Jeevun Sandher and I discuss some highlights from the story of how England and Britain made itself into a modern democracy, and some of the contribution it made towards the development of the modern world

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The war with The Netherlands in 1665 ended on a low, with the Thames blockaded. Poor London - trade was devastated by war, trade was devastated by plague. Hopefully 1666 would be better, as the royal court rumbled back into town. Money was short, but still a fleet was sent out into the Channel, as the good people of London started to rebuild their lives and their businesses. Nothing could be as bad as 1665.

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In May 1665, worrying reports of plague cases crop up inside the walls of London; by June the summer heat was oppressive and it became clear - the plague had returned. Charles and his court left to terrorise Oxford while Londoners died; in plague-stricken Eyam, the villagers cut themselves off to protect their neighbours

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It is possible that Charles and his Privy Council didn't necessarily want war - certainly Clarendon did not; but they were prepared to rattle the sabre and man the brink to try and force trade consessions which some unprovoked acts of agression.But they allowed themselves to be diplomatically isolated, and Johan de Witt was not scared - he had the world's most powerful navy, pots of money, and a French alliance. And so the Second Anglo Dutch war was joined. 

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Gavin Whitehead of the Art of Crime Podcast tells us the story of the art historian, soviet spy and traitor - Anthony Blunt

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In 1661 fresh elections brought together another Long Parliament. This, the Cavalier parliament, would sit, off and on, for 18 years. It was not inspired by a spirit of compromise. The programme they introduced tried very hard to squish the horrid innovations of the revolutionary period back into the bottle, and search for the uniformity and 'natural' order of things that seemed to have been lost.

For maps, resources, transcripts or to become a member, head for https://thehistoryofengland.co.uk. (Please note the 'the' part!)

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The new version of the History of England Members’ App (Coming December 7th 2025) has everything in one place:

Why use the History of England App?

The app is a podcatcher dedicated to the History of England has everything in one place:

• Members shedcasts are split into series making it easier to find what interests you in the big library of episodes
• You can play each series easily start to finish without needing to create a queue or search for them on the feed (though you can create queues and download lists too!)
• you have access to the advert-free History of England
• You will find all History of England series and shedcasts in one place

This update makes it:

• Quick and easy to install the link to your mobile device’s homepage
• Improved management – send episodes to a queue, or to a download manager for offline listening
• Improved playback tools – choose speed, fast forward, scrub forward & back, pause

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In 1660 the King returned and immediately sought to rebuild the damaged prestige of the Crown. And in popular memory, Charles II's reputation has been among the best - the Merrie Monarch, a polymath and breath of fresh air that brought back the joy. The episode covers the king's return, his character and historical reputation - and the Restoration settlement in Ireland and Scotland.

For maps, resources, transcripts or to become a member, head for https://thehistoryofengland.co.uk. (Please note the 'the' part!)

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In this first episode of Series 9, a a chance to talk about some of the themes which will drive our period of 1660 to 1715. The continuing role of religion in politics, the Rage of Parties, the varying fortunes and influences of the Three Kingdoms, the growing involvement of Britain in European conflict. But most of all a growing transformation of society, the age of improvement, the 'crucible of modernity' - the English Enlightenment.

For maps, resources, transcripts or to become a member, head for https://thehistoryofengland.co.uk. (Please note the 'the' part!)

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Throughout Europe, nations made sweeping social changes, driven the demands of war, the ideas of Absolutism and the growing belief in reason and improvement. This is the age of many of the great names of European history - Louis the Sun King, Peter the Great. It saw the ending of Spanish hegemony- and start of the French. And so - here it is, in this episode, a whistle stop tour of monarchs, mayhem, and madness.

For maps, resources, transcripts or to become a member, head for https://thehistoryofengland.co.uk. (Please note the 'the' part!)

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