The Common People
Dr. Ian Mortimer undertakes a present-tense journey through the world of Queen Elizabeth the First. This episode he looks at religion and everyday life.
Although most people have images of courtiers in fine clothes and lavish palaces, the reality is that most Elizabethans are poor. What is it like to live in a dank, smoke-filled hovel in the countryside? How will you cope in a world of darkness? What will you eat, how will you travel, what work will you get? How can you survive on as little as fourpence a day?
Ian also looks at the religious controversies threatening to pull the country apart, as well as revealing an astoundingly cruel Elizabethan England, not just to animals but also to women and children. Plus, there are surprises along the way. For example, did you know that witchcraft is legal - and that even the church employs witches?
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Clip
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How to avoid certain death in Elizabethan times
Duration: 02:01
Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Writer | Ian Mortimer |
Presenter | Ian Mortimer |
Series Producer | Michael Wadding |
Director | Michael Wadding |
Broadcast
- Fri 31 May 2013 21:00