The History of England

In March 1623 Simon Digby noticed two suspicious looking blokes with dodgy beards hanging around outside his uncle's house in Madrid. He rushed over to find out what they were doing. Find out who they...

3 Apr 202238min

In 1621 James tried to tread a narrow path to peace in Europe - through the instrument of a Marriage between the England and Spanish royal families. To have a chance, parliament needed to play its rol...

27 Mar 202247min

As Buckingham acquires wealth and influence, the English court is rocked by an event in far-off Bohemia that will result in devastation throughout Europe. Also there is news of a History of England Ap...

20 Mar 202238min

We follow James north to Scotland, a visit with consequences. And on the way south, hear about the culture wars - and the Book of Sports. Then we celebrate, a little late one of the greatest achieveme...

6 Mar 202246min

James VI & I had enjoyed favourites before - Esme Stuart, Robert Kerr for example. But George Villiers was to prove his favourite And we introduce the finely 'compacted legs' of the future Duke of Buc...

20 Feb 202240min

The Jacobean plan for Ulster owed much not only to previous failed Tudor plantation schemes, but to James's highland experience and his desire to build a unified, secure British state across all his t...

6 Feb 202247min

James I & VI was a canny politician helped by a master administrator in Salisbury. But the honeymoon was over with scandals at his court, and the failure to establish a good relationship with Parliame...

24 Jan 202244min

News of the Thomas Overbury scandal spread through England to become a national event. How would the scandal affect the image of the court? Much depended on how the font of all justice, the king, woul...

23 Jan 202248min