Shows
Paranoid PlanetBonus Episode 8.5 "This Land is Whose Land?" Feat. Nations of Canada Podcast creator, Greg Koabel.The one where we discuss Canadian history, historical theory, historical films, a couple conspiracies, and why everyone hates Toronto, with Canadian historian and podcaster Greg Koabel.Click here to visit Greg's Nations of Canada Podcast homepage. Click here to read illustrated transcripts of Nations of Canada on Quillette.Click here to visit Greg's Early Stuart England podcast homepage. TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Introduction00:04:38 Interview with Greg Koabel00:48:52 End Credits00: 51:18 Outtakes(NOTE: None of these tim...
2024-09-0952 min
Early Stuart EnglandEpisode 2.19: The Court in Winter1643/1644Oxford is transformed from a sleepy university town into a royal court full of factional infighting.
2020-09-0547 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 2.18: The Hostmen1643/1644London spends a winter without coal from royalist-controlled Newcastle.
2020-08-2938 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 2.17: Presbyterians and Independents1643-44With the Scottish alliance providing added pressure, parliament finally divides into two factions on the religious question.
2020-08-2237 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 2.16: Combustions and Burnings1630-1643The limits of religious freedom are tested in the New England colonies. 380 years later a podcaster repeatedly fails to pronounce "Massachusetts".
2020-08-1548 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 2.15: The Solemn Oath and Covenant1643Parliament seeks an alliance with the Covenantor Scots, and in doing so, is forced into an uncomfortable clarification of its religious policy.
2020-08-0838 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 2.14: The Cessation1643In order to free up soldiers for the war in England, Charles orders the Marquis of Ormond (the commander of the government forces in Ireland) to negotiate a truce with the rebels of the Kilkenny Confederation.
2020-08-0131 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 2.13: The Lord of the FensSummer 1643In East Anglia, a local gentleman named Oliver Cromwell emerges as one of parliament's leading commanders.
2020-07-2537 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 2.12: GloucesterSummer 1643The royalists look to cap off a successful campaigning season by capturing Gloucester, the last parliamentary garrison blocking the entrance to South Wales.
2020-07-1837 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 2.11: News and PlotsSummer 1643The people of England read about a series of royalist plots and parliamentary defeats in a new genre of print material - the newsbook. London is torn between defeatism and a determination to see the war through.
2020-07-1142 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 2.10: A Great GameSummer 1643The royalists win a string of victories from Yorkshire in the north to Cornwall in the west. Charles seems poised to link up his disparate forces, and take the upper hand in the war.
2020-07-0440 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 2.9: The North1642-1643Outnumbered and divided, the parliamentarians of Yorkshire try to prevent the royalist army of the north from linking up with the King at Oxford.
2020-06-2737 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 2.8: War Without an Enemy1642-3Ralph Hopton and William Waller, two friends from their university days at Oxford, find themselves on opposite sides of the war in the West Country.
2020-06-2038 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 2.7: The Ancient Britons1642-3The King's Welsh subjects rally to his cause, turning the western borderlands into one of the key strategic theatres of the war.
2020-06-1336 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 2.6: Governing War1643After the inconclusive fighting in 1642, both King and parliament set about trying to accomplish something no government had so far achieved in early Stuart England - construct a state capable of successfully waging war.
2020-06-0633 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 2.5: The Search for Allies in Britain1642-3Both parliament and the King look to expand the war by drawing in allies from Scotland and Ireland.
2020-05-3040 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 2.4: The Search for Allies in Europe1642-3Queen Henrietta Maria travels to the continent in search of aid for the royalist cause. However, France and Spain are distracted by war, and she finds the Dutch deeply divided on English affairs.
2020-05-2337 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 2.3: Peace and TruthFall 1642After the inconclusive Battle of Edgehill, both parliament and the King come to grips with the fact that they are in a prolonged war.
2020-05-1644 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 2.2: EdgehillSummer 1642The Earl of Essex leads an army out of London, in search of the King. Meanwhile Charles scrambles to put together a force capable of meeting the rebels in battle.
2020-05-0938 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 2.1: IntroductionAs the title suggests, an introduction to the 1640s and 1650s, as well as some of the themes we'll be encountering. Looking forward to it!
2020-05-0241 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 105: Conclusions and QuestionsThank you to everyone who submitted questions, and to everyone who's listened to the show. Hope you stick around for the next 100 odd episodes!
2020-04-2534 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 104: But the Sign of a KingSummer 1642After weeks of clashes between rival mobilization efforts, Charles formally raises his banner at Nottingham Castle. The Civil War has begun.
2020-04-1842 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 103: Choosing SidesSpring 1642On the verge of a civil war, both Charles and parliament refine their ideological arguments and present them to an anxious public.
2020-04-1137 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 102: I Think I Should Know ThemWinter 1641/2After 16 months of concessions, Charles makes a stand and demands the impeachment of six Junto leaders in parliament.
2020-04-0436 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 101: Telling Stories to the PeopleWinter 1641With the raising of an Irish expeditionary force stuck in political gridlock, Charles and the Junto start to mobilize less formal military resources on the streets of London.
2020-03-2836 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 100: The Broken MenFall 1641Fearing the rise of Puritanism in both England and Scotland (and seeing an opportunity in the political chaos at Westminster) the Catholics of Ireland rise up.
2020-03-2137 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 99: King PymSummer/Fall 1641In the absence of the King, the Junto deals with a backlash against their radicalism, and reliance on the Scots.
2020-03-1430 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 98: The IncidentSummer/Fall 1641After three years of failing to find an English solution to his Scottish problem, Charles heads to Edinburgh to find a Scottish solution to his English problem.
2020-03-0734 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 97: Justice and ExecutionSpring 1641The political crisis escalates as Charles turns to a disgruntled army, and the Junto mobilize the crowd in London.
2020-02-2934 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 96: Stone Dead Hath No FellowSpring 1641The Junto faces its first test of unity - whether to seek the death, or just the political ruin of Thomas Wentworth.
2020-02-2236 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 95: The Triennial ActWinter 1641The Junto hopes that a popular bill requiring a parliament every three years will distract from their controversial religious alliance with the Presbyterian Scots. Charles works to ensure it does not.
2020-02-1540 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 94: The Long ParliamentFall 1640Less than 6 months after he dissolved the Short Parliament, Charles opens a new session at Westminster, the Long Parliament. This time the dissident peers and their Scottish allies hold all the cards.
2020-02-0831 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 93: Our Honest Ends1640Charles attempts to throw back the Scottish invasion, but finds that his efforts and undermined by collaborators within England.
2020-02-0135 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 92: A Wretched and Beggarly Condition1640After a failed parliament, Charles scrambles to prepare for another summer of war. Meanwhile the Scots make much better use of the winter truce.
2020-01-2531 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 91: The Short Parliament1640After an eleven year hiatus, a parliament once again opens at Westminster. While Charles hopes that the threat of a Scottish rebel army will inspire his subjects to be co-operative, a group of dissidents plays their own game.
2020-01-1837 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 90: Divide and Conquer1635-1640Thomas Wentworth uses threats and intimidation to cow the various factions in Irish society. As Charles prepares for the first parliament in 11 years, Wentworth comes home to try his methods in England.
2020-01-1135 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 89: The Two Kingdoms1639While a Scottish parliament confirms the legality of the Covenantor revolution, Charles decides to rally his English subjects with a parliament of their own.
2020-01-0432 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 88: The First Bishops' War1639Almost two years after the Prayer Book protests, Charles finally uses military power to suppress his unruly Scottish subjects. Or, at least tries to.
2019-12-2831 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 87: Preparations1639Scotland and England mobilize for war. Defying generations of precedent, Charles does so without the aid of a parliament.
2019-12-2133 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 86: The Theatre for These Kingdoms1638Charles finally starts treating the situation in Scotland seriously. However, he is torn between finding a political solution and a more direct, military one.
2019-12-1440 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 85: The Covenant1637-8In the absence of a coherent state response, the Scottish Prayer Book Rebellion morphs into a provisional government. At its core is the Covenant, a bold statement of religious and political principles.
2019-12-0731 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 84: A New Book1637Charles and William Laud attempt to impose an English-style Book of Common Prayer in Scotland. It does not go well.
2019-11-3032 min
Early Stuart EnglandEpisode 83: Moral Victories1637-8When Charles rejects their request for a parliament, the Providence Island gang decides to force the King's hand by challenging Ship Money collections in court.
2019-11-2328 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 82: Stigmata Laudis1637In an effort to stamp out Puritanism, William Laud has three religious radicals publicly mutilated.
2019-11-1632 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 81: The Politics of Culture1630-1636Charles encourages a flourishing of painting, poetry, and theatre that articulates and supports his larger ideological project.
2019-11-0935 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 80: Clash of the Titans1635-1636As France fully commits to the conflict on the continent, Charles hopes to take advantage by selling his Ship Money fleet to the highest bidder.
2019-11-0232 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 79: Remember Caesar1635The death of Lord Treasurer Richard Weston opens up a stiff competition at court to replace him. The outcome of the contest will shape future English policy.
2019-10-2630 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 78: Ship Money1634-1635Seeking to once again insert England into European geo-politics, Charles implements a revenue raising scheme to pay for a powerful navy - Ship Money.
2019-10-1933 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 77: The Fens1634A massive drainage project in the marshlands of East Anglia creates tensions between the Crown, local land owners, and commoners.
2019-10-1229 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 76: The UnDecay of Trade1634A peace-time trade boom creates new winners and losers among London's merchant oligarchs. Municipal power shifts from merchants doing business in the Netherlands to those exploiting markets in the Mediterranean and the East.
2019-10-0532 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 75: Managerial Overkill1633Charles visits Scotland to receive his crown and continue his father's religious reforms. Though he finds himself a stranger in his native land.
2019-09-2828 min
Early Stuart EnglandEpisode 74: Thorough1633Intent on turning Ireland into a profitable enterprise, Charles selects a new Lord Deputy - Thomas Wentworth, his top man in the north of England.
2019-09-2131 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 73: An Unspectacular Orthodoxy1633The newly elevated Archbishop of Canterbury, William Laud, puts his distinctive stamp on the English Church.
2019-09-1434 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 72: Paying the Bills1630-1633Having determined to work without parliament, Charles gets creative in extracting revenue from his subjects.
2019-09-0730 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 71: Reversing the Conquest1632As the Swedish King, Gustavus Adolphus, re-draws the map of Germany, Charles contemplates calling a parliament and re-joining the Protestant war effort.
2019-08-3131 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 70: The Lion in the North1630-1631The Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus overturns a decade of Catholic dominance in Germany, opening new diplomatic opportunities for England.
2019-08-2430 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 69: The Book of OrdersWinter 1631In the wake of widespread social unrest in 1629, England's property owning elites and the central government co-operate on the reform of county governance.
2019-08-1730 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 68: A Godly Community1630Squeezed out by William Laud's anti-Calvinist Church, the Calvinists of England struggle to adapt to their new circumstances. Some look to escape England altogether, and establish a new life in America.
2019-08-1030 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 67: Peace1630Rival pro-French and pro-Spanish factions race to make peace with England's enemies. In doing so, they establish the main division at court for the next few years.
2019-08-0333 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 66: Charles' New Crew1629As Charles turns away from parliaments, political influence shifts to a small group of people surrounding the King at court. These personalities, and their conflicts with one another, determine English politics for the next decade.
2019-07-2734 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 65: Conspiracy1629Facing insurrection in parliament, and riots throughout the kingdom, Charles suspects a co-ordinated conspiracy against his regime. A lengthy investigation uncovers troubling opposition to this rule.
2019-07-2035 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 64: Captain CarterSpring 1629As Charles deals with disorder on the floor of the House of Commons, unemployment and poor harvests spark riots and unrest throughout the kingdom.
2019-07-1331 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 63: The Funeral of ParliamentsWinter 1629Parliament reconvenes, in the hopes that the removal of Buckingham will solve the political problems of the past decade. However, the divisions in society run deeper than one man.
2019-07-0637 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 62: The Graces1625-1628In an effort to provide for the war-time defence of Ireland, Charles enters into negotiations with the Old English Catholics. A settlement emerges in the form of limited toleration for Catholics in exchange for a locally raised (and funded) army.
2019-06-2929 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 61: The Revocation1625-1628Charles learns to rule Scotland through trial and error. But the land of his birth is now a foreign nation that he struggles to understand.
2019-06-2239 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 60: I Am the ManSummer 1628With parliamentary subsidies in hand, and favourable diplomatic circumstances in Europe, Charles and Buckingham finally see light at the end of the tunnel.
2019-06-1534 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 59: Our Grievance of GrievancesSpring 1628Charles comes to a tentative agreement with his subjects. Parliament agrees to provide war funding in exchange for the King's acceptance of the Petition of Right (a declaration of the rights enjoyed by all English subjects).
2019-06-0837 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 58: The Crisis of ParliamentsSpring 1628The moderates on the Privy Council attempt to reconcile King and parliament, through a bill clarifying the rights of English subjects. Success depends on their ability to manage parliament.
2019-06-0137 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 57: The Five Knights' Case1627While the Duke of Buckingham wages war in France, the Forced Loan has its day in court. A group of 5 loan refusers dispute the King's right to detain them without charge, hoping to test the legality of extra-parliamentary taxation before the law.
2019-05-2539 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 56: Published by Authority1627The Duke of Buckingham exploits the burgeoning news industry to promote his military expedition to the Isle of Rhe in France. But despite the positive spin in the press, victory proves elusive.
2019-05-1745 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 55: The Forced Loan1626-1627Charles implements his "new counsels" and raises money outside of parliament. Within the Privy Council, a debate rages over whether this is a war-time emergency or the new normal.
2019-05-1140 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 54: The Non-Alliance1626Without any parliamentary subsidies, England is forced to sit on the sidelines during the campaigning season of 1626. However, Buckingham and Charles are active on the diplomatic front, as an attempted coup in France presents an opportunity.
2019-05-0436 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 53: New OpinionsSummer 1626After a disastrous parliament, Charles forges an alliance with the ceremonial, anti-Calvinist wing of the Church. His hope is that a more orderly Church will create a more orderly society.
2019-04-2731 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 52: I Took Him Not for A GodSpring 1626New accusations against Buckingham raise the stakes at Westminster. Charles is faced with either saving his chief minister, or securing funding for his war.
2019-04-2034 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 51: Common FameSpring 1626After a disastrous first 11 months of his reign, Charles opens his second parliament. As he prepares to swallow his pride and ask parliament for money to continue the war, a group sets their sights on the Duke of Buckingham as the price of co-operation.
2019-04-1334 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 50: ElectionsWinter 1626Across the kingdom elections to the House of Commons mark the beginning of a new parliament. Charles and Buckingham do their best to ensure government friendly representatives are selected from England's counties and boroughs. But other figures also carry weight in elections, particularly the Earl of Pembroke - an influential Calvinist with ambiguous loyalties to the government.
2019-04-0638 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 49: York HouseWinter 1626The Calvinist members of the Patriot Coalition give Charles and Buckingham one last chance to prove their dedication to the Protestant cause as a new session of parliament begins. At York House, the Duke of Buckingham hosts an informal conference to determine whether Arminianism will be tolerated in the English Church.
2019-03-3035 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 48: CadizFall 1625Delayed and underfunded due to the failed parliament, an English fleet sets sail for Cadiz. Their goal is to either raid the port, or capture the American treasure fleet before it can land. However, the expedition suffers from a lack of provisions and (after two decades of peace) inexperience.
2019-03-2336 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 47: The Plague ParliamentSummer 1625The Charles and Buckingham partnership take control of the kingdom after the death of James. However, their popular war program runs into problems in Charles' first parliament as the pair discovers that ruling is not as easy as it looks.
2019-03-1639 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 46: A New Spirit of LifeErnst von Mansfeld's mercenary army is paralyzed by conflicting orders from England. James directs Mansfeld to the Palatine, while Charles and Buckingham urge him towards Breda. The impasse is broken when the King suddenly falls ill.
2019-03-0931 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 45: England MobilizesAutumn 1624After using parliamentary pressure to get James to break off negotiations with Spain, Charles and Buckingham prepare for England's first war in a generation. But who and where England will be fighting remain open questions, capable of dividing Charles and Buckingham's political coalition.
2019-03-0232 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 44: The Patriot CoalitionSpring 1624Charles and Buckingham attempt to navigate their way through a parliament. They have to convince James to adopt a war policy without violating his jealously guarded prerogatives, while at the same time convincing parliament that they can trust the King. Standing in their way is the greatest advocate of peace, Lionel Cranfield, Earl of Middlesex.
2019-02-2339 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 43: The Blessed Revolution1623-1624Charles and Buckingham are met with popular celebrations upon their return to England. They immediately begin work assembling a popular anti-Spanish coalition in order to force James into war. Standing in their way are the entrenched interests of the court.
2019-02-1630 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 42: Escape from MadridSummer 1623Charles and Buckingham plot to return home from Madrid, by any means necessary. In the mean time, Buckingham plans a diplomatic break with Spain, and a re-branding of himself as the Protestant saviour of Europe.
2019-02-0928 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 41: MadridSpring 1623Charles and Buckingham arrive in Madrid, where they find themselves in over their heads in a world of geo-political intrigue. The men who had been picking through the marriage negotiations (John Digby, Earl of Bristol and Count-Duke Olivares) struggle to adapt to the new circumstances.Meanwhile, back in England, Buckingham's rivals take advantage of his absence, and challenge his political position.
2019-02-0232 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 40: The Trip to SpainThe Earl of Buckingham and Prince Charles embark on a secret voyage to Madrid to complete the marriage treaty between Charles and the Infanta of Spain. Confusion and fear reigns in England when the news breaks that the heir to the kingdom has walked into the heart of Spain.
2019-01-2629 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 39: The Spanish MatchAfter the failure of the 1621 parliament, James turns to a diplomatic solution to the crisis in Europe. He hopes to use a royal marriage between his son Charles, and the Spanish Infanta (Princess Maria Anna) to broker a peace in the Empire. However, this plan meets with popular resistance in England, where anti-Catholic and anti-Spanish sentiment runs high.
2019-01-1935 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 38: The Irish Commission1622The Earl of Buckingham and Lionel Cranfield (Earl of Middlesex) battle for supremacy in Ireland. After Cranfield managed to convince James to set up a commission to investigate corruption in Ireland, and Buckingham does his best to undermine the project.
2019-01-1230 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 37: The Miserable Combustion of WarAutumn 1621After receiving the support of his subjects in the spring session of parliament, James tries one last time to solve the European crisis through diplomatic pressure. When he fails, an emergency fall session of parliament reveals the fragility of England's unity.
2019-01-0533 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 36: ImpeachmentEarly 1621As England faces war in Europe and an economic crisis at home, parliament meets for the first time in seven years. Francis Bacon advises James to build goodwill by allowing parliament to reform government before asking for money - a strategy that Bacon soon regrets.
2018-12-2938 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 35: The Decay of Trade1620Just as England is about to be sucked into the war in Europe, a mysterious trade recession strikes the kingdom. The Privy Council scrambles to find a solution.
2018-12-2233 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 34: Tobacco, Pirates, and God1619-1620Pushed out of mainstream politics because of their anti-Spanish views, a group of hard-line Calvinists take to international commerce. Competition with Spain on the high seas and around the globe provides them with an outlet, and a place to organize and prepare for the day James finally sees Spain as the enemy.
2018-12-1531 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 33: The Crisis Broadens1620James scrambles to contain the Bohemian crisis despite the best efforts of his son-in-law Frederick. However, the Thirty Years' War becomes truly international with fighting in both Bohemia and western Germany.
2018-12-0833 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 32: The Winter King1618-1619A rebellion in Bohemia sends the Holy Roman Empire into religious and political turmoil. At the centre of events is James' son-in-law, Frederick V, elector of the Palatine.
2018-12-0137 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 31: The Synod of Dort1618-1619With a religious and political civil war brewing in the Netherlands, James intervenes to broker a settlement.
2018-11-2438 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 30: Lord Admiral Buckingham1618-1619Buckingham's reform team takes on their greatest challenge yet - cleaning up the navy. In doing so, Buckingham finds the identity that will define the rest of his career - Lord Admiral, the chief military office in the kingdom.
2018-11-1728 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 29: A Sin in the Prince1618Thomas Howard, the Earl of Suffolk, tries to beat Buckingham at his own game by placing a young, attractive man close to the King. Buckingham survives the attack and finally snuffs out the Howard faction. But anxieties about the nature of James' relationships with his favourites grow.
2018-11-1026 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 28: The Wild West1607-1617In the years since the Flight of the Earls, Ireland becomes a hot bed of corruption for court figures in England. This process only speeds up with the rise of George Villiers, Earl of Buckingham.
2018-11-0330 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 27: The Kirk1603-1617Despite his absence in England, James continues to pursue his project of reforming the Scottish Church. In the summer of 1617 he returns to his native land to oversee the return of bishops as important players in Scottish governance.
2018-10-2731 minEarly Stuart EnglandEpisode 26: The Villiers Machine1617George Villiers, now Earl of Buckingham, begins creating a political network. In exchange for royal offices, Buckingham demands marriage into the large Villiers family. However, his aggressive exploitation of both public service and the institution of marriage draws criticism.
2018-10-2028 min