Edmund Beaufort: The Man History Got Wrong

*Matt has the week off, so I invited Mike back to discuss someone who may or may not come up in my next conversation with Matt on Henry VI.

For generations, Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, has been remembered as one of the defeated leaders of the Lancastrian cause at the Battle of Tewkesbury. But does history tell the whole story?

In this episode, I welcome back historian Dr. Michael Jones to take a fresh look at one of the most controversial figures of the Wars of the Roses. Together, we trace Beaufort's remarkable journey from the embattled Beaufort family, through years of exile in Burgundy, to his final stand in 1471.

Drawing on evidence from European archives, Dr. Jones argues that Beaufort was far more than a doomed Lancastrian commander. He was a respected military leader, a close companion of Charles the Bold, and a man whose unwavering loyalty and commitment to the chivalric code set him apart in an age of shifting allegiances and political betrayals.

Was Edmund Beaufort truly the reckless commander portrayed by later Yorkist accounts? Or has one of Lancaster's most capable and honorable champions been unfairly judged by history?

Join us as we explore loyalty, exile, warfare, and the dramatic final chapter of the Beaufort family's role in the Wars of the Roses.

"The Beauforts get a hard deal." Dr. Michael Jones makes the case for why it's time to take another look.

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Mike's Thesis/Dissertation he mentioned: https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/34504530/507865.pdf

Information on the Tewkesbury Festival he will be speaking at on 11 July at 7:30pm: https://www.johnmooremuseum.org/events/tewkesbury-1471-a-vindication-of-edmund-beaufort-duke-of-somerset/

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Host: Rebecca Larson

Guest: Dr. Michael K. Jones