Tudors Dynasty & Beyond

When people think of the English civil war known as the Anarchy, one name often stands at the center: Empress Matilda, the daughter of Henry I and the woman who almost became England’s first ruling queen. But who was Matilda really-and why did she never wear the crown?
In this episode, Rebecca is joined by historian Matt Lewis to explore the fascinating and often misunderstood story of the woman sometimes called “The Queen Who Never Was.” After the death of her father, Matilda was his designated heir, yet the throne was seized by her cousin Stephen of Blois, plunging England into nearly two decades of conflict.
Matt takes us through Matilda’s extraordinary life-from her time as Holy Roman Empress to her return to England to claim her inheritance. Together, Rebecca and Matt discuss Matilda’s personality and political style, the challenges she faced as a woman claiming power in the 12th century, and the moments when the crown seemed almost within her grasp.
But this conversation also complicates the traditional narrative. Was Stephen simply a usurper-or was he a more sympathetic figure than history often allows? Matt explains why Stephen’s actions might make more sense when viewed through the lens of medieval politics and loyalty.
It’s a story of ambition, legitimacy, personality, and power-and of a woman who came closer than anyone before her to ruling England in her own right.
Join us as we explore Empress Matilda: The Queen Who Never Was.
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Support the podcast over on Patreon! https://patreon.com/tudorsdynasty
Matt's Website: https://mattlewisauthor.com/
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Host: Rebecca Larson
Guest: Matthew Lewis

It’s been a little while since our last installment in this series - and Dr. Porter begins by explaining the reason for the delay.
In today’s episode, we turn to the husband of Mary II - a figure who plays a pivotal role not only in her life, but also in the story of Mary of Modena, whom we recently explored with Dr. Breeze Barrington. The connections between these royal lives make this discussion especially compelling.
I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about a man I previously knew very little about: William of Orange, the future William III. I hope you enjoy Dr. Porter’s insights as much as I did.
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Please consider supporting this podcast on Patreon! https://patreon.com/tudorsdynasty
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Host: Rebecca Larson
Guest: Dr. Linda Porter

There are big “what-ifs” in history… and then there are the ones that quietly change everything.
In this episode, we ask: What if Margaret Tudor had no surviving children with James IV?
When James IV was killed at Flodden in 1513, Scotland did not just lose a king - it faced political instability, factional rivalry, and the urgent question of succession. But what if there had been no infant James V? No Tudor heir to carry the Stewart line forward?
Who were the potential heirs to the Scottish throne at that moment? We look at the rival branches of the Stewart family, the strength of dynastic claims, and how Scotland might have chosen - or fought for - its next ruler.
We also explore Margaret’s controversial second marriage to Archibald Douglas, which produced Margaret Douglas - a figure who would later play her own crucial role in the English succession. How would her position have shifted if there had been no surviving royal son from Margaret’s first marriage?
And then there’s England.
If Margaret’s line through James IV had failed, there would have been no Mary, Queen of Scots. No Stuart claim looming during Elizabeth I’s reign. No James VI poised to inherit England in 1603.
So who would have succeeded Elizabeth? A Grey? A distant Plantagenet descendant? A foreign claimant? Would the Union of the Crowns ever have happened at all?
This episode explores the fragile thread of dynastic survival — and how the absence of just one child could have reshaped Scotland, England, and the future of Britain itself.
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Support the show on Patreon! https://patreon.com/tudorsdynasty
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Hosted by: Rebecca Larson & Amy McElroy

Today would normally be a Dr. Emma & Me episode, but as many of you know from the last show and the notes here on Patreon, the series is on a brief hiatus.
While Emma takes the time she needs (and we’re all sending her love), I’m so excited to introduce something new in its place: Rebecca & Friends.
And I truly could not have picked a better person to launch this with than my good friend Matt Lewis.
I’m going to be completely honest with you - this may be the most fun I’ve ever had recording an episode. If you watch the video, just look at my face throughout… you can actually see the moments where I’m completely blown away. The theory Matt brings to the table is one of those rare historical ideas that makes you stop mid-conversation and think, wait… what?!
I won’t spoil it here. But if there’s even a chance it’s true, it’s the kind of thing that will absolutely blow your mind.
I cannot wait to hear what you think.
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Host: Rebecca Larson
Guest: Matt Lewis

In this episode, I’m joined by the wonderful Michèle Schindler to explore one of the most dangerous - and politically charged - experiences in medieval life: royal childbirth.
For queens and noblewomen, pregnancy was never just personal. It was dynastic. The survival of kingdoms rested on their bodies. We dive into what childbirth actually looked like inside medieval chambers - the rituals, the midwives, the prayers, the relics, and the intense female networks that surrounded labor.
What happened when things went wrong? How did repeated pregnancies shape a queen’s health - and her political value? And how did the birth (or death) of an heir change the course of history?
From the expectations placed on royal women to the very real medical risks they faced, this conversation sheds light on the physical realities behind medieval monarchy - and the immense pressure carried by women whose primary duty was to secure the future of a realm.
It’s intimate. It’s personal. And it might change the way you think about crowns and succession forever.
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You can find Michele's books pretty much anywhere, but here is her page on Amazon - US.
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Host: Rebecca Larson
Guest: Michèle Schindler