logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2024
49m 58s

1. Wars of the Roses: England Divided

History Hit
About this episode

This is the first episode in a two-part series on the brutal, three-decade-long civil war that tore England in two. Today, we explore the complex allegiances, rivalries, and personalities that made it all happen before hearing about the first bloody battles between the houses of York and Lancaster.


For this, we're joined by Matt Lewis, historian, author and host of our sister podcast, Gone Medieval.


Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.


Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off for 3 months using code ‘DANSNOW’.


We'd love to hear from you - what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.


You can take part in our listener survey here.

Up next
Aug 21
Emperor Nero
Emperor Nero has gone down in history as the archetypal bad ruler - cruel, decadent, and perhaps even responsible for setting Rome ablaze. But how much of this is fact, and how much is propaganda?Dr Shushma Malik from the University of Cambridge joins us to dive into Nero’s reign ... Show More
45m 16s
Aug 19
The Colosseum
Join Dan in Rome as he unravels the dramatic story of the Colosseum and the gladiators who fought — and died — for glory. From the origins of gladiatorial combat in funerary rites to the elaborate, politically charged spectacles of the Imperial era, Dan reveals what it took to re ... Show More
1h 12m
Aug 17
Napoleon in Paris
Napoleon Bonaparte dreamed Paris would be the 'capital city of the universe' and much of what we see - and love - about Paris is thanks to him. The long straight boulevards, the fountains, the galleries and museums- even the bread that comes with European cuisine were brought in ... Show More
48m 11s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2023
The Gettysburg Address
What makes the Gettysburg Address one of the most famous speeches in history? Did Lincoln really write it on the train? How did the audience in the Soldiers' National Cemetery respond? In this episode, Don is joined once again by Glenn LaFantasie to examine the words, circumstanc ... Show More
31m 53s
Mar 2025
241. The Troubles: War in the Streets of Northern Ireland (Ep 1)
What were The Troubles and why did they lead to 30 years of violence and division in Northern Ireland? How were Irish Catholics inspired by the American Civil Rights movement in 1969? Why did the British government deploy troops on the streets of Belfast? In the first of four epi ... Show More
45m 19s
Jul 25
Medieval England's Top 5 Sites
Here on Gone Medieval we love to share the historical nuggets you won't commonly find.We are the insider's guide to Medieval times. and today Matt Lewis is taken on a whistle-stop tour of Medieval England by Julian Humphrys, to explore five noteworthy locations that might just be ... Show More
52 m
Aug 15
How Wild Were The Last Days Of Rome?
As Rome fell, was it really non-stop orgies and parties?That's become a popular connotation, and in today's episode Kate is joined by historian and friend of the show Emma Southon (https://www.emmasouthon.com) to find out what was happening on the ground as the Roman empire crumb ... Show More
40m 17s
May 1
Experiencing the Battle of Cannae
The Battle of Cannae was the worst defeat Rome ever suffered, and one of the worst battlefield losses in history. What was it like to be there? We explore the battle from the perspective of a common Roman soldier and try to make sense of the unexplainable.Patrick's book is now av ... Show More
37m 11s
Dec 2024
Lexington & Concord: The First Battles of the Revolutionary War
The shot heard ‘round the world'; the start of the American Revolution. An event that would have profound consequences for world history, especially western democracy. Who’d have thought that something of such magnitude would begin in a small settlement with as many cows as peopl ... Show More
42m 55s
Jun 2024
The REAL Bridgerton: Historians React To Season 3
*SPOILER ALERT: THIS EPISODE CONTAINS DETAILS OF SEASON 3 OF BRIDGERTON* With the second part of season 3 of Bridgerton dropping on Netflix in the last few days, Kate is joined by Catherine Curzon, author of Inside the World of Bridgerton: True Stories of Regency High Society, to ... Show More
44m 5s
Jun 29
578. The Irish War of Independence: Bloody Sunday (Part 3)
What occurred on Bloody Sunday on 21 November 1920 - a turning point in the Irish War of Independence and one of the bloodiest and most brutal moments in Irish history? How many British Army Officers were assassinated on the instructions of firebrand political leader, Michael Col ... Show More
59m 46s
Sep 2024
British Brides for American Tobacco: A Tudor Trade
In 1621 the Virginia Company of London put out a call for young, handsome and honestly educated women to become wives for the planters in its new colony in Jamestown. Hopeful husbands were supposed to pay for their English brides in best leaf tobacco. But who were the women who m ... Show More
34m 47s
Oct 2024
Richard II vs. Henry IV
For the Plantagenets, family might be a curse as often as a boon. They could provide invaluable support, or dangerous rivalry. At the end of the 14th century, the relationship between two first cousins rocked England, ruptured the line of succession and had a long legacy. Helen C ... Show More
59m 7s