Mad, bad and dangerous to know? Notorious monarch Henry VIII left an indelible mark on history, but who was the man behind the majesty and why are we still talking about him 500 years later?
Join Historic Royal Palaces and History Today as they bring together experts from literature, academia and culture for a series of lively debates in 2009 to mark the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII’s accession to the throne.
Our guest speakers are eminent historians, historical novelists, scholars, curators and directors, and include such prestigious names as David Starkey and Dan Snow.
30 May
Who was Henry VIII? His biographers discuss….
19.00 – 20.30
Chaired by Paul Lay, editor of History Today, historians John Guy, Eric Ives, Suzannah Lipscomb and Derek Wilson, and historical novelists Margaret George and Philippa Gregory try together to solve the enigma of Henry VIII.
Click here to listen to and download the talks >
27 June
How did you keep your head at Henry VIII’s court?
19.00 - 20.30
Chaired by Derek Wilson, historians Jessie Childs, Steven Gunn, David Loades and Glenn Richardson and historical novelist Hilary Mantel discuss the world of the court and how one survived Henry VIII’s wrath.
Click here to listen to and download the talks >
14 July
Henry VIII: famous for 500 years
20.00 – 21.30
Chaired by Eamon Duffy, David Starkey considers how the world’s most famous king has maintained his reputation for half a millennia.
Click here to listen to and download the talks >
6 and 8 August
John Heywood’s The Play of the Weather
19.00 – 21.00
RSC Director Greg Thompson directs these two performances of a play originally commissioned and performed for Henry VIII’s court. This is part of a collaborative research project led by Thomas Betteridge of Oxford Brookes University and funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.
These performances will be filmed.
10 September
Henry VIII and the Reformation
19.00 – 20.30
Chaired by Thomas Betteridge, Diarmaid MacCulloch assesses how much religion there was in Henry VIII's Reformation.
15 October
Henry VIII on Stage and Screen
19.00 – 20.30
Chaired by Dan Snow, film historians Thomas S. Freeman and Greg Walker and RSC Director Greg Thompson discuss how representations of Henry VIII in films and plays have shaped our idea of this great monarch.
