Henry VIII, Constantine, and the Art of the Very Confident Lie

Renaissance English History Podcast: A Show About the Tudors

Heather Teysko

History

4.6 • 624 Ratings

🗓️ 17 May 2026

⏱️ 7 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Henry VIII wasn't content to just be King of England. He needed you to know he was descended from Constantine the Great, the Roman emperor who legalized Christianity and changed the course of Western history. And he had receipts. Made-up receipts, courtesy of a 12th century Welsh cleric named Geoffrey of Monmouth, but receipts nonetheless. In this minicast, we look at where this claim came from, why it mattered so much in the 1530s specifically, and why Henry wasn't even close to the only king playing this game. Turns out "I'm descended from a really impressive historical figure" was basically a whole genre of medieval and Tudor political propaganda, and once you see it, you can't unsee it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Some follow the noise.
0:03.3	Bloomberg follows the money.
0:05.4	Because behind every headline is a bottom line.
0:09.3	Whether it's the funds fueling AI or crypto's trillion dollar swings,
0:13.8	there's a money side to every story.
0:16.5	And when you see the money side, you understand what others miss.
0:20.8	Get the money side of the story.
0:22.9	Subscribe now at Bloomberg.com.
0:28.1	The Mail Deal Plus is now on the McDonald's saver menu
0:30.7	and comes with a choice of one of five bonus sides.
0:33.6	Bag of mayo, chicken or cheeseburger with medium fries,
0:36.2	a selected drink and a bonus side, all for 5.59.
0:40.1	We're talking a mini McFlurry, apple pie, four nuggets or even another mayo chicken or cheeseburger on the side.
0:46.6	Now that's savor satisfaction.
0:50.4	From 11am, not on delivery.
0:52.2	Includes a selected saver menu burger, medium fries, selected medium drink and a selected bonus side. Price and participation may vary.m. Not on delivery. Includes a selected saver menu beggar, medium fries, selected medium drink, and a selected bonus side.
0:56.5	Price and participation may vary.
0:58.0	Okay, so here's a fun fact that I find absolutely delightful about Henry the 8th.
1:03.7	The man was not content to just be King of England.
1:07.8	That was not enough.
1:09.2	Oh, no.
1:10.6	Henry the 8th needed you to know that he was
	...

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