
Pax Britannica: A History of the British Empire
Pax Britannica is a narrative history podcast covering the empire upon which the sun never set. Shortlisted for the 2023 Independent Podcast Awards, Pax Britannica follows the events which created an empire that dominated the globe. Hosted by Dr Samuel Hume, a historian of British Imperial history, Pax Britannica aims to explain the rise and eventual fall of the largest empire in history. After all, how peaceful was the 'British Peace'?
Latest episodes

Dec 23, 2022 • 18min
Bonus - Did Oliver Cromwell Ban Christmas?
By virtue of him becoming the face of English Puritanism, warts and all, Cromwell tends to get blamed for the ban on Christmas during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms and the Commonwealth. There are plenty of potted histories, especially online, which lay the blame for the ban solely at Cromwell’s feet. But this isn't true. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 5, 2022 • 31min
02.59 - A King's Ransom
Charles is a captive of the Covenanter Scots, but he hasn't given up. His enemies are divided, and he is determined to conquer them. But as he will find out, the patience of his hosts is not infinite.Check out the podcast websiteCheck out Pax Britannica Merch!Facebook | Twitter | Patreon | DonateFor this episode, I found the following publications particularly useful:
Kaplan, Lawrence, 'Charles I's Flight to the Scots', Albion: A Quarterly Journal Concerned with British Studies
Kenyon, J. and Ohlmeyer, J., The Civil Wars: A Military History of England, Scotland, and Ireland, 1638-1660.
Harris, T. Rebellion
Michael J. Braddick. The Oxford Handbook of the English Revolution
Michael J. Braddick, 'War and Politics in England and Wales, 1642-1646', in Michael Braddick. The Oxford Handbook of the English Revolution
Michael J. Braddick, God's Fury, England's Fire
Peter Gaunt, The English Civil War: A Military History
Blair Worden, The English Civil Wars: 1640-1660
Ian Gentles, The English Revolution and the Wars in the Three Kingdoms, 1638-1652
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Nov 17, 2022 • 29min
02.58 - The Entropy of Victory
The English Civil War is over, and former allies turn on each other. The entropy of victory breaks down the common bonds within Parliament, as Independents and Presbyterians squabble and fight for control of the post-war settlement. And the New Model Army watches on.Check out the podcast websiteCheck out Pax Britannica Merch!Facebook | Twitter | Patreon | DonateListen to Revolutions: Appendix 1: https://pod.link/703889772/episode/a62121c4aaadace65ebea2f0538f1fd7For this episode, I found the following publications particularly useful:
Kenyon, J. and Ohlmeyer, J., The Civil Wars: A Military History of England, Scotland, and Ireland, 1638-1660.
Harris, T. Rebellion
Michael J. Braddick. The Oxford Handbook of the English Revolution
Michael J. Braddick, 'War and Politics in England and Wales, 1642-1646', in Michael Braddick. The Oxford Handbook of the English Revolution
Michael J. Braddick, God's Fury, England's Fire
Peter Gaunt, The English Civil War: A Military History
Blair Worden, The English Civil Wars: 1640-1660
Ian Gentles, The English Revolution and the Wars in the Three Kingdoms, 1638-1652
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Nov 10, 2022 • 29min
02.57 - Kilkenny Coup d'etat
With the king's defeat in the English Civil War, his forces in Scotland and Ireland react. In Scotland, Montrose goes into exile, Mac Colla continues raiding the Campbells, and Huntly remains useless. In Ireland, the First Ormond Peace goes public, forcing the hand of Papal Nuncio Rinuccini.Check out the podcast websiteCheck out Pax Britannica Merch!Facebook | Twitter | Patreon | DonateListen to the History of WW2 HERE: https://pod.link/493253759 or visit the website https://worldwariipodcast.net/For this episode, I found the following publications particularly useful:
Peter Gaunt, The English Civil War: A Military History
Blair Worden, The English Civil Wars: 1640-1660
Ian Gentles, The English Revolution and the Wars in the Three Kingdoms, 1638-1652
John Cunningham, ‘Politics, 1641-1660’, Cambridge History of Ireland
David Edwards, ‘Political Change and Social Transformation, 1603-1641’, Cambridge History of Ireland
John Jeremiah Cronin and Padraig Lenihan, ‘Wars of Religion, 1641-1691’, Cambridge History of Ireland
Patrick Little, Lord Broghill and the Cromwellian Union with Ireland and Scotland, 2004
Ó Siochrú, Micheál, (ed.) Kingdoms in Crisis: Ireland in the 1640s, 2000
Ó Siochrú, Micheál, Confederate Ireland, 1642-1649, 1999
Lenihan, Pádraig, Confederate Catholics at War, 1641-49, 2001
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Oct 29, 2022 • 21min
Bonus - Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex and Captain-General of Parliament
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Oct 29, 2022 • 33min
02.56 - The Wisdom of Crowds
With the English Civil War over - for now - it's time to count the cost, and take a look at post-war England.Check out the podcast websiteCheck out Pax Britannica Merch!Facebook | Twitter | Patreon | DonateFor this episode, I found the following publications particularly useful:
Jason Peacey, 'The Revolution in Print', in Michael Braddick. The Oxford Handbook of the English Revolution
Stephen K. Roberts, 'State and Society in the English Revolution', in Michael Braddick. The Oxford Handbook of the English Revolution
John Walter, 'Crowds and Popular Politics in the English Revolution', in Michael Braddick. The Oxford Handbook of the English Revolution
Michael Braddick, 'War and Politics in England and Wales, 1642-1646', in Michael Braddick. The Oxford Handbook of the English Revolution
Michael Braddick, God's Fury, England's Fire
Peter Gaunt, The English Civil War: A Military History
Blair Worden, The English Civil Wars: 1640-1660
Ian Gentles, The English Revolution and the Wars in the Three Kingdoms, 1638-1652
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Sep 7, 2022 • 34min
02.55 - Peace, if you can keep it
Naseby shattered the Royalist cause. Now the New Model Army just had to sweep up the pieces...Check out the podcast websiteCheck out Pax Britannica Merch!Facebook | Twitter | Patreon | DonateFor this episode, I found the following publications particularly useful:
Kenyon, J. and Ohlmeyer, J., The Civil Wars: A Military History of England, Scotland, and Ireland, 1638-1660.
Harris, T. Rebellion
Michael Braddick. The Oxford Handbook of the English Revolution
Michael Braddick, God's Fury, England's Fire
Nick Lipscombe, The English Civil War: An Atlas and Concise History of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, 1639-51
Peter Gaunt, The English Civil War: A Military History
Pert, T. (2021). Divided Loyalties: The Elector Palatine and Charles I, 1638–1649, Journal of Early Modern History, 26(4), 311-334 [https://brill.com/view/journals/jemh/26/4/article-p311_2.xml]
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Aug 28, 2022 • 31min
02.54 - The Great Battle of Naseby
Check out the podcast websiteCheck out Pax Britannica Merch!Facebook | Twitter | Patreon | DonateFor this episode, I found the following publications particularly useful:
Kenyon, J. and Ohlmeyer, J., The Civil Wars: A Military History of England, Scotland, and Ireland, 1638-1660.
Harris, T. Rebellion
Michael Braddick. The Oxford Handbook of the English Revolution
Michael Braddick, God's Fury, England's Fire
Nick Lipscombe, The English Civil War: An Atlas and Concise History of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, 1639-51
Peter Gaunt, The English Civil War: A Military History
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Aug 16, 2022 • 34min
02.53 - The New Model Army
Parliament faces a crisis as divisions in their armies come to a head. Oliver Cromwell and Sir William Waller take aim at the earls of Manchester and Essex. The latest attempt at peace talkes between Charles I and the parliamentarians collapse. Calls for a clean slate are answered by the Self-Denying Ordinance and the New Model Ordinance. Sir Thomas Fairfax gets promoted.Check out the podcast websiteListen to the History of Westeros here: http://www.historyofwesteros.com/Check out Pax Britannica Merch!Facebook | Twitter | Patreon | DonateFor this episode, I found the following publications particularly useful:
Kenyon, J. and Ohlmeyer, J., The Civil Wars: A Military History of England, Scotland, and Ireland, 1638-1660.
Harris, T. Rebellion
Michael Braddick. The Oxford Handbook of the English Revolution
Michael Braddick, God's Fury, England's Fire
Nick Lipscombe, The English Civil War: An Atlas and Concise History of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, 1639-51
Peter Gaunt, The English Civil War: A Military History
Cotton, A. N. B. (1977). Cromwell and the Self-Denying Ordinance. History, 62(205), 211–231.
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Aug 7, 2022 • 28min
02.52 - Wasted Opportunities
Essex walks into a trap of his own making at Lostwithiel, and divisions between the Lord General, Manchester, Waller, and Cromwell, lead to another missed opportunity at the Second Battle of Newbury.Check out the podcast websiteCheck out Pax Britannica Merch!Facebook | Twitter | Patreon | DonateFor this episode, I found the following publications particularly useful:
Kenyon, J. and Ohlmeyer, J., The Civil Wars: A Military History of England, Scotland, and Ireland, 1638-1660.
Harris, T. Rebellion
Michael Braddick. The Oxford Handbook of the English Revolution
Michael Braddick, God's Fury, England's Fire
Nick Lipscombe, The English Civil War: An Atlas and Concise History of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, 1639-51
Peter Gaunt, The English Civil War: A Military History
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices