Tudors Dynasty & Beyond

In this episode, I’m joined by the wonderful Michèle Schindler to explore one of the most dangerous - and politically charged - experiences in medieval life: royal childbirth.
For queens and noblewomen, pregnancy was never just personal. It was dynastic. The survival of kingdoms rested on their bodies. We dive into what childbirth actually looked like inside medieval chambers - the rituals, the midwives, the prayers, the relics, and the intense female networks that surrounded labor.
What happened when things went wrong? How did repeated pregnancies shape a queen’s health - and her political value? And how did the birth (or death) of an heir change the course of history?
From the expectations placed on royal women to the very real medical risks they faced, this conversation sheds light on the physical realities behind medieval monarchy - and the immense pressure carried by women whose primary duty was to secure the future of a realm.
It’s intimate. It’s personal. And it might change the way you think about crowns and succession forever.
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You can find Michele's books pretty much anywhere, but here is her page on Amazon - US.
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Host: Rebecca Larson
Guest: Michèle Schindler

There are so many “what ifs” in history - but this one may have reshaped the world. What if Mary I had given birth to a healthy son who survived? In this episode, we explore the ripple effects of a secure Catholic Tudor succession: What if Mary died in childbirth - who would have ruled as regent? What if she lived a long life and her son inherited the throne? How would England’s alliances with Philip II of Spain and Catholic Europe have evolved? And perhaps most provocatively - what would the future United States look like if Elizabeth I never reigned and her explorers never turned England into a Protestant Atlantic power? One surviving child might have changed the English Reformation, the rise of empire, and the very foundations of the modern world.
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Don't forget to check out all of Amy McElroy's books where you buy books and go give her Substack a follow!
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Hosts:
Rebecca Larson
Amy McElroy

Dr. Emma & Me is pressing pause for now as Emma takes some time for herself. We appreciate your kindness and respect for her privacy during this season, and we’re hopeful we’ll be back together soon. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the new series - Rebecca & Friends.
Spain was not born in 1492.
In this episode, Dr. Emma takes us back to the very beginning - to the Greeks who first traded along Iberia’s shores, the Romans who transformed it into Hispania, and the Visigoths who ruled after Rome’s fall. We explore how once-unified territories fractured into separate kingdoms, how centuries of conflict and coexistence shaped identity, and how the long Reconquista slowly redrew the map of Iberia.
From ancient colony to emerging monarchy, this is the story of how Spain was made — and how Ferdinand and Isabel inherited a world centuries in the making.
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Hosts:
Rebecca Larson
Dr. Emma Cahill Marron

In this episode, I’m joined by Professor Carol Rutter to explore the fascinating life of Henry Wotton - diplomat, poet, wit, and master of survival in the early modern world.
Best remembered for his famous line describing an ambassador as “an honest man sent to lie abroad for the good of his country,” Wotton was far more than a clever epigram. Serving as ambassador to Venice under James I, he operated at the delicate intersection of diplomacy, intelligence, religion, and reputation - navigating courts where a misstep could cost everything.
We discuss how Wotton crafted his persona, how friendship (including his connection to John Donne) shaped his career, and what his life reveals about how power actually worked beyond the throne.
Was he underestimated? Opportunistic? Philosophical? Or simply practical in a dangerous age?
Join us as we unpack the art of diplomacy — and the man who lived it.
Lying Abroad: Henry Wotton and the Invention of Diplomacy ⁠https://www.amazon.com/-/he/Carol-Chillington-Rutter/dp/1526172062⁠
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Time is running out to get your ticket for Dr. Emma's masterclass on identifying Holbein portriats (and sketches)! It's THIS Sunday! Learn from an actual art historian the techniques they learn regarding identificaton! https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1980200278338?aff=oddtdtcreator
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Host: Rebecca Larson
Guest: Prof. Carol Rutter

What if Henry VIII had died while campaigning in France? This episode started with what felt like an obvious answer—but quickly turned into a far more complicated and fascinating conversation about succession. We explore the unexpected paths history could have taken, and trust us: this one went places we didn’t anticipate.
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There's still time to sign up for the Identifying Holbein Portraits masterclass with Dr. Emma - seminar one begins February 22nd and will be recorded for later viewing as well. Learn more here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1980200278338?aff=oddtdtcreator
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Hosts:
Rebecca Larson
Amy McElroy