In the 1540’s Henry VIII needed money. He had palaces to build, and wars to make. He wanted to conquer France, goshdarnit, and he needed money to do that! And he got more money. A lot. But how he did it has been termed the greatest monetary treason ever committed by a head of state. What was it? The policy that gave Henry a nickname of Old Coppernose? Wait for it… it was… (drumroll)… The Great Debasement! That time when English currency went from having 92% silver to less than 30%. No one trusted the currency! And it took Elizabeth to sort it all out 20 years later (of course) (But really, how much stuff did she have to sort out?) (#GlorianaToTheRescue!)
[advertisement insert here: if you like this show, and you want to support me and my work, the best thing you can do (and it’s free!) is to leave a rating or review on iTunes. It really helps others discover the podcast. Second best is to buy Tudor-themed gifts for all your loved ones at my shop, at TudorFair.com, like leggings with the Anne Boleyn portrait pattern on them, or boots with Elizabeth I portraits. Finally, you can also become a patron of this show for as little as $1/episode at Patreon.com/englandcast … And thank you!]
Episode 094: Gresham, The Royal Exchange, and England’s First Mall
hteysko@gmail.comDecember 11, 2017Englandcast Episodes
Episode 094 of the Renaissance English History Podcast was on Thomas Gresham and the Royal Exchange, England’s first shopping mall.
(remember, if you like this show, there are a few ways you can help it succeed. The easiest – and free – is to leave a rating on iTunes. It really makes a difference in helping new people find the show. Next up, you could buy a gift from my awesome – if I do say so myself – collection of cool stuff, like Tudor Leggings, Elizabeth mugs, and other gifts at TudorFair.com, which is my online shop. Finally, you can consider becoming a patron on Patreon for as little as $1/episode.)
Here are some previous episodes and blog posts to go along with this one:
Episode 94 on Thomas Gresham
https://www.englandcast.com/2017/12/episode-094-gresham-royal-exchange-englands-first-mall/
Blog on Tudor Money
https://www.englandcast.com/2019/08/tudor-money/
Episode 119: Tudor Credit
https://www.englandcast.com/2019/02/episode-119-credit-in-tudor-england/
Dig Deeper:
The Great Debasement and its Aftermath by Stephen Deng.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/304599721_The_Great_Debasement_and_Its_Aftermath
The Great Debasement of Henry VIII and Edward VI
by Catherine Downey
https://www.tcd.ie/Economics/assets/pdf/SER/1997/Catherine_Downey.pdf
[advertisement insert here: if you like this show, and you want to support me and my work, the best thing you can do (and it’s free!) is to leave a rating or review on iTunes. It really helps others discover the podcast. Second best is to buy Tudor-themed gifts for all your loved ones at my shop, at TudorFair.com, like leggings with the Anne Boleyn portrait pattern on them, or boots with Elizabeth I portraits. Finally, you can also become a patron of this show for as little as $1/episode at Patreon.com/englandcast … And thank you!]