Joanne Paul

He returned to war against France and Scotland, spent enormous sums of money, and continued to present himself as the formidable Renaissance monarch he had once been.

In this concluding episode, Dr. Joanne Paul, author of Tyrant, a forthcoming new study of Henry VIII, and I enter Henry's final court and confront the question that has hung over this entire series.

What did Henry VIII actually leave behind? A stronger monarchy and a sovereign English state? A shattered religious inheritance, depleted treasury, and traumatized political class? Or something far more complicated? And when we call Henry VIII a monster, do we risk missing the more disturbing story of how an admired and charismatic prince gradually became a tyrant? Dr.

Joanne Paul, this is our last episode on Henry VIII, and listeners will be pleased to know that we are going to kill him at the end of it.

[laughs]

'Cause by now you've got a sense that the, the old guy needs to die.

There's terror for any opposition to the regime.

Uh, so I think by the end of his reign, certainly it's a tyranny, and I think throughout a lot of it, he is a tyrant.

This is the third episode in our four-part journey through the life of Henry VIII.

Once again, I'm joined by Dr. Joanne Paul, author of Tyrant, a forthcoming new study of Henry VIII, as we enter the darkest and most consequential decade of his reign.

How did a king's determination to secure his marriage and dynasty become a revolution in church and state? And at what point did royal authority become tyranny? Okay, Dr.

Joanne Paul, we are back with Henry.

It is the 1530s.

And actually, a, a very important thing happens in August of 1530, which is of course the death of Thomas Wolsey.

In the first episode of this series, we explored the making of the young Henry, the second son who unexpectedly inherited the throne and began his reign amid extraordinary expectations.

Today, I'm joined again by Dr. Joanne Paul, author of Tyrant, a forthcoming study of Henry VIII, to follow Henry at the height of his confidence and ambition through war, court politics, and the rise of powerful ministers to the disintegration of his marriage.

At the heart of it all is the tangled mixture of desire, theology, politics, and dynastic fear that would become known as the King's Great Matter.

How far would Henry go to obtain the future he believed was his right? I'm Professor Suzannah Lipscomb, and this is Not Just the Tudors from History Hit.

Over the next four episodes on Not Just the Tudors, we're following Henry VIII from cradle to grave, asking not simply what he did, but how he became the king whose exploits are universally known and probably deplored.

Joining me is historian and friend of the podcast, Dr. Joanne Paul, Honorary Associate Professor in Intellectual History at the University of Sussex, author of The House of Dudley and Thomas More: A Life and Death in Tudor England, and now of the forthcoming Tyrant, a major new study of Henry VIII.

So where did the tyranny begin? When we look at the brilliant young prince, can we already glimpse the king he would become? I'm Professor Suzannah Lipscomb, and this is Not Just the Tudors from History Hit.

Dr. Joanne Paul, welcome back to Not Just the Tudors.

Thank you so much.

It's an absolute treat to spend time with you talking about Henry VIII, a subject we're both fascinated by, a person we're fascinated by.

... that comes true or not.

[laughs]

Welcome to the British History Channel.

And today I'm joined by Dr. Joanne Paul, whose latest book, Thomas More: A Life and Death in Tudor England, takes us into the details of this incredibly complex and dividing figure in Tudor and religious history.

Some see him as a saint.

He was canonized in 1935, recognized as a martyr who died for his faith.

I am your regular host, Paul Baffle, and today, dear Ragers, we are continuing our specials for the Gloucester Autumn Festival, and we have a counter-rage, ladies and gentlemen.

Following the excellent counter-rage to Tracy that Linda Porter brought us, taking up her sword for God and the monarchs today, I am thrilled to welcome back Tudor historian and author of Thomas More, A Life and Death in Tudor England, Dr. Joanne Paul.

Joanne, welcome back to History Rage.

Thank you.

It's a thrill to be back.

Well, good luck when the independent company come after you now as well.

Yes, thank you.

Well, if you would like to hear more on Joanne's work, then you can and should start by buying a ticket to her talk at Gloucester.