France may be out of the Hundred Years' War, but it's not out of the woods, and none knows this better than the suspicious, cynical and sinister character that is Louis XI. After an early life spent bickering with his father and fellow princes, Louis comes to the throne with a vengeance. But will his ambitions get the better of him?Next episode, things get juicy as we delve into the everyday life of this controversial king, and how he governed his realm. Will he be sent to the guillotine? Tune i...
Dec 31, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 50
We hope you are all enjoying the festive season! We have a very special Christmas present for you all this year, and it's the gift of the scandal, skullduggery and saucy shenanigans that are in store as we commence our much-anticipated spinoff series ranking all the official mistresses of France from Agnès Sorel to Madame du Barry.Thank you to Rob from the Totalus Rankium podcast for composing our theme for this new series!This episode is just a teaser for what awaits you if you sign up to the "...
Dec 23, 2023•13 min•Season 1Ep. 49
He may be "Charles the Victorious", for finally ending the Hundred Years' War, but this king has a somewhat mixed reputation among historians. This episode, we learn what happened after Joan of Arc and the Regents of Madness, and how France recovered from a century of devastation. ⚜️ Visit our Wordpress for episode images, score summaries, contact details and more! Make sure you leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. You can also support the show on Patreon! Join th...
Dec 17, 2023•1 hr 29 min•Season 1Ep. 49
It's all downhill from here.🔥⚜️Recommended reading from this episode: Helen Castor, Joan of Arc: A History Larissa Juliet Taylor, The Virgin Warrior: The Life and Death of Joan of Arc Nancy Goldstone, The Maid and the Queen: The Secret History of Joan of Arc ⚜️ Visit our Wordpress for episode images, score summaries, contact details and more! Make sure you leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. You can also support the show on Patreon! Join the official Angry Mob a...
Dec 03, 2023•53 min•Season 1Ep. 48
The Maid of Orléans is well-known for having taken the intricate chessboard of the Hundred Years' War, tipped it upside down, kicked it across a field and scored a game-changing goal for the Blues after decades of decline. In the first of her well-earned 2-parter, we follow Joan of Arc's rise to prominence from peasant to saviour, and conclude at the moment of her greatest glory. But that means it's all downhill into tragedy and scandal for Part 2...⚜️ Visit our Wordpress for episode images, sco...
Nov 26, 2023•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 48
It's now time to review the life and deeds of the "mad king" himself, Charles VI. In this episode, we talk about what the king was like before his mental illness took over, and what the darkest period of the Hundred Years' War was like from his tragic perspective.⚜️Music used in this episode:"Virtutes Instrumenti", "Lagoa v2"Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 ⚜️ Visit our Wordpress for episode images, score summaries, contact details and more! Make...
Nov 19, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Season 1Ep. 48
Our final two Regents of Madness bring the Hundred Year's War to its apotheosis. Henry V's brother Bedford was Charles VI's regent at the very end of his life, but Ben has uncovered that this English occupier was so much more than just a villain in our story. Meanwhile Veronica from Passed Podcast joins us once again, this time to take us through Charles of Orléans epic journey from orphan to rebel to POW to poet, and finally to peacemaker.But the Regency of Madness is not entirely finished! It'...
Nov 05, 2023•2 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Katy from Queens Podcast joins us for the showdown of showdowns: Isabeau VS Yolande, the Queen of France VS the "Queen of Four Kingdoms". As we go through their lives, we see the Hundred Years' War from the women's perspective and address some of the most controversial aspects of these queens' lives - from Isabeau's alleged affair during her husband's madness, to Yolande's ambitious conspiracy to make Joan of Arc "a thing".Once again, make sure you grab your tickets for Intelligent Speech on Nov...
Oct 30, 2023•1 hr 48 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Get your tickets for Intelligent Speech Online (November 4th 2023) and use discount code ROYALE Josh Zucker from the Grand Dukes of the West podcast joins us to talk about yet another Duke of Burgundy, John the Fearless. And while John may not match his father for statecraft or shrewdness, he more than makes up for it in scandaliciousness. How will Ben's rival candidate, Bernard of Armagnac, fare against John in this posthumous showdown?In this episode you'll hear a rendition of "Reveillez-Vous,...
Oct 23, 2023•2 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Veronica from Passed podcast joins us for our second foray into the regents of Charles VI. This time, we're covering his two remaining uncles. Veronica will cover Louis II, Duke of Bourbon (the nice uncle) while Ben covers John, Duke of Berry (the fun uncle). Which of them will Eliza deem to be the superior regent?While Bourbon looks out for his nephew's best interest and Berry throws another raucous feast, the Orléans-Burgundian rivalry rages on in the leadup to the disastrous Battle of Agincou...
Sep 24, 2023•1 hr 40 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Josh Zucker from the Grand Dukes of the West podcast joins us for the first episode in our 5-part miniseries on the regents of King Charles VI of France. This episode, we're pitting Josh's candidate Philip of Burgundy against Ben's candidate Louis of Orléans, and seeing which of them Eliza deems to be the supreme regent. In this episode, we'll see the kickoff of the infamous rivalry between the Orléanist and Burgundian branches of the House of Valois. And if you think this episode is chaotic, yo...
Sep 17, 2023•2 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Go to intelligentspeechonline.com to get your early bird tickets for 4 November! And stay tuned for more announcements about when Ben will be speaking and what his topic will be.Remember to use the discount code "Royale" to get a further 10% off!⚜️ Visit our Wordpress for episode images, score summaries, contact details and more! Make sure you leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. You can also support the show on Patreon! Join the official Angry Mob and get access ...
Jul 16, 2023•4 min
To celebrate both the National Day of France and the second anniversary of the podcast, Ben is running a game of Dungeons and Dragons with Eliza and three special guests, inspired by the beast of Gévaudan, the legend of Saint Ulphia, and numerous other easter eggs from the podcast which astute listeners can find! Check out Roberto’s podcasts History of Saqartvelo Georgia and Tsar Power, as well as Bry and Fry’s podcast Pontifacts! Thanks again to all three for joining us to celebrate this specia...
Jul 14, 2023•2 hr 47 min•Season 1Ep. 47
In the second half of our Charles V episode, we give him his scores and decide whether or not he should be admitted to the Battle Royale Tournament. In this episode, we get to see in great detail what Charles's court was like, thanks to the writing of Christine de Pizan (A WOMAN?!), plus we delve into some trouble in paradise between him and his cousin-wife Joan of Bourbon. Also he, like us, is a big fan of castles and libraries, and stayed away from forests and horses...⚜️ Visit our Wordpress f...
Jun 19, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 47
The Hundred Years' War rages on, and the young Dauphin Charles upon becoming king is one of the most scrawny, disease-addled kings we've ever had. But with some strategic alliances, some tax reforms, and a bit of help from a random knight emerging from the woods, he just might be able to turn this ship around.Listen to the end for "Pope Slap 2: Revenge of the Pope" (AKA the Western Schism). And stay tuned for Part 2 of Charles V, in which we'll be giving Charles his score and going into more det...
Jun 16, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 47
How good was John the Good? Despite his dedication to honour and chivalry, John's reign is a hot mess, starting with the first outbreak of the Black Death, escalating into a murderous blood feud with Charles the Bad, and ending with a fun "holiday" with the Black Prince. Is John's personal courage and hutzpah enough to get him into the tournament, or will his lack of patience and wisdom be his downfall?Check out our friend Josh's podcast Grand Dukes of the West to learn more about the powerful l...
May 31, 2023•2 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 46
There's SO MUCH to cover in this episode! We didn't plan for a 2-parter and the recording ended up being very long, so we put a poll across our social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) and a narrow majority voted for us to release it all at once, so DEAL WITH IT.You'll hear a snippet of Gustav Holst's "Mars" (performed by the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra) at the halfway point when the Hundred Years' War officially starts. If you would prefer to listen to the episode in 2 parts, that's a g...
May 17, 2023•2 hr 21 min•Season 1Ep. 45
As the final capstone to the Direct Capetian Kings of France, we've invited Gary from THE French History podcast to talk power centralisation, the Crusade craze and the original Louvre fortress. We also get Ben recapping our history in a bad Scottish accent, and Eliza airing a controversial opinion about the Supermario brothers. In 2 weeks we will return with the first king of a fresh spicy new family: the Valois!!! Though as I've said many times, I can't promise them a smooth start...⚜️ Visit o...
May 01, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Season 1Ep. 44
Before we delve into the Valois kings and the Hundred Years' War, it's time to take a breath and have a look back at the dynasty of Hugh Capet, and how they've compared to kings that came before. This latest series of episodes has certainly had its share of dark horses and shocking upsets. To follow our discussion today and see how all our kings and emperors are ranking, head to our new Leaderboard!⚜️ Make sure you leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen! You can also...
Apr 17, 2023•53 min•Season 1Ep. 44
Born into scandal and passed over for the throne several times, Little Jeannette finally got herself a throne at the age of 16, albeit not the one she had probably wanted... Nonetheless, Joan made the best of a bad situation and proved herself just as good as (if not better than) her male usurpers... that is, until a certain plague came knocking.Memento mori. - Remember, you will die.The main source for this episode (aside from Ben's extensive plague knowledge) was Elena Woodacre's 2013 book "Th...
Apr 05, 2023•1 hr 27 min•Season 1Ep. 44
In 1325, the Queen of England returns to her native France, and this time the She-Wolf is out for blood...Oh, and Charles IV is also here! Will the runt of the Capetian litter be able to break the Curse of the Templars? Well, the short answer is a big fat NOPE. With the Hundred Years' War and the Black Death right around the corner, the omens are looking ominous. The Golden Century of St Louis is at an end, and France is about to plunge into an era of true calamity. But hey, at least we're frien...
Mar 20, 2023•1 hr 27 min•Season 1Ep. 44
Philip the Tall is not only built like a maypole, but has some fantastic ideas about how to get France out of its crisis period. As the middle son of the great Philip IV, he may have been overlooked in his youth, but now it's time for him to step over the corpse of his infant nephew, shove aside his 4-year-old niece and claim the crown for himself. While he definitely gets an A for Effort, Philip is about to find out that doing your best sometimes just isn't good enough, especially when you're d...
Mar 06, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 43
John the Posthumous (born after the death of his father) had a long and successful reign. The end. We also have a quiz this episode! Have a look on our Wordpress for the quiz questions and this episode's Enchanté Images. ⚜️ Make sure you leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen! You can also support the show on:Ko-Fi, where you can buy us a coffee and contribute a small amount to the show.Patreon, where you can join the official Angry Mob and get access to bonus conten...
Feb 25, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 42
Louis "le Hutin" (the Turbulent, Quarrelsome or Stubborn) is yet another Louis with big shoes to fill - both from his formidable father Philip IV and from his zealous namesake Saint Louis IX. But Louis has very little time to deal with famines, curses and civil unrest. He's too busy playing his favourite new sport: tennis!As if he didn't have enough balls in his court (see what I did there?), Louis's reign begins with a scandal at the very core of the French royal family; the infamous Tour de Ne...
Feb 13, 2023•1 hr 20 min•Season 1Ep. 41
Philip the Fair, also called "the Iron King", is about to prove himself a real dark horse in our little competition! Quiet but cunning, from a young age he proved himself a very prudent man but not afraid to execute ruthless moves when he needed to. As well as fighting wars on all fronts, Philip consolidated and improved upon the gains of previous kings using a very special new weapon ... LAWYERS. He'll use them to ensnare even the most untouchable enemies, from the holy order of the Templars to...
Jan 30, 2023•1 hr 51 min•Season 1Ep. 40
Joan I became Queen of Navarre at 18 months old, and Queen of France at 12 years old. Due to her age and gender, she was prevented from taking a very active role in either kingdom. Her life saw an endless barrage of men trying to dim her light - from the cold man she married, to the foes invading her lands, to the vindictive bishop who may have cursed her with witchcraft. But throughout her tragically brief existence, Joan handled herself with a grace and dignity that set the bar high for the ne...
Jan 22, 2023•1 hr 29 min•Season 1Ep. 39
Eliza is under the weather, but we didn't want to leave you guys without an episode! So we're taking a break from the 13th Century and going back into the 1st... BC. This is a special release of our Patreon episode about Vercingetorix, King of the Gauls, who unified his people and fought to the bitter end against the conquest of Julius Caesar.Join our Angry Mob at the Economy+ tier at patreon.com/battleroyalepodcast, to access all our other Patreon episodes, including:- Ranking the Noble Houses ...
Jan 16, 2023•1 hr 18 min
Philip the Bold's reign doesn't get off to a great start. Not only is his father dead, but he is sick with dysentery, losing a siege on the failed Eighth Crusade. Once he's made his way back to France, will he be able to do his father's legacy justice, or will dysentery once again get the last laugh? Back in Paris, Philip's court is rife with faction-fighting between an excess of Capetian princes and a rising class of bureaucrats. But the real conflict happens between Ben and Eliza, as he tries ...
Dec 11, 2022•1 hr 46 min•Season 1Ep. 39
When Louis IX comes of age, taking over from his mother and regent Blanche, France finds itself at the apex of its medieval golden age. The young king manages to prove his mettle fending off English invasions and internal rebellions, bringing the royal domain's power to new heights. But kings rarely age gracefully... When thoughts turn to a risky and costly crusade, will Louis's luck run out? How will his desire to purge France of its sins effect his people for better and for worse? And does he ...
Nov 28, 2022•1 hr 54 min•Season 1Ep. 38
More than just a stop-gap between Louis VIII and IX, Blanche of Castile proved definitively that a woman could not only rule France but lead its armies and redefine its culture. She was the granddaughter of Eleanor of Aquitaine, who hand-picked her as a daughter-in-law to Philip Augustus, whose legacy she would uphold in the face of numerous threats; from English invasions to fanatical peasants. ⚜️ Blanche's song, Amour ou trop tard me suis pris, is performed by the Ensemble de Musique ancienne....
Nov 14, 2022•1 hr 50 min•Season 1Ep. 37
