The oldest surviving part of Hampton Court Palace is a series of chambers and closets built in the 1520s for Henry VIII's chief advisor and Lord Chancellor, Cardinal Wolsey. They are now the setting for a wonderful exhibition bringing together artworks created during Henry VIII's reign alongside some evocative 16th century objects and brilliant interactive displays. Professor Suzannah Lipscomb goes to Hampton Court to meet curator Brett Dolman and talk about the exhibition which takes...

In July 1588 the Spanish Armada set sail to conquer England. Three weeks later a fierce naval battle foiled the planned invasion. Many myths surround these events. The "genius" of Sir Francis Drake is exalted, while Spain’s efforts are belittled. But what really happened during that fateful encounter? Professor Suzannah Lipscomb gets the fullest possible account from Professor Geoffrey Parker who co-wrote the definitive and authoritative history of the Spanish Armada in 1988. A new,...

Henry VIII loved the spectacle of a tournament to show off. In addition to jousting displays with François I of France, Henry and the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I gifted each other armour and jousted to broker alliances.  Not Just the Tudor's listener Karin Nieswohl from Vienna got in touch to request an episode on this fascinating subject.  Professor Suzannah Lipscomb obliges in the company of Dr. Karen Watts, Curator Emeritus at the Royal Armouries, to look at the meaning behind the...

How did Oliver Cromwell navigate the many forces ranged against him and rise to the pinnacle of his power?  From the execution of Charles I, through the establishment of the Commonwealth, to savage campaigns in Ireland and Scotland, was Cromwell nothing more than a ruthless and brutal dictator?    In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined once again by Professor Ronald Hutton, whose new groundbreaking account Oliver Cromwell: Commander in Chief reveals a...

A trusted advisor to Queen Elizabeth I, Dr. John Dee was an astronomer, mathematician, astrologer, and navigator with ties to the occult. But what role did astrology or the occult have alongside Christianity in the Elizabethan court? Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. Benjamin Woolley to discuss this fascinating figure and find out how much of an impact Dee had on the reign of Elizabeth I. Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith and the producer is...

The Tudor Rose was a well-known symbol which dominated the national identity of England. But for both the Tudors and Stuarts, flower imagery flourished across all aspects of the arts as well as in daily life, in what people wore and what they ate. At court, flower motifs were carved into architecture and embroidered into opulent gifts as symbols of imperial dominance.  Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by art historian Susannah Lyon Whaley to navigate the unique cultural language of...

In 1542 Jane Boleyn was executed for having aided and abetted Henry VIII's fifth wife Catherine Howard to commit adultery. It was the second time Jane Boleyn had been connected with charges of treason as just six years earlier, she had allegedly asserted a charge of incest against the then Queen Anne Boleyn and Jane's husband George.  Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. James Taffe, to re-examine this compelling, contradictory woman who served five successive Tudor queens for more...

The events that led to the joint monarchy of William and Mary in 1689 have long been known as the Glorious Revolution, in which King James II was overthrown in favour of his Protestant daughter Mary and her husband, the Dutch Prince William of Orange. But not so glorious or bloodless were the ensuing years of devastating violence wreaked across Scotland and Ireland which have largely been ignored in histories. Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more from Professor Ted Vallance, author of...

Born in 1515, St. Teresa of Avila continues to inspire countless people today with her mystical writings and spiritual insights. Yet, despite facing significant personal and institutional challenges throughout her life, she was also a bold reformer in the Roman Catholic Church. Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by the former Archbishop of Canterbury, the Right Reverend and Right Honourable Rowan Lord Williams, to discuss St Teresa of Avila’s remarkable life and legacy. Presented by...

One subtle but powerful way that the Tudor and Stuart monarchs tried to show off their magnificence was through the creation of gardens that conveyed authority and cultural achievement. Garden history gives us an insight into statecraft, foreign influence and changing ideas of beauty.  In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. David Jacques OBE, who explains why so much money was spent on royal gardens from the reign of Henry VII through to Queen...

Four years into Britain's experiment as a republic, Oliver Cromwell staged a coup, violently dissolving parliament. His “Bare Bones Parliament” would not last either and, in December 1653, a new kind of limited monarchy was proposed with Cromwell as “Lord Protector.”  In this second of our series looking at the 1650s, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined again by Professor Alice Hunt to pick up the story of Britain as it moved from republic to protectorate, under the rule of Oliver...

The 1650s were the only years in history when Britain was a republic.  Charles I had been executed, the monarchy was abolished and the House of Lords dismissed.  But what came next? How could stability be restored when people disagreed over what they had been fighting for in the first place?  In the first of two fascinating episodes, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb delves deep into this turbulent decade with Professor Alice Hunt, author of Republic: Britain's Revolutionary Decade, 1649 to...

In the last year of Henry VIII's life, his sixth wife Queen Kateryn Parr was accused of heresy and it looked as if her life could be on the line. This dramatic moment is the focus of a novel by Elizabeth Fremantle. Originally called Queen's Gambit, it has now been turned into the film Firebrand, starring Alicia Vikander as Kateryn Parr and Jude Law as Henry VIII.  Professor Suzannah Lipscomb discusses the book and the film - and the woman that inspired them both - with Elizabeth Fremantle and...

A feature of outbreaks of plague between the 14th and 18th centuries was the publication of books and pamphlets, known as ‘plague tracts’, that spread information and misinformation about the causes of plague, offered new remedies, and identified scapegoats. The audience for such publications lingered long after the threat of plague itself seemed to fade.  In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to medical historian Dr. Lori Jones about the promulgation of...

Queen Elizabeth I’s travels round England - known as ‘progresses’ - were never a quick day-trip or city break. They involved scores of attendants, hundreds of carts of luggage, and lasted around 50 days each. Exactly 450 years ago, she went on one of the greatest progresses of her reign to the West Country. Among the places she stayed was Longleat House in Wiltshire, today best known as a safari park. It’s currently hosting a special exhibition to mark the anniversary of the royal...

In the autumn of 1621, hundreds of starlings were seen fighting in the sky above Cork. The following May, the city was ravaged by fire.  The pleated folds of skin around the neck of a baby born in 1566 were interpreted as divine judgment on starched ruffs. And when not a single wren was seen in Cambridge in the 1620s, people expected a foreign invasion. In this episode, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Professor Alexandra Walsham, to explore the many signs, wonders, omens and...

Queen Consort of France and mother to three successive Kings, Catherine de’ Medici's legacy could have been one of intelligence, fortitude, artistic patronage and religious moderation. But instead, as with so many women in positions of power, Catherine's life and actions have been almost entirely vilified. Deemed a witch and a callous spendthrift, she is perhaps best remembered as a dangerous instigator of extreme violence, because of her contested part in the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre...

In July 1596, Fynes Moryson - a Lincolnshire gentleman and travel writer - was struck down with grief when his younger brother died as they crossed the desert on their return from Jerusalem. Moryson described his journeys and devastating experiences two decades later in an account titled Itinerary, at once a personal memoir and a huge manual of travel advice.   In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, first released in September 2021, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Dr. Eva Johanna...

Fueled by ambition and the desire to extend their influence, the House of Medici saw the papacy not only as a religious post but a political one. Four of the Medici dynasty rose to become Pope in the 16th century. In our third episode on the House of Medici, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Professor Catherine Fletcher to talk in particular about Pope Leo X and Pope Clement VII, the Medici who led the church during its most fractious period: the time of the Reformation.  Presented by...

We have long been taught that modern global history began when the 'Old World' encountered the 'New', when Christopher Columbus 'discovered' America in 1492. But, in a groundbreaking book, Dr. Caroline Dodds Pennock conclusively shows that for tens of thousands of Aztecs, Maya, Totonacs, Inuit and others - enslaved people, diplomats, explorers, servants, traders - the reverse was true: they discovered Europe.  In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, first released in January 2023, Professor...

All this month, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is taking a deep dive into the complex and controversial House of Medici, which left an indelible mark on Western civilisation. In this second episode, Suzannah talks to Dr. Alexander Lee about Lorenzo de’ Medici, the consummate Renaissance man. But Machiavelli portrayed him as a cunning and ambitious ruler, purely self serving in pursuit of personal power. So what should we make of Lorenzo, whose life and achievements left such an indelible mark...

Around the same time as the Mayflower was landing at Cape Cod, on the other side of the world tourism was thriving in China, giving rise to a fascinating genre of travel writing. In this episode, first released in February 2022, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb explores the wonderfully rich prose and travel diaries of the period with Professor James Hargett. His research and translations reveal extraordinary insights into the society and culture of the late Ming Dynasty. Presented by Professor...

The House of Medici ruthlessly wielded control of Florence for nearly 300 years. Through financial and political machinations, they transformed the city into a cultural powerhouse and the epicentre of the Renaissance, spawning popes and royalty along the way.  Across four special episodes, Not Just the Tudors takes a deep dive into this complex and controversial dynasty that left an indelible mark on Western civilisation. In this first episode, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Tim Parks,...

Just over 500 years ago, a small band of sailors completed the first ever circumnavigation of the globe, launched by Ferdinand Magellan. From the armada of five ships and some 270 men that set out, only one ship and 18 men returned. Magellan was not among them, and if he had been, he would hardly have received a hero’s welcome. In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, first released in September 2022, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Magellan’s award-winning biographer Laurence...