All of those promises Rufus made to be a better man had finally convinced God.  After about two months of being bedridden, the King finally recovered from his mysterious illness.  And now that the Divine had delivered its side of the bargain… well, there was really no point to any of those promises anymore. So […]

The post 466 – The Bachelor first appeared on The British History Podcast.

Rufus was once again the only brother in England.

The post 465 – Anselm Arrives first appeared on The British History Podcast.

2024 went out swinging.

The post A Quick Update (ft. Nazgûl) first appeared on The British History Podcast.

We don’t really know precisely what Henry got up to once he fled Mont Saint Michel. What few records we have are incomplete and some contradictory.  But from those records we /are/ able to glean some details… and when we take the accounts in total, what immediately becomes clear is that, just because Henry was […]

The post 464 – Rufus’ Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Campaign first appeared on The British History Podcast.

After Robert kicked Henry out of Rouen, the Duke tried to restabilize his position in Normandy. And his first move was to make an alliance with Robert of Belleme. 

The post 463 – Finding Out first appeared on The British History Podcast.

You’ve probably heard the phrase “it takes money to make money,” and while usually the person telling you that is just trying to sell you something you don’t need….there is some truth to it. At least in the way our economy works. It’s also true of how feudal economies worked.

The post 462 – Defenestration Nation first appeared on The British History Podcast.

We’ve been spending a lot of time with Rufus and Robert. And that was the way things were back in the 11th century, too.  Rufus and Robert got the attention, while Henry… the youngest, and apparently most forgettable brother… was often left out.  And this reality was made most clear when their father died… and, […]

The post 461 – Destabilizing a Nation: A How-To Guide first appeared on The British History Podcast.

It’s one of the most famous landmarks in the world. The White Tower, or more recently, the Tower of London. If you’ve visited London you likely took time to go see it.

The post 460 – The White Tower first appeared on The British History Podcast.

With Count Henry and Robert of Belleme imprisoned under his tender care, Bishop Odo had free rein to guide the impressionable Duke Robert in whatever direction he wanted.  And he had a direction in mind.

The post 459 – Lashing Out first appeared on The British History Podcast.

The last two episodes have been focused on how King William Rufus handled the aftermath of the rebellion, and the political moves being made.  But Rufus didn’t exist in a vacuum… and across the Channel, his brothers were also making moves.

The post 458 – Henry’s Story first appeared on The British History Podcast.