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HistoryExtra podcast - King vs parliament: the moment that sparked civil war
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King vs parliament: the moment that sparked civil war

HistoryExtra podcast

07/15/25

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41m

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Over the winter of 1641-2, England stood on the precipice of civil war. Historian and author Jonathan Healey charts how the relationship between the king and parliament disintegrated during those months, leading England down the road to bloody conflict. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, he reveals why tensions arose between Charles I and the MPs, and considers whether anything could have been done to avoid war.

(Ad) Jonathan Healey is the author of The Blood in Winter: A Nation Descends, 1642 (Bloomsbury, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blood-Winter-Descends-Bloomsbury-Publishing/dp/1526672294/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.

The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.

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Previous Episode

Like many families, the Mitfords emerged from the Second World War bearing scars. Yet as the world entered a new, uncertain era, the sisters' knack for making headlines showed no sign of abating. Released from prison, Diana remained loyal to fascism. In America, Jessica became the target of McCarthyism, and later joined the burgeoning Civil Rights movement. Nancy enjoyed literary success in France, while Pam relished the gentle rhythms of country life, and Deborah unexpectedly became Duchess of Devonshire. In this second of two episodes, biographer Mary S Lovell joins Danny Bird to unpack the personal and political divisions that shaped the sisters' postwar lives, revealing how this eccentric aristocratic family continued to reflect and challenge the evolving social landscape and rub shoulders with some of the era’s most famous people.

The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Next Episode

Published 100 years ago in 1925, Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf was one of the most consequential books of the 20th century. It laid out Hitler's political ideology and future aspirations, as well as making the Nazi leader a lot of money. In more recent times, Mein Kampf has continued to influence neo-Nazis and antisemites around the world, and there have been passionate debates about whether it should still be published in the 21st century. In this episode, Rob Attar speaks to Dr Lisa Pine, an expert on Nazi Germany, about the history of the book and its dark legacy.

(Ad) Lisa Pine is the author of Nazi Posters: Propaganda and Policies (Bloomsbury Academic, 2025). Buy now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Soviet-Nazi-Posters-Propaganda-Policies/dp/1350399442/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.

Richard J Evans explores the motivations of those who governed and supported the Third Reich: https://link.chtbl.com/7M9Hm-d3.

The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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