John of Ghent or ‘Gaunt’ was the son of Edward III, brother to the Black Prince, father to Henry IV and the sire of all those Tudors. Always close to the English throne, he left a complex legacy with contemporary accounts depicting him as both hero and villain. He was perceived as too rich, too powerful and too haughty. His character and motivations have been the subject of debate ever since. Did he have one treacherous eye on his nephew’s throne? Why did he inspire such hatred during the Peasants’ Revolt?
Helen Carr will paint a revealing portrait of a man who held the levers of power on the English and European stage. She will tell the complex story of a pivotal figure whose political actions and cultural legacy offer an insight into the tumultuous 14th century.
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About the speaker
Helen Carr is a historian, writer and history television producer. She has produced documentaries for BBC, Sky Arts, Discovery, CNN and History Hit TV and has previously worked for BBC Radio 4’s weekly programme In Our Time. She is a regular features writer for BBC History Magazine and has contributed to the New Statesman, History Today and History Extra. Helen now runs her own podcast, Hidden Histories.
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