About this episode

The episode explores the misunderstood legacy of Thomas Arundel, challenging his reputation as a villain in English history.

Was England’s greatest medieval villain actually a misunderstood power broker? Thomas Arundel has long been cast as one of the great villains of English history — a persecutor, a political schemer, even the man blamed for burning heretics. But is that reputation deserved, or is it a product of centuries of misunderstanding? In this episode of History Rage , host Paul Bavill is joined by renowned medieval historian Chris Given-Wilson to challenge one of the most persistent myths of the Plantagenet era. Together, they unpack the life, career, and controversies of the Archbishop of Canterbury who stood at the centre of one of England’s most dramatic regime changes. Arundel’s rise was meteoric — from a wealthy noble family to Bishop of Ely at just 20, and eventually Archbishop of Canterbury. But his true influence came during the turbulent transition from Richard II to Henry IV, where he played a decisive role in legitimising the overthrow of a king. Far from a shadowy manipulator, Arundel emerges as a crucial architect of political authority in a deeply unstable England. The episode dives into the chaos of late 14th-century politics: rebellion, deposition, and the uneasy foundations…

People in this episode

Host: Paul Bavill

Guest: Chris Given-Wilson

Topics covered

• medieval history
• political authority
• Thomas Arundel
• Plantagenet era
• religious justification
• Lollards
• regime change

Keywords

• Thomas Arundel
• medieval villain
• political schemer
• Archbishop of Canterbury
• Richard II
• Henry IV
• Lollards
• regime change
• 14th-century politics
• religious justification

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Lollards, Archbishop of Canterbury, Bishop of Ely

Places: England

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