Not Just the Tudors

The famous saying "I think, therefore I am" was the cornerstone of the philosophy of Rene Descartes, who died 375 years ago this month at the age of 53. His groundbreaking ideas shaped Western though...

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb delves into the dramatic story of the first European encounters with the indigenous people of Australia. She's joined by Professor Alistair Paterson who sheds light on the ...

For our final foray into the shadowy Renaissance world of the Borgia Dynasty, we explore the enigma that was Lucrezia Borgia, whose life navigating a perilous patriarchal landscape was enmeshed in sca...

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb discusses the impact of the Little Ice Age, a period of significant cooling from the 15th to early 19th centuries that caused widespread famine, drought, and socio-economic...

In June 1497, Juan - or Giovanni - Borgia, favoured son of Pope Alexander VI, was found brutally murdered in the River Tiber. Who committed this heinous crime? Suspects ranged from his ambitious broth...

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb explores the lives of the cast of Tudor courtiers who appear in Wolf Hall, including Thomas Cromwell, Richard Rich, Thomas Howard and Eustace Chapuys. She's joined by Dr. L...

Cesare Borgia, one of history's most controversial figures, was known for his ruthless ambition and political cunning. From his dramatic rise to power through to his notorious military campaigns and t...

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb explores the dissolution of some 800 monasteries and nunneries by King Henry VIII, a campaign that dramatically reshaped England’s landscape and society.  Suzannah meets le...

In the 15th and early 16th centuries, one Spanish family rose to exert its influence over Renaissance Italy - the Borgias. Deploying diplomacy, marriage alliances and military force to advance their i...

Niccolo Machiavelli’s name has become synonymous with cunning, deceit and a lack of morality to achieve one's goals in politics or business. He was a pivotal figure of the Renaissance, who witnessed t...