‘Prince Rupert: Commander, Creator & Companion’: a talk by Mark Turnbull

04-12-25 - 04-12-25,
7:30 PM - 9:00 PM

Admission: ££6.50 Adults, £5.00 Students/Museum Members

Location: Via Zoom

Prince Rupert of the Rhine (nephew to King Charles I) is both the archetypal royalist hero and parliamentarian villain.

The dashing cavalier: handsome, courageous, and determined on the one hand, yet he is also seen as a malignant devil, earning at least 11 derogatory pseudonyms from Parliamentarian propagandists. These range from ‘Duke of Plunderland’ to ‘Wizard Prince’.

This talk will explore his early life and civil war years, together with his varied interests, which weave him into the very fabric of the 17th century. Crucially, the women in his life have never been adequately explored, remaining mere footnotes to his story. New discoveries uncover more about them than ever, and this in turn tells us so much more about Rupert.

Mark Turnbull's childhood visit to Helmsley Castle, North Yorkshire, at the age of 10 provided the foundations of a passionate interest in King Charles I and the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. An Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, Mark has re-enacted battles of the period with the Sealed Knot, and now enjoys bringing this history to life through works of fiction, whilst contributing to knowledge of it via non-fiction. Mark also produces a podcast called 'CavalierCast - The Civil War in Words' which is the first (and longest running) podcast solely dedicated to the civil wars. It explores a variety of topics with leading historians, authors, re-enactors, archaeologists, and curators.

This talk will be recorded and put on a private channel after the 'live talk' for ticket holders to view at their leisure if they miss the live talk or wish to view them again.

Please click on the links for more details and tickets for individual talks. To purchase season tickets for all talks please go to the talk season page.

We are delighted to welcome over four Thursdays:

Thursday 13 November - David Smith on 'Cromwell on Film'

Thursday 20 November - Edward Davis on 'Cromwell's Nemesis: the Earl of Manchester and the Civil War'

Thursday 4 December – Mark Turnbull on 'Prince Rupert: Commander, Creator & Companion’

Thursday 11 December – Holly Brewer on 'Slavery in Paintings and Politics of the Commonwealth’

Click on the titles for more information and individual bookings.

PLEASE NOTE: These talks will be held online via Zoom. Joining details will be sent 48 hours before the talk.

Admission: £24 Adults (for 4 talks), £18 for students/Museum Members (for 4 talks); for individual talks £6.50 Adults, £5 students/Museum Members.

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