The History of England

Through the late 1430's and early 1440's the situation in Normandy got no better, Alice Chaucer until a failed expedition convinced Henry and Suffolk that peace was required at any price. And the result was the Treaty of Tour and a royal marriage. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

In December 1431, Henry VIth became the only king of England crowned king of France in France. Which sounds great. But in fact it was a sign of English weakness than English strength. And at Arras things got substantially worse. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

In 1428, the English were still sweeping all before them. Then came a figure so famous, that she was selected by Bill and Ted for their history project - and what greater recognition can there be than that?  For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

There's really often little practical difference between what we call politics and some of what we call crime. Essentially it the history of the struggle for power by a bunch of aristocratic families. And a smidgen of life on the Borders.  acast.com/privacy

While Bedford and talented commanders like Salisbury were alive, the cause of the English in France was far from dead. But in 1423, buoyed by the arrival of the Scots, the French launched a fresh campaign into Normandy, and quickly took the mighty town of Verneuil

An introduction to a new reign - Henry VIth, a name to make grown men tremble - and to the political leaders that dominated it.  For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

This week a guest episode on Wycliffe, Hus and their influence on the history of Bohemia. With many thanks to Pete Coleman from the Bohemican Podcast, and Travis Dow of the History of Germany podcast. 

Only 4% of women remained unmarried in the middle ages, and therefore for Harvestingboth men and women working life was a matter of team work. In towns in particular, women might find their opportunities for specialised work more limited than men, but not impossible - women like Margery Kempe showed how the mould could be broken. 

Henry's talents ran as much to managing his back yard as it did to war; this week how Henry organised his kingdom for war, and the last days of his life. Plus a guest bonus from Kevin Stroud and 'The History of English'.  For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

In 1420, Henry faced an uphill battle again; his negotiations had failed with both Dauphinists and Burgundians, and instead they'd patched it up. So he faced an alliance - Dauphinist, Armagnac, Orleanist, Burgundian - Scot - against the English. And then came a meeting on a bridge that changed everything

Henry Vth was the first monarch since Richard the Lion Heart to pay much attention to the English fleet. The experience of putting maybe as many as 1,500 ships onto the water to transport his army of 1415 to France made him realise that he needed a new solution.  

 By 1417, Henry had sorted out his support in England, and was able to launch a war of conquest in Normandy. After butchery at Caen, castles and towns fell, and by June 1418 the final and biggest prize stood before Henry - Rouen, second city of France. 

Medieval understanding of physiology had an impact on attitudes to sex, just as much as did the teachings of the church. Though who knows how much it had an impact on everyday life. And something about how childbirth fitted into community life, and rearing the outcome. 

As far as women were concerned, was 1066 generally a Good Thing, a Bad Thing - or just a Thing?  That's the main item of debate this week, along with a bit about marriage, and a toe-curling piece about how to get out of an unwanted marriage contract by proving your partner failed to live up to their, um, duties.

Being a medieval queen could be a hazardous business - find why, and how, by Melisende of Outremer, and visit Melisende's blog, www.womenofhistory.blogspot.com.