Not Just the Tudors

Could an ancient Persian drama have stopped Mary, Queen of Scots from being executed?
When Queen Elizabeth I faced an agonising dilemma over her captive cousin, a performance about Cyrus the Great offered her a provocative lesson: executing an anointed monarch risked shattering divine protection, while mercy signalled ultimate power.
Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Ebrahim Joseph whose groundbreaking research shows how early modern England turned to Persian history to navigate existential political threats, foreign policy, and the dangerous limits of crown authority.

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When Europe met Islam
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The Elizabethans and Islam
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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.
Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast
History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week PLUS early access, ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Thomas Cromwell's rise under Henry VIII to Oliver Cromwell’s rule as Lord Protector, how did the faith, ambition, and power of one family shape the course of British history?
Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr Miranda Malins to unravel the extraordinary saga and legacy of the Cromwells.

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Oliver Cromwell’s Women
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Why Cromwell’s Republic Failed.
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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.
Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast
History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week plus ad-free podcasts, PLUS early access, ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Gulliver’s Travels just a whimsical children’s adventure story, or is it a scathing satire designed to expose political hypocrisy?
From suppressed Irish resistance allegories to biting parodies of Whig corruption, Enlightenment science, and moral decay, Gulliver's author Jonathan Swift transformed personal exile into a profound critique of human nature.
To mark the 300th anniversary of Gulliver’s Travels, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Professor David Womersley to unmask the "savage indignation," political turmoil, and risk of censorship that drove Swift’s writing.

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C.S. Lewis & Narnia: Renaissance Origins
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Creator of Don Quixote: Cervantes
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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.
Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast
History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week plus ad-free podcasts, PLUS early access, ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the fairy tales you grew up with were never meant for children at all?
Long before these stories were transformed into family-friendly animated films, they were forged in the gritty reality of Renaissance Italy and later weaponized by rebellious Parisian aristocrats to challenge systemic oppression.
Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Professor Jack Zipes to unearth the dark, strange, and deeply political origins hidden behind our favourite folklore.

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The Man who Wrote Robinson Crusoe
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Practical Magic: Spells, Prayers & Cunning Folk
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Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Max Wintle, edited by Amy Haddow and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.
Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast
History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™

Want even MORE fascinating history? Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week PLUS early access, ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How did one man survive serving Henry VIII as principal secretary when others lost their heads? Why is the mastermind behind the King’s final, most turbulent decade so often forgotten?
Rising through sheer intellect and royal favour, William Paget navigated bitter religious conflict, spiralling crown finances, and looming foreign threats to become Henry VIII’s most indispensable advisor.
Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. Andrew Johnston to unpack the astonishing career of this forgotten Tudor mastermind who shaped the monarch’s final years.

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The Rotten End of Henry VIII
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Cardinal Wolsey: His Rise and Fall
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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.
Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast
History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week plus ad-free podcasts, plus early access, ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.