The smooth Tudor–Stuart handover? One of history’s biggest lies..
In this fiery live episode of History Rage, Paul Bavill is joined by Tracy Borman, chief historian of Historic Royal Palaces, to tear apart the enduring myth of a smooth Tudor–Stuart succession. With her explosive new book Stolen Crown about to be released, Tracy reveals how one of the most famous “peaceful handovers” in English history was anything but. Behind the curtain lay conspiracy, forgery, rival claimants — and a king desperate enough to rewrite history itself.
You’ll hear how:
- The myth of a smooth transition was a fabrication — James VI had no legal right under Henry VIII’s laws, and Elizabeth never named him heir.
- Conspiracies brewed in secret as Robert Cecil and Elizabeth’s councillors struck clandestine deals with James to secure his crown.
- Rival claimants circled — from Arbella Stuart (who fatally offended Elizabeth by copying her dress and flirting with Essex) to the Infanta of Spain with her navy poised to strike.
- Drama unfolded like a thriller: Robert Carey’s desperate, bleeding ride to Scotland to deliver news of Elizabeth’s death; the Valentine Thomas scandal that linked James to a plot to assassinate Elizabeth.
- The dark legacy of James I — witch hunts, brutal persecution of Catholics, and the Gunpowder Plot — showed how costly that stolen crown would become.
- History itself was rewritten when James forced William Camden to alter Elizabeth’s biography, fabricating her supposed deathbed blessing of the “King of Scots.”
This is not the story of a smooth succession, but of a stolen crown and the dangerous lies that cemented a dynasty.
📚 Connect with Tracy Borman
Pre-order her book: Stolen Crown: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781399732888
Follow Tracy on Instagram/Threads: @tracy.borman
Follow Tracy on Twitter/Bluesky: @tracyborman
❤️ Support the Show
If this episode fired you up, join the Angry Mob on Patreon for exclusive content, early access, and the iconic History Rage mug. Subscribe at www.patreon.com/historyrage or join through Apple Subscriptions
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Step inside the storm of 1603, where crowns were stolen, rivals silenced, and history itself forged to suit a king.
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