The British History Podcast

Strap yourselves in. These kids are something else.

It was early September of 1087, and for weeks…nearly two months, in fact… people had been discussing William’s impending death, and worrying about what would happen next.  And for good reason. This family, which ruled over Normandy, had a history of infighting and civil wars, especially during times of succession.

You know, I almost titled the last episode  “The Gang Goes To A Funeral” but the trouble was that the gang /didn’t/ go to the funeral. All of them decided they had somewhere else to be. 

Somewhere around the time William the First was bursting out of his tomb like roasted chestnut and William the Second was making it rain with his dead dad’s money….something was turning in western culture as a whole.

We’re joining the Sisterhood of the Travelling Uterus for this one. The post Medieval Medicine Sample: Trotula Edition first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Primogeniture, the practice of handing all wealth and power from father to the eldest son, had done a lot to consolidate power along single family lines. But it created all manner of problems for …well, pretty much everyone else.

It was Easter of 1088.  This was, typically, a  time when the most powerful figures of England would gather at Court.  But this wasn’t a typical  year.

Word of Rufus’ army, and the destruction of the rebel forces at Tunbridge, had no doubt reached Pevensey and its commander, Robert of Mortain… and I think it’s highly likely that the messengers also reported that the King’s army had turned north, towards Rochester. Bishop Odo’s stronghold.

Got a jealousy problem and a spare leek? Boy, do we ever have a cure for you.

William Rufus’ first year as King had probably not gone down as he hoped. And as Bishop Odo and his co-conspirators boarded their ships and sought sanctuary in Normandy…Rufus could only return to court and count the rest of his problems.

I've gotta be honest, some of these spells seem a bit rude.

William the Conqueror had not set his sons up for success, and at the heart of it was land. Obviously, the way he distributed those lands in his Will had been a bit of a disaster, as it had set his two eldest sons up for war.

The last two episodes have been focused on how King William Rufus handled the aftermath of the rebellion, and the political moves being made.  But Rufus didn’t exist in a vacuum… and across the Channel, his brothers were also making moves.

With Count Henry and Robert of Belleme imprisoned under his tender care, Bishop Odo had free rein to guide the impressionable Duke Robert in whatever direction he wanted.  And he had a direction in mind.

It’s one of the most famous landmarks in the world. The White Tower, or more recently, the Tower of London. If you’ve visited London you likely took time to go see it.

We’ve been spending a lot of time with Rufus and Robert. And that was the way things were back in the 11th century, too.  Rufus and Robert got the attention, while Henry… the youngest, and apparently most forgettable brother… was often left out.  And this reality was made most clear when their father died… and, despite holding vast territories, the Conqueror didn’t bother to give Henry a single hide of land.

You’ve probably heard the phrase “it takes money to make money,” and while usually the person telling you that is just trying to sell you something you don’t need….there is some truth to it. At least in the way our economy works. It’s also true of how feudal economies worked.

After Robert kicked Henry out of Rouen, the Duke tried to restabilize his position in Normandy. And his first move was to make an alliance with Robert of Belleme.

We don’t really know precisely what Henry got up to once he fled Mont Saint Michel. What few records we have are incomplete and some contradictory. But from those records we /are/ able to glean some details… and when we take the accounts in total, what immediately becomes clear is that, just because Henry was in exile, it didn’t mean he had accepted his defeat. He had plans and he set them in motion. His first plan was to have sex. Like… lots and lots of sex.

Come get schooled.

Rufus was once again the only brother in England.

All of those promises Rufus made to be a better man had finally convinced God.  After about two months of being bedridden, the King finally recovered from his mysterious illness.  And now that the Divine had delivered its side of the bargain… well, there was really no point to any of those promises anymore. So Rufus immediately set about invalidating all his penitential acts.

Ok, I know at the end of that last episode I kinda sorta promised you a fight. And we are definitely going to have one. But we are pausing real quick to cover some SERIOUSLY good gossip…and possibly a murder?

If you think that video games are too violent, wait until you hear about Face Slap.

King Malcom Canmore hit his breaking point.

In the space of less than a year, the Norman barons had surged deep into Wales and were further entrenching themselves using castles and other fortifications.

As I’ve mentioned a few times… we are discussing one of those periods of history where everything was kind of happening all at once.  This presents a challenge when trying to create a clear narrative that you can follow, while also staying true to the order of events.

It was January of 1095 and Rufus was still at war with his eldest brother, Duke Robert. A war that could have been avoided if the Red King had simply kept his word… or even just apologized. But he wasn’t interested in doing either of those things, so people were dying in Normandy.

We have spent a lot of time with the situation between Anselm and Rufus, and all their messy interpersonal drama, but we haven’t really discussed the true elephant in the room. Radicalism.

So, when we left off, Anselm finally had his Pallium, and Rufus got… well… Rufus got all the independence and freedom from Church interference that he could have hoped for.  Even better, his Bishops were on the same page as him and were supporting the King’s independence from Rome.

Rufus was marching North to directly challenge de Mowbray and anyone foolish enough to follow  him.  And of course he was.  There was only one response this King was ever going to have to de Mowbray’s instigation.  War.  

Night fell… and gradually, everything within Bamburgh and the Malvoisin went quiet. Sure, there were the occasional patrols, and the occasional muffled voice as two people shared a moment, or simply tried to keep themselves awake while on watch… but for the most part, there was no sound except for that of the waves lapping the shore.

We strive in this one to prove you can be urban without being urbane. You can hear the full episode by signing up for membership. The post Medieval Urbanization Sample first appeared on The British History Podcast.

In 1096, Robert de Mowbray, the former Earl of Northumbria, was living in Windsor. And he better get comfy, because his majesty seemed quite happy to keep him there as a permanent resident.

And the full version even includes a drinking game! You can hear the full episode by signing up for membership. The post Lords and Landlords Sample first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Everyone in England was angry with Rufus. He was fining, taxing, and now torturing his way through the country. And Rufus was mad at everyone in England. Which was why he was fining, taxing, and torturing his way through the country.

It’s September of 1096, and Duke Robert was setting out on Crusade, intent on taking the main pilgrim road to Rome and Norman Italy. Joining him were his retainers, soldiers, and supporters… including high ranked figures like Bishop Odo of Bayeux, Count Robert of Flanders, and Stephen of Aumale (who was the forgettable guy that de Mowbray had tried to install on the throne of England).

It turns out hustle culture is nothing new.

Don't panic, we aren't quitting. But we are making a change that might affect you.

For years, Normandy had been wracked with internal conflict, war, and political unrest.  The Duchy had nearly been the end of Duke Robert countless times… and if there was a single defining characteristic of Normandy under Robert, it would be “chaos.”

Alright, so when we left off Edgar (the eldest living son of Malcolm Canmore) had claimed the throne of Scotland.  But, in classic medieval style, the way that Edgar had gone about that was anything but simple. Edgar had taken the throne from his  Uncle, King Donald III, and to pull that off  Edgar had the help of another uncle Edgar the AEtheling - who happened to be the guy he was named after -  as well as King Rufus of England… and with their support, King Donald III was forced into exile.

When we left off, Rufus and Robert of Belleme were marching upon Maine.  Specifically, Count Helias’ fortress at Danguel. This fortress made military incursions and raids into Maine insanely difficult.  Which Rufus and Robert found deeply inconsiderate, so it would have to be brought down or, at the very least it would have to be occupied by good honest Normans who wouldn’t interfere with the King’s god given right to raid and pillage the people of Maine.

Alright. When we left off, I mentioned that while Rufus was in Normandy, things in England had been getting interesting in his absence. Let's start with Bishop Walkelin.

The final two years of the 11th century feel like someone was trying to tie up a bunch of plotlines before the start of season 12. Things are moving fast, everybody is suddenly in different countries, and inevitably…some of these characters aren’t having their contracts renewed.

Ok, when we left off, Rufus threw a big “look at me” celebration… and the prevailing response appears to have been “yeah, man. We see you.” And that wasn’t even the worst part of his year.

It was a calm August afternoon in Winchester.   The Royal Palace (or potentially the Conqueror’s castle… our scribes aren’t precise when discussing the location, but probably the Palace)... either way, Winchester would have been full of activity,  but nothing out of the ordinary.  Just Royal functionaries carrying out their duties while the King was away, and townsfolk going about their business.

Zee runs us through the events and it’s… a lot. The post The First Crusade Sample first appeared on The British History Podcast.

The cart carrying the body of King Rufus eventually reached the cathedral at Winchester. And if we are to believe Malmesbury,  blood had been dripping from it from the forest all the way into the Cathedral.  Though, at some point it must have stopped. I mean, even if no one… ya know… sorted it out, he would have run out of blood eventually.

It’s time to hit REI and get some gear… because we’re going on a journey of self discovery in this sample of the newest Member’s Episode. The post Pilgrimage Sample first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Edith, the daughter of King Malcolm Canmore, has appeared from time to time in our story and (by this point) she was about 20 years old… and many of those years had been weird ones. The post 487 – Stealing a Wife From God first appeared on The British History Podcast.

We did it, it’s the year  1100…which means it’s time for us to take a moment and  place our story in the broader context of global human history.  Now, as always, this won’t be exhaustive… nor ultra detailed. Our only intent is to break the  myopia that’s inherent in any history podcast and give you […] The post 488 – The Year 1100 first appeared on The British History Podcast.

By popular request, we’re releasing the full member’s episode on The Authoritarians. The post Bonus Episode: The Authoritarians first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Ok, let’s face it, last year was a lot.  Rampant corruption, threats of war, tyrannical leaders, actual war, a greedy feckless aristocracy, rulers weaponizing the legal system, rulers completely disregarding the legal system, rulers making grandiose promises they had no interest in actually delivering on, international intrigue, at least one incredibly suspicious death, and finally […] The post 489 – From Normandy With Love first appeared on The British History Podcast.

King Henry’s first Christmas Court in the closing days of 1100 had felt…off.  The post 490 – Messengers from France first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Duke Robert Curthose was back in Normandy, having  reclaimed the Duchy unopposed… and now he was looking to assert his claim on England. The post 491 – All Hats On Deck first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Much respect to u/AnnieCamOG for coming up with this title. The post Project 1095 first appeared on The British History Podcast.

In 1668, John Dryden became England’s very first Poet Laureate.  But he had a rival.  No, not just a rival.  A nemesis. This man’s name was Thomas Shadwell, and I can’t overstate how much Dryden hated him. The post 492 – The War for Perception first appeared on The British History Podcast.

The Treaty penned at Alton had avoided outright war, but it wasn’t truly official.  It needed to be finalized at Winchester. The post 493 – The Price of Peace first appeared on The British History Podcast.

In early February of 1102 Queen Matilda was giving birth.  The post 494 – Power Struggles: Part One first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Ok, let’s return to 1101 and 1102, because Henry’s fight with Anselm, and fight between Henry and the Pope (and the fight between Anselm and the Pope) were …amazingly….only half of the story.   The post 495 – Power Struggles: Part Two first appeared on The British History Podcast.

For the first time since William the Conqueror, there was going to be a primatial council at Westminster Abbey.   This was a HUGE deal.   Like… enormous.  Anselm had been trying to hold a major reform council for years, but King Rufus had refused.  Reform, as you may remember, wasn’t something that the red king was […] The post 496 – That’s Me In The Corner first appeared on The British History Podcast.

It was 1103 and things were a mess. And…when are they not? But a major reason for this mess was (oddly) William of Breteuil. Now, as you might recall, William of Breteuil was the firstborn son of the Conqueror’s close friendWilliam fitz Osbern… and, thanks to this proximity to power, he was one of the […] The post 497 – That’s Me In The Spot. Light. first appeared on The British History Podcast.

The death of Duke Robert’s chief ally, William of Breteuil, and the succession crisis it kicked off, was destabilizing the duchy of Normandy.   And while I’m sure it was a relief that King Henry and Robert of Meulan had brokered a sort of resolution to the crisis… everyone watching knew their intrusion into Norman […] The post 498 – Power and Predictability first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Some families are just…the worst. You know how it is, there’s the one or two in there that are half decent, but mostly you avoid them too because the rest of the family is just awful. The post 499 – William of Mortain and How Some People Never Have Enough Wealth first appeared on The British History Podcast.

We answer SO many questions. So… so many questions. The post 500 – 500th Episode AMA Extravaganza first appeared on The British History Podcast.

The King is dead. 

Chaos. The orderly rhythm of attacks… and the steady wall of the war hedge had dissolved, and it was replaced by a raging melee.

Here is how you probably heard the story of the Battle of Hastings. William the Conqueror boarded a ship, won a battle at Hastings, and was crowned King. Kingdom. Conqueror. Conquered.

The Battle of Hastings had been brutal - even for the Normans. The invading army had suffered terrible losses.

It was autumn of 1066 and after weeks of deliberation, political wrangling, and arguing the English nobility had finally selected their next King. This may seem like a long time, considering there was a whole invasion happening at the time. And it was. But, to be fair, the politics were very confusing.

Duke William was experienced at wielding terror. Whether he was at home or on campaign, William often employed terror tactics. The people of France were well aware of this, and now the English were learning his skill first hand.

It was Christmas Day of 1066 and England was crowning its new King.

Do you remember the holy man who asked Edgar the AEtheling to confirm him as the Abbot of Peterborough, just after the Battle of Hastings?

1067 was a time of incredible change within England. Fortresses were being constructed everywhere. Existing fortresses were seized and then manned by foreign mercenaries. Estates and farms in the surrounding areas were being seized and handed over to many of these same foreigners.

Feudalism had officially come to England, courtesy of the Normans…

Last week we left off with Dover with some good old fashioned french on french violence… Count Eustace had attacked and attempted to seize the Southern Town…

Earl Osulf II of Bamburgh was a Northumbrian, and he had earned his seat ruling over the region North of the Tyne in true Northumbrian fashion.

Exeter stood in open defiance against William and his army.

Gytha and her supporters had fled into the Severn Estuary, and it was the final nail in the coffin of the Exeter rebellion.

Here is the beginning of Hereward the Wake. And to tell this story, we have to begin with the legend. Because nothing in this story is straightforward. Probably because at least some of it is true.

In early 1068… as William was preparing for the tactical Coronation of Matilda… the three sons of Harold Godwinson were in Ireland. They had come to meet with King Diarmad of Dublin and prepare an invasion force to re-take England.

I feel for the English commoners in the late 1060’s. They had nothing to do with the arrival of the Normans… everything they suffered was the result of the actions of the nobles. Exclusively.

Happy New Year! It was 1069… nice… and as the new year dawned…things in England were getting a bit weird.

Earl Robert lay dead at Durham. Along with 700 of his men. At least. The Chronicle bumps the numbers up a bit, claiming Earl Robert had died 900 of his soldiers at Durham. Either way, that’s a lot of dead Normans.

They appeared as if from nowhere. A great force of men and horses… armed to the teeth… charging towards the city of York.

Things in the North were dire. This was a problem, because as Orderic tells us, this wasn’t just a minor local revolt.  This was intended to be much bigger.

The Godwinsons are back in England. Harold’s sons, along with a fleet of 64 Irish ships loaded down with fighters, have just hit the shores.  And it seems like they were students of history, because they were taking up the traditional family business.

It was Fall of 1069, and the Danes were coming.

News of the victory at York spread fast, and people everywhere were finding their courage.

William was charging North. If he was going to hold on to his new kingdom, he had to counter this threat in person.

Weeks in the rain and cold, marching through mud and picking through forests, had finally - in spite of Northumbria’s best efforts - ended with William reaching his goal. The King arrived in York.

When we ended the last episode. William and his knights had ravaged the North.  He had spared nothing and no one.  Men, women, children, animals, buildings, even the plants.  Everything between York and Durham was annihilated, a stretch of nearly 100 miles.

When we left off, William (satisfied with the damage he had inflicted upon the people of the North) marched south towards Chester.

You may have noticed that Hereward the Wake seems to keep disappearing from the story and then reappearing again. This reflects the actual record, where he pops up only to vanish back into the mist just as quickly. His life appears to have been enigmatic. We only know him by these tidbits. But, even those small moments he appears in the record, he manages to stand out. Hereward was a man on the go.

Hereward was returning to Ely with his men. The upside was they were taking literal boatloads of treasure with them.

Word soon reached King William’s Court that Hereward remained free. Even worse, the man tasked with capturing the Wake (William de Warenne) had barely escaped with his life.

The situation in Ely was getting out of hand. The Liber Eliensis speaks of how Hereward and his army carried out raids far and wide, bringing with him bands of a hundred men or more.

Ok, when we left off William hired a witch to help with his rebel problem, Hereward disguised himself as a potter and infiltrated the Norman camp while William was out hunting, and in the end a bunch of Normans were slain and Hereward barely escaped with his life thanks to the speedy hooves of his trusty horse.  Swallow.

If the story of Hereward wasn’t what you were expecting, you’re not alone. Researching this tale has been just as wild an experience as hearing it. In fact, between this episode and the last one, I came across another fascinating tidbit about our favorite French witch.

It was late October of 1071, and Hereward was out with a column of his rebel fighters, foraging and pillaging Norman allied settlements for supplies. 

The once mighty Godwinson dynasty was gone… I guess Harold’s poor baby brother, Wulfnoth, was still alive, given that he was still assumed to be breathing in one of William’s dungeons. But he never again saw freedom…

Thirty thousand pounds. That’s what the Gesta claims Hereward charged the Normans for the return of their warlike Abbot Turold.

Five years of fighting. The conquest of England wasn’t something that was resolved on a single day in October of 1066. William had been fighting this thing for five years… and they were long years.

To the North, in Scotland, reigned King Malcolm Canmore.  We have been following his story for a long time now, and for good reason. After all, it literally intersects with the infamousMacbeth…  But King Malcolm Canmore was and remains one of the most powerful, and longest reigning, Scottish Kings to date.

We’ve been spending a lot of time with England lately… and there’s a good reason for that. England was the main target of the Norman invasion, and everything changed for the Kingdom when William arrived.

In 1075, amidst the backdrop of William’s strained relations with England and his noble court, a grand wedding intertwines political machinations with matrimonial celebration. Earl Roger and Ralph de Gael, leveraging their noble statuses and familial connections, conspire to challenge William’s authority. Their plot, hatched under the guise of marital bliss, seeks to capitalize on […] The post 431 – The Gang Has A Wedding first appeared on The British History Podcast.

In 1075, Earl Roger and Earl Ralph lead a significant rebellion against King William, spurred by personal grievances and political ambitions. This insurrection, ignited at a wedding, quickly evolves into a major crisis, challenging the king’s authority. The plot thickens with Waltheof’s involvement, revealing intricate alliances and betrayals among the nobility. The uprising, marked by […] The post 432 – The Revolt of the Earls first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Here’s a 15 minute sample of what we’re talking about on the Member’s feed. The post Bonus Episode on Courtliness first appeared on The British History Podcast.

In 1075 King Bleddyn’s star was on the rise. He ruled over both Gwynedd and Powys. He struck fear into those he met on the battlefield. He had demonstrated himself such a threat that the Normans actually tried to assassinate him…repeatedly. But he was still very much alive, kicking ass and taking heads.

For years the sons of William the Conqueror have lived closed to power but never truly able to wield it. Things were beginning to change, though. As their father ages, opportunities for advancement arise. Join us as we peer into the web of intrigue, clashing wills, and ambition that rule the fates of the children of the Conqueror. But be warned, dear listener, for this is no fairy tale. In the game of thrones, only one brother can rule…

William the Conqueror reigns, but whispers of rebellion drift through England's halls. Earl Waltheof's imprisonment threatens to ignite a storm amongst the English. Meanwhile, William's half-brother, Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, stands accused of heinous crimes by none other than the formidable Archbishop Lanfranc, and this conflict threatens to tear apart the very fabric of Norman dominance in England. As tensions rise and alliances shift, one question hangs heavy in the air: will William's iron grip on England falter? Dive into the medieval intrigue and courtroom clashes of 1075.

Welcome to the turbulent period of 1076 to 1078, where family tensions, political intrigue, and military challenges force William onto his back heel. And it all starts with the invasion of Dol... something that, in comparison with 1066, should be an easy victory for the aging Conqueror.

The hall exploded into chaos. The knights sitting outside of the firing line stared in shock, trying to process what was happening. Men stuck closer in tried to dive out of the way. The unlucky knights… the men standing right next to Robert when his brothers’ opinions came raining down… Well, they were screaming for vengeance. They wanted blood. And it’s hard to blame them. They were, after all, drenched.

The little guy's rebellion was about to get pretty big.

There was no getting around it. William had been humiliated. The Duke of Normandy and King of England had spent years mocking his son. He’d even recruited the upper crust of Norman society into using the cruel nickname “short pants” to describe Robert. When his son had rebelled, William doubled down on the disrespect, and started calling him Robin (a diminutive comment that was also a clear reference to both Robert’s size and belly). It was cruel, but also a pretty sick burn.

King Malcom and the Scots had spent the last several months raiding the northern reaches of England. They had murdered the English with impunity, took even more as slaves. But eventually they decided they had their fill and returned back to their homeland. And they took with them anything that hadn’t been  nailed down.

Northumbria was back at it again. The Continental Bishop turned Earl was dead. Most of his men lay slain at Gateshead, or BBQed in that Church. And any left alive were locked inside Durham Castle.

Norman interventionism into their neighbors was only just beginning… and the events at Mynydd Carn gave them just the excuse they needed. The post 442 – Mynydd Carn first appeared on The British History Podcast.

In this episode we delve into the tumultuous reign of King Gruffydd ap Cynan of Gwynedd and the political intricacies of William's relationship with Matilda and his ambitious half-brother, Bishop Odo. It is an intricate web of power struggles, betrayals, and shifting dynamics between church and state that will only grow more complex and dangerous.

Based on the e-mails I have been getting, some of you are having a hard time understanding why on god’s green earth did Odo think he could just trot down to Rome and become the new Pope.  The truth is he was less crazy than we might think, and I’m going to take a moment to explain the situation a little better. Partly because this becomes important to our story later on and partly because it’s hilariously messy. And I love mess.

Matilda was dead and now things were coming apart at the seams.

When we left off, things were looking pretty bad for William and William’s hope of a legacy. Maine was once again in rebellion against Normandy. But this time half of France seemed to be looking for an excuse to join them. Denmark was preparing an invasion of England … and even William’s brother-in-law, Count Robert […] The post 446 – Death and Taxes first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Europe at the end of the 11th century was a rapidly changing world and it is all going to have a profound impact on the history of Britain. I want you to really have a good understanding of what is going on here, and to do that I have been forced to go back and forth between simultaneous stories.

That's right, just like big pharma, we're giving out a free sample.

The story of William and the conquest has been a long road, and I’ve heard from some of you that this season has been challenging to listen to.   I get it.  No matter how awful William is he never seems to face any real consequences…

A New Shoptalk Just Dropped

This isn’t going to end well.   The post Chapter Eight – Twilight of the Anglo Saxons first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Ok, where were we? With all this focus on culture, it’s been a little bit since we last talked about the political situation in Britain.  So lets remind ourselves of where things were politically. The post 302 – King Eadred first appeared on The British History Podcast.

We can probably assume that Harald Fairhair, the King of Norway, had fantastic hair. It was either big, or really long, or super glossy, and it was almost definitely blonde. But it wasn’t the only trait he was known for. Harald Fairhair was also  known for getting around… and around… and around. According to records, […] The post 303 – Eric Bloodaxe first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Northumbria was always the hot mess of the heptarchy. There are a few exceptions where they manage to pull it together long enough to produce something important, like Bede, or when Leeds United won the premiership in 1991. The post 304 – A Kingdom Divided first appeared on The British History Podcast.

History is known as a field for being a bit of a slog. Tracing events, and people, and social movements through decades and centuries is a huge task and the results are usually dense at the best of times. But once in a while, in between all the battles and the politics and the dynasties, […] The post 305 – A Very Special BHP Valentine’s Day Episode first appeared on The British History Podcast.

The King is dead, long live the King. So … last episode was a bit of a shocker wasn’t it? After it launched, I got an email from a listener (who hilariously, is the daughter of a Judge that once scared the hell out of me in Court)… small world. Understandably, she was confused that […] The post 306 – King Eadwig first appeared on The British History Podcast.

The King is dead.  Long live the King. Eadwig, the 18 year old King known for his beauty, had died.  Somehow. The post 307 – Cleaning House first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Across the North Sea, in Scandinavia, a man named Harald Greycloak was struggling for dominance in the region.  He wasn’t just any man, he was a son of Erik Bloodaxe and Gunnhilde. And his fight brought him into direct conflict with King Haakon. The post 308 – A Thirst for Reform first appeared on The British History Podcast.

You would think that someone named Edgar the Peaceable enjoyed a good reputation. But the closer you look, the more things start to look…off. And if you look closer than that, you start to get the sense that maybe things WERE off. The post 309 – Size Doesn’t Matter (until it does) first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Human beings can’t really be summed up in a nickname. Usually we are more complicated than a word or two. And sometimes, the nickname just doesn’t reflect reality. If you take  Edward the Elder, for example, the name probably conjures up an image of Gandalf. But Edward was only in his early 50’s when he […] The post 310 – Political Theater first appeared on The British History Podcast.

King Edgar the Peaceable was buried at Glastonbury in 975. But weirdly that isn’t the end of his story. William of Malmesbury tells us that nearly a century later, in 1053, the Abbot Ailward re-opened the King’s tomb. Malmsbury doesn’t tell us WHY the monk opened the grave, so I suppose we can just assume […] The post 311 – Team Edward first appeared on The British History Podcast.

King Edgar is Dead… and in his place reigned his son, King Edward of England. And you’d think that we’d be referring to him as King Edward the First.  Or, if you wanted to fudge it a bit and give Edward the Elder some credit for forming the Kingdom of the Anglo Saxons… maybe King […] The post 312 – King Edward first appeared on The British History Podcast.

“No man can make himself king, but the people have the choice to choose as king whom they please; but after he is consecrated as king, he then has dominion over the people, and they cannot shake his yoke from their necks.”   The post 313 – How to Make a Martyr first appeared on The British History Podcast.

King Edward, like those before him, had died under mysterious and apparently violent circumstances. And the next in line for this increasingly bloody throne of England was his 12 year old little half-brother. Æthelred. The post 314 – Æthelred: Are You Ready? first appeared on The British History Podcast.

“Under AEthelred nothing was done; or, more truly, throughout his whole reign he left undone those things which he ought to have done, and he did those things he ought not to have done.”   That is the damning conclusion of  Edward Augustus Freeman, a Victorian historian, and epic beard grower. The post 315 – The Cracks in the Foundation first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Before we get back to our story, I’ve been seeing your conversations online and it made me realize I need to clarify something.   Some of you took the discussion of AEthelred’s unflattering nickname, and how he caught hell for some things that were out of his control or part of the common culture, and […] The post 316 – The Old Guard first appeared on The British History Podcast.

At 16 years old, King AEthelred was considered fully grown by Anglo Saxon standards. And as a bonus graduation present, the powerful Bishop AEthelwold of Winchester… who appears to have been the defacto head of state while AEthelred was a child… had died. The post 317 – A Culture of Corruption first appeared on The British History Podcast.

By 984 the Regency council had been broken and a new inner circle of nobles had been elevated.  And this development was accompanied by a rapid series of changes at the highest levels of the kingdom. The political rivals of this new council were rapidly losing power, with titles (and even lands) of wealthy dynasties […] The post 318 – Chaos is a Ladder first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Battles don’t appear out of thin air, not even in honor cultures. There’s a reason, a context, that develops long before soldiers or warriors enter a field prepared to do violence. And the Battle of Maldon comes with a lot of context. We left off in 988… and on that year, Archbishop Dunstan, who had […] The post 319 – The Battle of Maldon first appeared on The British History Podcast.

The Battle of Maldon was a catastrophe. The brave last stand of Ealdorman Byrhtnoth was never going to change that fact. He was the leading man of Essex and the second most powerful Ealdorman in England and now he was dead. And his Fyrd was defeated. The post 320 – Our Wooden Wall first appeared on The British History Podcast.

992 was a bad year. There was treason, Vikings, the King’s closest advisor absconded with half the navy, and tipped off an enemy invasion with just enough time to let them escape. The post 321 – Course Corrections first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Ealdorman AElfirc of Hampshire was out… and Ealdorman AEthelweard the Chronicler was in. He would now be the King’s chief councillor… and he would be supported by his son, AEthelmaer… the King’s uncle, High Reeve Ordwulf of Devon, and the King’s mother, AEthelthryth. The post 322 – We’re Absolutely Forked first appeared on The British History Podcast.

The Dowager Queen AElfthryth has returned to the King’s inner council following what looks like a political coup against AElfic of Hampshire and his faction. And just because it was political doesn’t mean it was bloodless. All of AElfric’s allies were dead.  Only AElfric himself, who appears to have been too big to fail, remained […] The post 323 – Brotherhood of the Wolf first appeared on The British History Podcast.

With the Scandinavian raiders gone, and with AElfric of Hampshire defanged, England was free to get back to work. And, as we saw last episode, this meant that the King was once again redistributing wealth from the have-a-lots to the have-even-mores. The post 324 – Law and Lawlessness first appeared on The British History Podcast.

When we left off, England was reforming its legal structure. Now, law isn’t known for being a sexy subject…neither are lawyers for that matter. But law shapes our societies in ways that are so fundamental that they are often invisible to us. And these reforms are no exception. These codes go on to transform English […] The post 325 – From Bad to Worse first appeared on The British History Podcast.

It’s so easy to lose the forest for the trees. This show is a show about one small island which, even at this part of the story, is still at the edge of civilization. It is very easy to forget that there is a whole other world out there…

Now that we’ve checked in with the rest of the world, let’s get back to our story…which lately hasn’t been going so well. In the space of 70 years the Kingdom went from a preeminent power in the West to little more than a viking hunting preserve.

The year 1002 was still 64 years away from 1066, but The House of Normandy had already begun a coup upon the Kingdom of England. The dynasty held only a minor Duchy, and for a fairly short amount of time, as it was only Duke Richard’s great grandfather Rollo who had established it.

When you go to your local grocery store there’s a pattern. You go down your usual aisles, grab your bread, your tea, that thing you know you’re not supposed to eat but do anyway because it is delicious and you have no self control.

The Court of AEthelred had turned over three times during his reign. First, there was his regency council. Then, when he took full power he replaced his regency council with his young friends and corrupt enablers. Then the old guard reasserted itself, along with the powerful Wulf dynasty of the midlands in the 990s.

AEthelred, for the first time in quite a while, had a chance for a breather. King Sweyn Forkbeard, having been paid a king’s ransom, had withdrawn his forces with a promise never to return.

So here we are. With two full companies of Jomsvikings laying waste to southern England… and in response, the nobility… the people tasked with defending the population and the Kingdom… decided that this was an excellent chance to fight among themselves, do a bit of pirating, and arrange a political marriage.

England in 1013 was a Kingdom begging to be conquered. Decades of bad decisions have eroded its foundations and now it sat as a mere shadow of its former glory. It had none of the military prowess established by King AEthelstan. None of the political stability enjoyed under King Edgar. And none of the smart planning created by King Alfred.

There are worse things than spending a holiday in Normandy. And one of those things is spending a holiday in Normandy because you just lost your entire Kingdom to the Danes.

Morcar and Sigeferth were under a lot of stress.

Christmas is old. Older than Christianity, in fact. As a consequence, there’s a lot to it. Symbols and traditions that come from all over the world, and from all across time. It’s a complex event that, predictably, can provoke a complex set of emotions from people.

Can you feel it? It feels like there is a lull before the storm. AEthelred Unread is now gone, and Normandy is now officially on the board. 1066 is on the doorstep.

Edmund hadn’t lost, and for now that was enough.

The fall of the House of Wessex and the rise of Cnut looks like a simple story of conquest. After all, it’s right there in the title. Virtually every book on this era has a chapter called “The Conquest of England.” And for good reason… Cnut /was/ a conqueror.

When we left off, Cnut had managed to get Eadric to go on the record calling for the execution of the English claimants to the throne… and then Cnut rejected the suggestion, and instead outlawed Eadwig, and exiled the sons of Edmund to Sweden.

Cnut made a lot of smart moves in a very short amount of time. He outlawed much of the corruption that had plagued the courts of AEthelred. He scrubbed his new kingdom of the loyalists to Edmund Ironsides. He granted key lands to key followers. Executed the main claimant to the throne, Eadwig. He executed Eadric Streona.

If you have heard of King Cnut, what you probably heard was the story of Cnut and the Tides. The most common version of it goes like this.

This is a story of palace intrigue, murder, and atypical alopecia… and it all begins where these things usually do… with a real estate transaction.

In the year of 1021, the Anglo Saxon Chronicle tells us two things. A Bishop died. And Thorkell the Tall was expelled from the country. And that’s all it tells us.

In the early 11th century, the English were crushed by the Scots in the Battle of Carham. We are told that King Malcolm of Scotland, supported by King Owain of Strathclyde, brought their combined armies to bear against the forces of Ealdorman Uhtred of Bernicia in 1018… and there, they slaughtered the English.

It’s 1025 Cnut had a problem on his hands. Barely a year after putting down Thorkell’s rebellion, Cnut was sailing for Denmark… again. To war, again.

What we call history was, at one point, just current events. And world affairs never happen in a vacuum. It’s never just one thing happening after another…

Europe was in chaos in the 1020s. Crises just kept coming, and the powerful were trying to capitalize on disorder. And in times like these, actions can have outsized impact, even the smaller ones.

Successful Kings don’t rule alone. This is especially true for Kings with as much going on as Cnut. And one of Cnut’s most influential right-hand men was actually his Queen. And Emma was more than just an advisor. She was wielding considerable power in her own right, power that likely expanded every time Cnut journeyed out of England. But Queen Emma wasn’t Cnut’s only wife.

We have another mystery on our hands. We have a missing year. And I don’t think it was because nothing was happening.

I wonder if Cnut could see what was coming. All the signs were in front of him. Everything was starting to line up. But was he actually putting it together?

It was November 11 of 1035 and King Cnut was dead. He was buried at Winchester Cathedral. Cnut, and likely the Court, seemed to anticipate his death. Possibly because he had been ill for some time. But the ruling classes of Europe were still completely unprepared for the chaos that followed.

The Medieval chronicler, Adam of Bremen, was writing at around this point in history and among the many things he tells us he also includes how Cnut planned his almost empire. And Adam tells us that Cnut intended Sweyn to rule Norway, Harthacnut to rule Denmark, and Harold Harefoot to rule England.

The death of Cnut and the fall of his near-Empire would obviously have impacts on his own dynasty. But while Harold was trying to secure England, Emma was trying to regain power, and poor Edward was trying to stay out of the whole mess, the political tsunami was roaring over the shores of the Irish Sea.

As we have been covering the Dark Ages, we have been at the mercy of the scribes. If they don’t write something down, there is almost no way for us to know about it. One of the biggest casualties in this dynamic has been Scotland.

Here is the story of Macbeth. If you have just tuned into this episode because of the title, know that it is the second episode in a two-part series. You will want to go to the previous episode, Double Double Toil and Trouble, and listen to that first. There you will learn about the peculiar region that spawned this shadowy highland King.

The early 11th century was an unlikely time of heroes. By heroes I unfortunately don’t mean people of good character and brave deeds, but just people who perform extraordinary feats for their time. One of these was the very first King of Wales, Gruffudd ap Llewelyn.

The death of Cnut caused a cascade of consequences that reached up to the tip of Scotland and even into the continent. It was an empire crumbling just as it had been born, and the kingdoms with in it (and neighboring it) were undergoing a rapid series of changes as Cnut’s empire came crashing down.

In 1040, England once again had a new King. But England was finding Harthacnut a tough pill to swallow.

In 1040, while England was dealing with the chaos of Harthacnut’s reign and the threat of yet another succession mess, Scotland was dealing with its own set of problems. The northern Kingdom just lost its king. And that wasn’t anything new for Scotland… their Kings rarely lasted long.

King Edward came to England with a political migraine.

History is just the story of humans across time. Therefore, like humanity, history is varied, it’s emotional, it’s complex. And often it’s just f*cking messy.

Piece by piece, the board was being set for a comeback. The Godwin family had been thrown from power decades ago. But Godwin knew how to be patient and grind it out. And now he was back on top, the second most powerful person in England.

Complex societies are able to do incredible things. By having an interconnected civilization, with people from all over the place contributing to it, people are able to specialize… and that specialization allows for entire classes of people who can do things that would be impossible if they had to meet their own basic needs all by themselves.

In 1050, Thorrfinn the Jarl of Orkney went to Rome. And on trip to Rome is complete without a visit with the Pope. And when Thorrfin had his meeting, we’re told that Pope personally absolved the Jarl’s sins.

The summer of 1051 must have felt like some sort of nightmare. A French aristocrat rode into Dover, picked a fight and then slaughtered the townsfolk. And that man’s cousin, the King of England, told the townsfolk’s lord (Earl Godwin of Wessex) to go back and finish the job...by butchering his own people on behalf of that French aristocrat.

Swegn Godwinson was exiled….again. Only this time it was for life. As that judgment came down, the Godwins must have realized they had been maneuvered into blind dependence on the King’s mercy.

This poem about Godwin and his children is found, not in the Chronicle, nor in a document dedicated to Godwin… but in the Vita AEdwardi… the Life of King Edward.

When you come at the King, you best not miss… and now the Godwins had the King of France and the Holy Roman Emperor acting as their surrogates while they were constructing no less than two invasion fleets just off of two separate English coasts … which means Edward probably realized he had went at the real King and missed.

Earl Godwin and his family were back, baby. Well, mostly.

Godwin was dead, and now Harold Godwinson found himself leading the family. Befitting this new role, he was due to inherit the wealthy and politically potent Earldom of Wessex. His father’s Earldom. And according to the Vita Edwardi, the Kingdom rejoiced at Harold’s impending promotion.

If I could interview one figure from this period, I think it would be Queen Edith. That woman had a WEIRD life. She was married off to a King. Then she watched that King try to destroy her family…As thanks she got stuffed into a nunnery by said King… then got to watch as her family utterly spanked the King in a pirate fuelled civil war. Was finally pulled out of the nunnery only to get dropped right back where she started. In the King’s bedchamber.

Earl AElfgar was having a rough time. The clergy and local lords of East Anglia had never really warmed up to him since his appointment to the post in 1053. Their loyalty to Harold went so deep that we can still see evidence of their loyalty to the House of Godwin in surviving records.

1055 had been an absolutely crazy year. But, for the Godwinsons, it hadn’t been all bad. Having clearly given up on King Edward, Queen Edith was now fully on team Godwinson and bending all of her political and diplomatic talent towards advancing her brother’s positions…and since then they’d made significant advancements with large numbers of lands coming under their family’s control.