He’s the husband of Catherine de’ Medici, the lover of Diane de Poitiers, the father-in-law of Mary, Queen of Scots. Can Henry II stand out in a period dominated by these legendary women? How will he fare against the might of the Hapsburg Empire? And how will he reconcile his religion with the unlikely alliesContinue reading “Episode 54 – Henry II”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Episode 53 – Francis I
It’s time to pass judgement on Francis I, deciding whether or not King Big-Nose deserves the guillotine! With this monarch, we enter a new age of Protestant rebellions, American colonialism and Hapsburg domination. Did Francis rise to meet these new challenges, or was he just a blustering fool? Make sure you leave us a reviewContinue reading “Episode 53 – Francis I”
Episode 52.5 – Louise of Savoy
From unwanted daughter to first lady of France, this episode we chart the gradual rise of Louise of Savoy – the mother, mentor and “great regent” of King Francis I. From Anne of France to Louis XII, we’ll see how she measures up to other French rulers of her time, and see whether she getsContinue reading “Episode 52.5 – Louise of Savoy”
Epiosde 52 – Louis XII
After a life spent in second place to his royal cousins, how will the Duke of Orléans fare with his new promotion to King of France? In Part 1, we cover Louis’s life story from birth to death, and in Part 2 we discuss his legacy and give him a score, with special appearances fromContinue reading “Epiosde 52 – Louis XII”
Episode 51.5 – Anne of Brittany
This episode, we take a brief detour from the Valois boys to visit gorgeous Brittany and give our latest queen, Anne, her own episode, as she was also a fierce ruler in her own right, and fought for her independence from a very young age. In Part 1, we learn about Anne’s early life, herContinue reading “Episode 51.5 – Anne of Brittany”
51 – Charles VIII
Charles VIII’s exciting and storied reign takes us on an adventure (i.e. invasion) of Italy at the height of the Renaissance and all the soap-opera-worthy drama of the Medici, Sforza and Borgia families. In Part 1, we learn what led him to this fateful expedition, and how he did with his great ambition to conquerContinue reading “51 – Charles VIII”
Episode 50.5 – Anne of France
Also called Anne de Beaujeu or Madame la Grande, this princess inherited all the best traits of her father the Universal Spider. Like him she was cunning and ruthless, yet she also had an eye for art and literature, updating the court for the new Renaissance era. Sadly for France, as a woman she wouldContinue reading “Episode 50.5 – Anne of France”
Episode 50: Louis XI
Both parts of Louis XI’s episode have been released! France may be out of the Hundred Years’ War, but it’s not out of the woods, and none knows this better than the suspicious, cynical and sinister character that is Louis XI “the Universal Spider”. After an early life spent bickering with his father and fellowContinue reading “Episode 50: Louis XI”
New Series: French Mistresses
At last, it is time to release the first episode in our new spinoff series, “Battle Royale: French Mistresses”. Parallel to the main series, Ben and Eliza will be going through all the official royal mistresses of France from Agnès Sorel to Madame du Barry, and determining which of them will be the victor ofContinue reading “New Series: French Mistresses”
Episode 49 – Charles VII
He may be “Charles the Victorious”, for finally ending the Hundred Years’ War, but this king has a somewhat mixed reputation among historians. This episode, we learn what happened after Joan of Arc and the Regents of Madness, and how France recovered from a century of devastation. Make sure you leave us a review on AppleContinue reading “Episode 49 – Charles VII”
Battle Royale: French Monarchs 