About this episode

This episode examines the mysterious murder of Robert Pakington in 1536 and the surrounding political intrigue.

On a foggy November morning in 1536, wealthy London merchant and Member of Parliament Robert Pakington left his home in Cheapside to attend Mass. Moments later, a gunshot rang out, and Pakington fell mortally wounded. Nobody clearly saw the attacker, the weapon disappeared, and no one was ever convicted. Frequently described as the earliest recorded handgun murder in London, the case became entangled with the dangerous politics of the English Reformation. Was Pakington killed for criticising the clergy, targeted by a commercial rival, or murdered by an assassin whose identity was later concealed by propaganda and rumour? This episode of Compact Murder examines the life of Robert Pakington, the extraordinary circumstances of his death and the conflicting stories that have surrounded the case for nearly five centuries. Visit our website: Compact Murder Find us on our social media sites: Facebook Instagram Pinterest Youtube #RobertPakington, #CompactMurder, #TudorHistory, #UnsolvedMurder, #HistoricalCrime, #LondonHistory, #EnglishReformation, #TrueCrimeHistory

People in this episode

Host: Compact Murder

Topics covered

• historical crime
• unsolved murder
• Tudor history
• English Reformation
• London history

Keywords

• Robert Pakington
• murder
• handgun
• English Reformation
• true crime
• historical crime
• London history
• unsolved murder

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Compact Murder

Places: London, Cheapside

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