Not Just the Tudors - History Hit

Practical Magic: Spells, Prayers & Cunning Folk Nov 21, 2024

Long before witch trials, magic was the domain of ‘cunning folk’ who were part of the fabric of medieval and early modern life. Their charms, filters and spells - for personal advancement, aiding fertility, predicting the future, even exacting revenge - offered people solutions to their problems.

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more from Dr. Tabitha Stanmore, whose research navigates the social and political lives of these lesser known magical practitioners.

All music from Epidemic Sounds

Presented by Professor Susannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith, audio editor Amy Haddow and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

Related episodes:

The Brutal Basque Witch Hunt: https://podfollow.com/not-just-the-tudors/episode/f0c212ec364450ef05ff7b8e4df7053fa3911d20/view

The Witchfinder General: https://podfollow.com/not-just-the-tudors/episode/9c81545a7796bf29d5de9f0c9ff75c40169a9ed0/view

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Leonardo da Vinci with Ken Burns Nov 18, 2024

Leonardo da Vinci was a man like no other. A restless visionary and polymath, his paintings are some of the best known of all works of art.

To talk about Leonardo, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Ken Burns, the multi-award winning American filmmaker who has transformed the documentary into an art form. His latest film, made with Sarah Burns and David McMahon, explores in wonderful granular detail the singular genius of Leonardo da Vinci.

Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith. Edited and produced by Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

Related episodes:

Michelangelo >

Lorenzo de' Medici, the Magnificent >

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Witchfinder General Nov 14, 2024

In the aftermath of the Civil War, a remote corner of Essex witnessed the most brutally devastating witch-hunt in English history. A dangerous maverick Matthew Hopkins, 'the Witchfinder General', hunted down vulnerable people across East Anglia, exploiting the anxiety and lawlessness of the times. Between 1645 and 1647, over 300 suspects were interrogated and tortured; a third of them were hanged.

As our special series on witchcraft continues, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more about Hopkins and his accomplice John Stearne from historian and author Malcolm Gaskill.

Presented by Professor Susannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith, the audio editor is Amy Haddow and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

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Invisible Activists of the Reformation Nov 11, 2024

The names that spring first to mind in the Reformation of Christianity tend always to be male. But women were central to these extraordinary transformations in religious life in Europe and around the globe.

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more from Professor Merry Wiesner-Hanks, who has uncovered the stories of hundreds of women. As monarchs and mothers, migrants and martyrs, mystics and missionaries, women's influence and actions were crucial factors in the Reformation.

Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith, the editor is Amy Haddow, and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast.

If you enjoy this episode, you will be interested in these from our archive:

How Kateryn Parr Championed the Reformation: https://shows.acast.com/not-just-the-tudors/episodes/how-kateryn-parr-championed-the-reformation

The End of Monasteries: https://shows.acast.com/not-just-the-tudors/episodes/end-monasteries

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The Witch Nov 07, 2024

Join Professor Suzannah Lipscomb and Professor Ronald Hutton as they explore the evolving definitions of witches, the global spread of witch beliefs, and their impact during the 16th and 17th century witch trials in Europe.

As part of our month-long series on witchcraft, we delve into the role of magic in different cultures, the forms persecution took and how anthropology, folklore, and history have shaped the modern understanding of witches.

Presented by Professor Susannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith, audio editor Amy Haddow and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

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Fireworks: From the Tudors to Guy Fawkes Nov 04, 2024

A pyrotechnic dragon roared flames into the river Thames during the coronation week of Elizabeth of York in 1487. These explosive displays were employed as a sign of might and majesty throughout the reign of Henry VIII, and Elizabeth I was the first English monarch to establish their own fire master. By the time of the Gunpowder Plot, fireworks were used not only to celebrate, but to commemorate and incite.

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to John Withington about the remarkable development of pyrotechnics throughout the Tudor and Stuart eras.

Presented by Professor Susannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith. Edited and produced by Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

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The Brutal Basque Witch Hunt Oct 31, 2024

In 1609, some 80 people were executed for witchcraft in France's Basque region. It inspired a final push to eradicate witches by the Spanish Inquisition across the border. One of the judges, Pierre de Lancre, published a sensationalist book which has been the source of every subsequent account. But newly discovered evidence paints a very different picture.

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more from Dr. Jan Machielsen whose book The Basque Witch Hunt: A Secret History shows that almost everything historians thought they knew about this brutal episode is inaccurate.

Listen to our previous episode with Jan Machielsen, An Early Modern Teenage Werewolf >

Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast.

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Africans in 17th Century England Oct 28, 2024

In the 1640s, Black communities existed in London and in most of England's port cities, communities from which men would fight and die throughout the English Civil War. There's still little evidence of the lives of these individuals. So what do we know of the Black men who took up arms during the Civil War? On which side did they fight? Were they free or enslaved? And what can this participation tell us about how race was perceived in the early modern period?

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out from Sophie Merrix, whose research is uncovering the lesser known racial diversity of the Civil War battlefields.

Presented by Professor Susannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith, the audio editor is Max Carrey and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

If you found this episode interesting, then do check out these past episodes:

Black Tudors >

How Shakespeare Depicted Race >

Legacy of the Mary Rose >

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The Tudor World at Hampton Court Oct 24, 2024

The oldest surviving part of Hampton Court Palace is a series of chambers and closets built in the 1520s for Henry VIII's chief advisor and Lord Chancellor, Cardinal Wolsey. They are now the setting for a wonderful exhibition bringing together artworks created during Henry VIII's reign alongside some evocative 16th century objects and brilliant interactive displays.

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb goes to Hampton Court to meet curator Brett Dolman and talk about the exhibition which takes visitors back into the Tudor world and the lives not just of the kings and queens, but of the ordinary people whose labour upheld the functioning and magnificence of the Tudor court.

Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The audio editor is Ella Blaxill, the researcher is Alice Smith, and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast.

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The Spanish Armada Oct 21, 2024

In July 1588 the Spanish Armada set sail to conquer England. Three weeks later a fierce naval battle foiled the planned invasion. Many myths surround these events. The "genius" of Sir Francis Drake is exalted, while Spain’s efforts are belittled. But what really happened during that fateful encounter?

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb gets the fullest possible account from Professor Geoffrey Parker who co-wrote the definitive and authoritative history of the Spanish Armada in 1988. A new, much-expanded edition, titled Armada: The Spanish Enterprise and England's Deliverance in 1588, was published in 2023.

Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The audio editor is Max Carrey, the researcher is Alice Smith, and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast.

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘TUDORS’

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Related episodes:

Francis Drake’s Discovery of West Coast America >

Walter Raleigh’s Quest for Eldorado >

Henry VIII's Brothers in Armour Oct 17, 2024

Henry VIII loved the spectacle of a tournament to show off. In addition to jousting displays with François I of France, Henry and the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I gifted each other armour and jousted to broker alliances.

Not Just the Tudor's listener Karin Nieswohl from Vienna got in touch to request an episode on this fascinating subject. Professor Suzannah Lipscomb obliges in the company of Dr. Karen Watts, Curator Emeritus at the Royal Armouries, to look at the meaning behind the metal.

Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The audio editor is Nick Thomson, the researcher is Alice Smith, and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast.

Related episodes:

Henry VIII and Jousting >

Henry VIII’s Billionaire Wardrobe >

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Oliver Cromwell: Massacres & Manoeuvres Oct 14, 2024

How did Oliver Cromwell navigate the many forces ranged against him and rise to the pinnacle of his power? From the execution of Charles I, through the establishment of the Commonwealth, to savage campaigns in Ireland and Scotland, was Cromwell nothing more than a ruthless and brutal dictator?

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined once again by Professor Ronald Hutton, whose new groundbreaking account Oliver Cromwell: Commander in Chief reveals a different kind of Cromwell.

Listen again to Professor Ronald Hutton in our episode, The Making of Oliver Cromwell >

Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith, audio editor Max Carrey and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘TUDORS’

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Elizabeth I's Conjuror: John Dee Oct 10, 2024

A trusted advisor to Queen Elizabeth I, Dr. John Dee was an astronomer, mathematician, astrologer, and navigator with ties to the occult.

But what role did astrology or the occult have alongside Christianity in the Elizabethan court?

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. Benjamin Woolley to discuss this fascinating figure and find out how much of an impact Dee had on the reign of Elizabeth I.

Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast.

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘TUDORS’ https://historyhit.com/subscription

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Floral Messages in the Tudor Court Oct 07, 2024

The Tudor Rose was a well-known symbol which dominated the national identity of England. But for both the Tudors and Stuarts, flower imagery flourished across all aspects of the arts as well as in daily life, in what people wore and what they ate. At court, flower motifs were carved into architecture and embroidered into opulent gifts as symbols of imperial dominance.

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by art historian Susannah Lyon Whaley to navigate the unique cultural language of flowers.

Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith, audio editor Ella Blaxill and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘TUDORS’ https://historyhit.com/subscription

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The Rise and Fall of Jane Boleyn Oct 03, 2024

In 1542 Jane Boleyn was executed for having aided and abetted Henry VIII's fifth wife Catherine Howard to commit adultery. It was the second time Jane Boleyn had been connected with charges of treason as just six years earlier, she had allegedly asserted a charge of incest against the then Queen Anne Boleyn and Jane's husband George.

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. James Taffe, to re-examine this compelling, contradictory woman who served five successive Tudor queens for more than two decades during the increasingly dangerous reign of Henry VIII.

Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast.

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘TUDORS’

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William and Mary's Glorious Revolution Sep 30, 2024

The events that led to the joint monarchy of William and Mary in 1689 have long been known as the Glorious Revolution, in which King James II was overthrown in favour of his Protestant daughter Mary and her husband, the Dutch Prince William of Orange. But not so glorious or bloodless were the ensuing years of devastating violence wreaked across Scotland and Ireland which have largely been ignored in histories.

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more from Professor Ted Vallance, author of The Glorious Revolution: 1688 - Britain's Fight for Liberty.

Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The audio editor is Ella Blaxill, the researcher is Alice Smith, and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast.

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘TUDORS’ https://historyhit.com/subscription

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Mystic Visionary: Teresa of Avila Sep 26, 2024

Born in 1515, St. Teresa of Avila continues to inspire countless people today with her mystical writings and spiritual insights. Yet, despite facing significant personal and institutional challenges throughout her life, she was also a bold reformer in the Roman Catholic Church.

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by the former Archbishop of Canterbury, the Right Reverend and Right Honourable Rowan Lord Williams, to discuss St Teresa of Avila’s remarkable life and legacy.

Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The audio editor is Ella Blaxill, the researcher is Alice Smith, and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast.

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Rosy Royals: Tudor & Stuart Gardens Sep 23, 2024

One subtle but powerful way that the Tudor and Stuart monarchs tried to show off their magnificence was through the creation of gardens that conveyed authority and cultural achievement. Garden history gives us an insight into statecraft, foreign influence and changing ideas of beauty.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. David Jacques OBE, who explains why so much money was spent on royal gardens from the reign of Henry VII through to Queen Anne.

Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith, the audio editor is Max Carrey and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

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Oliver Cromwell: Protector & Dictator Sep 19, 2024

Four years into Britain's experiment as a republic, Oliver Cromwell staged a coup, violently dissolving parliament. His “Bare Bones Parliament” would not last either and, in December 1653, a new kind of limited monarchy was proposed with Cromwell as “Lord Protector.”

In this second of our series looking at the 1650s, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined again by Professor Alice Hunt to pick up the story of Britain as it moved from republic to protectorate, under the rule of Oliver Cromwell.

Presented by Professor Susannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith, audio editor Joseph Knight and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

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When Britain was a Republic Sep 16, 2024

The 1650s were the only years in history when Britain was a republic. Charles I had been executed, the monarchy was abolished and the House of Lords dismissed. But what came next? How could stability be restored when people disagreed over what they had been fighting for in the first place?

In the first of two fascinating episodes, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb delves deep into this turbulent decade with Professor Alice Hunt, author of Republic: Britain's Revolutionary Decade, 1649 to 1660.

Presented by Professor Susannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

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Kateryn Parr on Film: Firebrand Sep 12, 2024

In the last year of Henry VIII's life, his sixth wife Queen Kateryn Parr was accused of heresy and it looked as if her life could be on the line. This dramatic moment is the focus of a novel by Elizabeth Fremantle. Originally called Queen's Gambit, it has now been turned into the film Firebrand, starring Alicia Vikander as Kateryn Parr and Jude Law as Henry VIII.

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb discusses the book and the film - and the woman that inspired them both - with Elizabeth Fremantle and also with actor Norman Bowman, who plays Henry VIII's right hand man Sir William Herbert in Firebrand.

Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith, audio editor Ella Blaxill and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

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How to Survive the Plague Sep 09, 2024

A feature of outbreaks of plague between the 14th and 18th centuries was the publication of books and pamphlets, known as ‘plague tracts’, that spread information and misinformation about the causes of plague, offered new remedies, and identified scapegoats. The audience for such publications lingered long after the threat of plague itself seemed to fade.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to medical historian Dr. Lori Jones about the promulgation of beliefs surrounding disease and the diseased.

Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast.

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Elizabeth I Slept Here: Longleat House Sep 05, 2024

Queen Elizabeth I’s travels round England - known as ‘progresses’ - were never a quick day-trip or city break. They involved scores of attendants, hundreds of carts of luggage, and lasted around 50 days each. Exactly 450 years ago, she went on one of the greatest progresses of her reign to the West Country. Among the places she stayed was Longleat House in Wiltshire, today best known as a safari park. It’s currently hosting a special exhibition to mark the anniversary of the royal visit.

In this episode, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more from Longleat's archivist Emma Challinor and curator Dr. James Ford.

Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

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Omens, Signs and False Prophets Sep 02, 2024

In the autumn of 1621, hundreds of starlings were seen fighting in the sky above Cork. The following May, the city was ravaged by fire. The pleated folds of skin around the neck of a baby born in 1566 were interpreted as divine judgment on starched ruffs. And when not a single wren was seen in Cambridge in the 1620s, people expected a foreign invasion.

In this episode, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Professor Alexandra Walsham, to explore the many signs, wonders, omens and portents she has discovered in the archives, which offer fascinating insights into the collective consciousness of the Elizabethan and early Stuart periods.

Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith, audio editor Ella Blaxill and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

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Catherine de' Medici, Serpent Queen Aug 29, 2024

Queen Consort of France and mother to three successive Kings, Catherine de’ Medici's legacy could have been one of intelligence, fortitude, artistic patronage and religious moderation. But instead, as with so many women in positions of power, Catherine's life and actions have been almost entirely vilified. Deemed a witch and a callous spendthrift, she is perhaps best remembered as a dangerous instigator of extreme violence, because of her contested part in the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre of 1572.

In this fourth and final episode of our mini-series exploring the lives and legacy of the House of Medici, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Mary Hollingsworth, whose new book Catherine de’ Medici: The Life and Times of the Serpent Queen, tries to get to the heart of one of history's most remarkable women.

Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith, audio editor Ella Blaxill and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

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The Tragic Travels of Fynes Moryson Aug 26, 2024

In July 1596, Fynes Moryson - a Lincolnshire gentleman and travel writer - was struck down with grief when his younger brother died as they crossed the desert on their return from Jerusalem. Moryson described his journeys and devastating experiences two decades later in an account titled Itinerary, at once a personal memoir and a huge manual of travel advice.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, first released in September 2021, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Eva Johanna Holmberg, whose study of Moryson sheds light on the lives and emotions of people in the early modern period.

Presented by Professor Susannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

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Medici Popes: Power over Piety Aug 22, 2024

Fueled by ambition and the desire to extend their influence, the House of Medici saw the papacy not only as a religious post but a political one. Four of the Medici dynasty rose to become Pope in the 16th century.

In our third episode on the House of Medici, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Professor Catherine Fletcher to talk in particular about Pope Leo X and Pope Clement VII, the Medici who led the church during its most fractious period: the time of the Reformation.

Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith, audio editor Ella Blaxill and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

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How Indigenous Americans Discovered Europe Aug 19, 2024

We have long been taught that modern global history began when the 'Old World' encountered the 'New', when Christopher Columbus 'discovered' America in 1492. But, in a groundbreaking book, Dr. Caroline Dodds Pennock conclusively shows that for tens of thousands of Aztecs, Maya, Totonacs, Inuit and others - enslaved people, diplomats, explorers, servants, traders - the reverse was true: they discovered Europe.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, first released in January 2023, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Dodds Pennock about a story of abduction, loss, cultural appropriation, and as indigenous peoples saw it, of apocalypse.

Presented by Professor Susannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

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Lorenzo de' Medici, the Magnificent Aug 15, 2024

All this month, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is taking a deep dive into the complex and controversial House of Medici, which left an indelible mark on Western civilisation.

In this second episode, Suzannah talks to Dr. Alexander Lee about Lorenzo de’ Medici, the consummate Renaissance man. But Machiavelli portrayed him as a cunning and ambitious ruler, purely self serving in pursuit of personal power. So what should we make of Lorenzo, whose life and achievements left such an indelible mark on Florence and the cultural landscape of Italy that it earned him the title Il Magnifico?

Not Just the Tudors is presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith, the audio editor is Ella Blaxill and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘TUDORS’

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China's First Tourists: Travel Writers in the Ming Dynasty Aug 12, 2024

Around the same time as the Mayflower was landing at Cape Cod, on the other side of the world tourism was thriving in China, giving rise to a fascinating genre of travel writing.

In this episode, first released in February 2022, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb explores the wonderfully rich prose and travel diaries of the period with Professor James Hargett. His research and translations reveal extraordinary insights into the society and culture of the late Ming Dynasty.

Presented by Professor Susannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

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Rise of the Medici Aug 08, 2024

The House of Medici ruthlessly wielded control of Florence for nearly 300 years. Through financial and political machinations, they transformed the city into a cultural powerhouse and the epicentre of the Renaissance, spawning popes and royalty along the way.

Across four special episodes, Not Just the Tudors takes a deep dive into this complex and controversial dynasty that left an indelible mark on Western civilisation.

In this first episode, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Tim Parks, author of Medici Money, about the dramatic, frequently bloody story of how the Medici rose to power through their banking activities.

Presented by Professor Susannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith, audio editor Ella Blaxill and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

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Magellan: The First Man to Sail the World Aug 05, 2024

Just over 500 years ago, a small band of sailors completed the first ever circumnavigation of the globe, launched by Ferdinand Magellan. From the armada of five ships and some 270 men that set out, only one ship and 18 men returned. Magellan was not among them, and if he had been, he would hardly have received a hero’s welcome.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, first released in September 2022, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Magellan’s award-winning biographer Laurence Bergreen to consider Magellan the man and how his voyage changed the world’s ideas about cosmology and geography.

Presented by Professor Susannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith, audio editor Ella Blaxill and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

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Henry VII: Rise of the Medieval Tudors Aug 01, 2024

Henry VII was descended from some of the greatest Welsh princes. When word spread that he had a chance of taking the English throne, Welsh prophecies - which foretold that one day, one of their own would become king of the islands and would be crowned in London - looked to be coming true.

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb introduces a special crossover edition with Not Just the Tudors' sister podcast Gone Medieval in which Matt Lewis is joined by historian Nathen Amin, author of Son of Prophecy: The Rise of Henry Tudor, to share the surprising story of the medieval ancestors of the Tudor monarchs.

This episode was edited by Max Carrey. The producers are Joseph Knight and Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors and Gone Medieval are History Hit podcasts.

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Vivaldi’s Greatest Protegé Jul 29, 2024

In early 18th century Venice, the Ospedale della Pietà took in abandoned baby girls through a tiny gap in the wall. In addition to ensuring the girls’ survival, the orphanage employed one of the world’s greatest ever composers - Antonio Vivaldi - to train the girls in music. One of his pupils, Anna Maria della Pietà, became his star protegé and went on to a phenomenal career as a violinist and the maestro’s biggest rival.

Anna Maria’s largely forgotten life is compellingly recovered and reimagined in this summer’s most eagerly anticipated historical novel, The Instrumentalist by Harriet Constable. She joins Professor Suzannah Lipscomb to talk about how she discovered and brought Anna-Maria's heart-rending story to life.

Presented by Professor Susannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

"Et in Terra Pax" from Vivaldi's Gloria in D used with the kind permission of the Girl Choir of South Florida. Watch here >

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

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Charles II's Most Infamous Mistress: Barbara Villiers Jul 25, 2024

The tempestuous and passionate Barbara Villiers captured the hearts of many in Stuart-era Britain, including King Charles II. But she had a dark side, humiliating her husband for decades, plotting the ruin of her enemies, and gambling away vast sums of money.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Andrea Zuvich who reveals the true story of Barbara and her insatiable appetite for life, love, riches, amusement, and power.

Presented by Professor Susannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith, the audio editor is Ella Blaxill and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘TUDORS’ https://historyhit.com/subscription

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The Mighty Ashanti: Rival to the British Empire Jul 22, 2024

At the end of the 17th century, a small clan - the Akan - in West Africa began growing into what would later become the powerful Ashanti Empire. The state grew rapidly in both wealth and land until it spanned most of modern day Ghana, the Ivory Coast, and Togo.

Luke Pepera joins Professor Suzannah Lipscomb to discuss this incredible Empire, which fiercely resisted British colonialism and fought violent wars to protect and expand its territory.

Luke Pepera's documentary Africa: Written Out of History is available now on History Hit TV.

Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

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Spycraft: From the Elizabethans to the Restoration Jul 18, 2024

The 16th and 17th centuries were a crucial time for spycraft, full of political intrigue and diplomatic subterfuge. Walsingham was known as a 'Spy Master', but there were many, all vying for attention from the Crown.

But how did they and their spies operate? Professor Suzannah Lipscomb welcomes Pete Langman and Professor Nadine Akkerman to delve into the practices of espionage and reveal how the line between spy and criminal was easily blurred depending on who was in favour, and who was betrayed.

Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith, audio editors are Tean Stewart-Murray and Ella Blaxill. The producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘TUDORS’ https://historyhit.com/subscription

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The Death of Henry VIII Jul 15, 2024

On 28 January 1547, King Henry VIII died at the age of 55. Just hours before his passing, his last will and testament had been read, stamped, and sealed. Historians have disagreed ever since about its authenticity and validity, and the circumstances of its creation, making Henry's will one of English history's most contested documents.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, first released in January 2022, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb offers her own illuminating interpretation of the aftermath of Henry VIII's death, the mystery of his will and how misplaced trust can undermine the best-laid plans of a powerful monarch.

Presented by Professor Susannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith, audio editor Ella Blaxill and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

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The First Japanese Visitor to Elizabethan England Jul 11, 2024

In November 1588, a 21-year-old Japanese man called Christopher met Queen Elizabeth I. On the way, he had already become the first recorded Japanese person in North America. His story has been almost totally forgotten until now.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more about Christopher from Professor Thomas Lockley, author of A Gentleman from Japan which recovers Christopher’s remarkable story.

Presented by Professor Susannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith, audio editor Ella Blaxill and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

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Charles II's Lost Queen: Catherine de Braganza Jul 08, 2024

Despite Catherine of Braganza's crucial place in British history, she has always been overshadowed by stories of Charles II’s many mistresses and forgotten as his boring, powerless wife. This could not be further from the truth.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Sophie Shorland about her new book The Lost Queen, which not only tells the full story of Catherine de Braganza and her difficult relationship with her husband, but also reveals how she changed the country in many ways both large and small.

Presented by Professor Susannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith, audio editor Ella Blaxill and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘TUDORS’ https://historyhit.com/subscription

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Ultimate Tudor Spy-Master: Robert Cecil Jul 04, 2024

Robert Cecil, statesman and spymaster, stood at the heart of the Tudor and then Stuart state, a vital figure in managing the succession from Elizabeth I to James I & VI, warding off military and religious threats and steering the decisions of two very different but equally wilful and hard-to-manage monarchs.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Stephen Alford, author of All His Spies: The Secret World of Robert Cecil, about a man who became supremely skilled in the arts of power, making many rivals and enemies.

This episode was edited by Tean Stuart-Murray and produced by Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

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Six Wives: Kateryn Parr Jul 01, 2024

Six wives - six lives that we think we know everything about. But beyond their mostly doomed marriages to Henry VIII and, in most cases, tragic ends, here were six women who shaped history in their own unique ways.

In a special six part series, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb has been bringing together the most illuminating interviews about the six wives from the Not Just the Tudors archive. She has also been exploring some of the latest research and speaking to Dr. Charlotte Bolland - curator of the National Portrait Gallery’s current exhibition Six Lives: The Stories of Henry VIII’s Queens - to paint an even fuller portrait of each of the six wives.

In this last episode in the series, Suzannah is also joined by Dr. Susan James, Dr. Micheline White and Dr. Elizabeth Norton to recount the life of Henry VIII's sixth and final consort Kateryn Parr, whom he married in July 1543 and who survived his death. Often written off as a dowdy old widow who nursed him in his last years, Kateryn Parr is the most surprising and one of the most fascinating of all the unfortunate women who were married to the king.

Not Just The Tudors is presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. This episode was edited, mixed and produced by Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

The National Portrait Gallery's exhibition titled Six Lives: The Stories of Henry VIII’s Queens runs until8 September 2024, displaying the images that have shaped our perception of the six wives. Find out more, here.

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Women Pirates of the Caribbean Jun 26, 2024

Anne Bonny and Mary Read were pirates who sailed the Caribbean in the early 18th century. For both of them, piracy offered a chance at a freedom otherwise disallowed to women.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb learns more about Bonny and Read from the novelist Francesca de Torres - author of Saltblood, which recreates Mary Read's life - and Dr. Rebecca Simon who wrote the first full-scale biography of the two women.

This episode was edited by Ella Blaxill and produced by Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code TUDORS - sign up here: https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/.

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Six Wives: Katherine Howard Jun 24, 2024

Six wives - six lives that we think we know everything about. But beyond their mostly doomed marriages to Henry VIII and, in most cases, tragic ends, here were six women who shaped history in their own unique ways.

In a special six part series, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb brings together the most illuminating interviews about the six wives from the Not Just the Tudors archive. She also explores some of the latest research and speaks to Dr. Charlotte Bolland - curator of the National Portrait Gallery’s current exhibition Six Lives: The Stories of Henry VIII’s Queens - to paint an even fuller portrait of each of the six wives.

In this fifth episode, Suzannah is joined by Gareth Russell, Dr. Nicola Clark and Dr. Charlotte Bolland to recount the life of Katherine Howard, whom Henry VIII married in July 1540 and who died with her head on the block less than two years later. Of all of Henry’s queens, Katherine Howard has been the one most subject to the judgements of posterity. But those judgements have been strangely dichotomous - was she victim or vixen?

Not Just The Tudors is presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. It was edited by Ella Blaxill and produced by Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

The National Portrait Gallery in London is hosting an exhibition titled Six Lives: The Stories of Henry VIII’s Queens until8 September 2024, displaying the images that have shaped our perception of the six wives. Find out more, here.

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code TUDORS - sign up here.

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Legendary Woman Samurai: Hosokawa Gracia Jun 20, 2024

Toda Mariko, or Mariko-san, one of the main characters from the new TV series Shogun - adapted from James Clavell's epic novel - is based on a real woman, Hosokawa Gracia. Who was she? Was she the zealous Christian martyr depicted in Jesuit missionary accounts, or a wife duty-bound to protect the honour of her family? Or was she the defiant female warrior of Japanese folklore?

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Frederik Cryns, who was the historical advisor for the Shogun series and is writing a new biography of Hosokawa Gracia.

This episode was edited by Ella Blaxill and produced by Rob Weinberg.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

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Six Wives: Anne of Cleves Jun 17, 2024

Six wives - six lives that we think we know everything about. But beyond their mostly doomed marriages to Henry VIII and, in most cases, tragic ends, here were six women who shaped history in their own unique ways.

In a special six part series, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb brings together the most illuminating interviews about the six wives from the Not Just the Tudors archive. She also explores some of the latest research and speaks to Dr. Charlotte Bolland - curator of the National Portrait Gallery’s new exhibition Six Lives: The Stories of Henry VIII’s Queens - to paint an even fuller portrait of each of the six wives.

In this fourth episode, Suzannah is joined by Heather Darsie, Dr. Valerie Schutte and Dr Charlotte Bolland to recount the life of Anne of Cleves. Famed since the 17th century as the 'Flanders Mare', whom Henry allegedly rejected on the basis of her ugliness, the real story behind Anne's marriage and its dissolution turns out to be quite different to the fable we've been told.

This episode was edited by Ella Blaxill and produced by Rob Weinberg.

From 20 June to 8 September 2024, the National Portrait Gallery in London is hosting an exhibition titled Six Lives: The Stories of Henry VIII’s Queens, displaying the images that have shaped our perception of the six wives . Find out more, here >

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code TUDORS - sign up here >

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Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

Shakespeare's Players: Burbage and Kempe Jun 13, 2024

Among the male players who performed thousands of new plays in the Elizabethan repertory, the most famous were Richard Burbage and Will Kempe, members of the company known first as the Lord Chamberlain's Men and later the King's Men, the company of William Shakespeare.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Siobhan Keenan to find out more about these two extraordinary actors for whom Shakespeare created some of his most enduring characters.

This episode was edited by Ella Blaxill and produced by Rob Weinberg.

Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast

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Six Wives: Jane Seymour Jun 10, 2024

Six wives - six lives that we think we know everything about. But beyond their mostly doomed marriages to Henry VIII and, in most cases, tragic ends, here were six women who shaped history in their own unique ways.

In a special six part series, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb brings together the most illuminating interviews about the six wives from the Not Just the Tudors archive. She also explores some of the latest research and speaks to Dr. Charlotte Bolland - curator of the National Portrait Gallery’s new exhibition Six Lives: The Stories of Henry VIII’s Queens - to paint an even fuller portrait of each of the six wives.

In this third episode, Suzannah looks into the life and legacy of Jane Seymour, perhaps the most elusive of Henry VIII’s Queens. In an attempt to understand Jane better, Suzannah is joined by Dr. Elizabeth Norton and Dr. Aidan Norrie.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

From 20 June to 8 September 2024, the National Portrait Gallery in London is hosting an exhibition titled Six Lives: The Stories of Henry VIII’s Queens, displaying the images that have shaped our perception of the six wives . Find out more, here >

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code TUDORS - sign up here >

You can take part in our listener survey here >

A Tudor Mystery: The Girl Who Could Be Queen Jun 06, 2024

This episode solves the 400-year old mystery of a previously unknown portrait of a young woman, dressed to look just like Queen Elizabeth herself.

When Emma Rutherford - the country's leading expert in portrait miniatures - first saw it, she knew that the painting was recognisably by the celebrated Elizabethan court painter Nicholas Hilliard. But who was the mysterious girl depicted?

Together, Emma along with Hilliard’s biographer Dr. Elizabeth Goldring set out on some remarkable historical detective work to find out. What they discovered was a story ripe with political importance, espionage, diplomatic intrigue and the question of Elizabeth I's successor.

You can see the portrait if you go to Professor Suzannah Lipscomb’s Facebook and Instagram accounts or @NotJustTudors on X.

This episode was edited and mixed by Ella Blaxill and produced by Rob Weinberg.

For more information about our guests, please visit:

Emma Rutherford: www.portraitminiature.com or email emma@portraitminiature.com

Elizabeth Goldring: ttps://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/ren/centrestaff/elizabethgoldring/

Instagram: @elizabeth.goldring

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Six Wives: Anne Boleyn Jun 03, 2024

Six wives - six lives that we think we know everything about. But beyond their mostly doomed marriages to Henry VIII and, in most cases, tragic ends, here were six women who shaped history in their own unique ways.

In this special six part series, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb brings together the most illuminating interviews about the six wives from the Not Just the Tudors archive. She also explores some of the latest research and speaks to Dr. Charlotte Bolland - curator of the National Portrait Gallery’s new exhibition Six Lives: The Stories of Henry VIII’s Queens - to paint an even fuller portrait of each of the six wives.

In this second episode, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb focuses on the woman who changed the history of England, Anne Boleyn. In order to make her his Queen, Henry altered the very faith of the country, banished his closest minister, broke with Christendom, and set aside his faithful, once beloved wife Katherine. So who was Anne Boleyn?

This episode was edited and mixed by Ella Blaxill and produced by Rob Weinberg.

From 20 June to 8 September 2024, the National Portrait Gallery in London is hosting an exhibition titled Six Lives: The Stories of Henry VIII’s Queens, displaying the images that have shaped our perception of the six wives . Find out more, here >

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code TUDORS - sign up here >

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The Preacher Too Radical for Luther May 30, 2024

The mid-15th to mid-16th centuries in Europe was an era of political, social, and religious unrest, when the Roman Catholic Church was being questioned by those who sought a more direct connection with God.

In the midst of this turmoil in Germany stood Thomas Müntzer, a preacher, theologian, and reformer. Müntzer's role in the German Peasants War had him labelled variously as a bloodthirsty revolutionary or a people's hero. Martin Luther later described Müntzer as a “ravening wolf” and a “false prophet.”

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more about Müntzer’s extraordinary life and times with historian, novelist and translator, Andrew Drummond.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Female Spies in the 17th Century May 27, 2024

If you think that the female spy is a 20th century phenomenon - be it Mata Hari, Mrs Zigzag or Eve Polastri - think again! Accounts of numerous 17th century 'she-intelligencers' have lain undiscovered in archives for centuries. And these remarkable women were much more than the honey-trap accomplices of a Stuart-era George Smiley.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, first released in May 2021, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Professor Nadine Akkerman, author of Invisible Agents: Women and Espionage in Seventeenth-Century Britain to talk about her fascinating quest to unearth the plots and conspiracies involving women spies that have been forgotten by history.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Six Wives: Katherine of Aragon May 23, 2024

Six wives - six lives that we think we know everything about. But beyond their mostly doomed marriages to Henry VIII and, in most cases, tragic ends, here were six women who shaped history in their own unique ways.

In this special six part series, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb brings together the most illuminating interviews about the six wives from the Not Just the Tudors archive. She also explores some of the latest research and speaks to Dr. Charlotte Bolland - curator of the National Portrait Gallery’s new exhibition Six Lives: The Stories of Henry VIII’s Queens - to paint an even fuller portrait of each of the six wives.

First up, Katherine of Aragon, the wife to whom Henry was married for twice as long as all the others put together - a woman much underrated and much maligned.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

From 20 June to 8 September 2024, the National Portrait Gallery in London is hosting an exhibition titled Six Lives: The Stories of Henry VIII’s Queens, displaying the images that have shaped our perception of the six wives . Find out more, here >

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code TUDORS - sign up here >

You can take part in our listener survey here >

Henry VIII's Sister, Margaret Queen of Scots May 20, 2024

Margaret Tudor - daughter of King Henry VII, sister to Henry VIII - was married at 13 to James IV of Scotland, learning the skills of statecraft that would enable her to survive his early death and to construct a powerful position in Scotland.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more about Margaret from Dr. Linda Porter. Her new book, The Thistle and the Rose: The Extraordinary Life of Margaret Tudor puts the record straight about a misunderstood and underestimated Tudor monarch, whose determination to fight for the rights of her son James V laid the groundwork for a future British state.

This episode was edited by Ella Blaxill and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Shogun: The Real First English Samurai May 16, 2024

The acclaimed TV series Shogun, now screening on Disney+, is based on true events. Its main character John Blackthorne is modelled on William Adams, the English pilot of a Dutch ship that arrived on Japanese shores in 1600 with a handful of survivors.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors - suggested by listener Lucy Canning - Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more about the real history behind Shogun with Giles Milton, best-selling author of Samurai William: The Adventurer Who Unlocked Japan.

This episode was edited by Ella Blaxill produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Shardlake and its Creator C.J. Sansom May 13, 2024

Fans of historical fiction and crime novels have been saddened to learn of the recent death of the award-winning, best-selling author C.J. Sansom, just days before the release of Shardlake - the TV series based on his Tudor barrister detective novels.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb pays tribute to a fine author, and a fine fictional creation with the writer and journalist Antonia Senior.

This episode was edited by Ella Blaxill produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Forbidden Desire in Early Modern Europe May 09, 2024

**This episode contains conversation about sexual behaviour**

In early modern Europe, acting upon same-sex desires was forbidden. We only know of many of the cases because of records of criminal trials. But the evidence of the past does not suggest that we can easily find a straightforward match for modern concepts of homosexuality.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Sir Noel Malcolm, whose acclaimed new book Forbidden Desire in Early Modern Europe, demonstrates that the practice of sexuality not only varies across time but, in early modern Europe, it varied across geography.

This episode was edited by Ella Blaxill and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Walter Raleigh’s Quest for El Dorado May 06, 2024

Sir Walter Raleigh remains one of the most famous men of the Elizabethan era. He was a true Renaissance man - a statesman, soldier, writer, explorer and a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I. In 1594, Raleigh heard about the legendary golden city of El Dorado and, the following year, explored what is now Guyana and eastern Venezuela in search of it. In his account of the expedition, Raleigh made exaggerated claims as to what had been discovered, contributing to the enduring El Dorado legend, and his own celebrity.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, first released in May 2022, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to writer and historian Mathew Lyons about Raleigh, his dream of finding El Dorado, and the epic scale of his failure.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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From Tudor to Stuart: Regime Change May 01, 2024

In 1603, Queen Elizabeth I died and King James VI of Scotland, became King James I of England. Elizabeth was a hard act to follow for the Scottish newcomer who faced a host of problems in his first years as king: not only the legacy of his predecessor but also unrest in Ireland, serious questions about his legitimacy on the English throne, and even plots to remove him.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors - recorded in front of a live audience at the Gloucester History Festival - Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Susan Doran, about how, contrary to traditional assumptions, James's accession was by no means a smooth one.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Diving Tudor Shipwrecks Apr 29, 2024

In the 16th and 17th centuries, sailing was a tool of warfare and empire, of conquest and discovery, of trade and travel. But vessels were often lost or wrecked in heavy storms or on unfamiliar routes, through attack and piracy. Many such shipwrecks are still being found.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. David Gibbins, maritime archaeologist and author of A History of the World in 12 Shipwrecks. His work as a diver has taken him across the globe, investigating some of history’s most fascinating wrecks.

This episode was edited by Ella Blaxill produced by Rob Weinberg.

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The Birth of Science in 16th Century Europe Apr 25, 2024

The traditional view of the birth of modern science places it firmly in the 17th century with such huge names as Bacon, Descartes, Newton, and Galileo. But a century earlier there were others - whose names are not so well-known to us - who paved the way for later scientific breakthroughs. Patrons and particular places in northern Europe developed new technology and encouraged collaborations in an environment where intellectual innovation could occur, laying the foundations for subsequent discoveries.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Violet Moller, whose new book Inside the Stargazer’s Palace tells the untold story of the extraordinary workshops, observatories and libraries of Early Modern Northern Europe.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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How Spices Shaped the Modern World Apr 22, 2024

In the 16th century, spices drove the world economy, creating riches on an unprecedented scale. Spanish and Portuguese explorers competed to find the elusive source of cloves and nutmeg, and when Portugal reached the spice islands of the Moluccas, it set in motion a fierce competition for control.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Roger Crowley, whose new book Spice: The 16th-Century Contest that Shaped the Modern World chronicles the adventures, shipwrecks, and sieges that formed the first colonial encounters—and remade the world economy for centuries to follow.

This episode was edited by xx and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Elizabeth I: Make-Up & Beauty Tips Apr 18, 2024

What do we know about what Elizabeth I actually looked like? How was her appearance altered through the use of cosmetics? Portraits suggest that makeup was used to lightly accentuate lips and cheeks, alongside a sheer wash of white base on her skin. What products would she have typically used and how were they made?

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by author and educator Sally Pointer, to decipher the truth about Elizabeth's image and how her use of makeup has become part of her enduring legacy.

This episode was edited by Ella Blaxill and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Unusual Births and Disability in 17th Century England Apr 15, 2024

**WARNING: This episode contains themes that some listeners might find distressing and commonly-used historic terminology that does not reflect our own thoughts**

In May 1680, England become obsessed with a pair of conjoined twins. At just two weeks old, Priscilla and Aquila Herring were kidnapped from their home in Somerset to be put on show for money. A fortnight later they were dead, and a legal battle ensued over ownership and income. It is one of the earliest examples of exploitation and the exhibition of physical difference in England, a story of public display without consent, both before and after.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Whitney Dirks, whose new book Monstrosity, Bodies, and Knowledge in Early Modern England weaves the case of the Herring sisters through an examination of how physically unusual humans and animals were understood and talked about in early modern England.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Seducing James I: Mary & George Apr 11, 2024

The major new TV series, Mary & George tellsthe scandalous story of George Villiers, who rose - thanks to his mother Mary’s machinations - from minor gentry to enrapture King James VI & I, Britain’s first Stuart king. For a decade, George Villiers was at James’s side – at court, on state occasions and in bed, right up to James’s death in March 1625.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Benjamin Wooley, acclaimed author of The King’s Assassin, a compelling portrait of a royal favourite whose charisma overwhelmed those around him and, ultimately, himself.

This episode was edited by Ella Blaxill and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Erasmus: Renaissance Radical Apr 08, 2024

In the 16th century, Erasmus of Rotterdam was about as famous as anybody could be, one of the greatest intellectuals of his age. To Martin Luther's mind, though, Erasmus's radical religious vision did not go far enough. To Roman Catholic scholars, Erasmus was heretical.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Professor William Barker, to find out more about a scholar of great brilliance as well as personal flaws and contradictions.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Wars of Religion: A Woman's Fight for Justice Apr 04, 2024

At the end of the French Wars of Religion, a widow Renée Chevalier instigated the prosecution of a military captain who had committed multiple acts of rape, homicide and theft against the villagers who lived around her. But how could Chevalier win her case when King Henri IV's Edict of Nantes ordered that the recent troubles should be forgotten as 'things that had never been'?

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Tom Hamilton, whose new book is a dramatic account of the impact of the troubles on daily life for women, peasants, and foot soldiers, who are marginalized in most historical studies.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

**WARNING: This podcast contains references to rape, violence and homicide**

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Martin Luther Apr 01, 2024

A controversial figure during his lifetime, Martin Luther set in motion a revolution that split Christianity in the West and left an indelible mark on the world today.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, first released in July 2021, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to renowned Luther biographer Professor Lyndal Roper to explore the man behind the carefully crafted image - misogynistic, anti-Semitic, occasionally self-doubting, religiously devout yet with a crude, scatological sense of humour.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

**WARNING: This episode contains an example of strong language

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Surgery in the Early Modern Age Mar 28, 2024

Today surgery is one of the most important sectors in the medical field. But what was surgery like for people in the 16th and 17th centuries, before anaesthetic and sophisticated technology? How were surgeons trained? What tools did they use? And what was the rate of survival?

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb discovers more from historian and retired surgeon Michael Crumplin.

This episode was edited by Ella Blaxill and produced by Rob Weinberg.

**WARNING: Contains some graphic descriptions of surgical procedures**

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Jewish History of Venice Mar 25, 2024

Essential to any history of Venice during its glory days is the story of its Jewish population. Venice gave the world the word ghetto. Astonishingly, the ghetto prison turned out to be as remarkable a place as the city of Venice itself, as a literary, cultural and interfaith revival flourished.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Harry Freedman. His new book Shylock’s Venice tells the story of Venice's Jews, from the founding of the ghetto in 1516, to the capture of Venice by Napoleon in 1798.

This episode was edited by Ella Blaxill and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Tudor Ladies-in-Waiting Mar 21, 2024

For every Tudor Queen, their ladies-in-waiting were their confidantes, chaperones and intimate witnesses to their lives. These women were high born, even if they performed menial tasks, and many of them were educated. As King Henry VIII changed wives - and the very fabric of the country's structure - these women had to make choices about loyalty that simply didn't exist before.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb welcomes Dr. Nicola Clark, whose new book The Waiting Game, tells the untold story of the women who served the Tudor Queens.

This episode was edited by Ella Blaxill and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Diary of a Tudor Gentlewoman Mar 18, 2024

Diaries written by gentlewomen in the mid-16th century are hard to find. Yet, they lived through an age of upheaval as old ways were effaced in preference for the new.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb meets award-winning author Francesca Kay. In her new novel The Book of Days, she has imagined herself into the story of a gentlewoman living in the 1540s, writing her book of days, and it is spellbinding.

This episode was edited by Ella Blaxill and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Trial of Charles I Mar 14, 2024

In the mid-17th century, King Charles I of England was put on trial for treason against the sovereign state. Such a process involved a singular determination by Parliament to find a way, through due legal process, to try the one they saw as a man of blood, to ensure that he paid the price for his faults and failings, but not through extrajudicial summary justice.

To understand how such a thing came about, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb speaks in this episode of Not Just the Tudors to Professor Edward Vallance, who has deeply researched King Charles I's trial.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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How to Live Like a Stuart Aristocrat Mar 11, 2024

After the Restoration of the Monarchy, the upper classes took their cues from court life - its entertainments, costumes, food and leisure pursuits. The Stuart-era aristocracy were cultured, political, well educated, immoderate yet religious. So how did devotion and piety coexist with a lifestyle dominated by excess?

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out from Ben Norman, historian and author of Pomp and Piety: Everyday Life of the Aristocracy in Stuart England.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Jane Seymour: Henry VIII’s Third Queen Mar 07, 2024

Jane Seymour is a paradox. Of Henry VIII’s six wives, she is the one about whom we know perhaps the least. She was the most lowly of the queens, but she had royal blood. She's often described as plain and mousy and lacking opinions, but when we do see her in the sources, she tends to be doing something that shows agency, while wearing some very flashy clothes indeed. So what can we make of Jane Seymour?

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Elizabeth Norton, author of a 2009 book about Jane Seymour and a forthcoming scholarly biography.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

Opening music: The Death of Queen Jane, performed by Karine Polwart, used with kind permission of the artist and Hudson Records.

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Adventures of a Mughal Princess Mar 04, 2024

In the British Library, there is a manuscript copy of the memoir of Princess Gulbadan, the only surviving female-authored memoir from the Mughal Empire. In it, Gulbadan tells her extraordinary story: from growing up in a multi-cultural society, via life in a walled harem, to an unprecedented women's pilgrimage to Mecca, complete with dramatic shipwreck in the Red Sea.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more from Professor Ruby Lal, whose latest book, Vagabond Princess: The Great Adventures of Gulbadan, examines this largely forgotten manuscript and the life of the remarkable woman who wrote it.

This episode was edited by Ella Blaxill and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Origins of Fairy Tales Feb 29, 2024

Fairy tales exist everywhere and in every time. Through centuries of oral tradition and the invention of print and later advances in television and film, fairy tales have altered and shaped themselves in reflection of changing cultural norms.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb goes back to the 16th and 17th centuries and to the first time that fairy tales were written down and compiled. She is joined by Nicholas Jubber, author of The Fairy Tellers: A Journey into the Secret History of Fairy Tales.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

**WARNING: This episode contains some graphic language and descriptions**

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Science vs. Witchcraft: The Kepler Trial Feb 26, 2024

Astronomer Johannes Kepler was an important and admired figure in the scientific revolution of the early 17th century. But when his widowed mother was accused of witchcraft, the scientist remarkably defended her, in a trial that lasted six years.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to author Ulinka Rublack who has pieced together this extraordinary true story.

This episode was edited by Ella Blaxill and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Ghosts & Guardian Angels Feb 22, 2024

In Elizabethan and Stuart England, ghosts weren't supposed to exist. Protestant preachers and writers had banished them - but people continued to see them. So how did our early modern forebears reckon with ghosts and their heavily counterpart, angels?

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out from Professor Peter Marshall, author of several books on ghosts, beliefs and the dead in Reformation England.

This episode was edited by Ella Blaxill and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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The Rise and Fall of Britain's Islands Feb 19, 2024

How did Britain's islands become woven into our collective cultural psyche? Traversing Irish poetry, Renaissance drama and Restoration utopias, author Alice Albinia’s research has boldly upturned established truths about Britain, paying homage to the islands' beauty, independence and their suppressed or forgotten histories - including of women rulers.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Alice Albinia talks more about her book The Britannias: An Island Quest with Professor Suzannah Lipscomb.

This episode was edited by Tomos Delargy and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Origins of the Condom Feb 15, 2024

The first surviving mention of condoms dates from the mid-16th century, in the writings of an Italian anatomist better known for the discovery of the fallopian tubes. Born out of a medical need to prevent the spread of syphilis, the condom was originally made from fabric, normally linen, and later from animal guts.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb meets Dr. Kate Stevenson, whose work as a dress historian has taken her on a journey of discovery into the origins of the condom.

**WARNING: This episode contains graphic language and sexual content**

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Fairies in the Early Modern Era Feb 12, 2024

In the early modern period, belief in fairies was quite commonplace. But put all thoughts of Tinkerbell aside! These fairies were altogether more dangerous beings - troublemakers, child-snatchers, seducers and changelings.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Prof. Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more from Prof. Diane Purkiss, author of Troublesome Things: A History of Fairies and Fairy Stories.

This episode was edited by Ella Blaxill and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Private Life of King James VI & I Feb 08, 2024

King James VI and I, the first monarch to reign over Scotland, England and Ireland, has a mixed reputation. To many, he is simply the homosexual King, the inveterate witch-roaster, the smelly sovereign who never washed, the colourless man behind the authorised Bible bearing his name, or the drooling fool whose speech could barely be understood. For too long, he has paled in comparison to his more celebrated Tudor and Stuart forebears.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more from Dr. Steven Veerapen - author of The Wisest Fool: The Lavish Life of James VI and I - whose research has revealed King James as a gregarious, idealistic man obsessed with the idea of family, whose personal and political goals could never match up to reality.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Supernatural Beings in Early Modern Britain Feb 05, 2024

In the early modern period, it was patently clear to everyone that supernatural beings, foremost among them the devil, were at work in the world, intervening in human affairs. Can we find the origins of beliefs in vampires, zombies and revenants in this age too? How exactly did such beings manifest themselves? And how do we make sense of this in an age in which people believed they were living under a providential God?

Joining Professor Suzannah Lipscomb to kick off a month of special Not Just the Tudor podcasts on supernatural beings in the early modern world is Professor Darren Oldridge, author of The Supernatural in Tudor and Stuart England and The Devil: A Very Short Introduction.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Tudor Conquest of Ireland Feb 01, 2024

Henry VIII was termed "by the Grace of God, King of England, France and Ireland.” Ireland was England’s oldest colony. But what bloody events and brutal actions led to the English conquest of Ireland? How did the relationship between the two countries change over the course of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries? And how did the Irish respond to such subjugation?

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Jane Ohlmeyer, author of the forthcoming book, Making Empire, Ireland, Imperialism and the Early Modern World.

This episode was edited by Ella Blaxill and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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How Ecology Shaped History with Peter Frankopan Jan 29, 2024

History books rarely make much reference to the impact of climate and the natural environment on people, and vice versa. Yet volcanic eruptions and storms, droughts and cyclical pressures have shaped human history, both in raising up civilisations and bringing them to their knees.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to acclaimed historian Professor Peter Frankopan - who has adopted this revolutionary new way of looking at history - to examine the impact of nature on human life in the 15th to 18th centuries.

This episode was edited by Ella Blaxill and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Henry VIII's Nemesis, Cardinal Pole Jan 25, 2024

Reginald Pole has been styled as both the nemesis of Henry VIII and as Mary I's bloody accomplice. Pole was related to the English royal family through the Plantagenets and was himself implicated in a plot against Henry VIII in 1538. So how did he rise to become the last Roman Catholic Archbishop of Canterbury, and then use his position both for and against the Tudor monarchs?

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. Frederick Smith to discuss this complex and charismatic personality.

This episode was edited by Ella Blaxill and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Murder in the Stuart Court Jan 22, 2024

The public fascination with true crime is nothing new. Four centuries ago, the sensational story of the death in the Tower of London of Thomas Overbury, a lawyer in the court of King James I, led to a scandal that rocked the monarchy to its core.

In this episode of Not Just The Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more from Professor Alastair Bellany, about the death of Overbury and why it threatened the Stuart throne.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Trading British Brides for American Tobacco Jan 18, 2024

In 1621 the Virginia Company of London put out a call for young, handsome and honestly educated women to become wives for the planters in its new colony in Jamestown. Hopeful husbands were supposed to pay for their English brides in best leaf tobacco. But who were the women who made the Atlantic crossing? And what became of them when they arrived?

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb meets author Jennifer Potter to find out more about the lives of these extraordinary women.

***Warning: This podcast includes references to slaughter and hostage taking.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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15th Century Puritan Fanatic, Savonarola Jan 15, 2024

Girolamo Savonarola was a late 15th century Dominican friar who rose to become a preacher, prophet, and politician. He took on the corruption of the Roman Catholic Church and despotic rulers including the powerful Medicis. He was both progressive - helping to lay the foundations of the Reformation and the Enlightenment - but also fundamentalist and deeply unsettling.

In this episode, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to award-winning author Denise Mina, whose novel Three Fires tells the story of Savonarola and his role in the bonfire of the vanities - the burning of objects considered sinful, such as cosmetics, mirrors, books, and art.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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How to Survive in Tudor England Jan 11, 2024

Life in Tudor England was risky. In addition to the outbreaks of plague, the threat of poverty and the dangers of childbirth, there were social risks - of not fitting in, of social death. How was a person supposed to behave? And what were the dangers involved?

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out about the art of surviving by 'blending in', with teacher and writer Toni Mount, author of How to Survive in Tudor England.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Elizabeth I's Spymaster, Walsingham Jan 07, 2024

For anyone studying the politics of the 1570s-80s, it would be hard to avoid Elizabeth I’s ‘spymaster’ Sir Francis Walsingham, who seemingly rose from nowhere to become one of the most important men of his time.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more from Dr. Hannah Coates, who has reappraised Walsingham's political practice, religious outlook and role as a councillor to the Crown. Drawing on new and underused sources, she's created a fresh, nuanced, and detailed assessment of mid-Elizabethan politics.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Princes in the Tower: The Tudor Pretenders? Jan 04, 2024

The unsolved mystery of what happened to the Princes in the Tower - Edward V and Richard, Duke of York - is possibly English history’s greatest cold case. Were they murdered by their paternal uncle Richard III? Or were two plotters to take the Tudor throne of King Henry VII - Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck - connected to, or in reality, the Princes who had survived?

Recent findings have raised new questions about the 540-year-old mystery and in this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb explores the evidence and the enduring speculation with author Nathen Amin and History Hit presenter, Matt Lewis.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Tudors in Love Jan 01, 2024

From Henry VIII declaring himself as the ‘loyal and most assured servant’ of Anne Boleyn to the poems lavished on Elizabeth I by her suitors, the dramas of courtly love have captivated readers and dreamers for centuries.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, first released in September 2021, Sarah Gristwood tells Professor Suzannah Lipscomb how the Tudors actually re-enacted the roles of the devoted lovers and capricious mistresses first laid out in the romances of medieval literature - romantic obsessions that shaped the history of Britain.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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The Black Medici Prince of Florence Dec 28, 2023

In the cut-throat world of Renaissance Florence, Alessandro - the illegitimate son of a Duke and a mixed-race servant - attempts to reassert the Medicis’ faltering grip on the city state. But after just six years in power, Alessandro is murdered by his cousin while anticipating an adulterous liaison.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, first released in August 2021, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Catherine Fletcher, author of The Black Prince of Florence, about one man's spectacular rise to power against the odds, and his violent demise.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Tudor Ghosts and Angels Dec 21, 2023

To this day, the presence of angels is synonymous with the Christmas story and the momentous events associated with the Nativity. For the Tudors and Stuarts, widespread belief in angels brought a touch of the miraculous to life, but so too did ghosts, although it was sometimes hard to distinguish them from angels - or demons.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, first released on 23 December 2021, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb summons up the spirits of times past with historian Dr Laura Sangha, an expert in the beliefs associated with the supernatural in the early modern period.

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How the Elizabethan World Shaped Shakespeare Dec 18, 2023

We think of Shakespeare as a man out of time. His stories and characters, his capturing of human nature, and his exquisite use of language, continue to speak to us today - and will endure for the centuries to come. But he was born in a rural market town in the early years of Elizabeth I's reign, and was formed by the social, religious, and political worldview of the period.

In this special episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb reflects on the world that shaped Shakespeare and its concerns that seeped into his timeless plays.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Origins of Pantomime Dec 14, 2023

Have you ever wondered how and where our Christmas tradition of pantomime originated?

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out from Dr. Oliver Crick, who traces pantomime’s origins to Commedia dell’arte - Italian travelling players who adapted their performances to other cultures and senses of humour.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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How the Reformation Changed Music Dec 11, 2023

The Coventry Carol and In Dulci Jubilo are songs that are still sung at this time of the year. Curiously, despite their medieval roots, these tunes remained popular throughout Protestant Elizabethan England, a period when there was a complete overhaul of music in church and what it was expected to do.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr Jonathan Willis to explore the complex effects of the Reformation on music in England.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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The Tudors' Portrait Artist: Holbein Dec 07, 2023

How we visualise the Tudors largely comes from their portraits painted by Hans Holbein the Younger. Between 1526 and 1543, he captured the elite of the Tudor court and beyond - Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Thomas Cromwell, politicians, courtiers, soldiers and countless others.

Every Holbein portrait seems to have begun with a drawing taken at a live sitting. An exhibition of these drawings in now on at Buckingham Palace and allows us to see Holbein’s process at work.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb tours the exhibition with its curator Dr. Kate Heard and art historian Dr. Elizabeth Goldring.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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3 Ways to Die in Early Modern Europe Dec 04, 2023

Life in the 16th and 17th centuries was brutal - the development of warfare technology made conflicts catastrophic for civilians as well as soldiers, there were regular epidemics, and famines both man-made and natural.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb meets Professor Ole Peter Grell, who co-wrote The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Religion, War, Famine and Death in Reformation Europe with Dr. Andrew Cunningham. Today's discussion focuses on just three of the four horsemen: the red horse of war, the black horse of famine, and the pale horse of death and disease.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Montaigne: Philosopher of the French Renaissance Nov 30, 2023

Centuries before Proust's Remembrance of Things Past took us on a tour of memory and James Joyce played with stream of consciousness, a 16th century nobleman - Michel de Montaigne - developed a wholly new style of reflective prose that examined his place in the world. His thoughts, questions and worries appear on the page as though they are your own, at once intensely personal to his own life yet somehow universal.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks about the enduring legacy of the essays of Montaigne with Sarah Bakewell, author of How to Live, or a life of Montaigne in one question and twenty attempts at an answer.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Saving Henry VIII's Lost Tapestry Nov 26, 2023

For the Tudors, tapestries not only brought warmth and colour to a room, but they were magnificent demonstrations of artistic skill and of moral messages. A campaign is now under way to save a vast golden tapestry – Saint Paul Directing the Burning of the Heathen Books - personally commissioned by Henry VIII around 1535, at the time he broke with Rome. If the campaign is successful, the tapestry will go on display to the public in the Faith Museum, Bishop Auckland in County Durham, in Spring 2024.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Sutherland Forsyth and Claire Barron from the Auckland Project, who are spearheading the campaign to try and save this precious, glorious tapestry for the nation.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Mary I: What if She'd Lived? Nov 22, 2023

On 17 November 1558, Queen Mary I died. But how would history have turned out differently if Mary had lived another 30 years? Where would her Roman-Catholicism taken England? Would Mary have patched up relations between England and the rest of Europe?

In this counterfactual special to end her Tudor Dynasty series, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb asks a panel of experts to speculate on the reign that might have been. Suzannah is joined by Dr. Gonzalo Velasco Berenguer, Prof. Alexander Samson and Prof. Anna Whitelock.

Subscribers to History Hit can also watch this discussion, here: https://access.historyhit.com/what-s-new/videos/mary-i-real-fake-history

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Inside Hampton Court Palace Nov 20, 2023

For centuries, Hampton Court has been a stage for monarchy, revolution, religious fundamentalism, sexual scandals, and military coups. In his new book The Palace: From the Tudors to the Windsors, 500 Years of History at Hampton Court, Gareth Russell moves through the rooms and the decades, each time focusing on a different person who called Hampton Court their home.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Gareth to find out more about the many sovereigns and servants that lived and worked in Hampton Court and the personal tragedy and political importance of this extraordinary place.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I with Tracy Borman Nov 16, 2023

Anne Boleyn is usually considered in the context of her marriage to - and demise at the hands of - King Henry VIII. But ultimately, the memory of Anne eventually triumphed, and her death was avenged, through the reign of the daughter she barely knew, Queen Elizabeth I.

Piecing together evidence from original documents and artefacts, historian Tracy Borman - in her new book Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I: The Mother and Daughter Who Changed History - shares compelling evidence that Anne exerted a profound influence on Elizabeth’s character, beliefs and reign.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. Borman to discover more about this special relationship.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Henry VIII: What You Really Need to Know Nov 13, 2023

The truth about Henry VIII may surprise you. This second episode of Not Just the Tudors' Tudor Dynasty mini-series provides you, in a nutshell, with everything you really need to know about Henry: his upbringing as a second son, his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, his exploits on the battlefield and tilt yard, his dependence on Cardinal Wolsey, his romance with Anne Boleyn, the break with Rome, his foreign policy, his murderous legislation and the downfall of Thomas Cromwell.

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb goes to Lincoln College, Oxford, to get to grips with the iconic and infamous monarch with his biographer, Dr. Lucy Wooding.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Witchcraft: Everything You Need to Know Nov 08, 2023

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb pays a visit to historians Dr. Anthony Delaney and Dr. Maddy Pelling, who are the hosts of History Hit’s new podcast, After Dark. Myths, Misdeeds, and the Paranormal. Twice a week, Anthony and Maddy are taking listeners to the shadiest corners of the past, unpicking history's spookiest, strangest and most sinister stories.

For this episode, they were keen for Suzannah to delve deep with them into the ever fascinating subject of witches and witch trials in early modern Europe.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Annie Coloe and Rob Weinberg.

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Henry VII Nov 06, 2023

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb kicks off four special episodes about the Tudor Dynasty with a look at its founding father King Henry VII.Seen as an exile and outsider with barely a claim to the throne, there was little to suggest that the obscure Henry would last any longer than his predecessor Richard III who Henry defeated at the battle of Bosworth Field. To maintain his grip on power and to convince England that his rule was both rightful and effective, Henry VII embarked upon a ruthless and controlling kingship

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more about this unlikely monarch with Henry VII’s biographer Sean Cunningham.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Gunpowder Plot: Tudor Origins Nov 01, 2023

The Gunpowder Plot is one of the hinge events of British history - an act of terror the roots of which stretch back to the Tudor period and Henry VIII's break with Rome. It's a story of Holy War, divided loyalties and religious hatred. And it has never been more timely.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, first released in September 2021, Suzannah Lipscomb talks gunpowder, treason and plot with award-winning author and historian Jessie Childs.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Origins of the Witchfinder General Oct 30, 2023

In the 1640s, Matthew Hopkins gave himself the grandiose title of Witchfinder General and set himself the task of purging England of witches. But where did his obsession come from and why did he adopt this monstrous role?

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to playwright Joanna Carrick, whose new work The Ungodly at the Avenue Theatre in Ipswich, explores these very questions.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Black Tudors Oct 26, 2023

Themost famous Black African in Tudor England is John Blanke, a musician in the courts of Henry VII and Henry VIII. The discovery of Blanke, originally by Professor Sydney Anglo, was made famous by Dr. Miranda Kaufmann’s 2017 book Black Tudors, The Untold Story. A year earlier Michael Ohajuru started the John Blanke Project, an art and archive venture inviting historians and artists to respond to this evidence of the first person of African descent in British history for whom we have both an image and a record.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to them both about the evidence for Africans in early modern Britain, whether John Blanke was exceptional, what new things we're learning about him, and why it's important to tell stories like his.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Inside the Tudor Home Oct 22, 2023

We are all familiar with great Tudor palaces and country houses but what were the homes of ordinary people like during that time? How were they built, and how did designs change with the use of new materials and construction methods? What did people do in their various rooms? How did they cook, clean and sleep? And, very importantly, did they keep pets?

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more from Bethan Watts, author of Inside the Tudor Home: Daily Life in the Sixteenth Century.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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The Tudors Told Through Numbers Oct 19, 2023

There are countless ways to understand and analyse the Tudors but a new book takes a unique look at the dynasty through its statistics. And there’s a lot more to discover than just the famous six wives.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Carol Ann Lloyd, author of The Tudors by Numbers, about the novel approach she has taken to looking at the Tudors.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Shakespeare's son Hamnet with Maggie O'Farrell Oct 16, 2023

When it comes to Shakespeare's biography and his inner life, there's a certain lack of evidence. But what if Shakespeare actually signposted us to an event that radically metamorphosed his world? What if he named his most famous, most acclaimed play Hamlet after his son, Hamnet, who died at the age of 11?

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to author Maggie O'Farrell who won the Women's Prize for Fiction with her novel exploring this very question. Hamnet is now also a play by the Royal Shakespeare Company, adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti, being staged at the Garrick Theatre in London. Suzannah talks to Maggie O'Farrell about both the novel and the play.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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William the Silent, Father of the Netherlands Oct 12, 2023

What encouraged a young man who had spent most of his formative years being raised by Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, to bite the hand that feeds him and become one of the Empire's greatest enemies? Why risk his life spending most of his adult years leading a revolt when he could have enjoyed the pomp and pleasures of being a prince? And when did the revolt he led become the foundations of an entire nation? The man in question is William the Silent, also known as William, Prince of Orange.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Nick Ridley to find out more about William the Silent’s rise as a nationalist leader that led to the founding of the Netherlands.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg and edited by Joseph Knight.

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Witchcraft: A History in Four Trials Oct 09, 2023

Most of our knowledge of witchcraft accusations and executions comes from the proceedings of high profile and significant trials. Professor Marion Gibson’s new book traces the history of witchcraft through 13 such trials.

In today’s episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb and Professor Gibson explore four trials between the 1480s and the 1620s - from Austria, Scotland, Norway, and Virginia in the United States. This is the period during which people didn't just believe that witches existed, they came to believe that witches made a pact with the devil which put them entirely at odds with right thinking Christians.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Normal Women with Philippa Gregory Oct 05, 2023

Did women really do nothing to shape England’s culture and traditions through centuries of turmoil, plague, famine and religious reform? In her new non-fiction book, best-selling author Philippa Gregory questions the male version of history by recounting the stories of normal women: those who left records and those who were ‘hidden from history.’ By spotlighting their presence, she puts women where they belong – centre stage.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Philippa Gregory about women’s integral role in social and cultural change in the early modern era.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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How Shakespeare Depicted Race Oct 02, 2023

In the same way that Shakespeare’s women characters were performed by boys in female costume, African, Middle Eastern, Hispanic and Jewish roles in his plays were taken by white men, deploying a series of racial symbols, stereotypes and, to modern ears, troubling racial language. But how did Shakespeare's original audiences view race and racial difference? And how has this understanding changed?

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Farah Karim-Cooper, whose new book The Great White Bard raises important questions about Shakespeare's depiction of both race and racism.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Anne Boleyn & Catherine Howard's Uncle, Thomas Howard Sep 28, 2023

Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, is often vilified as one of the Tudor century's most unpleasant characters. His was a family marked by treason, beheadings and incarceration - a dynasty whose pride and ambition secured only their downfall. But can this uncle to two wives of Henry VIII be rescued at all from infamy?

To unpick this complex man, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Robert Hutchinson, author of House of Treason: The Rise and Fall of a Tudor Dynasty.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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How Kateryn Parr Championed the Reformation Sep 25, 2023

Henry VIII's sixth wife Kateryn Parr was a scholar and a writer in her own right. She was one of the first English women to have works published under her own name, creating a new role as both queen and author, translating politically sensitive texts in collaboration with Henry and Thomas Cranmer.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Prof. Suzannah Lipscomb meets Dr. Micheline White. Her discoveries also shed new light on Kateryn Parr’s influence on the future Queen Elizabeth I, the English Reformation and its ongoing legacy.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Eating with the Tudors Sep 21, 2023

What did the Tudor age understand about digestion? How did this affect what foods people prepared and ate? Was there such a thing as healthy eating? How did they manage seasonal food changes and seasons of scarcity? And what role did food play in establishing class, belonging and status?

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Brigitte Webster, a culinary historian and journalist. Her new book, Eating with the Tudors: Food and Recipes is full of extraordinary insights that give us an idea about how the Tudors really lived.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Henry VIII’s Fool, Will Somer Sep 18, 2023

In some portraits of Henry VIII there appears another, striking figure. This is Will Somer, the king’s fool, a celebrated wit who could raise Henry’s spirits and spent many hours alone with him. But was Somer an “artificial fool” - a comedian who spoke truth to power - or a “natural fool,” someone with intellectual disabilities?

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Swedish historian Peter K. Andersson, whose new biography of Somer - Fool: In Search of Henry VIII’s Closest Man - reveals a little-known world where comedy could be something cruel and unpleasant.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Margaret Cavendish: 17th Century Revolutionary Sep 14, 2023

In an age when literature was dominated by men, Margaret Cavendish wrote passionately about gender, science and philosophy. She published under her own name, and advocated for women in work. Her 1666 novel The Blazing World was one of the earliest works of science fiction.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Francesca Peacock, author of Pure Wit: The Revolutionary Life of Margaret Cavendish, which recounts Cavendish’s fascinating, pioneering, yet often complex and controversial life.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Hapsburg Inbreeding with Dr. Adam Rutherford Sep 11, 2023

One of Early Modern Europe’s most powerful families, the Hapsburgs shared a physical trait so distinctive that it came to be regarded as a badge of honour - the large, jutting jaw that was a result of family inbreeding. But that was only part of their physiological challenges.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks genetics, inbreeding and the sad fate of the Hapsburgs with Dr. Adam Rutherford, author of A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived: The Stories in Our Genes.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Michelangelo Sep 07, 2023

At 31, Michelangelo was considered the finest artist in Italy, perhaps the world. Long before he died at almost 90, he was widely believed to be the greatest sculptor or painter who had ever lived. Few of his works - including the Sistine Chapel Ceiling, David and The Last Judgment - were small or easy to accomplish. Like a hero of classical mythology, Michelangelo was subject to constant trials and labours.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Martin Gayford, author of Michelangelo: His Epic Life, about the life and work of Michelangelo and how he transformed forever our notion of what an artist could be.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Origins of Modern Iran: Safawid Dynasty Sep 04, 2023

The Safawid Dynasty, which ruled Iran from 1501 to 1736, marked the beginning of modern Iranian history. At its height, it controlled all of what is now Iran, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Armenia, eastern Georgia, parts of the North Caucasus including Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, and Afghanistan, as well as parts of Turkey, Syria, Pakistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The period was extensively documented by scholars, western travellers, in literary works and commercial and political records. There are surviving buildings, monuments, coins, pottery, carpets, paintings, metalwork, and illustrations.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb meets Professor Andrew Newman to find out more about this fascinating history.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Dutch Golden Age: 'The Goldfinch' and its Painter Aug 31, 2023

On the morning of 12 October 1654, in the Dutch city of Delft, a sudden explosion was followed by a thunderclap that could be heard more than 70 miles away. Carel Fabritius - now known across the world for his exquisite painting ’The Goldfinch’ - had been at work in his studio. He, along with many others, would not survive the day.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to The Observer’s art critic Laura Cumming whose new book, Thunderclap: A memoir of art and life & sudden death, reveals her passion for the art of the Dutch Golden Age and her determination to lift up the reputation of Fabritius.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Henry VIII's Billionaire Wardrobe Aug 28, 2023

Henry VIII was described as the 'best dressed sovereign in the world' by the Venetian ambassador Sebastian Giustinian. The Tudor King spent the equivalent of £2 million a year on clothes.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, first released in April 2021, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Professor Maria Hayward to get to grips with the sumptuous garments, the fabrics — and exaggerated codpieces — that made up Henry VIII’s wondrous wardrobe.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Girls on Stage and Page in the Elizabethan Age Aug 24, 2023

Contrary to the idea that the early modern stage was male-dominated, girls actually played an active part in religious dramas, civic pageants, Elizabethan country house entertainments, and Stuart court and household masques. Girls also excelled as singers, translators and authors whose power was evoked in the plays of Shakespeare.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Deanne Williams, author of Girl Culture in the Middle Ages and Renaissance,

which shows how the active presence and participation of girls shaped Renaissance culture.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Stealing the Crown Jewels with Al Murray Aug 21, 2023

In 1671, an Anglo-Irish officer, the self-styled Colonel Blood attempted to steal the Crown Jewels from the Tower of London. The thwarted crime brought him face-to-face with King Charles II. This incredible story is the subject of a riotous new stage comedy, The Crown Jewels, starring Al Murray and Mel Giedroyc.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more from Al Murray as well as the play’s author Simon Nye and its director Sean Foley.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Elizabeth I's Censored Annals: A Major Discovery Aug 17, 2023

Did King James VI of Scotland plot to assassinate Elizabeth I? Did she name him as her successor? For centuries, dozens of pasted-over passages in the original manuscript of William Camden’s Annals have been inaccessible. But now, technology has made them visible for the first time, offering new insights into the political machinations of Elizabeth’s court.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more from researcher Helena Rutkowska and Calum Cockburn from the British Library.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Christopher Wren Aug 14, 2023

Best known for St. Paul’s Cathedral, Christopher Wren was the greatest architect Britain has ever known. But he was so much more: he applied his mind to astronomy, meteorology and anatomy. How did he achieve so much while running the nation's biggest architectural office with all its petty jealousies and political challenges?

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more about this extraordinary figure from Professor Adrian Tinniswood, author of His Invention So Fertile: A Life of Christopher Wren.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Treasures of Lambeth Palace Aug 10, 2023

Books belonging to Henry VIII, Richard III, Mary I and Edward VI are among the treasures in the historic library of the Archbishops of Canterbury, one of the oldest public libraries in England.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb takes a tour of just a few items from Lambeth Palace Library’s priceless collection with the librarian archivist Giles Mandelbrote.

There are pictures of all of the items featured in this podcast on Suzannah’s social media accounts - @sixteenthCgirl - on Facebook, Twitter, Threads, and Instagram.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Seymour, Dudley & Parr Families: Forgotten Tudor Women Aug 07, 2023

Seymour, Dudley and Parr are all well-known Tudor names. But often, behind the more famous men in those families, there were women who had a much greater influence than has previously been acknowledged.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by historian and researcher Sylvia Barbara Soberton to discover more about three such women - Ann Seymour, Jane Dudley and Elizabeth Parr - who galvanized their husbands, shaped power relations, and helped orchestrate events that we usually assume were driven by men.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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The African Samurai Aug 03, 2023

How did an enslaved East African man become Japan’s first foreign samurai, and the only ever samurai of African descent? How did Yasuke catch the attention of Japan’s most powerful warlord Oda Nobunaga, to become the most unlikely of national heroes?

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to author Craig Shreve who, in his new novel The African Samurai: The incredible story of Yasuke, magnificently reconstructs the story of this fascinating lost historical figure.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Gentileschi: Greatest Female Artist of the Baroque Age Jul 31, 2023

Artemisia Gentileschi was the most celebrated female painter of the 17th century, as famous in her lifetime as Reubens or Van Dyke. But the events of her life were as savage as the events depicted in her paintings.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Elizabeth Freemantle, whose new novel Disobedient imagines Gentileschi’s life and the pivotal events that may have fuelled the energy and fury of her paintings.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Tudor Gifts: How to Win Friends and Influence People Jul 27, 2023

How meaningful can a gift - especially of a book - be? In the fickle world of the Tudor court, the strategic gifting of books was a common practice, bound up in relationships of power, politics and protest. A new exhibition exploring this subject at the Bodleian Library, Oxford, includes a stunning book made by a young Elizabeth I which she gave to Katherine Parr as a New Year’s gift in 1544.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb visits the exhibition to find out more from curator Dr Nicholas Perkins and historian Dr. Felicity Heal.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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The Reformation: What Catholics & Protestants Believed Jul 24, 2023

In the sixteenth century, religious beliefs underwent a dramatic change. As differences between the late medieval Roman Catholic Church and the nature of Luther's Protestantism spread across Western Europe, where you stood on points of theology could literally mean life or death. For example, what did you have to do to attain salvation? And what happened in the most holy moment of a church service, the Mass?

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb explores the complex and fascinating ideas that people believed with Professor Alec Ryrie.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Ivan the Terrible Jul 20, 2023

The name Ivan the Terrible is synonymous with brutality and ruthlessness. While Western scholars insist that the first crowned Tsar of all Russia did create a policy of mass repression and execution, others claim Ivan’s name has been tarnished by Western travellers and writers. How then should his complex and fascinating personality be understood?

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb examines the evidence with Dr. Charles Halperin, one of the world's foremost historians of Ivan the Terrible.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians including Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code TUDORS. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up here >

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Tudor Queens: The Power of Jewellery Jul 17, 2023

From the mid-15th century to the mid-16th century, there were 10 Queens Consort of England, from Margaret of Anjou to Katherine Parr. For each of these Queens, jewellery was a way she could signify her status and her legitimacy, display familial and cultural ties, and chart life events - from courtship and marriage, through motherhood, to death.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Nicola Tallis, whose book All the Queen's Jewels 1445-1548: Power, Majesty and Display examines the personal and political connections of Queens through the lens of their jewellery.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg and Elena Guthrie.

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Elizabethan Rivals: Francis Bacon & Edward Coke Jul 13, 2023

As Queen Elizabeth I lays dying, King James VI of Scotland is waiting to accede to the throne of England. But who will thrive and who will fall under the new King? Will it be the scholar Francis Bacon, whose brilliant mind is the envy of the court? Or his hated rival Edward Cook, the greatest lawyer of his generation?

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors — recorded at the Hay Festival of Literature & Arts —

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Jesse Norman MP about his new novel The Winding Stair, an epic tale of jealousy and intrigue in Elizabethan and Jacobean England, which, in its lowest moments, holds a darkened mirror to our own contemporary politics.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians including Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code TUDORS. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up here >

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Francis Drake's Discovery of West Coast America Jul 10, 2023

In the summer of 1579, Francis Drake had to land in a ‘fair and good bay’ on the western coast of the New World when his ship - The Golden Hind - needed repairs. A sign was put up, naming it Nova Albion (‘New England’) for Queen Elizabeth I. But the question of exactly where Drake landed has continued to vex historians to this day.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Melissa Darby, whose meticulous and painstaking work has uncovered all manner of evidence to finally resolve the controversy.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians including Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code TUDORS. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up here >

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Thomas More on Film: The Historians' Verdict Jul 06, 2023

What do you get when you bring together five top historians to debate depictions of Thomas More on film and TV? History with the gloves off - our third special episode of Not Just the Tudors Lates! This time, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb takes as her starting point the life of the scholar who wrote Utopia, the Lord Chancellor who became a Roman Catholic martyr and saint.

Suzannah is joined again by Dr Joanne Paul, Jessie Childs, Alex von Tunzelmann and Professor Sarah Churchwell to compare the various film versions of Thomas More’s story, where they have got it right - and often wildly wrong.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians including Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code TUDORS. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up here >

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Elizabeth I's Musician: William Byrd Jul 03, 2023

The most admired and influential composer during the reigns of Queen Elizabeth I and King James I, William Byrd died exactly 400 years ago on 4 July 1623. Byrd’s music ranks among the most unique and inspired works of the late Renaissance. Remarkably, Byrd was a practicing Catholic in Anglican England who persistently faced threats of religious persecution.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more to Byrd’s award-winning biographer Dr. Kerry McCarthy.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

The following musical extracts are used with the kind permission of the performers:

Clarifica Me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXqpCaVnYfQ&t=29s

Performed by Léon Berben

Domines quis habitat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1zrywqZfyQ

Performed by the Byrd Ensemble

Similles Illes Fiant (In Exitu Israel) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM8N8JlgnJA

Ad Dominum Cum Tribulare https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6KHWQ5OzWQ

Performed by The Cardinall's Musick directed by Andrew Carwood

Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians including Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code TUDORS. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up here >

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Shakespeare's Plays: The Power of Gestures Jun 29, 2023

When we think of Shakespeare, we mostly think of language. But what about gesture and other forms of nonverbal communication - from thumb-biting in Romeo and Juliet to Pistol giving “the fig of Spain” in Henry V? Do gestures say something specific about the gendering of guilt and shame?

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, rounding up her series for the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s First Folio, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb takes a look at this fascinating topic with theatre scholar Dr. Miranda Faye Thomas.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Transgender Fairies in Early Modern Literature Jun 26, 2023

Today we think of fairies on the stage and in stories as often cute, ultra-feminine and unthreatening. But in Early Modern literature, fairies were supernatural often gender-fluid beings - just think of Ariel in The Tempest.

In this special episode of Not Just the Tudors for Pride Month, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more from Dr. Ezra Horbury, lecturer in Renaissance literature at the University of York.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians including Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code TUDORS. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up here >

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Shakespeare's London: Going to the Theatre Jun 22, 2023

In this third special episode of Not Just the Tudors celebrating the 400th anniversary of the publication of Shakespeare’s First Folio, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb investigates the nature of theatre-going in Elizabethan London with Dr. Eoin Price. How were theatres built? What was the experience for the audience? Who went to plays and how did they choose what plays to see, in which theatre? Did they even care if Shakespeare’s name was on the programme?

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Elizabeth I’s Royal Tours Jun 19, 2023

Every spring and summer of her 44 year reign, Queen Elizabeth I insisted that her court go "on progress" — royal visits to towns and aristocratic homes. These trips provided the only direct contact most people had with their monarch.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb meets Dr. Mary Hill Cole, whose research examines the effects of these visits on the Queen's household and government, the individual and civic hosts, and the impact of her authority.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians including Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code TUDORS. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up here: http://access.historyhit.com/checkout?code=tudors&plan=monthly

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Cromwell, Boleyn & Aragon: A New Discovery Jun 15, 2023

Experts at Hever Castle - the childhood home of Anne Boleyn - have made an extraordinary discovery. They’ve established that an ornate 1527 prayer book — kept in a Cambridge library for more than 350 years — belonged to Henry VIII’s Chief Minister Thomas Cromwell and appears in Holbein’s portrait of him. Identical books were also owned by Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn.

In today’s episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb goes to Hever Castle to find out more.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Shakespeare’s First Folio: Politics, People & Printing Jun 12, 2023

Shakespeare’s First Folio — the first book to contain 36 of his plays, 18 of which had not been in print before — was published in 1623.

In the second of her special series marking its 400th anniversary, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb delves into the political and social story behind its printing. It's a story of royal families, foreign affairs, industry, commerce and religion. Suzannah’s guest is Dr. Chris Laoutaris, whose most recent work is Shakespeare's Book: The Intertwined Lives Behind the First Folio.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Elizabethan 'Travel Liar': The Truth about David Ingram Jun 08, 2023

In 1567, a sailor named David Ingram sailed from Plymouth with 400 others on a slaving expedition. The ensuing events read like a fantastic adventure story: shipwrecked in a hurricane off Mexico, a battle with - and imprisonment by - the Spanish, escape and a 3000 mile trek to Canada. Ingram was one of only three who survived to tell the tale. And what a tale he told.

For four centuries, it has been thought that Ingram may have made it all up. But in this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out from Professor Dean Snow, the truth about the extraordinary journey of David Ingram.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Mary Queen of Scots, Catherine de' Medici & Elisabeth de Valois Jun 05, 2023

Three powerful Renaissance queens all lived together at the French court for many years. They were bound together through blood and marriage, alliance and friendship — bonds that were tested when they were forced to scatter to different kingdoms.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Leah Redmond Chang — author of Young Queens: The gripping, intertwined story of Catherine de' Medici, Elisabeth de Valois and Mary, Queen of Scots — to find out more about these three women who lived their lives at the mercy of the state.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Shakespeare's First Folio Jun 01, 2023

Four hundred years ago in 1623, the first collected edition of Shakespeare's plays was printed. Known as the First Folio, the book was integral to establishing Shakespeare's posthumous reputation just seven years after his death.

In the first of four special episodes of Not Just the Tudors celebrating this anniversary, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Emma Smith about the story behind Shakespeare’s First Folio, how it collected together and preserved his works as we know them today, and its lasting legacy.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Great Fire of London May 29, 2023

Why do we call the Great Fire of London in 1666 “great”? Was it because of the significant challenge it posed to authorities and residents as they sought to bring it under control? Was it because of the extent of its devastation? Or was it because it occurred during an eventful couple of years where plague and war also threatened lives?

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to historian Rebecca Rideal, author of 1666: Plague, War and Hellfire, whose research has drawn on little known sources to set the Great Fire of London in the broader context of the political, social and economic events of the time.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Tudors in Ireland May 25, 2023

King Henry VII and his Tudor heirs knew very little about Ireland, over which they ruled in name at least. During the 118 years of Tudor rule, not one of its monarchs ever set foot in the Emerald Isle. Yet the history of the Tudor monarchy cannot fully be told without understanding its relations with Ireland.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb discovers more with Professor Christopher McGinn.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Obscene Jokes in the Early Modern Period May 22, 2023

In the 16th Century, rude jokes and scatological humour were just as much a feature of life as they are today. Between 1529 and 1539, a Swiss linen trader called Johannes Rütiner included many jokes and humorous anecdotes in his personal notebooks. They offer an amazing insight into both the jokes that were told and the context in which they were passed on.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more from Dr. Carla Roth.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

**WARNING: This episode contains examples of 16th century humour which some listeners may find offensive or shocking**

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Anne Boleyn & Katherine of Aragon: Rival Queens? May 18, 2023

History has painted Katherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn in two very different hues: one wife, one mistress; one Spanish, one French; one committed Catholic, one radical reformer. But a new exhibition at Hever Castle examines one curious moment of confluence, right in the midst of the crucial year of 1527. It's a moment that suggests that Katherine and Anne had more in common than we normally imagine.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb goes to Hever Castle to find out more, with curators Dr. Owen Emmerson and Kate McCaffrey.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Enslaved Children in 16th Century Spain May 15, 2023

Following the Second Granada War (1568-70), thousands of Moriscos in Spain were exiled, imprisoned or enslaved. Moriscos were former Muslims who had been compelled to convert to Roman Catholicism. But in 1572, Spanish King Philip II made the enslavement of Morisco children illegal. Yet they were still separated from their parents and put to work in Christian households.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb delves into this fascinating episode with Dr. Stephanie Kavanaugh, to find out why the enslavement of children was banned, how the slave owners reacted, and what became of them.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Witches of St Osyth May 11, 2023

In March 1582, a number of women from the small Essex village of St Osyth, were hanged for the crime of witchcraft. Several others, including one man, died in prison, in what was a shocking and highly localised witch-hunt.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Marion Gibson, who offers revelatory new insights into the personal histories of those who were denied the chance to speak for themselves.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Louis XIV and his Mistresses May 08, 2023

Louis XIV ruled France for more than 72 years, the longest recorded reign of any monarch of any sovereign country in history. Despite the devotion of his wife Maria Theresa of Spain, Louis took a series of mistresses, a number of them "official", with whom he had numerous illegitimate children. Yet, for the last three decades of his life, after Maria Theresa's death, he settled down more loyally with the Marquise de Maintenon.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, first released in June 2021, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more about the powerful and fascinating women behind the throne of the Sun King, with Dr Linda Kiernan Knowles.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Coronations of Charles I and Charles II May 04, 2023

What could be more topical this week than looking back at the coronations of the first two Kings Charles. Charles I’s reign is best remembered for the events of the English Civil War, a conflict over the balance of power between parliament and royal supremacy which resulted in his execution and the establishment of Oliver Cromwell’s short-lived Commonwealth. After the restoration of the monarchy, Charles II was crowned in a momentous celebration, designed to reassure the nation of its stability and security.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more from Dr Clare Jackson, author of Devil-Land: England Under Siege, 1588-1688.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Lady Jane Grey May 01, 2023

On a cold February morning in 1554, Lady Jane Grey was beheaded for high treason. Named by King Edward VI as his successor, Queen Jane had reigned for just 13 tumultuous days before being imprisoned in the Tower, condemned and executed.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, first released in October 2021, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to author and historian Dr. Nicola Tallis who reveals the moving, human story of an intelligent, independent and courageous young woman, forced on to the English throne by the great power players in the Tudor court.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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England’s First Ambassador to India: Thomas Roe Apr 27, 2023

When Thomas Roe arrived in India in 1616 as James I's first ambassador to the Mughal Empire, the English barely had a toehold in the subcontinent. Roe was representing a kingdom that was beset by financial woes and deeply conflicted about its identity. Meanwhile, the court Roe entered was wealthy and cultured, its dominion one of the greatest and richest empires of the world.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Nandini Das, about Roe's four years in India, a turning point in history, which offers a rich and radical challenge to our understanding of Britain and its early empire.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Mary Rose: Henry VIII’s Foreign Crew Apr 24, 2023

In the 16th century, “strangers” was the name used in England for people who were born in territories not controlled by the Tudor monarchy. Thinking about Henry VIII’s armed forces, we might not expect to find “strangers” among them - but there were.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Catherine Fletcher and Samantha Nelson. Their research into the crew of the Mary Rose - the Tudor warship that sank in the Solent on 19 July 1545 - has revealed some fascinating insights into the origins of the men who served on board.

This episode was edited by Stuart Beckwith and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Bess's Hardwick Hall Apr 20, 2023

Hardwick Hall is a triumph of Elizabethan architecture. Built in the late sixteenth century, its halls, corridors and staircases embody the magnificence of the Renaissance period in England. But they also tell the story of the remarkable woman who built it in a patriarchal age - the four-times-married Bess of Hardwick, England’s wealthiest woman after Queen Elizabeth I.

In this episode of Not Just The Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb takes us on a tour of Hardwick Hall. Roaming its tapestry-lined oak corridors, she recounts it’s rich history, uncovers a connection with Mary, Queen of Scots and seeks to rehabilitate Bess’s rapacious reputation.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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John Donne: England’s Greatest Love Poet Apr 17, 2023

John Donne was a scholar of law, a sea adventurer, an MP, a priest, the Dean of St Paul's Cathedral - and perhaps the greatest love poet in the history of the English language. He converted from Catholicism to Protestantism, was jailed for marrying a high-born girl without her father's consent, struggled to feed a family of ten children and was often ill and in pain.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb meets Katherine Rundell, author of the acclaimed book Super-Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne, which won the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction 2022. Together they explore the life and work of a man who, despite a life of extreme challenges, expressed in his verse electric joy and love.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Willoughbyland: England's Lost Colony Apr 13, 2023

When Sir Walter Raleigh set out to South America to find the legendary city of El Dorado, he paved the way for a series of adventurers who would struggle against the harsh reality of South America’s wild jungles. Six decades later, when a group of English gentlemen expelled from England chose to establish a new colony in what is now Suriname, they named the settlement in honour of its founder Sir Francis Willoughby.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to author Matthew Parker. His book Willoughbyland: England’s Lost Colony tells the story of how this one-time paradise became a place of terror and cruelty, of sugar and slavery.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Catherine Howard: Henry VIII's Fifth Wife Apr 10, 2023

Catherine Howard was Queen Consort - and fifth wife - to Henry VIII for just 16 months before he had her executed for treason for committing adultery. Since Victorian times, historians have labelled her as lewd and promiscuous, but there was an altogether more complex young woman behind the rumours.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, first released in July 2021, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Gareth Russell, author of Young and Damned and Fair, a riveting account of Catherine's tragic marriage to an unstable King, and the tragedy of her life in a dangerous hothouse where the odds were stacked against her.

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Mary, Queen of Scots on Film: Historians’ Verdict Apr 06, 2023

What do you get when you bring together five top historians to debate Mary, Queen of Scots on film? History with the gloves off - our second special episode of Not Just the Tudors Lates! This time, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb takes as her starting point the tragic life of the Scottish Queen and her relationship with her rival and cousin Queen Elizabeth I.

Suzannah is joined once again by Dr Joanne Paul, Jessie Childs, Alex von Tunzelmann and Professor Sarah Churchwell to compare the various film versions of Mary’s story, where they have got it right - and often wildly wrong.

This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.

Listen to the first Not Just the Tudors Lates about Elizabeth I on Screen, here.

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Creator of Don Quixote: Cervantes Apr 03, 2023

In the early 17th century, an aged veteran of Spain's wars against the Ottoman Empire published a book. It was the story of a poor nobleman who deludes himself that he is a knight errant and sets off on hilarious adventures. Don Quixote went on to sell more copies than any other book beside the Bible, making its author Cervantes the single most-read author in human history.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to William Egginton, author of The Man Who Invented Fiction: How Cervantes ushered in the Modern World. Together they explore Cervantes's life and the world he lived in, how his influences converged in his work, and how Don Quixote radically changed the nature of literature and created a new way of viewing the world.

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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How People Died in 16th Century London Mar 30, 2023

In one week in London in September, 1665, no fewer than 47 different causes of death were reported, including consumption, fever, dropsy, being frightened, grief, worms, vomiting, and plague. We know this because of a record called a Bill of Mortality, a broad sheet that was printed to list the number of burials in and around the city of London by district and the causes of those deaths.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Vanessa Harding about Bills of Mortality and what they can tell us about life and death in early modern London.

The subject of this podcast was suggested by listener Keith Denny. If you have an idea for an episode, please email notjustthetudors@historyhit.com or via Twitter @NotJustTudors.

This episode was edited by Anisha Deva and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Pieter Bruegel the Elder: Renaissance Painter Mar 27, 2023

During a time of increasing religious and political conflict, Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s paintings portrayed work and pleasure, rituals and festivals of peasant life, and biblical scenes - all in startling detail. Inspired by humanist principles, Bruegel’s art questioned how well we know ourselves, often representing our ignorance and insignificance, the futility of ambition and the absurdity of pride.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Elizabeth Honig, author of Pieter Bruegel and the Idea of Human Nature,to explore further how Bruegel’s art and ideas enable people to ponder what it means to be human.

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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17th Century Revolutionary England Mar 23, 2023

In the 17th Century, people experienced major social and economic problems that intertwined with religious disagreements and political debates. The turbulence led to civil war, the execution of King Charles I and a failed experiment with Republicanism. But what led Britain into this world turned upside down? And was the society that was delivered a better one than the one before?

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Jonathan Healey - author of The Blazing World: A New History of Revolutionary England - about what we can learn from the lives of ordinary people about the fears and worries that drove them to radical action.

This episode was edited by Stuart Beckwith and produced by Elena Guthrie and Rob Weinberg.

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Who Painted Anne Dudley? A Tudor Mystery Mar 20, 2023

For centuries, the name of an accomplished and popular portrait painter in the court of Elizabeth I has remained unknown. The renowned art historian Sir Roy Strong dubbed this artist the ‘Master of the Countess of Warwick’ but his identity has remained a mystery - until now. A fascinating new exhibition presents his works side-by-side - and it proposes a name for this mysterious artist.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb visits the exhibition at Compton Verney in Warwickshire to meet curator Amy Orrock and to find out more about the work - and probable life - of a great, forgotten painter.

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Menstruation in Early Modern England Mar 16, 2023

Today we know that menstruation is a biological process. There’s a great deal of scientific research that explains the menstrual cycle. But how was menstruation perceived and understood in Early Modern England? Was it talked about by women and men in the same way? How did it influence attitudes towards women? And how did women manage their menstrual cycles physically and mentally?

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb explores these questions with Dr. Sara Read.

**WARNING: This podcast contains descriptions of, and discussions about, female blood loss**

This episode was edited by Stuart Beckwith and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Anne Boleyn’s Final Year Mar 13, 2023

Anne Boleyn’s reputation is buried beneath centuries of labels: home-wrecker, seductress, opportunist, witch, romantic victim, Protestant martyr, feminist. But a new look at the final year of Anne Boleyn’s life reveals a very human portrait of a brilliant, passionate and complex woman.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Natalie Grueninger, author of The Final Year of Anne Boleyn, about that last year of Anne’s life, its joys and its tragedies.

This episode was edited by Anisha Deva and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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The Myth of 'Western Civilisation' Mar 09, 2023

'Western Civilisation' is often thought of as a continuous thread through the centuries - from classical antiquity to the countries of the modern West - connecting Plato to NATO.

But in her new book - The West: A New History of an Old Idea - archaeologist and historian Professor Naoìse Mac Sweeney charts the history of 'the West' as an invention used to justify imperialism and racism - a notion that can be disproved by the lives of 14 historical figures.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Mac Sweeney, about four of these fascinating figures - Tullia d’Aragona, Safiye Sultan, Francis Bacon and Nzinga of Ndongo & Matamba - whose remarkable lives correct our telling of Western history.

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Katherine of Aragon: England's First Renaissance Queen Mar 06, 2023

In preparation for International Women's Day this Wednesday, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb takes a look at a Queen whose reputation has largely been shaped by her husband's midlife crisis. History does not see much further than Katherine of Aragon's so-called failure to provide Henry with a son and heir, and this means something very important about her has been missed - that Katherine was raised to become England’s first Renaissance Queen.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to art historian Dr. Emma Luisa Cahill Marrón about how Katherine and Henry worked together over two decades to create a Renaissance court that attracted Europe’s greatest writers, artists and thinkers.

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Jews & the Inquisition in Italy Mar 02, 2023

Between 1598 and 1785, the Papal or Roman Inquisition in Modena, Northern Italy, put 393 Jews on trial. Regarded as infidels, Jews were accused of, among other things, blasphemy, employing a Christian servant, owning prohibited books, and having sex with Christians. But the trials belie a somewhat different picture - one in which, in many cases, Jews and Christians co-existed happily together in Modena.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more from Professor Katherine Aron-Beller, about the real lives of the Jews who stood before the inquisition in Italy.

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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The Death of Amy Dudley Feb 27, 2023

On 6 September 1560, Amy Robsart Dudley died after falling down a staircase at Cumnor Place in Oxfordshire. But did she fall? Was she pushed? Or did she throw herself down the stairs? These questions exercised Tudor courtiers and foreign ambassadors at the time. The truth mattered because Amy was the wife of Queen Elizabeth I’s leading courtier and very close friend, Robert Dudley, and his wife’s death could clear the way for Elizabeth to marry Dudley. But in practice, the circumstances of Amy’s death precluded any possibility of a royal marriage.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Joanne Paul - author of the acclaimed book The House of Dudley - to discuss what really happened - was it an accident, suicide or murder?

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

**WARNING: This episode contains descriptions of suicide**

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The Blood Countess: Elizabeth Bathory Feb 23, 2023

In the early seventeenth century, a Hungarian aristocrat called Erzsébet Báthory - or Elizabeth Bathory - was accused of murdering more than 600 young women. Her gruesome story has been sensationalised in books, film, and music. But is it true?

In this explainer episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb examines the evidence, Bathory’s alleged modus operandi, and the lives of the poor victims.

**WARNING: This episode contains graphic descriptions of violence and murder**

This episode was edited by Anisha Deva and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Mary Queen of Scots’ Lost Letters Decoded Feb 20, 2023

The most important discovery related to Mary Queen of Scots for 100 years was recently made - by a team of amateur cryptologists.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks with Dr. George Lasry - a computer scientist by day - about how he and his colleagues found by chance more than 50 letters in code in the Bibliothèque nationale de France, deciphered them, and proved that Mary wrote them during six of her 19 years of imprisonment. What insights do they give us into the personal and political thoughts of one of Europe’s most famous and tragic monarchs?

The full paper on the ciphered letters can be found in the journal Cryptologia, here.

The project was sponsored by DECRYPT Project - a European inter-university project to collect, transcribe, and decipher encoded documents found in archives, here.

This episode was edited by Stuart Beckwith and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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The House of Guise: Europe's Most Murderous Dynasty? Feb 16, 2023

The rich and powerful Guise family was one of the most treacherous and bloodthirsty in sixteenth-century France. They whipped up religious bigotry, overthrowing the king. They ruled Scotland for nearly 20 years through Mary Queen of Scots, plotting to invade England and overthrow Elizabeth I. And they unleashed the bloody Wars of Religion, playing a crucial role in the murder of 4,000 Protestants in the infamous Saint Bartholomew's Day Massacre.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Stuart Carroll - author of Martyrs and Murderers: The Guise Family and the Making of Europe - about this cultivated, charismatic and violent dynasty.

This episode was edited by Stuart Beckwith and produced by Rob Weinberg.

**WARNING: This episode contains some graphic descriptions of violence**

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Children in Tudor England Feb 13, 2023

What was it like to grow up in Tudor England? How were children cared for, what did they play with, and which subjects were they taught?

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Nicholas Orme who, in his new book Tudor Children, provides a rich survey of childhood in the Tudor period from birth and infancy through to the education they received and the work they undertook.

This episode was edited by and produced by Rob Weinberg

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The Murder of Christopher Marlowe Feb 09, 2023

This month on Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb investigates four of history’s most notorious murders and brutal crimes.

In this first episode, she’s joined by Charles Nicholl to dig deeper into the mystery of the 1593 murder of the brilliant and controversial playwright Christopher Marlowe, who was stabbed to death in a house in Deptford. The official account stated it was a violent quarrel over the bill.

But as Charles Nicholl explains, critical evidence about that fatal day points to Marlowe's shadowy political and intelligence dealings.

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg

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Henrietta Maria, Charles I’s Queen Consort Feb 06, 2023

Charles I's Queen Henrietta Maria was perhaps the most reviled consort to have worn the crown of Britain's three kingdoms. To this day, she remains the wife who turned her husband Catholic - causing a civil war - and a cruel and bigoted mother.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb dispels some of the myths about Henrietta Maria with author Leanda de Lisle, whose highly acclaimed book Henrietta Maria: Conspirator, Warrior, Phoenix Queen, reveals an altogether very different person.

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg

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Marguerite de Navarre: Mother of Renaissance France Feb 02, 2023

Marguerite de Navarre (1492-1549) was an influential diplomat and political activist, an outstanding patron of philosophers and artists, an accomplished writer and poet, and sister to King François I of France. She has been described as the “Mother of the Renaissance in France”.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more about this remarkable, charismatic, and talented royal woman with Dr Emily Butterworth.

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

The subject of this podcast was suggested by a listener. If there is a subject you would like to hear more about, please email notjustthetudors@historyhit.com or message us on Twitter at @NotJustTudors

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When London Shipped Poor Children to America Jan 30, 2023

In 1618, almost 100 impoverished children from London - some as young as eight - arrived in Jamestown, Virginia to labour in the growing colony. It was the first example of transporting children to colonies that would continue into the twentieth century.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more from Dr. Deborah Albon whose groundbreaking research traces the lives of these children from urban poverty, through incarceration in Bridewell to, if they survived the Atlantic crossing, a life no less miserable in the New World.

**WARNING: This episode contains some graphic descriptions of violence against young people**

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg

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Hatton: Elizabeth I's Favourite? Jan 26, 2023

In the cut-throat world of the Elizabethan court, Sir Christopher Hatton became one of Elizabeth I’s favourites. After catching her eye in 1561, Hatton was quickly promoted to the Privy Council, making a significant impact on Elizabeth’s complex religious policy. Yet Hatton has often been overshadowed by such Tudor heavyweights as Dudley, Cecil and Walsingham.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more from Dr. Neil Younger about Hatton’s rise from minor gentry to the Queen’s closest aide, and addresses the burning question: were Elizabeth and Hatton lovers?

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Batavia: The Worst Shipwreck in History Jan 23, 2023

In 1628, a Dutch East India flagship called Batavia set sail from the Netherlands, never to reach her destination. Eight months into the voyage, the ship was wrecked on coral reef off the western coast of Australia. What then befell her surviving crew and passengers was horrifying and tragic. It has been described as “one of the worst horror stories in maritime history.”

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to author Jess Kidd. Her recent novel about Batavia, The Night Ship - based on her extensive research of sources and archives - has been named a Sunday Times’ Best Historical Fiction Book of the Year.

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Swords in Elizabethan England Jan 19, 2023

In Elizabethan England, swords were everywhere. Hanging on girdles, used in plays and depicted in paintings, they were an important marker of status and martial prowess. Swordplay was a popular martial art and pastime enjoyed by all rungs of Tudor society. But what would these swords have looked like? And how did Elizabethan gentlemen fight with them?

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Jacob H. Deacon, a doctoral student at the University of Leeds. Together they discuss the origins of swordplay and it’s relation to fencing, how it was regulated and performed by the mysterious Masters of Defence and, most importantly, how to distinguish your rapier from your backsword.

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg

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Demonic Possession in 17th-Century Canada Jan 16, 2023

When strange signs appeared in the sky over Quebec in 1660, the French settlers started to worry about evil forces in their midst. Then, a teenaged servant called Barbe Hallay started to act as if she were possessed by demons. She accused a local miller of bewitching her and, the following year, he was imprisoned and executed. Priests and nuns tried to drive the demons away - but in the end it was something else that worked.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Mairi Cowan, author of The Possession of Barbe Hallay: Diabolical Arts and Daily Life in Early Canada, a fascinating account of a case of demonic possession in early modern North America.

This episode was edited by Anisha Deva and produced by Rob Weinberg.

The subject of this podcast was suggested by listener Mike Old, a descendent of Barbe Hallay. If you have an idea for an episode, please send it via our Twitter feed @NotJustTudors or by email to notjustthetudors@historyhit.com.

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Nonsuch: Henry VIII's Lost Palace Jan 12, 2023

In April 1538 - to celebrate the birth of Prince Edward and the 30th anniversary of his reign - King Henry VIII began work on a royal palace in Surrey, designed to be unequalled as a celebration of the power and the grandeur of the Tudor dynasty: Nonsuch Palace.

Henry spared no expense on the estate, spending nine years and £7.4 million in today’s money on its construction. But less than 150 years later, the palace had been demolished by a mistress of King Charles II to pay off her debts.

It wasn’t until the summer of 1959 that Nonsuch Palace was excavated, by a team led by Professor Martin Biddle CBE. He joins Professor Suzannah Lipscomb in this episode of Not Just the Tudors, to talk about what they discovered about one of the great wonders of the Early Modern world.

This episode was edited by Thomas Ntinas and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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How Indigenous Americans Discovered Europe Jan 09, 2023

We have long been taught that modern global history began when the 'Old World' encountered the 'New', when Christopher Columbus 'discovered' America in 1492. But, in a groundbreaking new book, Dr. Caroline Dodds Pennock conclusively shows that for tens of thousands of Aztecs, Maya, Totonacs, Inuit and others - enslaved people, diplomats, explorers, servants, traders - the reverse was true: they discovered Europe.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Dodds Pennock about a story of abduction, loss, cultural appropriation, and, as indigenous peoples saw it, of apocalypse.

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu Jan 05, 2023

The Three Musketeers paints a picture of King Louis XIII of France as a rather weak monarch controlled by his powerful chief minister Cardinal Richelieu. Louis’ reign is generally thought of as being the beginning of the “age of absolutism” when ministers like Richelieu were in the ascendancy and the power of the court and courtiers declined. But was this really the case?

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Marc Jaffré, who believes it’s time to revise the conventional view of this significant period in French history.

This episode was edited by Thomas Ntinas and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Birth of the Gregorian calendar Jan 02, 2023

Many of us are seeing in a new year, but of course there are, even today, several different ways of marking dates and years in various parts of the world. The most popular calendar, though, is the Gregorian, introduced in October 1852 by Pope Gregory XIII.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. Christina Faraday to find out how and why the Gregorian calendar was introduced, the impact it had on people’s lives, and the serious debate and, in some countries, centuries long resistance to its use.

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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A Happy Tudor New Year Dec 29, 2022

This week we're sharing again a fascinating podcast first released at this time last Christmas.

For the Tudors, Christmas Day was not traditionally the date when gifts were given. The Twelve Days of Christmas begin on 25 December and end at Epiphany, 6 January - also known as Twelfth Night. In Tudor times, all 12 were feast days, but 1 January was the day when presents were unwrapped.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb delves into how Christmas and New Year were marked by the Tudors and Stuarts, and what kind of gifts they gave, with Dr. Felicity Heal, author of The Power of Gifts: Gift Exchange in Early Modern England.

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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The Biggest Discoveries of 2022 Dec 22, 2022

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb presents her annual review of the year, recommending the finest history books she has discovered, the best television shows she’s watched, and the biggest historical discoveries that have changed the way we understand - or which shed new light upon - the Tudors, but not just the Tudors. And to round things up, she offers her pick of some of the exciting things to come in 2023.

The researcher was Esther Arnott. This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Tudor Christmas Carols Dec 19, 2022

A Tudor Christmas would have probably featured as much singing as we have today, if not more, and surprisingly many of the carols would have been the same: In Dulci Jubilo, The Coventry Carol, Gabriel’s message were among the yuletide hits that would have resounded through Tudor era churches.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more from Lisa Colton, Professor of Musicology and Head of the Department of Music at the University of Liverpool.

Music credits:

Pastime with Good Company performed by Jay Britton

Coventry Carol

There Is No Rose of Such Virtue performed by Guildford Cathedral Choir

This Is The Record of John performed by Guildford Cathedral Choir

Marvel Not, Joseph performed by University of Surrey Chamber Choir

This episode was edited by Aidan Lonergan and Joseph Knight, and produced by Elena Guthrie & Rob Weinberg.

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Filth, Noise & Stench in England Dec 15, 2022

In English cities of the 17th century, there was plenty to offend the eyes, ears, nose, taste buds, and skin of inhabitants. Residents were scarred by smallpox, refuse rotted in the streets, pigs and dogs roamed free.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Emily Cockayne — author of Hubbub: Filth, Noise and Stench in England — about all the unpleasant aspects of city life and how they were navigated, or endured, by citizens.

This episode was edited by Thomas Ntinas and produced by Elena Guthrie.

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The First Printed English Bible Dec 12, 2022

England was the only European country that completely banned translating the Bible. The dissident Lollards had produced one after the death of their hero, the radical 14th-century theologian John Wycliffe, but owning a copy could be a capital offence. When idealistic humanist William Tyndale printed his English New Testament in Germany in 1526, it became the most influential text in the history of the English language.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Alec Ryrie, about how making the Bible accessible to English readers triggered a momentous and permanent shift of religious power away from the Church and university elites.

This episode was edited by Annie Coloe and produced by Elena Guthrie.

Mary, Queen of Scots: The Material Evidence Dec 08, 2022

Mary, Queen of Scots wore red at her execution as a symbol of Catholic martyrdom. It was the climax of a life throughout which Mary used textiles to advance her political agenda, affirm her royal lineage and tell her story - from her lavish gowns to the subversive messages she embroidered in captivity for her supporters.

In this episode to mark the 480th anniversary of Mary’s birth on 8 December 1542, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to artist Clare Hunter - author of Embroidering Her Truth: Mary, Queen of Scots and the Language of Power - to discover more about Mary via the textiles of her life.

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Making Babies in the 17th Century Dec 05, 2022

Making babies was a mysterious process for people in early modern England. Their ideas about conception, pregnancy and childbirth tell us much about their attitudes towards gender and power at that time.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, first released in September 2021, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Mary Fissell. She has been delving into a wealth of popular sources - ballads, jokes, witchcraft pamphlets, prayer books and popular medical manuals - to produce the first account of how women's reproductive bodies were understood in the 17th century.

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Huygens: Europe’s Greatest Scientist Dec 01, 2022

Christiaan Huygens was the greatest scientist working in the vital period between Galileo and Newton, as the scientific revolution gathered pace. He discovered Saturn’s ring, invented the accurate pendulum clock, and devised a wave theory of light far ahead of its time.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to author Hugh Aldersey-Williams to find out more about Huygens and why — more even than Newton — he can be called the father of modern science.

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Public Executions in London Nov 28, 2022

For at least 700 years, presumed criminals were publicly executed in London. Such occasions were often gruesome, gory and very popular.

A new exhibition at the Museum of London Docklands explores this grisly history - who the recipients of capital punishment were, the places where they met their end and how they died, and the crimes that were punishable by death.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb tours the exhibition with curator Tom Ardill.

**WARNING: This episode contains graphic descriptions of executions**

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Fall of the Ming Dynasty Nov 24, 2022

In 1627 Zhu Youjian, the Chongzhen Emperor, became the 17th - and what would turn out to be the last - Emperor of China’s Ming Dynasty. It had ruled a vast realm stretching 6.5 million square kilometres for 250 years.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Timothy Brook to discover more about Zhu Youjian’s remarkable life and startling death, and explore the nature of his power and how it collapsed.

This episode was edited by Thomas Ntinas and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Football and the Tudors Nov 21, 2022

Already in 2022 we have celebrated England’s Lionesses winning the Women’s European Championships, and this month you may well be waiting with bated breath to see how England’s men fare in the World Cup. Such anticipation, celebration — and sometimes commiseration — are nothing new in football. In fact, the beautiful game goes back centuries. But what else is there to know about early modern football?

In today’s explainer episode, Professor Susannah Lipscomb takes us through the game: who played it, where it was played, and the rules people played by (or didn’t).

This episode was edited by Aidan Lonergan and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Henry VIII’s Lost Brother, Prince Arthur Nov 17, 2022

During the early part of the sixteenth century England should have been ruled by King Arthur Tudor with his wife Catherine of Aragon as Queen. Had the first-born son of Henry VII lived into adulthood, his younger brother would never have become King Henry VIII and married - and divorced - Arthur’s widow, and the subsequent history of England would have been very different.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Sean Cunningham, author of Prince Arthur: The Tudor King Who Never Was, in which he surveys Prince Arthur’s life and assesses what type of king he might have become.

This episode was edited by Thomas Ntinas and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Oliver Cromwell’s Republic Nov 14, 2022

On 30 January 1649, King Charles I was executed for treason. Within weeks the monarchy had been abolished and the House of Lords discarded. The people were now the sovereign force in the land. What this meant, and where it would lead, no one knew.

In her new book, The Restless Republic: Britain Without a Crown, Anna Keay brings to life a fascinating cast of characters who lived through the turbulent years under Oliver Cromwell. In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Anna Keay about the most extraordinary and experimental decade in Britain’s history, when a conservative people tried revolution.

This episode was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Inca Apocalypse Nov 10, 2022

For many, the word Inca conjures up images of an ancient civilisation in South America, swiftly conquered by the Spanish in their quest for gold and Christian converts.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb sets out to find out the truth about the Incas with Professor R. Alan Covey. His research has revealed Inca society as wealthy, complex and cosmopolitan, and debunks the common narrative of a rapid, decisive Spanish conquest.

This episode was edited by Thomas Ntinas and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Life in Tudor England Nov 07, 2022

What was life really like in Tudor England? This was a society where monarchy was under strain, the church was in crisis, where contending with war, rebellion, plague and poverty was a fact of daily life. Yet it was also an age rich in ideas and ideals, where women asserted their agency and found a literary voice.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Lucy Wooding, who has written a bold new history of the brilliant, conflicted, visionary world of Tudor England, presenting a starkly different picture of this famous era from the one we thought we know.

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Mary I: Myths Vs. Reality Nov 03, 2022

Queen Mary I was the daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. She reigned - as England’s first Queen Regnant - between 1553-1558. Unlike her sister and successor Elizabeth I, Mary’s posthumous reputation has largely focussed on religious persecution. But what does the written evidence from her own lifetime say about the manner in which she ruled?

In today’s edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Valerie Schutte and Dr. Jessica S. Hower. Their extensive research into Queen Mary I asks new questions and seeks new answers that deepen our understanding of her reign, her significance and her impact on the early modern era and its popular culture.

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Sorcery and the Tudor Court Oct 31, 2022

It's a little known fact that the Tudor monarchs and their councillors used - and feared - magic and the occult. At this time of great religious change and great religious faith, belief in magic was practically orthodox and certainly widespread.

In today’s edition for Hallowe'en, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb delves into Tudor sorcery with Dr. Francis Young who believes it should come as no surprise that magic and politics were so closely linked - for both are concerned with the exercise of power.

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Nur Jahan: Empress of Mughal India Oct 27, 2022

In 1611, the daughter of a Persian nobleman and widow of a subversive official, became the 20th and favourite wife of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir. Unique and outstanding for the age in which she lived, Nur Jahan rose to become an astute politician, issuing imperial orders and appearing on coins. But she was also a talented dress designer and innovative architect whose work inspired her stepson's Taj Mahal.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Ruby Lal, author of the deeply researched and evocative biography of Nur Jahan, Empress: The Astonishing Reign of Nur Jahan.

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Edward VI & The Prayer Book Rebellion Oct 24, 2022

The so-called “Prayer Book Rebellion” of 1549 saw the people of Devon and Cornwall rising up against the young King Edward VI, determined to halt the religious reforms of the Tudor period. The rebellion led to a siege of Exeter, savage battles with Crown forces, and the deaths of 4,000 local men and women.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Mark Stoyle, whose new book A Murderous Midsummer: The Western Rising of 1549 offers a definitive account of the year that thousands of men and women rose to defend their faith and their regional identity.

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Eustace Chapuys: Ambassador to the Tudor Court Oct 20, 2022

Historians would be completely lost without the colourful, crucial insights of Eustace Chapuys, the Spanish Ambassador to Henry VIII's court from 1529 to 1545. Chapuys’ dispatches were filled with personal and insightful observations of the key players around the King.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr Lauren Mackay, author of Inside the Tudor Court, which brings Chapuys to life - a passionate and acerbic man who provided an unparalleled perspective of Henry VIII, his court and the Tudor period.

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Female Sodomy Oct 17, 2022

Few cases of same-sex acts between women are known in early modern Europe. Yet in the Southern Netherlands, some 25 women were charged with “female sodomy” between c. 1400 and 1550 - and they received the same punishment as their male counterparts.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Jonas Roelens. He argues that this exceptional repression of female same-sex acts was the result of the relatively high level of liberty and visibility women enjoyed in the Southern Netherlands, compared to other regions. The more visible women were in society, the more women attracted to others of their own sex were at risk of being discovered and penalised.

*WARNING: This episode contains explicit sexual content*`

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Women Letter Writers in the Early Modern Period Oct 13, 2022

Historians face an enormous challenge finding documents that tell the stories of women in times past. In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor James Daybell. His extensive research into women’s letters reveal much about their education, literacy, political aspirations and sense of self in the Early Modern period.

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited by Anisha Deva and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Malay’s Dynasty of Reigning Queens Oct 10, 2022

The Sultanate of Patani - now part of modern day Thailand - enjoyed a golden age during the reign of four successive queens, which commenced in 1584. Under their rule, the kingdom's economic and military strength greatly increased to the point that it was able to fight off four major Siamese invasions.In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb discovers more about these extraordinary rulers, their power and their influence, to Professor Stefan Amirell, President of the Swedish Historical Association and an expert in female political leadership in world history.

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited by Thomas Ntinas and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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The Legacy of the Mary Rose Oct 06, 2022

The raising of the Mary Rose 40 years ago - along with some 19,000 objects which sank with her - has become a great boon to Tudor historians, offering an unrivalled glimpse of life at that time. Additionally sixteenth century attempts to depict the tragedy and efforts to retrieve the ship at the time allow us access into aspects of Tudor life that we would have no other way of knowing.

In the last of her three special episodes on the Mary Rose, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is in Portsmouth to examine what the Mary Rose has revealed to us about life in the Tudor age.

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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The Raising of the Mary Rose Oct 03, 2022

Forty years ago on 11 October 1982, after 437 years under water, Henry VIII’s warship, the Mary Rose, was raised from the seabed of the Solent. But how was such a remarkable feat achieved? How did they go about conserving a Tudor warship and the many objects which were on board? And what has been learned about the people who went down with her?

In the second part of Not Just the Tudors’ mini-series to mark the 40th anniversary of the raising of the Mary Rose, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is in Portsmouth to find out more from Dr. Alexandra Hildred - who was part of the team that excavated the Mary Rose; Professor Eleanor Schofield, the Deputy Chief Executive at the Mary Rose Trust; and Hannah Matthews, a Curator and osteoarchaeologist who has been closely examining the Mary Rose’s human remains.

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Remembering Hilary Mantel Sep 29, 2022

Dame Hilary Mantel died on 22 September 2022 at the age of 70. Her acclaimed Wolf Hall trilogy - which brought the life of Thomas Cromwell so vividly to life - has sold more than five million copies worldwide. She won the Booker Prize twice - for Wolf Hall and its sequel, Bring Up the Bodies.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb and History Hit's Dan Snow pay tribute to one of the greatest English-language novelists of our century.

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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The Sinking of the Mary Rose Sep 26, 2022

Exactly forty years ago, in a groundbreaking and spectacular piece of marine conservation that captured the imagination of the world, the Mary Rose was raised from the seabed. The warship, commissioned by Henry VIII in 1511, sank on 19 July 1545 during an encounter between French and English fleets in the Solent, between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. Perhaps up to 500 men were on board, only 34 survived.

In the first of three specials marking the 40th anniversary of the raising of the Mary Rose, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb travels to Portsmouth to find out why the Mary Rose sank. She's joined by Dr. Dominic Fontana, Retired Senior Lecturer in Geography formerly at the University of Portsmouth, and Dr. Alexandra Hildred, Head of Research and Curator of Ordnance and Human Remains at the Mary Rose Trust.

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Slavery and the Royal African Company Sep 22, 2022

The Royal African Company was set up in 1660 - by the ruling Stuart family and City of London merchants - to exploit gold fields up the Gambia River. But it soon developed into a brutal and sustained slave trader, shipping more enslaved Africans to the Americas than any other company.

In today’s Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor William Pettigrew, whose research into the Royal African Company grounds the slave trade in politics and not economic forces.

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited by Anisha Deva and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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The Howard Women Sep 15, 2022

We tend to associate the word ‘dynasty’ with men. But in sixteenth century England, women played a no less important role in these influential families. Among the most powerful were the Howards, which produced two Queens - Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard - as well as numerous women who made their own significant contribution to Tudor life.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Nicola Clark. Her research - putting women centre-stage - is leading to a new understanding of the complexity of the early modern dynasty.

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Magellan 500: The First Man to Sail the World Sep 12, 2022

Exactly 500 years ago, a small band of sailors completed the first ever circumnavigation of the globe, launched by Ferdinand Magellan. From the armada of five ships and some 270 men that set out, only one ship and 18 men returned. Magellan was not among them, and if he had been, he would hardly have received a hero’s welcome.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb marks the anniversary with Magellan’s award-winning biographer Laurence Bergreen. Together they consider Magellan the man and how his voyage changed the world’s ideas about cosmology and geography.

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Elizabethan England's Seafaring Musicians Sep 08, 2022

Hardly anything has been written about the musicians who carried out many important tasks in England’s maritime ventures during the Elizabethan age. That is until now. Pioneering research has revealed that performers played a vital role, including using music to build relationships with the inhabitants of new found lands.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. James Seth about his discoveries, which shows musicians transcending and breaching boundaries of language, rank, race, religion and nationality to ensure the success of a voyage.

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was researched by Esther Arnott, and edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Holy Sh*t: A Brief History of Swearing Sep 05, 2022

*WARNING: This episode contains very strong language - including the F and C words - and derogatory terms for sex workers. So if you're likely to feel offended by these, please feel free to listen to another episode of Not Just the Tudors!*`

From the Ancient World to today, there have always been two kinds of swearing: testifying to the truth with your hand on the Bible or telling an annoying person to “get lost”. In the Early Modern period, as religion underwent a transformation - and bodily functions that were once public became private - swear words moved to and fro between the sacred and the profane, and sometimes combined.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb traverses the history of bad language with Dr Melissa Mohr, author of Holy Sh*t: A Brief History of Swearing.

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Shakespeare’s Henry V Sep 01, 2022

This week marks 600 years since the death of King Henry V, perhaps best known for his military successes during the Hundred Years War against France and in particular his victory at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415.

But because this is Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb has decided to assess Henry V’s rise to power as it was depicted through the pen of William Shakespeare nearly two centuries later. To do so, she’s joined by literary scholar Professor Duncan Salkeld and theatre historian Alice Smith.

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited by Thomas Ntinas and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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A 16th Century Celebrity Executioner Aug 29, 2022

The German executioner Meister Frantz Schmidt kept a fascinating journal of all the executions, torture and punishments he administered between 1573 and 1618.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors - originally released in June 2021 - Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Professor Joel Harrington to talk about Schmidt and further explore public capital punishment in the 16th century, described by historians as the "spectacle of suffering."

*WARNING! This episode contains graphic descriptions of punishments.*

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Thomas Cromwell's Private Life Aug 25, 2022

Thomas Cromwell was an extraordinary figure in the Tudor court. Lawyer, politician, minister and peer of the realm, Cromwell deployed all of his wisdom, charisma, strategic cunning and considerable intellect to break England away from Rome, reform parliament and create royal supremacy. But who was the real man behind the notoriety?

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to New Zealand-based historian and author Caroline Angus who has transcribed the letters of Thomas Cromwell from their primary sources, revealing the many facets and contradictions of Cromwell’s public and private life.

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited by Thomas Ntinas and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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The Borgias: Sin in Renaissance Italy Aug 22, 2022

In Renaissance Italy, the Borgia family were admired for their audacity and their ruthlessness - they even inspired Mario Puzo’s depiction of the Corleones in The Godfather. But do the Borgias deserve their reputation? How did they rise to power? How did a man with so many illegitimate children become Pope?

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Mary Hollingsworth about how the Borgias became history’s most notorious dynasty.

For this episode, the Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited by Thomas Ntinas and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Elizabeth I on Screen: The Historians’ Verdict Aug 18, 2022

What do you get when you bring together five top historians in a room with bottles of Prosecco to debate Elizabeth I on screen? History with the gloves off - our first Not Just the Tudors Lates!

Taking as her starting point the new series Becoming Elizabeth - now streaming on STARZ - Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. Joanne Paul, Jessie Childs, Alex von Tunzelmann and Professor Sarah Churchwell to explore how television and films have depicted the year 1547 when - following the death of Henry VIII - a complex web of relationships determined the course of British history.

*WARNING! There is some strong language in this episode*

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg. Audio extracts from Becoming Elizabeth courtesy of STARZ.

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Becoming Elizabeth I Aug 15, 2022

Queen Elizabeth I has been depicted on the big and small screen more times than most of her contemporaries. Now, a critically acclaimed TV series Becoming Elizabeth - streaming on STARZ - traces the turbulent early years of Elizabeth, negotiating all the political intrigues of the court on her journey towards securing the crown.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Becoming Elizabeth’s writer Anya Reiss and its Executive Producer George Ormond about finding fresh drama and bringing to light little-known episodes and characters in the ever-captivating story of Elizabeth I.

For this episode, the Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg. Audio extract from Becoming Elizabeth courtesy of STARZ.

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The Witches of Warboys: England's Most Famous Witch Trial Aug 11, 2022

The Cambridgeshire village of Warboys was the scene of one of the most famous English witch trials of the sixteenth century. There, the privileged daughters of the respected Squire Throckmorton accused a cantankerous elderly neighbour of witchcraft, sending the impoverished Alice Samuel to her death.

This shocking case is the subject of a dazzling new novel The Bewitching by author Jill Dawson, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb’s guest today. It explores a neglected episode of English history to powerful effect, vividly conveying the brutal tribalism that can erupt in a closed society and how victims can be persuaded to believe in their own wickedness.

For this episode, the Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Samuel Pepys Aug 08, 2022

The great diarist Samuel Pepys was an avid collector of books, news and gossip, and reading was a major part of his life and the lives of his contemporaries.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb delves into Pepys’s life and wide-ranging interests with Dr. Kate Loveman.

Her extensive research offers significant insights into the man, his world and the far-reaching literary and cultural developments of the seventeenth century.

For this episode, the Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited by Thomas Ntinas and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Oliver Cromwell's New Model Army Aug 04, 2022

The New Model Army was one of the most formidable fighting forces ever assembled. It played a crucial role in overthrowing King Charles I, propelling one of its most brilliant generals, Oliver Cromwell, to power during the English Revolution. As a fighting force it engineered regicide, pioneered innovative military tactics, and helped to keep Cromwell in power as Lord Protector until his death.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Ian Gentles to examine how the army’s brilliant battlefield manoeuvring and logistical prowess contributed to its victories.

For this episode, the Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was researched by Esther Arnott, edited by Thomas Ntinas and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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The Trial of a Latvian Werewolf Aug 01, 2022

In 1691, a peasant in Livonia - on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea - announced before a startled district court that he was a werewolf. Yet far from being in league with the Devil, “Old Thiess” insisted he was one of the “hounds of God,” fierce guardians who battled sorcerers, witches, and even Satan to protect the fields and flocks. Not surprisingly, his judges struggled to make sense of the case.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to two eminent scholars, Professor Carlo Ginzburg and Professor Bruce Lincoln, whose diverging views present a uniquely comparative look at the trial and the startling testimony of Old Thiess.

For this episode, the Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited, mixed and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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The Tudors and Food Jul 28, 2022

What food - and how much of it - did people eat in the Tudor period? Where did they get it? When did they eat it? What arrangements for cookery and dining were in place in their homes? What did they drink?

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. Mark Dawson, who has closely studied the household accounts of the Willoughby family of Wollaton Hall in Nottingham and Middleton Hall in Warwickshire. Through them, he has been able to trace many interesting developments including the decline in enthusiasm for salted herring, the embracing of new meats such as turkey, and the complex network of supplies through merchants, markets and fairs.

For this episode, the Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was researched by Esther Arnott, edited by Thomas Ntinas and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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The Cultural Impact of Colonisation Jul 25, 2022

Ruffs, Pipes and Pearls

When Francis Drake returned home from the Spanish West Indies, he carried with him pearls to present as gifts to Elizabeth I. Around London’s Inns of Court, every gentleman smoked a pipe of American tobacco, believing it projected an air of civility. But the cultural impact of colonisation worked both ways: the Englishmen who settled in Jamestown, Virginia, took with them goffering irons to crimp fabric and make ruffs.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. Lauren Working to explore how England’s desire to colonise the Americas influenced both those they met and those back home, resulting in lasting cultural change.

For this episode, the Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg. The researcher was Esther Arnott.

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The Venetian Inquisition Jul 21, 2022

From the sixteenth century through to the end of the eighteenth century, the Venetian government and the Roman Catholic Church jointly established a tribunal to repress heresy throughout the Republic of Venice. The inquisition also intervened in cases of sacrilege, apostasy, prohibited books, superstition, and witchcraft.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Nicholas Davidson about his deep research into the Venetian archives, which sheds new light on the nature of religious belief in early modern Italy and the activities the Venetian Inquisition sought to prevent.

For this episode, the Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was researched by Esther Arnott, edited by Thomas Ntinas and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Anne of Cleves Jul 18, 2022

Anne of Cleves was the ‘last woman standing’ of Henry VIII’s wives and the only one buried in Westminster Abbey. How did she manage it? Was she in fact a political refugee, supported by the King? Was she a role model for her step-daughters Mary and Elizabeth? Why was her marriage to Henry doomed from the start?

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by author Heather R. Darsie - editor of maidensandmanuscripts.com - whose research into Anne of Cleves casts a new light on Henry’s fourth Queen, potentially revealing a very different figure than the so-called 'Flanders Mare'.

For this episode, the Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited by Thomas Ntinas and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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The Man who Wrote Robinson Crusoe: Daniel Dafoe Jul 14, 2022

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Alan Downie about Daniel Dafoe, whose life was at least as colourful as those of the characters he created. Apart from writing one of the most famous books of all time, Dafoe survived the Great Plague and the Great Fire of London, traded in hosiery, supported freedom of religion and the press, worked as a confidant to William of Orange, as a secret agent and master spy…or so he said. And he died virtually penniless.

For this episode, the Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited by Thomas Ntinas and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Isaac Newton Jul 11, 2022

One of the greatest mathematicians and most influential physicists of all time, Isaac Newton was born into a world of turmoil that shaped him and the avenues he chose to explore.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to science historian Professor Robert Iliffe about Newton’s remarkable life, his laws of motion and gravity as well as about some of the ideas for which he is less well-known.

For this episode, the Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited by Seyi Adaobi and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Tudor Poet Anne Askew: Heretic or Martyr? Jul 07, 2022

Born in 1521, Anne Askew was condemned as a heretic for her radical Protestantism beliefs during the reign of Henry VIII. Tortured and executed after the Pilgrimage of Grace in 1537, she was also one of the earliest known women poets to compose in the English language. Uniquely, her surviving first-person account of her ordeal and her beliefs led her to being proclaimed as a Protestant martyr.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Jennifer Richards, to explore Anne Askew’s life and literary legacy.

For this episode, the Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie, the Editor and Producer was Rob Weinberg. Anne Askew’s words are read by Sarah Percival.

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Surviving Plague in Florence Jul 04, 2022

Between 1630 and 1631, the city of Florence suffered its last epidemic of plague. Some 12% of the city's population of 75,000 perished.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor John Henderson, historian of epidemics, about how Florence suffered, fought and survived the impact of plague - and what we might have learned from the approach of the Florentine authorities during our own recent pandemic.

The Senior Producer on this episode was Elena Guthrie. It was edited and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Elizabeth I: Last Days and Legacy Jun 30, 2022

In the last years of Elizabeth I’s reign, many of the preoccupations of earlier decades had been abated. Mary, Queen of Scots had finally been executed in 1587; the Spanish Armada was defeated the following year; and the question of the Queen marrying had been shelved. And yet these were years of extraordinary challenge to crown and country, when the woman at the helm was elderly and apparently indecisive.

To round up Queenship month on Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by historian and author Dr. Alex Gajda to discuss the critical last decades of Elizabeth I’s reign and her legacy, and reflect upon its relevance to the current Queen Elizabeth in her Platinum Jubilee year.

For this episode, recorded at St.Cross College Oxford, the Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie, the Producer and Editor was Rob Weinberg.

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Was Queenship the Same Around the World? Jun 27, 2022

All this month on Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb has been talking to her guests about Queenship. But the focus has inevitably been on European Queens. Yet, if there is some flexibility about the word “Queen”, then the role of a female monarch as a consort or a ruler is actually much more common globally than we might assume.

In this episode, Suzannah talks to Dr. Elena Woodacre. Together they draw on examples from all over the world in the Early Modern period to explore the nature of Queenship, and ask are there constants of Queenship that transcend geography and culture?

For this episode, the Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie, the Producer and Editor was Rob Weinberg.

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How to Crown a Tudor Queen Jun 23, 2022

Four women were crowned in England between 1509 and 1559: two Queens consort - Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn - and England’s first two Queens regnant, their daughters Mary I and Elizabeth I respectively. The ritual of coronation was crucial for conferring legitimacy and sanctity.

As part of Not Just the Tudors’ Queenship month, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Alice Hunt about how the ancient ceremony of coronation took on new meanings at a time of enormous upheaval in the monarchy, religion and politics.

For this episode, the Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie, the Producer was Rob Weinberg and the Editor was Lewis Mason.

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Isabel Clara Eugenia: Early Modern Europe's Most Powerful Woman Jun 20, 2022

Isabel Clara Eugenia was the heir to the kingdoms of Spain and Portugal, but she was never crowned Queen. But despite this, her life provides a fascinating example of early modern female sovereignty, illustrating how benevolence, humility, wifely obedience and piety could be exercised to realise great power and exert great influence.

To discuss this Queen by any other name, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Magdalena Sanchez, Professor of Early Modern History at Gettysburg College, Pennsylvania.

For this episode, the Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie, the Producer was Rob Weinberg and the Editor was Thomas Ntinas.

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Mary II and Anne: Sister Queens Jun 16, 2022

To mark the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, June is Queenship month on Not Just the Tudors. Our series continues with a look at two of Britain’s less well-known monarchs - Queen Mary II and her sister Queen Anne. Both were highly competent and courageous Queens with fascinating public and private lives, reigning over periods of immense historical and political importance.

To discuss them, Professor Suzannah Lispcomb is joined by Dr. Hannah Greig - historical advisor for the film, The Favourite.

For this episode, Elena Guthrie was Senior Producer, Rob Weinberg was Producer and the Editor was Thomas Ntinas.

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How to Become Queen in Early Modern Europe Jun 13, 2022

In Early Modern Europe, Queens did not come fully formed. Rather, a series of rites, rituals and ceremonies transformed a hesitant bride into a fully fledged monarch. And beneath all of these contracts and customs were real live women, their emotions running high as they left behind their birth families and embarked on an exciting and terrifying journey into a foreign land to marry a stranger.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Katarzyna Kosior, to look at what it meant to become a Queen particularly in two interconnected dynasties - the Valois of France and the Jagiellonians of Poland.

The Senior Producer on this episode was Elena Guthrie.

The Producer was Rob Weinberg.

It was edited by Seyi Adaobi.

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The Queen Who Was Crowned King Jun 09, 2022

Not Just the Tudors’ month-long season on Queenship continues with a look at the fascinating Christina Varsa, who was crowned King of Sweden on 20 October 1650.

Christina was one of the most learned women of the 17th century. She never married and after her abdication, she converted to Catholicism and is one of the few women to be buried in the Vatican. She was memorably played by Greta Garbo as a cross-dressing, swashbuckling adventurer. But who was the real Christina of Sweden? How did she come to be crowned King? And is there any truth in the many legends about her? Professor Suzannah Lipscomb tries to get to the truth with Julia Holm from Uppsala University.

The Senior Producer on this episode was Elena Guthrie. The Producer was Rob Weinberg. It was edited by Thomas Ntinas.

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Tudor England's Foreign Queens Jun 06, 2022

Not Just the Tudors’ special month-long look at Queenship continues with an exploration of the popular perception of those foreign Queens who came to England in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Catherine of Aragon, Anne of Cleves, Anne of Denmark, Henrietta Maria and Catherine of Braganza have all become part of our national fabric, and yet when they arrived on English shores to be wed, they were very much foreigners. The strong sense of difference that surrounded them even featured in the plays that were written and performed for the thriving theatre culture of the time.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Mira 'Assaf Kafantaris, a specialist in early modern literature, about the works of literature that explored ideas of queenship and cultural mixing, which proliferated from the late 1500s onwards.

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Queen Consorts in the Renaissance Jun 02, 2022

Throughout this month, every episode of Not Just the Tudors is honouring Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee by focussing on some aspect of Queenship in the Early Modern period.

In this first exploration, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb looks at Queens Consort - those wives of Kings so well-known to us - to whom we tend to ascribe a passive role. Today's guest Dr. Michelle Beer wants us to rethink that notion. Her work on Margaret Tudor, Queen of Scotland, and Catherine of Aragon suggests that Queens Consort also wielded power in ways that we have not recognised.

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Isabella & Ferdinand's Granada May 30, 2022

From the early Middle Ages to the present day, travellers have been bewitched by the peerless beauty of Granada. From 1230 until 1492, it was ruled by the Nasrids - Spain's last Islamic dynasty - from their fortress palace of the Alhambra. After capturing Granada to complete the Christian Reconquista, the monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella made the Alhambra the site of their royal court. But what became of the Jews, the Muslims and the Gitanos who were displaced?

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Elizabeth Drayson about this complex and fascinating city and Spain's deep obsession with erasing historical and cultural memory.

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The Man Who Broke Michelangelo's Nose May 26, 2022

Pietro Torrigiano is credited with introducing Renaissance art to England in the early years of the 16th century and designed the tomb of Henry VII, but he is best remembered for breaking the nose of Michelangelo in a fight. Torrigiano's tumultuous life took him from Florence to Rome, through Mechelen and London, to Seville, where he finally died in an Inquisition jail.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Felipe Pereda about this arrogant, proud, but nonetheless important, artist.

For more Not Just The Tudors content, subscribe to our Tudor Tuesday newsletter here. If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store.

Religious Exiles in Early Modern Europe May 23, 2022

Facing persecution in Elizabethan England, some Catholics chose exile over conformity. Some even cast their lot with foreign monarchs rather than wait for their own rulers to have a change of heart. These so-called “Spanish Elizabethans,” used the most powerful tools at their disposal — paper, pens, and printing presses — to incite war against England, from the years leading up to the Grand Armada until Philip II of Spain's death in 1598.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Freddy Cristóbal Domínguez whose groundbreaking research is making an important contribution to the study of religious exile in early modern Europe.

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Anne Boleyn: Dispelling the Myths May 19, 2022

There are so many myths about Anne Boleyn - among them that she had six fingers, that she was a murderess, even that she was Henry VIII's own daughter. In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, released on 19 May to mark the anniversary of the day of Anne Boleyn's execution in 1536, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb sets out to bust some myths with Natalie Grueninger, founder and editor of the On the Tudor Trail website and author of In the Footsteps of Anne Boleyn.

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The English Civil War: Loyalty House May 16, 2022

The Civil War was the most traumatic conflict in British history, pitting friends and family members against each other, tearing down the old order.

Award-winning historian Jessie Childs plunges the reader into the shock of the struggle through one of its most dramatic episodes: the siege of Basing House. To the parliamentarian Roundheads, the Hampshire mansion was a bastion of royalism, popery and excess. Its owner was both a Catholic and staunch supporter of Charles I. His motto Love Loyalty was etched into the windows. He refused all terms of surrender.

As royalist strongholds crumbled, Loyalty House, as it became known, stood firm. Over two years, the men, women and children inside were battered, bombarded, starved and gassed. Their resistance became legendary. Inigo Jones designed the fortifications and the women hurled bricks from the roof. But in October 1645, Oliver Cromwell rolled in the heavy guns and the defenders prepared for a last stand.

Drawing on exciting new sources, Childs uncovers the face of the war through a cast of unforgettable characters: the fanatical Puritan preacher who returns from Salem to take on the king; the plant-hunting apothecary who learns to kill as well as heal; the London merchant and colonist who clashes with Basing's aristocratic lord; and Cromwell himself who feels the hand of God on his sword. And we hear too the voices of dozens of ordinary men and women caught in the crossfire.

The Siege of Loyalty House is a thrilling tale of war and peace, terror and faith, friendship and betrayal - and of a world turned upside down.

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The Founding of Jamestown May 12, 2022

415 years ago this month, 104 English men and boys landed in North America and established a settlement they called Jamestown in Virginia. Over the course of the 17th Century, a third of a million people left England for the "New World". But in Virginia, it all started from very small beginnings and there was every chance that this venture - like every previous attempt to settle in America would fail. In fact it almost did.

To learn about the first few years of Jamestown - which includes the true story of Matoaka (better known as Pocahontas) and her marriage to the tobacco cultivator John Rolfe - Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Misha Ewen, author of the forthcoming book, The Virginia Venture: American Colonization and English Society, 1580-1660.

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How to Treat Depression in 17th Century England May 09, 2022

To mark Mental Health Awareness Week, Not Just the Tudors casts a 21st century eye over "one of the most perplexing, elusive, attractive, and afflicting diseases of the Renaissance" - melancholy - and how it was addressed in "largest, strangest and most unwieldy self-help book ever written": Robert Burton's The Anatomy of Melancholy of 1621.

So what did people in the 17th century think were the causes, symptoms and cures for melancholy? In this episode, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr Mary Ann Lund - author of A User's Guide to Melancholy, an accessible guide to Burton's work that reveals the Stuart era's approach to mental health.

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Sex & The Tudors May 05, 2022

There’s not an infinite number of ways that humans can act on sexual desire. Human bodies haven’t changed, but the cultural landscape around sex has. What people believed about it, the morality surrounding it, and the paraphernalia concerning it have all changed a lot. Sex has a history, and History Hit has launched a new podcast to explore it called Betwixt the Sheets.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Kate Lister, host of Betwixt the Sheets, to discuss sex, desire, witches, impotence, condoms and syphilis in the 16th and 17th centuries.This episode contains sexually explicit content.

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Walter Raleigh's Quest for El Dorado May 02, 2022

Sir Walter Raleigh remains one of the enduring names from the Elizabethan era. He was a true Renaissance man - a statesman, soldier, writer, explorer and a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I. In 1594, Raleigh heard about the legendary golden city of El Dorado and the following year, explored what is now Guyana and eastern Venezuela in search of it. In his account of the expedition The Discovery of Guiana, Raleigh made exaggerated claims as to what had been discovered, contributing to the enduring El Dorado legend, and his own celebrity.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to writer and historian Mathew Lyons about Raleigh, his dream of finding El Dorado, and the epic scale of his failure.

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Suleyman the Magnificent Apr 28, 2022

The Ottoman Sultan Suleyman I - known as "Suleyman the Magnificent" in the West - was the most feared and powerful man of the sixteenth century. His journey to power was built on brutal choices and intimate relationships - with the Greek slave who became his closest friend, the Venetian plutocrat who sold him gems and won him allies and the Russian consort who stole his heart. Within a decade, Suleyman reached the walls of Vienna, while his pirate admiral Barbarossa dominated the Mediterranean.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to award-winning author Christopher de Bellaigue, about his acclaimed new book The Lion House which recounts the first third of Suleyman's reign, a remarkable rise to power which led to his domination of the Middle East, large swathes of north Africa and the Mediterranean.

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Discovering Hampton Court Apr 25, 2022

Many of the private and public dramas in the life of Henry VIII took place at Hampton Court Palace. Begun in 1514 for Cardinal Wolsey, Hampton Court became one of Henry VIII's favourite residences. Set in 60 acres of magnificent gardens, much of the Tudor building was destroyed during King William III's massive rebuilding and expansion work, as he sought to create a residence to rival the Palace of Versailles.

In this explainer episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb takes a walk around Hampton Court to take in the sights and tell the story of this spectacular, historic building.

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Milton's Paradise Lost: An Epic Poem Apr 21, 2022

In 1667 - 355 years ago this month - a young London publisher called Samuel Simmons printed a very important book - John Milton's Paradise Lost. Milton had come to the fore in radical politics and, for a time, was considered an enemy of the state. Paradise Lost was published as his dream of a Godly republic became a reality and then crumbled, and as he himself turned blind and experienced the death of his wife and son.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Thomas Corns about the fascinating history of the writing and publishing of one of the greatest epic poems in the English language.

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How Tudor England Treated Outsiders Apr 18, 2022

The recently released film Lapwing is set during the Tudor period, one year after the Egyptian Act of 1554 effectively criminalised Romani people and others - generically labelled "Egyptians" - and those who harboured them. Lapwing tells the story of one such family who are exploited by a vengeful salt farmer on the Lincolnshire coast.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more about the little-remembered Egyptian Act from Dr. John E. Morgan, and more about Lapwing from its writer Laura Turner.

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The House of Dudley Apr 14, 2022

The Dudleys were the most brilliant, bold and manipulative of power-hungry Tudor families. Every Tudor monarch made their name either with a Dudley at their side - or by crushing one beneath their feet. With three generations of felled family members, what was it that caused the Dudleys to keep rising so high and falling so low?

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Joanne Paul, author of The House of Dudley: A New History of Tudor England, the story of a noble house competing in the murderous game of musical chairs around the English throne.

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Francesca Caccini: Composer to the Medicis Apr 11, 2022

Francesca Caccini (1587-c.1641) is one of the forgotten women of classical music. She was an exceptional singer and instrumentalist, but above all, an immensely talented composer. Working full time at the Medici court from the age of 20, Caccini became one of its best paid employees. Many of her compositions have been lost, but her only surviving stage work, La liberazione di Ruggiero, is considered to be the oldest opera by a woman composer.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more about this great and neglected composer from biographer Dr. Anna Beer and Deborah Roberts, Artistic Director of the Brighton Early Music Festival.

The podcast features excerpts of Caccini's music from Ars Lyrica Houston's programme, Italian Sirens, recorded in Zilkha Hall, Hobby Centre for the Performing Arts, Houston, Texas on 12 November 2017 with Sydney Anderson (soprano), Cecilia Duarte (mezzo-soprano) and Matthew Dirst (Artistic Director). Audio courtesy of Ars Lyrica Houston.

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The Tudors in Portraits Apr 07, 2022

Visitors to the Holburne Museum in Bath are having a close encounter with the most familiar faces in English history. A stunning exhibition, The Tudors: Passion, Power and Politics, includes some of the most iconic Tudor portraits, evoking that torrid era of religious conflict and political intrigue.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb walks round the exhibition with curator Monserrat Pis Marcos to discuss the paintings and the turbulent lives of those portrayed.

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The Taj Mahal & the Emperor Who Built It Apr 04, 2022

The Taj Mahal was commissioned 390 years ago by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. But what can we know about the king from the exquisite love temple he built? What do its inscriptions tell us about Shah Jahan's life, love and faith?

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Father Michael D. Calabria, who has deeply studied this most beautiful and famous of buildings and the Emperor who created it.

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François I, King of France Mar 31, 2022

François I of France not only introduced the Renaissance to France, he became the perfect Renaissance king - an inspiring military leader, a charismatic diplomat, an art collector and a lover of literature. But he was also intensely human and flawed.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to author Leonie Frieda, whose biography of François I brings to life the great monarch who turned France into a great nation.

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Anne Boleyn's Early Life Mar 28, 2022

March 2022 marks the 500th anniversary of Anne Boleyn's first recorded appearance at the English court. To celebrate, Hever Castle - Anne's childhood home - has staged an exhibition charting her early life, and exploring the factors that moulded her character.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb goes to Hever Castle to talk to Dr. Owen Emmerson and Kate McCaffrey about the exhibition and their new book, Becoming Anne: Connections, Culture, Court. The podcast also features a rendition of "Joyssance vous donneray" by Claudin de Sermisy, sung by Jay Britton.

Watch Professor Suzannah Lipscomb exploring Hever Castle in History Hit's new documentary Becoming Anne Boleyn, here >

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The Founding of Cape Town Mar 24, 2022

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb explores the story of a shipwreck that led to the creation of a city and a nation. Exactly 375 years ago, on 25 March 1647, a Dutch cargo ship Nieuw Haarlem foundered in Table Bay’s shallow waters. While 58 crew members were taken back to the Netherlands, 62 remained at the southern tip of Africa. If they had not stayed, says our guest Professor Gerald Groenewald of the University of Johannesburg, the history of colonial South Africa could have turned out very differently.

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The End of Monasteries Mar 21, 2022

The dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII ended almost a millennium of monastic life in England, resulting in a dislocation of people and a disruption of life not seen since the Norman Conquest. Yet newly published research shows that the buildings were not immediately demolished, as was previously imagined.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor James G. Clark whose decades of research into national and regional archives - as well as archaeological remains - has revealed the little-known lives of the last men and women who lived in England's monasteries before the Reformation.

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Henry VIII's Courtier, Sir Thomas Wyatt Mar 17, 2022

No one represented the complexities of the court of Henry VIII better than Sir Thomas Wyatt, a skilled diplomat who was forced to live with the moral and mortal consequences of his shifting allegiances. He was also an outstanding and pioneering poet, who penned the first English sonnets. His satires covertly speak truth to power, alluding to events that it would have been treasonous to talk about openly.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Susan Brigden, author of Thomas Wyatt: The Heart's Forest, an outstanding biography which won the prestigious Wolfson History Prize.

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The Real Cyrano de Bergerac Mar 14, 2022

One of the world's much loved stage and screen characters has just returned to the cinema in a new film version starring Peter Dinklage. But what may not be generally known is that Cyrano de Bergerac was a real person who was sharper, funnier and more modern than the romantic hero he inspired.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Cyrano's biographer Ishbel Addyman, about an extraordinary figure, whose brave, independent and visionary thinking was years ahead of its time.

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Elizabeth Stuart: The Forgotten Queen Mar 10, 2022

As a contribution to International Women's Day last Tuesday, this episode of Not Just the Tudors is a tribute to one of the great - but largely forgotten - Queens of the Early Modern period.

Elizabeth Stuart may only be vaguely recalled today as the sister of King Charles I, the grandmother of King George I, and thus a direct ancestor of our current Queen. But in her lifetime, as the deposed and exiled Queen of Bohemia, Elizabeth was a formidable figure, operating at the epicentre of the political and military struggles that defined 17th century Europe.

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Nadine Akkerman, whose deep immersion in the archives and masterful detective work, has brought Elizabeth Stuart to life as a canny stateswoman and possessor of a sharp wit, cherished in the hearts of her compatriots.

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Elizabeth I's Favourite Painter: Hilliard Mar 07, 2022

Born in Exeter in 1547, the miniaturist Nicholas Hilliard left to posterity some of the most famous and enduring images of Queen Elizabeth I. But who was this man? How did this brilliant artist rise to become the first English-born court painter but then fall to be imprisoned at the age of 70? In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks about the technicolour of Hilliard's life and legacy with his biographer, Dr. Elizabeth Goldring.

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How the Tudors Told Time Mar 03, 2022

How time passes - or how it is understood to pass - itself has a fascinating history. For the Tudors, the uneven hours of the Medieval reckoning were cast aside for an age of mechanical clocks and watches, albeit mainly for the elite.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb meets Dr. Christina Faraday, to explore how the Tudors told the time and how, with this cultural shift, timepieces came to have symbolic meaning about a person's status in the portraits of the period.

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Same-Sex Marriages in Renaissance Rome Feb 28, 2022

All this month on the History Hit family of podcasts, we've been marking LGBT+ History Month. To round off the month, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb investigates an extraordinary episode, long denied by scholars. In 1578, a same-sex community that gathered in a church, performing marriages between men, was discovered in Rome.

Professor Giuseppe Marcocci reveals his ground-breaking research which challenges the accepted historical narrative and helps us to better understand the sentiments of those who were part of this unusual - and at that time, highly subversive - community in Renaissance Rome.

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Oliver Cromwell's Wife and Daughters Feb 24, 2022

How can women be reinstated into the narrative of history when their presence is only faintly attested to in the remaining sources? How can fiction help us in imagining their lives? Is it legitimate to write fictionalised versions of people who really lived? In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb addresses these and other questions with Dr. Miranda Malins, a novelist and historian who specialises in the life and career of Oliver Cromwell, his family, and the politics of the era. Her new novel, The Rebel Daughter is a gripping evocation of the Civil War, and the hidden stories of women at the heart of power.

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Escaping Slavery in London Feb 21, 2022

In 1655, White Londoners began advertising in newspapers to retrieve enslaved people who had escaped. Groundbreaking research is bringing to light for the first time these stories of resistance by enslaved workers in Restoration London - including African children as young as eight - shedding light on the construction of a system of racial slavery, which has generally been regarded as happening in the colonies rather than in Britain itself.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Simon P. Newman about his new book Freedom Seekers: Escaping from Slavery in Restoration London, which reveals the hidden stories of the enslaved who attempted to escape from captivity.

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Women's Work in 17th Century London Feb 17, 2022

In the late 17th century, young women arrived in London to earn their own living, with mistresses setting up shops and supervising female apprentices. Recent groundbreaking research reveals the extent to which single women, wives and widows established themselves in trades guilds both alongside - and separate to - men.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Laura Gowing, author of Ingenious Trades, whose pioneering work sheds a new light on the critical importance and breadth of women's work at the heart of an emerging consumer culture.

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The Glencoe Massacre Feb 14, 2022

In the early hours of 13 February 1692, in the rugged and beautiful mountains of Glencoe in the Scottish Highlands, some 30 members and associates of Clan MacDonald were massacred by the Scottish army. It was a political act, a consequence of the so-called "Glorious Revelation" of 1688-1689. But even by the standards of the time what happened at Glencoe was considered an atrocity and an act of mass murder.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb marks the 330th anniversary of the massacre with Dr. Allan Kennedy from the University of Dundee.

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Kateryn Parr: Henry VIII's Sixth Queen Feb 10, 2022

Kateryn Parr - as she herself wrote her name - is often portrayed as a colourless, prudish figure, known mainly for surviving her marriage to King Henry VIII. But Parr's life reads like a Renaissance romance, filled with peril, jealous husbands, personal patronage of the arts, writing and translating.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Susan James, who charts Parr's life and the strategies she employed during her queenship, that ensured her survival, and which provided a role-model for her beloved step-daughter, the future Queen Elizabeth I.

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Travel in the Ming Dynasty Feb 07, 2022

Around the same time as the Mayflower was landing at Cape Cod, on the other side of the world tourism was thriving in China, giving rise to a fascinating genre of travel writing.

To mark the start of the Chinese New Year - the Year of the Tiger - Professor Suzannah Lipscomb explores the wonderfully rich prose and travel diaries of the period with Professor James Hargett. His research and translations reveal extraordinary insights into the society and culture of the late Ming Dynasty.

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Edward VI: The Last Boy King Feb 03, 2022

Edward VI, son of Henry VIII, became King of England at the age of nine. All around him loomed powerful men who hoped to use him to further their own ends. Edward was the only Tudor monarch who was groomed to reign, and it was assumed he would become as commanding a figure as his father had been.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Stephen Alford, to discover the story of a boy learning to rule and emerge from the shadows of the great aristocrats around him - only to die unexpectedly at the age of 15.

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Antwerp: Renaissance Europe's Dazzling Sea Port Jan 31, 2022

Antwerp during the Renaissance was as sensational as nineteenth-century Paris or twentieth-century New York. For half the sixteenth century, it was the place for breaking rules - religious, sexual and intellectual. But when Antwerp rebelled with the Dutch against the Spanish and lost, all of its glory was buried and its true history rewritten.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to author Michael Pye, whose detailed research has recovered the splendour that was Antwerp, a city learning how to be a power in its own right in the world after feudalism.

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Death of Henry VIII Jan 27, 2022

475 years ago, on 28 January 1547, King Henry VIII died at the age of 55. Just hours before his passing, his last will and testament had been read, stamped, and sealed. Historians have disagreed ever since about its authenticity and validity, and the circumstances of its creation, making Henry's will one of English history's most contested documents,

In this explainer episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb offers her own illuminating interpretation of the aftermath of Henry VIII's death, the mystery of his will and how misplaced trust can undermine the best-laid plans of a powerful monarch.

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Henry VIII & Jousting Jan 24, 2022

In the world of King Henry VIII, the paramount place to demonstrate physical strength and manly courage was the joust - and Henry excelled at it.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to historian Dr. Emma Levitt to find out more about what jousting was, why Henry liked it so much, how it was scored, what it cost - and the culture of honour, manhood and physical chivalry that it embodied.

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Kate Mosse: Writing Historical Fiction Jan 20, 2022

Kate Mosse is the multimillion-selling author of the Languedoc Trilogy - Labyrinth, Sepulchre and Citadel. With her new novel The City of Tears, the second in her series The Burning Chambers, just out in paperback, she tells the story of a family’s fight to stay together and survive against the backdrop of the French Wars of Religion and the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre of 1572.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Kate Mosse about how she goes about writing historical fiction, researching the events of the past, imagining the characters who lived through them and, most particularly, conjuring up the places she finds inspiring - but as they used to be.

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Cardinal Wolsey Jan 17, 2022

No advisor was more important to King Henry VIII than Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. He captured Henry's attention with his brilliance and became his most trusted confidant. But when the King wanted to divorce Catherine of Aragon, not even the eloquent Wolsey could convince the Pope to agree.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Wolsey's biographer Professor Glenn Richardson, about the man who was responsible for building Henry VIII's reputation as England's most impressive king but ended up being accused of treason.

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Elizabeth I & Mary, Queen of Scots Jan 13, 2022

Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots were cousins who never met - but their fates were intertwined. As their nations were engulfed in religious turmoil and civil wars raged on the continent, these two powerful women struggled for control of the British Isles.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb goes to the British Library in London to meet curator Andrea Clarke and visit a stunning exhibition on the rival Queens, which uses original documents and extraordinary objects to show how paranoia turned sisterly affection to suspicion.

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1492: The Year the Spanish Monarchy Changed the World Jan 10, 2022

2022 marks the 530th anniversary of 1492 - the year in which Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castille ended centuries of Muslim rule in Spain, expelled the country's Jews, and signed a contract with one Christopher Columbus who set set sail to find the Indies - and the rest is history.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Isabella's biographer Giles Tremlett about her and Ferdinand's pursuit of piety, purity and power and their role in the momentous events of 1492.

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Franz Hals: Painter of The Laughing Cavalier Jan 06, 2022

One of the most famous paintings in London is The Laughing Cavalier of 1624 by Franz Hals, the great portrait artist of the Dutch Golden Age whose fame has been somewhat eclipsed by Vermeer and Rembrandt. In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb heads off to the Wallace Collection in London to see The Laughing Cavalier - alongside an exquisite, small selection of Hals' male portraits - and to discuss them with curator Lelia Packer. There is also analysis by contemporary artist Grayson Perry, who features in the exhibition's multimedia guide, created in collaboration with Imagineear. The guide, free with every exhibition ticket, brings the individual portraits to life through rich commentary provided by Perry and other experts.

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2022: A Year of Major Anniversaries Jan 03, 2022

Happy New Year from Not Just the Tudors! But what, looking back, can we look forward to in 2022? Our first episode of the year anticipates 12 months filled with fascinating historical exhibitions and important anniversaries - from the raising from the seabed of the Mary Rose 40 years ago in 1982 to the 500th anniversary since the first recorded circumnavigation of the globe, with many more world-shaking events in between. Join Professor Suzannah Lipscomb for everything you ever wanted to know about the coming year.

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A Happy Tudor New Year Dec 30, 2021

For the Tudors, Christmas Day was not traditionally the date when gifts were given. The Twelve Days of Christmas begin on 25 December and end at Epiphany, 6 January - also known as Twelfth Night. In Tudor times, all 12 were feast days, but 1 January was the day when presents were unwrapped.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb dives into how Christmas and New Year were marked by the Tudors and Stuarts, and what kind of gifts they gave, with Dr. Felicity Heal, author of The Power of Gifts: Gift Exchange in Early Modern England.

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Biggest Tudor Discoveries 2021 Dec 27, 2021

In this special end of the year edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb takes a look back at 2021 and the major events and achievements that have changed the way we understand the Tudors - but not just the Tudors!

Suzannah picks out her five favourite new books from the last 12 months, as well as surveying some of the extraordinary archaeological discoveries that have brought to light previously unknown artefacts, and the painstaking academic research which has increased our knowledge of the period.

If you'd like to learn more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit.

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Tudor Ghosts and Angels Dec 23, 2021

To this day, the presence of angels is synonymous with the Christmas story and the momentous events associated with the Nativity. For the Tudors and Stuarts, widespread belief in angels brought a touch of the miraculous to life, but so too did ghosts, although it was sometimes hard to distinguish them from angels - or demons.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb summons up the spirits of times past with historian Dr Laura Sangha, an expert in the beliefs associated with the supernatural in the early modern period.

If you'd like to learn more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit.

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Witches of Iceland Dec 20, 2021

In Iceland in the 17th century, witchcraft accusations, trials and convictions occurred later than in the rest of Europe. But also unusual was the fact that 91% of "witches" executed in Iceland were men. In a country where the weather and rural life was harsh - and traditional superstitions and folk medicine still held sway - the imposed Lutheran influence of Danish rule led to hysteria and a wave of sad and shocking cases.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more with scholar Dr. Ólína Kjerulf Þorvarðardóttir, a former Member of Iceland's Althing Parliament.

If you'd like to learn more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit.

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Tudor Box Set Binge Dec 16, 2021

If you are planning your television viewing over the holidays, especially if you are looking forward to bingeing on the best Tudor dramas and classic film depictions of the era, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb has a few personal recommendations of movies and TV series for you to re-discover this festive season.

And in the second part of the podcast, she casts an eye over the 1998 Shekhar Kapur film Elizabeth, which starred an Oscar-nominated Cate Blanchett as the eponymous monarch. It was undoubtedly dazzling to look at, but how did the film stand up as historical fact?

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Dürer: The Great Renaissance Artist Dec 13, 2021

Albrecht Dürer was the greatest German artist to come out of the Renaissance, whose high quality woodcuts revolutionised the potential of the medium. A spectacular exhibition at the National Gallery in London - the first major UK show of his work in nearly 20 years - charts Dürer's extensive travels to the Alps, Italy, Venice and the Netherlands, exploring how his journeys fuelled his curiosity and creativity, and increased his fame and influence across the continent.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb goes to the National Gallery and is joined by curator Dr. Susan Foister to tour the show and find out more about Dürer, the world he encountered and how he depicted it.

True Crime on the Elizabethan Stage Dec 09, 2021

The true crime genre - stories of actual murders and other crimes that are then fictionalised - is not a new phenomenon. More than four centuries ago, a series of plays based on real life cases appeared on the London stage. It was a short-lived craze generated by the insatiable early modern appetite for the "three Ms" - melodrama, moralizing and misogyny.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to author Charles Nicholl about the little known phenomenon of Elizabethan true crime, which even influenced the works of William Shakespeare.

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The Murder of Rizzio, Mary Queen of Scots' Favourite Dec 06, 2021

On 9 March 1566, David Rizzio - close friend and private secretary to Mary, Queen of Scots - was stabbed dozens of times in front of the pregnant Queen at the instigation of her husband, Lord Darnley in an apparent bid to destroy both her and her unborn heir so that Darnley himself could rule Scotland. He had also made a bargain with his allies in return for restoring their lands and titles.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to crime novelist Denise Mina about her re-telling of this tale of sex, seduction, secrets and lies, looking at history through a modern lens and exploring the lengths to which men - and women - will go for love and power.

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Black Tudors Dec 02, 2021

Our image of the Tudor era remains overwhelmingly white. But the black presence in England was much greater than has previously been recognised, and Tudor conceptions of race were far more complex than we have been led to believe.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Onyeka Nubia whose original research shows that Tudors from many walks of life regularly interacted with people of African descent, both at home and abroad - findings that cast a new light on the Tudor age and our own attitudes towards race relations in history.

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How Powerful was Henry VIII? Nov 29, 2021

Was Henry VIII as all-powerful and tyrannical as we have come to believe? Is the scheming of Thomas Cromwell portrayed in Wolf Hall close to the truth? What were the roles of the clergy, or parliament, or the land-owning gentry, in supporting or influencing the sweeping changes that rocked England during the period?

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor George Bernard. He has been picking apart the conventional view of Tudor society, the work of influential past historians, and the roles of a Machiavellian monarch, the church and individuals, to ask where did the power really lie? And did they really have a choice?

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The First Gun Crime in London Nov 25, 2021

Early in the morning of Sunday 13 November 1536, a London merchant named Robert Pakington was shot dead crossing Cheapside as he walked to church. It was the first gun crime in London's history. But who pulled the trigger? In a time of religious turmoil, was Pakington's murder perhaps provoked by his outspoken criticism of the clergy?

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb speaks to historian and writer Derek Wilson, whose novel The First Horseman launched a series exploring true, unsolved Tudor crimes.

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Henry VIII's Wives on Stage: Six - The Musical Nov 22, 2021

Since its first outing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2017, the stage musical Six has become a worldwide theatre sensation. In it, the six wives of Henry VIII are re-imagined as a girl band, competing to decide who will lead the group based on how much they suffered while married to Henry.

Six was created by two Cambridge undergrads, Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, while they were studying for their final exams. In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to them, to discover the story of how they brought Henry VIII's six wives out from under their husband's shadow and gave each of them their moment in the spotlight.

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Did Thomas Seymour Groom Elizabeth Tudor? Nov 18, 2021

In 1547, the 14-year-old future Queen Elizabeth I is living with her step-mother Queen Catherine Parr and her new husband Thomas Seymour, uncle to Elizabeth's half-brother King Edward VI. But when Seymour begins an overt flirtation with Elizabeth, she is sent away by Catherine. Later, when Seymour is arrested for treason, Elizabeth and Seymour's relationship comes under close scrutiny.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Elizabeth Norton about this harrowing and potentially damaging episode from the early life of the Virgin Queen.

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Oliver Cromwell Nov 15, 2021

Oliver Cromwell - the only commoner to have become Britain's head of state - has puzzled biographers for centuries. He was a complex character, courageous but at the same time devious and self-serving. But the Cromwell who comes through in his own speeches and writings does not give us the full picture.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Ronald Hutton about his remarkable new book which reveals a Cromwell who was both genuine in his faith and deliberate in his dishonesty.

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The Last Witches in England Nov 11, 2021

In 1682, three impoverished women from Bideford in Devon were hanged, becoming the last people to be executed for witchcraft in England. The evidence against them was flimsy and their conviction was secured against a background of a baying mob mentality. Yet their story has endured, and their names were chanted as recently as the 1980s, as both inspiration and incantation, by women peace activists at Greenham Common.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to John Callow, whose new book The Last Witches of England demonstrates how the case of the Bideford witches sheds light upon the turbulent religious, political, class and social tensions of the 17th century.

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England: Devil-Land 1588-1688 Nov 08, 2021

In the 17th century, England was known as "Devil-Land" - a diabolical country torn apart by seditious rebellion, religious extremism and royal collapse. Dr. Clare Jackson has written a dazzling, original account of English history's most turbulent and radical era telling the story of a nation in a state of near continual crisis.

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Jackson about England between 1588 and 1688 which was, in many ways, an unstable state, rocked by devastating events from the Gunpowder Plot to the Great Fire of London.

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Ottoman Empire in the Renaissance Nov 04, 2021

The Ottoman Empire has long been seen as the Islamic-Asian opposite of the Christian-European West. But the reality was very different: the Ottomans played an integral role in European history. Their multiethnic, multilingual, and multi-religious domain reached deep into the heart of the continent, connecting the East and West as never before.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Marc David Baer about the extraordinary Ottomans, how their rulers saw themselves as the New Romans, how they fascinated Henry VIII, and how a true picture of their power and influence upends our common concepts of the Renaissance.

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Singing the News in Tudor England Nov 01, 2021

In an age before newspapers and mass media, how did the general public keep abreast of what was going on? How did they find out about the seismic changes going on at court, and in the religious life of the country?

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Jenni Hyde, whose extensive research into the early modern period proves that the news was not only spread by word of mouth and pamphlets, it actually became the stuff of ballads and communal songs.

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The Love Letters of Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn Oct 28, 2021

In the Vatican Library, there survive 17 highly personal love letters, written in King Henry VIII's own hand to Anne Boleyn between 1527 and 1528. How the letters got there no one exactly knows - they were probably stolen from Anne to be used as evidence in Henry's divorce trial with Catherine of Aragon.

In the second of her Explainer podcasts, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb explores these extraordinary letters that changed history. The podcast includes excerpts from History Hit's newly released audio book of the Love Letters of Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn, read by Matt Lewis, which can be listened to in full here >

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Witches & Puritans Oct 25, 2021

On a remote Massachusetts plantation in 1651, an unpopular local brickmaker was blamed for a wave of animal ailments, children dying and vanishing property. The argumentative Hugh Parsons was accused of being a vengeful witch.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Malcolm Gaskill about his research into this dark, real-life folktale of family tragedy, supernatural obsessions and social anxiety in the New World of the Puritans.

Massacre of the Huguenots Oct 21, 2021

The royal wedding of Marguerite de Valois and Henri de Navarre on 18 August 1572, was designed to reconcile France’s Catholics and Protestants - or Huguenots. But six days later, the execution of Protestant leaders led to a massacre by Catholics of thousands more Protestants in Paris and across France.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. Sophie Nicholls - who is currently writing a popular history of the French Wars of Religion - to explore the events and tensions that led to one of the most frenzied and brutal outbreaks of religious violence in early modern history.

Mary I's Husband: Philip II of Spain Oct 18, 2021

Philip II of Spain - the most powerful monarch of the early modern period - was married to Queen Mary Tudor from 1554 until her death in 1558. But Philip was not merely Mary's King Consort. Rather he was King of England, co-ruler with Mary. But Philip's character and central role in the English monarchy was forever blackened by anti-Catholic versions of Tudor history.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Gonzalo Velasco Berenguer, whose ground-breaking research shows that the reign of Mary and Philip was much more than an anomalous glitch on England's journey towards Protestantism.

How Catherine of Aragon Learnt to be Queen Oct 14, 2021

The Spanish infanta Catalina of Aragon was raised to be a Queen, betrothed at the age of three to the heir apparent of the English throne, Arthur Prince of Wales. Eight years after Arthur's death, she became the first of Henry VIII's six wives. Catalina's mother - Queen Isabella I of Castile - was the most influential person in her life. Witness at an early age to the expulsion of Jews, the defeat of the Moors in Spain, and the triumphal return of Christopher Columbus, Catherine grew up to be a intelligent, highly literate, multi-lingual woman, devoted to her Catholic faith, and a popular, charismatic Queen.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb discovers more about the early life of Catherine with two leading experts: Dr. Theresa Earenfight, Professor of History at Seattle University and author of a forthcoming biography of Catherine, and Emma Cahill Marron, whose dissertation is focused on the Queen's role as a patron of the arts in Tudor England.

The 1549 Kett's Rebellion Oct 11, 2021

In 1549, the Tudor establishment was rocked by a series of popular rebellions, born of deep discontent over the enclosure by wealthy landowners of common land, which were essential to ordinary people's livelihoods. In Norfolk, yeoman Robert Kett agreed to the rebels' demands and offered to lead them, storming and taking the city of Norwich - an act which prompted a brutal response from the full military might of the state.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Andy Wood about the Norfolk insurrection - known as the Ketts Rebellion - and its long-term significance for the development of English society.

17th & 18th Century Sexual Revolution Oct 07, 2021

For most of western history, sex outside of marriage was forbidden by law, with adulterers even facing the death sentence. The church, the state and neighbours all put huge amounts of energy into catching sexual wrongdoers and seeing them punished. But between 1600 and 1800, this entire world-view was shattered by revolutionary new ideas - that consenting adults have the freedom to do what they like with their own bodies, and morality cannot be imposed by force.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Faramerz Dabhoiwala, author of The Origins of Sex, about his groundbreaking research into how the modern approach to sex came about.

Lady Jane Grey Oct 04, 2021

On a cold February morning in 1554, Lady Jane Grey was beheaded for high treason. Named as King Edward VI as his successor, Queen Jane had reigned for just 13 tumultuous days before being imprisoned in the Tower, condemned and executed.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to author and historian Nicola Tallis who reveals the moving, human story of an intelligent, independent and courageous young woman, forced on to the English throne by the great power players in the Tudor court.

Sir Thomas More Sep 30, 2021

Who was Thomas More - Knight, Chancellor and Martyr? His life is paradoxical, with More regarded as both saint and persecutor, Humanist intellectual and bigoted zealot. His religious writings, with their - at times - violent attacks on what he regarded as heresy, have been hotly debated.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Tom Betteridge. In his work, he has placed Thomas More in a broader cultural context and argues for a revision to the existing histories of the man and his reputation.

The Gunpowder Plot: Tudor Origins Sep 27, 2021

The Gunpowder Plot is one of the hinge events of British history - an act of terror the roots of which stretch back to the Tudor period and Henry VIII's break with Rome. It's a story of Holy War, divided loyalties and religious hatred. And it has never been more timely.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Suzannah Lipscomb talks gunpowder, treason and plot with historian and broadcaster Jessie Childs, author of the award-winning God’s Traitors.

Holbein and the Tudor Court Sep 23, 2021

In the early 1530s, the painter Hans Holbein the Younger returns to London. His patronage by Anne Boleyn and the influential Thomas Cromwell leads to Holbein creating the full-length portrait of King Henry VIII that has dominated how we have visualised him ever since.

In this second of a two-part Not Just the Tudors special, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb further explores Holbein's fascinating life and work with three of the world's foremost scholars of the artist - Jeanne Nuechterlein, Franny Moyle and Susan Foister.

Hans Holbein's Early Years Sep 20, 2021

Hans Holbein the Younger is celebrated for his hyper-realistic, iconic portraits of Henry VIII, Thomas More, Thomas Cromwell, Anne of Cleves, Jane Seymour and an array of Tudor lords and ladies. But beyond these, Holbein was a humanist, satirist, political propagandist, book designer and religious artist.

In this first of a two-part Not Just the Tudors special exploring the life and work of this multi-faceted genius, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to three of the world's foremost Holbein scholars - Jeanne Nuechterlein, Franny Moyle and Susan Foister - about the early life of Tudor England's artistic giant.

Clothing Tudor Queens Sep 16, 2021

How did Tudor Queens clothe themselves? How did female fashion change over Henry VIII's reign? Did foreign Queens influence English fashion or adopt it? Did women wear underclothes?

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Maria Hayward about everything there is to know about what Tudor women wore, and why.

Islam and the Elizabethans Sep 13, 2021

Elizabeth I's excommunication by the Pope in 1570 marked the beginning of an extraordinary - and little talked about - English alignment with Muslim powers that were fighting Catholic Spain in the Mediterranean. This engagement with, and awareness of, Islam found its way into scores of plays, including Shakespeare's Othello.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Jerry Brotton about England's fascinating relations with the Muslim world, which were far more extensive, and often more amicable, than we might think.

Making Babies in the 17th Century Sep 09, 2021

Making babies was a mysterious process for people in early modern England. Their ideas about conception, pregnancy, and childbirth tell us much about their attitudes towards gender and power at that time.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Mary Fissell. She has been delving into a wealth of popular sources - ballads, jokes, witchcraft pamphlets, Prayer Books and popular medical manuals - to produce the first account of how women's reproductive bodies were understood in the 17th century.

Ottoman Traveller: Fynes Moryson Sep 06, 2021

In July 1596, Fynes Moryson - a Lincolnshire gentleman and travel writer - was struck down with grief when his younger brother died as they crossed the desert on their return from Jerusalem. Moryson described his journeys and devastating experiences two decades later in an account titled Itinerary, at once a personal memoir and a huge manual of travel advice.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Eva Johanna Holmberg, whose study of Moryson, his travels and his travails, sheds light on the lives and emotions of people in the early modern period.

Tudors in Love Sep 02, 2021

The dramas of courtly love have captivated readers and dreamers for centuries. Yet they’re often dismissed as something that existed only in the legends of King Arthur and chivalric fantasy.

But in this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Sarah Gristwood tells Professor Suzannah Lipscomb how the Tudors actually re-enacted the roles of the devoted lovers and capricious mistresses first laid out in the romances of medieval literature - romantic obsessions that shaped the history of Britain.

Accused of Witchcraft Aug 30, 2021

Not all suspicions of witchcraft led to a formal accusation, and not all such accusations led to trials and execution. During the entire early modern period, the large, Lutheran duchy of Württemberg in southwestern Germany - where there were some 600 accusations - only 350 went to trial, 197 of which ended with burning at the stake. So what does this tell us about how people understood themselves and each other, the psychology and emotions of those accused, and how they tried to defend themselves?

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Laura Kounine, who has been studying how the community, church, and agents of the law sought to identify witches, and the ways in which ordinary men and women fought for their lives in an attempt to avoid execution.

Henry VIII's Break with Rome Aug 26, 2021

King Henry VIII was deeply religious and started out as a staunch supporter of the Pope and the Roman Catholic church. But everything changed when Henry's need to produce a male successor led to his wanting to divorce Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn.

In this first of an occasional series of Explainer podcasts, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb offers everything you ever wanted to know about one of the most famous and far-reaching episodes in British history.

The Biblical Apocalypse in Münster Aug 23, 2021

Between February 1534 and June 1535, the German city of Münster was seized and ruled over by a radical group of Protestant Christians called Anabaptists who believed the Biblical Apocalypse was imminent. Their leader styled himself as a new King Solomon. He took 16 wives and - allegedly - personally executed those who opposed him.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Kat Hill about this extraordinary attempt to create the "New Jerusalem" and its inevitably disastrous outcome.

Beauty Ideals in the 16th Century Aug 19, 2021

What was the 16th century ideal of beauty for women? Fat or thin? Blonde or brunette? Pale or tanned? How did women keep clean? Did they remove their body hair?

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb gets the lowdown from Jill Burke - Professor of Renaissance Visual and Material Cultures at the University of Edinburgh - on all the tips to become an authentic Renaissance Woman.

Bloody Mary vs. The Virgin Queen Aug 16, 2021

Queen Mary I has had a bad press over the centuries, her five-years on the throne overshadowed by her half-sister Elizabeth's 45-year reign. While Elizabeth I is often hailed as "Gloriana" - and one of the greatest ever Britons - "Bloody Mary" more often finds her way onto charts of the most evil women in history. Both childless, Mary is reviled as "barren" while Elizabeth is lauded as the "Virgin Queen".

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Anna Whitelock who puts the case for a more balanced assessment of Mary I as a Queen who pioneered what female rule could look like.

Alessandro de' Medici, Black Prince of Florence Aug 12, 2021

In the cut-throat world of Renaissance Florence, Alessandro - the illegitimate son of a Duke and a mixed-race servant - attempts to reassert the Medicis’ faltering grip on the city state. But after just six years in power, Alessandro is murdered by his cousin while anticipating an adulterous liaison.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Catherine Fletcher, author of The Black Prince of Florence, about one man's spectacular rise to power against the odds, and his violent demise.

Henry VIII: Defender of the Faith Aug 09, 2021

Five hundred years ago in 1521, the title 'Defender of the Faith' was bestowed by Pope Leo X upon King Henry VIII for his defence of the Catholic Church against the threat of Martin Luther. Why did he then break away from Rome and create religious divisions for centuries to come? A new online exhibition - drawn from the colletion of the Society of Antiquaries in London - offers a new perspective on the power Henry wielded, his personality and passions.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more about this fascinating resource from its curator Dr. John Cooper. View the objects while listening to the podcast here: https://stories.sal.org.uk/henryviii/

The Witches of Lorraine Aug 05, 2021

Between 1570 and 1630, there was intense persecution and thousands of executions of suspected witches in Lorraine, a small duchy on the borders of France and the Holy Roman Empire. In some cases, suspicious citizens waited decades to report their neighbours as witches. But why did they take so long to use the law to eliminate the supposedly dangerous figures who lived amongst them?

Robin Briggs - Emeritus Fellow at All Souls College Oxford - has delved into perhaps the richest surviving archive of witchcraft trials to be found in Europe. In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, he talks to Professor Suzannah Lipscomb about his conclusion that witchcraft was actually perceived as having strong therapeutic possibilities: once a person was identified as the cause of a sickness, they could be induced to take it off again.

Beards Aug 02, 2021

For the Tudors and Elizabethans, a beard denoted masculinity while beardlessness indicated boyhood or effeminacy. How a man wore his beard - or not - said a lot about his power and position in society.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to theatre historian Dr. Eleanor Rycroft about her hirsute pursuits, analysing the depiction of beards in portraits and on stage, what their various colours, shapes and sizes meant, and what they tell us about gender attitudes in early modern England.

Sor Juana: Poet, Nun, Martyr Jul 29, 2021

Though she is relatively unknown outside of Mexico, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz - poet, playwright and nun - is an icon and national hero in her homeland. She even features on the 200 peso banknote.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Amy Fuller Morgan about the real Sor Juana - misrepresented and mythologised as a subversive upstart, even a martyr - who in fact had a privileged life and the support of the Church and court, and who carefully cultivated her own image and saintly reputation.

Catherine Howard Jul 26, 2021

Catherine Howard was Queen Consort - and fifth wife - to Henry VIII for just 16 months before he had her executed for treason for committing adultery. Since Victorian times, historians have labelled her as lewd and promiscuous, but there was an altogether more complex young woman behind the rumours.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Gareth Russell, author of Young and Damned and Fair, a riveting account of Catherine's tragic marriage to an unstable King, and the tragedy of her life in a dangerous hothouse where the odds were stacked against her.

Martin Luther Jul 22, 2021

A controversial figure during his lifetime, Martin Luther set in motion a revolution that split Christianity in the West and left an indelible mark on the world today.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to renowned Luther biographer Lyndal Roper to explore the man behind the carefully crafted image - misogynistic, anti-Semitic, occasionally self-doubting, religiously devout yet with a crude, scatological sense of humour.

Elizabeth I and Catherine de' Medici Jul 19, 2021

The relationship between Elizabeth I and Catherine de' Medici - the two most powerful Queens of their time - is one of the most intriguing and captivating stories of the 16th century.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Estelle Paranque about her new book Blood, Fire and Gold, which explores how these two formidable women wielded and negotiated power, and were united only in their dislike of Mary, Queen of Scots.

16th Century Feminists Jul 15, 2021

In this edition of Not Just The Tudors, Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Hannah Dawson, editor of The Penguin Book of Feminist Writing who draws upon poems, novels and memoirs to show that even in Tudor times, and earlier, there was not only insight that sexism existed, but women were articulating their struggle against patriarchal oppression.

Sodomy & Sex Crimes in France Jul 12, 2021

In the 16th and 17th centuries and beyond, certain sexual acts were made capital crimes in England, France and other countries. The offence of "sodomy" embraced a wide range of acts including rape, child abuse and bestiality.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Tom Hamilton who has deeply researched the subject, shedding light on what the authorities and ordinary people at the time thought about sex. (This podcast contains some explicit language and descriptions.)

The Death of Anne Boleyn Jul 08, 2021

The Story of the Death of Anne Boleyn is a long narrative poem written by the secretary to the French ambassador in London within two weeks of the Queen's execution. It was intended as a diplomatic dispatch, relating the astonishing news - in verse - of her demise, along with that of five alleged lovers.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor JoAnn DellaNeva, who has been researching a previously unstudied manuscript of the poem. Her translation sheds new light on a work which straddles the domains of literature and history, of chronicle and fiction.

10 Treasures from the National Trust Jul 05, 2021

Dr Tarnya Cooper is the Curatorial and Collections Director at the National Trust. For her recent book, 125 Treasures from the Collections of the National Trust, she and 60 curators brought together the most extraordinary objects that can be found in National Trust properties around the country.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Tarnya joins Suzannah Lipscomb with her pick of her 12 favourite items, from Cardinal Wolsey’s purse to a "spangled bed."

Coffee & Tobacco Jul 01, 2021

When tobacco arrived in Britain in the 1560s, it was hailed as a "holy herb", a miracle cure to improve health and a catalyst for wit and creativity. The coming of coffee - "black as hell, strong as death, sweet as love" - in the mid-17th century, led to the establishment of coffee houses where debates flourished and innovations were born that helped to shape the modern world.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Matthew Green - author of London: A Travel Guide Through Time - about how nicotine and caffeine changed the British way of life.

Heywood: The Catholic Satirist who Kept his Head Jun 28, 2021

Playwright and musician John Heywood was a devout Catholic humanist and biting satirist - married to Sir Thomas Moore's niece - who managed to survive life as a courtier through the Catholic and Protestant regimes of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more about this fascinating figure with Professor Greg Walker, author of the first full scholarly biography of John Heywood, whose life was a case study of the role of comedy in a period of religious and political extremism.

Hampton Court: Gold & Glory Jun 24, 2021

On 7 June 1520, Henry VIII of England and François I of France met at the Field of Cloth of Gold. For three weeks on English soil in Northern France, the two Kings - and the 12,000 who accompanied them - feasted, jousted, and made merry. This party without parallel was a peace summit between the two countries, arranged by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey.

A new exhibition at Hampton Court, called Gold and Glory, explores this seminal event through paintings, objects, and manuscripts. In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Suzannah Lipscomb takes a tour around the exhibition with one of its curators, Dr. Alden Gregory.

Charles V: Holy Roman Emperor Jun 21, 2021

Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Professor Geoffrey Parker to explore the extraordinary life and career of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (1500–1558), who ruled Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, and much of Italy and Central and South America,

Prof. Parker has examined countless surviving written sources, interrogating every dimension of Charles’s long reign, to produce an epic, detailed and vivid life of a complex man and his rule over the world's first transatlantic empire.

Louis XIV and his Mistresses Jun 17, 2021

Louis XIV ruled France for more than 72 years, the longest recorded reign of any monarch of any sovereign country in history. Despite the devotion of his wife Maria Theresa of Spain, Louis took a series of mistresses, a number of them "official", with whom he had numerous illegitimate children. Yet, for the last three decades of his life, after Maria Theresa's death, he settled down more loyally with the Marquise de Maintenon. In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more about the powerful and fascinating women behind the throne of the Sun King, with Dr Linda Kiernan Knowles.

Mary, Queen of Scots Jun 14, 2021

Mary, Queen of Scots, returned to the news headlines when the rosary she carried to her execution in 1587, was recently stolen from Arundel Castle. It's the latest chapter in the enduring story of this highly romanticised figure.

Mary reigned over Scotland for just over 24 years between December 1542 until her forced abdication. Considered the legitimate sovereign of England by many Catholics, Mary was seen as a threat to Queen Elizabeth I. In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Kate Williams about Mary's tragic life, her disastrous marriages and the plots against Elizabeth that resulted in her execution.

Japan's Edo Period Jun 10, 2021

After a century of Civil War, changes in the way Japan was ruled from 1600 onwards meant that Europeans and Christianity made few inroads into Japanese society. Shogun Tokugawa organised Japan into a strict class system and its unique and brilliant culture flourished in isolation. In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb navigates the fascinating, floating world of Japan in the 17th century with Professor Timon Screech.

The French Historie: A Gory Poem Jun 07, 2021

In 1589, Anne Dowriche, the wife of a Puritan minister from Devon, wrote a long and gory poem about the bloody, ongoing conflict between Catholics and Huguenots in France. Dowriche's The French Historie was one of the few sixteenth century books written entirely by a woman. She was also almost alone as a woman in publicly commenting on contemporary political events and speaking up against tyranny.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Suzannah Lipscomb talks to historian Dr. Joanne Paul about Dowriche, who was also one of the first English writers to draw on Machiavelli, and whose works possibly inspired both Marlowe and Shakespeare.

A 16th Century Public Executioner Jun 03, 2021

The German executioner Meister Frantz Schmidt kept a fascinating journal of all the executions, torture and punishments he administered between 1573 and 1618. In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Joel Harrington to talk about Schmidt - who showed himself to be an executioner with a conscience - and further explore public capital punishment in the 16th century, described by historians as the "spectacle of suffering." Contains graphic descriptions of punishments.

Dissolution of the Monasteries May 31, 2021

Ordered by King Henry VIII and carried out by Thomas Cromwell, the dissolution of the monasteries was the greatest land re-distribution in England since the Norman Conquest, and the largest windfall of cash to the crown in history. Between 1536 and 1540, 800 religious houses were dissolved leading to nothing less than the wholesale destruction of monasticism.

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Suzannah Lipscomb talks to writer and historian Mathew Lyons about the dissolution and its far-reaching consequences - on pregnant women, the poor and the libraries of England.

The Renaissance Lute May 27, 2021

The lute, with its double strings and beautiful decorative detail is a familiar feature of Renaissance paintings. In the sixteenth century, lute music was highly prized in the courts of Europe and lutenists earned handsome sums.

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Suzannah Lipscomb talks to leading lutenist and musicologist Dr. Lynda Sayce, to explore and hear the lute, how it evolved in different countries, and its cultural importance.

Origins of the English in India May 24, 2021

In the late 16th century, a group of London merchants petitioned Queen Elizabeth I to allow them to build English trade in Asia. She granted a charter in 1600 to support the English East India Company for 15 years, which King James I later turned into rights and perpetuity. In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Suzannah Lipscomb talks to historian Dr David Veevers from Queen Mary University of London about his exciting research into the origins of the English - later British - East India Company, which casts a new light on the story of the British in India, especially how the later dominance of the Empire was by no means guaranteed in its earliest days.

Anne Boleyn: New Discoveries May 20, 2021

Anne Boleyn has been trending on Twitter after it was announced that secret inscriptions were found hidden in the Book of Hours that she took to her execution. They were discovered by Kate McCaffrey who talks to Suzannah in this special to mark the 485th anniversary of Anne Boleyn's death, on 19 May 1536.

Also in this episode, Suzannah goes to Anne's childhood home of Hever Castle in Kent to meet Dr.Owen Emmerson and delves deep into Anne’s family background with Dr. Lauren MacKay.

Anne Boleyn: Life and Afterlives May 17, 2021

In the first of two special podcasts to mark the 485th anniversary of Anne Boleyn's death, Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by a panel of experts to discuss the enduring fascination with Anne's life and demise.

Exploring the different perceptions of Anne and her re-creation through her many afterlives are authors Claire Ridgway and Natalie Grueninger, historian Dr. Stephanie Russo and art historian Roland Hui.

17th Century Female Spies May 13, 2021

If you think that the female spy is a 20th century phenomenon, be it Mata Hari, Mrs Zigzag or Eve Polastri, think again! Accounts of numerous 17th century 'she-intelligencers' have lain undiscovered in archives for centuries. And these remarkable women were much more than the honey-trap accomplices of a Stuart-era George Smiley. In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Nadine Akkerman, author of Invisible Agents: Women and Espionage in Seventeenth-Century Britain to talk about her fascinating quest to unearth the plots and conspiracies involving women spies that have been forgotten by history.

Tudor Banquets May 10, 2021

The Tudors loved a good banquet, to show off their wealth and social status. Guests were plied with the most superb food, made from the most expensive ingredients and displayed in the most outrageous way. Professor Suzannah Lipscomb meets Brigitte Webster to find out more about what the Tudors served at their banquets, how these feasts influenced the habits of the time, and how the availability of sugar - which was thought of as a medicine - transformed their lives (and their dental health!)

The Aztecs May 06, 2021

What we know about the Aztecs of Mexico often comes from the accounts of their Spanish conquerors. But the Aztec culture was far more sophisticated than the European invaders chose to portray. In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr Caroline Dodds Pennock about the real reasons behind Aztec ritual sacrifice and cannibalism, and their com beliefs about the afterlife, childbirth, gender roles and sexual norms.

The Queer Shakespeare: John Lyly May 03, 2021

John Lyly's name may not be so familiar. He was a playwright and poet writing at the same time as Shakespeare and, in his day, was more famous than the Bard himself. Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr Andy Kesson about Lyly's radical and, frankly, queer works: his plays in which Queen Elizabeth was compared - at court! - to the lesbian poet Sappho, and in which the marriage of two girls dressed as boys is approved by Venus, goddess of love. Why has Lyly been forgotten? And why might he just be the alternative Shakespeare for our times?

Bridewell: The Palace that became a Prison Apr 29, 2021

In the heart of Shakespeare's London, there was a palace that had become a prison: Bridewell. Professor Duncan Salkeld has explored the records of this notorious destination for the poor and the indigent, vagrants, prostitutes, and the idle. In this episodes of Not Just the Tudors, he shares with Professor Suzannah Lipscomb his fascinating findings about the wayward and the unruly . These include 'Black Luce', a brothel madam probably of African heritage, who has been suggested as a candidate for the 'dark lady' of Shakespeare's sonnets.

Velazquez and the Spanish Court Apr 29, 2021

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Laura Cumming - author and art critic for The Observer - about Velázquez, arguably the greatest genius of Spanish painting. They particularly discuss one of the world's most remarkable paintings - Las Meninas ('The Ladies in Waiting'), how the artist rose through the stifling, gilded court of Philip IV, and the way in which Velázquez dignified everyone he painted - from the King himself through to some of the most vulnerable members of his court.

Henry VIII's Billionaire Wardrobe Apr 29, 2021

Venetian ambassador Sebastian Giustinian described Henry VIII as the 'best dressed sovereign in the world'. The King spent the equivalent of £2 million a year on clothes. In this episode with Professor Maria Hayward, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb gets to grips with the sumptuous garments, the fabrics (and exaggerated codpieces) that made up the Tudor king's wonderous wardrobe.

An Early Modern Teenage Werewolf Apr 29, 2021

The witch-hunts of sixteenth and seventeenth century Europe are well-known. But did you know that some 300 people were convicted of being werewolves? In this revelatory podcast with Dr. Jan Machielsen, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb travels back to 1603 to find out more about the moving case of Jean Grenier, a self-confessed teenage werewolf from the Basque region of France. Who was he? And what were the tragic circumstances that led to his conviction?

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