Josh Zucker from the Grand Dukes of the West podcast joins us for the first episode in our 5-part miniseries on the regents of King Charles VI of France. This episode, we're pitting Josh's candidate Philip of Burgundy against Ben's candidate Louis of Orléans, and seeing which of them Eliza deems to be the supreme regent. In this episode, we'll see the kickoff of the infamous rivalry between the Orléanist and Burgundian branches of the House of Valois. And if you think this episode is chaoti...

Go to intelligentspeechonline.com to get your early bird tickets for 4 November! And stay tuned for more announcements about when Ben will be speaking and what his topic will be. Remember to use the discount code "Royale" to get a further 10% off! ⚜️ Visit our Wordpress for episode images, score summaries, contact details and more! Make sure you leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. You can also support the show on Patreon! Join the official Angry Mob an...

To celebrate both the National Day of France and the second anniversary of the podcast, Ben is running a game of Dungeons and Dragons with Eliza and three special guests, inspired by the beast of Gévaudan, the legend of Saint Ulphia, and numerous other easter eggs from the podcast which astute listeners can find! Check out Roberto’s podcasts History of Saqartvelo Georgia and Tsar Power, as well as Bry and Fry’s podcast Pontifacts! Thanks again to all three for joining us to celebrate ...

In the second half of our Charles V episode, we give him his scores and decide whether or not he should be admitted to the Battle Royale Tournament. In this episode, we get to see in great detail what Charles's court was like, thanks to the writing of Christine de Pizan (A WOMAN?!), plus we delve into some trouble in paradise between him and his cousin-wife Joan of Bourbon. Also he, like us, is a big fan of castles and libraries, and stayed away from forests and horses... ⚜️ V...

The Hundred Years' War rages on, and the young Dauphin Charles upon becoming king is one of the most scrawny, disease-addled kings we've ever had. But with some strategic alliances, some tax reforms, and a bit of help from a random knight emerging from the woods, he just might be able to turn this ship around. Listen to the end for "Pope Slap 2: Revenge of the Pope" (AKA the Western Schism). And stay tuned for Part 2 of Charles V, in which we'll be giving Charles his score and going into m...

How good was John the Good? Despite his dedication to honour and chivalry, John's reign is a hot mess, starting with the first outbreak of the Black Death, escalating into a murderous blood feud with Charles the Bad, and ending with a fun "holiday" with the Black Prince. Is John's personal courage and hutzpah enough to get him into the tournament, or will his lack of patience and wisdom be his downfall? Check out our friend Josh's podcast Grand Dukes of the West to learn more about t...

There's SO MUCH to cover in this episode! We didn't plan for a 2-parter and the recording ended up being very long, so we put a poll across our social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) and a narrow majority voted for us to release it all at once, so DEAL WITH IT. You'll hear a snippet of Gustav Holst's "Mars" (performed by the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra) at the halfway point when the Hundred Years' War officially starts. If you would prefer to listen to the episode in 2 parts, that'...

As the final capstone to the Direct Capetian Kings of France, we've invited Gary from THE French History podcast to talk power centralisation, the Crusade craze and the original Louvre fortress. We also get Ben recapping our history in a bad Scottish accent, and Eliza airing a controversial opinion about the Supermario brothers. In 2 weeks we will return with the first king of a fresh spicy new family: the Valois!!! Though as I've said many times, I can't promise them a smooth start... ⚜️ ...

Before we delve into the Valois kings and the Hundred Years' War, it's time to take a breath and have a look back at the dynasty of Hugh Capet, and how they've compared to kings that came before. This latest series of episodes has certainly had its share of dark horses and shocking upsets. To follow our discussion today and see how all our kings and emperors are ranking, head to our new Leaderboard! ⚜️ Make sure you leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you list...

Born into scandal and passed over for the throne several times, Little Jeannette finally got herself a throne at the age of 16, albeit not the one she had probably wanted... Nonetheless, Joan made the best of a bad situation and proved herself just as good as (if not better than) her male usurpers... that is, until a certain plague came knocking. Memento mori. - Remember, you will die. The main source for this episode (aside from Ben's extensive plague knowledge) was Elena Woodacre's 2013 b...

In 1325, the Queen of England returns to her native France, and this time the She-Wolf is out for blood... Oh, and Charles IV is also here! Will the runt of the Capetian litter be able to break the Curse of the Templars? Well, the short answer is a big fat NOPE. With the Hundred Years' War and the Black Death right around the corner, the omens are looking ominous. The Golden Century of St Louis is at an end, and France is about to plunge into an era of true calamity. But hey, at least we'r...

Philip the Tall is not only built like a maypole, but has some fantastic ideas about how to get France out of its crisis period. As the middle son of the great Philip IV, he may have been overlooked in his youth, but now it's time for him to step over the corpse of his infant nephew, shove aside his 4-year-old niece and claim the crown for himself. While he definitely gets an A for Effort, Philip is about to find out that doing your best sometimes just isn't good enough, especially when...

John the Posthumous (born after the death of his father) had a long and successful reign. The end. We also have a quiz this episode! Have a look on our Wordpress for the quiz questions and this episode's Enchanté Images. ⚜️ Make sure you leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen! You can also support the show on: Ko-Fi, where you can buy us a coffee and contribute a small amount to the show. Patreon, where you can join the official Angry Mob and get access to bon...

Louis "le Hutin" (the Turbulent, Quarrelsome or Stubborn) is yet another Louis with big shoes to fill - both from his formidable father Philip IV and from his zealous namesake Saint Louis IX. But Louis has very little time to deal with famines, curses and civil unrest. He's too busy playing his favourite new sport: tennis! As if he didn't have enough balls in his court (see what I did there?), Louis's reign begins with a scandal at the very core of the French royal family; the infamous Tour ...

Philip the Fair, also called "the Iron King", is about to prove himself a real dark horse in our little competition! Quiet but cunning, from a young age he proved himself a very prudent man but not afraid to execute ruthless moves when he needed to. As well as fighting wars on all fronts, Philip consolidated and improved upon the gains of previous kings using a very special new weapon ... LAWYERS. He'll use them to ensnare even the most untouchable enemies, from the holy order of the Templa...

Joan I became Queen of Navarre at 18 months old, and Queen of France at 12 years old. Due to her age and gender, she was prevented from taking a very active role in either kingdom. Her life saw an endless barrage of men trying to dim her light - from the cold man she married, to the foes invading her lands, to the vindictive bishop who may have cursed her with witchcraft. But throughout her tragically brief existence, Joan handled herself with a grace and dignity that set the bar high for the...

Eliza is under the weather, but we didn't want to leave you guys without an episode! So we're taking a break from the 13th Century and going back into the 1st... BC. This is a special release of our Patreon episode about Vercingetorix, King of the Gauls, who unified his people and fought to the bitter end against the conquest of Julius Caesar. Join our Angry Mob at the Economy+ tier at patreon.com/battleroyalepodcast, to access all our other Patreon episodes, including: - Ranking the Noble H...

Philip the Bold's reign doesn't get off to a great start. Not only is his father dead, but he is sick with dysentery, losing a siege on the failed Eighth Crusade. Once he's made his way back to France, will he be able to do his father's legacy justice, or will dysentery once again get the last laugh? Back in Paris, Philip's court is rife with faction-fighting between an excess of Capetian princes and a rising class of bureaucrats. But the real conflict happens between Ben and Eliza, as he tri...

When Louis IX comes of age, taking over from his mother and regent Blanche, France finds itself at the apex of its medieval golden age. The young king manages to prove his mettle fending off English invasions and internal rebellions, bringing the royal domain's power to new heights. But kings rarely age gracefully... When thoughts turn to a risky and costly crusade, will Louis's luck run out? How will his desire to purge France of its sins effect his people for better and for ...

More than just a stop-gap between Louis VIII and IX, Blanche of Castile proved definitively that a woman could not only rule France but lead its armies and redefine its culture. She was the granddaughter of Eleanor of Aquitaine, who hand-picked her as a daughter-in-law to Philip Augustus, whose legacy she would uphold in the face of numerous threats; from English invasions to fanatical peasants. ⚜️ Blanche's song, Amour ou trop tard me suis pris, is performed by the ...

This week, we get to know King Louis I of England. Yep, you heard that right! But his role as the Capetian who just about became King of England in the days of Robin Hood isn't the only fascinating thing about Louis the Lion's life. Though he was the heir for many years and king for very few, Louis manages to cram a lot of action into one life. And a lot of bubs, too! It helps when your wife is the fabulous Blanche of Castile. Visit our Wordpress for episode images, score summaries, c...

This week we invited on our resident librarian Elspeth Olson to talk one of our biggest mutual interests: fairy tales! Ben and Elspeth each tell a tale from 17th Century author Charles Perrault about horrifically wronged women, while Eliza branches out with a Japanese fairy tale about a woman who got a revenge of demonic proportions! We swear, this was not a coordinated theme... Go and follow Elspeth on Instagram, and check out her Etsy store, where she sells handmade ornaments, embroi...

In the second episode on Philip II's jam-packed reign, we step back and look at the broader picture, considering how Philip ruled, the impact he made on France, and whether he truly deserved the epithet "Augustus". He quadroupled the royal domain, he cleaned up the city of Paris and he ushered in a cultural golden age. But his dealings with the Jews and Cathars gave us pause; this king is no angel. Visit our Wordpress for episode images, score summaries, contact details and more! Make su...

Though he's often overshadowed by his flashy ex-boyfriend Richard the Lionheart, Philip II is one of the most famous medieval kings for a reason. So much happens in his reign, that he is the first monarch since Charlemagne who gets a two-part episode! But things aren't looking good for France at the end of Louis VII's llacklustre reign, which saw the Angevin Empire gobble up the Left of France. Through strategic marriages, sneaky plots and a crusade so stressful it made all his hair fall out,...

Our seventh Louis, called Louis the Young, is overshadowed by practically everyone around him (his dad, his wife, his vassals, his friends, his enemies... the list goes on). But as times go, the middle of the 12th Century was certainly an interesting one. In this episode, once Louis VII gets back from his disastrous crusade and finally splits with Eleanor of Aquitaine, we witness the end of the English Anarchy in the north, the Rise of the Angevin Empire just to the west, and the loomi...