The British History Podcast

Primogeniture, the practice of handing all wealth and power from father to the eldest son, had done a lot to consolidate power along single family lines. But it created all manner of problems for …well, pretty much everyone else. The post 453 – Odo’s Rebellion: The Cold War first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 26 July 2024

We’re joining the Sisterhood of the Travelling Uterus for this one. The post Medieval Medicine Sample: Trotula Edition first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 8 July 2024

Somewhere around the time William the First was bursting out of his tomb like roasted chestnut and William the Second was making it rain with his dead dad’s money….something was turning in western culture as a whole. The post 452 – Odo? Oh Yes. first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 2 July 2024

You know, I almost titled the last episode “The Gang Goes To A Funeral” but the trouble was that the gang /didn’t/ go to the funeral. All of them decided they had somewhere else to be. The post 451 – The Lucky Few first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 25 June 2024

It was early September of 1087, and for weeks…nearly two months, in fact… people had been discussing William’s impending death, and worrying about what would happen next. And for good reason. This family, which ruled over Normandy, had a history of infighting and civil wars, especially during times of succession. The post 450 – Begin With A Bang first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 14 June 2024

Strap yourselves in. These kids are something else. The post 449 – Chapter Ten: The Boys first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 30 May 2024

The story of William and the conquest has been a long road, and I’ve heard from some of you that this season has been challenging to listen to. I get it. No matter how awful William is he never seems to face any real consequences… The post 448 – The Death of William the Conqueror first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 25 May 2024

That’s right, just like big pharma, we’re giving out a free sample. The post Medieval Medicine Sample first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 9 May 2024

If the last few episodes have seemed a little confusing, then you’re hearing them right. Europe at the end of the 11th century was a rapidly changing world and it is all going to have a profound impact on the history of Britain. I want you to really have a good understanding of what is […] The post 447 – The End of the Conquest first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 3 May 2024

When we left off, things were looking pretty bad for William and William’s hope of a legacy. Maine was once again in rebellion against Normandy. But this time half of France seemed to be looking for an excuse to join them. Denmark was preparing an invasion of England … and even William’s brother-in-law, Count Robert […] The post 446 – Death and Taxes first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 27 April 2024

Matilda was dead and now things were coming apart at the seams. The post 445 – Feeding Frenzy first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 19 April 2024

Based on the e-mails I have been getting, some of you are having a hard time understanding why on god’s green earth did Odo think he could just trot down to Rome and become the new Pope. The truth is he was less crazy than we might think, and I’m going to take a moment […] The post 444 – Holy Beef first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 5 April 2024

In this episode we delve into the tumultuous reign of King Gruffydd ap Cynan of Gwynedd and the political intricacies of William’s relationship with Matilda and his ambitious half-brother, Bishop Odo. It is an intricate web of power struggles, betrayals, and shifting dynamics between church and state that will only grow more complex and dangerous. […] The post 443 – We’re Bigger Than Jesus first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 26 March 2024

Norman interventionism into their neighbors was only just beginning… and the events at Mynydd Carn gave them just the excuse they needed. The post 442 – Mynydd Carn first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 15 March 2024

Northumbria was back at it again. The Continental Bishop turned Earl was dead. Most of his men lay slain at Gateshead, or BBQed in that Church. And any left alive were locked inside Durham Castle. The post 441 – God Bothering first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 27 February 2024

King Malcom and the Scots had spent the last several months raiding the northern reaches of England. They had murdered the English with impunity, took even more as slaves. But eventually they decided they had their fill and returned back to their homeland. And they took with them anything that hadn’t been nailed down. The post 440 – This is Fine first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 11 February 2024

There was no getting around it. William had been humiliated. The post 439 – Juggling Responsibilities first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 3 February 2024

The little guy’s rebellion was about to get pretty big. The post 438 – Robert’s Rebellion first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 23 January 2024

The hall exploded into chaos. The knights sitting outside of the firing line stared in shock, trying to process what was happening. Men stuck closer in tried to dive out of the way. The unlucky knights… the men standing right next to Robert when his brothers’ opinions came raining down… Well, they were screaming […] The post 437 – Everyone’s Pissed first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 6 January 2024

Welcome to the turbulent period of 1076 to 1078, where family tensions, political intrigue, and military challenges force William onto his back heel. And it all starts with the invasion of Dol… something that, in comparison with 1066, should be an easy victory for the aging Conqueror. The post 436 – Taking the Piss first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 23 December 2023

Once in a while, the Chronicle has a hot take. Here is one of my favorites: “the more men spoke about just law, the more unlawfully they acted.” The scribes dropped that one on the lines for 1087, but it could have easily applied to 1075 and 1076. The post 435 – Trials and Tribulations first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 18 December 2023

By the mid 1070’s, the House of Normandy was struggling and I’m not talking about William here, I’m talking about his lineage – because as busy as William had been in his cross-channel land grabs, he had still found time to have A LOT of kids. The post 434 – The Boys first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 9 December 2023

In 1075 King Bleddyn’s star was on the rise. He ruled over both Gwynedd and Powys. He struck fear into those he met on the battlefield. He had demonstrated himself such a threat that the Normans actually tried to assassinate him…repeatedly. But he was still very much alive, kicking ass and taking heads.

Transcribed - Published: 22 November 2023

Here’s a 15 minute sample of what we’re talking about on the Member’s feed.

Transcribed - Published: 21 November 2023

It was 1075 and Waltheof, the last remaining English Earl, was not in England. He was on a boat, headed for Normandy. And when word of his trip reached the Earls Roger and Ralph, they probably panicked.

Transcribed - Published: 11 November 2023

From 1066 to 1071, William had been at war with the English. Five long years of conquest, insurrections, and rebellions. And here’s the thing about that. William didn’t even really seem to like England that much. Not the culture, definitely not the people.

Transcribed - Published: 27 October 2023

We’ve been spending a lot of time with England lately… and there’s a good reason for that. England was the main target of the Norman invasion, and everything changed for the Kingdom when William arrived. Furthermore, the nature of our surviving sources is that they were more likely to survive if they were Norman sources. […]

Transcribed - Published: 19 October 2023

To the North, in Scotland, reigned King Malcolm Canmore. We have been following his story for a long time now, and for good reason. After all, it literally intersects with the infamousMacbeth… But King Malcolm Canmore was and remains one of the most powerful, and longest reigning, Scottish Kings to date.

Transcribed - Published: 27 September 2023

Five years of fighting. The conquest of England wasn’t something that was resolved on a single day in October of 1066. William had been fighting this thing for five years… and they were long years.

Transcribed - Published: 12 September 2023

Thirty thousand pounds. That’s what the Gesta claims Hereward charged the Normans for the return of their warlike Abbot Turold.

Transcribed - Published: 28 August 2023

The once mighty Godwinson dynasty was gone…

Transcribed - Published: 21 August 2023

It was late October of 1071, and Hereward was out with a column of his rebel fighters, foraging and pillaging Norman allied settlements for supplies.

Transcribed - Published: 7 August 2023

If the story of Hereward wasn’t what you were expecting, you’re not alone. Researching this tale has been just as wild an experience as hearing it. In fact, between this episode and the last one, I came across another fascinating tidbit about our favorite French witch.

Transcribed - Published: 27 July 2023

Ok, when we left off William hired a witch to help with his rebel problem, Hereward disguised himself as a potter and infiltrated the Norman camp while William was out hunting, and in the end a bunch of Normans were slain and Hereward barely escaped with his life thanks to the speedy hooves of his […]

Transcribed - Published: 7 July 2023

The situation in Ely was getting out of hand. The Liber Eliensis speaks of how Hereward and his army carried out raids far and wide, bringing with him bands of a hundred men or more.

Transcribed - Published: 28 June 2023

Word soon reached King William’s Court that Hereward remained free. Even worse, the man tasked with capturing the Wake (William de Warenne) had barely escaped with his life.

Transcribed - Published: 20 June 2023

Hereward was returning to Ely with his men. The upside was they were taking literal boatloads of treasure with them.

Transcribed - Published: 9 June 2023

You may have noticed that Hereward the Wake seems to keep disappearing from the story and then reappearing again. This reflects the actual record, where he pops up only to vanish back into the mist just as quickly. His life appears to have been enigmatic. We only know him by these tidbits. But, even those […]

Transcribed - Published: 26 May 2023

When we left off, William (satisfied with the damage he had inflicted upon the people of the North) marched south towards Chester. And as he rode off, King Malcolm III of Scotland took the opportunity to ravage what was left of Northumbria.

Transcribed - Published: 12 May 2023

When we ended the last episode. William and his knights had ravaged the North. He had spared nothing and no one. Men, women, children, animals, buildings, even the plants. Everything between York and Durham was annihilated, a stretch of nearly 100 miles.

Transcribed - Published: 1 May 2023

Transcribed - Published: 24 April 2023

Weeks in the rain and cold, marching through mud and picking through forests, had finally – in spite of Northumbria’s best efforts – ended with William reaching his goal. The King arrived in York.

Transcribed - Published: 17 April 2023

William was charging North. If he was going to hold on to his new kingdom, he had to counter this threat in person.

Transcribed - Published: 24 March 2023

News of the victory at York spread fast, and people everywhere were finding their courage.

Transcribed - Published: 17 March 2023

It was Fall of 1069, and the Danes were coming.

Transcribed - Published: 4 March 2023

Let it go, let it go.

Transcribed - Published: 23 February 2023

The Godwinsons are back in England. Harold’s sons, along with a fleet of 64 Irish ships loaded down with fighters, have just hit the shores. And it seems like they were students of history, because they were taking up the traditional family business.

Transcribed - Published: 18 February 2023

Things in the North were dire. This was a problem, because as Orderic tells us, this wasn’t just a minor local revolt. This was intended to be much bigger.

Transcribed - Published: 11 February 2023

Transcribed - Published: 3 February 2023

They appeared as if from nowhere. A great force of men and horses… armed to the teeth… charging towards the city of York. Where the fuck did this army come from? And who was that in the back? Was… was that William the Bastard? He was supposed to still be in Normandy.

Transcribed - Published: 27 January 2023