{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/6467b7de03f4220011a934bd/69d62e253ae78d6f112c2803?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"288. Samuel Pepys Was Not “A Man of His Time” with Guy de la Bédoyère | Gloucester History Festival Special #4","description":"<p>Samuel Pepys exposed: secrets, suppression, and the truth behind his diary. Samuel Pepys Was Not What You Think…</p><p>EXPLICIT CONTENT WARNING - NOT FOR THE FAINT HEARTED!</p><p><br></p><p>For generations, Samuel Pepys has been portrayed as a witty observer of Restoration London — a charming administrator who documented plague, fire, and naval reform.</p><p><br></p><p>But what if that version of Pepys wasn’t the full story?</p><p><br></p><p>In this explosive <strong>Gloucester History Festival Special</strong>, historian and author Guy de la Bédoyère joins History Rage to challenge the long-standing myth that Pepys was simply “a man of his time.”</p><p><br></p><p>Drawing on decades of research — including learning Pepys’s original shorthand — Guy reveals how editors suppressed, mistranslated, and obscured disturbing passages from the diary for over 200 years. </p><p><br></p><p><strong>What You’ll Discover in This Episode</strong></p><p>This episode goes beyond familiar Pepys anecdotes and digs into the hidden layers of his diary — and the people who shaped how history remembers him.</p><p><br></p><p>Inside this episode:</p><ul><li>Why large sections of Pepys’s diary were <strong>deliberately removed or mistranslated</strong> </li><li>How 19th- and 20th-century editors shaped the public image of Pepys </li><li>The truth behind Pepys’s secret use of <strong>foreign languages and coded shorthand</strong> </li><li>Why the phrase <strong>“a man of his time”</strong> can dangerously excuse behaviour </li><li>Why Pepys’s record remains <strong>unique in early modern history</strong> </li></ul><p>Guy explains how Pepys deliberately buried controversial actions within routine daily entries — making them easy to overlook unless carefully decoded. </p><p><br></p><p><strong>Why This Episode Matters</strong></p><p>Pepys’s diary is one of the most important personal records in English history — documenting events like:</p><ul><li>The <strong>Great Plague of 1665</strong> </li><li>The <strong>Great Fire of London</strong> </li><li>The Restoration of monarchy after the English Civil Wars </li></ul><p>But Guy argues that understanding Pepys properly means confronting the uncomfortable details — not sanitising them.</p><p>This episode challenges the idea that historical figures should be excused simply because of the era in which they lived — and asks what happens when historians uncover what earlier editors chose to hide.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>About the Guest — Guy de la Bédoyère</strong></p><p>Guy de la Bédoyère is a bestselling historian, broadcaster, and former Time Team presenter.</p><p>He is widely known for his work on Roman Britain and historical biography, and his latest research focuses on uncovering suppressed truths within Pepys’s writings.</p><p><br></p><p>📖 <strong>Buy the book here:</strong></p><p> <a href=\"https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9780349147406\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9780349147406</a></p><p>Purchasing through the <strong>History Rage Bookshop</strong> helps support both the podcast and independent booksellers.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>See Guy Live — Gloucester History Festival</strong></p><p>🎟 <strong>Live Event Announcement</strong></p><p>Gloucester History Festival</p><p> 📅 <strong>Saturday 18th April 2026</strong></p><p> 🎤 <strong>The Confessions of Samuel Pepys</strong></p><p>Guy will be speaking live about the hidden realities behind Pepys’s diary and answering audience questions.</p><p>🎟 <strong>Get tickets:</strong></p><p> <a href=\"https://www.gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk/events/the-confessions-of-samuel-pepys/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">https://www.gloucesterhistoryfestival.co.uk/events/the-confessions-of-samuel-pepys/</a></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Follow History Rage</strong></p><p>Stay connected with the podcast and never miss an episode.</p><p>📱 <strong>Follow History Rage</strong></p><ul><li>Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/HistoryRage </li><li>Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyrage </li><li>Website: <a href=\"https://www.historyrage.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">https://www.historyrage.com</a> </li><li>Newsletter: <a href=\"https://historyrage.substack.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">https://historyrage.substack.com/</a></li></ul><p><br></p><p><strong>Support the Podcast</strong></p><p>If you enjoy History Rage and want to keep the show going, there are several ways to help:</p><p>⭐ <strong>Leave a review</strong> on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps others discover the show.</p><p> 🎧 <strong>Share the episode</strong> with friends and fellow history lovers.</p><p> ☕ <strong>Support via Patreon</strong> — early access, livestreams, and exclusive extras.</p><p><br></p><p>👉 Join here:  <a href=\"https://www.patreon.com/historyrage\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">https://www.patreon.com/historyrage</a></p><p>Subscribers receive:</p><ul><li>Early episode releases </li><li>Monthly livestream access </li><li>Opportunities to submit questions to guests </li><li>Exclusive History Rage rewards </li></ul><p><br></p><p><strong>Listen Next</strong></p><p>If you enjoyed this episode, you may also like:</p><ul><li>Episode 241 — Quakers weren’t peaceful outsiders </li><li>Episode 284 — The forgotten women of the Restoration court </li></ul><p><br></p><p>Both continue the theme of challenging historical myths and misconceptions.</p>","author_name":"Paul Bavill"}