Richard III. A monarch remembered by history for the murder of his own nephews; yet also seen by many as a hero of the north, with modern day Ricardians keeping his flame burning with memories of a physically brave warrior king. This episode starts with an account of the extraordinary discovery of his body in a nondescript Leicester car park, before deconstructing the question for this episode. How did Richard III’s unpopularity enable Henry to become king in 1485? In doing so we will uncover one of the most infamous episodes in English history, the disappearance of Edward V and Richard Duke of York, the “princes in the tower”.

Further Reading:

Dan Jones, The Hollow Crown (2014)

Michael Hicks, The Wars of Roses course on Massolit https://massolit.io/courses/the-wars-of-the-roses-c-1450-1525

Sean Cunningham, How did Henry Tudor become king of England? https://massolit.io/courses/493

How did the Wars of the Roses pave the way for Henry Tudor's seizure of the throne in 1485? In this episode, we deconstruct how decades of dynastic conflict transformed a relatively obscure exile into a viable claimant to the English crown. Beginning with a vivid account of the Battle of Towton, the bloodiest battle ever fought on English soil, we trace the origins and escalation of the struggle between the houses of Lancaster and York. Along the way, we explore how Yorkist rule both provided Henry with a model of effective kingship and created the political instability that made the Tudor outsider's triumph at Bosworth possible.

England in 1485 was a country on the edge of change. It was emerging from the turmoil of the late medieval period and was crossing the threshold into the early modern world. The kingdom was a land of contrasts; extremes of wealth and poverty existed alongside one another; traditional hierarchies stretching back into the mists of time were beginning to accommodate "new men". In this episode, we deconstruct England on the eve of Henry Tudor’s invasion, exploring its geography, people, economy, society, and culture. From the lives of peasants working the land to the power of great magnates who dominated politics, discover what England was really like before the arrival of the first Tudor king.

Further Reading:

John Guy, Tudor England (2000)

Susan Brigden, New Worlds, Lost Worlds (2000)

Thomas Penn, Winter King: Henry VII and the dawn of Tudor England (2011).

What is it about the Tudors? Despite ruling England for little more than a century, the Tudors remain one of the moststudied periods in both A Level and popular history. In this inaugural episode of the podcast, we deconstruct a simple question: Why the Tudors? From larger-than-life monarchs and political intrigue to religious upheaval and profound social change, we examine what makes the Tudor era so enduringly fascinating. Along the way, we will consider not only the colourful personalities at its centre but also the transformativedevelopments that reshaped England and left a lasting impact on its history.