Elizabethans in America

Edmund Halley & His Comet

Jul 6, 202656 minSummary

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, host Professor Suzanne Lipscomb welcomes author David K. Love to discuss the remarkable life and scientific contributions of Edmund Halley. Moving beyond the famous comet that bears his name, the conversation explores Halley’s pivotal role in the scientific revolution of the 17th century. Listeners learn about Halley’s early life, his daring expedition to St. Helena to map the southern stars, and his significant work on the practical challenges of determining longitude. The episode highlights the intellectual climate of the era, specifically the transition from ancient circular models of the universe to the groundbreaking planetary motion laws established by Kepler. A key focus of the discussion is Halley’s crucial relationship with Isaac Newton. The hosts detail the dramatic period leading to the publication of the Principia Mathematica, revealing Halley not just as an astronomer, but as a dedicated diplomat and financier who persuaded the reclusive Newton to document his theories. By examining his restless curiosity and scientific dedication, the episode paints a portrait of a man who was instrumental in shaping modern understanding of the cosmos.

The Mayflower and its Pilgrims

Jul 2, 202648 minSummary

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, host Professor Susanna Lipscomb is joined by Professor John G. Turner to strip away the mythic layers surrounding the 1620 Mayflower voyage. The discussion delves into the origins of the Pilgrims, characterizing them not as unified heroes, but as a diverse group of religious separatists fleeing the pressures of the Church of England. The conversation traces their journey from clandestine congregations in England to a decade of exile in the Dutch city of Leiden, where they faced the challenge of maintaining their identity while seeking economic stability. Professor Turner explains that their decision to sail for the New World was driven by a desire to preserve their English roots and religious principles, rather than a pursuit of abstract liberty. The episode explores the brutal realities of the crossing, their unintended arrival in a landscape devastated by disease, and the complicated survival strategies they employed. By examining the Mayflower Compact and the controversial military actions of figures like Miles Standish, the discussion reveals the tension between the settlers' religious ideals and the often-violent pragmatism required for their survival in a strange and hostile environment.

Jamestown: From Colony to Cannibalism

Jun 29, 202656 minSummary

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb and historian Dr. Rachel Winchcombe explore the harrowing history of Jamestown during the winter of 1609-1610, an event famously known as the Starving Time. As the colony faced environmental crises, food shortages, and hostile relations with the Powhatan Confederacy, the settlers were pushed to desperate measures to survive, including the consumption of horses, vermin, and, according to both historical accounts and archaeological evidence, human flesh. The discussion highlights the cultural complexities of early modern survival. Dr. Winchcombe challenges contemporary perceptions of disgust, arguing that taboo foods—including horse meat and vermin—were historically contingent and often viewed through the lens of necessity and medicinal value. The episode further examines the political motivations behind the written accounts of figures like John Smith and George Percy, who utilized these tales to settle personal scores or justify leadership. By dissecting both the brutal reality of the famine and the cultural frameworks of the 17th century, the podcast offers a nuanced look at a dark, cautionary chapter in the history of English colonization in America.

True Crime: Moll Cutpurse - London's Cross-Dressing Criminal

Jun 25, 202647 minSummary

This episode of Not Just the Tudors examines the life and legacy of Mary Frith, a notorious figure in 17th-century London famously known as Moll Cutpurse. Born into a modest household, Frith defied the expectations of her era by rejecting domestic service and traditional gender roles. As a young woman, she adopted masculine attire, smoked, and navigated the city’s criminal underworld, eventually becoming a celebrated and controversial icon of early modern London. Dr. Holly Marsden joins the program to explore how Frith, who was frequently arrested for pickpocketing, cross-dressing, and public disorder, managed to craft a persona that captivated the public. The discussion highlights Frith’s career as a fence for stolen goods and her entrepreneurial ventures, as well as her complex relationship with the law and her staunch royalist politics. By analyzing contemporary plays and court records, the hosts investigate whether Frith’s cross-dressing was a genuine expression of identity or a strategic performance used to navigate a society that offered few opportunities to independent women. Ultimately, the episode portrays Moll Cutpurse as a multifaceted historical figure who successfully manipulated her own public image to survive and thrive on the margins of society.

Pocahontas & the Virginian Venture

Jun 22, 202657 minSummary

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Susanna Lipscomb and historian Peter C. Mancall explore the origins of English colonization in North America, focusing on the establishment of the Virginia Company and the struggles of the Jamestown settlement. The discussion highlights the transition from late Elizabethan exploration to the more permanent, albeit difficult, seventeenth-century efforts to secure a foothold in the Atlantic world. The hosts examine the environmental and political challenges faced by early settlers, who arrived in the Chesapeake Bay largely unprepared for local conditions. They discuss the critical role of Indigenous leadership, particularly the Powhatan Confederacy, and reframe the famous narrative of Pocahontas and Captain John Smith within the context of complex diplomatic strategies and power dynamics. Furthermore, the episode challenges the traditional binary that separates New England’s religious motivations from Virginia’s economic ones, arguing that Protestant zeal and the desire to curb Catholic influence were central to the colonial mission. By analyzing the importance of replicating English family structures, the episode provides a compelling look at the ambition, conflict, and cultural encounters that shaped the foundations of the American colonies.

How Guns Changed the World

Jun 18, 202647 minSummary

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, host Professor Susanna Lipscomb welcomes historian Professor Catherine Fletcher to explore the transformative and often controversial history of the firearm during the sixteenth century. Moving beyond the common narrative that European empires were built solely on technological superiority, the conversation delves into the complex, two-century transition from gunpowder’s arrival in Europe to the battlefield dominance of portable handguns. The discussion highlights the significant societal and military shifts brought about by this revolution, such as the emergence of pike-and-shot formations and the necessity of rigorous collective training. Beyond the battlefield, the episode examines the cultural ambivalence surrounding guns, which were frequently branded as diabolical or unchivalrous, yet simultaneously treated as objects of immense decorative beauty and prestige among elites. Professor Fletcher outlines the rise of the arms industry, the normalization of gun ownership across different social classes, and the early, often reactive attempts by states to implement gun control. By analyzing both the practical realities of early firearms and their evolving role in diplomacy, crime, and warfare, the episode provides a nuanced look at how these weapons fundamentally reshaped the modern world.

Great Plague of London

Jun 11, 202654 minSummary

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, host Professor Susanna Lipscomb explores the harrowing experience of the Great Plague of 1665 with historian and author Rebecca Rideal. Moving beyond the clinical facts of the epidemic, the discussion reconstructs the sensory world of Restoration London, examining how a society under the pressures of war, political instability, and recurring disease grappled with mass death. The conversation highlights the period’s unique mindset, where religious belief heavily influenced how individuals rationalized catastrophe. Rideal shares insights from her archival research into the lives of ordinary Londoners, from periwig makers to street vendors, illustrating how the plague was experienced through the lens of those who could not flee the city. The episode also touches on the frustrating historical irony of the era: while scientists like Robert Hook were pioneering microscopic observations—including stunning, detailed renderings of the very fleas that spread the disease—the scientific community failed to connect these findings to the rampant plague. Through a mix of social history and detailed accounts, the episode provides an immersive look at how Londoners navigated terror and uncertainty during one of the darkest chapters in English history.

Anne Boleyn: Ambition or Faith?

Jun 8, 202646 minSummary

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, host Professor Susanna Lipscomb welcomes author and Anglican priest Martha Tartt to challenge long-standing, often sexist narratives surrounding Anne Boleyn. Moving beyond the traditional depiction of Anne as a manipulative social climber who weaponized her beauty, the discussion reframes her life through the lens of political acumen, intellectual agency, and religious conviction. The conversation explores how Anne’s formative years in the French court, particularly under the influence of Queen Claude and Marguerite de Navarre, shaped her as a leader who valued education and humanism. Tartt argues that the narrative of Anne as an ambitious seductress who orchestrated Henry VIII’s infatuation ignores her genuine role as an architect of the English Reformation. Key to this perspective is the assertion that Anne’s religious principles—specifically her advocacy for the English Bible and her support for reformers like Thomas Cranmer—were central to her influence. By examining the structural necessity of the Tudor succession and the theological weight Henry placed on his marriage, the hosts dismantle the "morality tale" often used to justify Anne’s tragic downfall, presenting instead a nuanced portrait of a woman of significant historical consequence.

Rise & Fall of James IV of Scotland

Jun 4, 202656 minSummary

In this episode, Professor Susanna Lipscomb is joined by Professor Michael Brown to explore the complex life and reign of King James IV of Scotland. Rising to the throne in the aftermath of a bloody rebellion and the death of his father, James IV emerged as one of the most charismatic and dynamic figures in late medieval history. The discussion delves into how the young king navigated his early years of rule, transitioning from a figurehead of a fractured regime to a hands-on monarch who traveled his kingdom to personally dispense justice. James is characterized as a Renaissance prince who masterfully balanced diplomatic intrigue with a deep passion for military innovation, including his obsession with artillery and the construction of the Great Michael, an enormous warship that signaled Scotland’s growing power. A central theme of the episode is James’s nuanced relationship with England, particularly his support for the pretender Perkin Warbeck and his eventual marriage to Margaret Tudor. The conversation examines how these choices reflected a delicate balancing act of power, prestige, and security, ultimately leading toward the tragic and decisive Battle of Flodden in 1513.

True Crime: Medici Murder at the Louvre

Jun 1, 202651 minSummary

In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, host Professor Susanna Lipscomb and guest Dr. Una McIlvenna explore the dramatic assassination of Concino Concini, the powerful Italian favorite who dominated the French court in the early 17th century. The discussion tracks Concini’s rapid ascent from a Florentine nobleman to the Marshal of France, a rise facilitated by his wife Leonora’s lifelong intimacy with Queen Regent Marie de Medici. The episode highlights how the couple’s control over state finances and their creation of a personal power base alienated the French nobility and sparked widespread public unrest. This atmosphere of tension eventually paved the way for the young King Louis XIII to assert his authority. Dr. McIlvenna details how Louis, guided by his own favorite Charles de Luynes, orchestrated a brutal coup d'état to remove Concini, marking the end of his mother’s regency and the beginning of his own reign as an absolute monarch. Beyond the political maneuvering, the conversation offers insight into the role of print culture and execution ballads in shaping public perception, revealing how propaganda was weaponized to justify the violence that transformed the French political landscape.