Katherine Howard, executed in 1542 for adultery and treason, has long polarised opinion - portrayed either as a promiscuous good-time-girl or an abused young woman.
Prof. Suzannah Lipscomb investigates the truth behind Henry VIII's fifth wife.
In this second episode, historian Gareth Russell explains how, on the Royal Progress in 1541, Katherine began a dangerous flirtation with courtier Thomas Culpeper, aided by her lady-in-waiting Lady Rochford. It would prove her undoing.
When Henry VIII, who had believed Katherine a virgin at marriage, was alerted to her pre-marital past, he ordered an immediate investigation. Soon, the whole truth would emerge and Katherine, Culpeper and those close to the Queen would find themselves in grave danger.
Suzannah sifts through trial papers and correspondence between the Queen and Culpeper, later used as evidence to condemn them both to death.
Up Next in Women's History Month
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Divine Fury: Demeter and Persephone -...
Acclaimed classicist Natalie Haynes is back on History Hit. This time she explores one of the most powerful and enduring myths of the ancient world: the story of Demeter and Persephone.
Our journey begins with the kidnapping of the young goddess Persephone by Hades, the dark Lord of the Underw...
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Divine Fury: Demeter and Persephone -...
In the series conclusion, Natalie Haynes delves into the dark compromise that resolved the myth of Demeter and Persephone. She explores how this narrative gave ancient people a vital framework for understanding the seasons - a bitter bargain that marked the transition from the vibrant bloom of sp...
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The Trials of Joan of Arc
We all know the name, Joan of Arc. But who really was this celebrated voice of the people of France? For some she is a simple peasant girl - one of the people. For others, she is a champion of nation and church. For the English, she was simply the enemy.
Dr Eleanor Janega is on a mission to deci...
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