In Our Time

The Siege of Munster


Listen Later

Melvyn Bragg and guests Diarmaid MacCulloch, Lucy Wooding and Charlotte Methuen discuss the Siege of Munster in 1534-35.In the early 16th century, the Protestant Reformation revolutionised Christian belief. But one radical group of believers stood out. The Anabaptists rejected infant baptism and formal clergy, and believed that all goods should be held in common. They were also convinced that the Second Coming was imminent.In 1534, in the north-western German city of Munster, a group of Anabaptists attempted to establish the 'New Jerusalem', ready for the Last Days before the coming Apocalypse. But the city was besieged by its ousted Prince-Bishop, and under the reign of its self-appointed King, a 25-year-old Dutchman called Jan van Leyden, it descended into tyranny. Books were burned, dissenters were executed and women were forced to marry. As starvation spread, King Jan lived in luxury with his 16 wives. The horrors of Munster have resonated through the European memory ever since. Diarmaid MacCulloch is Professor of the History of the Church at the University of Oxford; Charlotte Methuen is University Research Lecturer in Ecclesiastical History at the University of Oxford and Lecturer in Church History and Liturgy at Ripon College Cuddesdon; Lucy Wooding is Lecturer in Early Modern History at King's College, London.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

In Our TimeBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6

4.6

5,080 ratings


More shows like In Our Time

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,601 Listeners

The LRB Podcast by The London Review of Books

The LRB Podcast

300 Listeners

Business Daily by BBC World Service

Business Daily

524 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,054 Listeners

World Business Report by BBC World Service

World Business Report

295 Listeners

History Extra podcast by Immediate Media

History Extra podcast

3,219 Listeners

In Our Time: History by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: History

1,880 Listeners

In Our Time: Philosophy by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: Philosophy

863 Listeners

In Our Time: Culture by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: Culture

611 Listeners

In Our Time: Science by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: Science

730 Listeners

In Our Time: Religion by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: Religion

274 Listeners

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4 by BBC Radio 4

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4

2,116 Listeners

Great Lives by BBC Radio 4

Great Lives

478 Listeners

Dan Snow's History Hit by History Hit

Dan Snow's History Hit

4,796 Listeners

The Life Scientific by BBC Radio 4

The Life Scientific

235 Listeners

Evil Genius with Russell Kane by BBC Sounds

Evil Genius with Russell Kane

361 Listeners

Have You Heard George's Podcast? by BBC Sounds

Have You Heard George's Podcast?

232 Listeners

Elis James and John Robins by BBC Radio 5 Live

Elis James and John Robins

326 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,197 Listeners

The Ancients by History Hit

The Ancients

3,299 Listeners

The Rest Is History by Goalhanger

The Rest Is History

15,474 Listeners

Gone Medieval by History Hit

Gone Medieval

1,865 Listeners

Not Just the Tudors by History Hit

Not Just the Tudors

2,064 Listeners

Sport's Strangest Crimes by BBC Radio 5 Live

Sport's Strangest Crimes

68 Listeners

Uncanny by BBC Radio 4

Uncanny

832 Listeners

Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley by BBC Radio 4

Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley

516 Listeners

Empire by Goalhanger

Empire

2,470 Listeners

Believe in Magic by BBC Sounds

Believe in Magic

622 Listeners

The Global Story by BBC World Service

The Global Story

333 Listeners

Miss Me? by BBC Sounds

Miss Me?

259 Listeners

The History Podcast by BBC Radio 4

The History Podcast

65 Listeners

Rory Stewart: The Long History of... by BBC Radio 4

Rory Stewart: The Long History of...

77 Listeners

Havana Helmet Club by BBC Sounds

Havana Helmet Club

2 Listeners