248. Medieval Treason

The podcast delves into the history of treason in medieval and Tudor England, coinciding with a new exhibition at the National Archives. It traces the evolution of treason from a personal offense against the monarch to a crime against the state, highlighting the 1351 Treason Act under Edward III as a defining moment. The discussion covers the gruesome punishment of hanging, drawing, and quartering, its symbolism, and how it was variably applied. The conversation also explores the complexities introduced by Henry VIII's break from the Roman Church, leading to spiritual dimensions of treason, and examines specific cases like Anne Boleyn's trial and the Gunpowder Plot. Ewan Roger, an expert from the National Archives, provides insights and context throughout the episode.