Tudors Dynasty & Beyond

Before Richard III became king - and long before history cast him as a villain - he built a very different reputation in the north of England.
In this episode, Rebecca Larson and Matt Lewis continue Richard’s story from his marriage to Anne Neville through his rise as one of Edward IV’s most trusted lords. They examine the bitter division of the Warwick inheritance, Richard’s relationship with Anne Beauchamp, his settlement of the Percy–Neville feud, and the authority he established across northern England.
Through several surviving legal disputes, a striking pattern emerges: Richard repeatedly ruled against his own retainers and social superiors when the evidence demanded it, placing equitable justice above personal advantage. The conversation also explores his refusal of a French pension, his white boar badge, the religious college he founded at Middleham, and his successful Scottish campaign, which recovered Berwick-upon-Tweed for England.
Was Richard an honorable man attempting to navigate a deeply corrupt political system? This episode reveals the principled lord, capable commander, and trusted northern leader whose record stands in sharp contrast to the villain he would later become in popular history.
--
Support the podcast on Patreon and receive COMMERCIAL-FREE episodes, EARLY ACCESS, and EXCLUSIVE CONTENT: https://patreon.com/tudorsdynasty
--
Host: Rebecca Larson
Guest: Matt Lewis

Historian and bestselling author Tony Riches joins Rebecca Larson to discuss his new book, Queen Anna, and the remarkable woman behind it. Often dismissed as frivolous and shallow, Anna of Denmark was a gifted linguist, devoted mother, influential patron of the arts, and a queen who understood how to gather information and exercise influence at the Stuart court.
Tony shares how newly translated letters, primary sources, and visits to historic locations helped him reclaim Anna’s story - from her elaborate court masques and architectural legacy to the devastating loss of four of her seven children. He also offers a fascinating look at his research and writing process and reveals what readers can expect from his new Stuart Queens trilogy.
--
Tony's Books on Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B006UZWOXA?ccs_id=33d48809-6952-4dd8-bfd3-8f1c059d0f04
Tony's Books on Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/author/B006UZWOXA
--
Support the podcast on Patreon and receive COMMERCIAL-FREE episodes, EARLY ACCESS, and EXCLUSIVE CONTENT: https://patreon.com/tudorsdynasty
--
Host: Rebecca Larson
Guest: Tony Riches

What happens when two history lovers tackle some of the past’s greatest mysteries - with no preparation, no research, and plenty of opinions? Rebecca and Amy debate whether Perkin Warbeck was really a prince, who was responsible for the deaths of Thomas Becket and Henry VI, whether Edward II escaped his fate, and what truly happened between Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley, Katherine Howard and Thomas Culpepper, and Katherine of Aragon and Prince Arthur. They also consider whether Jane Grey was truly queen, reveal their choice for the best Tudor monarch, and ask whether solving history’s mysteries would only create more questions. Plus, Amy shares a memorable behind-the-scenes story from Harvington Hall!
--
DON'T FORGET - SUNDAY, AUGUST 16TH IS OUT FIRST HISTORY READING ROOM MEETING (NON-book club, book club)!
See info here: https://www.patreon.com/tudorsdynasty/posts/history-reading-163802931?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link
--
Co-hosts: Rebecca Larson & Amy McElroy

Long before Richard III became one of England’s most controversial kings, he was a child shaped by exile, loss and political upheaval. In this first part on Richard, Rebecca and historian Matt Lewis trace Richard’s life from his birth at Fotheringay Castle in 1452 through his first experiences of battle at Barnet and Tewkesbury in 1471.
They explore Richard’s childhood during the Wars of the Roses, the deaths of his father and brother, his exile in Burgundy, his years in the Earl of Warwick’s household and the origins of his unwavering loyalty to Edward IV. They also examine his scoliosis, his early conflict with Thomas Lord Stanley and the disputed allegation that he was involved in the death of Henry VI.
By the age of eighteen, Richard had already endured exile twice, witnessed his family’s dramatic rise and fall, made powerful enemies and proven himself on the battlefield. How did these turbulent early experiences shape the man—and future king—he would become?
--
Support the podcast on Patreon and receive COMMERCIAL-FREE episodes, EARLY ACCESS, and EXCLUSIVE CONTENT: https://patreon.com/tudorsdynasty
Love to read? Consider joining my non-traditional book club: MORE INFO HERE
--
Host: Rebecca Larson
Guest: Matthew Lewis

In this episode, Rebecca is joined by Sophie Bacchus-Waterman to examine whether Katherine Gordon truly believed her first husband, Perkin Warbeck, was Richard of Shrewsbury. Drawing upon her article published in The Ricardian, Sophie explores Katherine’s will and its intriguing reference to “my cousin Margaret Kyme.” While this phrase has been used as evidence that Katherine regarded Warbeck as a prince, Sophie reveals an alternative family connection through Katherine’s second husband, James Strangeways. Together, they reconsider one of the key arguments surrounding Katherine’s beliefs and enter the wider debate over Warbeck’s identity—with Sophie 99 percent certain that he was an impostor.
--
Link to alleged love letter mentioned: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/rest.12864
--
Want to join the History Reading Room? Click here for more info: https://www.patreon.com/tudorsdynasty/posts/history-reading-163802931?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link
--
Host: Rebecca Larson
Guest: Sophie Bacchus-Waterman