Before the first cannon fires, the Stuart kingdoms are already starting to crack In this episode, we travel across 17th-century England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland to uncover the religious, political, and cultural pressures tugging at the Stuart crown. From the explosive Bishops’ Wars to Europe’s wider religious upheavals, historian Rebecca Rideal speaks to experts to explore how events escalated, and reveals why it was Scotland that fired the first shot. You can listen ad-free to this episode and more by subscribing to HistoryExtra Plus here: ⁠https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On 30 January 1649, King Charles I was led on to a freshly erected scaffold outside Whitehall’s Banqueting House in London. Thousands of spectators watched in shock and awe as the king of England, Scotland and Ireland was executed as a traitor. It was the climax of one of the most destructive sagas in Britain and Ireland's history: the Civil Wars.   What led to this brutal outcome? How did the dynamic between the three Stuart kingdoms evolve as the wars progressed? And had conflict always been inevitable?   In our new HistoryExtra podcast series, historian Rebecca Rideal runs you through events blow-by-blow – from the first battles in Scotland, to resistance and rebellion in Ireland and all-out war in England and Wales. Speaking to historical experts, she explores a story of shifting loyalties, changing times, and devastating conflict.   You can listen ad-free to this episode and more by subscribing to HistoryExtra Plus here: https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm/ Produced by HistFest Productions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Violence rages in Ireland, England splinters. Is war now inevitable? In this episode, we turn to Ireland in 1641 as a violent Catholic uprising erupts, sparking panic across the British Isles. Meanwhile, in Westminster, trust between parliament and King Charles collapses. Historian Rebecca Rideal charts the domino effect of rebellion, fear, and political failure that led to a stunning moment in history: the king raising his royal standard at Nottingham – and the beginning of war. You can listen ad-free to this episode and more by subscribing to HistoryExtra Plus here: ⁠https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices