Episode 3: A Crazed Conspiracy

Great storytelling meets rigorous research in this vivid new podcast that brings the 17th century to life.

In this episode, hosts Miranda Malins and Paul Lay tell a darkly compelling story that resonates powerfully in our age of conspiracies and false accusations. In 1678, an obscure churchman called Titus Oates alleged that the Jesuits and their allies were plotting to assassinate King Charles II and return England to Catholicism. Backed by a disreputable clique of extremists and opportunists, Oates's baseless claims gained mainstream credibility, with terrible consequences for the accused.