How to Survive the Plague
A feature of outbreaks of plague between the 14th and 18th centuries was the publication of books and pamphlets, known as ‘plague tracts’, that spread information and misinformation about the causes o...
9 Sep 202436min
Elizabeth I Slept Here: Longleat House
Queen Elizabeth I’s travels round England - known as ‘progresses’ - were never a quick day-trip or city break. They involved scores of attendants, hundreds of carts of luggage, and lasted around 50 d...
5 Sep 202437min
Omens, Signs and False Prophets
In the autumn of 1621, hundreds of starlings were seen fighting in the sky above Cork. The following May, the city was ravaged by fire. The pleated folds of skin around the neck of a baby born in 15...
2 Sep 202434min
Catherine de' Medici, Serpent Queen
Queen Consort of France and mother to three successive Kings, Catherine de’ Medici's legacy could have been one of intelligence, fortitude, artistic patronage and religious moderation. But instead, a...
29 Aug 202439min
The Tragic Travels of Fynes Moryson
In July 1596, Fynes Moryson - a Lincolnshire gentleman and travel writer - was struck down with grief when his younger brother died as they crossed the desert on their return from Jerusalem. Moryson d...
26 Aug 202433min
Medici Popes: Power over Piety
Fueled by ambition and the desire to extend their influence, the House of Medici saw the papacy not only as a religious post but a political one. Four of the Medici dynasty rose to become Pope in the...
22 Aug 202438min
How Indigenous Americans Discovered Europe
We have long been taught that modern global history began when the 'Old World' encountered the 'New', when Christopher Columbus 'discovered' America in 1492. But, in a groundbreaking book, Dr. Carolin...
19 Aug 202443min
Lorenzo de' Medici, the Magnificent
All this month, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is taking a deep dive into the complex and controversial House of Medici, which left an indelible mark on Western civilisation.In this second episode, Suzan...
15 Aug 202442min
