Not Just the Tudors

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 treaso…

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 …

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 …

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 histor…

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 kin…

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 stabili…

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 Eliza…

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 …

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 …

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 1…

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, …

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 …

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 th…

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. Caroli…

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, Suza…

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, firs…

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 …

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, o…

Henry VII was descended from some of the greatest Welsh princes. When word spread that he had a chance of taking the English throne, Welsh prophecies - which foretold that one day, one of their own …

In early 18th century Venice, the Ospedale della Pietà took in abandoned baby girls through a tiny gap in the wall.  In addition to ensuring the girls’ survival, the orphanage employed one of the wor…