Tudors Dynasty & Beyond

Richard III’s reign began with remarkable speed—and almost immediately began to unravel. In this episode, Rebecca and historian Matt Lewis examine Richard’s accession in June 1483, the declaration that Edward IV’s children were illegitimate, and the precedent behind his acceptance of the throne at Baynard’s Castle. Just days later, Richard was crowned at Westminster Abbey before an impressive gath...

Queens, Rebels and the Women Who Shaped 1066 explores the remarkable women whose influence helped define the Norman Conquest and transform 11th-century England. Historian Sharon Bennett Connolly, author of Silk and the Sword , joins Rebecca to bring women such as Emma of Normandy, Lady Godiva, GYtha of Wessex, and Edith of Wessex out of the historical footnotes and place them at the center of the...

What if Katherine of Aragon had willingly stepped aside and allowed Henry VIII to marry Anne Boleyn? Would Mary have remained legitimate—and could England’s break with Rome have been avoided? Rebecca and Amy explore the legal, political, and religious consequences of this alternate Tudor timeline. Even with Katherine’s cooperation, Henry’s marriage would still have required a formal dissolution, r...

Before Richard III became king - and long before history cast him as a villain - he built a very different reputation in the north of England. In this episode, Rebecca Larson and Matt Lewis continue Richard’s story from his marriage to Anne Neville through his rise as one of Edward IV’s most trusted lords. They examine the bitter division of the Warwick inheritance, Richard’s relationship with Ann...

Historian and bestselling author Tony Riches joins Rebecca Larson to discuss his new book, Queen Anna , and the remarkable woman behind it. Often dismissed as frivolous and shallow, Anna of Denmark was a gifted linguist, devoted mother, influential patron of the arts, and a queen who understood how to gather information and exercise influence at the Stuart court. Tony shares how newly translated l...

What happens when two history lovers tackle some of the past’s greatest mysteries - with no preparation, no research, and plenty of opinions? Rebecca and Amy debate whether Perkin Warbeck was really a prince, who was responsible for the deaths of Thomas Becket and Henry VI, whether Edward II escaped his fate, and what truly happened between Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley, Katherine Howard and Thoma...

Long before Richard III became one of England’s most controversial kings, he was a child shaped by exile, loss and political upheaval. In this first part on Richard, Rebecca and historian Matt Lewis trace Richard’s life from his birth at Fotheringay Castle in 1452 through his first experiences of battle at Barnet and Tewkesbury in 1471. They explore Richard’s childhood during the Wars of the Roses...

In this episode, Rebecca is joined by Sophie Bacchus-Waterman to examine whether Katherine Gordon truly believed her first husband, Perkin Warbeck, was Richard of Shrewsbury. Drawing upon her article published in The Ricardian , Sophie explores Katherine’s will and its intriguing reference to “my cousin Margaret Kyme.” While this phrase has been used as evidence that Katherine regarded Warbeck as...

History isn't always something we're born loving - it often finds us in unexpected ways. This week, Amy and I step away from our usual historical discussions to share our own stories. We talk about the moments, people, places, and books that sparked our passion for the past, how genealogy and historical fiction shaped our journeys, and why history became so much more than just a subject in...

Edward V’s reign lasted only a matter of weeks - but those weeks changed the course of English history. In this episode, Rebecca and historian Matthew Lewis trace the rapidly unfolding events of 1483, from Edward IV’s unexpected death and the conflict between the Woodvilles and Lord Hastings to the arrests at Northampton, the execution of Hastings, and the revelation that would see Edward V declar...

For centuries, Jane Seymour has been remembered as Henry VIII's quiet, obedient third wife -the queen who gave him his long-awaited son before dying tragically in childbirth. But was there far more to her story? In this episode, I'm joined by historian Elizabeth Norton to discuss her new book, Jane Seymour: Patronage, Material Culture and Image Crafting . Drawing on years of archival resea...

Amy's was on vacation and I am running out of topic ideas for this week so I decided to revisit one of our most popular episodes. What if Lady Jane Grey had outwitted Mary Tudor and stayed Queen of England? In this Off the Record episode, we follow the most fascinating “what if” in Tudor history: a world where Jane’s reign doesn’t end after nine days - but becomes the start of something far bi...

Edward IV's dramatic return to the throne in 1471 brought an end to the Lancastrian challenge - but not to the dangers facing England. In this episode, Matt Lewis and I explore the second half of Edward IV's reign, beginning with the decisive victory at Tewkesbury and the deaths of Henry VI and his son, Edward of Westminster. We examine the fate of Margaret of Anjou, the controversial exec...

Today, I am joined by award-winning historical fiction author Roja Gaston to discuss her novel on Margaret of Austria — daughter of Maximilian I, aunt to Charles V, and one of Renaissance Europe’s most powerful women. Together, they explore Margaret’s remarkable life: her early betrothal to the French king, her marriages to Juan of Spain and Philibert of Savoy, her role as regent of the Burgundian...

Today, we decided to return to the same topic as before 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

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...