TopPodcast.com
Menu
  • Home
  • Top Charts
  • Top Networks
  • Top Apps
  • Top Independents
  • Top Podfluencers
  • Top Picks
    • Top Business Podcasts
    • Top True Crime Podcasts
    • Top Finance Podcasts
    • Top Comedy Podcasts
    • Top Music Podcasts
    • Top Womens Podcasts
    • Top Kids Podcasts
    • Top Sports Podcasts
    • Top News Podcasts
    • Top Tech Podcasts
    • Top Crypto Podcasts
    • Top Entrepreneurial Podcasts
    • Top Fantasy Sports Podcasts
    • Top Political Podcasts
    • Top Science Podcasts
    • Top Self Help Podcasts
    • Top Sports Betting Podcasts
    • Top Stocks Podcasts
  • Podcast News
  • About Us
  • Podcast Advertising
  • Contact
Not in our directory?
Add Show Here
Podcast Equipment
Center

toppodcastlogoOur TOPPODCAST Picks

  • Comedy
  • Crypto
  • Sports
  • News
  • Politics
  • True Crime
  • Business
  • Finance

Follow Us

toppodcastlogoStay Connected

    View Top 200 Chart
    Back to Rankings Page
    History

    Tudor History with Claire Ridgway

    Step back into a world of intrigue, passion, and ruthless ambition — welcome to Tudor England. Join historian and bestselling author Claire Ridgway as she uncovers the riveting stories of the Tudor dynasty. From the scandalous love affairs of King Henry VIII to the tragic fall of Anne Boleyn, the fierce reign of Elizabeth I, and the lesser-known secrets of Tudor court life, this podcast brings history to life in vivid detail.

    Hear dramatic tales of betrayal, execution, forbidden love, and political manoeuvring that shaped England forever. Discover daily Tudor history with fascinating “On This Day” episodes — unique insights you won’t find in typical history books. Get behind-the-scenes stories from Claire’s own research trips to historic sites like the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Hever Castle, and more. Enjoy interviews with top historians and experts in Tudor studies, plus lively Q&A sessions tackling listeners’ burning Tudor questions.

    🖋 Who is Claire Ridgway? Claire is the author of the bestselling On This Day in Tudor History series and numerous other Tudor books loved by readers around the world. She founded The Tudor Society, connecting enthusiasts with experts through live online events, and runs the hugely popular history websites The Anne Boleyn Files and www.ClaireRidgway.com.

    Her mission: to uncover the human stories behind the crown — the hopes, fears, and triumphs of not only kings and queens but also the courtiers, rebels, and ordinary people who lived under the Tudor rose.

    What can you expect?

    • Gripping accounts of famous events like the Field of Cloth of Gold, the Dissolution of the Monasteries, or the Babington Plot.

    • Intimate portraits of Tudor figures: Anne Boleyn’s charm and downfall, Thomas Cromwell’s rise and brutal fall, Elizabeth I’s cunning survival.

    • Dark mysteries and unsolved deaths

    • Who really killed Amy Robsart?

    • Was Katherine Howard truly guilty?

    • Special episodes on Tudor fashion, food, medicine, and the day-to-day lives of Tudor men and women.

    Join thousands of Tudor fans worldwide Never miss an episode — subscribe now and become part of a global community that can’t get enough of Tudor drama. Explore more with Claire’s books, free resources, and live historical events at www.ClaireRidgway.com. Ready to travel back 500 years?

    Press play and let the adventure begin.

    Advertise

    Copyright: Copyright © 2019 All rights reserved.

    • Apple Podcasts
    • Google Play
    • Spotify
    Latest Episodes:
    Was Henry VIII Really Protestant? Sep 13, 2025
    Show notes

    The Truth About His Faith and the English Reformation He broke from Rome. He dissolved the monasteries. He declared himself Supreme Head of the Church of England…
    So that makes Henry VIII Protestant, right?
    Not quite.
    In this video, we explore:

    • Why Henry VIII broke with the Pope (spoiler: it wasn’t about theology)
    • His 1521 book defending the Catholic sacraments against Martin Luther
    • The Act of Supremacy and what it really meant
    • The Six Articles and the continued persecution of Protestants
    • What changed under Henry—and what stayed Catholic
    • The king’s final days and the beliefs he clung to on his deathbed

    Tell me in the comments:
    Do you think Henry ever intended to spark a Reformation?
    Or was it all about control?
    Like, subscribe, and tap the bell for more daily Tudor history from the Anne Boleyn Files.
    Watch next: July 30 - Reformers and Catholics executed on the same day - https://youtu.be/ZUvIWF51n_Q
    #HenryVIII #TudorHistory #Reformation #EnglishReformation #WasHenryVIIIProtestant #ClaireRidgway #OnThisDay #TudorChurch #CatholicWithoutThePope #HistoryDebunked
    Who was Marten Micron? Sep 12, 2025
    Show notes

    We rarely hear about Marten Micron, a young Dutch pastor who came to London as a refugee, and helped organise one of the most radical experiments of Edward VI’s reign: the Stranger Church at Austin Friars.

    I’m historian and author Claire Ridgway, and in today’s video I’ll be sharing the remarkable story of Marten Micron: his ministry among London’s refugees, his influential writings on church order and catechism, his exile under Mary I, and his enduring legacy in the Reformation.

    In this episode:

    - Who Marten Micron was and how he came to London.

    - Why the Stranger Churches were so significant in Edward VI’s England.

    - Micron’s role in shaping worship, discipline, and teaching.

    - His exile, death, and why his writings still mattered across Europe.

    Join me as we uncover the story of a reformer too often forgotten, yet whose influence rippled far beyond Tudor England.

    What do you think—should Marten Micron be remembered alongside figures like Cranmer and Calvin? Tell me in the comments!

    Like, subscribe, and tap the bell so you don’t miss more daily deep dives into Tudor and Reformation history.

    And if you’d like even more Tudor content—including my monthly digital magazine The Privy Chronicle—consider becoming a channel member and stepping into my Tudor court!

    #TudorHistory #Reformation #MartenMicron #StrangerChurch #ClaireRidgway

    The Pope Who Celebrated a Massacre Sep 11, 2025
    Show notes

    A medal for a massacre. A Te Deum for thousands of deaths. A celebration that still shocks centuries later.
    On this day in history—11 September 1572—Pope Gregory XIII ordered Rome to give thanks for not one, but two "victories": the Catholic triumph over the Ottomans at Lepanto and the mass slaughter of French Protestants during the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre.
    In this episode:

    • The shocking papal reaction to the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre
    • The political and religious tensions behind Gregory’s “thanksgiving”
    • Why he linked the massacre with the naval victory at Lepanto
    • The commemorative medal and what it tells us about 16th-century propaganda
    • Gregory XIII’s surprising legacy—from calendar reform to Jesuit patronage

    To some, it was divine justice. To others—then and now—it was unthinkable.
    Watch next:
    The St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre – https://youtu.be/1DmTMXr0TcQ
    The Gregorian Calendar - https://youtu.be/VRz98plSjqk
    Like, subscribe, and ring the bell for more daily deep dives into Tudor and early modern history.
    #OnThisDay #StBartholomewsDay #Lepanto #GregoryXIII #TudorHistory #Reformation #CounterReformation #ClaireRidgway #GregorianCalendar #HistoryDebate #ReligiousHistory #EarlyModernEurope

    She Faced the Flames Cheerfully – The Martyrdom of Joyce Lewis Sep 10, 2025
    Show notes

    On this day in Tudor history—10 September 1557—Joyce Lewis was led to the stake at Lichfield for her Protestant faith.
    Eyewitnesses said she faced the flames with cheerfulness.
    I’m historian and author Claire Ridgway, and in today’s episode, I share the powerful and heartbreaking story of a Tudor gentlewoman who chose faith and conscience over compliance—with devastating consequences.
    In this video:

    • Her noble lineage and tragic first marriage
    • The moment that changed her faith
    • Her arrest, trial, and unwavering defence of conscience
    • Her final toast to gospel believers
    • The dignity and defiance she showed at the stake
    • Her lasting legacy, memorialised centuries later in Mancetter


    This is the story of a woman whose quiet courage still echoes today.
    Like, comment, and subscribe for more daily Tudor history stories.
    What do you think sustained Joyce Lewis’s bravery—faith, community, or sheer inner resolve? Tell me in the comments.
    Want more Tudor content, including my monthly digital magazine The Privy Chronicle? Consider becoming a channel member and stepping into my Tudor court!
    #TudorHistory #JoyceLewis #MarianMartyrs #OnThisDay #ProtestantMartyrs #MaryI #ClaireRidgway #TudorWomen #FaithAndFire #HistoryWithHeart #TudorMartyrs #ReformationHistory

    “Near to Heaven by Sea”: Sir Humphrey Gilbert’s Last Voyage Sep 09, 2025
    Show notes

    We are as near to Heaven by sea as by land.” On this day, 9 September 1583, Sir Humphrey Gilbert’s tiny ship, the Squirrel, disappeared in an Atlantic storm, and an audacious Elizabethan life ended in a flash of foam and darkness.
    I’m historian and author Claire Ridgway, and today we follow Gilbert’s extraordinary arc: Devon gentleman and half-brother to Sir Walter Ralegh; soldier praised at Newhaven and feared in Munster for brutal tactics; polemicist for a Northwest Passage and English colonisation; MP who clashed in Parliament; and, finally, patent-holder who sailed to Newfoundland and claimed St John’s for Queen Elizabeth I, before disaster struck on the homeward voyage.
    In this episode:

    • Gilbert’s powerful family network (Kat Ashley & the Ralegh connection)
    • Soldier and strategist: praise in France, terror in Ireland
    • Pen and policy: A Discourse of a Discoverie & dreams of an academy
    • The 1583 voyage: The Delight, the Golden Hind, the Swallow, and the fateful Squirrel
    • Claiming St John’s—and losing men, charts, and nerve in a wreck
    • The storm off the Azores and Gilbert’s haunting last words
    • Legacy: how his vision fed later English ventures in the New World

    If you enjoy these daily Tudor deep dives, please like, subscribe, and ring the bell so you don’t miss the next one.
    #TudorHistory #OnThisDay #Elizabethan #Exploration #Newfoundland #SirHumphreyGilbert #WalterRaleigh

    The Boleyn Grandson Who Backed Shakespeare Sep 08, 2025
    Show notes

    Grandson of Mary Boleyn. Cousin to Elizabeth I. Patron to Shakespeare’s company. On 8 September 1603, George Carey, 2nd Baron Hunsdon, died, leaving a legacy that runs from court politics to the playhouse. Some even whispered he was Henry VIII’s grandson. Rumour or not, Carey stood right behind the stage that gave us Hamlet, Henry V and more.

    I’m historian and author Claire Ridgway. In today’s “On This Day,” meet the steady court insider who helped shape the English Renaissance, from border forts and the Isle of Wight to the Lord Chamberlain’s Men.

    What you’ll learn:

    • Carey’s Boleyn roots & royal connections

    • Missions to Scotland and a knighthood at Berwick (1570)

    • Roles that kept him close to Elizabeth I (Marshal of the Household, JP, Constable of Bamburgh, Captain of the Isle of Wight)

    • How he supported the fleet during the Spanish Armada

    • Why becoming Lord Chamberlain (1596) mattered to Shakespeare’s troupe

    • Honours (KG, Privy Council) and his late-life legacy under James I

    • The enduring rumour about Tudor blood in the Carey line


    If you enjoyed this, please like, subscribe, and ring the bell for daily Tudor stories.
    Tell me in the comments: Do you think the Carey–Tudor blood rumour holds water?

    #TudorHistory #AnneBoleyn #ElizabethI #Shakespeare #LordChamberlainsMen #OnThisDay

    Who was Anne Boleyn REALLY? Sep 07, 2025
    Show notes

    Who was Anne Boleyn...really? In this fast, source-based overview I cover her debated birth year, French education, rise to queenship, real influence on religion and politics, the 1536 downfall, and the biggest myths to bin (no, not a sixth finger). Perfect for newcomers and Tudor die-hards.
    What you’ll learn
    • How Mechelen & France shaped her polish and politics
    • What Anne actually did as queen: patronage, reform, image
    • The 1536 crisis: miscarriage, factions, the trial of the five men
    • Myths vs reality: portraits, “witchcraft,” birth year
    • Legacy, places to visit, and what we still don’t know • My take on Anne Boleyn's fall Further reading (starter list)
    • Eric Ives, The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn
    • Claire Ridgway, The Fall of Anne Boleyn: A Countdown • G. W. Bernard, Anne Boleyn: Fatal Attractions
    • Retha M. Warnicke, The Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn
    Watch next: Anne’s Fall playlist (step-by-step from April–May 1536) - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLepqWJ7TpkrIov3Augf3dy9QDBFL1yViK
    Anne Boleyn and the Boleyns playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLepqWJ7TpkrLjVti06aNo1KLQg9Cn64FR

    Mary Tudor’s Hidden Influence + How Tudors Learned - Claire Ridgway Interviews Amy McElroy Sep 06, 2025
    Show notes

    Join me for a lively deep-dive with historian and author Amy McElroy—whose books include Educating the Tudors and Women’s Lives in the Tudor Era, with Mary Tudor, Queen of France out next and a new project on Desiderius Erasmus underway. We talk Tudor education, women’s real power at home and court, Mary Tudor’s overlooked influence, and why Erasmus matters.
    In this interview, we explore:

    • How Amy fell in love with history and turned blogging into books
    • Educating the Tudors: what (and how) children learned—across class and gender
    • Women’s Lives in the Tudor Era: daughters, wives, mothers, widows—how much agency did they really have?
    • Mary Tudor, Queen of France: the sister who shaped a dynasty—beyond the shadow of Henry VIII
    • Erasmus: Europe’s sharpest mind—visionary or misunderstood?
    • Research wins, writing routines, audience Qs, and a quick-fire Tudor round

    About my guest:
    Amy McElroy is the author of Educating the Tudors (2023), Women’s Lives in the Tudor Era (2024), and Mary Tudor, Queen of France (2025), with Desiderius Erasmus: The Folly or Far Sightedness of Renaissance Europe's Greatest Mind (2026) forthcoming. She co-hosts The Tudor Notebook on Substack and has appeared on several podcasts.
    Links:
    Amy’s books & Substack — https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Amy-McElroy/author/B0BBSK2SDQ, https://www.amazon.com/stores/Amy-McElroy/author/B0BBSK2SDQ, https://amymcelroy.substack.com/
    My December online event The Other Tudors: The Forgotten Figures Who Shaped a Dynasty — Launching soon at https://claireridgway.com/ - keep an eye out!
    Subscribe for more Tudor interviews & deep dives
    Say hello in the comments:
    Which part of Mary Tudor’s story deserves its own episode? And what’s your take on Erasmus?
    Could You Really Get Away with Murder at Henry VIII's Court? - Tudor True Crime Sep 05, 2025
    Show notes

    In April 1532, Sir William Pennington was cut down on the very edge of Westminster sanctuary—and his killers walked away with a manslaughter verdict, a £1,000 pardon, and glittering careers. In this Tudor true-crime deep dive, I unpack the fight, the politics, and the legal loopholes that made it possible.
    What’s inside:

    • The argument and fight, from Westminster Hall to the sanctuary precinct
    • How sanctuary should have worked—and how it was bent
    • The official indictment vs. Carlo Capello’s explosive diplomatic report
    • Cromwell’s intervention and the price of a royal pardon
    • Holbein’s 1537 portrait: the scar carried from the fight
    • What this case tells us about power, patronage, and Tudor justice

    Sources & further reading:
    • Shannon McSheffrey, “The Slaying of Sir William Pennington: Legal Narrative and the Late Medieval English Archive" - https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/flor/article/view/21566/25053
    • Venetian ambassador Carlo Capello’s report, Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 4, 1527-1533, 761 - https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/venice/vol4/pp331-334
    • Hans Holbein: preparatory sketch & portrait of Richard Southwell (1537) - https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/Hans_Holbein_d._J._060.jpg and https://www.rct.uk/collection/912242/sir-richard-southwell-15023-1564

    If you enjoy Tudor true crime & deep dives into the records, please like, subscribe, and ring the bell. Tell me in the comments: Was this justice, or a cover for court politics?
    #TudorHistory #TrueCrime #HenryVIII #ThomasCromwell #AnneBoleyn #Westminster #Sanctuary #Holbein #RichardSouthwell #SirWilliamPennington
    From Paston Letters to Power Sep 04, 2025
    Show notes

    On this day in Tudor history, 4 September 1550, Sir Thomas Paston, a gentleman of the privy chamber under Henry VIII and Edward VI, died. If the name Paston rings a bell, it should: the Paston Letters gave us one of the richest pictures of late-medieval/early-Tudor gentry life. But Thomas Paston wasn’t just part of a famous family, he carved out his own path at the heart of power.
    In this video, I trace his journey from younger son to royal insider:

    • Gentleman of the privy chamber (daily access to the king)
    • Keeper of the armoury at Greenwich (1541)
    • Steward & constable of Castle Rising (1542)
    • French campaign with Henry VIII and knighthood after Boulogne (1545)
    • Local authority & Parliament: steward of estates, MP for Norfolk, J.P.
    • Crisis manager: helped quell Kett’s Rebellion (1549)
    • Family life: marriage to Agnes Leigh; heir Henry (aged 4 at Thomas’s death), with Agnes pregnant with Edward

    If you enjoy these “On This Day” spotlights, please like, subscribe, and ring the bell. Want Tudor extras? Consider joining my YouTube channel as a channel member for exclusive talks, resources, and my monthly magazine.

    #TudorHistory #PastonLetters #HenryVIII #EdwardVI #Norfolk #KettsRebellion #OnThisDay #AnneBoleynFiles #HistoryYouTube

    Previous 1 14 15 16 17 18 101 Next

    Related Podcasts

    Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History

    1

    Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History History
    More Perfect

    2

    More Perfect Government
    Casefile True Crime

    3

    Casefile True Crime Games & Hobbies
    The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe

    4

    The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe History
    BackStory

    5

    BackStory History
    The Black Dahlia Serial Killers

    6

    The Black Dahlia Serial Killers History
    footer-logo

    Contact Us

    Toll Free: 844-670-7747

    Links

    • Home
    • Top Charts
    • Networks
    • Apps
    • Independents Podcasts
    • Podcast Advertising
    • Podcast News
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Analytics & Insights

    Stay Connected

      Privacy, Terms of Use & Our Code of Ethics Protecting Content Creators Copyrights