Renaissance English History Podcast: A Show About the Tudors

Latest Episodes:

Episode 316: The Blounts of Mountjoy Nov 12, 2025

Show notes

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

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[YouTube Drop] The Secret Marriage That Sent Walter Raleigh to the Tower Nov 11, 2025

Show notes

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

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[YouTube Drop] What Did the Nobility Actually Do in Tudor England? Nov 10, 2025

Show notes

Ever wonder what a Tudor duke actually did all day? In this minicast, we dig into the real jobs of England’s nobles, landlords, courtiers, commanders, and sometimes survivors of royal politics.

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[YouTube Drop] The Woman Who Escaped the Tower of London Nov 06, 2025

Show notes

In 1533, a woman named Alice Tankerville pulled off one of the boldest acts in Tudor history, escaping from the Tower of London. Accused of piracy and murder, Alice used her wit, charm, and the affection of a lovestruck guard to slip out of her chains and nearly make it to freedom.

This is the real story of love, betrayal, and a desperate flight under the shadow of Henry VIII’s Tower - featuring lost gold, a doomed romance, and an unforgettable escape.

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Episode 315: The Russell Dukes of Bedford Nov 05, 2025

Show notes

The Russell family - future Dukes of Bedford - rose from obscure West Country gentry to the heights of Tudor power. Starting with John Russell, a trusted courtier of Henry VIII, they built their fortune from the lands of dissolved monasteries and turned Woburn Abbey into one of England’s grandest estates.

In this episode, we trace how the Russells survived through the shifting faiths of the Tudor court, survived rebellion and revolution, and eventually reshaped London itself through Russell Square and Bedford Square. From monks to magnates, this is the story of the family who built both a dynasty and a city.

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Minicast: Six Myths about Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot Nov 05, 2025

Show notes

Think you know the story of Guy Fawkes? Think again. In this mini episode, we’re uncovering six myths about the Gunpowder Plot, from who really led it to whether the barrels could have actually blown up Parliament.

Check out the full episode on the Gunpowder Plot here: https://www.englandcast.com/2018/11/episode-113-remember-remember/

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[YouTube Drop] The Faces of Power Nov 04, 2025

Show notes

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

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[YouTube Drop] Richard Topcliffe Nov 03, 2025

Show notes

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

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[YouTube Drop] Medieval and Tudor Witches Oct 30, 2025

Show notes

This episode looks at the changing face of witchcraft from the Middle Ages through the Tudor and early Stuart eras. We’ll start with royal women accused of sorcery, like Joan of Navarre and Eleanor Cobham - and trace how superstition turned into state policy under Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, and finally King James I.

https://www.englandcast.com/haunted-tudor-london-walk/

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Episode 314: The Queen’s Favorite Oct 29, 2025

Show notes

He was handsome, ambitious, and despised... accused of being Queen Margaret’s lover and blamed for losing England’s empire in France. When Edmund Beaufort fell at St. Albans, the prophecy of his death came true, and England tumbled into civil war.

Sources:

The Reign of King Henry VI by Ralph Griffiths

AJ Pollard - The Wars of the Roses

Tudor London Halloween Walk: https://www.englandcast.com/haunted-tudor-london-walk/

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