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
May 4, 2014 • 39min
124 The Character of a King
From the end of the Peasant's Revolt in 1381, England continues to be managed by the Council, but the young Richard began to have more and more influence. And despite his youth and lack of sole control, what he does manages to raise concern rather than to re-assure. As the war with France goes from bad to worse, by the time 1387 comes around there are more than a few murmers of discontent around. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 22, 2014 • 40min
123 Wycliffe and the Lollards
Wycliffe's views finally began to attract the enmity of the church; and the crown, in the form of Richard, was no longer prepared to protect him - though unexcited about suppression. By 1384, open discussion at Oxford University of Wycliffe's ideas were a thing of the past, and Wycliffe was dead - but a new religious movement called Lollardy was precariously alive. It was helped by the first Bible in English - Wycliffe's Bible. Along with Chaucer, Gower, Langland - English was back to stay. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 19, 2014 • 39min
122 Wycliffe and a University Education
Wycliffe's writings were to prove controversial and proved an interesting early echo of the Reformation. They heavily influenced the view of Jan Hus and the movement in Bohemia. And his ability to develop and present those views owed a lot to Oxford University, and its desire to protect intellectual debate and investigation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 12, 2014 • 36min
121 Counter Revolution
After Richard had broken the revolt in London at Smithfield it was time to tackle the chaos outside London. The Counter Revolution took something between 1,500-7,000 judicial executions, and did nothing to solve the breaches in a divided society. Also this week, a look at the state of the nation of the medieval English church, as we approach the story of John Wyclif and the Lollards. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 29, 2014 • 35min
120 ...Who was then the Gentleman?
In June 1381 the revolt came to London. Before long, London was in flames, and the qualities of the young king Richard, and his advisors, were tested to the limit as they were made prisoners in their own castle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 22, 2014 • 34min
119 When Adam Delved and Eve Span...
On a hill outside Blackheath, just to the south of London, a hedge priest called John Ball is preaching to a massive crowd of pesants. When Adam delved and Eve span, he asked, who was then the Gentleman? What a great question. So why are there thousands of peasants sitting on a hill outside London? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 16, 2014 • 34min
118 Introducing Richard II
Richard arrived with the expectation of a nation on his shoulders - the son of the illustrious hero Edward the Black Prince. So what was Richard like, and how has history treated him? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Feb 16, 2014 • 30min
117 The Medieval Year
The rythmn of the year would have been far more important to most medieval people that the goings on at Westminster and the court of the king. The stream of Christian festivals, the odd old survival from days pagan, the demands of the natural world - these were the things that really mattered. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Feb 9, 2014 • 39min
116 The Good Parliament and a Bad Death
There were now unusual expecations for the parliament of 1376. But in fact a revolt from the Commons was brewing, dismayed by the failures of the war. The Good Parliament set a number of precedents but John of Gaunt did not allow it to stand for long. And by June 1377 both the King and his son the Black Prince were dead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Feb 2, 2014 • 32min
115 The Rotten Apple
From 1371 to 1375 the army went from bad to worse. An English fleet was destroyed at La Rochelle and Poitou and the Saintonge fell to the French. The great counter attack by Gaunt in 1373 was a disaster. And in 1374 the end of English rule in Gascony looked on the cards. The truce of Bruges in 1375 saved the English position - but it all looked very temporary. And back at home, Alice Perrers tightened her grip. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
