Tudor spymaster: the secret machinations of Robert Cecil

Tudor spymaster: the secret machinations of Robert Cecil

Late Tudor England was a dangerous place, with plots both at home and abroad, and no certainty about who was going to succeed the ageing queen, Elizabeth I. Into this perilous world stepped Robert Cecil, a brilliant but unglamorous statesman and spymaster who played a pivotal role in keeping the country together and ensuring a smooth transition to the Stuart monarchy. Professor Stephen Alford speaks to Rob Attar about this unheralded titan of the Tudor and Stuart courts. (Ad) Stephen Alford is the author of //All His Spies: The Secret World of Robert Cecil// (Penguin, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fall-his-spies%2Fstephen-alford%2F9780241423479. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Wolfmen and amazons: why did the Greeks and Romans demonise their neighbours?

Wolfmen and amazons: why did the Greeks and Romans demonise their neighbours?

Fearsome Amazons. Men who turned into wolves. Tribes who never grew old. Ancient Greek and Roman sources are packed with extraordinary descriptions of the peoples living beyond their borders. Speaking...

14 Mars 202535min

Reform and rebellion in the reign of Henry III

Reform and rebellion in the reign of Henry III

With accusations of favouritism, poor spending and unrealistic international plans, resentment against Henry III simmered among his barons throughout the 1250s. This frustration came to a head in a co...

12 Mars 202543min

Emily Hobhouse: life of the week

Emily Hobhouse: life of the week

Pacifist. Humanitarian. Whistleblower. From humble roots growing up in Cornwall, Emily Hobhouse went on to challenge the societal issues of her day and expose the horrors of British concentration camp...

11 Mars 202540min

Cheese-rolling, horse skulls & morris dancers: Britain's strange folk customs

Cheese-rolling, horse skulls & morris dancers: Britain's strange folk customs

From green men and jolly horse skulls, to chasing cheese down hills and morris dancing, Britain has a rich tradition of folk customs. Some are strange, some downright silly. But, as Liz Williams tells...

10 Mars 202532min

Roman medicine: everything you wanted to know

Roman medicine: everything you wanted to know

What were your chances of surviving illness in ancient Rome? How did the Roman army deal with ailments and injuries on the go? And in what way were the medical practitioners of this ancient civilisati...

9 Mars 202548min

What's the state of women's history in 2025?

What's the state of women's history in 2025?

What is new research revealing about women's lives in the past? Does all women's history have to be feminist? And why do we need to be cautious about the 'girlbossification' of historical figures? To ...

7 Mars 202537min

Medieval murder mystery: who killed King James III?

Medieval murder mystery: who killed King James III?

On 11 June 1488, King James III of Scotland was hunted down and slain as he fled the field of battle. And more than 500 years later, the identity of his killer remains shrouded in uncertainty. Here, i...

5 Mars 202531min

Virginia Woolf: life of the week

Virginia Woolf: life of the week

From To The Lighthouse to Mrs Dalloway, the writing of Virginia Woolf shook up literary norms and challenged societal ideas about what it meant to be a woman. In this 'life of the week' episode, Franc...

4 Mars 202537min

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