Henry VII: What Ifs & Misconceptions

About this episode

The episode explores the myths and misconceptions surrounding Henry VII and discusses various historical what if scenarios.

What if Henry Tudor never made it out of England? What if Bosworth had gone differently? And how much of what we think we know about Henry VII is actually wrong? In this Off the Record episode, we're joined by historian Nathen Amin to dig into the myths, misconceptions, and fascinating “what ifs” surrounding England’s first Tudor king. From his years in exile with Jasper Tudor to the pivotal moment at Battle of Bosworth Field, we explore just how fragile Henry’s path to the throne really was. Would he have tried again if Bosworth had been lost? What if he had never fled into exile at all? Was his marriage to Elizabeth of York inevitable - or simply the best available option? And after her death, who might Henry have chosen next? We also tackle the question people love to ask (but rarely explore properly): was Henry VII a mama’s boy under the influence of Margaret Beaufort…or something far more calculated? This is Henry VII stripped of the textbook narrative - uncertain, strategic, and far more human than you might expect. -- https://nathenamin.substack.com/ -- BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: SPECIAL EVENT on May 9th with Dr. Steven Veerapon on the medical history of Henry VIII. All the…

People in this episode

Hosts: Rebecca Larson, Amy McElroy

Guest: Nathen Amin

Topics covered

• Henry VII
• misconceptions
• historical what ifs
• Tudor history
• Battle of Bosworth
• myths
• strategic decisions

Keywords

• Henry VII
• Tudor
• Bosworth
• historian
• Nathen Amin
• myths
• misconceptions
• Margaret Beaufort
• exile
• Elizabeth of York

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Henry VIII

Places: England

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