
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
More episodes of Gone Medieval
- The Queer Court of William Rufus · June 12, 2026 · 49 min
- Hildegard of Bingen - Prophetess, Composer, Mystic · June 9, 2026 · 1h 3m
- The Black Death: A Global Apocalypse? · June 5, 2026 · 1h 1m
- Seeking Sanctuary · June 2, 2026 · 1h 5m
- The First Troubadours · May 29, 2026 · 47 min
- Foolish Medieval Fatalities · May 26, 2026 · 1h 9m
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Gone Medieval podcast page.