Richard II -Rex Factor

England has another child king in 1377 with the accession of Richard II. Richard takes after his great-grandfather Edward II with his tendency for promoting lowly favourites and being considered of dubious heterosexuality and he frequently is at odds with the great nobles of the realm. However, he is also a surprisingly cultured monarch and shows impressive courage during the Peasants Revolt. His fortunes fluctuate rather wildly and troubles with his uncles and cousins (in particular Henry Bolingbroke) will test him to the utmost.

http://rexfactor.podbean.com/2011/05/05/28-richard-ii/

Edward III - Rex Factor

With his father deposed in 1327 and Roger Mortimer all-powerful, things did not look too promising for the young Edward III, but this turned out to be one of the most remarkable reigns of the medieval period. Encompassing the start of the Hundred Years War and the Black Death, this was a pivotal period in English history. For Edward, there are triumphs with the Battles of Crecy and Poitiers and the Order of the Garter, but also personal tragedies which beset his later years. When it's all put together, will he make for a great king?

http://rexfactor.podbean.com/2011/04/28/27-edward-iii/

Edward II - Rex factor

The reign of Edward I was always going to be hard to follow, but even so Edward II makes rather a meal of it. His devotion to his favourites Piers Gaveston (a foppish arrogant knight) and Hugh Despenser (a brutal baron) cause resentment and rebellion among the rest of the nobility, particularly Thomas Lancaster and Roger Mortimer. Even Edward's wife, the beautiful Isabella of France, has her patience tried once too often. This dark period of English history stands in stark contrast to the legendary Scottish king Robert the Bruce, who inflicts one of the most infamous defeats on the English army in the Battle of Bannockburn. Is there anything good to say about Edward?

http://rexfactor.podbean.com/2011/04/20/26-edward-ii/

Edward I - Rex Factor Podcast

England enters its medieval Edwardian period in 1272 with the accession of Edward I and after two difficult reigns there is another powerful king. Edward was every bit the medieval warrior king, going on Crusade, conquering Wales and building some of the most magnificent castles in Britain. Learning the lessons of his father's troubled reign, he also strives to make his kingdom more just and well ordered. Every bit the great king, but he bites off more than he can chew when he takes on Scotland and has some rather unpleasant personality traits which make him somewhat less sympathetic to modern sensibilities. One half of the team has been waiting the whole series to bask in Edward's triumphs, but will he do enough to please them both and win the coveted Rex Factor?

http://rexfactor.podbean.com/2011/04/13/25-edward-i/

Henry III - Rex Factor Podcast

John dies in 1216 with the country in civil war and in danger of being conquered by France. Worse still, the new king, Henry III, is only 9 years old and in his minority. Thankfully, he has a medieval hero in William Marshal to fight his battles, but when he comes to rule by himself he finds ruling the country a tricky business, not least because his nobles are still insisting on having more of a say in the sharing of power. The conflict with Simon de Montfort sees the birth of Parliament and threatens to make England a republic. Can Henry hold on to power and will this be enough for him to win the Rex Factor?


http://rexfactor.podbean.com/2011/04/04/24-henry-iii/

John - Rex Factor Podcast

After one of England's great heroes in the person of Richard the Lionheart, this time Rex Factor cover one of its most famous villains - Bad King John. He's often reputed to be England's worst king - cowardly, incompetent and evil! - but is this bad reputation deserved? He certainly loses lots of territory and is morally questionable on more than one occasion, but he came to the throne in difficult circumstances in 1199 and also had some successes. With his place in history assured by signing the Magna Carta (however reluctantly), could he produce a shock result or will he remain a failure in the eyes of history?

http://rexfactor.podbean.com/2011/03/18/23-john/

Richard the Lionheart - Rex Factor Podcast

In 1189, one of England's legendary kings takes the throne. Richard I (nicknamed the Lionheart for his courage in battle) has become an English folk hero, most famously in the story of Robin Hood, but he spent surprisingly little time in England. For Richard, the supreme priority was taking back Jerusalem from the great Muslim leader Saladin in the Third Crusade. As if this was not challenging enough, Phillip II of France starts to encroach on his continental Angevin territories and his younger brother John seeks to move against him. Richard is fortunate to have the unfailing support of his mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine, but when we pass our judgement will his performance stand up to the legend?

http://rexfactor.podbean.com/2011/03/09/22-richard-the-lionheart/

Discuss on the History Podcast Forum http://historicalpodcasts.freeforums.org/best-rex-factor-episode-so-far-t24.html

William the Conqueror

After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William the Conqueror has defeated Harold II and the Saxons and the Normans are now ruling England. However, he still has to quell a persistent English Resistance featuring characters such as Edgar the Aetheling (the last Saxon prince) and Hereward the Wake. Will they be able to restore the Saxons to power? Do they know how angry William gets when people oppose him? And most importantly of all, can William cement his place in history by earning the coveted Rex Factor?

http://rexfactor.podbean.com/2011/01/20/17-william-the-conqueror/

Discuss on the History Podcast Forum http://historicalpodcasts.freeforums.org/best-rex-factor-episode-so-far-t24.html

Harold II (1066) - Rex Factor Podcast

In the most famous year in English history the Rex Factor team cover the dramatic events of 1066 and the last Saxon king, Harold Godwinson. They cover the invasions of the Viking Harald Hardrada and William the Conqueror from Normandy, as well as the three battles which would decide the course of English history, culminating in the Battle of Hastings. As ever, they also review Harold himself for his qualities as a king, who despite losing the final battle proves to be a very impressive character.

http://rexfactor.podbean.com/2010/12/25/16-harold-ii-1066/

Discuss on the History Podcast Forum http://historicalpodcasts.freeforums.org/best-rex-factor-episode-so-far-t24.html

Cnut - Rex Factor Podcast

In 1016 the country passes into new ownership with the Vikings now in control of England in the person of Cnut. Unlike William the Conqueror 50 years later, Cnut is perfectly happy to 'go native' and embrace Saxon culture, ably supported by the ever-present Emma. In fact, things go so well he is even able to cast his eye towards dominion over his Scandinavian homeland. For a thousand years Cnut has mainly been remembered for thinking he could control the tide, but now his sights are set on our coveted Rex Factor!

http://rexfactor.podbean.com/2010/12/12/12-cnut-echo-removed/

You might also be interested to see how the History of England covers Cnut.

Discuss on the History Podcast Forum http://historicalpodcasts.freeforums.org/best-rex-factor-episode-so-far-t24.html

Edmund Ironside - Rex Factor Podcast

Edmund Ironside became king under pretty poor circumstances but succeeded in if not making a silk purse out of a sow's ear, at least dealing with the mighty Canute in a way that earns respect.  And as the Rex Factor team point out, his name is nearly as good as some of the Viking ones too.

The guys behind Rex Factor describe it as a light hearted romp through the kings of England.  It is a pretty good description.  The format is two guys talking about kings, with one being knowledgeable and the other asking questions.  I personally found it a bit irritating and won't be listening to any more episodes.  I won't write it off though.  They have done what they set out to do pretty well and I can imagine that it would appeal to a lot of people.  If you want an introduction to English history and don't know very much about it yet, it could well be a good choice as a starting point.

http://rexfactor.podbean.com/