In the 1640s, Matthew Hopkins gave himself the grandiose title of Witchfinder General and set himself the task of purging England of witches. But where did his obsession come from and why did he adopt this monstrous role? 
In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to playwright Joanna Carrick, whose new work The Ungodly at the Avenue Theatre in Ipswich, explores these very questions.
This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.
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Origins of the Witchfinder General

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks about everything from the Aztecs to witches, Velázquez to Shakespeare, Mughal India to the Mayflower. Not, in other words, just the Tudors, but most definitely also the Tudors. Each episode Suzannah is joined by historians and experts to reveal incredible stories about one of the most fascinating periods in history.

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Society & Culture

The acclaimed TV series Shogun, now screening on Disney+, is based on true events. Its main character John Blackthorne is modelled on William Adams, the English pilot of a Dutch ship that arrived on Japanese shores in 1600 with a handful of survivors.
In this episode of Not Just the Tudors - suggested by listener Lucy Canning - Professor Suzannah Lipscomb finds out more about the real history behind Shogun with Giles Milton, best-selling author of Samurai William: The Adventurer Who Unlocked Japan.
This episode was edited by Ella Blaxill produced by Rob Weinberg.
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Shogun: The Real First English Samurai

Fans of historical fiction and crime novels have been saddened to learn of the recent death of the award-winning, best-selling author C.J. Sansom, just days before the release of Shardlake - the TV series based on his Tudor barrister detective novels.
In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb pays tribute to a fine author, and a fine fictional creation with the writer and journalist Antonia Senior. 
This episode was edited by Ella Blaxill produced by Rob Weinberg.
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Shardlake and its Creator C.J. Sansom

**This episode contains conversation about sexual behaviour**
In early modern Europe, acting upon same-sex desires was forbidden.  We only know of many of the cases because of records of criminal trials. But the evidence of the past does not suggest that we can easily find a straightforward match for modern concepts of homosexuality.
In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Sir Noel Malcolm, whose acclaimed new book Forbidden Desire in Early Modern Europe, demonstrates that the practice of sexuality not only varies across time but, in early modern Europe, it varied across geography. 
This episode was edited by Ella Blaxill and produced by Rob Weinberg.
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Forbidden Desire in Early Modern Europe

Sir Walter Raleigh remains one of the most famous men of the Elizabethan era. He was a true Renaissance man - a statesman, soldier, writer, explorer and a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I.  In 1594, Raleigh heard about the legendary golden city of El Dorado and, the following year, explored what is now Guyana and eastern Venezuela in search of it.  In his account of the expedition, Raleigh made exaggerated claims as to what had been discovered, contributing to the enduring El Dorado legend, and his own celebrity. 
In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, first released in May 2022, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to writer and historian Mathew Lyons about Raleigh, his dream of finding El Dorado, and the epic scale of his failure.
This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.
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Walter Raleigh’s Quest for El Dorado

In 1603, Queen Elizabeth I died and King James VI of Scotland, became King James I of England.  Elizabeth was a hard act to follow for the Scottish newcomer who faced a host of problems in his first years as king: not only the legacy of his predecessor but also unrest in Ireland, serious questions about his legitimacy on the English throne, and even plots to remove him. 
In this episode of Not Just the Tudors - recorded in front of a live audience at the Gloucester History Festival - Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Professor Susan Doran, about how, contrary to traditional assumptions, James's accession was by no means a smooth one.
This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.
Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code TUDORS - sign up here >
You can take part in our listener survey here >

Origins of the Witchfinder General

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