The Proper British History Podcast: Kings, Queens, Wars, Empire, Politics, Revolutions, Royalty and the Historical Great Britain
by Podily · 777 episodes
HistoryEducationSociety
The Proper British History Podcast explores the kings, queens, wars, revolutions, politics, empires, scandals, inventions, cultural movements, and extraordinary personalities that shaped the history of Great Britain. From ancient Britain, Roman occupation, Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, Viking invasions, and the Norman Conquest to the Tudors, Stuarts, Georgian era, Victorian age, world wars, and modern Britain, each episode examines the events and decisions that transformed the British Isles and influenced the wider world. Episodes dive into royal dynasties, political struggles, military campaigns, religious conflicts, parliamentary power, colonial expansion, industrialization, social change, science, literature, class, crime, exploration, and the rise and decline of the...
Latest episodes
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8 min
Joan of Arc Through English Eyes
This episode examines how England viewed Joan of Arc during the Hundred Years’ War, from battlefield encounters to her trial and execution in Rouen under English influence. It look…
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17 min
The Murder of Lord Darnley: Fact, Evidence and Uncertainty
In this episode we dig into the night that saw Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley’s death at Edinburgh’s Kirk o’ Field in 1567, examining contemporary accounts, forensic clues and the poli…
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13 min
Charles I: From Absolutism to Execution
The episode explores how Charles I’s insistence on royal prerogative sparked a constitutional clash with Parliament that erupted in civil war and ended with his execution. It exami…
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11 min
Edinburgh’s 1824 Inferno: How a City’s Burning Transformed Urban Safety
The episode investigates the true causes and consequences of Edinburgh’s great fire, looking at the cramped old‑town housing that made it so destructive. It examines contemporary f…
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15 min
Doyle, Houdini and the Ghost Debate
A deep dive into the friendship‑turned‑feud between Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s spiritualist enthusiasm and Harry Houdini’s skeptical crusade against mediums, exploring séances, pamph…
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14 min
Roman Roads: The Engine That Shaped Ancient Britain
A walk along the stone and sand paths laid by Rome, examining how its engineering kept troops, trade and governance moving across a fledgling province and left a legacy that surviv…
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12 min
Maid Marian: From May‑Day Queen to Modern Warrior
This episode unpacks how the figure of Maid Marian evolved from a local May‑day celebrant to a romantic partner in Robin Hood ballads and eventually a symbol of female agency in fi…
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10 min
Anne Boleyn: Rise, Queenship, and Destruction
The episode unpacks the political manoeuvres that lifted Anne Boleyn to queenship, the religious upheavals intertwined with her tenure, and the court intrigues that led to her tria…
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26 min
On the Road with a King: Governance and Power on Medieval Journeys
From packed roadways to bustling market towns, medieval kings turned every stop into a miniature parliament. This episode explores the logistical hurdles, legal functions and econo…
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7 min
Slavery in Early Britain: Anglo‑Saxon and Viking Society
This episode traces the evidence for chattel slavery from early Wessex through Viking raids, looking at legal codes, trade routes, and everyday roles of captives. We examine how en…
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9 min
Perkin Warbeck: Tudor Pretender on the Run
Perkin Warbeck emerged as a 15th‑century pretender who, by asserting himself to be the vanished Duke of York, threatened Henry VII’s fragile rule. In this episode we trace his Euro…
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15 min
The Workhouses: 1834 Poor Law’s Harsh Reality
This episode examines the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act that aimed to deter reliance on relief and how the workhouse system was built and run. It looks at conditions faced by inmates…
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12 min
James VI & I – The First Personal Union of England and Scotland
Join us as we chart James VI of Scotland’s march into the English throne in 1603, revealing how his reign kept England and Scotland separate while sharing a monarch. We’ll unpack h…
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15 min
The Bedchamber Crisis: When a Queen’s Ladies Almost Broke Parliament
After Lord Melbourne resigned in 1839, the question of who would lead Britain collided with Queen Victoria's insistence on retaining her ladies of the bedchamber. The episode exami…
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13 min
Indian Rebellion of 1857: Mutiny, Revolt or Independence?
The episode unpacks the complex grievances that sparked the 1857 uprising – from greased cartridge rumours to land‑and‑tax pressures – and traces how separate regional insurrection…
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13 min
Dick Turpin: From 18th‑Century Highwayman to Legendary Outlaw
The episode traces the real criminal activities of Dick Turpin, the contemporary evidence against him and how legend reshaped his story into folklore. It examines court documents,…
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15 min
Tyburn: London’s Public Hanging Stage
From medieval gallows to Victorian reform, this episode traces the history of Tyburn, London’s notorious execution venue. We examine how public hangings became a civic spectacle, t…
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14 min
Edward the Confessor and the 1066 Succession Crisis
The episode follows Edward the Confessor’s reign, his exile in Normandy, the political web of the Godwin family, and how his death left England without a clear heir. It explores th…
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12 min
The London of Sherlock Holmes: Crime, Forensics and Victorian City Life
This episode explores how 19th‑century London—its fog, factories, newspapers, and new police science—shaped the detective fiction world and reflected wider imperial anxieties. It e…
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11 min
George the Duke of Clarence: Treason, Execution and the Mysterious Malmsey Wine
An investigation into the life of George Plantagenet, brother to Edward IV and Richard III, his shifting alliances during the Wars of the Roses, and the contested story that he die…