Episode 10: Class Wars in the Capital

Paolo Sarpi is far from a household name, even among aficionados of 17th-century history. But Paul Lay believes Sarpi deserves greater recognition, and in this episode he explains why to co-host Miranda Malins.  Sarpi was a Venetian statesman, cleric and thinker. When Pope Paul V decided to excommunicate the city state and its entire population in 1606-07, a punishment for their insistence on appointing their own priests, Sarpi fought back. Earning himself a reputation as 'the penman of Venetian defiance', Sarpi called out Rome for its absolutist behaviour and in the process became a hero for rebellious thinkers all over Europe - not least in England, where Sarpi's writings and ideas played a significant part in the build-up to the Civil War.  '1666 and All That' is presented by Paul Lay and Miranda Malins. The producer is Hugh Costello. Original music by George Taylor. The episode is mixed by Alfie Thompson. Don't want to miss the next episode? Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

7 Mars 202320min

Oliver Cromwell is one of the giants of English history, a man who believed himself to be called by God to transform the political and moral structures of the nation, and to extend his writ, by whatever means necessary, into Ireland and Scotland. Yet his inner life remains an enigma, obscured by the intensity of his religious fervour and by the brevity of the constitutional revolution he set in motion. In their second interview with eminent Cromwell scholar John Morrill, Miranda and Paul get a fascinating insight into the workings of Cromwell's mind - showing us a man with a deep respect for the principles that the Civil Wars had been all about, but constantly wrestling with the responsibilities of power.  John Morrill is uniquely well qualifed to act as our guide. As well as finishing an eagerly awaited new biography, he is general editor of a vast new undertaking, 'The Letters, Writings and Speeches of Oliver Cromwell', published in three volumes by OUP. He tells us how the volumes were put together and explains how the collection gives scholars and general readers a whole new perspective on Cromwell's life and times. '1666 and All That' is presented by Paul Lay and Miranda Malins. The producer is Hugh Costello. Original music by George Taylor. The episode is mixed by Alfie Thompson. Don't want to miss the next episode? Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

21 Feb 202333min

In the latest episode of their podcast about all things 17th century, Paul and Miranda talk to historian Jonathan Healey, author of an ambitious new narrative history of the period. In 'The Blazing World', Healey brings a social historian's eye for telling detail to an age of tumult and revolution in England and beyond. He talks about the challenges of combining an overview of the century's dramatic political upheavals with insights into the social changes that transformed people's everyday lives.  '1666 and All That' is presented by Paul Lay and Miranda Malins. The producer is Hugh Costello. Original music by George Taylor. The episode is mixed by Alfie Thompson. Don't want to miss the next episode? Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

7 Feb 202333min

The revealing and entertaining new podcast about all things 17th century. Historians have portrayed Oliver Cromwell as a very masculine, martial figure – a man who made his name in Parliament’s army during the British Civil Wars of the 1640s and went on to preside over a military-backed republican regime as Lord Protector in the 1650s. But this is a misleading perspective. Cromwell spent his life surrounded by a large and overwhelmingly female family and his closeness to them shaped his character. With the help of distinguished historian John Morrill, Miranda and Paul explore Cromwell's fascinating relationships with the many women in his life and how they influenced his style of leadership. '1666 and All That' is presented by Paul Lay and Miranda Malins. The producer is Hugh Costello. Original music by George Taylor. The episode is mixed by Alfie Thompson. Don't want to miss the next episode? Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

18 Jan 202326min

Paul and Miranda set sail for the 17th century to explore the origins of one of the greatest adventure stories ever written: Daniel Defoe's 'The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe'. Behind the ripping yarn of a castaway's struggle for survival lie some of the great themes of the age: providence, redemption, a thirst for exploration and difficult first encounters between worlds old and new. And we hear how clues to Defoe's unique imagination can be found in his own extraordinary early life in Restoration London. '1666 and All That' is presented by Paul Lay and Miranda Malins. The producer is Hugh Costello. Original music by George Taylor. The episode is mixed by Alfie Thompson. Don't want to miss the next episode? Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

4 Jan 202317min

The revealing and entertaining new podcast about all things 17th century. Paul and Miranda talk to historian Jessie Childs about her acclaimed book 'The Siege of Loyalty House', which takes us back to the fierce struggle of the Civil War of the 1640s in all its gore and glory. It's a gripping story told through the lens of the besieged royalist stronghold of Basing House in Hampshire, and the people who lived in and around it. Jessie shows how a siege can become a perfect microcosm in which to experience the very best and worst of humanity - barbarism and civility, hatred and love. And she finds echoes of the siege in current events in Ukraine. '1666 and All That' is presented by Paul Lay and Miranda Malins. The producer is Hugh Costello. Original music by George Taylor. The episode is mixed by Alfie Thompson.  Don't want to miss the next episode? Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

20 Dec 202242min

Great storytelling meets rigorous research in this vivid new podcast that brings the 17th century to life.  In this episode, hosts Miranda Malins and Paul Lay tell a darkly compelling story that resonates powerfully in our age of conspiracies and false accusations. In 1678, an obscure churchman called Titus Oates alleged that the Jesuits and their allies were plotting to assassinate King Charles II and return England to Catholicism. Backed by a disreputable clique of extremists and opportunists, Oates's baseless claims gained mainstream credibility, with terrible consequences for the accused.

6 Dec 202222min

Miranda and Paul recall the strange story of the Spanish Match. In 1623, the future King Charles I travelled incognito to Spain in search of a bride, a sometimes farcical escapade that sparked years of diplomatic intrigue. Their guest is historian Alexander Samson, who explores how the journey left Charles with a lifelong love of art - and a dangerous taste for absolutism.

22 Nov 202237min