Where was Mary Queen of Scots - Elizabeth I’s most famous rival - born, and who were her parents? What was the nature of the turbulent politically and religiously divided world she was born into? How did she become a queen at only one week old, and betrothed to a French Prince at five? Why was it so dangerous to be a Scottish monarch in the 16th century? And ... Show More
Jul 29
692. Elizabeth I vs The Catholics: A Massacre in Paris (Part 2)
What inspired the deadliest bloodbath of the Tudor age: the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre of 1572, in which protestants were slaughtered en masse? How did it drive Elizabeth I’s spy master, Francis Walsingham, to repress all treasonous activity in her realm? And, what terrible tr ... Show More
1h 11m
Jul 26
691. Elizabeth I vs The Catholics: The Queen’s Spymaster (Part 1)
How did Elizabeth I rule England? Why was she constantly in mortal peril in 1569? Who was Sir William Cecil, and why was he so crucial to her reign? And, how did his network of spies keep her alive, and England uninvaded…? Join Tom and Dominic as they discuss the secret war ragin ... Show More
1h 12m
Jul 22
690. A Murderous Affair: Death at Mayerling (Part 2)
What really happened at the Habsburgian hunting lodge, Mayerling? Did Crown Prince Rudolf and his mistress, Baroness Mary Vetsera, really commit a romantic murder suicide, or did the heir cold-heartedly murder the 17 year old girl? And, why did the Austrian royal family try to er ... Show More
1h 19m
Mar 2023
Mary, Queen of Scots: Mary's Mother, Marie de Guise: Part One
Time to learn about Marie de Guise, the mother of Mary Queen of Scots! De Guise expert Lana Wood Johnson joins us to talk about just how influential Marie's family was, how and why she wound up in Scotland, how she dealt with the Asshole Scottish Lords ft. John Goddamn Knox, and ... Show More
1h 13m
Jun 2023
Mary, Queen of Scots: Part Four: The Jewelled Tortoise
This week, Mary, Queen of Scots hosts an eventful dinner party.
Content warning: murder
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References:
Daughters of the North: Jean Gordon and Mary Queen of Scots by Jennifer Morag Henderson
David Rizzio and Mary Queen of Scots: Murder at Holyrood by David Tweedie
Embroidering He ... Show More
1h 51m
Jan 2025
Final Days of Mary Queen of Scots
The moment Mary Queen of Scots set foot in England, she became Elizabeth I's prisoner. Mary was fleeing from war and misogyny, hoping for help from her fellow queen. What lay ahead was twenty years of increasingly desperate imprisonment and, eventually, her death.Maddy Pelling an ... Show More
47m 30s