678. Britain: God Save the King (Part 2)
episodePreviously titled “678. England: God Save the King (Part 2)” — renamed by the publisher on Aug 2, 2026
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How did the Napoleonic Wars influence the British national anthem?
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What are the Jacobite origins of 'God Save the King'?
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Sancti gloria, abbia gloria, con su reina.
So that is the stirring song that England's finest will be belting out next week when we meet Croatia for the first match in our ultimately victorious 2026 World Cup campaign. So the campaign that will go down in history, seeing Thomas Tuchel rewarded with a knighthood. Harry Kane, hat trick in the final, all very exciting. So hello everybody. Welcome to the second in our World Cup themed series about the history behind the national anthems of the most interesting contenders. I was about to say the top contenders, but I don't think South Africa are a top contender, but they're the most interesting. Now, obviously, Tom, we were always going to do God Save the King because we are, of course, a patriotic podcast, but also because this is a brilliant example of how a very familiar anthem can open up this window into a very interesting area of history.
Which British monarch was 'God Save the King' originally written for?
Specifically in this case, a period of history we haven't done as much of on this show as we should have done, which is the 18th century. So we'll be talking a lot about the politics of the 18th century, but before then, just on the anthem itself, I think, very unfairly, people often diss this anthem, and they say it's a bit... I think because it's often played badly by the... A dirge. They say it's a dirge.
A dirge. I think it's a legal requirement to say that it is a dirge. I don't think it is a dirge, but there you go. Well, I'm quite fond of it as well, I have to say. But I would... I mean, maybe you would disagree.
What role did religion play in the anthem's significance during the Napoleonic Wars?
I don't think it has the kind of operatic power. Strutting. Bombastic. So we've done two national anthems before this. One was the previous one, the Star Spangled Banner. Yeah. burning the White House, attacking Baltimore, all of that. But before that, as part of our French Revolution series, we did the Marseillaise, episode 507, for people who haven't heard it. Now, I know that you disagree on this. I think it is a thrilling national anthem.
How did 'God Save the King' become enshrined as the national anthem?
I'm a little bit envious of it. And just to remind people the background to the Marseillaise, written in 1792 as the infant French Republic was – seriously facing the prospect of being strangled in its cradle by the invading armies of Austria and Prussia. This invasion was the opening shot in a war that Britain was going to enter very soon afterwards, following the execution of Louis XVI. For both the American and the French revolutionaries, Britain really constitutes the great rival, the great opponent to their respective revolutions. The consequence of this is decades of conflict. With the Americans, they're at war for eight years through the War of Independence. Their republic would not have been established without that war.
The French, what begins as a revolutionary war, will end up the Napoleonic Wars and go on all the way from 1793 through to 1815, kind of on and off. Of course, this isn't just a military or naval conflict.
What theories exist about the composer of 'God Save the King'?
It is an ideological one because both the American and the French revolutions, establish republics.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
How did the Napoleonic Wars influence the British national anthem?
0:01–1:05
2
What are the Jacobite origins of 'God Save the King'?
1:05–2:57
3
Which British monarch was 'God Save the King' originally written for?
2:57–3:30
4
What role did religion play in the anthem's significance during the Napoleonic Wars?
3:30–3:58
5
How did 'God Save the King' become enshrined as the national anthem?
3:58–5:04
6
What theories exist about the composer of 'God Save the King'?
5:04–6:03
7
Why do some people view 'God Save the King' as a dirge?
6:03–7:02
8
How has the perception of 'God Save the King' changed over time?
7:02–1:08:39
Speakers
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