

This is History: A Dynasty to Die For
Sony Music Entertainment
England’s greatest warrior-king is ready for his close-up.In Season 8 of This Is History: A Dynasty to Die For, acclaimed historian Dan Jones charts the rise of Henry V—a monarch who didn’t just wear the crown, he redefined it.The 15th century opens with promise. Richard II is gone, and Henry Bolingbroke has seized the throne as Henry IV. But ruling proves harder than usurping. Rebellions erupt, the treasury dries up, and the king’s health crumbles under the weight of constant crisis.Waiting in the wings is Prince Henry of Monmouth—studious, strategic, and battle-scarred. After surviving an arrow to the face, he’s not wasting his second chance. When the crown passes to him, it’s all systems go.Henry V crushes dissent, storms France, and wins glory at Agincourt. His heir is set to become the first—and only—English monarch crowned King of France. But beneath the triumph lies a fatal flaw. One that will unravel everything Henry built, and echo through English history for centuries.That’s all for you to discover on season eight of This Is History — A Dynasty to Die For. Want to delve deeper? Become a This Is History Royal Favourite subscriber. You get ad free listening, bonus episodes, and access to our virtual royal court on Patreon. It’s your space to meet mediaeval history nerds, chat with Dan and the team, and get recommendations for the best books, podcasts, and documentaries that amplify the history behind each episode. Oh, and a very fun royal menagerie. 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

Oct 21, 2025 • 34min
S8 E6 | The Gun Show
When the newly crowned King Henry V receives a mocking gift from the French Dauphin — a box of tennis balls — he doesn’t laugh. He retaliates with cannonballs and a thunderous claim to the French throne. What begins as a petty insult escalates into a seismic clash of empires. From the opulent courts of Paris to the blood-soaked fields of Agincourt, this episode unpacks the moment England’s young king turned humiliation into history — and launched a war that would shake Europe to its core.
For more context behind this episode’s history, listen back to The Battle of Crecy in season 6, or hear about the French version of the tennis ball story in episode 3 of our miniseries, The Glass King.
Remember, you can always delve deeper into the history behind each episode by becoming a This Is History Royal Favourite on Patreon. In addition to ad-free listening and bonus episodes — now available to watch on video — you get to chat with mediaeval buffs from around the world, chat with Dan and the team, and get exclusive access to behind the scenes extras just for favourites.
Don’t miss out. Sign up at patreon.com/thisishistory
–
A Sony Music Entertainment production.
Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts
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Written and 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
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Oct 14, 2025 • 31min
S8 E5 | The Switch-Up
Henry V has finally seized the throne—but this is no coronation of peace. With chilling precision, he tightens his grip on power, silencing reformists and casting former allies into prison. His reign begins not with celebration, but with severity. Yet behind the cold walls of authority, a daring jailbreak sparks whispers of insurrection. As Christmas approaches, rebellion brews in the shadows. Will the young king’s iron rule hold—or will the ghosts of his inner circle rise to challenge him?
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 mediaeval buffs 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 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
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Oct 7, 2025 • 28min
S8 E4 | Ballads and Brawls
Henry of Monmouth’s impatience reaches fever pitch when he tries to snatch the crown from his father, Henry IV. It backfires royally. To teach him a lesson, the king makes Henry’s boozehound brother, Thomas, the heir apparent.
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 mediaeval buffs 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
Written and presented by Dan Jones
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
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Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 30, 2025 • 28min
S8 E3 | The Score
The trial of a tailor-turned-heretic tests Henry of Monmouth’s authority. Word on the street is that the heir apparent is flirting with the Lollards, who want reform of the church and state. It all comes to a head at Oxford University, where the Archbishop of Canterbury declares all out war on heresy.
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 mediaeval buffs 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 Dan Jones
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

Sep 23, 2025 • 29min
S8 E2 | Whack a Mole
Henry IV is waking in the night screaming, convinced people are throwing fire at him. In truth, they’re throwing shade. Even the clergy are questioning his right to rule. And to silence the whispers, this pious king turns butcher.
This is the story of a monarch unraveling—where paranoia meets power, and faith gives way to fury.
To delve deeper into the history behind each episode, become a This Is History Royal Favourite subscriber. You get ad free listening, bonus episodes, and access to our royal court on Patreon. There, you can meet fellow mediaeval history buffs, chat with the team, and tell us what you want to hear more of. Think of this as your virtual clubhouse. 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 Dan Jones.
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

Sep 16, 2025 • 31min
S8 E1 | A Hole in the Head
Kingship is no walk in the park for Henry IV, who faces dwindling funds and an uprising while struggling to maintain control. Tension escalates when his son, Prince Henry, gets an arrow to the face during battle. The story dives into the tumultuous backdrop of Henry's reign and the intricate conspiracies involving the Percys. To add to the drama, a daring surgeon attempts a life-saving procedure on the young prince, highlighting the precarious nature of royal power. The stakes are high, and the consequences are bloody.

Sep 9, 2025 • 2min
Introducing… Season Eight of a Dynasty to Die For
When you survive an arrow shot to the face like Henry V did, you don’t waste your second chance. So when he’s finally crowned in 1413, it’s all systems go.
He ruthlessly slaps down challenges to his rule, and launches a lightning military campaign that puts England back in the big leagues. English rule is restored in France for the first time in generations. His heir will be the first and only English monarch to be crowned King of France.
This is the story of a monarch who became a legend in his own lifetime, and whose mythology still continues to press upon our present… But little did Henry know there’s an original sin at the heart of his reign that’s going to ricochet across England for centuries.
To delve deeper into the history behind each episode, become a This Is History Royal Favourite subscriber. You get ad free listening, bonus episodes, and access to our royal court on Patreon. There, you can meet fellow mediaeval history buffs, chat with the team, and tell us what you want to hear more of. Think of this as your virtual clubhouse. 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 Dan Jones
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

Sep 2, 2025 • 34min
The Glass King | 6. A Jagged Peace
France is slipping through her fingers. With the kingdom on the brink of collapse, Queen Isabeau of Bavaria makes a desperate move: she offers her daughter’s hand to England’s King Henry V. It’s a bold bid for peace—but peace comes at a price. As the English celebrate their triumph, they soon discover that ruling a broken kingdom is far more costly than conquering it. This is a tale of uneasy alliances, royal ambition, and the brutal cost of diplomacy.
Listen back to season six, episode twelve for the last time France was under English control.
Find all of that and more on our Patreon, where you can also vote on future episodes, share some spicy court gossip with fellow subscribers, and hear from Danièle and the rest of the royal council.
Become one of our royal favourites: 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

Aug 26, 2025 • 32min
The Glass King | 5. The Enemy of My Enemy
France is in ruins. Normandy has fallen to the English, and the rest of the kingdom is being ripped apart by civil war between the Burgundians and Armagnacs. In the midst of this chaos, Queen Isabeau of Bavaria faces an impossible choice. With the crown crumbling and enemies on every side, she makes a decision so shocking, it could change the fate of France forever. This is the story of a queen who dared to gamble everything—power, loyalty, and legacy—for survival.
If you want to find out more about the last English invasion of France, listen back to Edward III’s Calais campaign in season six, episode six. Plus in this week’s bonus episode, Danièle explains to Dan why Isabeau gets a bad wrap, right when she’s given the power to save the kingdom.
Find all of that and more on our Patreon, where you can also vote on future episodes, share some spicy court gossip with fellow subscribers, and hear from Danièle and the rest of the royal council.
Become one of our royal favourites: 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

Aug 19, 2025 • 31min
The Glass King | 4. A New Hope
Henry V shatters the Dauphin Louis’s hubris. Despite their superior numbers, carnage awaits the French at a battle called Agincourt. But the bad luck doesn’t end there. Two Dauphins die suddenly in quick succession, catapulting an unknown prince — and the kingdom — into the unknown.
If you want to learn about the last English invasion of France, listen back to season six, episode five, where Edward III wins the Battle of Crécy.
Plus, in this week’s bonus episode, Dan and Danièle dive into France’s litany of failures at Agincourt, and hear Dan’s excellent impression of Robert Pattinson in The King.
You can get all of that and more on our Patreon. In addition to ad-free listening and bonus episodes, you get to chat with mediaeval buffs from around the world, shape the direction of the show, and watch exclusive behind the scenes videos from the team.
Become one of our royal favourites 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
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 megaphone.fm/adchoices
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices


