Dark Side of the Quakers episode artwork

EPISODE · Dec 1, 2025 · 48 MIN

Dark Side of the Quakers

from Not Just the Tudors

**Contains story of a young male suicide**Out of the devastation of the English Civil Wars, a radical new religious movement was born. The early Quakers, led by fiery and charismatic preachers, believed they had been chosen by God to save souls and purify a corrupt world. But the origins of Quakerism were far darker and more complex than the peaceful faith we know today. Convinced of divine purpose, Quakers performed failed miracles, disrupted services, defied the law, and faced imprisonment, all in pursuit of what they saw as God’s truth.Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. Erica Canela to uncover how religious zeal, fear, and desperation drove ordinary men and women to extraordinary, and sometimes terrifying, acts.MOREVoices of Thunder: Radical Women of the 17th CenturyListen on AppleListen on SpotifyHeretic or Martyr? Tudor Poet Anne AskewListen on AppleListen on SpotifyPresented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Max Wintle, audio editor is Amy Haddow and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcastSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

**Contains story of a young male suicide**Out of the devastation of the English Civil Wars, a radical new religious movement was born. The early Quakers, led by fiery and charismatic preachers, believed they had been chosen by God to save souls and purify a corrupt world. But the origins of Quakerism were far darker and more complex than the peaceful faith we know today. Convinced of divine purpose, Quakers performed failed miracles, disrupted services, defied the law, and faced imprisonment, all in pursuit of what they saw as God’s truth.Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. Erica Canela to uncover how religious zeal, fear, and desperation drove ordinary men and women to extraordinary, and sometimes terrifying, acts.MOREVoices of Thunder: Radical Women of the 17th CenturyListen on AppleListen on SpotifyHeretic or Martyr? Tudor Poet Anne AskewListen on AppleListen on SpotifyPresented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Max Wintle, audio editor is Amy Haddow and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcastSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

NOW PLAYING

Dark Side of the Quakers

0:00 48:17

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Not Just the Tudors?

This episode is 48 minutes long.

When was this Not Just the Tudors episode published?

This episode was published on December 1, 2025.

What is this episode about?

**Contains story of a young male suicide**Out of the devastation of the English Civil Wars, a radical new religious movement was born. The early Quakers, led by fiery and charismatic preachers, believed they had been chosen by God to save souls and...

Can I download this Not Just the Tudors episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!