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Henry VIII’s Fool, Will Somer
Episode 254
In some portraits of Henry VIII there appears another, striking figure. This is Will Somer, the king’s fool, a celebrated wit who could raise Henry’s…
2 years, 11 months ago
Margaret Cavendish: 17th Century Revolutionary
Episode 253
In an age when literature was dominated by men, Margaret Cavendish wrote passionately about gender, science and philosophy. She published under her o…
3 years ago
Hapsburg Inbreeding with Dr. Adam Rutherford
Episode 252
One of Early Modern Europe’s most powerful families, the Hapsburgs shared a physical trait so distinctive that it came to be regarded as a badge of h…
3 years ago
Michelangelo
Episode 251
At 31, Michelangelo was considered the finest artist in Italy, perhaps the world. Long before he died at almost 90, he was widely believed to be the …
3 years ago
Origins of Modern Iran: Safawid Dynasty
Episode 250
The Safawid Dynasty, which ruled Iran from 1501 to 1736, marked the beginning of modern Iranian history. At its height, it controlled all of what is …
3 years ago
Dutch Golden Age: 'The Goldfinch' and its Painter
Episode 249
On the morning of 12 October 1654, in the Dutch city of Delft, a sudden explosion was followed by a thunderclap that could be heard more than 70 mile…
3 years ago
Henry VIII's Billionaire Wardrobe
Episode 248
Henry VIII was described as the 'best dressed sovereign in the world' by the Venetian ambassador Sebastian Giustinian. The Tudor King spent the equiv…
3 years ago
Girls on Stage and Page in the Elizabethan Age
Episode 247
Contrary to the idea that the early modern stage was male-dominated, girls actually played an active part in religious dramas, civic pageants, Elizab…
3 years ago
Stealing the Crown Jewels with Al Murray
Episode 246
In 1671, an Anglo-Irish officer, the self-styled Colonel Blood attempted to steal the Crown Jewels from the Tower of London. The thwarted crime broug…
3 years ago
Elizabeth I's Censored Annals: A Major Discovery
Episode 245
Did King James VI of Scotland plot to assassinate Elizabeth I? Did she name him as her successor? For centuries, dozens of pasted-over passages in th…
3 years ago