In 1680 and 1681, Shaftesbury led an increasingly shrill and effective campaign, asppeling to popular opinion to force Charles into calling a new parliament. There he could be forced to learn about the power of the exlusionist movement which could be brought to bear. But Charles would learn a different lesson, and at Oxford in 1681, would start his own campaign. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
446 The Popish Plot
03/05/2026 | 40 mins.
In 1678 a fantasist and charlatan, Titus Oates, made a series of wild and dramatic accusations of a Catholic plot to assasinate the king. A series of extraordinary co-incidences seemed to confirm his accusations, and the public mood became hysterical. The fevered atmosphere gave wings to a new political objective - to exclude James from the succession. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
445 Carnage
19/04/2026 | 44 mins.
In 1677, Danby finally seemed to have cracked Charles' problem with parliament - until a diplomatic game of will-he-won't-he in the Anglo Dutch war rose to the level of farce, and derailed everything. In the middle of it all - a 15 year old girl was pushed weeping into a highly significant marriage for which she had no wish Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
444 Danby's New Way
05/04/2026 | 45 mins.
Thomas Osborne, Earl of Danby had a plan as Charles' new 'Prime Minister', to repair the damage from the disastrous Third Anglo Dutch War. To rebuild his master's prestige on the pillars of financial stability, and Anglican alliance, and alliance with the Dutch. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
443 Charles' Great Game
29/03/2026 | 45 mins.
In 1672, Charles sought to put the Treaty of Dover into operation; to join Louis XIV in making war on the Dutch Republic. The plan was to replace de Witt's government with William of Orange as Stadholder, capture key Zealand ports for England, and secure further financial support from Louis. And thus have a free hand with parliament. All that was needed was victory at sea for the Anglo French fleet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This my re-telling of the story of England. I aim to be honest, and rigorous - but always loving of my country's history. It is a regular, chronological podcast, starting from the end of Roman Britain. There are as many of the great events I can squeeze in, of course, but I also try to keep an eye on how people lived, their language, what was important to them, the forces that shaped their lives and destinies, that sort of thing. To listen free of adverts, support the podcast, access a library of 150+ hours of shedcasts of me warbling on, and get new shedcasts every month, why not become a member at https://thehistoryofengland.co.uk/become-a-member ? You know it makes sense... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
New Zealand