Forgotten Restoration women reshaped power, culture, and scandal in spectacular ways.
Step into a vibrant, myth-busting journey through the 17th century as cultural historian Breeze Barrington joins History Rage to tear down the idea that the only women worth remembering from the Restoration were Charles II’s mistresses. Drawing on her new book The Extraordinary Untold Lives of Women at the Restoration Court, Breeze exposes a world of creativity, politics, sisterhood, and survival that history has long pushed into the shadows.
From the resilience of Mary of Modena, to the poetic brilliance of Anne Finch and Anne Killigrew, to the raw force-of-nature independence of Hortense Mancini, this episode pulls you straight into the hidden engines of Restoration court culture—where women shaped politics, art, learning, and identity in ways that changed Britain.
You’ll hear:
• The truth behind the so-called “tragic” Queen Mary of Modena—and her remarkable resilience.
• How mistresses became only one slice of a much bigger story of women’s influence.
• The thriving creative world of the Duchess of York’s court.
• Why Restoration salons—especially Hortense Mancini’s—were radical, inclusive, and politically dangerous.
• How Sarah Churchill’s early years at Maria’s court set the stage for her dominance under Queen Anne.
• The explosive religious divide that shaped every personal and political decision of the age.
Breeze brings the fury, the humour, and the research to show why these women deserve to be household names—far beyond scandal and stereotype.
📚 About Breeze Barrington
Breeze Barrington is a cultural historian specialising in the 17th century.
Book: The Extraordinary Untold Lives of Women at the Restoration Court – available from: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781526663788
Website: https://breezebarrington.com
Instagram: @breeze_barrington
🔗 Links & Further Reading
Order Breeze’s book: The Extraordinary Untold Lives of Women at the Restoration Court
Recommended episodes:
• Ep 127 – Charlotte White on Barbara Villiers
• Ep 80 – Linda Porter on Catherine of Braganza
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Until next time—stay angry!
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