Renaissance English History Podcast: A Show About the Tudors

In 1533, a woman named Alice Tankerville pulled off one of the boldest acts in Tudor history, escaping from the Tower of London. Accused of piracy and murder, Alice used her wit, charm, and the affection of a lovestruck guard to slip out of her chains and nearly make it to freedom.This is the real story of love, betrayal, and a desperate flight under the shadow of Henry VIII’s Tower - featuring lost gold, a doomed romance, and an unforgettable escape.

The Russell family - future Dukes of Bedford - rose from obscure West Country gentry to the heights of Tudor power. Starting with John Russell, a trusted courtier of Henry VIII, they built their fortune from the lands of dissolved monasteries and turned Woburn Abbey into one of England’s grandest estates.In this episode, we trace how the Russells survived through the shifting faiths of the Tudor court, survived rebellion and revolution, and eventually reshaped London itself through Russell Square and Bedford Square. From monks to magnates, this is the story of the family who built both a dynasty and a city.

Think you know the story of Guy Fawkes? Think again. In this mini episode, we’re uncovering six myths about the Gunpowder Plot, from who really led it to whether the barrels could have actually blown up Parliament.Check out the full episode on the Gunpowder Plot here: https://www.englandcast.com/2018/11/episode-113-remember-remember/

In Tudor England, portraits became more than decoration, they were tools of influence. This minicast explores how Renaissance humanism brought individuality and ambition to English art, from Holbein’s lifelike studies of Henry VIII’s court to Elizabeth I’s carefully crafted royal image.

Richard Topcliffe was one of Elizabeth I’s most feared servants - a gentleman who became England’s chief interrogator, hunting Catholic priests in the name of loyalty and faith. Today we'll look at his rise, his notorious torture methods, the scandal that nearly ended him, and his grim legacy as the man who turned service to the Crown into cruelty.

This episode looks at the changing face of witchcraft from the Middle Ages through the Tudor and early Stuart eras. We’ll start with royal women accused of sorcery, like Joan of Navarre and Eleanor Cobham - and trace how superstition turned into state policy under Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, and finally King James I.https://www.englandcast.com/haunted-tudor-london-walk/

He was handsome, ambitious, and despised... accused of being Queen Margaret’s lover and blamed for losing England’s empire in France. When Edmund Beaufort fell at St. Albans, the prophecy of his death came true, and England tumbled into civil war.Sources: The Reign of King Henry VI by Ralph GriffithsAJ Pollard - The Wars of the RosesTudor London Halloween Walk: https://www.englandcast.com/haunted-tudor-london-walk/

In Tudor England, potions promised power, whether to spark desire or to silence rivals. In this spooky Halloween Spooky Week minicast, we’re diving into real Tudor recipes for love and poison, pulled straight from 16th-century sources like The Good Huswifes Jewell and early herbals.Here's the link to the Haunted Tudor London halloween tour: https://www.englandcast.com/haunted-tudor-london-walk/Sources:https://carolcmcgrath.co.uk/aphrodisiacs-in-tudor-times/https://www.historyanswers.co.uk/medieval-renaissance/mandrake-menstrual-blood-10-medieval-love-potion-recipes-and-ingredientshttps://distillatio.wordpress.com/2013/12/16/medieval-poisons-for-killing-animals-and-people/

We’re kicking off spooky week with a talk from Tudorcon 2024! Victoria Thompson takes us deep into the haunted landscape of East Anglia; a place of ghostly monks, witchcraft, and eerie folklore that has lingered since the Tudor period.Hear stories of drowned towns, spectral hounds, and strange rituals hidden inside old Suffolk homes. It’s the perfect start to a week filled with Tudor hauntings and supernatural tales.