pretend he was young again. But he could only achieve this by creating a narrowly defined reality for Katheryn, his rose without a thorn, with no one in her life but him. As her past came forward and disputed his view of her, he became the worst version of himself and executed another wife.
Kateryn Parr was Henry's final wife and offered him a bit of redemption. She supported his children and brought his daughters back to court. She encouraged him to return them to the succession. She was not a nursemaid; instead, she was Regent for him when he went to France and was his companion as he faced his limited future.
All his wives changed him. But which wife changed him most? That’s up to you!! Vote for the wife you think made the greatest difference on possibly history’s worst husband: Henry VIII.

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Round Four: Elizabeth I vs Mary Queen of Scots (ep 48) Mar 24, 2021

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Mary became Queen of Scotland before she was a week old and Queen Consort of France at age 17. By the time she was 25, her position of Queen Consort of France had ended with the death of her husband, and she had been forced to abdicate the Scottish throne. She fled to England in 1568 and spent the next 19 years as the Catholic alternative to be Queen of England. She married three times and had a son, who became King of Scotland as an infant and eventually became King of England as well. In a time of Kings, Mary was daughter of a King, wife of a King, mother of a King.
Elizabeth was born heir to the throne of England, a title she lost when her mother fell from favor. Elizabeth spent the rest of her father’s reign illegitimate and barred from the succession by Act of Parliament until the Third Succession Act in 1543 put her back in the succession—after her half-brother and half-sister. She was under suspicion during both of her siblings’ reigns, experiencing accusations of treason and time in the Tower of London. She came to the throne at age 25 and ruled England alone for 45 years—the only Queen of England to never marry. She held the throne in the face of rebellions at home and threats from abroad. However, she died without an heir and eventually left her throne to the son of her rival.
But that’s only the basics. Who were these women and what were their reigns like? What is success for a Queen? In a world that demanded men on the throne, how did Elizabeth and Mary make their own way and who, ultimately, was most successful?

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Round Three: Which Tudor Henry Did Most? (ep 47) Mar 17, 2021

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The famous 1537 portrait of the Tudor Dynasty included dynasty founders Henry VII and Elizabeth and current leaders Henry VIII and Jane Seymour. It also included an altar that posed the question: who, father or son, deserves to be recognized as preeminent?
Henry VIII definitely chooses himself. But is he right?
Returning from 14 years in exile, Henry Tudor claimed the throne, rallied support from discontented nobles, and hired mercenaries. Against all odds, the exile and his army of mercenaries and malcontents defeated the brilliant warrior Richard III and his royal forces at Bosworth Field. Henry Tudor became King of England.
But becoming King and remaining King were two different things. To secure his reign, Henry Tudor created a narrative that put him on the throne the day before Bosworth and made Richard and his followers traitors fighting against the King. He came up with a stunning successful emblem to symbolize all of this: the Tudor rose. Then Henry VII stamped that Tudor rose all over London.
He created a council of professionals rather than nobles. He married his children into the major royal families of Europe, creating important alliances. He embarked on building projects, including the Lady Chapel of Westminster Abbey. He increased royal income, creating a surplus for his successor. And at his death, he passed along the crown in the most peaceful and successful transition of power in nearly 100 years. He wasn't as famous as his son, but that might be a good thing.
Henry VIII turned the Kingdom upside down and put England on the world map with his marital misadvantures. Sometime rival Francis I remarked "The Queen that now is?" when he heard Henry was ending another marriage (at that point, it was Anne of Cleves). He married more times than any other monarch, and is the only King to behead any wives, let alone two of them. But that's not all Henry is known for.
As part of his marriage-go-round, he found himself unable to convince the Pope to annul his current marriage. So he broke with Rome and declared himself Supreme Head of the Church of England. His own beliefs were still primarily Catholic, but this step opened the door to significant religious reform in the future.
He also created the Royal Navy, forming the foundation of the force Elizabeth I would use to fight off the Spanish Armada. He embarked on amazing building projects such as Hampton Court Palace, which can be visited today. He collected tapestries and jewels and promoted English magnificence and his image in ways that are burned into our consciousness.
So...which Henry did most?

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Round Two: Henry VI/Lancaster vs Edward IV/York (ep 46) Mar 10, 2021

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For Round Two, we’re jumping right into the middle of an epic battle: York versus Lancaster. The Question is which King DESERVED to win the Wars of the Roses: Henry VI of the House of Lancaster or Edward IV of the House of York. Both men were the son of a warrior, both men sat on the throne, both men won the crown in battle. So which King, Henry or Edward, do you think deserved to be the ultimate winner of the Wars of the Roses?
Henry VI was the son of one of the greatest kings in English history: Henry V. Son of that great warriors, Henry VI was the first King of England to inherit the French throne! King of France and England, all before turning a year old. And there’s the problem.
The early years of Henry VI’s reign were also the early years of his life! When Henry V realized he was dying, he made provisions for his baby son’s reign with his brothers sharing responsibility. So young Henry VI was surrounded by relatives with their individual personalities and competing agendas.
The York family were descendants of King Edward III, just like Henry VI was. Richard, Duke of York, was a loyal servant of the King who wanted a more important job. The king needed someone to establish order in France following the death of the Duke of Bedford. He appointed the Duke of York lieutenant-general of France. This was York’s big break, so he headed off to France.
The King’s court fell apart in 1453. Summer brought disaster in France. The English army was destroyed by a French force. This represented a lasting defeat for the English. Henry VI was devastated and, possibly as a result, fell into an illness that left him unable to speak, recognize those around him, or comprehend where he was. He couldn’t eat or walk. It was as if he retreated from life. The next March, the Duke of York was elected as protector and defender of the realm. It was agreed that he would act until the king recovered.
The king recovered as suddenly as he had become ill. His physical strength was restored. He was able to move around unassisted. He was able to communicate. He recognized those around him. He was delighted to see his wife and meet his newborn son. All those around him reportedly wept with joy.
York did not weep with joy. He was thrown out of government and responded by raising an army and eventually fighting for the crown. After a series of battles, Richard Duke of York was killed at Wakefield in 1460. But his son Edward took up the fight and, a year later, was proclaimed King Edward IV.
The fighting continued. After Yorkist forces defeated the Lancastrians, the Lancastrians regrouped. They were significantly helped by the addition of the "Kingmaker,"who had supported York but switched sides and restored Henry VI to the throne in 1470. But York assembled a new army and fought back, taking the throne once more in 1471. This time Edward IV made sure Henry VI and his main supporters were dead or immobilized, and he reigned for a dozen years.
So...was it ok for the Dukes of York to come out in open rebellion against the King? Was it OK for Edward IV to take the throne (twice) from an anointed King?
Who deserved to win the Wars of the Roses?

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Round One: King Arthur vs Richard the Lionheart (ep 45) Mar 03, 2021

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Round one of Monarch Madness cuts right to the heart of English monarchy: what is it? And who contributed most to the earliest notion of English or British kingship? Two kings stand out, both of whom developed larger than life legends that carried centuries into the future. Both can be said to epitomize the notion of what it means to be a British monarch.
But only one can win round one of Monarch Madness. So who will it be: King Arthur or Richard the Lionheart?
Was there a “real” King Arthur? We actually don’t know. But his legend has affected British and world history and literature for centuries. So whether there was a real person or not, there is no doubt that King Arthur is a contender for the crown here.
Arthur's influence is seen from Edward I and Edward III to the Tudors and even US President John F. Kenned. For more than 1500 years, King Arthur represented a valiant and warrior who inspired several dynasties of the British monarchy and eventually also a US Presidency. A likely candidate for the round one winner!
Known throughout history as a great military leader who was fearless in battle, King Richard I earned his nickname "Lionheart" for his extraordinary efforts and success in the Crusades. Even alongside some of the greatest leaders of Western Europe, Richard stood out.
Richard's legend grew after his lifetime in the stories of Robin Hood. King Richard represents order, bravery, and honor in the legend and is idealized as a leader. That notion was reinforced by the statue of Richard in front of Westminster, sitting atop his horse with sword raised high in triumph and overlooking the place where monarchy and government do their work. Another fine candidate to win round one!

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The Royal Romances that Rocked the Monarchy (ep 44) Feb 24, 2021

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Once there was a Prince who was becoming known as a bit of a playboy. Naturally boisterous and more devoted to fun than his brother, he had spent years having a good time all around the world. While his brother married a lovely English young woman in a gorgeous ceremony and then started a family, the Prince continued to race from one party to the next.
And then, quite suddenly, he fell in love. But not with the expected English aristocrat. The Prince fell in love with an American! And, to make matters worse in a family threatened by scandal, she was divorced! The establishment in the monarchy were stunned. What was to be done about it?
The Prince of Wales, known as David to his family and friends, fell in love with and was determined to marry Wallis Simpson. His brother, known as Bertie, married Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. Their romances threatened and reshaped the continuation of the British monarchy in 1936 and for years to come.

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Victoria and Albert: Passion and Politics in Royal Marriage (ep 43) Feb 17, 2021

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Victoria decided she was ready to be married after all. Just a few days after Albert’s return to England, Victoria wrote to Lord Melbourne, the Prime Minister, to inform him of her decision to marry Albert. Melbourne supported the choice. As Queen, Victoria was the one to propose. On October 15, she sent for the Prince and asked him to marry her. She was thrilled when he accepted.
The wedding was a triumph. Lord Melbourne declared, “Nothing could have gone off better.” The Queen’s wedding to Prince Albert had started several traditions: white wedding dresses, elaborate cakes, and a sprig of myrtle in royal bouquets. Royal weddings now held but during the daytime. The very profile of a royal wedding as a public event was established by Victoria, and that tradition seems here to stay.
That tension—between the personal and the political—infused the marriage from the beginning. There was love and attraction, and there was a desire to rule for both of them. Albert was not agreeable to a secondary role, and he was eager to become involved in government. As one pregnancy followed another, Victoria was literally unable to keep up with her work. Her worry about being away for two or three days was swallowed up in the dangerous and arduous experience that was pregnancy and childbirth in her time. Within months of the marriage, Albert had moved his writing desk next to Victoria’s so he could participate in her work. Despite her resistance in the earliest weeks, Victoria eventually welcomed his help.
In face of needing to create a new model of royal marriage and royal family life, Victoria and Albert started with an astonishing wedding and moved on to a marriage full of children, technological progress, international success, the Great Exhibition, and a new way of celebrating Christmas. Out of this they created a complicated marriage that changed Britain and the world.

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Jane Austen: What's Love Got to Do with It? (episode 42) Feb 10, 2021

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More than 200 years after her death, which was marked by an explosion of celebrations and books and merchandise and movies and television specials in 2017, Jane Austen continues to be one of the most popular authors and most widely-read authors in the world.
So what is it about Jane Austen? Why does she remain so popular?
Jane Austen novels are all about families. There are some brothers and many sisters. There are parents. There are children. Families fall apart. Families come together. New families are created. There are fathers (like Mr. Dashwood) who die, causing a crisis. There are fathers (like Mr. Bennet) who will die and cause a crisis. There are missing mothers, especially in Highbury. There are family members who move to live with other families, or people who are brought in to be considered “like family.”
Austen’s focus on families explores the dynamics of interpersonal relationships—something we all share. And in the novels, it’s mostly about courtship and marriage. Most of the primary characters throughout the novels are involved with courtship and/or marriage. And, less often, love. For white, middle-class women, which is the extent of Jane Austen’s world, acquiring a husband is the most important decision of a woman’s life. In this world, marriage couldn’t happen without some impact on money and economics.
Henry Tilney sees marriage in clear terms, noting that “man has the advantage of choice, woman only the power of refusal.” As far as he can see, this is true. But is it always true?
Many women in Austen marry for money or at least security. That was a reality of the time. Women relied almost entirely on the incomes of their fathers or husbands for survival. But in Austen, the world not left to the practical Charlotte Lucas and Mr. Collins pairings. Couples manage to find love and happiness as well. So that brings me to couples bound by love and enthusiasm for each other and hope for not just survival but also fun. It’s no surprise that favorite male and female characters end up marrying each other and creating favorite couples.
Admiral and Sophie Croft (Persuasion): The Crofts are not living the traditional life most of Austen’s characters strive for, and they are enjoying themselves enormously.
Henry Tilney and Catherine Moreland (Northanger Abbey): Why do they work so well? They enjoy themselves and each other.
Marianne and Brandon (Sense and Sensibility): Austen assures us that “Marianne could never love by halves; and her whole heart became, in time, as much devoted to her husband as it had once been to Willloughby.”
Captain Wentworth and Anne Elliot (Persuasion): The scene where Wentworth writes the letter and finds a way to give it to Anne, begging her to read it with a look is one of the most powerful and romantic moments in all of Austen.
Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet (Pride and Prejudice): Their dazzling relationship has a terrible start—they are completely unimpressed with each other, Darcy finding Elizabeth only “tolerable, I suppose, but not handsome enough to tempt me.” But soon enough he finds her much more than tolerable, and they are well on their way to a second proposal, a happy ending, and the top spot as favorite couple.

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Royal Romance: Henry VIII and True Love (episode 41) Feb 03, 2021

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In honor of Valentine’s Day, we’re celebrating love stories this month. And I thought I’d start with someone who certainly should have been an expert, someone who would have personally supported chocolate and flower vendors had he lived in another time—Henry VIII.
So I asked my people, fellow Tudor fans and enthusiasts, some important questions: Which wife did Henry VIII love most? Who was his favorite? Who loved him most? And, in this quest to find Henry VIII’s true Valentine, I have heard from many people who have strong feelings about the matter. It’s been so exciting to hear and read your thoughts about that much-marrying monarch and his quest for true love.
I think a key reason that Henry VIII had so much trouble having a successful marriage is that he wanted to have a marriage that fulfilled his personal as well as his political needs. In the sixteenth century, that wasn’t how it worked, at least among royalty. Marriages were business agreements, designed to form political alliances and strengthen the realm.
Henry VIII spent his entire reign searching for true love. Did he ever succeed? Did anyone love him for himself? Which wife was his favorite? Which wife did he love most?
I think there are three different answers here: the wife who loved Henry most, Henry's favorite wife (and why), and the wife Henry loved the most.

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