This is History: A Dynasty to Die For S9 E3 | Hot Stuff
Jan 20, 2026
Tensions rise in 1430s England as the widowed Queen Catherine de Valois embarks on a risky affair with Owen Tudor, challenging anti-Welsh laws and royal protocols. The political implications are vast, especially after the death of Henry V and the crowning of the youthful Henry VI. Meanwhile, the fate of Joan of Arc hangs heavily in the air, with her dramatic capture and execution underscoring the chaos. As English focus shifts to France, the royal court grapples with crises, food shortages, and failed diplomatic efforts.
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Scandalous Royal Tryst
- Dan Jones recounts a dramatized scene of Catherine de Valois and Owen Tudor locking the door and consummating their affair in her chamber.
- He uses the scene to illustrate the scandalous, intimate origins of a relationship with huge historical consequences.
Sexual Attraction Shapes History
- Dan Jones frames sexual attraction as one of history's underrated driving forces alongside weather and drunkenness.
- He argues the Catherine–Owen affair, though personal, will produce major political consequences.
Anti-Welsh Legal Apartheid
- Dan Jones explains harsh post-rebellion anti-Welsh laws that limited land ownership, arms, office-holding and even allowed on-the-spot execution.
- He highlights how Owen Tudor's relationship with Catherine flouted deep legal and social prohibitions.