From Crowned King to Kitchen Boy

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

In this episode of pplpod, we explore the life of Lambert Simnel, the boy of obscure origins who was crowned King of England at about age 10 and became the figurehead of a Yorkist rebellion against Henry VII. Born around 1477, possibly with the first name John, and possibly the son of a baker, tradesman, or organ builder, he was taken in by the Oxford-trained priest Richard Simon. Simon coached him in courtly manners and first thought of presenting him as Richard, Duke of York, then switched to impersonating Edward, Earl of Warwick, after rumors spread that Warwick had died in the Tower of London.

The episode follows Simnel to Ireland, where the Earl of Kildare backed his claim and he was paraded through Dublin on the shoulders of Sir William Darcy. The conspiracy grew to include John de la Pole, Earl of Lincoln, Viscount Lovell, and Margaret of York, who funded about 2,000 Flemish mercenaries under Martin Schwartz. Henry's parade of the real Warwick in London failed to end the rumors. Simnel was crowned "Edward VI" in Dublin on May 24, 1487, and the rebels landed in Lancashire, but few English joined them. At the Battle of Stoke Field on June 16, the Yorkist army was crushed, Lincoln and Schwartz were killed, Lovell vanished, and Simon was imprisoned. Henry pardoned Simnel and made him a kitchen spit turner, later promoting him to royal falconer. He lived past 1534 and left a legacy of political theater and the fragility of authority, echoed in songs, television, and novels.

In this episode we cover...

• Simnel's uncertain origins, Richard Simon's coaching, and the switch from impersonating Richard of York to Edward, Earl of Warwick
• The Irish phase, Kildare's backing, the parade through Dublin, and the Yorkist coalition including Lincoln, Lovell, and Margaret of York
• Henry VII's display of the real Warwick, why it failed, and the crowning in Dublin on May 24, 1487
• The landing in Lancashire, the lack of English support, and the Battle of Stoke Field
• Henry's pardon, Simnel's years as a spit turner and falconer, his death after 1534, and his place in popular culture

Source credit: Research for this episode included transcript materials and supporting Wars of the Roses, early Tudor, Yorkist, Irish political, and biographical sources accessed October 31, 2026. Content is summarized and adapted for commentary and educational use.