He was the golden boy of the Elizabethan court—handsome, headstrong, and dangerously entitled. Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, rose fast on charm and royal favor, but fell harder than anyone before him. In this episode, we unravel the dramatic downfall of Queen Elizabeth’s last great favorite: from battlefield glory to courtroom disgrace, from private whispers to public rebellion. Was it ambition, arrogance, or love that led him to the scaffold? You decide.

🎭 Was he England’s lost prince or the greatest con artist of the Tudor era?

In this episode of The Lion & The Rose, we unravel the unbelievable story of Perkin Warbeck—a Flemish merchant’s son who convinced kings, nobles, and even entire armies that he was Richard of York, the missing Prince in the Tower.

Backed by Margaret of York, the Duchess of Burgundy, and supported by France, Scotland, and the Holy Roman Empire, Warbeck was treated like a true king. He led invasions, raised armies, and was even proclaimed King Richard IV.

But then… it all came crashing down.

Join me as we break down: ⚔️ Warbeck’s mysterious origins—was he really a fraud? ⚔️ How he nearly took down Henry VII’s Tudor dynasty ⚔️ The failed invasions that led to his ultimate downfall ⚔️ The role of Margaret of York in shaping his royal lie ⚔️ And the final twist—did Warbeck actually believe his own deception?

Was he a master conman, a Yorkist puppet, or did he truly believe he was Richard of York?