Single Malt History with Gareth Russell

The royal visit to North America in 1939 by Elizabeth II's parents shone a brutal light on Britain's policy of Appeasement towards Nazi Germany and, a chance encounter on a Canadian luxury liner, helped change the future Queen Mother's life forever.

They ruled for less than a century through a war that allegedly inspired "Game of Thrones." The House of Lancaster consisted of three kings, who reigned through a tumultuous time in England's history.

What really were the Crusades? Far more than a simple conflict between Christianity and Islam, they reshaped the medieval Middle East through war, diplomacy, trade and cultural exchange. In this episode, Gareth Russell is joined by medieval historian Dr Nicholas Morton to discuss his new book The Crusader Storm, exploring the rise of the Crusader States, the Seljuk Turks, the Byzantine Empire, Saladin  -and the remarkable communities who defined the Crusades.

In 1541, a former pirate started stalking the Queen of England. At least, that's one way of interpreting the devastating and very odd behaviour of Francis Dereham, who receives the first ever deep-dive into his life in this episode of Single Malt History.

Was Jane Seymour once friends with Anne Boleyn? What did she really think of Mary Tudor? Was there a hidden reason she pleaded with Henry VIII to spare the monasteries?

Join me for a conversation with Dr Elizabeth Norton about her groundbreaking new book, which draws on fresh archival evidence to offer compelling new answers to these questions - and many more. She reveals Queen Jane Seymour to have been far more complex, ambitious, clever, and politically engaged than history has long allowed.

Forget the quiet, submissive queen of legend. This is the untold story of Henry VIII's third wife.