Podcast Summary: This Is History – A Dynasty to Die For

Season 9, Episode 4 | “Tainted Love”
Host: Dan Jones
Date: January 27, 2026
Production: Sony Music Entertainment

Episode Overview

In "Tainted Love," Dan Jones explores the chaotic aftermath of King Henry V’s death and the fragile rule of his infant son, Henry VI. The episode shines a light on two major scandals of the 1430s-40s: Owen Tudor’s forbidden marriage to Catherine de Valois and Eleanor Cobham’s dabbling in astrology and witchcraft. Through these tales of intrigue, disgrace, and punishment, Jones illustrates how personal ambitions and superstitions inflamed the power struggles at the heart of the English monarchy, setting the scene for greater tumult as the Wars of the Roses draw near.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Aftermath of Henry V: A Kingdom in Limbo

• Henry VI is a passive, almost ghostly figure—a child king around whom chaos swirls.

• With no adult monarch, powerful nobles scramble for control, eliminating any perceived threats to Henry’s position or well-being.

• Quote [06:04]:

  “He hasn't really done anything to anyone. Henry VI manages to get people super worked up simply by existing.” — Dan Jones

• Even small perceived slights (like who gets to crown him) or rumors of undue influence lead to riots and unrest.

2. Owen Tudor: Love, Scandal, and Imprisonment

• Catherine de Valois (widow of Henry V and mother to Henry VI) secretly marries Owen Tudor, a Welshman and commoner.
• Despite legal and political barriers, their relationship produces several children—including Edmund and Jasper Tudor (future key players in English history).
• On Catherine’s death, Owen tries to flee with valuables but is quickly apprehended.
• Imprisoned first in Newgate (notorious for its squalor), Owen attempts a daring escape, is recaptured, and eventually moved to Windsor—a slightly more comfortable but still grim confinement.
• Eventually released after two years, but with a hefty fine hanging over his head as a warning to others.
• Quote [08:28]:

  “Being Welsh and banging the Queen Mother is a crime. In fact, it’s two crimes.”—Dan Jones

3. Eleanor Cobham and the “Witchcraft” Affair

• Eleanor Cobham, Duchess of Gloucester and wife to Henry VI’s uncle Humphrey, turns to astrology to divine the king’s future—hoping that her husband will soon inherit the throne.

Astrological Ceremony (Approx. 16:20 – 21:05)

• Eleanor and her astrologer, Roger Bolingbroke, orchestrate a secret ritual using horoscopes, arcane charts, and a wax effigy of the king.
• The forecast is grim: Henry VI is predicted to die by June 1441.
• Eleanor is excited at the chance of becoming queen:

  “It’s almost too exciting to say the words: Queen Eleanor of England.”—Dan Jones (paraphrasing Eleanor’s thoughts) [21:02]

Discovery and Prosecution

• The ritual is discovered and blown wide open.
• Eleanor and her “accomplices” (Bollingbroke, her secretary, and Margery Jordemaine—a reputed “wise woman” or witch) are dragged before the bishops, led by Cardinal Beaufort (Humphrey’s rival).
• Eleanor confesses, hoping for mercy, but is given a life sentence in isolated castles and her marriage to Humphrey is dissolved.
• Roger Bolingbroke is executed (hanged, drawn, and quartered).
• Margery Jordemaine is burned at the stake for witchcraft; another accomplice dies by suicide in prison.

Public Humiliation (Approx. 26:20 – 29:00)

• Eleanor must perform public penance:
  • Barefoot, dressed in black, and holding a wax taper, she’s paraded through London to St Paul’s Cathedral.
  • Must repeat this ritualized shame walk multiple times before being exiled forever.
• Quote [26:32]:

  “Gleeful, spiteful crowds have gathered along the banks of the River Thames and the streets of London to watch Eleanor Cobham’s humiliation.”—Dan Jones

Collateral Damage

• Humphrey, unable to protect his wife, is politically tainted.
• Future references to the case are considered perilous; even speaking up in defense of Eleanor leads to severe punishment.

4. Wider Implications: Disorder and Rivalry

• These scandals underscore a larger pattern: with Henry VI a figurehead, ferocious competition arises between leading nobles (notably Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, vs Cardinal Beaufort).
• Any challenge—or whiff of threat—to the king’s authority elicits harsh, even deadly, reactions.
• Quote [32:20]:

  “Any threats to his independence or well-being before his adulthood are violently eliminated.” — Dan Jones

5. Looking Forward: A Kingdom on the Brink

• Despite this darkness, the astrologers are proven wrong: Henry VI survives, but trouble deepens as he grows older.
• Jones foreshadows that Henry VI’s adulthood brings more chaos, not less—the forthcoming “omnishambles” of English history.
• The episode ends with a knowing nod to listeners’ curiosity about astrology and invites them to share their own “worst ever horoscope reading.”
• Quote [34:55]:

  “The hope of everyone in England has to be that now he’s technically an adult, Henry VI is going to step up...An omnishambles is beckoning.” — Dan Jones

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• [06:38]

  “Call it the waft of dogshit effect...Whenever I think about Henry VI, that's the sort of person I have in mind.” — Dan Jones (explaining Henry VI's inexplicable knack for attracting trouble)

• [08:28]

  “Being Welsh and banging the Queen Mother is a crime. In fact, it’s two crimes.” — Dan Jones

• [21:02]

  “It’s almost too exciting to say the words: Queen Eleanor of England.” — Dan Jones (paraphrasing Eleanor Cobham)

• [26:32]

  “Gleeful, spiteful crowds have gathered along the banks of the River Thames and the streets of London to watch Eleanor Cobham’s humiliation.” — Dan Jones

• [32:20]

  “Any threats to his independence or well-being before his adulthood are violently eliminated.” — Dan Jones

• [34:55]

  “The hope of everyone in England has to be that now he’s technically an adult, Henry VI is going to step up...An omnishambles is beckoning.” — Dan Jones

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:48–07:29] – Introduction, Owen Tudor’s flight, and the fallout of his clandestine marriage.
• [08:00–13:29] – The plight of Owen Tudor and the political headache for the royal council.
• [13:35–20:00] – Eleanor Cobham’s astrology session and the infamous wax-king prediction.
• [21:00–25:35] – Eleanor’s arrest, trial, and the fates of her associates.
• [26:20–29:00] – Eleanor Cobham’s public humiliation and lifelong punishment.
• [29:20–34:55] – Broader historical implications and the unstable reign of Henry VI.

Conclusion

“Tainted Love” captures the atmosphere of paranoia, scandal, and superstitious anxiety that enveloped England as it lurched toward the Wars of the Roses. Through the lens of Owen Tudor’s romantic folly and Eleanor Cobham’s doomed ambition, Dan Jones deftly illustrates the dangers of proximity to power—and the human cost of dynastic uncertainty. As Henry VI’s adulthood dawns, listeners are left anticipating even greater turbulence ahead.

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