About this episode

This episode explores the rise of the Lee Family of Virginia and the pivotal role of Richard Lee II in establishing their dynasty.

This is the tale of how the Lee Family of Virginia became a fledgling American aristocracy after Richard Lee I died in 1664, leaving behind the foundations of a great family fortune: a large commercial and landholding empire divided between Virginia and London. In this episode, we dive into how Richard Lee II, known as Richard the Scholar, became the patriarch and guided his family into becoming a dynasty, while navigating crises like Bacon's Rebellion and the Glorious Revolution, always working to preserve the family estates and secure their future for later generations, including great men like Thomas Lee, Richard Henry Lee, and Francis Lightfoot Lee. Subscribe for more deep-dive history: https://www.youtube.com/@realTheOldWorldShow Listen ad-free here: Who was the real driving force behind the famous Lee Family of Virginia? While Colonel Richard Lee "The Emigrant" built a staggering transatlantic shipping and tobacco empire involving 15,000 acres of land, multiple ships, and a London headquarters, the true test of the dynasty belonged to the children he left behind in the wild country of the Northern Neck, particularly his second-oldest son, Richard "the Scholar" Lee. In this…

More episodes of The Old World with Will Tanner

• The Merchant Diplomat: William Lee's Secret Dutch Treaty and the Victory at Yorktown · July 19, 2026 · 34 min
• Arthur Lee: The Forgotten Founder, Spy, and Diplomat Who Armed the Revolution · July 15, 2026 · 52 min
• The Virginia Gentry: America's Only Aristocracy and What We can Learn from Them · July 11, 2026 · 1h 2m
• The Conway Cabal: Did Richard Henry Lee Betray George Washington? · July 5, 2026 · 29 min
• The First and Forgotten Founding Father: Richard Henry Lee's Creation of America · July 1, 2026 · 57 min
• Founding Brothers: How One Generation of Lees Won the Revolution and Built America · June 28, 2026 · 40 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Old World with Will Tanner podcast page.