The History of England
David Crowther
This my re-telling of the story of England. I aim to be honest, and rigorous - but always loving of my country's history. It is a regular, chronological podcast, starting from the end of Roman Britain. There are as many of the great events I can squeeze in, of course, but I also try to keep an eye on how people lived, their language, what was important to them, the forces that shaped their lives and destinies, that sort of thing. To listen free of adverts, support the podcast, access a library of 150+ hours of shedcasts of me warbling on, and get new shedcasts every month, why not become a member at https://thehistoryofengland.co.uk/become-a-member ? You know it makes sense... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Sep 22, 2024 • 44min
416 Acts of Settlement and War
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.
Sep 15, 2024 • 39min
415 Rumpers
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.
Sep 1, 2024 • 43min
414 The Ground of Liberty
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.
Aug 25, 2024 • 38min
413 Cromwell in Ireland
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.
Aug 11, 2024 • 54min
Part II Sam and David's English Revolution Q&A
Joining in are Sam, an expert on religion and culture, and David, who fields intriguing questions on English societal themes. They dive into the tensions of the English Civil War, dissecting the effects of key figures like Charles I and Oliver Cromwell. The complex interplay of religion and politics gets a spotlight, alongside engaging discussions about historical 'What Ifs' that spark reimaginations of the Three Kingdoms. Their witty banter adds flair as they tackle crucial themes and detail the historical quirks that shape England's past.
Aug 4, 2024 • 1h 5min
Part I Sam and David English Revolution Q&A
We had a vast number of brilliant quesrtions. Sam (Pax Britannica) and David (of this parish) had a lovely time - but went on a bit, there's no denying it. So this is part I, about 25 questions, mostly about politics and the civil wars themselves Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 28, 2024 • 37min
412 Levelers and Diggers
In April 1649 the new Commonwealth was under siege, enemies with and without. The Levelers saw the new Commonwealth as a betrayal of the revolution, and set out to raise rebellion against the Rump and the Grandees, to set soldiers against their officers and people against their parliament. Meanwhile, Gerald Winstanley started writing furious pamphelts, demanding social reform - and a True Leveling. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 21, 2024 • 46min
411 Commonwealth and Free State
On 30th January, Charles I went to the scaffold, the first king to be publicly tried and executed by his people. He died with enormous dignity - and was duly proclaimed a martyr. With the king gone, a new state was proclaimed in his place - based on the sovereignty of the people, and ruled by a House of Commons that representated it, with the executive Council of State. As the Commonwealth's servants, John Milton and Marchamont Nedham worked to proclaim it's legitimacy, enemies both internal and external circled. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 14, 2024 • 28min
Britain's Prehistory with Richard Grove
I am about to start a new series for Shedcast members, called Birth of Britain. It takes British history from the year dot to somewhere around 600. So I am starting the series off with an interview with friend and archaeologist Dr Richard Grove, to give us a bit of an overview. This episode is an extract from that interview. I thought that (a) you would find it interesting and that (b) it might persuade you might sign up to be a member at The History of England Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 30, 2024 • 54min
410 Tyrant, Traitor, Murderer
Once the decision was taken to put Charles on trial, the Commissiobners agonised about the detail at Westminster; the trial must be seen to be fair. But few can have doubted its outcome. The theatre of the trial was almost a gladatorial contest between representatives of the two sides, in the form of President Bradshaw, and King Charles Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
