On the Tudor Trail

Episode 281 – Elizabeth I & Robert Dudley: A Timeless Bond with Corina Apostu

Guest Bio Corina Apostu is a history blogger and independent researcher of Elizabethan history with a focus on Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley. She graduated with an MA in Medieval and Early Modern Studies from the University of Kent in 2021. She currently runs the blog Exploring Elizabethan History on Wordpress. https://exploringelizabethanhistory.com/ Corina's Tudor Takeaway https://folgerpedia.folger.edu/The_Elizabethan_Court_Day_by_Day Episode Summary Join us as we delve … [Read More...]

Episode 280 – Portrayals & Popular Perceptions of Mary, Queen of Scots with Leigh Wakefield

Episode Summary Welcome to an enlightening episode of Talking Tudors, hosted by Natalie Grueninger, featuring historian Leigh Wakefield. Dive into a captivating discussion on the portrayals of Mary, Queen of Scots, shedding light on historical narratives and modern feminist interpretations. Explore Mary’s intriguing life as Wakefield delves into her portrayals in film, novels, and television, comparing them with historical records and recent feminist perspectives. This episode highlights … [Read More...]

5 Myths About Thomas More

A Guest Post by CF Kirkham-Sandy Dramatic lives are magnets for myths. The more colourful and controversial your life, the more people love to invent stories about you. Anne Boleyn had six fingers, Jane Seymour had a C-section, Henry VIII had syphilis, Elizabeth I wore lead paint and it poisoned her, Katherine Howard said she’d rather die the wife of Culpeper than the Queen of England! And while they did all this, they were throwing poo out the window! All entertaining stories, all total … [Read More...]

Episode 279 – The Princes in the Tower with Philippa Langley

Guest Bio An historian, bestselling author and award-winning producer, Philippa Langley undertakes evidence-based, forensic deep-dive research projects which examine the life and times of King Richard III of England (1452-1485). In 2012 she discovered the remains of Richard III beneath a car park in Leicester through her original Looking For Richard Project. In 2015/16 she launched The Missing Princes Project, an international cold-case investigation into the apparent … [Read More...]

The Katharine of Aragon Legacy Lectures

The Katharine of Aragon Legacy Lectures is an online fundraising event (5-6 April 2025) that will raise funds to help Peterborough Cathedral keep its doors open seven days a week and ensure that it is preserved for future generations to enjoy. Our exciting lineup of historians will be announced in the weeks to come. All of the speakers who have donated their time and expertise to this fundraiser have a great affinity with Katharine of Aragon. Katherine of Aragon by Wenceslaus … [Read More...]

Episode 278 – The Extraordinary Lives of Medieval Women with Dr Hetta Howes

Guest Bio Dr Hetta Howes is a Lecturer in Medieval and Early Modern Literature at City, University of London, and a BBC/AHRC New Generation Thinker. She regularly contributes to broadcasts on BBC Radio 3 and 4, as well as writing for publications such as The Times Literary Supplement and BBC History Extra. She has a BA and MPhil from Cambridge University and a PhD from Queen Mary, University of London. Dr Howes' Takaway https://www.bl.uk/whats-on/medieval-women Episode Summary In … [Read More...]

Episode 277 – The Life and Works of Christine de Pizan with Dr Charlotte Cooper-Davis

Guest Bio Charlotte Cooper-Davis works on the late Middle Ages in France with a focus on the literature produced at this time. She is a specialist on the author Christine de Pizan on whom she has written two books, Christine de Pizan, Life, Work, Legacy (2021) and Christine de Pizan: Empowering Women in Text and Image (2023). She has held various lectureships at the University of Oxford. Visit Dr Cooper-Davis' official … [Read More...]

Episode 276 – The Rise and Fall of the Pole Family with Adam Pennington

Guest Bio Adam Pennington is a historian based in London. Having achieved his degree at the University of Brighton in Communication Studies, Adam is now a full-time author, podcaster and historian specialising in Plantagenet, Tudor and Royal history. His first book, Henry VIII and the Plantagenet Poles: The Rise and Fall of a Dynasty was released in July 2024, from Pen and Sword Publishing. Born and raised in London, Adam's childhood home overlooked Nonsuch Park, the location of the … [Read More...]

Episode 275 – Feminism’s Influence on Portrayals of Catherine Howard with Leigh Wakefield

Leigh's Tudor Takeaways 1. Check out discussions on Reddit about Catherine Howard and other Tudor women! 2. Read all the biographies about Catherine Howard you can get your hands on. Episode Summary Welcome to a new episode of "Talking Tudors," where host Natalie Grueninger engages in a riveting conversation with historian Leigh Wakefield. This episode dives deep into how feminist movements have reshaped portrayals of Catherine Howard, one of the six wives of Henry VIII, in popular … [Read More...]

Episode 274 – The Final Resting Place of Katherine Parr with Charlotte McCrory

Guest Bio Charlotte is currently undertaking a PhD, investigating the tombs of royal women 1437 - 1557 and how to project a dynastic and personal memory. She completed an undergraduate degree in History at the University of Kent (First), as well as doing an MA in Museum Studies at the University of Leicester. Charlotte has been fascinated with history since she was 3 years old and the Tudors have always remained her passion. Outside of history, she currently works as a school librarian, bakes … [Read More...]

Episode 273 – The Katharine of Aragon Festival with Jackson van Uden

Guest Bio Jackson van Uden is a young historian in the early stages of his history career. He was recently named in the 2024 Cohort of BBC History Extra's 30 Under 30 Historians, and has written several works on the tyranny of history's leaders. Jackson is the Talks Curator for the Katharine of Aragon Festival in Peterborough which commemorates the life of Katharine of Aragon. Visit Jackson van Uden's official website. https://historywithjackson.co.uk Find out more about … [Read More...]

Episode 272 – The Life and Letters of Margaret Paston with Professor Diane Watt

Guest Bio Diane Watt is the author of God's Own Gentlewoman: The Life of Margaret Paston, published by Icon in 2024. She is a world-leading expert on women's writing in medieval England, and has published many academic books on this topic. She is currently Professor at the University of Surrey and has also taught at Aberystwyth University and the University of Oxford. Professor Watt's Tudor Takeaway Medieval Women Exhibition at the British Library Episode Summary Natalie … [Read More...]