In the 17th century, Britain decided to kill its king and experiment with life without a monarch.
In this episode we'll learn about the English Civil War, the 11 years the country spent without a monarch, why the monarchy was eventually restored, and the impact this had on the country.
Full transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: ... Show More
Aug 27
#629 | “Please, Sir, I Want Some More": The Truth About Victorian Workhouses
Charles Dickens made the Victorian workhouse famous, but the reality behind Oliver Twist was even worse than fiction. This episode tells how workhouses treated Britain’s poorest people, and how pensions and the welfare state finally replaced them. Oliver Twist and the image of hu ... Show More
22m 37s
Aug 13
#626 | The Strange Story of Punch and Judy
He wears a red hat, carries a stick, and laughs as he beats almost everyone he meets. This episode tells the odd, violent story of Punch and Judy, the puppet show that began in Italy and became a British seaside symbol. It looks at how Mr Punch survived for over 300 years, and wh ... Show More
25m 31s
Jul 30
#624 | George III: The Real Story of the “Mad King”
In 1788, King George III began speaking without pause, talking to trees, and frightening his court. He is often remembered as the “Mad King” who lost America, but his life was far more complex and tragic. This episode looks at the devoted farmer-king, his mysterious illness, and ... Show More
25m 31s
Aug 2023
03.01 - The English Revolution
Charles I has been executed, and the English Parliament establish a new, kingless, government. The reaction to the Regicide sweeps across Europe and the fledgling English empire.
For this episode, I found the following publications particularly useful:
Philip Baker, 'The Regici ... Show More
27m 24s
Apr 2018
Oliver Cromwell’s Missing Head
Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell was instrumental in ousting the monarchy during the English Civil War. But soon after his death, the monarchy was restored. As a show of power, Cromwell’s corpse was disinterred, and his head cut off, piked, and displayed atop Westminster Abbey. But ... Show More
46m 56s
Sep 2024
Season 5 | 12. To Kill a King
This episode contains extreme violence.
Queen Isabella and Roger Mortimor are victorious. They have usurped the old tyrant king, Edward II, and are in control of the heir to the throne, his son. But all is not well with this new regime. Roger makes a fateful decision that shakes ... Show More
29m 31s