Not Just the Tudors

What was the Jacobite cause, and why did it spark some of the most famous and devastating events in British history? Professor Suzannah Lipscomb and Professor Allan McInnes dive into the Jacobite rebellions, from the Glorious Revolution of 1688, the infamous Massacre at Glencoe, to the decisive Battle of Culloden in 1746. They discuss how Bonnie Prince Charlie rallied his Highland clansmen, only t...

**This episode contains discussions of miscarriage** When a teenage Catholic princess was sent from Italy to marry James II and reunite England with Rome, public scandal and political intrigue fuelled society. Maria of Modena defied all expectations. Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. Breeze Barrington to uncover the hidden world of women at the Restoration Court, a network of female pai...

Five generations of remarkable women - from Mary of Burgundy to Isabella Clara Eugenia - made an enduring impact on the Low Countries. By strategically navigating political alliances, personal losses, and wars, they shaped the destiny of the Netherlands and early modern European history. Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. Natalie Donnell to delve into their fascinating stories, rang...

The maverick herbalist who fought for medical freedom. We love a rebel with a cause here on Not Just The Tudors, and Nicholas Culpeper was just that. He defied the authoritarian College of Physicians in 17th Century; translating their exclusive texts into English and treating the common people with traditional herbal remedies. Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Benjamin Wooley to explore Cul...

Before the Spanish Armada threatened England in 1588, an even more dangerous invasion loomed, just across the Channel in France. The Battle of the Solent—470 years ago in July 1545—is chiefly known for the sinking of Henry VIII's beloved warship Mary Rose. But this epic confrontation between the Royal Navy and the French invasion fleet of more than 200 ships and 30,000 troops could have changed En...

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb welcomes Dr. Madeline Potter to unravel the rich yet tumultuous history of the Roma people. From Tudor England, where the Egyptians Act sought to expel Roma under stereotypes of robbery and deceit through to the dark corridors of Eastern Europe to understand the centuries of enslavement in Romania, to how the Ottoman Empire treated the Roma with suspicion despite their...

A young widow stands against the expectations of her family. A woman striving for love and agency in a society which demands she claimed neither, she stands firm in the face of torture and even death. Unravel the gripping layers of John Webster’s 17th-century masterpiece The Duchess of Malfi , with Professor Suzannah Lipscomb and Dr. Will Tosh. The harrowing plot of the Duchess asserting her place...

What drives a nation to civil war? Why would a king turn on his own Parliament? Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. Jonathan Healey to explore the chaotic and combustible months - and the men behind the rebellion - that hurled 17th-century England into one of the bloodiest periods in its history. MORE: Trial of Charles I https://open.spotify.com/episode/2O5aoB5BP4QXjikwNdXJCs Succession 1...

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb discusses the remarkable life of Akbar the Great, one of history's most impressive emperors. Together with historian Ira Mukhoty, Suzannah explores Akbar's journey from royal hostage to a ruler known for his vast, multi-ethnic empire. From how Akbar used spies to keep a grip on his realm, to his revolutionary policies on religious inclusivity and harmony, to his daring...

Did the women in Shakespeare’s life—his wife, sister, and daughters—shape his story more than we realise? Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. Matthew Steggle to hear how new digital tools and rediscovered manuscripts uncover surprising evidence about Shakespeare’s family. Together, they explore whether the stories of these women were hidden on purpose or simply forgotten over time. MORE:...

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. Roger E. Moore to explore the lesser-known historical context of the works of Jane Austen, born 250 years ago this year. They question how Austen's novels like 'Northanger Abbey' and 'Mansfield Park' reflect on the dissolution of the monasteries and 18th and 19th-century societal changes. Austen used settings like the ruins of monasteries to comment on...

**This episode includes descriptions of accidental deaths** Professor Suzannah Lipscomb investigates the grim but fascinating world of accidental deaths in Tudor England. In the 16th century, everyday activities like fetching water, football and even May Pole dancing could prove fatal. Then there were the unexpected perils of agriculture and industry including lethal haystacks and falling hammers....

Discover the captivating life of Isabella d'Este with Professor Suzannah Lipscomb and acclaimed novelist and historian Sarah Dunant. They discuss Isabella's incredible journey from a well-educated noblewoman to the First Lady of the Renaissance, how she mastered political strategy, diplomatic finesse, and art patronage while navigating the treacherous Italian wars. Suzannah and Sarah uncover intim...

In June 1912, two workmen made a discovery in the London mud that would stun the antiquarian world: a hoard of gold, pearls, rubies, emeralds, and jewels from around the world. Handed over to antiques dealer George Fabian Lawrence, or ‘Stony Jack’, the Cheapside Hoard became known as the greatest cache of Elizabethan and Jacobean jewellery ever found. Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Victo...

In the second of our special episodes exploring the rise and fall of Sir Thomas More, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb and Dr. Joanne Paul chart the great Tudor statesman's demise. Despite his silence about Henry VIII's self-proclamation as Supreme Head of the Church of England, More was executed for treason on 6 July 1535. What were the events leading up to his fall from grace? How did More's position...

Thomas More is one of the most famous and controversial figures in English history. Was he truly the saintly man of conscience, immortalised by A Man for All Seasons ? Or was he the stubborn zealot depicted in Wolf Hall ? In the first of two episodes looking at Thomas More's rise and fall, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. Joanne Paul, whose decade-long research into More drew upon...

Was an advisor to Queen Elizabeth I communicating with angels? Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Egyptologist Garry J. Shaw to explore the intriguing life of John Dee, his mysterious meetings with angels and demons and the secrets he believed they uncovered. With help from the enigmatic alchemist Edward Kelly, Dee wrote the Angel Diaries detailing his attempts to communicate with the divine...

Philip II of Spain - the most powerful monarch of the early modern period - was married to Queen Mary Tudor from 1554 until her death in 1558. But Philip was not merely Mary's King Consort. Rather he was King of England, co-ruler with Mary. But Philip's character and central role in the English monarchy was forever blackened by anti-Catholic versions of Tudor history.  In this edition of...

In 1518 one woman's mysterious dance sparked an uncontrollable epidemic, leading up to 400 people to dance wildly for weeks. Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. Lynneth J. Miller Renberg to explore the bizarre Dancing Plague, discussing the theories of demonic possession, divine punishment, and social protest, finding out how the city struggled to contain this strange phenomenon. The medi...

**This episode contains some descriptions of torture and executions** If you lived in Scotland in the 1500s, it was highly likely that you, or someone you knew, would be tried as a witch. Witch hunts and executions ripped through the country for over 150 years, with at least 4,000 accused, including men. Professor Suzannah Lipscomb explores this dark chapter in Scottish history with campaigners Cl...

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. Daniel Swift to delve into the formative years of William Shakespeare's career. They explore the vital role of London's first playhouse and the tumultuous world of late 16th-century theatre, discussing how James Burbage's ambitious vision and his son Richard's unparalleled acting talent profoundly influenced Shakespeare's work. The economic realities an...

Before she became Queen Elizabeth I, Elizabeth Tudor was surrounded by scandal, suspicion and deadly intrigue. Born to Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII, Elizabeth was a princess by birth—until her mother was executed and her title revoked. Declared illegitimate, orphaned and caught in a storm of politics, Elizabeth faced threats from all sides. How did a child written off by the court become one of Engl...

**This episode includes graphic descriptions of torture** When Franciscan friar Diego de Landa arrived in Yucatán (now in Mexico), his fascination with Maya culture soon twisted into fanaticism. Accusing the Maya of idolatry, Landa unleashed a brutal inquisition, burning thousands of sacred texts and artifacts, erasing centuries of knowledge in a single day. Yet, in a twist of fate, his own writin...

Elizabeth I's excommunication by the Pope in 1570 marked the beginning of an extraordinary - and little-known - English alignment with Muslim powers that were fighting Catholic Spain in the Mediterranean. This engagement with, and awareness of, Islam found its way into scores of plays, including Shakespeare's Othello . In this episode of Not Just the Tudors , first released in September 2021, Prof...

For centuries, Sir Francis Drake has been celebrated as a national hero - the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe. But behind the Drake legend, was there a darker reality of violence and exploitation? Were his attacks on Spanish galleons and settlements acts of imperial bravery - or state-sanctioned piracy? What happened to the enslaved people Drake transported? And how did he justify the...