Not Just the Tudors

Have you ever wandered through a museum and thought: Why is the Virgin Mary always dressed in blue? Did they really use eggs in egg tempera—and did it make those paintings smell weird? And why, for some reason, does baby Jesus sometimes look like a tiny grumpy old man?

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Verity Babbs, art historian and comedian, who is on a mission to shake the dust off art history. They take a whirlwind tou...

In the final episode of her short series on the Habsburg dynasty, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb turns to one of the most fascinating and misunderstood rulers of early modern Europe: Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor. Often remembered—if at all—as the "mad emperor" who withdrew from politics and lost his grip on power, Rudolf’s story is far richer than the stereotype. Instead of governing from Vienna or Madrid, he relocated his imperial...

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb engages in a captivating conversation with award-winning dramatist Liz Duffy Adams about the new Royal Shakespeare production of her play Born With Teeth, which imagines a thrilling collaboration between William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe. Suzannah and Liz delve into the fiery dynamics of the two men's relationship and the influence of politics on their works.

Shakespeare and Marlowe existed und...

When we think of the Habsburgs, the spotlight usually falls on emperors, kings, and archdukes—powerful men who dominated Europe. But behind the scenes, across five generations, an extraordinary line of Habsburg women quietly wielded immense influence in the Netherlands. Their names are often overlooked, yet their impact was profound.

In this third episode of our special series on the Habsburg dynasty, Professor Suzannah Lipsco...

With six wives, Henry VIII must have had something going for him, right? Was he handsome? Charming? Intelligent? Just plain powerful? In this episode, the tables are turned on Professor Suzannah Lipscomb as she becomes the guest of Dr. Kate Lister on our sister podcast, Betwixt the Sheets. Together they discuss the vanity of Henry VIII, his sporting prowess, and his injuries. Listen to discover just how terrible this Tudor king sme...

In the second episode of our special Habsburg dynasty series, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by renowned historian Professor Geoffrey Parker to uncover the extraordinary life of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor—once hailed as the “Monarch of the World.”

By the time he abdicated in 1556, Charles presided over the first truly global empire, stretching from the Netherlands and Spain to Austria, Naples, and the Americas, including P...

Could a long-hidden miniature painting unlock the mystery of Shakespeare’s most intimate poetry? Unearthed after 400 years in a private collection, a portrait depicts a strikingly androgynous youth—jewelled and enigmatic. But this is no ordinary likeness. Concealed within its layers lies a coded message of love, betrayal, and secrecy. Could it depict Henry Wriothesley, the 3rd Earl of Southampton, Shakespeare’s patron and perha...

In the first of a special four-part series on the Habsburgs, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb traces the unlikely rise of Europe’s most enduring imperial family. Emerging from a modest Swiss noble house in the 10th century, the House of Habsburg would go on to dominate the political, cultural, and religious life of Europe for nearly 400 years. Through strategic marriages, dynastic inheritances, and shrewd political manoeuvring, the Ha...

On 30 January 1649, the unthinkable happened: for the first time in history, a reigning monarch was tried and condemned by his own people. But how did a kingdom that once believed in the divine right of kings arrive at this unprecedented moment? In this second special explainer episode, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb guides us through the final and most dramatic years of the English Civil Wars. With contributions from leading histo...

What sparks a nation to turn against its own king? Professor Suzannah Lipscomb dives into the turbulent and transformative decade that witnessed the English Civil Wars — a bloody clash that claimed nearly 185,000 lives and reshaped the very soul of Britain. From the power struggle between King Charles I and Parliament, to the fiery religious conflicts and political rivalries that engulfed England, Scotland, and Ireland, these two...

The rich and powerful Guise family was one of the most treacherous and bloodthirsty in sixteenth-century France. They whipped up religious bigotry, overthrowing the king. They ruled Scotland for nearly 20 years through Mary Queen of Scots, plotting to invade England and overthrow Elizabeth I. And they unleashed the bloody Wars of Religion, playing a crucial role in the murder of 4,000 Protestants in the infamous Saint Bartholomew...

The public fascination with true crime is nothing new.  Four centuries ago, the sensational story of the death in the Tower of London of Thomas Overbury, a lawyer in the court of King James I, led to a scandal that rocked the monarchy to its core.  In this third episode of Not Just The Tudors' Tudor True Crime series, first released in January 2024, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more from Professor Alastair Bellan...

**WARNING: This episode contains descriptions of suicide**

On 6 September 1560, Amy Robsart Dudley died after falling down a staircase at Cumnor Place in Oxfordshire. But did she fall? Was she pushed? Or did she throw herself down the stairs? These questions exercised Tudor courtiers and foreign ambassadors at the time. The truth mattered because Amy was the wife of Queen Elizabeth I’s leading courtier and very close friend...

Who stabbed the famed playwright? And who planned it? We're stepping out of the sun and into the shadows on Not Just the Tudors, as Professor Suzannah Lipscomb investigates Tudor True Crime; a selection of history’s most notorious murders and murderers.

Today Suzannah is joined by Charles Nicholl to dig deeper into the mystery of the 1593 murder of the brilliant and controversial playwright Christopher Marlowe, who was stabbed ...

**Contains examples of 'othering', including birth abnormalities, and the terms used to describe them historically**

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. Surekha Davies to discuss how individuals and groups were often classified in the Early Modern period, and how ideas evolved around normality versus 'otherness' - or even 'monstrosity'. Suzannah and Surekha consider the influence of the four humors on human classificat...

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Professor Jan Clarke to explore the life, legend, and legacy of Jean-Baptiste Poquelin — better known as Molière. From his audacious rejection of bourgeois expectations to his controversial plays that rattled the Catholic Church and delighted the King, Molière’s story is as theatrical as his work. So what can be learned about gender, religion, power, and performance in Louis XIV’s France thr...

What if the tale of one night could change the way we view art forever?

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. Noah Charney to explore the life and legacy of Giorgio Vasari, the man who redefined art as an intellectual pursuit and artists as divine geniuses. They delve into Vasari's influential work and how it shaped our understanding of the Renaissance, artistic genius, and the very structure of art history today.

From th...

**Contains historical language which may cause offence**

Between the early 1600s and late 1700s, thousands of British sailors, fishermen, merchants, and coastal villagers were captured and enslaved by North African pirates, known as Barbary Corsairs. Professor Suzannah Lipscomb and Professor Bernard Capp delve into the harrowing experiences of these captives, their treatment, and the broader implications on British society. Thei...

From the establishment of a formidable double monarchy to the complex dynamics of the Spanish Inquisition, Isabel of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon were quite the Renaissance team.

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Giles Tremlett to discuss the complex dynamics of this unite couple. They explore the triumphs and tragedies that marked their reign, their relentless pursuit of religious unity, and the personal losses that shape...