The royal court isn’t exactly celebrating after the death of Joan of Arc. A dangerous liaison erupts between the widowed Queen of England, Catherine de Valois, and a Welsh suitor called Owen Tudor. 1430s England is not a safe place for the Welsh, let alone someone who risks muddying the royal lineage. It has become vanishingly thin after the death of King Henry V, and the crowning of nine-year-old King Henry VI as King of France hasn’t allayed the court’s fears about a fragile crown.

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Want to delve deeper? Become a This Is History Royal Favourite subscriber on Patreon, where you can listen to this week’s bonus episode with Dan and Producer Al. In this episode, they discuss the enduring legacy of Joan of Arc, and England’s anti-Welsh apartheid laws that came after the rebellions of Owain Glyn Dwr. Plus, you get ad free listening, exclusive behind the scenes videos, and lively chat rooms over at patreon.com/thisishistory

And don’t forget, you can now WATCH every This Is History episode on YouTube. Subscribe at youtube.com/@thisishistorypod 

–

A Sony Music Entertainment production. 

Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts 

To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email [email protected] 

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Written and presented by Dan Jones

Producer - Alan Weedon Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman

Executive Producer - Simon Poole 

Production Manager - Jen Mistri 

Production coordinator - Eric Ryan 

Mixing - Amber Devereux

Head of content - Chris Skinner

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You can now WATCH this episode over on YouTube at youtube.com/@thisishistorypod 

Henry VI now rules England… as a kid. As the adults take charge around him, the English war effort in France has been held together increasingly with a shoestring. But now the English have a new problem on their hands: a peasant girl who says she has God on her side. Her name is Joan of Arc.  

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Want to delve deeper? Become a This Is History Royal Favourite subscriber on Patreon, where you can listen to this week’s bonus episode with Dan and Producer Al. In this episode, they discuss the origins of Joan of Arc, and why England continued to pin its hopes on a seven-year-old. Plus, you get ad free listening, exclusive behind the scenes videos, and lively chat rooms over at patreon.com/thisishistory

–

A Sony Music Entertainment production. 

Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts 

To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email [email protected] 

Learn more about your ad choices. 

Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices 

–

Written and presented by Dan Jones

Producer - Alan Weedon Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman

Executive Producer - Simon Poole 

Production Manager - Jen Mistri 

Production coordinator - Eric Ryan 

Mixing - Amber Devereux

Head of content - Chris Skinner

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With Henry V gone, we kick off this new season with a baby on the throne and all the resulting complications that come with this complex scenario. Power is tussled over between the king’s uncles, as a new cast of figures come into play under Henry VI. Meanwhile, across the Channel a new problem begins to surface for the English in the iconic form of Joan of Arc.

You can now WATCH this episode over on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thisishistorypod

Want to delve deeper? Become a This Is History Royal Favourite subscriber on Patreon. You get ad free listening, exclusive behind the scenes videos, and a weekly bonus episode.

–

A Sony Music Entertainment production.

Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts

To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email [email protected]

Learn more about your ad choices.

Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Written and presented by Dan Jones

Producer - Alan Weedon

Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman

Executive Producer - Simon Poole

Production Manager - Jen Mistri

Production coordinator: Eric Ryan

Mixing - Amber Devereux

Head of content – Chris Skinner

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

England’s greatest warrior-king is gone and on the throne… a baby.

In season 9 of This Is History: A Dynasty to Die For, acclaimed historian Dan Jones charts the turbulent story of Henry VI, an infant monarch whose reign is beset by relentless struggles for power both at home and abroad as we enter a brutal era of English civil war - the Wars of the Roses.

Scandal, madness and witchcraft form a backdrop to the young king’s troubles in England, while in France, Henry V’s hard-won legacy begins to crumble as Joan of Arc enters to rally the French fightback.

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In the final episode of Dan’s three-part retelling of the Nativity we enter the gospel of Matthew, as we explore the story according to him. Matthew is all about Jesus’s royal line so expect kings, royalty and great gifts. Plus, the notorious King Herod beckons - one of the most formidable and dangerous tyrants in the whole region.

Want to delve deeper? Become a This Is History Royal Favourite subscriber on Patreon. You get ad free listening, exclusive behind the scenes videos, and a weekly bonus episode. On this week’s bonus episode, Dan and resident Nativity expert Professor Helen Bond place Matthew’s Gospel under the microscope. Compared to Luke’s, Matthew wants all the royal pomp and ceremony given to the baby Jesus. Fewer mangers, more myrrh. Listen to that episode here: patreon.com/thisishistory

–

A Sony Music Entertainment production.

Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts

To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email [email protected]

Learn more about your ad choices.

Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Written and presented by Dan Jones

Producer - Alan Weedon

Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman

Executive Producer - Simon Poole

Production Manager - Jen Mistri

Production coordinator: Eric Ryan

Mixing - Amber Devereux

Head of content - Chris Skinner

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The story continues as the holy family make their way to Bethlehem for a Roman census. Along the way they meet classic characters from the Nativity including an inn keeper and some shepherds who, while watching their flocks, get jump scared by an angel into going to visit a baby in a manger. But why is Luke, the gospelist, telling us all this? Who is the Jesus Christ he is trying to present in this gospel?

Want to delve deeper? Become a This Is History Royal Favourite subscriber on Patreon. You get ad free listening, exclusive behind the scenes videos, and a weekly bonus episode. On this week’s bonus episode, Dan and resident Nativity expert Professor Helen Bond zoom into the intentions behind Luke’s Gospels. What was the manger really trying to convey — to early Christians and the Romans looking over them? Listen to that episode here: patreon.com/thisishistory

–

A Sony Music Entertainment production. 

Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts 

To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email [email protected] 

Learn more about your ad choices. 

Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices 

Written and presented by Dan Jones. 

Producer - Alan Weedon 

Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman

Executive Producer - Simon Poole 

Production Manager - Jen Mistri 

Production coordinator: Eric Ryan 

Mixing - Amber Devereux

Head of content – Chris Skinner

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dan kicks off a new three part series with a retelling of the biblical tale of Mary, Joseph and the whole Gospel-featuring Nativity crew, asking questions about why they say what they say - why sometimes they agree, and sometimes they disagree. 

In this first episode we meet a peasant girl called Mary who gets jump scared by an angel and thereafter has quite a lot of information to get her head around. First on the list is learning she’s pregnant despite being a virgin and having to explain this fact to her carpenter husband…

Want to delve deeper? Become a This Is History Royal Favourite subscriber on Patreon. You get ad free listening, exclusive behind the scenes videos, and a weekly bonus episode. On this week’s bonus episode, Dan and resident Nativity expert Professor Helen Bond take a forensic lens to Nativity story’s authors: Luke, Matthew, and a James that history forgot. Listen to that episode here: patreon.com/thisishistory

–

A Sony Music Entertainment production. 

Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts 

To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email [email protected] 

Learn more about your ad choices. 

Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices 

Written and presented by Dan Jones 

Producer - Alan Weedon 

Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman

Executive Producer - Simon Poole 

Production Manager - Jen Mistri 

Production coordinator: Eric Ryan 

Mixing - Amber Devereux

Head of content – Chris Skinner

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Henry V stands at the peak of his power. He’s not just England’s king—he’s heir and regent of France. But for Henry, two crowns aren’t enough. His eyes are fixed on the ultimate prize: the Holy Land. A crusade promises glory, conquest, and divine favor. To Henry, it’s more than ambition—it’s obedience to the only master he truly serves: God. Yet destiny has its own designs, and the Almighty may not share Henry’s plan…

To hear about how the French fared under Henry’s rule, listen back to our last miniseries, The Glass King. 

Remember, you can always delve deeper into the history behind each episode by becoming a This Is History Royal Favourite on Patreon. In addition to ad-free listening and bonus episodes — now available to watch on video — you get to chat with mediaeval buffs from around the world, chat with Dan and the team, and get exclusive access to behind the scenes extras just for favourites. 

Don’t miss out. Sign up at patreon.com/thisishistory 

– 

A Sony Music Entertainment production. 

Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts 

To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email [email protected] 

Learn more about your ad choices. 

Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices 

Written and presented by Dan Jones

Producer - Alan Weedon 

Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman

Executive Producer - Simon Poole

Production Manager - Jen Mistri 

Production coordinator - Eric Ryan 

Sound Design and Mixing - Amber Devereux

Head of content - Chris Skinner

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Henry V’s lightning campaign across France is sputtering. His army is exhausted, starving, and dangerously restless—a powder keg waiting to blow. The French know time is on their side; all they have to do is wait. But then, in a shocking twist, Dauphin Charles strikes a fatal blow: the assassination of John of Burgundy, the one man who could match Henry move for move. Suddenly, the game changes—and the stakes skyrocket.

To hear the French perspective of John the Fearless's murder, listen back to The Enemy of My Enemy, from our last miniseries, The Glass King.  

Remember, you can always delve deeper into the history behind each episode by becoming a This Is History Royal Favourite on Patreon. In addition to ad-free listening and bonus episodes — now available to watch on video — you get to chat with mediaeval buffs from around the world, chat with Dan and the team, and get exclusive access to behind the scenes extras just for favourites. 

Don’t miss out. Sign up at patreon.com/thisishistory 

– 

A Sony Music Entertainment production. 

Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts 

To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email [email protected] 

Learn more about your ad choices. 

Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices 

Written and presented by Dan Jones

Producer - Alan Weedon 

Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman

Executive Producer - Simon Poole

Production Manager - Jen Mistri 

Production coordinator - Eric Ryan 

Sound Design and Mixing - Amber Devereux

Head of content - Chris Skinner

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Surely Henry V can’t like what he’s about to do, but he knows enough about what cruelty can deliver. It’s 1418 and his forces have been instructed to lay siege to Normandy’s glittering capital, Rouen. If he takes this city, Henry places himself in prime position to take the French crown. With this stakes this high, Rouen’s starved and desperate citizens call for help from Paris. It falls on deaf ears. 

To hear about the last time an English monarch invaded France, listen back to The Battle of Crecy in season 6. 

Remember, you can always delve deeper into the history behind each episode by becoming a This Is History Royal Favourite on Patreon. In addition to ad-free listening and bonus episodes — now available to watch on video — you get to chat with mediaeval buffs from around the world, chat with Dan and the team, and get exclusive access to behind the scenes extras just for favourites. 

Don’t miss out. Sign up at patreon.com/thisishistory 

– 

A Sony Music Entertainment production. 

Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts 

To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email [email protected] 

Learn more about your ad choices. 

Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices 

Written and presented by Dan Jones

Producer - Alan Weedon 

Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman

Executive Producer - Simon Poole

Production Manager - Jen Mistri 

Production coordinator - Eric Ryan 

Sound Design and Mixing - Amber Devereux

Head of content - Chris Skinner

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We have a small favour to ask! We’ve put together a survey about This Is History, and it would mean a lot to us if you could fill it out. You can find it at: https://bit.ly/4oFyVRg 

In northern France, Henry V spots a glaring weakness — an undefended flank begging to be conquered. It’s the perfect chance to flip the script on history and avenge England’s humiliation in 1066, when William the Conqueror launched his invasion from Caen. Now, Henry storms that very town, rewriting the legacy of Normandy with fire and steel.

But while victory brews abroad, rebellion festers at home. The infamous Lollard heretic John Oldcastle resurfaces in Wales — defiant, dangerous, and utterly unrepentant. The crown may be winning battles, but the war for England’s soul is far from over.

To learn more about the last time a Norman took the English throne, listen back to episode 3, season 1 — Rough Crossings — where Henry II settles a civil war. And for more on the civil unrest in Paris, listen back to our miniseries, The Glass King. 

Remember, you can always delve deeper into the history behind each episode by becoming a This Is History Royal Favourite on Patreon. In addition to ad-free listening and bonus episodes — now available to watch on video — you get to chat with mediaeval buffs from around the world, chat with Dan and the team, and get exclusive access to behind the scenes extras just for favourites. 

Don’t miss out. Sign up at patreon.com/thisishistory 

– 

A Sony Music Entertainment production. 

Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts 

To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email [email protected] 

Learn more about your ad choices. 

Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices 

Written and presented by Dan Jones

Producer - Alan Weedon 

Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman

Executive Producer - Simon Poole

Production Manager - Jen Mistri 

Production coordinator - Eric Ryan 

Sound Design and Mixing - Amber Devereux

Head of content - Chris Skinner

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices