Habsburg Women: Matriarchs of Power

Not Just the Tudors

History Hit

History

4.8 • 3K Ratings

🗓️ 22 September 2025

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

When we think of the Habsburgs, the spotlight usually falls on emperors, kings, and archdukes—powerful men who dominated Europe. But behind the scenes, across five generations, an extraordinary line of Habsburg women quietly wielded immense influence in the Netherlands. Their names are often overlooked, yet their impact was profound.

In this third episode of our special series on the Habsburg dynasty, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb and historian Natalie Donnell explore the lives of these remarkable women who governed with skill, diplomacy, and resilience in a world rarely welcoming to female power. From Mary of Burgundy, who defied French aggression, to Margaret of Austria, the formidable regent who raised Charles V, to Mary of Hungary, who steered the Netherlands through decades of turmoil, these women shaped the dynasty’s fate.

MORE:

Habsburg Inbreeding with Dr. Adam Rutherford >

When Women Ruled the Low Countries >

Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Max Wintle, audio editor is Amy Haddow and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello, I'm Professor Susanna Lipscomb.
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0:31.9	I'm Alice Roberts and I've written a new book, Domination, the Fall of the Roman Empire
0:37.7	and the Rise of Christianity.
0:39.5	In it, I embark on an investigative journey
0:42.0	that takes me from the search for a lost monastery
0:44.5	in South Wales to the other end of the Roman Empire,
0:47.3	looking for clues in Corinth, Constantinople,
0:50.6	and ancient Alexandria.
0:52.2	I delve into the archaeology and history and lift the veil on secrets that have been hidden in plain sight.
0:58.3	Domination is available now in hardback and audiobook.
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1:36.7	Hello, I'm Professor Susanna Lipscomb and welcome to not just the Tudors from History Hit,
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	...

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