Tudors Dynasty - RedTop Media / Rebecca Larson

Latest Episodes:

England's Version of Dance of the Dragon Sep 10, 2026

Show notes

What does House of the Dragon have in common with some of the bloodiest succession struggles in medieval history?

Historian Matt Lewis joins Rebecca Larson to explore the real history woven into the world of Westeros—from Empress Matilda’s battle for the English throne during the Anarchy to the rivalries and shifting loyalties of the Wars of the Roses. They discuss female succession, disputed heirs, illegitimacy, sibling rivalry, propaganda, and the importance of controlling the capital.

They also examine dragons as symbols of royal authority, the uneasy relationship between church and state, and the devastating human cost when the quarrels of powerful families spill into the streets. Westeros may be fictional, but its politics are unmistakably medieval.

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Host: Rebecca Larson

Guest: Matthew Lewis

Anne of Cleves: What the Sources Really Say Sep 08, 2026

Show notes

Was the marriage between Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves truly doomed from the beginning - or has hindsight distorted the story? Dr. Valerie Schutte joins me to challenge the familiar narrative of Henry’s immediate disgust and Anne’s disastrous failure as queen. We examine what the sources reveal when read chronologically, from their first meeting at Rochester and the couple’s communication difficulties to the questionable testimony used to secure their annulment. We also explore Anne’s religious identity, her status as the king’s “beloved sister,” and the remarkable relationship she maintained with Henry and his children long after the marriage ended.

⁠Buy - Anne of Cleves: The Historical and Cultural Legacy of a Queen--

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Host: Rebecca Larson

Guest: Dr. Valerie Schutte

Would You Rather? Medieval & Tudor History Edition Sep 06, 2026

Show notes

Would you rather marry Henry VIII or spend five years in the Tower? Serve Katherine of Aragon during her downfall or Anne Boleyn during her rise? Discover the true identity of Perkin Warbeck or finally learn what happened to the Princes in the Tower?

In this episode of Off the Record, Rebecca and Amy face a series of impossible medieval and Tudor choices involving royal marriages, dangerous courts, enduring mysteries and unforgettable historical events. From choosing between York and Lancaster to deciding whether they would rather serve Cardinal Wolsey or Thomas Cromwell, they reveal which risks they would take—and which historical figures they would trust with their lives.

Join our growing group of history fans over on Patreon and you'll also receive COMMERCIAL-FREE episodes, EARLY ACCESS, and EXCLUSIVE CONTENT: https://patreon.com/tudorsdynasty

Co-Hosts: Rebecca Larson & Amy McElroy

Medieval Kings: The Questions We Never Asked Sep 03, 2026

Show notes

In the finale of the Medieval Kings series, Rebecca and Matt answer listener questions, challenge medieval monarchs with some very modern dilemmas, and revisit a few of history’s most persistent mysteries. Who would survive a siege, win Survivor, or make the worst podcast guest? Join us for one final round of crowns, controversy, and medieval kings chaos!

Join our growing community of history lovers over on Patreon https://patreon.com/tudorsdynasty

Host: Rebecca Larson

Guest: Matt Lewis

Searching for Anne Boleyn: Facial Recognition, Secret Codes, and the Tower Letter Sep 01, 2026

Show notes

What if some of the greatest mysteries surrounding Anne Boleyn have been hiding in plain sight?

In this episode, Rebecca is joined by researcher Karen L. Davis to explore three fascinating and interconnected areas of her work: the use of facial-recognition technology to investigate Anne Boleyn’s portraiture, a concealed cipher within Henry VIII’s love letters, and new evidence concerning the authenticity of the disputed Tower Letter.

Karen explains why the famous Windsor sketch labelled Anna Boleyn Queen may not be as securely identified as generations have assumed—and how scientific comparison of Holbein’s preparatory drawings, Anne’s relatives, and portraits of Elizabeth I could help bring us closer to her true appearance.

The conversation also turns to an enigmatic sequence of letters and numbers hidden in one of Henry’s letters to Anne, as well as the biblical and reformist language that may connect Anne’s correspondence, John Skip’s controversial sermon, and the letter reportedly written from the Tower in May 1536.

From broken provenance and mistaken portrait labels to Queen Esther, secret messages, and scholarly resistance, this episode asks what might emerge when inherited assumptions are tested using new technology, interdisciplinary collaboration, and a fresh examination of the surviving evidence.

Karen’s findings are awaiting peer-reviewed publication, but they may open remarkable new avenues in the search for the real Anne Boleyn.

Join the growing crowd of history fans over on my Patreon page - https://patreon.com/tudorsdynasty

Host: Rebecca Larson

Guest: Karen L. Davies

The Yorkist Who (Almost) Survived the Tudors: Arthur Plantagenet Aug 30, 2026

Show notes

Arthur Plantagenet survived the fall of the Yorkists and served four kings—but his loyalty could not save him from the suspicions of Henry VIII’s court.

In this episode, Rebecca and Amy explore the remarkable life of Edward IV’s illegitimate son: half-brother to Elizabeth of York, uncle to Henry VIII, military commander, Knight of the Garter, and Lord Deputy of Calais. His illegitimacy may have protected him from the fate suffered by other Plantagenets, allowing him to become a trusted Tudor servant whom Henry reportedly called “the gentlest heart living.”

But Arthur was a loyal and trusting man in a world that rewarded suspicion and political calculation. Isolated in Calais, burdened by administrative failures, and endangered by the religious sympathies of those around him, he was eventually drawn into an alleged Catholic conspiracy despite the lack of evidence against him.

From Yorkist survivor to prisoner in the Tower, discover the tragic and often overlooked story of Arthur Plantagenet, Viscount Lisle—and how the news of his freedom came just too late.

Sarah-Beth Watkins book - ⁠Arthur Plantagenet: Henry VIII's Illegitimate Uncle⁠--

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Co-Hosts:

Rebecca Larson

Amy McElroy

The Final Year and Fall of Richard III Aug 27, 2026

Show notes

In the concluding episode of the Medieval Kings series, Rebecca and historian Matt Lewis examine the turbulent final year of Richard III’s reign - and the rumors, rivalries, and betrayals that carried him toward Bosworth.

Did Richard intend to marry his niece, Elizabeth of York? Did he hasten the death of his wife, Anne Neville? Or were these accusations part of a growing propaganda campaign designed to undermine his crown? From Richard’s public denial of the allegations to his negotiations for a Portuguese marriage, this episode separates contemporary evidence from the stories that later became accepted as fact.

Rebecca and Matt also explore the political grievances behind Henry Tudor’s invasion, the crucial role played by the Stanleys, and Richard’s final, high-risk cavalry charge at Bosworth. His enemies did not necessarily rally behind Henry to avenge the Princes in the Tower - they brought old grudges, personal ambitions, and carefully cultivated rumors to the battlefield.

This is the story of Richard III’s last year: a king surrounded by suspicion, abandoned by those he needed most, and ultimately killed fighting for his crown.

--Join our growing community of history lovers on Patreon! Become part of the conversation and enjoy commercial-free episodes, early access, exclusive content, live chats, and more. Your support also helps keep the podcast - and independent history - going. Join us today using this link: https://patreon.com/tudorsdynasty

--Host: Rebecca Larson

Guest: Matt Lewis

The Making and Murder of the Holy Maid of Kent Aug 25, 2026

Show notes

Before she became known as the Holy Maid of Kent, Elizabeth Barton was an obscure housemaid suffering from mysterious trances and convulsions. Within a few short years, her prophecies had attracted thousands of followers, earned her audiences with some of Europe’s most powerful men, and placed her directly in the path of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn.

Rebecca is joined by historian and author Hayley Nolan to discuss her new book, Notorious: Anne Boleyn and the Great Tudor Hoax. Together, they explore the machinery behind Barton’s rise, the men who profited from her celebrity, and the coercion that may have shaped her increasingly political visions. They also examine Anne Boleyn’s surprising attempt to bring Barton into her household, Barton’s extraordinary influence over the King’s Great Matter, and the brutal execution that transformed a manipulated young woman into one of Tudor England’s most notorious figures.

Was Elizabeth Barton a prophet, a fraud, a political rebel—or a victim whose voice was controlled by the men around her?

ORDER: Notorious: Anne Boleyn and the Great Tudor Hoax

Please conider supporting the podcast on Patreon and receive COMMERCIAL-FREE episodes, EARLY ACCESS, and EXCLUSIVE CONTENT: https://patreon.com.com/tudorsdynasty

Host: Rebecca Larson

Guest: Hayley Nolan

What If: Tudor Queen Consort Edition Aug 23, 2026

Show notes

What if one moment had gone differently for the women of the Tudor dynasty?

In this episode of Tudors Dynasty, Rebecca and Amy are rewriting history once again with a new round of Tudor “What Ifs”—this time focused on the queens whose marriages, pregnancies, and choices helped determine the future of England.

What if Anne of Cleves had been pregnant when Henry VIII decided he wanted their marriage annulled? Would even Henry have dared cast aside the mother of another Tudor prince?

What if Katheryn Howard had fled before she could be arrested? Could she have escaped Henry’s reach—or would she simply have found herself a queen with nowhere to go?

What if Jane Seymour had given birth to a daughter instead of Edward VI? Without his long-awaited son, how quickly would Henry have searched for wife number four—and what would that have meant for the ambitious Seymour family?

And what if Henry VIII had simply remained married to Katherine of Aragon? No Anne Boleyn. No Elizabeth I. Perhaps no break with Rome as we know it. How different would the Tudor dynasty—and England itself—have become?

Plus, Rebecca and Amy venture slightly beyond Henry’s wives to ask one more fascinating question: What if Elizabeth of York had lived long enough to see her son become king? Could the formidable Tudor matriarch have changed the course of Henry VIII’s reign?

No time machines. No definitive answers. Just history, speculation, and the enormous ripple effects of changing one moment in the Tudor story.

Co-Hosts: Rebecca Larson & Amy McElroy

Richard III: The Parliament That Made Him Enemies Aug 20, 2026

Show notes

In Richard III: The Parliament That Made Him Enemies, Rebecca Larson and historian Matt Lewis examine Richard’s landmark Parliament of 1484—an assembly whose legislation was praised even by historians otherwise hostile to his reign.

Richard abolished forced “benevolences,” strengthened protections for people accused of crimes, confronted corruption within the jury system, protected English merchants and land buyers, and expanded access to justice for those unable to afford it. These were extraordinary reforms designed to restrain the powerful and protect ordinary people. But in challenging the privileges and practices of England’s nobility, was Richard also weakening the support upon which his crown depended?

Beyond Parliament, Richard showed remarkable mercy toward those convicted of treason—including Margaret Beaufort, whose continued plotting would help place her son on the throne. Meanwhile, Elizabeth Woodville left sanctuary and entrusted her daughters to Richard’s court, Richard and Anne suffered the devastating loss of their only son, and Henry Tudor gained both an experienced commander and the backing of France.

Richard III may have been governing for the people—but was he making enemies of the very men who had the power to dethrone him?

Support the podcast on Patreon and get COMMERCIAL-FREE episodes, EARLY ACCESS, and EXCLUSIVE CONTENT: https://patreon.com/tudorsdynasty

Host: Rebecca Larson

Guest: Matt Lewis

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