Talking Tudors

Host Natalie Grueninger speaks with Professor Stephen Gunn about his research using 16th-century coroner's inquests to reveal how accidental deaths illuminate everyday Tudor life—covering hazards like animals, open water, mills, house collapses, seasonal work, and risky pastimes such as early football. They discuss patterns by age, gender and social status, surprising and bizarre cases, research c...

Host Natalie Grueninger speaks with Dr Christina Faraday about her new book, 'The Story of Tudor Art', a first-of-its-kind survey of 16th-century English art. They explore how Tudor art functioned as communication and status—covering portraits, miniatures, tapestries, household objects, royal effigies, patrons from kings to middling professionals, and artists such as Holbein, Hilliard, and lesser-...

Host Natalie Grueninger interviews Dr Stephen Campbell about Leonardo da Vinci’s life, work, and the myths that surround him. They explore his early years in Florence, his Milanese network, anatomical studies, and his later years in France. The conversation examines common misconceptions, highlights key works such as 'The Last Supper' and the 'Sala delle Asse', and considers why Leonardo’s fragmen...

Host Natalie Grueninger welcomes Dr Alanna Skuse to Talking Tudors to explore medicine in Renaissance England. They discuss humoral theory, the medical hierarchy of physicians, surgeons, apothecaries and midwives, and the lively marketplace of practitioners including itinerant bone-setters and domestic healers. The episode highlights women’s roles in care, real patient cases, early regulation of m...

In this episode of Talking Tudors, host Natalie Grueninger is joined by Professor Anne Larson and Professor Steve Maiullo to explore the life, works, and legacy of Anna Maria van Schurman — a multilingual scholar, poet, and theological thinker famed across 17th‑century Europe. The conversation covers her exceptional education, advocacy for women’s learning, influential correspondence with leading...

Host Natalie Grueninger speaks with Emma Rutherford and Dr Elizabeth Goldring about the freshly authenticated Nicholas Hilliard portrait miniature, likely depicting Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton. The episode covers stylistic and technical evidence, costume comparisons, family provenance, and the discovery of a defaced playing card on the reverse. Guests discuss the miniature’s emotion...

Host Natalie Grueninger interviews Dr Erica Canela about her new book, 'Zealous: A Darker Side of the Early Quakers'. They explore how the English Civil Wars and the rise of print culture spawned a radical, disruptive Quaker movement led by George Fox, its beliefs in direct revelation and social equality, and the often violent reactions it provoked. The episode traces the movement’s early urgency—...

Join Natalie Grueninger and expert guide Sarah Slater for a tour of Hampton Court Palace: its Tudor history, the spectacular Great Hall stained glass, and the spine-tingling ghost stories tied to Jane Seymour, Catherine Howard, Anne Boleyn and the Grey Lady, Dame Sybil Penn. They discuss eyewitness accounts, a mysterious CCTV figure, EMF readings in the Haunted Gallery, and the palace’s long socia...

Host Natalie Greninger speaks with historian Sophie Bacchus-Waterman about her new biography, exploring Elizabeth Boleyn’s early life, marriage to Thomas Boleyn, and her long court career within the Howard and Boleyn networks. The episode highlights Elizabeth’s political astuteness, her close relationship with Anne Boleyn, fresh archival finds (including pay-books and household records), and how t...

In this episode Natalie Grueninger interviews Dr Elizabeth Goldring about her new biography 'Holbein: Renaissance Master'. They trace Hans Holbein’s journey from Augsburg and Basel to Tudor England, his key patrons including Erasmus and Thomas More, his role at Henry VIII’s court, and his lasting impact on portraiture and Tudor culture. The conversation also highlights archival discoveries, Holbei...

In this episode of Talking Tudors, Natalie Grueninger talks with Leigh Wakefield about the infamous Pendle Witch Trials of 1612 and their legacy. They explore the rival families at the centre of the accusations, the role of witness testimony—especially that of children—the trial records by Thomas Potts, and the later 1634 case that questioned earlier verdicts. The conversation also considers how s...

Host Natalie Grueninger interviews Dr Tabitha Stanmore about cunning folk in Tudor and early modern England — the everyday practitioners of practical magic who offered healing, fortune-telling, love spells and buried-treasure rituals. They discuss how cunning folk differed from accused witches, the rituals and sources used to study them, surprising historical cases, and the Seven-County Witch Hunt...

Host Natalie Grueninger interviews Dr James Freeman about the Curious Cures exhibition at Cambridge University Library, exploring medieval and early Tudor medical manuscripts, household remedies and charms, and how knowledge moved from ancient texts to everyday practice. Highlights include the digitisation project, the role of physicians, surgeons and domestic healers, manuscripts linked to Elizab...

Host Natalie Grueninger welcomes Ellie Webster to Talking Tudors to explore the life of Mary Shelton: her noble family ties, role at Anne Boleyn’s court, and a brief affair with Henry VIII. The episode focuses on Shelton’s poems and annotations in the Devonshire Manuscript and what they reveal about love, reputation, and women’s voices in the Tudor court. The conversation also examines Shelton’s l...

Host Natalie Grueninger welcomes historian Dr Elizabeth Norton to discuss her new book, 'Women Who Ruled the World', a global history of reigning queens and female heads of state across 5,000 years. The episode explains the difference between queens consort and reigning queens, highlights 15th–16th century examples (including Elizabeth I, Mary Queen of Scots, and Isabel of Castile), and explores c...

Join Natalie Grueninger and Professor Tracy Borman as they explore the dramatic final days of Elizabeth I, the discovery that William Camden’s account was altered to favour James I, and the many rival claimants who might have inherited the Tudor crown. This episode examines the political manoeuvring behind James’s accession, the implications of the altered historical record, and how that shift sha...

Architectural Historian Roberto Prieto-Labrador joins Natalie Grueninger to explore the domestic world of the Tudor middling sort — tradespeople, merchants, and prosperous farmers. They trace architectural changes from medieval open-hall houses to floored, chimneyed homes during the Great Rebuilding, discuss materials, reuse and regional differences, and reveal household practices and apotropaic m...

In this episode of Talking Tudors, host Natalie Grueninger speaks with Kate McCaffrey of Hever Castle about a newly unveiled portrait of William Carey, his role at Henry VIII’s court, and his marriage to Mary Boleyn. They discuss the portrait’s provenance and artistic origins, Tudor corridor portraits and genealogy displays, Hever’s wider Tudor collection (including Anne Boleyn’s books of hours),...

Host Natalie Grueninger welcomes historian Helene Harrison to explore how Anne Boleyn crafted her image and how it was reshaped after her death. They discuss Anne’s coronation symbolism, self-fashioning, and efforts by Henry VIII’s court to win public favour. The conversation examines key portraits and artefacts—from the Hever Rose portrait and the Chequers ring to the 1534 medal—and the ongoing d...

Join host Natalie Grueninger in this fascinating episode of Talking Tudors as she welcomes special guest Georgie Anderson, a PhD researcher at the University of Kent. Georgie delves into her intriguing study on race in medieval Europe, focusing on the portrayal of people of colour in chivalric romances from North Atlantic Europe. Discover how Georgie's research challenges modern conceptions of rac...

Join host Natalie Grueninger in this captivating episode of 'Talking Tudors' as she delves into the narratives of Edward Seymour's wives with historian and archaeologist, Rebecca Batley. Discover the mysterious life of Catherine Filliol, the enduring allure of Anne Stanhope, and the complex web of intrigue at the Tudor court. Gain insights into Seymour's rise to power, the enigmatic scandals surro...

Welcome to another riveting episode of Talking Tudors, hosted by Natalie Grueninger. In this episode, we dive deep into the tumultuous reign of Henry VIII, exploring his tyrannical rule and its profound impact on those around him. Joined by special guest Jackson van Uden, a historian and political theorist, we dissect the infamous moments of Henry's reign, analyse his personal relationships, and c...

Join Natalie Grueninger on this captivating episode of Talking Tudors as she explores the fascinating life of Isabella of Aragon. Discover how Isabella navigated the treacherous waters of 16th-century politics, transforming from a marginalised duchess into a formidable ruler in her own right. With guest historian Professor Darius von Güttner, delve into Isabella's strategic mind, her courtly innov...

Welcome to a special anniversary episode of Talking Tudors, celebrating seven remarkable years of exploration into the Tudor dynasty's intricate history. Join Natalie Grueninger as she reflects on her podcasting journey, sharing insights and stories from behind the scenes. Discover the origins of her fascination with the Tudors, sparked by a captivating novel in her teens, leading her to become a...

Join host Natalie Grueninger in this captivating episode of Talking Tudors as she welcomes historian Dr. Breeze Barrington. Dive into a riveting discussion about Dr. Barrington's latest book, 'The Graces: The Extraordinary Untold Lives of Women at the Restoration Court.' Discover the fascinating world of Maria of Modena, a young Italian Catholic princess turned resilient queen, and the remarkable...