Gone Medieval – "The Bishop who Took Down Richard II"

Podcast: Gone Medieval (History Hit)
Host: Matt Lewis
Guest: Professor Chris Given-Wilson (Emeritus Professor, University of St Albans)
Date: April 10, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode explores the remarkable and often controversial life of Thomas Arundel, Archbishop of Canterbury, who played a pivotal role in the overthrow of King Richard II. Historian Professor Chris Given-Wilson, author of Archbishop, Chancellor, Kingmaker: A Life of Thomas Arundel, joins host Matt Lewis to explore Arundel’s origins, career, involvement in English politics, role in religious controversies, and reputation as one of British history's notable "villains." The discussion sheds light on the motivations, actions, and legacy of a man at the heart of one of England’s most turbulent periods.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Background of Thomas Arundel

• Family Heritage and Early Life

  • Born circa 1353, fourth child of Richard, Earl of Arundel (England’s richest man at the time) ([04:50]).
  • Arundel's father ensured wealth and advancement for his children; Thomas was selected early for a Church career, as he would not inherit the family title ([05:20]).
  • Attended Oxford around age 16, but left before completing his degree when his father died ([05:33]).

• Rapid Rise in the Church

  • Made Bishop of Ely at just 20—remarkably young; Pope Gregory’s appointment note remarked on his youth ([06:36]).

  • Likely that significant sums were paid to secure Thomas’ advancement.

  • Despite nepotism, turned out a conscientious and well-regarded bishop ([08:30]).

    "Arundel turned out to be actually a very conscientious bishop and a popular bishop with his own clergy."
    —Professor Given-Wilson [08:30]

2. Political Engagement and Relationship with Richard II

• Aristocratic Bishops and Political Stage

  • Being a bishop in the 14th century meant wielding political as well as ecclesiastical power ([09:59]).
  • Arundel became deeply involved in late 14th-century power struggles.

• Opposition to Richard II

  • Both Arundel and his brother (the Earl of Arundel, one of the Lords Appellant) opposed Richard II's autocratic tendencies and favoritism, particularly regarding the King's circle ([10:30]).

  • Tensions escalated with reciprocal accusations and violent altercations, including Richard II reportedly personally attacking the Earl ([12:16]).

  • Arundel was involved in efforts to assert traditional liberties and even threatened Richard II with possible deposition ([12:55]).

    "[Arundel was] a man who had the defence of England's principal traditional liberties at heart..."
    —Professor Given-Wilson [12:44]

• Downfall and Banishment

  • After the execution of his brother by Richard II, Arundel was exiled, effectively made complicit in his sibling's arrest based on the King’s false assurances ([13:57]).

    "He feels that very deeply. He's been made complicit."
    —Professor Given-Wilson [16:52]

3. Role in Richard II’s Deposition

• Alignment with Henry Bolingbroke (Henry IV)

  • After the exile, Arundel spent time in Florence (which he called "an earthly paradise") until news of Bolingbroke's inheritance being confiscated by Richard II galvanized their return ([22:27]-[24:05]).

  • They joined forces to challenge and ultimately depose Richard II ([25:08]-[25:45]).

    "It's pretty obvious that...from the start they were determined to get rid of Richard and...Henry Bolingbroke should become King."
    —Professor Given-Wilson [25:51]

• Restoration and Forgiveness

  • On Henry IV’s accession, Arundel was restored as Archbishop; he displayed magnanimity towards Roger Walden, Richard's appointee ([27:54]).

4. Arundel under Henry IV

• Support for Henry’s Reign and Governance

  • Arundel, described as Henry IV's "number one advisor" and England as a near "diarchy," played a central role in stabilizing Henry’s regime through rebellion and financial crises ([30:25]-[32:43]).

  • Arundel had to balance his responsibilities as Archbishop and statesman—sometimes at odds, especially regarding repeated demands for money from the clergy ([33:28]-[36:01]).

    "You see him increasingly saying to the clergy, 'You've got to give the King more money. The King needs money.'"
    —Professor Given-Wilson [33:55]

• Oratory and Charisma

  • Noted for his rhetorical skills; chroniclers preserved his speeches more frequently than even the king’s, a testament to his charisma ([36:13]).

5. The Execution of Archbishop Scrope and Church-State Crisis

• Henry’s Execution of Richard Scrope (Archbishop of York)

  • Arundel did everything possible to prevent Scrope’s execution, which was unprecedented since the Norman Conquest ([37:54]-[39:51]).

  • Henry IV executed Scrope while Arundel was allegedly resting after a long journey to intervene ([38:55]).

    "He was distraught. He was absolutely distraught."
    —Professor Given-Wilson [37:56]

• Aftermath—Papal Excommunication Bull

  • Papal excommunication ensued, and Arundel notably withheld its publication to protect Henry IV from political fallout ([41:28]-[43:47]).

6. Decline and Final Years

• Relationship with Henry V
  • With Henry IV’s illness, Arundel’s power peaked; he and the king became close confidants ([43:47]-[45:20]).
  • Upon Henry V’s succession, Arundel was dismissed from government and spent his final 11 months in the political wilderness ([45:31]-[48:13]).

7. Legacy and Reputation—Villain or Hero?

• Persecution of Lollardy (Religious Reformers/‘Heresy’)

  • Later centuries (especially Protestants) vilified Arundel as a persecutor for his role in burning Lollards—English religious dissenters—but Given-Wilson argues this reputation overstates or distorts his actions ([48:50]-[51:37]).

  • Burning of heretics predated Arundel; statutes authorizing it were Parliament’s, not Arundel’s, initiative.

    "He was an extraordinarily competent man and in many ways a very principled man."
    —Professor Given-Wilson [51:37]

• Defining Accomplishments

  • Given-Wilson suggests Arundel’s most significant legacy is facilitating Richard II’s removal and thus saving England from autocracy ([52:25]-[53:32]).

    "If Richard's downfall was a personal tragedy, his success would have been a nation's tragedy if he'd been allowed to go on behaving like he was in those last two or three years of his reign."
    —Professor Given-Wilson [53:21]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Nepotism and Ability:
  "He became a bishop, having not even yet been ordained a priest...money must have passed hands." —Professor Given-Wilson [06:36]

• On Richard II’s Character:
  "Richard II had...quite autocratic, one might even say tyrannical instincts." —Professor Given-Wilson [10:26]

• On the Coup Against Richard II:
  "I think from the start they were determined to get rid of Richard and...Henry Bolingbroke should become King." —Professor Given-Wilson [25:51]

• On Lollard Persecution:
  "He is determined to eradicate Lollardy...this is why some people don't like him." —Professor Given-Wilson [48:50]

• On Arundel’s Place in History:
  "He was an extraordinarily competent man and in many ways a very principled man." —Professor Given-Wilson [51:37]
  "If Richard's downfall was a personal tragedy, his success would have been a nation's tragedy..." —Professor Given-Wilson [53:21]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Introduction & Who Was Thomas Arundel? [04:23–06:36]
• Arundel’s Rise in the Church [06:36–08:30]
• Political Career and Opposition to Richard II [09:38–13:35]
• Complicity in Brother’s Arrest & Exile [13:57–17:08]
• Revenge Parliament & Banishment [17:19–22:04]
• Connection with Henry Bolingbroke [22:04–25:45]
• Deposition of Richard II [25:45–27:54]
• Role under Henry IV [30:05–32:43]
• Relationship with the Clergy & Charisma [33:28–36:13]
• Execution of Archbishop Scrope [37:33–41:19]
• Henry V’s Succession & Arundel’s Decline [45:20–48:13]
• Lollards, Villainy & Reputation [48:13–53:32]
• Professor Given-Wilson’s Final Assessment of Arundel’s Legacy [52:25–53:32]

Conclusion

Professor Chris Given-Wilson presents Thomas Arundel not as a mere villain, but as a profoundly influential figure in late medieval English history—devoted to church and realm, sometimes controversial, always at the heart of his age’s biggest events. Through deft exploration of Arundel’s political maneuverings, moral dilemmas, and his role in the seismic events of Richard II's deposition, this episode invites listeners to reconsider both the man and his maligned reputation.

(For more on this subject, listeners are invited to read Chris Given-Wilson’s book "Archbishop, Chancellor, Kingmaker: A Life of Thomas Arundel," and to explore related podcast episodes on the rivalries of the late Middle Ages.)