Not Just the Tudors
byHistory Hit
History
Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks about everything from the Aztecs to witches, Velázquez to Shakespeare, Mughal India to the Mayflower. Not, in other words, just the Tudors, but most definitely also the Tudors.Each episode Suzannah is joined by historians and experts to reveal incredible stories about one of the most fascinating periods in history, new releases every Wednesday and Sunday.A podcast by History Hit, the world's best history channel and creators of award-winning podcasts Dan Snow's History Hit, The Ancients, and Betwixt the Sheets.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a n...
Episodes(40 episodes)
E501 - "Bloody Mary": Debunking the Myths
Was Mary Tudor truly “Bloody Mary”? Has England’s first reigning queen been misunderstood for centuries? Determined to restore Roman Catholicism, her reign became forever associated with the burning of Protestants. But was she really a religious tyrant, or a trailblazer trapped by Europe's violent politics?Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Professor Anna Whitelock to put the record straight on the remarkable reign of Mary I, five turbulent years which shaped the future of England in profound, and often misrepresented, ways.MORE:Mary I: What if She'd Lived?Listen on App...
Published: Feb 2, 2026Duration: 52:38
E500 - Ireland Under the Brutal Tudors
What impact did the Tudors have on Ireland, not just in the councils of kings and earls, but in the rhythms of ordinary life? What were the consequences for ordinary citizens when English power was asserted through martial law, low-level coercion and the constant threat of punishment?Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr David Edwards to discuss how communities were reshaped from the ground up.MORE:Ireland's Witchcraft TrialsListen on AppleListen on SpotifyTudor Conquest of IrelandListen on...
Published: Jan 29, 2026Duration: 46:36
E499 - Elizabeth I's Doctor - & Poisoner?
Why was a Portuguese-born Jewish doctor, who rose to become Elizabeth I’s chief physician, brutally executed for treason in a scandal that shocked England? Was Dr. Rodrigo Lopes truly guilty, or simply caught in the crossfire of anti-Semitism, court rivalries, and empire?Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. Samia Errazouki to reexamine Lopes’s fall, tracing a web of diplomacy, espionage, and identity that stretched from London to Lisbon to Marrakesh.MOREElizabeth I & the Sultan of MoroccoListen on AppleListen on SpotifyEl...
Published: Jan 26, 2026Duration: 48:01
E498 - Girl With a Pearl Earring: Identity Revealed
Could one of art’s greatest mysteries at last be solved? Who was the luminous girl with a pearl earring in Vermeer's iconic painting? Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Andrew Graham-Dixon who believes he's finally identified her.MORE:Shakespeare's Male Muse: A Mystery Solved?Listen on AppleListen on SpotifyA Tudor Mystery: The Girl Who Could Be QueenListen on AppleListen on SpotifyPresented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. Edited and produced by Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is...
Published: Jan 22, 2026Duration: 39:41
E497 - Henry VIII's Reckoning: Pilgrimage of Grace
The Pilgrimage of Grace sounds calm, but was in reality a major uprising in the north of England against Henry VIII’s religious and political reforms, including the dissolution of monasteries.Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Professor Andy Wood to retell the legend of when tens of thousands of rebels risked their lives to try to restore Catholic practices and influence government policy, rocking the very seat of the King.MOREDissolution of the MonasteriesListen on AppleListen on SpotifyThe Rebellions of 1549...
Published: Jan 19, 2026Duration: 47:14
E496 - Hamnet
How much do we really know about William Shakespeare, his wife Anne Hathaway, and the family tragedies that may have shaped the bard's greatest work? This is the premise of Maggie O'Farrell's luminous novel Hamnet, now adapted into a major film starring Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley.Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Maggie O'Farrell about transforming Shakespearean history into unforgettable fiction, and reviews the film with Dr Will Tosh from Shakespeare's Globe.MORE:Shakespeare's Family: New DiscoveriesListen on AppleListen on SpotifyShakespeare's Daughter...
Published: Jan 15, 2026Duration: 1:07:29
E495 - Tudor True Crime: Murder in Renaissance Rome
This episode contains discussions of incest and sexual assault.Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by historical novelist Elizabeth Fremantle to explore the harrowing story of Beatrice Cenci, a young woman executed in Rome in 1599. They discuss how Beatrice survived an abusive upbringing and her eventual participation in the murder of her father, highlighting the brutal realities faced by women of the 16th century.MORE Who Murdered Lord Darnley?Listen on AppleListen on SpotifySame-Sex Marriages in Renaissance RomeListen on Apple<...
Published: Jan 12, 2026Duration: 45:50
E494 - Elizabeth I's Succession Crisis
What happens when a Queen refuses to name her heir? How does she hold her kingdom together when every courtier is secretly preparing for her death? What really unfolded in Elizabeth I’s glittering court as her long reign drew to an end?Professor Suzannah Lipscomb explores the unspoken crisis at the heart of Elizabeth I’s rule with Dr. Tracy Borman. Together they discuss how the hidden struggle for succession became one of the most precarious moments in English history.MORE:From Tudor to Stuart: Regime ChangeListen on A...
Published: Jan 8, 2026Duration: 44:39
E493 - Christopher Marlowe: A Dangerous Life
Was Christopher Marlowe a rebel, a genius, or a heretic ahead of his time? From his plays that shocked Elizabethan England to his brutal murder, Marlowe's short, dazzling life was defined by rivalry, scandals and secrets.Professor Suzannah Lipscomb and Professor Stephen Greenblatt delve into Marlowe's provocative ideas, his rumoured queerness, and the dangerous brilliance that left an indelible mark on English literature.MOREMarlowe & Shakespeare: Rivals or Collaborators?Listen on AppleListen on SpotifyTudor True Crime: Murder of Christopher MarloweListen...
Published: Jan 5, 2026Duration: 48:25
E492 - Enchanted Realms: Fairies in the 16th Century
In the early modern period, belief in fairies was quite commonplace. But put all thoughts of Tinkerbell aside! Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Professor Diane Purkiss to find out how these fairies were altogether more dangerous beings - troublemakers, child-snatchers, seducers and changelings.MORETransgender Fairies in Early Modern LiteratureListen on AppleListen on SpotifyPractical Magic: Spells, Prayers & Cunning FolkListen on AppleListen on SpotifyPresented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Max Wintle, audio ed...
Published: Jan 1, 2026Duration: 42:36
E491 - The Secrets Hidden In Tudor Art
Why are diamonds black, and how does a triangle show power in Tudor portraits? From Henry VII’s shrewd statecraft to the glittering reign of Elizabeth I, the Tudors projected their power not just through politics, but through visual propaganda, art and objects.Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr Christina Faraday, who ventures beyond the Tudor rose and the famous faces painted by Holbein to take us deeper, uncovering how art and objects shaped the ambitions and identities of people at every level of Tudor society.MOREFig Leaves & A Grumpy Je...
Published: Dec 29, 2025Duration: 52:19
E490 - Princes in the Tower
The unsolved mystery of what happened to the Princes in the Tower - Edward V and Richard, Duke of York - is possibly English history’s greatest cold case. Were they murdered by their paternal uncle Richard III?Recent findings have raised new questions about the 540-year-old mystery. Professor Suzannah Lipscomb explores the evidence with Nathen Amin and Matt Lewis.MOREHenry VII: Rise of the Medieval TudorsListen on AppleListen on SpotifyTudor True Crime: Murder in the Stuart CourtListen on...
Published: Dec 25, 2025Duration: 59:37
E489 - Did Oliver Cromwell Ban Christmas?
In 1647 Christmas vanished by the decree of the Puritans who ruled Britain. But not everyone complied. Families lit candles behind closed doors, whispered carols, and held secret services. And protestors in Canterbury launched the infamous "plum pudding riots". This was more than a fight over festivities; it was a struggle over power and belief.Prof. Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Prof. Mark Stoyle to explore how the war on Christmas revealed a deeper contest between authority and resistance, godliness and joy, and how echoes of it can even be found in the works of C.S...
Published: Dec 22, 2025Duration: 40:16
E488 - From Succession to Codpieces: Your Tudor Questions Answered
In this special episode, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb fields questions about the Tudors and their time that have all been suggested by you. From the hundreds of ideas for episodes and queries received from listeners all over the world, Suzannah has chosen a wide array of subjects - from Henry VIII’s illegitimate son to knitting, from atheism to codpieces! Helping her to answer them are Professor Alec Ryrie and Professor Maria Hayward.MORE:Fig Leaves & A Grumpy Jesus: Renaissance to Baroque ArtListen on AppleListen on SpotifyO...
Published: Dec 18, 2025Duration: 46:29
E487 - Surviving Plague in Venice
450 years ago, Venice found itself facing a plague outbreak that would kill more than 50,000 people - a third of its population. But to manage the epidemic, the city developed pioneering measures. These included the creation of of special islands called 'lazzaretti', Europe's first quarantine institutions, which isolated people and goods suspected of carrying the plague. Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. Jane Stevens Crawshaw to discover how Venice balanced commerce, compassion, and survival in the face of deadly disease.MORESurviving Plague in FlorenceListen on AppleListen on...
Published: Dec 15, 2025Duration: 54:34
E486 - Elizabeth Boleyn: The Queen's Mother
What if the most powerful woman in Anne Boleyn’s story never spoke on the record? Elizabeth Boleyn steps out of the shadows in this revelatory Tudor deep-dive. Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Sophie Bacchus-Waterman to piece together the elusive life of Anne Boleyn’s mother, from Howard girlhood to court matriarch, exploring power, silence and survival amid the dangerous glitter of Henry VIII’s court.MOREJane Boleyn with Philippa GregoryListen on AppleListen on SpotifySix Wives: Anne BoleynListen on Apple<...
Published: Dec 11, 2025Duration: 44:00
E485 - Henry VIII At War
**Contains descriptions of war atrocities, including rape and infanticide**In 1544, Henry VIII led the largest army ever raised by an English monarch to capture the French port of Boulogne. It was said that the conquest would be Henry’s “perpetual monument.” Yet history has largely forgotten it.Professor Suzannah Lipscomb speaks with Professor Neil Murphy to uncover the little-known story of Henry VIII at war. Together they explore the campaign to seize Boulogne, which reshapes our view of Tudor power, imperial ambition, and Henry’s legacy as a conqueror.MOREMar...
Published: Dec 8, 2025Duration: 59:07
E484 - How Poets Spoke Truth to Power
Throughout history, the words of poets have often ignited change or unsettled those in power. In England particularly, poetry has both celebrated and criticised the country's greatest triumphs and darkest hours. Professor Suzannah Lipscomb and Professor Catherine Clarke dive into the radical heart of poetry, where language has given rise to courage and resistance. MORE:John Donne: England’s Greatest Love PoetListen on AppleListen on SpotifyBloody Massacres and the Puritan PoetListen on AppleListen on SpotifyPrese...
Published: Dec 4, 2025Duration: 1:01:48
E483 - Dark Side of the Quakers
**Contains story of a young male suicide**Out of the devastation of the English Civil Wars, a radical new religious movement was born. The early Quakers, led by fiery and charismatic preachers, believed they had been chosen by God to save souls and purify a corrupt world. But the origins of Quakerism were far darker and more complex than the peaceful faith we know today. Convinced of divine purpose, Quakers performed failed miracles, disrupted services, defied the law, and faced imprisonment, all in pursuit of what they saw as God’s truth.Professor Su...
Published: Dec 1, 2025Duration: 48:17
E482 - Mother of All Tudors: Margaret Beaufort
Step into the turbulent heart of the Wars of the Roses and meet one of history’s most formidable survivors: Lady Margaret Beaufort.A child bride, a teenage mother, and ultimately the mastermind behind the rise of the Tudor dynasty, Margaret navigated betrayal, bloodshed, and political chaos with nerves of steel.Professor Suzannah Lipscomb sits down with leading biographers Lauren Johnson and Dr. Nicola Tallis to uncover the real woman behind the legend: her extraordinary resilience, razor-sharp political instincts and the unyielding drive that helped place her son on the throne as He...
Published: Nov 27, 2025Duration: 1:01:01