The History of England

About this podcast

Please note that because iTunes limits the number of episodes displayed to 300, to start at the beginning of my retelling of the story of England, you need to SUBSCRIBE. You'll then find a regular, chronological podcast, starting from from the end of Roman Britain. I’m a bloke in a shed, but I make sure this is good, properly prepared history, and then fill it with my enthusiasm. You’ll find the great events and people for sure – but also some of the byways, of how people lived, their language, and the forces that shaped their lives and destinies.

The History of England

Episodes

2021
310 The English College
By the 1580s, the confessional lines between Protestant and Catholic were increasingly strongly drawn; repressive legislation increased, and the English College was established to renew the stock of priests able to support the Catholic population in England See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
February 28, 2021
45 min
309 Godly, Godlier and Godliest
Elizabeth set her face against further reform, against pressures from within the church and without; in her view, hers was a Godly church. How far did her church resist Puritanism and embed itself in the life of ordinary people? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
February 21, 2021
35 min
308a Roanoke by Joel Kindrick
In 1585, a colony was established at Roanoke, sponsored by Walter Raleigh. Find out what happens from historian and Birkenstock wearer Joel Kindrick. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
February 14, 2021
33 min
308 Fool's Gold
A host of Elizabeth explorers explored the world in the late Elizabethan reign. Did they achieve anything, or were there efforts a false start? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
February 7, 2021
37 min
307b What makes Nelson Special by Adam Preston
Nelson was an extraordinary mix - described by N A M Rodgers as 'Vulnerable and weak as a man, Nelson was also a leader of unequalled ardour, courage, generosity and professional genius'. We hear about Nelson's military genius, and your chance to support a new TV project See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
January 31, 2021
32 min
370a Renaissance Warfare by Ben Jacobs
Ben Jacobs talks about how the demands and costs of Renaissance warfare changed the nature of Europe for ever See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
January 24, 2021
51 min
307 All Around the World
For a couple of years in the mid 1570s Elizabeth nixed proposed exploration projects for fear of Spain. At the same time she was discussing a secret voyage with a select group of Councillors - not west or north this time - but southwards See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
January 17, 2021
45 min
306 A Devil and No Man
Together the Elizabethan explorers, and authors like John Dee and Richard Hakluyt built excitement about the possibilities of global exploration. Francis Drake gave it expression. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
January 10, 2021
46 min
2020
305 The Frog Prince
From 1578 to 1582 the courts of France, Spain and England buzzed with the possibility of the latest office romance - between the Queen of England and Duke of Anjou. Was this classic Elizabethan distraction or an affair of the heart? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
December 27, 2020
44 min
304 Seeds of Irish Nationhood
By the 1580s, the English atrocities and the rebellion of James Fitzmaurice and the Earl of Desmond, Catholicism and its association with resistance ot English rule was clearly established. Events at Smerwick convinced the English that the foreign threat through Ireland w See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
December 13, 2020
38 min
303 Shane the Proud
The later Tudors faced a choice in their policy towards Ireland - would they resign themselves to the old ways, ruling through the Old English with minimal control; or would they turn to outright conquest? In the 1560's Shane O'Neill demonstrated the weakness of Tudor power See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
November 29, 2020
42 min
302 England's Garland
There are many myths about the Elizabethan Navy, the idea of a world-beating tool that created an international Empire. It wasn't quite, and it didn't, at all. None the less Elizabethan's reign and innovations did change England from naval also-ran to Premier league. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
November 15, 2020
38 min
301 Black Tudors
Black Africans began to make their way in increasing numbers to England - firstly mainly via trading countries like Spain and Portugal, but increasingly direct. What sort of lives did they make in England? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
November 1, 2020
31 min
300 Trade and Exploration
Elizabeth's reign famously saw England enter the search for new markets with which to trade and explore. In this episode, we focus on trade with West Africa, and John Hawkins' infamous voyages of the 1560s. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
October 18, 2020
33 min
299 West Africa
A horribly brief introduction to the West African kingdoms with which the Portuguese started to trade and a smidge of their backstory, before the English began to arrive in the 16th century. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
October 4, 2020
38 min
298 A Curate's Egg
What started as a curate's egg of an episode, ends up with an introduction to a new player, Francis Walsingham, and the story of the St Bartholomew's Day massacre in Paris in 1572. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
September 20, 2020
34 min
297 Servant of Crime
Through the 1560s, the progress of the reformation gave both the Protestant Godly and Catholics much leeway and wriggle room. A series of events in the late 1560's and early 1570s would begin to end that. One of those was the Papal bull, Regnans in Excelsis. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
September 6, 2020
44 min
296 Rising of the North
The saga of the life and times of Mary Queen of Scots continues, but in 1568 something stirs in the north of England... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
August 23, 2020
39 min
295 Marvellous Good order
In Scotland Mary's grasp on her kingdom begins to wobble. In 1566, Elizabeth's parliament also gives her serious grief, drawing an increasingly waspish response. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
August 9, 2020
35 min
294 Alarms and Excursions
Did Elizabeth have a foreign 'policy'? If so what principles drove it - dynasty, parsimony, protestantism? This week Elizabeth intervenes in Scotland and France. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
July 26, 2020
39 min

The History of England

About this podcast

Categories

About this podcast

Categories

The History of England

Episodes

310 The English College

309 Godly, Godlier and Godliest

308a Roanoke by Joel Kindrick

308 Fool's Gold

307b What makes Nelson Special by Adam Preston

370a Renaissance Warfare by Ben Jacobs

307 All Around the World

306 A Devil and No Man

305 The Frog Prince

304 Seeds of Irish Nationhood

303 Shane the Proud

302 England's Garland

301 Black Tudors

300 Trade and Exploration

299 West Africa

298 A Curate's Egg

297 Servant of Crime

296 Rising of the North

295 Marvellous Good order

294 Alarms and Excursions