Tudors Dynasty & Beyond

Edward IV's reign began with spectacular victories, but it was nearly undone by betrayal. In Part 1 of our series, Matt Lewis joins me to explore Edward's rise to the throne following the Battle of Towton, his consolidation of power, and the growing rift with Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick - the Kingmaker. We discuss Edward's secret marriage to Elizabeth Woodville, the political fall...

For generations, the story of the Wars of the Roses has largely been told through a Yorkist lens. But what if we've been looking at the rivalry between Richard, Duke of York, and Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, all wrong? In this fascinating conversation, Dr. Michael Jones presents the Lancastrian case, challenging some of the most deeply rooted assumptions about the conflict that divided m...

Matt Lewis returns to continue our journey through the reign of Henry VI - and things are about to fall apart. Picking up in 1450, we explore the events that plunged England into the Wars of the Roses. Was Richard, Duke of York, really determined to take the throne, or has history misunderstood his intentions? Time and again, York had opportunities to overthrow Henry VI, yet repeatedly stopped sho...

The wonderful Dr. Michael Jones returns to the podcast to take a fresh look at the remarkable life of Margaret Beaufort. Together, we explore how her turbulent childhood shaped the woman she would become - from growing up without ever knowing her father to the lasting impact his early death had on her life. We also dive into her relationship with her mother, and of course, we couldn't talk abo...

Today, we decided to return to the same topic as last week and we discuss moments in history that we would like to travel back to and experience. There are a few times things got a bit goofy during this one, so if you're opposed to laughter - skip this one. What times would you like to travel back to? What do you think of OUR choices? -- Co-Hosts: Rebecca Larson Amy McElroy

Henry VI inherited the throne as an infant and would become one of England's most controversial kings. In this episode, Matt Lewis joins me to explore the first half of Henry's reign, from the triumphs inherited from Henry V to the mounting crises that would eventually tear the kingdom apart. Together, we discuss Henry's upbringing, his deeply pious personality, the influence of powerf...

Dr. Lacey Bonar Hull returns for part two of our conversation on women's networks during the Wars of the Roses. This time, we turn our attention to two of the most influential women of the fifteenth century: Elizabeth Woodville and Margaret Beaufort. How did these women navigate one of the most turbulent periods in English history? What role did family connections, female alliances, and political...

Ever wished you could step into a time machine and witness history with your own eyes? In this special episode, Amy and Rebecca leave the archives behind and dive into the historical moments they would most love to experience firsthand. From royal celebrations and mysterious disappearances to secret weddings, political intrigue, and pivotal turning points, we reveal our dream destinations in the p...

*Matt has the week off, so I invited Mike back to discuss someone who may or may not come up in my next conversation with Matt on Henry VI. For generations, Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, has been remembered as one of the defeated leaders of the Lancastrian cause at the Battle of Tewkesbury. But does history tell the whole story? In this episode, I welcome back historian Dr. Michael Jones to t...

Lately, I've been on a historic fiction kick. I read so much non-fiction that it's an absolute pleasure when I can just sit back and let a story tells itself without taking notes. Today, I welcome back the absolutely wonderful Tracy Borman to chat about her new novel The House of Boleyn - which I cannot recommend enough. I am a huge fan of Tracy's fiction (as you'll discover from o...

When we think of Tudor education, names like Erasmus and Roger Ascham often come to mind. But they weren't the only men shaping the minds of England's future kings, queens, and nobles. In this episode, we continue our exploration of Tudor tutors by turning our attention to three fascinating figures: Bernard André, the blind poet and historian who served Henry VII; Giles Duwes, the French l...

Matt Lewis is back and I have a little fun with him at the beginning of the episode. This time, Matt teaches us all about Henry V and his ongoing quest for power and greatness. I could not help but mention how Henry VIII (nearly a century later) tries to emulate his idol, but fails miserably. When people think of Henry V, they usually think of Agincourt. But there was far more to this king than on...

The Black Prince is one of the most famous figures of the Middle Ages - but how much do we really know about the man behind the legend? In this episode, I'm joined by historian Dr. Michael Jones to explore the life and career of Edward of Woodstock, better known as the Black Prince. From his remarkable military successes at Crécy and Poitiers to his role in the Hundred Years' War, we follo...

John Skelton is one of the most fascinating figures of the Tudor age - and somehow, one of the most overlooked. Poet, scholar, tutor to the future Henry VIII, and professional troublemaker, Skelton spent his life using words to entertain, provoke, and occasionally land himself in serious trouble. In this episode, Amy McElroy joins me to explore the life and career of a man who was praised by schol...

Finally, Matt Lewis took the hint and didn't show up today! Just kidding - he was busy this week but will be back next week to chat about Henry V with me. Today, my medieval fill-in guest is Sharon Bennett Connolly who is here to discuss the daughters of King Stephen with me... I hope you enjoy! Episode on Gunhild and Gytha: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/rebecca-larson/episodes/The-...

What happens when we stop looking at medieval queens as isolated figures and start looking at the women around them? In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Lacey Bonar Hull to explore the powerful networks of women that shaped politics, influence, and survival in fifteenth-century England. Our conversation focuses on three remarkable women: Jacquetta of Luxembourg, Margaret of Anjou, and Cecily Ne...

John Cheke is often remembered as one of the greatest scholars of Tudor England, but his story is about far more than books and learning. In this episode, I'm joined by Amy McElroy as both co-host and guest as we explore the remarkable life of Sir John Cheke. From his rise as a brilliant humanist scholar and the first Regius Professor of Greek at Cambridge, to his role as tutor to the future E...

Well… here it is. What did you think about the show open this week? Let me know in the comments! This week, Matt Lewis and I turn our attention to Henry IV — and there is a lot to unpack. We discuss the death of Richard II, the conspiracy theories that claimed he survived, the visit of an emperor to England, the kidnapping of the Scottish king, and so much more! As always, the conversation takes p...

In this second to last episode of our The Queen’s Husband series, I’m joined once again by the wonderful Dr. Linda Porter as we turn our attention to one of the most famous royal consorts in history - Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. So much of Prince Albert’s reputation has been shaped by the image of the devoted husband standing faithfully beside Queen Victoria, but who was he really? Lin...

Yeah, you read that right, we are on Part Three (and the last for now) on historical TV series. This episode we look at one of my favorites - House of the Dragon, and one of Amy's favorites - Game of Thrones. If you haven't watched either consider this your spoiler alert. If you watched one episode and turned it off...consider this my pitch to convince you to watch! If you don't think...

Richard II’s story is honestly one of the wildest royal rises and falls in English history, and in this episode I’m joined once again by Matt Lewis to untangle the life of the king who seemed determined to make everyone around him uncomfortable. We look at Richard becoming king as a child after the death of his grandfather, Edward III, and how surviving the Peasants' Revolt at just fourteen ye...

She has sold over 30 million copies of her books worldwide, and she is likely the most recognizable name in historical fiction. Today, I’m sharing the interview I recorded with not only Philippa Gregory, but also Sylvia Barbara Soberton - all thanks to History Press for arranging this for us. Together, Sylvia and Philippa explore the story of Mary Boleyn and discuss how each of them researched and...

Here we are again, yet another Sunday chatting about historical TV series... Let's be honest, there are so many to discuss that we could do this forever, but today I have to find out if Amy watched My Lady Jane. After that we briefly talk about Reign before getting into some of our favorites - The Last Kingdom, Vikings, and more! -- Support the podcast over on Patreon and get commercial-free e...

In the second half of Edward III’s reign, he begins to shift into something far more complicated. Joined once again by Matt Lewis, we follow Edward through the first couple of decades of the Hundred Years’ War, his complicated relationship with France, and the astonishing story of the French king John II of France, whose son escaped English captivity - forcing John himself to voluntarily return to...

In this episode, I’m joined by historian and author Sharon Bennett Connolly to explore the fascinating lives of the women featured in her new book, Princesses of the Early Middle Ages - with a special focus on the often-overlooked illegitimate daughters of Henry I of England. We dive into the life of Sybilla of Normandy and her marriage to Alexander I of Scotland, discuss Matilda of Normandy and h...