The History of England

Nelson was a military genius and fierce patriot, idolised by his men and the British public - and held up to ridicule too, for his affair with Emma and his treatment of Fanny. In his book for children, 'Nelson, Hero of the Seas', historian, author and Rest is History podcaster Dominic Sandbrook, brings out his charisma and genius - and his complexity and flaws. And Dominic also had time to speak to me about the challenges and glories of writing for young people - and about Nelson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1649 the English parliament proudly declared that freedom had been restored and that King and Lords had been rejected. But in other ways, the new Commonwealth failed to bring about a new world. True there were difficult problems to resolve with war in Ireland, Scotland and against the Dutch. And naval and commercial achievement was significant. But the English people did not feel they were advancing to a new, better world, and the Rump became deeply unpopular. In the end - there would be a crisis Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The tumultuous years from 1646 to 1649 spotlight King Charles I's secretive escape from Oxford and his desperate bid for power amidst shifting allegiances. The tensions between Parliament and the army ignite radical voices like the Levellers advocating reform. Political maneuvering leads to Charles's capture, showcasing a clash of authority and public demand for change. Ultimately, the narrative crescendos with the king's trial and execution, marking a revolutionary turn in English history and the emergence of the Commonwealth.

In his haste to expel the Rump which had failed so badly, Cromwell and the Army officers came up with a temporary expedient. The Nominated assembly would be chosen from the most sober, Godly and intelligent of society, they would do the job of reform the Rump had failed to do, set up proper elections, and then retire once more, their job done. The Commonwealth would be restored and set on the right path. Well; that was the idea. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1653, hope for a promised land seemed distant amid political corruption and high taxes. Oliver Cromwell navigated a chaotic post-election landscape, battling frustrations over reform and ideological clashes. Tensions rose within the Army Council as the threat of dissolving Parliament loomed. Deep divisions emerged as leaders sought a caretaker government, culminating in Cromwell's intense conflict with the Rump Parliament. The episode invites listeners to engage in a light-hearted discussion while contemplating the duality of Cromwell's motivations.

John Milton and Marchamont Nedham were unlikely bedfellows; and yet they became friends, worked closely together and in their very different ways sought to promote the English Republic to the country and outside world. Anthony Bromley talks about their careers in the Republic and how they sought to promote it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The English Commonwealth took a very different approach to settling the threats which had faced it in 1649, and the future of the three kingdoms. In Ireland, the guiding principle was retribution; in Scotland some effort at least of collaboration. To a new threat the response was uncompromising - it was war. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So, while the army was away, August 1649 to September 1651 what had the Rump parliament been doing to build the promised new world of Liberty? We find out that social reform takes a back seat to moral reform - the Garland of the Sea - and picking fights with friends. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The deal struck between the Covenanters and Charles brought an invasion from the Commonwealth that faced annihalation at Dunbar in September 1650. Exactly a year later, the end game of Charles' attempt to detroy the Republic came to a head outside Worcester - which John Adams wouild call the 'Ground of Liberty'. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Council of State were convinced that only General Cromwell could deliver victory in Ireland; and Cromwell used this to negotiate the best possible supply of men, money and material. From August 1649 to May 1650 Cromwell's campaign brought the Confederacy close to defeat, and he visited two infamous atrocities on the towns of Drogheda and Wexford. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.