Tudors Dynasty & Beyond

What if some of the greatest mysteries surrounding Anne Boleyn have been hiding in plain sight?In this episode, Rebecca is joined by researcher Karen L. Davis to explore three fascinating and interconnected areas of her work: the use of facial-recognition technology to investigate Anne Boleyn’s portraiture, a concealed cipher within Henry VIII’s love letters, and new evidence concerning the authenticity of the disputed Tower Letter.Karen explains why the famous Windsor sketch labelled Anna Boleyn Queen may not be as securely identified as generations have assumed—and how scientific comparison of Holbein’s preparatory drawings, Anne’s relatives, and portraits of Elizabeth I could help bring us closer to her true appearance.The conversation also turns to an enigmatic sequence of letters and numbers hidden in one of Henry’s letters to Anne, as well as the biblical and reformist language that may connect Anne’s correspondence, John Skip’s controversial sermon, and the letter reportedly written from the Tower in May 1536.From broken provenance and mistaken portrait labels to Queen Esther, secret messages, and scholarly resistance, this episode asks what might emerge when inherited assumptions are tested using new technology, interdisciplinary collaboration, and a fresh examination of the surviving evidence.Karen’s findings are awaiting peer-reviewed publication, but they may open remarkable new avenues in the search for the real Anne Boleyn.--Join the growing crowd of history fans over on my Patreon page - https://patreon.com/tudorsdynasty--Host: Rebecca LarsonGuest: Karen L. Davies

In the concluding episode of the Medieval Kings series, Rebecca and historian Matt Lewis examine the turbulent final year of Richard III’s reign - and the rumors, rivalries, and betrayals that carried him toward Bosworth.Did Richard intend to marry his niece, Elizabeth of York? Did he hasten the death of his wife, Anne Neville? Or were these accusations part of a growing propaganda campaign designed to undermine his crown? From Richard’s public denial of the allegations to his negotiations for a Portuguese marriage, this episode separates contemporary evidence from the stories that later became accepted as fact.Rebecca and Matt also explore the political grievances behind Henry Tudor’s invasion, the crucial role played by the Stanleys, and Richard’s final, high-risk cavalry charge at Bosworth. His enemies did not necessarily rally behind Henry to avenge the Princes in the Tower - they brought old grudges, personal ambitions, and carefully cultivated rumors to the battlefield.This is the story of Richard III’s last year: a king surrounded by suspicion, abandoned by those he needed most, and ultimately killed fighting for his crown.--Join our growing community of history lovers on Patreon! Become part of the conversation and enjoy commercial-free episodes, early access, exclusive content, live chats, and more. Your support also helps keep the podcast - and independent history - going. Join us today using this link: https://patreon.com/tudorsdynasty--Host: Rebecca LarsonGuest: Matt Lewis

What if one moment had gone differently for the women of the Tudor dynasty?In this episode of Tudors Dynasty, Rebecca and Amy are rewriting history once again with a new round of Tudor “What Ifs”—this time focused on the queens whose marriages, pregnancies, and choices helped determine the future of England.What if Anne of Cleves had been pregnant when Henry VIII decided he wanted their marriage annulled? Would even Henry have dared cast aside the mother of another Tudor prince?What if Katheryn Howard had fled before she could be arrested? Could she have escaped Henry’s reach—or would she simply have found herself a queen with nowhere to go?What if Jane Seymour had given birth to a daughter instead of Edward VI? Without his long-awaited son, how quickly would Henry have searched for wife number four—and what would that have meant for the ambitious Seymour family?And what if Henry VIII had simply remained married to Katherine of Aragon? No Anne Boleyn. No Elizabeth I. Perhaps no break with Rome as we know it. How different would the Tudor dynasty—and England itself—have become?Plus, Rebecca and Amy venture slightly beyond Henry’s wives to ask one more fascinating question: What if Elizabeth of York had lived long enough to see her son become king? Could the formidable Tudor matriarch have changed the course of Henry VIII’s reign?No time machines. No definitive answers. Just history, speculation, and the enormous ripple effects of changing one moment in the Tudor story.--Co-Hosts: Rebecca Larson & Amy McElroy

The Battle of Bosworth is often remembered as the inevitable end of Richard III and the triumphant beginning of the Tudor dynasty - but Henry Tudor’s victory was anything but certain.In this episode, we examine the battle from Richard’s perspective, revealing an experienced commander who entered the field with the larger army and came within seconds of killing Henry Tudor. Far from a final act of desperation, Richard’s legendary cavalry charge may have been a sound tactical decision that almost changed the course of English history.We also explore Henry’s precarious invasion, the uncertain loyalties of the Stanleys, the three armies gathered at Bosworth, and the last-minute intervention that decided the battle. From French mercenaries and sweating sickness to political betrayal and a remarkably unlikely cast of Tudor supporters, this is the story of how Richard III almost won - and how narrowly the Tudor dynasty came to never existing at all.--Mikes' Books on Amazon US (you can find them in most retailers as well)--Support the podcast on Patreon and get COMMERCIAL-FREE episodes, EARLY ACCESS, and EXCLUSIVE CONTENT: https://patreon.com/tudorsdynasty--Host: Rebecca LarsonGuest: Dr. Michael Jones

Queens, Rebels and the Women Who Shaped 1066 explores the remarkable women whose influence helped define the Norman Conquest and transform 11th-century England.Historian Sharon Bennett Connolly, author of Silk and the Sword, joins Rebecca to bring women such as Emma of Normandy, Lady Godiva, GYtha of Wessex, and Edith of Wessex out of the historical footnotes and place them at the center of the story. From queens who guarded royal treasuries and negotiated dangerous dynastic politics to mothers who resisted William the Conqueror and preserved Harold II’s bloodline, these women were far from passive observers.The conversation also uncovers the likely truth behind Lady Godiva’s legendary “naked” ride, examines whether Emma of Normandy was betrayed by a forged letter, and investigates the mysterious Elfgifu scene in the Bayeux Tapestry. Who was she—and was the cleric offering a blessing, delivering a reprimand, or exposing a scandal?Discover the queens, rebels, mothers, and survivors who shaped 1066—and whose legacies continued within the English royal family for centuries.--Host: Rebecca LarsonGuest: Sharon Bennett-Connolly

Before Richard III became king - and long before history cast him as a villain - he built a very different reputation in the north of England.In this episode, Rebecca Larson and Matt Lewis continue Richard’s story from his marriage to Anne Neville through his rise as one of Edward IV’s most trusted lords. They examine the bitter division of the Warwick inheritance, Richard’s relationship with Anne Beauchamp, his settlement of the Percy–Neville feud, and the authority he established across northern England.Through several surviving legal disputes, a striking pattern emerges: Richard repeatedly ruled against his own retainers and social superiors when the evidence demanded it, placing equitable justice above personal advantage. The conversation also explores his refusal of a French pension, his white boar badge, the religious college he founded at Middleham, and his successful Scottish campaign, which recovered Berwick-upon-Tweed for England.Was Richard an honorable man attempting to navigate a deeply corrupt political system? This episode reveals the principled lord, capable commander, and trusted northern leader whose record stands in sharp contrast to the villain he would later become in popular history.--Support the podcast on Patreon and receive COMMERCIAL-FREE episodes, EARLY ACCESS, and EXCLUSIVE CONTENT: https://patreon.com/tudorsdynasty--Host: Rebecca LarsonGuest: Matt Lewis

What happens when two history lovers tackle some of the past’s greatest mysteries - with no preparation, no research, and plenty of opinions? Rebecca and Amy debate whether Perkin Warbeck was really a prince, who was responsible for the deaths of Thomas Becket and Henry VI, whether Edward II escaped his fate, and what truly happened between Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley, Katherine Howard and Thomas Culpepper, and Katherine of Aragon and Prince Arthur. They also consider whether Jane Grey was truly queen, reveal their choice for the best Tudor monarch, and ask whether solving history’s mysteries would only create more questions. Plus, Amy shares a memorable behind-the-scenes story from Harvington Hall!--DON'T FORGET - SUNDAY, AUGUST 16TH IS OUT FIRST HISTORY READING ROOM MEETING (NON-book club, book club)!See info here: https://www.patreon.com/tudorsdynasty/posts/history-reading-163802931?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link--Co-hosts: Rebecca Larson & Amy McElroy

In this episode, Rebecca is joined by Sophie Bacchus-Waterman to examine whether Katherine Gordon truly believed her first husband, Perkin Warbeck, was Richard of Shrewsbury. Drawing upon her article published in The Ricardian, Sophie explores Katherine’s will and its intriguing reference to “my cousin Margaret Kyme.” While this phrase has been used as evidence that Katherine regarded Warbeck as a prince, Sophie reveals an alternative family connection through Katherine’s second husband, James Strangeways. Together, they reconsider one of the key arguments surrounding Katherine’s beliefs and enter the wider debate over Warbeck’s identity—with Sophie 99 percent certain that he was an impostor.--Link to alleged love letter mentioned: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/rest.12864--Want to join the History Reading Room? Click here for more info: https://www.patreon.com/tudorsdynasty/posts/history-reading-163802931?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link--Host: Rebecca LarsonGuest: Sophie Bacchus-Waterman

Edward V’s reign lasted only a matter of weeks - but those weeks changed the course of English history. In this episode, Rebecca and historian Matthew Lewis trace the rapidly unfolding events of 1483, from Edward IV’s unexpected death and the conflict between the Woodvilles and Lord Hastings to the arrests at Northampton, the execution of Hastings, and the revelation that would see Edward V declared illegitimate. Was Richard of Gloucester following a plan to seize the throne, or responding to one crisis after another? By examining the chronology and questioning the reliability of the surviving sources, they reconsider how Richard III came to wear the crown.--Support the podcast on Patreon and get COMMERCIAL-FREE episodes, EARLY ACCESS, and EXCLUSIVE CONTENT: http://patreon.com/tudorsdynasty--Host: Rebecca LarsonGuest: Matt Lewis