

This is History: A Dynasty to Die For
Sony Music Entertainment
In this gripping new special series from This Is History Presents, acclaimed historian Danièle Cybulskie unravels a tale of dazzling triumph and devastating collapse — the rise and fall of Charles VI of France, better known as Charles the Mad.It’s 1389. France is finally breathing after decades of war. A young king ascends the throne — charming, beloved, and burning with promise. He’s married for love. The people adore him. The future is his.But then… he breaks.Charles becomes convinced his body is made of glass. He refuses to be touched. He hides from the world. And as his mind fractures, so does his kingdom — spiraling into chaos, betrayal, and a ruthless power struggle that will decide the fate of France.Who will seize control? Who will fall? And who will blink first?This Is History Presents: The Glass King is a story of ambition, delusion, and the terrifying fragility of power.Want to go deeper? Join our Patreon court as a This Is History Royal Favourite — where you’ll get behind-the-scenes insights, medieval travel tips, and the chance to shape future episodes. We’d love to have you: patreon.com/thisishistoryA Sony Music Entertainment production.To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 29, 2025 • 29min
The Glass King | 1. Fracture
Charles VI has done everything right. His new queen charms the court. He’s taken power away from his regents. France is stable, for now. But one encounter in a forest — brief, almost incidental — changes everything.
To delve deeper into the history behind each episode, become a This Is History Royal Favourite on Patreon. In addition to ad-free listening and bonus episodes, you get to chat with medievalists from around the world, shape the direction of the show, and watch exclusive behind the scenes videos from the team.
Sign up at patreon.com/thisishistory
–
A Sony Music Entertainment production.
Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts
To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com
Learn more about your ad choices.
Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Written and presented by Danièle Cybulskie
Producer - Alan Weedon Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman
Executive Producer - Simon Poole
Production Manager - Jen Mistri
Production coordinator: Eric Ryan
Mixing - Amber Devereux
Head of content – Chris Skinner
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 22, 2025 • 2min
Introducing… The Glass King
It’s 1389, and young Charles VI of France is living the medieval dream. He’s married for love. The war-torn kingdom is finally healing. He’s handsome, adored, and destined for greatness.
But then — he snaps.
Charles descends into delusion, convinced his body is made of glass. He won’t let anyone touch him. He hides from the world. And as his mind fractures, so does France — a fragile kingdom now teetering on the brink of collapse.
This is a story of ambition without limits, power without control… and the terrifying question: who breaks first?
This Is History Presents: The Glass King — a haunting new series from historian Danièle Cybulskie — explores the tragic unraveling of a monarch and the chaos that follows.
To delve deeper into the history behind each episode, join This Is History’s royal favourites on Patreon. There, you can meet fellow mediaeval history buffs, chat with the team, and tell us what you want to hear more of.
We’d love to see you there: patreon.com/thisishistory
–
A Sony Music Entertainment production.
Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts
To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com
Learn more about your ad choices.
Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Written and presented by Danièle Cybulskie
Producer - Alan Weedon Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman
Executive Producer - Simon Poole
Production Manager - Jen Mistri
Production coordinator: Eric Ryan
Mixing - Amber Devereux
Head of content – Chris Skinner
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 15, 2025 • 30min
Season 7 | 12. A man shall rule
The crown is slipping, and Richard II is running out of allies — even his loyal greyhound has had enough. As the kingdom turns against him, Richard scrambles to hold onto power. But his cousin, the formidable Henry Bolingbroke, is gaining ground fast. With betrayal in the air and a throne at stake, can Richard stop Henry’s return — or is the end already written? Listen to the season finale for a gripping tale of downfall, ambition, and the unraveling of a king.
If you can’t get enough of This Is History, we’d love to welcome you to the royal court over on our Patreon. There, you get bonus episodes, PLUS extra perks including dispatches from Dan and the team, the chance to vote on future subscriber episodes, and lively chat rooms with fellow history nerds.
We’d love to see you there: patreon.com/thisishistory
A Sony Music Entertainment production.
Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts
To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com
Learn more about your ad choices.
Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Presented by Dan Jones
Producer - Alan Weedon
Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman
Executive Producer - Simon Poole
Production Manager - Jen Mistri
Production coordinator - Eric Ryan
Sound Design and Mixing - Amber Devereux
Head of content - Chris Skinner
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 8, 2025 • 31min
Season 7 | 11. Who dares wins
The podcast delves into the dramatic death of John of Gaunt and the bizarre encounter with his nephew, Richard II. It explores Richard's tyrannical rule, his ruthless elimination of opposition, and his obsession with power. Tensions rise as Bolingbroke, living in exile, orchestrates a strategic return, setting the stage for a brewing conflict. The contrasting lives of Richard and Bolingbroke reveal the harsh realities of political ambition and the ever-shifting landscape of power in 14th-century England.

Jul 1, 2025 • 27min
Season 7 | 10. Deathmatch
Thomas Mowbray and Henry Bolingbroke find themselves in a deadly duel under the watchful eye of King Richard II, whose last-minute interference adds to the drama. Their once-strong alliance has fractured, leading to intense rivalry and the stakes of honor. As the crowd eagerly anticipates the combat, political intrigue brews within the royal court. Richard's tyrannical moves to exile both men without a duel reflect his unchecked power and foreshadow chaotic consequences. This thrilling narrative dives deep into historical tensions, betrayal, and the complexities of legacy.

Jun 24, 2025 • 27min
Season 7 | 9. Richard’s revenge
London’s finest are gathering for 1397’s party of the year, but this isn’t a time to be celebrating… unless you’re Richard II. The 30-year-old king is emboldened, stronger than ever, and hell bent on retaliation. This leaves Henry Bolingbroke with a stark choice.
If you can’t get enough of This Is History, we’d love to welcome you to the royal court over on our Patreon. There, you get bonus episodes, PLUS extra perks including dispatches from Dan and the team, the chance to vote on future subscriber episodes, and lively chat rooms with fellow history nerds.
We’d love to see you there: patreon.com/thisishistory
A Sony Music Entertainment production.
Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts
To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com
Learn more about your ad choices.
Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Presented by Dan Jones
Producer - Alan Weedon
Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman
Executive Producer - Simon Poole
Production Manager - Jen Mistri
Production coordinator - Eric Ryan
Sound Design and Mixing - Amber Devereux
Head of content - Chris Skinner
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 17, 2025 • 29min
Season 7 | 8. Four Funerals and A Wedding
In 1392, nobody in the Plantagenet realm was expecting one of their own to be gored to death by a wild boar. The grim reaper’s busy. More shock deaths befall the Gaunt and Bolingbroke household, and Richard is made a widow. While the king puts on the waterworks, Richard turns grief into opportunity.
Remember, you can always keep the discussion as a royal favourite subscriber on our Patreon. Following this episode, we want to talk about other novel ways to die. Choose your untimely demise at: patreon.com/thisishistory
A Sony Music Entertainment production.
Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts
To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com
Learn more about your ad choices.
Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Presented by Dan Jones
Producer - Alan Weedon
Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman
Executive Producer - Simon Poole
Production Manager - Jen Mistri
Production coordinator - Eric Ryan
Sound Design and Mixing - Amber Devereux
Head of content - Chris Skinner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

9 snips
Jun 10, 2025 • 29min
Season 7 | 7. The Grand Tour
Henry Bolingbroke, exasperated at the parochial pettiness of Richard II’s court, decides it’s time to get out. After proving his mettle with the greatest warrior in the western world, he embarks on a whistle-stop tour of the known world to smash pagans and shop for exotic animals. He comes back to England on a high and sees the fruits of his growing family — one that already overshadows Richard II’s.
Learn more about Plantagenet-style tournaments way back in season one, under the reign of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. You can find that and more on our Patreon, where you can joust with fellow royal favourites in our chatrooms, and shape future episodes.
Choose your destiny at: patreon.com/thisishistory
A Sony Music Entertainment production.
Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts
To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com
Learn more about your ad choices.
Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Presented by Dan Jones
Producer - Alan Weedon
Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman
Executive Producer - Simon Poole
Production Manager - Jen Mistri
Production coordinator - Eric Ryan
Sound Design and Mixing - Amber Devereux
Head of content - Chris Skinner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 3, 2025 • 31min
Season 7 | 6. The Traitors
Dive into a whirlwind of political intrigue as King Richard II faces off against Henry Bolingbroke. Witness the dramatic escape attempts of nobles, including one disguised as a chicken salesman. Explore the chaos of royal succession and the power struggles that follow Bolingbroke's rise. Experience the harsh realities of betrayal and loyalty within the court as the Merciless Parliament deals out punishing sentences. Tension simmering, secrets unravel, and a kingdom hangs in the balance!

May 27, 2025 • 31min
Season 7 | 5. It’s a Wonderful Parliament
Tensions rise as England braces for a potential French invasion, with a self-absorbed King Richard II facing mounting pressure from Parliament. Explore the fierce political dynamics that pivot on the king's indecisiveness, and discover how weather whims hinder military plans. The dialogue delves into the urgent cries for reform amid fiscal disputes, prompting reflections on past crises and modern governance. Join the engaging conversation as listeners ponder which historical monarch they would impeach, blending intrigue with community interaction.