Rebecca Rideal
@rebeccarideal.bsky.social
Historian (early modern & true crime). TV & Podcast producer / writer.
Author - 1666: PLAGUE, WAR & HELLFIRE (out now), GOD’S THRONE: THE STUARTS 1603-1714 (currently writing).
Director of HistFest. Host Killing Time podcast.
Author - 1666: PLAGUE, WAR & HELLFIRE (out now), GOD’S THRONE: THE STUARTS 1603-1714 (currently writing).
Director of HistFest. Host Killing Time podcast.
Pinned
Rebecca Rideal
@rebeccarideal.bsky.social
· Oct 28
Once Upon a Time in the North
spotify.link
Hope you don’t mind me sharing this again. I’m just so excited to share this brand new podcast series produced by @histfest.bsky.social for @historyextra.bsky.social
Listen wherever you get your podcasts (here’s the Spotify link spotify.link/hxH97mL4PXb )
Listen wherever you get your podcasts (here’s the Spotify link spotify.link/hxH97mL4PXb )
This is basically Samuel Pepys when you read his diary.
Groping in the kitchen. He: dares you to stop him. She: about to pick up her distaff and brain him. By Pieter Pietersz, whose day is today.
January 31, 2026 at 8:04 PM
This is basically Samuel Pepys when you read his diary.
Reposted by Rebecca Rideal
📜Bequest of the day📜
Royalist Sir Nicholas Crispe asks for an autopsy in his 1666 will:
'I would have my body opened that the Phisitiones may see the cause of my soe long shortnes of breath to be helpfull to my Posterity that are troubled with the same Infirmity'.
#EarlyModern 🗃️
Royalist Sir Nicholas Crispe asks for an autopsy in his 1666 will:
'I would have my body opened that the Phisitiones may see the cause of my soe long shortnes of breath to be helpfull to my Posterity that are troubled with the same Infirmity'.
#EarlyModern 🗃️
January 30, 2026 at 2:17 PM
📜Bequest of the day📜
Royalist Sir Nicholas Crispe asks for an autopsy in his 1666 will:
'I would have my body opened that the Phisitiones may see the cause of my soe long shortnes of breath to be helpfull to my Posterity that are troubled with the same Infirmity'.
#EarlyModern 🗃️
Royalist Sir Nicholas Crispe asks for an autopsy in his 1666 will:
'I would have my body opened that the Phisitiones may see the cause of my soe long shortnes of breath to be helpfull to my Posterity that are troubled with the same Infirmity'.
#EarlyModern 🗃️
Reposted by Rebecca Rideal
Got your HistFest tix yet? 🎟️📚
18-19 April at the British Library and around the world (I think?) online. More speakers to be announced soon!
Learn things, have a nice time, buy some books, maybe a coffee or wine!
And also Michael Palin Michael Palin Michael Palin ⏬
histfest.org/histfest-2026/
18-19 April at the British Library and around the world (I think?) online. More speakers to be announced soon!
Learn things, have a nice time, buy some books, maybe a coffee or wine!
And also Michael Palin Michael Palin Michael Palin ⏬
histfest.org/histfest-2026/
January 30, 2026 at 12:43 PM
Got your HistFest tix yet? 🎟️📚
18-19 April at the British Library and around the world (I think?) online. More speakers to be announced soon!
Learn things, have a nice time, buy some books, maybe a coffee or wine!
And also Michael Palin Michael Palin Michael Palin ⏬
histfest.org/histfest-2026/
18-19 April at the British Library and around the world (I think?) online. More speakers to be announced soon!
Learn things, have a nice time, buy some books, maybe a coffee or wine!
And also Michael Palin Michael Palin Michael Palin ⏬
histfest.org/histfest-2026/
Reposted by Rebecca Rideal
My talk is mostly going to be me raving about how much I love the National Archives Education Resources Team and everything they've done to help, and help me, share Hezekiah Moscow and Alec Munroe's real stories with the world 🥊♥️
It's nice to be niche! 💁🏻♀️🥊
Been asked to give the keynote opening talk at the DAM and Collections Management for Cultural Heritage 2026 conference.
I will, of course, be chatting about Hezekiah Moscow. From archive to prime time! 📦⏩📺
More to come:
henrystewartconferences.com/events/dam-c...
Been asked to give the keynote opening talk at the DAM and Collections Management for Cultural Heritage 2026 conference.
I will, of course, be chatting about Hezekiah Moscow. From archive to prime time! 📦⏩📺
More to come:
henrystewartconferences.com/events/dam-c...
January 29, 2026 at 5:54 PM
My talk is mostly going to be me raving about how much I love the National Archives Education Resources Team and everything they've done to help, and help me, share Hezekiah Moscow and Alec Munroe's real stories with the world 🥊♥️
Reposted by Rebecca Rideal
The fact that a woman has become the #archbishopofcanterbury is not the astounding progress that it might seem, given that women were preaching in 1641! But they were vilified for doing so by the Church of England, which has taken a very long time to revise that view #earlymodern
January 28, 2026 at 1:34 PM
The fact that a woman has become the #archbishopofcanterbury is not the astounding progress that it might seem, given that women were preaching in 1641! But they were vilified for doing so by the Church of England, which has taken a very long time to revise that view #earlymodern
Reposted by Rebecca Rideal
Rule Britannia: Queens, Power, Thrones
Sat 7 March | Oxford
Join Prof. Kate Williams, Dr Nicola Tallis & Rebecca Rideal for a special study day spotlighting queens who have ruled in their own right – from the Tudor period to the twentieth century. Sign up lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk/courses/rule...
Sat 7 March | Oxford
Join Prof. Kate Williams, Dr Nicola Tallis & Rebecca Rideal for a special study day spotlighting queens who have ruled in their own right – from the Tudor period to the twentieth century. Sign up lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk/courses/rule...
January 27, 2026 at 5:13 PM
Rule Britannia: Queens, Power, Thrones
Sat 7 March | Oxford
Join Prof. Kate Williams, Dr Nicola Tallis & Rebecca Rideal for a special study day spotlighting queens who have ruled in their own right – from the Tudor period to the twentieth century. Sign up lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk/courses/rule...
Sat 7 March | Oxford
Join Prof. Kate Williams, Dr Nicola Tallis & Rebecca Rideal for a special study day spotlighting queens who have ruled in their own right – from the Tudor period to the twentieth century. Sign up lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk/courses/rule...
Rule Britannia: Queens, Power, Thrones
Sat 7 March | Oxford
Join Prof. Kate Williams, Dr Nicola Tallis & Rebecca Rideal for a special study day spotlighting queens who have ruled in their own right – from the Tudor period to the twentieth century. Sign up lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk/courses/rule...
Sat 7 March | Oxford
Join Prof. Kate Williams, Dr Nicola Tallis & Rebecca Rideal for a special study day spotlighting queens who have ruled in their own right – from the Tudor period to the twentieth century. Sign up lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk/courses/rule...
January 27, 2026 at 5:13 PM
Rule Britannia: Queens, Power, Thrones
Sat 7 March | Oxford
Join Prof. Kate Williams, Dr Nicola Tallis & Rebecca Rideal for a special study day spotlighting queens who have ruled in their own right – from the Tudor period to the twentieth century. Sign up lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk/courses/rule...
Sat 7 March | Oxford
Join Prof. Kate Williams, Dr Nicola Tallis & Rebecca Rideal for a special study day spotlighting queens who have ruled in their own right – from the Tudor period to the twentieth century. Sign up lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk/courses/rule...
On this day in 1649, Charles I of Scotland, England and Ireland was declared guilty of treason against his own people and sentenced to execution. If you haven’t listened to my @historyextra.bsky.social series, consider this your prompt ⬇️
Hope you don’t mind me sharing this again. I’m just so excited to share this brand new podcast series produced by @histfest.bsky.social for @historyextra.bsky.social
Listen wherever you get your podcasts (here’s the Spotify link spotify.link/hxH97mL4PXb )
Listen wherever you get your podcasts (here’s the Spotify link spotify.link/hxH97mL4PXb )
Once Upon a Time in the North
spotify.link
January 27, 2026 at 8:40 AM
On this day in 1649, Charles I of Scotland, England and Ireland was declared guilty of treason against his own people and sentenced to execution. If you haven’t listened to my @historyextra.bsky.social series, consider this your prompt ⬇️
Reposted by Rebecca Rideal
Her majesty’s most gracious speech will be be nothing but trickery and deception. Politics, do they ever change? As Evert Collier warns you from c 1699.
January 26, 2026 at 6:55 PM
Her majesty’s most gracious speech will be be nothing but trickery and deception. Politics, do they ever change? As Evert Collier warns you from c 1699.
So, my daughter and I do this game where we recast classic films with modern / next generation actors and The Holiday has been one of the trickiest of all. Why? Because we cannot think of a next generation Cameron Diaz. Who would you cast?
a woman is sitting in front of a computer and holding her head .
ALT: a woman is sitting in front of a computer and holding her head .
media.tenor.com
January 26, 2026 at 8:47 PM
So, my daughter and I do this game where we recast classic films with modern / next generation actors and The Holiday has been one of the trickiest of all. Why? Because we cannot think of a next generation Cameron Diaz. Who would you cast?
Reposted by Rebecca Rideal
Just because I saw and loved this last week.
January 26, 2026 at 11:05 AM
Just because I saw and loved this last week.
Having a drink has underlined exactly why I (mostly) no longer drink. Eurgh.
snow white from snow white and the seven dwarfs is drinking coffee from a coffee pot .
ALT: snow white from snow white and the seven dwarfs is drinking coffee from a coffee pot .
media.tenor.com
January 26, 2026 at 8:03 AM
Having a drink has underlined exactly why I (mostly) no longer drink. Eurgh.
Reposted by Rebecca Rideal
I will be disappointed if Sean Bean doesn’t call every bird he sees “yer’bastard”
I just learned that this exists and now I have to share it with you all because I don't even listen to podcasts, but just knowing that this is a thing has unironically increased my overall happiness and wellbeing:
January 25, 2026 at 11:22 AM
I will be disappointed if Sean Bean doesn’t call every bird he sees “yer’bastard”
Reposted by Rebecca Rideal
Remember that the UK has far, far weaker protections against state power than did the US. And the latter folded up like a pack of cards. The US is a warning from the British future.
January 24, 2026 at 4:42 PM
Remember that the UK has far, far weaker protections against state power than did the US. And the latter folded up like a pack of cards. The US is a warning from the British future.
Reposted by Rebecca Rideal
With every struggle, there comes a moment when those who are meant to obey refuse. How many people would be this brave?
"You're going to have to kill me."
"You're going to have to kill me."
Minneapolis protester as he's being brutalized by feds: "You're gonna have to kill me! You're gonna have to kill me! I've done nothing wrong! My name is Matthew James! I'm a US citizen! You're gonna kill me! Is that what you want?" (You can hear his wife screaming)
January 25, 2026 at 11:53 AM
With every struggle, there comes a moment when those who are meant to obey refuse. How many people would be this brave?
"You're going to have to kill me."
"You're going to have to kill me."
Reposted by Rebecca Rideal
New free online research training course 5 May 2026. Engaging Histories: Working with/in the Media as an Historian.
www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...
www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...
January 23, 2026 at 10:00 AM
New free online research training course 5 May 2026. Engaging Histories: Working with/in the Media as an Historian.
www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...
www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...
Reposted by Rebecca Rideal
Looking to do something different this summer? How about a week in Oxford studying the history of the Stuart dynasty? There are still a couple of places on my @oxlifelonglearning.bsky.social course. Details here: lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk/courses/the-...
The Stuarts: The Fall, Rise and Revolution of a Dynasty, 1603-1714
This course investigates the story of the Stuarts (1603 to 1714) in the context of the political, social, religious, economic and cultural history of seventeenth century England.
lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk
January 22, 2026 at 6:19 PM
Looking to do something different this summer? How about a week in Oxford studying the history of the Stuart dynasty? There are still a couple of places on my @oxlifelonglearning.bsky.social course. Details here: lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk/courses/the-...
Looking to do something different this summer? How about a week in Oxford studying the history of the Stuart dynasty? There are still a couple of places on my @oxlifelonglearning.bsky.social course. Details here: lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk/courses/the-...
The Stuarts: The Fall, Rise and Revolution of a Dynasty, 1603-1714
This course investigates the story of the Stuarts (1603 to 1714) in the context of the political, social, religious, economic and cultural history of seventeenth century England.
lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk
January 22, 2026 at 6:19 PM
Looking to do something different this summer? How about a week in Oxford studying the history of the Stuart dynasty? There are still a couple of places on my @oxlifelonglearning.bsky.social course. Details here: lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk/courses/the-...
Reposted by Rebecca Rideal
Celebrating the forthcoming blue plaque to Tom Molineaux and Bill Richmond at the National Gallery, I'm proud to be joining a panel with Tony Warner (Black History Walks), Roberto Nigro, Luke G. Williams & S.I Martin at UCL! 👊 Apr 15 - FREE tix #AThousandBlows
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/champion-b...
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/champion-b...
January 22, 2026 at 9:42 AM
Celebrating the forthcoming blue plaque to Tom Molineaux and Bill Richmond at the National Gallery, I'm proud to be joining a panel with Tony Warner (Black History Walks), Roberto Nigro, Luke G. Williams & S.I Martin at UCL! 👊 Apr 15 - FREE tix #AThousandBlows
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/champion-b...
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/champion-b...
For the evening crowd. Come one, come all! ⬇️⬇️
HistFest is back!
We’re thrilled to share details of HistFest 2026. From Ancient Greek naval commanders and Egyptian queens to the history of motherhood and LGBTQ+ social histories – this year, we bring you a raft of fascinating histories and speakers.
Book now! histfest.org/histfest-2026/
We’re thrilled to share details of HistFest 2026. From Ancient Greek naval commanders and Egyptian queens to the history of motherhood and LGBTQ+ social histories – this year, we bring you a raft of fascinating histories and speakers.
Book now! histfest.org/histfest-2026/
January 21, 2026 at 9:05 PM
For the evening crowd. Come one, come all! ⬇️⬇️
Reposted by Rebecca Rideal
HistFest is back!
We’re thrilled to share details of HistFest 2026. From Ancient Greek naval commanders and Egyptian queens to the history of motherhood and LGBTQ+ social histories – this year, we bring you a raft of fascinating histories and speakers.
Book now! histfest.org/histfest-2026/
We’re thrilled to share details of HistFest 2026. From Ancient Greek naval commanders and Egyptian queens to the history of motherhood and LGBTQ+ social histories – this year, we bring you a raft of fascinating histories and speakers.
Book now! histfest.org/histfest-2026/
January 21, 2026 at 10:10 AM
HistFest is back!
We’re thrilled to share details of HistFest 2026. From Ancient Greek naval commanders and Egyptian queens to the history of motherhood and LGBTQ+ social histories – this year, we bring you a raft of fascinating histories and speakers.
Book now! histfest.org/histfest-2026/
We’re thrilled to share details of HistFest 2026. From Ancient Greek naval commanders and Egyptian queens to the history of motherhood and LGBTQ+ social histories – this year, we bring you a raft of fascinating histories and speakers.
Book now! histfest.org/histfest-2026/
Beyond excited to share this! We have the absolutely wonderful Sir Michael Palin headlining a festival filled with excellent speakers, historians and authors. Come and join us!
HistFest is back!
We’re thrilled to share details of HistFest 2026. From Ancient Greek naval commanders and Egyptian queens to the history of motherhood and LGBTQ+ social histories – this year, we bring you a raft of fascinating histories and speakers.
Book now! histfest.org/histfest-2026/
We’re thrilled to share details of HistFest 2026. From Ancient Greek naval commanders and Egyptian queens to the history of motherhood and LGBTQ+ social histories – this year, we bring you a raft of fascinating histories and speakers.
Book now! histfest.org/histfest-2026/
January 21, 2026 at 10:15 AM
Beyond excited to share this! We have the absolutely wonderful Sir Michael Palin headlining a festival filled with excellent speakers, historians and authors. Come and join us!
Reposted by Rebecca Rideal
You do not want to miss this…
January 20, 2026 at 12:49 PM
You do not want to miss this…
Gheeraerts: Thomas, can you hold the helmet like a regular person?
Thomas: …
Thomas: …
2/2 Captain Thomas Lee: Ready for combat in Ireland in 1594 but seems to have forgotten his nether hose & shoes, alas! Still got painted by Marcus Gheeraerts, whose day is today.
January 19, 2026 at 11:38 PM
Gheeraerts: Thomas, can you hold the helmet like a regular person?
Thomas: …
Thomas: …
Reposted by Rebecca Rideal
Plague, war and hellfire
January 19, 2026 at 5:25 PM
Plague, war and hellfire