
About this episode
It’s 1389, and young Charles VI of France is living the medieval dream. He’s married for love. The war-torn kingdom is finally healing. He’s handsome, adored, and destined for greatness.
But then — he snaps.
Charles descends into delusion, convinced his body is made of glass. He won’t let anyone touch him. He hides from the world. And as his mind fractures, so does France — a fragile kingdom now teetering on the brink of collapse.
This is a story of ambition without limits, power without control… and the terrifying question: who breaks first?
This Is History Presents: The Glass King — a haunting new series from historian Danièle Cybulskie — explores the tragic unraveling of a monarch and the chaos that follows.
To delve deeper into the history behind each episode, join This Is History’s royal favourites on Patreon. There, you can meet fellow mediaeval history buffs, chat with the team, and tell us what you want to hear more of.
We’d love to see you there: patreon.com/thisishistory
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Written and presented by Danièle Cybulskie
Producer - Alan Weedon Senior Producer - Dominic Tyerman
Executive Producer - Simon Poole
Production Manager - Jen Mistri
Production coordinator: Eric Ryan
Mixing - Amber Devereux
Head of content – Chris Skinner
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