Podcast Summary

This is History: A Dynasty to Die For

Episode: S8 E12 | To Jerusalem

Host: Dan Jones
Publish Date: December 2, 2025

Overview

In the gripping season finale of "This is History: A Dynasty to Die For," acclaimed historian Dan Jones narrates the final chapter of Henry V's audacious reign. The episode tracks Henry’s triumphs, trials, and his ambitious vision—one that reaches as far as a new crusade to Jerusalem. Amidst famine, war, and family tragedy, Jones artfully explores the king’s legacy and the uncertain future of both the English and French crowns after Henry’s untimely death. The episode weaves together vivid historical storytelling with modern commentary, setting the stage for the next turbulent phase: the Wars of the Roses.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Paris in Crisis; Henry's Triumphant Entry

• Setting: Paris, December 1420—famine, civil unrest, and French defeat mark the city’s bleakest days.
• Royal Entry: Amidst famine and chaos, Henry V and his new French wife, Catherine de Valois, parade into Paris with pageantry designed to project hope and power.
  • “When bakeries like this one open, they're mobbed by customers after what little produce goes on sale...In another respect though, today is different.” (Dan Jones, 02:54)
• Despite sacrifices for the beleaguered city, the authorities manage to host pageants, prayers, and even a ceremonial wine fountain for the royal couple.

2. The King’s Overwhelming To-Do List

• Henry's Responsibilities: Now heir and regent of France thanks to the Treaty of Troyes, Henry is faced with splitting France, clamping down dissent, rebuilding the shattered northern half, and justifying his absence to an increasingly restive England.
  • “After the Treaty of Troyes…it’s hard to know where he’s going to begin...He has to get Normandy running...has to sort out the French coinage...to bring the Dauphin to justice for murdering John the Fearless...to defeat the Dauphin in battle or strike a deal to partition the kingdom." (06:57)
• English Perspective: Back home, Parliament and the populace grow uneasy, questioning both the cost and the endgame of his continental ambitions.

3. Family Tragedy and Military Setbacks

• Death of Thomas, Duke of Clarence: The first major English defeat in decades takes Henry’s brother’s life at the Battle of Baugé, March 1421.
  • “A few days ago, there was a battle at Bauge...10% of the fighting men of Normandy have been lost...Henry's brother, Thomas, Duke of Clarence, was killed.” (16:23)
• The loss galvanizes Henry to push harder—his campaign is now fueled by vengeance and an urgent need to secure the realm.

4. Return to England: Coronation and Power Consolidation

• Catherine’s Coronation: With his pregnant queen, Henry stages a lavish, all-fish coronation feast due to Lent in February 1421.
  • “It's quite impressive, a roasted porpoise.” (12:51)
• Henry embarks on a grand tour, fundraising and shoring up loyalty, while the stress of endless war begins to take its toll.

5. The Jerusalem Obsession – King as Crusader

• Henry’s Reading and Planners: Jones draws a parallel to modern search history, highlighting Henry’s choice of books and diplomatic preparations as evidence of his intent to launch a crusade to Jerusalem.
  • “He’s got a big book...a history of Jerusalem which splices together tales of King Arthur with a chronicle of the deeds of Godfrey of Bouillon.” (19:23)
• Diplomatic Mission: Henry sends Gilbert Lanois east to assess routes and prospects for a new crusade, underscoring his singular ambition.

6. Renewed War, Disease, and Final Decline

• Siege of Meaux: The grueling, disease-ridden siege drags through winter 1421 into spring 1422, even as Henry’s queen gives birth to their long-awaited son.
• Falling Ill: After eventual victory, Henry is struck by dysentery—a cruel echo of Agincourt’s hardships.
• Legacy Cut Short:
  • “His guts are all over the place. And it’s been too long since Catherine’s coronation to put this down to a plate of dodgy porpoise.” (23:00)
• Refusing to cede command despite his illness, Henry is finally forced to turn leadership over to his brother, John, Duke of Bedford.

7. Death and Aftermath

• Henry’s Last Hours: As the king dies, he laments he would have taken Jerusalem had he lived.
  • “If it were not for the death that’s now coming to him, he says, he would have put the kingdom of France at peace and gone to conquer Jerusalem.” (25:11)
• Funeral and Mythmaking: Embalmed, paraded, and buried with exquisite care, Henry’s body is returned to England amid grand ceremony.
  • “Henry’s tomb is the special project of his widow, Catherine de Valois...It tells them 'virtue conquers all' and demands they 'flee idleness.'” (27:40)
• Dramatic Succession: The infant Henry VI is now King of England, and, in theory, King of France—setting up a monumental power struggle that leads directly into the Wars of the Roses.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Henry’s Ambition:
  • "Do you think Henry was too ambitious for his own good?" (Dan Jones, 14:29 & 29:06)
    Dan repeatedly poses this question to listeners, framing the episode and legacy debate.
• On Henry’s Crusader Dreams:
  • “He’s decided that once he’s sorted out starving, war-ravaged France, taking back the Holy Land is the next item on his bucket list.” (05:15)
• On Modern Relevance:
  • “If you want to know what’s on someone’s mind, where would you look first?...Although the 15th century didn’t have smartphones and browsers, the principle still stands. Want to dig into someone’s psyche? Ask what they’re reading.” (04:41)
• Defining Moment of Death:
  • “Ever since he was a little boy in his mother’s house at Peterborough, Henry has loved music. Now, as his life ebbs away, his chaplains are singing the penitential psalms...He would have put the kingdom of France at peace and gone to conquer Jerusalem.” (25:05-25:40)

Important Timestamps

• 02:54 – Paris’ desperate hunger and Henry’s regal entry
• 05:15 – Henry’s fixation on Jerusalem and the crusading ideal
• 12:51 – Catherine’s coronation feast and royal tour
• 16:23 – The shock and loss at Bauge, death of Henry’s brother Thomas
• 19:23 – Evidence of Henry's crusading ambitions: books and diplomatic missions
• 23:00 – Siege of Meaux, Henry struck by dysentery
• 25:05–25:40 – Henry’s dying words and psalms
• 27:40 – Funeral rituals, legacy inscriptions, and transition to the infant Henry VI
• 29:06 – Dan’s closing thoughts, listener prompt, and preview of season 9: the Wars of the Roses

Tone and Final Thoughts

Dan Jones delivers this finale in his signature engaging, conversational, and lightly irreverent style, blending dramatic narrative with relatable modern analogies. The tone is thoughtful and a touch somber as it underscores Henry’s startling rise and tragic end, before pivoting to the immense uncertainty facing both England and France.

Looking Ahead

• The episode concludes with a listener prompt: "Was Henry V too ambitious for his own good?" (Jones invites discussion on Patreon.)
• Season 9 will shift focus to the explosive Wars of the Roses, promising high drama and fresh Plantagenet intrigue.

For anyone new to the podcast, this episode stands as a masterclass in narrative history: reconstructing a king’s final year and the seismic shift his death unleashes across Europe.