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The British History Podcast podcast

The British History Podcast

The BHP is a chronological retelling of the history of Britain with a particular focus upon the lives of the people. You won’t find a dry recounting of dates and battles here, but instead you’ll learn about who these people were and how their desires, fears, and flaws shaped the histories of England, Scotland, and Wales.

The BHP is a chronological retelling of the history of Britain with a particular focus upon the lives of the people. You won’t find a dry recounting of dates and battles here, but instead you’ll learn about who these people were and how their desires, fears, and flaws shaped the histories of England, Scotland, and Wales.

 

#449

428 – Tightening the Grip

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. ... Read more

12 Sep 2023

33 MINS

33:48

12 Sep 2023


#448

427 – Hereward: Back Into the Mist

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

28 Aug 2023

41 MINS

41:06

28 Aug 2023


#447

426 – Everyone Has Their Limits

The once mighty Godwinson dynasty was gone… ... Read more

21 Aug 2023

47 MINS

47:56

21 Aug 2023


#446

425 – Hereward: The Fall of Ely

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. ... Read more

07 Aug 2023

50 MINS

50:19

07 Aug 2023


#445

424 – Hereward: ft. Judas Priest

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. ... Read more

27 Jul 2023

33 MINS

33:32

27 Jul 2023


#444

423 – Hereward: The Lion, The Witch, and the War Hero

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 […] ... Read more

07 Jul 2023

25 MINS

25:44

07 Jul 2023


#443

422 – Hereward: The Man, the Myth, The Legend

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. ... Read more

28 Jun 2023

42 MINS

42:36

28 Jun 2023


#442

421 – The Wake at Ely

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. ... Read more

20 Jun 2023

33 MINS

33:44

20 Jun 2023


#441

420 – The Wake and the Earl

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

09 Jun 2023

38 MINS

38:25

09 Jun 2023


#440

419 – The Wake at Peterborough

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 […] ... Read more

26 May 2023

37 MINS

37:29

26 May 2023


#439

418 – God’s Chosen

When we left off, William (satisfied with the damage he had inflicted upon the people of the North) marched south towards Chester. And as he rode off, King Malcolm III of Scotland took the opportunity to ravage what was left of Northumbria. ... Read more

12 May 2023

48 MINS

48:14

12 May 2023


#438

417 – The (far more than four) Horsemen

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. ... Read more

01 May 2023

39 MINS

39:53

01 May 2023


#437

New Member’s Episode on the Wild Hunt

No Description ... Read more

24 Apr 2023

03 MINS

03:06

24 Apr 2023


#436

416 – The Harrying of the North

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. ... Read more

17 Apr 2023

50 MINS

50:40

17 Apr 2023


#435

415 – Cry Me a River

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

24 Mar 2023

43 MINS

43:43

24 Mar 2023


#434

414 – The Uprising

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

17 Mar 2023

26 MINS

26:30

17 Mar 2023


#433

413 – The D

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

04 Mar 2023

42 MINS

42:38

04 Mar 2023


#432

412 – The B Word

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. ... Read more

18 Feb 2023

33 MINS

33:17

18 Feb 2023


#431

411 – Tell it to St. Peter

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. ... Read more

11 Feb 2023

28 MINS

28:59

11 Feb 2023


#430

New Members Episode and a Site Update

No Description ... Read more

03 Feb 2023

01 MINS

01:06

03 Feb 2023


#429

410 – The F Word

They appeared as if from nowhere.  A great force of men and horses… armed to the teeth… charging towards the city of York.    Where the fuck did this army come from?  And who was that in the back?  Was… was that William the Bastard?  He was supposed to still be in Normandy. ... Read more

27 Jan 2023

27 MINS

27:08

27 Jan 2023


#428

409 – The First Sparks

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. ... Read more

20 Jan 2023

25 MINS

25:53

20 Jan 2023


#427

408 – Kerosene

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

14 Jan 2023

35 MINS

35:25

14 Jan 2023


#426

407 – Robbing the Hood

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. ... Read more

06 Jan 2023

43 MINS

43:48

06 Jan 2023


#425

406 – King’s Rook Takes Pawn

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. ... Read more

02 Dec 2022

37 MINS

37:48

02 Dec 2022


#424

405 – Hereward the Wake: The Bourne Identity

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. ... Read more

17 Nov 2022

1 HR 03 MINS

1:03:00

17 Nov 2022


#423

404 – The Coronation of Queen Matilda

Gytha and her supporters had fled into the Severn Estuary, and it was the final nail in the coffin of the Exeter rebellion. With no help coming, they were forced to negotiate a peace. But this wasn’t exactly a victory for William, either. He’d been on the throne for scarcely over a year, and he’d […] ... Read more

03 Nov 2022

31 MINS

31:29

03 Nov 2022


#422

403 – The Siege of Exeter

Exeter stood in open defiance against William and his army. ... Read more

20 Oct 2022

33 MINS

33:42

20 Oct 2022


#421

402 – Fire Sale

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. ... Read more

24 Sep 2022

44 MINS

44:24

24 Sep 2022