Episodi

  • The King in the Mill: The Strange Death of James III

    The King in the Mill: The Strange Death of James III
    Jan 28 2026
    In the summer of 1488, a King of Scots lay dying in a flour mill, allegedly murdered by a man disguised as a priest. But how did James III - a man who preferred lutes to longswords and architects to Earls - find himself fleeing for his life from his own son? This week, we’re venturing just north of the border and slightly back in time to explore the chaotic, culture-clashing reign of James III. From the dramatic "kidnapping" of his childhood to the brutal executions at Lauder Bridge and the mystery of his final moments at Sauchieburn, we look at a monarch who was perhaps too "Renaissance" for his own good. We’ll also trace the thread that leads directly to the Tudor dynasty, exploring how this medieval tragedy set the stage for the "Union of the Thistle and the Rose" and the eventual rise of the United Kingdom. It’s a story of gold, betrayal, and a lifelong penance worn in the form of an iron belt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    20 min
  • What Was Wolsey Thinking? The Slow, Fatal Unraveling of Henry VIII’s Greatest Minister

    What Was Wolsey Thinking? The Slow, Fatal Unraveling of Henry VIII’s Greatest Minister
    Jan 27 2026
    At the height of his power, Thomas Wolsey stood at the center of Europe’s grandest spectacle - the Field of Cloth of Gold. Ten years later, he was alone, under arrest, and dying far from court. In this What Were They Thinking? episode, we trace Wolsey’s downfall step by step - from supreme confidence in 1520 to political isolation in 1530. We follow how he reacted to each loss of power: his removal from office, his enforced move north to York, the dangerous letters he continued to write, and the fatal belief that service, law, and process might still save him. This is not a story of sudden collapse, but of a man who could not stop thinking like a statesman long after the state had turned against him. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    24 min
  • What If Elizabeth I Had Married Early? One Decision That Changes Everything

    What If Elizabeth I Had Married Early? One Decision That Changes Everything
    Jan 27 2026
    Elizabeth I’s decision not to marry shaped the entire character of her reign. But what if she had chosen differently, early on, when the pressure was highest and the risks were lowest? In this Thought Experiment, we explore how an early marriage might have changed the succession, court politics, religion, and England’s place in Europe, and what Elizabeth gained, and gave up, by refusing to say yes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    22 min
  • A Monster Winter Storm, Tudor Style: How People Coped Without Forecasts

    A Monster Winter Storm, Tudor Style: How People Coped Without Forecasts
    Jan 26 2026
    As a major winter storm is hitting much of the United States, it’s hard not to think about how dependent we are on forecasts, alerts, and advance warnings. We know when snow will start, how bad it might get, and when it should be over. The Tudors had none of that. In this episode, we explore how people in Tudor England understood the weather, what “forecasting” meant in a world without instruments or data, and how households prepared for winter when storms arrived without warning. We’ll look at seasonal preparation, food storage, fuel shortages, and what happened when cold lasted longer than anyone expected. We’ll also examine real historical examples of severe winters from the Tudor period and just beyond it, including prolonged frosts that froze rivers, stalled trade, and tested the limits of everyday life. This isn’t a story about cozy snowfalls. It’s about uncertainty, preparation, and what winter meant in a world where no one could say how long the storm would last. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    27 min
  • What Was Katharine Parr Thinking? The Conversation That Almost Got Her Arrested

    What Was Katharine Parr Thinking? The Conversation That Almost Got Her Arrested
    Jan 22 2026
    In the final years of Henry VIII’s reign, even conversation could be dangerous. Katharine Parr was not simply a dutiful queen consort. She was highly educated, deeply interested in theology, and unusually willing to debate religion with the king. At first, Henry encouraged these exchanges. He enjoyed having a companion who could follow his arguments and respond thoughtfully. By 1546, however, those same conversations were being reported very differently. An arrest warrant was prepared. Bishops took notice. Courtiers repeated her words. Katharine found herself in the same position that had destroyed others before her. This video explores: Why Katharine felt secure enough to debate theology with Henry How court politics turned her speech into a risk What she understood about Henry’s need for control at the crucial moment And how a carefully chosen conversation stopped the arrest from going forward This is not a story about luck or silence. It is about timing, perception, and knowing when the safest move was to change the way the story was being told. 📌Join my newsletter for exclusive Tudor news and updates: https://www.englandcast.com/newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    23 min
  • How to Die in Tudor England

    How to Die in Tudor England
    Jan 21 2026
    When we think about death in Tudor England, we usually picture executions, plague, or war. But for most people living in 16th-century England, death came much closer to home. In this episode, we explore accidental deaths recorded in coroners’ inquests: drownings while fetching water, fatal after-work swims, farm accidents, falls, fires, and moments of ordinary life that went catastrophically wrong. Drawing on recent research by historian Steven Gunn, these cases reveal what people were actually doing all day, the risks they lived with, and how unforgiving the physical world of Tudor England could be. This isn’t a story about kings or court politics. It’s about laborers, women, children, and families navigating daily work, domestic chores, and leisure in a landscape with very little margin for error. If you’ve ever wondered what Tudor life really looked like beyond the palace walls, this episode offers a stark and fascinating answer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    23 min
  • Thomas Cromwell in 1540: The Year He Knew He Was Finished

    Thomas Cromwell in 1540: The Year He Knew He Was Finished
    Jan 13 2026
    In early 1540, Thomas Cromwell was still powerful, but he knew something had shifted. Today we look at the final year before Cromwell’s fall, not as a sudden collapse, but as a slow recognition that his influence was draining away. As the court reoriented itself, allies fell silent, old enemies returned, and the systems Cromwell built no longer protected him. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    19 min
  • The One Choice That Could Have Changed Tudor England Forever

    The One Choice That Could Have Changed Tudor England Forever
    Jan 12 2026
    What if Catherine of Aragon had agreed to an annulment in 1527? Today we explore a Tudor what-if with enormous consequences. If Catherine had stepped aside quietly, Henry VIII might never have broken with Rome, Anne Boleyn might have had time to secure her position, Mary Tudor’s future could have been settled early, and England might have remained a far quieter place. A meditation on how one refusal, rooted in conscience, reshaped a kingdom. Check out the Vday collection: https://tudorfair.com/collections/valentines-day-2026 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    31 min