Hans Holbein: New Discoveries

Hans Holbein: New Discoveries

Author: History Hit November 13, 2025 Duration: 56:22

Henry VIII’s commanding gaze, Thomas More’s intellect, Anne of Cleves’ cautious poise; Hans Holbein’s portraits didn’t just depict the Tudors, they defined them. His astonishing realism gave us not just faces but personalities. But how do we truly know the artist behind the art?

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb welcomes back Dr. Elizabeth Goldring, whose groundbreaking research using cutting-edge technology and scientific analysis has uncovered the secrets beneath Holbein’s paint layers, revealing hidden colours, lost details, and radical working methods.


Shakespeare's Male Muse: A Mystery Solved?

A Tudor Mystery: The Girl Who Could Be Queen


Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Max Wintle, audio editor is Amy Haddow and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.

All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.

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Step beyond the well-trodden path of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I with historian Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. While the Tudor dynasty remains a central touchstone, the conversations in Not Just the Tudors roam a much wider, richer historical landscape. You might find an episode delving into the court of Mughal India or examining the artistry of Velázquez, followed by a deep dive into the world of Shakespeare or the haunting history of witch trials. This approach reveals how the 16th and 17th centuries were a time of global connection and dramatic change far beyond the English court. Each week, Suzannah is joined by fellow historians and specialists, turning each session into a compelling dialogue that uncovers incredible, often overlooked stories. The result is a layered portrait of an era, built through detailed discussions and fresh perspectives. Produced by History Hit, this podcast releases new episodes every Wednesday and Sunday, offering regular escapes into a past that is both complex and surprisingly familiar. It’s a series for anyone who loves history but craves a broader view, proving that context is everything.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Not Just the Tudors
Podcast Episodes
Lady Jane Grey [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:40
What if becoming queen was the worst thing that could happen to you? What if the crown became your death sentence?Professor Suzannah Lipscomb explores the tragic story of Lady Jane Grey, the brilliant, devout teenager, w…
Grace O'Malley, Ireland's Pirate Queen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:30
She cut off her hair to sail the seas. She divorced her husband by locking him out of his own castle. And when her son was killed by the occupying English, she sailed straight up the Thames to plead for help from Elizabe…
Elizabethan Boy Actresses [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:04
Why were Shakespeare’s greatest heroines played by teenage boys? How did they learn their craft? On the Elizabethan stage, highly trained young men progressed from minor parts to play some of the Bard's most famous heroi…
When the Spanish Armada Reached Ireland [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:24
What happens when a fleeing armada meets an unforgiving coast? Shipwreck, slaughter and survival collide as Professor Suzannah Lipscomb and Michael B. Barry uncover the untold Irish chapter of the Spanish Armada. From sh…
Henry Wotton: Outlaw and Royal Spy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:35
Assassination plots, Venetian stand‑offs and a diplomat in disguise: how did one maverick change the course of history?Professor Suzannah Lipscomb and Professor Carol Chillington Rutter uncovers the spy‑thriller life of…
The Rise and Fall of Pirate Captain Kidd [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:50
Was Captain William Kidd a ruthless pirate or a pawn in a royal gamble gone wrong? Professor Suzannah Lipscomb and Debbie Kilroy trace his meteoric rise from privateer to pariah, backed by a secret syndicate of powerful…
Plantagenet vs. Tudor: Who was the Rightful King? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:37
Who had a stronger claim to the English throne than Henry VII? When Henry Tudor took the crown on the battlefield at Bosworth, his hereditary claim was fragile. Eighteen Plantagenet descendants had a more legitimate righ…
Tudor True Crime: The First Female Serial Killer? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:15
Was there really a 17th century Italian woman who helped hundreds of wives murder their husbands, or is her story a myth born of fear and gossip?Professor Suzannah Lipscomb investigates the legend of Giulia Tofana, the s…
Plots against Elizabeth I [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:56
Who wanted Elizabeth I dead, and how close did they come to removing her? Who were the conspirators and rebels who plotted to put Mary, Queen of Scots on the throne?Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Professor Jona…
Colonial Women of the Americas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:15
Warning: This episode contains references to sexual abuseWhat became of the women whose worlds collapsed when the Spanish arrived in Mesoamerica? Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Mexican author Sofia Robleda to u…