Medieval Royal Bastards
6/23/202652 min
What really made a royal bastard, and could illegitimacy be a path to power as much as a barrier?
Dr Eleanor Janega is joined by Lauren Johnson, author of Margaret Beaufort; Survivor, Rebel, Kingmaker to dive into the scandalous world of medieval illegitimacy. They trace how the label of “bastard” developed, why it could upend inheritance, how an explosive accusations could turn the tables of power and how royal children born outside marriage still rose to command armies, influence kings, and reshape dynasties.
This is a story of sex, power and succession, all the good stuff!
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Gone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Jangea. Audio editor is Amy Haddow, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.
All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsMatt Lewis0:02
From long lost Viking ships and kings buried in unexpected places, to tales of murder, power, faith, and the lives of ordinary people across medieval Europe and beyond. Join me, Matt Lewis, Dr. Eleanor Janega, and some of the world's leading historians as we bring history's most fascinating stories to life only on History Hit. With your subscription, you'll unlock hundreds of hours of exclusive documentaries with a brand new release every week, exploring everything from the ancient world to World War II. Just visit historyhit.com/subscribe.
Eleanor Janega· Host0:38
[music] Hello, I'm Dr. Eleanor Janega, and welcome to Gone Medieval from History Hit, the podcast that delves into the greatest millennium in human history. We uncover the greatest mysteries, the gobsmacking details, and the latest groundbreaking research from the Vikings to the Normans, from kings to popes, to the Crusades. We delve into the rebellions, plots, and murders that tell us who we really were and how we got here. [music] Dynasties, succession, the pure blood of firstborn children. All of these are concepts inextricably