🔥 NEW EPISODE – "The Spies Are Coming: Francis Walsingham & The Tudor Shadow War" 🔥

He wasn’t just a spymaster—he was England’s deadliest weapon. Francis Walsingham built a network of spies that exposed traitors, thwarted assassins, and stopped invasions before they began. From uncovering the Babington Plot that sealed Mary, Queen of Scots' fate, to misleading the Spanish Armada, Walsingham’s intelligence web kept Elizabeth I’s enemies one step behind—until the day he was gone.

But who really was the man behind the shadows? How did he intercept secret letters, crack coded messages, and manipulate foreign courts? And why did the man who saved England die broke and forgotten?

In this episode of The Lion & The Rose, we dive into the life and legacy of Tudor England’s spymaster-in-chief—and the deadly game of shadows he played.

🎙️ Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your history fix!

🔗 Support the podcast on Patreon & unlock exclusive content: [The Lion & The Rose] 📖 Join the discussion on Sunstack & get bonus history insights: [The Lion & The Rose]

🎭 Was he England’s lost prince or the greatest con artist of the Tudor era?

In this episode of The Lion & The Rose, we unravel the unbelievable story of Perkin Warbeck—a Flemish merchant’s son who convinced kings, nobles, and even entire armies that he was Richard of York, the missing Prince in the Tower.

Backed by Margaret of York, the Duchess of Burgundy, and supported by France, Scotland, and the Holy Roman Empire, Warbeck was treated like a true king. He led invasions, raised armies, and was even proclaimed King Richard IV.

But then… it all came crashing down.

Join me as we break down: ⚔️ Warbeck’s mysterious origins—was he really a fraud? ⚔️ How he nearly took down Henry VII’s Tudor dynasty ⚔️ The failed invasions that led to his ultimate downfall ⚔️ The role of Margaret of York in shaping his royal lie ⚔️ And the final twist—did Warbeck actually believe his own deception?

Was he a master conman, a Yorkist puppet, or did he truly believe he was Richard of York?

The Tower of London—a fortress, a palace, and one of history’s most feared prisons. Few who entered ever left, but in 1597,Father John Gerard pulled off one of the mostdaring escapes in history.

A Jesuit priest imprisoned for his faith, Gerard enduredbrutal torture at the hands of Elizabeth I’s interrogators. But even as his hands were mangled and his body broken, Gerard plotted his way to freedom. With the help of an underground network, awell-placed bribe, and arope stretched across the Tower’s moat, Gerard risked everything in adeath-defying escape that left the authorities baffled.

How did he outwit the Tower’s guards? What drove Elizabethan England’sobsession with crushing Catholic priests? And how did Gerard make sure his allies inside the Towerdidn’t pay the price for his escape?

This is more than just a story of survival—it’s a masterclass in courage, strategy, and resilience.

🔔Follow @TheHistoryMike on Instagram, TikTok, and The Lion & The Rose onYouTube and Facebook for behind-the-scenes content and updates on the next episode in theGreat Escapes Series!

🎧 Subscribe toThe Lion & The Rose for more thrilling stories from English history.

Dive into The Lion & The Rose as we unravel The King’s Great Matter. Explore the explosive drama of Henry VIII's quest to sever ties with Katherine of Aragon, fueled by his obsession with a male heir. From Anne Boleyn's rise to power, Cardinal Wolsey's downfall, and Thomas Cromwell's cunning schemes to the rebellion of the Pilgrimage of Grace, this episode is a journey through love, betrayal, and the ultimate break from Rome.