Henrietta Maria, the French Catholic wife of King Charles I of England, Scotland, and Ireland in the 17th Century, was called a “Popish brat of France” by her British subjects, blamed for the English Civil War, and seen as a mannish and heartless mother. The reality is, of course, much more nuanced. Henrietta Maria fiercely loved Charles and their children and fought to protect them in any way she could during a time of upheaval and violence. In this episode we push past the caricature of Henrietta Maria to see the real, complicated, person she was.

Joining me in this episode is historian and writer Leanda de Lisle, author of the new book, Henrietta Maria: The Warrior Queen Who Divided a Nation, which will be released in the United States on September 6, 2022.

Our theme song is Frogs Legs Rag, composed by James Scott and performed by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under Creative Commons. The episode image is “Henrietta Maria,” painted by Anthony van Dyck, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

 

Additional Sources:

• “Who was Henrietta Maria of France?” Royal Museums Greenwich
• “Henrietta Maria, Queen Of Great Britain (1609-69),” Royal Collection Trust
• “Queen Henrietta Maria,” Merton College Oxford
• “English Civil Wars,” History.com 
• “The English Civil Wars: History And Stories,” English Heritage
• “British Civil Wars,” National Army Museum

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