The Lion & The Rose

Young Henry VIII

Step back into the dawn of one of history’s most infamous reigns. In this episode, we explore the early years of Henry VIII, not the tyrant history often remembers, but the young, chivalric prince who inherited a fragile throne and set out to redefine kingship. From his education steeped in humanism to his first tournaments, marriage to Catherine of Aragon, and the promise of a golden age, we uncover the hopes, ideals, and ambitions that shaped the young king. This is Henry before the shadows, full of energy, splendor, and the weight of destiny.

Richard Rich: The Courts Shadow

He betrayed a saint, tortured a rebel, and walked away from every regime he served… richer than ever. In this episode, we pull back the velvet curtain on Sir Richard Rich—arguably the most treacherous figure of the Tudor court. From perjuring himself to condemn Thomas More, to racking Anne Askew with his own hands, Rich’s legacy is stained with ambition and blood. Was he a master survivor or a man with no soul? Join me as we trace the rise, reign, and ruthless deals of the Crown’s most infamous turncoat. You’ll never see Tudor politics the same way again.

When The Crown Hit The Dirt

January 24th, 1536 — the moment when a king hit the ground and England held its breath. In this gripping episode of The Lion and the Rose, we unpack the infamous jousting accident that left Henry VIII unconscious for two hours. But this isn’t just about a fall it’s about how that fall changed everything. From shattered lances and royal bravado to miscarriages, court panic, and the birth of tyranny, this is the joust that broke a legend. ⚔️ Why was Henry still jousting at 44? ⚔️ What really happened on the field that day? ⚔️ How did Anne Boleyn’s fate unravel from it? ⚔️ And what did England lose when the crown hit the dirt? It’s action, drama, trauma and the turning point of a king’s reign. 🎧 Listen now and ride back into Tudor chaos. 🔔 Follow @TheHistoryMike on TikTok and Instagram ☕ Support the show atcoff.ee/TheHistoryMike 🔗 All links in one place: https://linktr.ee/thehistorymike Keep your sword sharp... and your history sharper.

The Fall of Essex: The Last Favorite

He was the golden boy of the Elizabethan court—handsome, headstrong, and dangerously entitled. Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, rose fast on charm and royal favor, but fell harder than anyone before him. In this episode, we unravel the dramatic downfall of Queen Elizabeth’s last great favorite: from battlefield glory to courtroom disgrace, from private whispers to public rebellion. Was it ambition, arrogance, or love that led him to the scaffold? You decide.

More Heads Will Roll: Executions Pt2

You thought the scaffold was silent after last time? Think again. In this follow-up to Heads Will Roll, we return to the blood-soaked stage of Tudor justice—where fear was policy and death was performance. This time, we uncover the executions you weren’t taught in school. Forgotten figures. Suppressed trials. Brutal ends that slipped through the cracks of history. From abbots hung on the heights of Glastonbury… to rebels, servants, and traitors whose stories were nearly erased—we bring them back. These were more than punishments. They were messages. And in Tudor England… messages were carved in flesh. 🎧 The Lion and the Rose Keep your sword sharp—and your history sharper.