The Bishop who Took Down Richard II

The Bishop who Took Down Richard II

From Gone Medieval by History Hit

April 10, 2026 · 50 min · Episode 516

About this episode

The episode explores the life and legacy of Archbishop Thomas Arundel, questioning whether he is truly a villain in British history.

What makes an Archbishop one of the most hated figures in British history? And does Thomas Arundel truly deserve to be branded the greatest villain of 15th-century Britain? Matt Lewis and Professor Chris Given-Wilson explore the life, power, and legacy of a man whose influence reached deep into the politics, religion, and royal struggles of late medieval England, and ask whether he was truly a villain or a far more complex figure than history has remembered. MORE: Richard II vs. Henry IV Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Plantagenets at War: A Fight for the Throne Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Gone Medieval is presented by Matt Lewis. Audio editor is Amy Haddow, the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff. All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds. Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People in this episode

Host: Matt Lewis

Guest: Professor Chris Given-Wilson

Topics covered

  • Archbishop Thomas Arundel
  • Richard II
  • 15th-century Britain
  • medieval politics
  • religion
  • royal struggles

Keywords

  • Thomas Arundel
  • Richard II
  • medieval England
  • politics
  • religion
  • historical figures
  • villainy

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Gone Medieval, History Hit, Epidemic Sounds

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