This is History: A Dynasty to Die For

Season 9, Episode 7 | “Cade’s Rebellion”
Host: Dan Jones
Release Date: February 17, 2026

Episode Overview

In this gripping installment, historian Dan Jones explores the chaos and bloodshed of 1450, a year when angry mobs and political mismanagement led to England teetering on the brink of collapse. With King Henry VI’s reign unraveling, the rebellion of Jack Cade erupts, fueled by disillusionment over military failures, corrupt ministers, and a kingdom seemingly leaderless. Through vivid storytelling and incisive analysis, Jones dissects the causes and brutal consequences of Cade’s Rebellion, setting the stage for ever-deepening unrest in the lead-up to the Wars of the Roses.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Murder of Adam Mullins: Mob Justice Erupts

• Setting the Scene (01:57–05:30):

  • In Portsmouth, Bishop Adam Mullins, a senior government official, is swarmed and murdered by disgruntled soldiers and sailors, furious over unpaid wages and England’s shrinking territories in France.
  • Mullins’ murder signals escalating public anger against King Henry VI’s government, blamed for military debacles and corrupt governance.

  “He recognizes faces from earlier, soldiers and sailors. They're yelling stuff about money and France and the whole lot of idiots in charge being corrupt…The mob take hold of Mullins…they fell on him and cruelly killed him there.”
  — Dan Jones (03:00)

• Symbol of Breakdown:

  • Mullins, once a lynchpin in government and ally of Duke of Suffolk, becomes a symbol of failed leadership and the descent into mob rule.

The Political Crisis: The Fall of the Duke of Suffolk

• Aftermath and Blame (05:30–12:44):

  • Following a wave of protests and riots, Parliament seeks scapegoats. The Duke of Suffolk, Henry VI’s advisor and architect of failed French policies, becomes the lightning rod.

  “The argument he falls back on is that it’s hardly been him on his own running the shitshow…He doesn't see why he should eat all of the blame.”
  — Dan Jones (06:27)

  • Suffolk is charged with treason, banished for five years, but is brutally murdered at sea en route to exile. His head is gruesomely displayed on a pole at Dover.

  “They behead him on the deck with a rusty sword. His body is dumped on the shore…His head on a pole.”
  — Dan Jones (11:40)

• Letters from the Edge:

  • Suffolk’s poignant farewell letter to his 8-year-old son is mentioned, reflecting the turmoil and uncertainty (“one of the most poignant documents in late medieval English history”).

The Spark of Rebellion: Enter Jack Cade

• The Mob Marches (13:53–19:33):

  • June 1450: Disaffected citizens from Kent, led by Jack Cade (alias John Mortimer), march on London.
  • Cade cleverly claims a (false) link to Richard, Duke of York to legitimize his cause.

  "He's chosen the alias of John Mortimer … to imply that he's associated with the King's relative Richard, Duke of York...Fake it till you make it."
  — Dan Jones (15:17)

• A Political Manifesto:

  • Unlike previous uprisings, Cade and the rebels demand a comprehensive set of reforms:
    • Vindication for Kent against blame for Suffolk’s murder
    • Justice for corrupt ministers
    • Reversal of royal gifts of land (Act of Resumption)
    • Improvements to governance and the justice system
    • Return of Richard, Duke of York as royal advisor

  “It’s a sophisticated political shopping list for a peasant rebellion. It shows just how much the ordinary people … have been drawn into the political world since the first peasants revolt of 1381.”
  — Dan Jones (16:50)

London in Chaos: The Climax of Cade’s Rebellion

• Anarchy in the Capital (20:06–22:40):

  • The royal council flees; Henry VI escapes to Kenilworth Castle.
  • The rebels enter London with ease. Lord Say, the Royal Treasurer, is executed, his head paraded in a grisly display.

  "They make Say's head kiss the head of another official who happens to have been Say’s son-in-law. London has dissolved into total anarchy."
  — Dan Jones (20:25)

  • Cade establishes a “kangaroo court” at the Guildhall, overseeing mass executions and looting.

• Backlash and Suppression:

  • On July 5, London loyalists rally, fighting Cade’s rebels in a fierce battle at London Bridge.
  • Rebels are repelled; pardons are offered to those who disperse, and order is gradually restored.

  "By evening they manage to drive a mass of the rebels back to London Bridge where a full on battle breaks out. … Somehow, the city militia wins the day. They drive the rebels out of the bridge and lock the city gates."
  — Dan Jones (21:50)

Cade’s Final Days and the Aftermath

• Descent and Retribution (22:40–End):

  • Cade flees but is hunted, wounded, captured, and dies before reaching London. His corpse is tried, executed, and dismembered—parts sent across Kent as a warning.
  • Judicial commissions follow, punishing remaining rebels.
  • The rebellion exposes the fragility of Henry VI’s rule and the depth of popular anger, but order is restored through violence and intimidation.

  "Cade's rebellion finishes the same way as the Peasants Revolt all those years before, with order restored and the rebels punished."
  — Dan Jones (23:45)

Foreshadowing: The Return of York

• A Shifting Power Vacuum:

  • With Suffolk dead and the government in disarray, the stage is set for new contenders. Jack Cade had called for Richard, Duke of York—the people’s hope to save the kingdom.
  • September 1450: York returns to England, and the battle for influence over the king intensifies.

  “Is York the solution to all the Plantagenet’s problems? Or is the kingdom well beyond being rescued by a superman in the autumn of 1450?”
  — Dan Jones (25:05)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On 1450 as a Dismal Year for England:

  "In the Billboard chart of totally terrible years when bad things happened in England, 1450 is definitely flirting with the top 10."
  — Dan Jones (04:38)

• On Henry VI’s Incompetence:

  “Henry VI … is a hapless, vapid buffoon with about as much charisma as an HB pencil.”
  — Dan Jones (05:00)

• On Medieval Justice:

  “Well, another day, another headless noble. Tell me something I don't know about medieval justice.”
  — Dan Jones (27:00)

Timeline of Key Events & Timestamps

| Event | Timestamp | |--------------------------------------------------------------|----------------| | Bishop Adam Mullins murdered in Portsmouth | 01:57–05:30 | | Recap of Henry VI’s reign and political climate | 05:30–07:00 | | Downfall and murder of Duke of Suffolk | 07:00–12:44 | | Cade’s Rebellion begins; manifesto and march on London | 13:53–19:33 | | London falls to rebels; anarchy and executions | 20:06–22:40 | | Loyalist backlash; battle at London Bridge | 21:50–23:00 | | Cade’s capture, grisly end, and crackdown on rebels | 23:00–26:00 | | Preview of Richard, Duke of York’s return | 25:05–End |

Closing Thoughts

Dan Jones masterfully brings to life the fear, fury, and chaos of 1450—a year that pushes England closer to civil war. The catastrophic leadership of Henry VI, the populist rage unleashed by Cade’s Rebellion, and the grisly fate of both ministers and rebels reveal a kingdom on the edge. With the Duke of York’s return on the horizon, the political future of England remains uncertain and turbulent.

Missed the episode? This summary charts the main events, motivators, and memorable moments as England’s fate hangs in the balance, with Dan Jones’s signature sharp wit and vivid storytelling.