Robert the Bruce is one of the most famous names in Scottish history, but can the real man live up to the legend? There was certainly a lot on his plate with Scotland bereft of a king and under the rule of Edward I of England, but could Robert the Bruce restore liberty to Scotland? Listen to his podcast here or read on to find out more.
While William Wallace wasn’t an Australian in blue face paint shouting “FREEDOM!” in an historically dubious surrounding, he was nevertheless a real warrior who fought for Scottish independence in the late thirteen century. But who exactly was the real William Wallace and does he deserve the Rex Factor? Listen to his episode in the player below or read on to find out more.
After the dynastic crises of the past decade, John Balliol took on the leadership of a country in 1292 that was seriously divided and heavily indebted to Edward I, who was determined to make as much capital out of this debt as possible. Would Balliol be able to carve out his own path and make Scotland great again, or would the might of Edward I be too much for him to handle? To find out more, read on or listen to his episode here.
The death of Margaret the Maid of Norway in 1290 saw the failure of the direct line of the Scottish royal family and left the throne empty. Somehow, the Scots had to decide who should be the rightful king without finding themselves falling into civil war – but who would get to wear the crown? Read on to find out more or listen to our review of Margaret the Maid of Norway here, which includes a discussion of the Great Cause.
For the first time in its history, Scotland faced the prospect of a queen regnant – a female ruler! And not just any female ruler but a Norwegian one at that and still only a child. With rival claimants threatening the prospect of civil war, could the Scots keep the kingdom together? Would Margaret be able to rule successfully? And who’s that English chap on the horizon building lots of castles in Wales…
To listen to Margaret’s episode click here or read on to find out more.
Something strange and disturbing happened in our latest special episode – Ali took control! For one episode only, Ali and Graham swapped places (physically as well as metaphorically) as Ali took the role of expert. Impressively, Ali even came with lots of research – that research being his university dissertation!
Alexander III was only a child when he became king but his reign would come to be seen as a golden age in Scottish history. Alexander needed to restore unity following the divisions of his minority, re-establish Scottish independence from the encroaching ambitions of England and finished his father’s work in recovering the Western Isles from Norway – a pretty big to-do list, but would Alexander III be up to the task? To find out, listen to his episode here or read on to find out more.
The battle to reach the grand final has been hard fought but now the day of reckoning is upon us. Alfred the Great, Athelstan, Henry II, Edward I, Edward III, Henry V, Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, Victoria: nine monarchs, but only three will make it through to the final. To find out the results, watch the video or click for the stats but beware – spoilers!
The voting for the Semi-Finals of the Rex Factor play-offs is nearly finished – you have until the close of play on Thursday 12 June to cast your vote for the three monarchs who you think should make it through to the final. If you’re not sure who to vote for and don’t have time to listen to the three play-off episodes, here’s a quick guide to the 9 monarchs competing for a place in the final as well as links to all the surveys.
In the third and final play-off, some personal favourites come to blows in the battle for the final place in the Grand Final. Alfred the Great flies the flag for the Anglo-Saxons while Edward I and his grandson Edward III hold their swords aloft for the Plantagenets. Read on for more information about the three contenders and how you can help to decide who will go through to the final.
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