Season 7 | 12. A man shall rule

This is History: A Dynasty to Die For

Sony Music

Society & Culture, History

4.8 • 2.2K Ratings

🗓️ 15 July 2025

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The crown is slipping, and Richard II is running out of allies — even his loyal greyhound has had enough. As the kingdom turns against him, Richard scrambles to hold onto power. But his cousin, the formidable Henry Bolingbroke, is gaining ground fast. With betrayal in the air and a throne at stake, can Richard stop Henry’s return — or is the end already written? Listen to the season finale for a gripping tale of downfall, ambition, and the unraveling of a king. If you can’t get enough of This Is History, we’d love to welcome you to the royal court over on our Patreon. There, you get bonus episodes, PLUS extra perks including dispatches from Dan and the team, the chance to vote on future subscriber episodes, and lively chat rooms with fellow history nerds. We’d love to see you there: patreon.com/thisishistory A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Presented by Dan Jones Producer - Alan Weedon Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman Executive Producer - Simon Poole Production Manager - Jen Mistri Production coordinator - Eric Ryan Sound Design and Mixing - Amber Devereux Head of content - Chris Skinner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	It's almost time to call curtains on Richard the 2nd.
0:04.0	But I'm sure you have plenty of questions about his delusional and despotic reign.
0:09.0	If you're one of our royal favourite subscribers on Patreon, you can keep the conversation going.
0:14.0	This is the first season where I've been able to see and hear from The Favorites.
0:19.0	And I've thoroughly enjoyed getting to know our growing community of Bonafide medieval nerds.
0:26.0	They've been busy showing me their medieval themed travels,
0:29.0	and they've been asking some fantastic questions that have kept me sharp as I've crafted this season.
0:35.7	I can't wait to see what they have in store next season.
0:39.2	If you want to join, head to patreon.com forward slash this is history.
0:44.4	Now, the season finale.
0:52.2	A lean, sleek greyhound loaps along a country lane, sniffing at the ground as it goes.
1:00.4	It stops to lap at a puddle of rainwater in the rutted track.
1:04.9	Then it sits a while idly scratching with a hind leg, listening to the sounds of an English
1:10.3	summer.
1:19.4	Once it has rested, the greyhound gets back up again and carries on its way,
1:25.1	trotting at a gentle pace, in no special hurry, yet certain of where it's going.
1:32.3	If it reaches a crossroads, it sniffs the air, barks a few times,
1:34.3	then makes up its mind and carries on.
1:38.3	Now and again, the greyhound passes through a village
1:41.3	and scavenges for bones, cheese rinds, or anything else that smells half decent.
1:47.0	Sure, it's used to dining on better fare, but so long as it makes it to where it's heading, there'll be tasty treats on offer soon enough.
1:57.0	For the last two years, this greyhound has been the special pet of Richard II, the Plantagenet King of England.
	...

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