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Talking Tudors

Talking Tudors

Natalie Grueninger 100 Episodes Jun 18, 2026

A podcast for lovers of Tudor history, hosted by Natalie Grueninger. Each episode delves into the lives, events, and intrigues of the Tudor dynasty, offering insights and stories from this fascinating period.

Episodes

Episode 350 - Edmund Spenser's 'The Faerie Queene' with Cait Murphy-Hurrell Jun 18, 2026 3177 Natalie Grueninger interviews Cait Murphy-Hurrell about Edmund Spenser's 'The Faerie Queene', exploring the poem's rich allegory, its portrayal of villainous women and otherness, and how Spenser reflects Elizabethan politics, religion, and his experiences in Ireland. Check out Cait's Substack! https://caitmurphyhurrell.substack.com/ Visit 'The Renaissance Academy' https://therenaissanceacademic.co
Episode 349 - The Life & Works of Erasmus with Amy McElroy Jun 13, 2026 2812 Host Natalie Grueninger interviews historian Amy McElroy about Desiderius Erasmus, exploring his mysterious early life, education, travels across Europe, and key works such as 'Praise of Folly' and his Greek-Latin New Testament. The conversation covers Erasmus’s influence on Tudor education and humanism, his relationships with Thomas More and Martin Luther, and his complex legacy as a Catholic ref
Episode 348 - A New History of Tudor England with Professor Nandini Das Jun 7, 2026 1814 Professor Nandini Das explores how Tudor and Stuart England were shaped by movement, exchange, and diverse individuals—artists, scholars, missionaries, and sailors—whose lives challenge the idea of a sealed island nation. Through four vivid case studies (the court miniaturist Levina Teerlinc from Bruges, the roaming thinker Giordano Bruno, the missionary Thomas Stevens in Goa, and William Adams in
Episode 347 - Rethinking the Wives of Henry VIII with Jessica Carey-Bunning May 31, 2026 2761 Host Natalie Grueninger talks with historian Jessica Carey-Bunning about her book 'The Wives of Henry VIII', presenting fresh archival research and new perspectives on each queen. They discuss Catherine of Aragon’s finances after annulment, Anne Boleyn’s use of dress and image, Jane Seymour’s complex reputation and faith, Anne of Cleves’ later life, Catherine Howard’s queenship, and the contested
Episode 346 - Anne Boleyn: Reputation, Revolution, Religion with Martha Tatarnic May 24, 2026 3214 Natalie Grueninger interviews Martha Tatarnic about her new book on Anne Boleyn, exploring how Anne shaped the English Reformation, championed the English Bible, and influenced church leadership through key appointments. The conversation also examines how Anne's reputation has been distorted over time, why the stories we tell about historical women matter today, and how recovering silenced voices
Queen Anne Boleyn's Imprisonment Through the Eyes of William Kingston with Natalie Grueninger & Dr Owen Emmerson May 17, 2026 5503 Natalie Grueninger is in conversation with Dr Owen Emmerson about five surviving letters written by William Kingston during Anne Boleyn’s imprisonment in May 1536. They examine Kingston’s eyewitness details—Anne’s moods, her conversations with attendants, mentions of Henry Norris, Mark Smeaton and George Boleyn—and the damaged Cotton manuscripts used alongside later transcriptions. The episode tra
Episode 344 - Bess of Hardwick: An Elizabethan Magnate with Dr Wyn Derbyshire May 11, 2026 1993 Host Natalie Grueninger interviews Dr Wyn Derbyshire about the remarkable life of Bess of Hardwick — her uncertain origins, four marriages, sharp business sense, and rise to becoming the second-richest woman in England. The episode explores her building projects (Hardwick and Chatsworth), estate management, and relationships with Queen Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots. Learn more about Dr Derb
Episode 343 - Inside the Scriptorium: Medieval Manuscripts and their Makers with Dr Sara Charles May 4, 2026 2964 In this episode host Natalie Grueninger speaks with Dr Sara Charles about the production of medieval manuscripts, her hands-on experiments with parchment, inks and pigments, and her book 'The Medieval Scriptorium'. They explore the evidence for where manuscripts were made, the people and long supply chains behind their materials, the evolution of scripts and decoration, and the everyday details th
Episode 342 - The House of Boleyn with Professor Tracy Borman Apr 26, 2026 2013 Host Natalie Grueninger talks with historian and novelist Professor Tracy Borman about her new novel, 'The House of Boleyn', the rise and fall of the Boleyn family, and Hever Castle as the book’s intimate setting. They explore lesser-known figures like Margaret Butler and Jane Boleyn, plus the servants and daily life that shaped the family. The conversation also covers Borman’s research process, h
Episode 341 - Henry VII & the Founding of the Tudor Dynasty with Dr Sean Cunningham Apr 12, 2026 4519 Host Natalie Grueninger speaks with Dr Sean Cunningham about Henry VII’s unlikely path from exile to king, the political alliances and myths he used to secure power, and the major challenges of his reign, including rebellions and pretenders. They explore Henry’s strategies for legitimacy, his marriage to Elizabeth of York, the role of Margaret Beaufort, and how Tudor symbolism and governance shape
Episode 340 - The Pretender Who Shook the Throne: Jo Harkin on Lambert Simnel Apr 5, 2026 1980 Author Jo Harkin joins Talking Tudors to discuss her novel 'The Pretender', which imagines the life of Lambert Simnel — a farm boy thrust into Yorkist plots, crowned in Dublin, and swept through courts from Oxford to Burgundy and Ireland. Jo explains her five-year research process, the vivid locations and powerful women who inspired her, and her approach to balancing historical fact with imaginati
Episode 339 - The Life of Margaret of Austria: Queen, Princess & Regent with Dr Natalie Donnell Mar 29, 2026 2588 In this episode of Talking Tudors, host Natalie Grueninger speaks with historian Dr Natalie Donnell about the life and career of Margaret of Austria. Born in Burgundy and raised at several European courts, Margaret was the long-serving regent of the Netherlands. The conversation covers Margaret’s education under powerful women, her role raising and supporting Charles V, her diplomatic success in t

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