Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society

Anne of Cleves gets a pretty raw deal in the history books.She's often accused of being ugly, after Henry VIII claimed the painting he had made of her was overly flattering.While their marriage was short-lived, is it time we give Anne of Cleves, who hailed from a small state in Germany, the props she deserves?Just who was this woman who came from relative obscurity into the madness of the Tudor court, and came out one of life's winners?In the fourth episode of our limited series, Secret Wives of the Six Wives, Kate is joined once again by Tudor export Nicola Tallis, to help us find out more about the woman who arguably played the game of being Henry's wife better than any of the five others.This episode was edited and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.All music from Epidemic Sounds/All3 Media.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  You can take part in our listener survey here.Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.

What did Queen Elizabeth I gain from being thought of as celibate? Why was property so essential to the Christian church embracing celibacy? And what's really behind the 'No Nut November' movement?In today's episode, Kate's joined by Elisa Sobo, Professor of Anthropology at San Diego State University, and Sandra Bell of Durham University, to take a look at those of us today and throughout history who have chosen to abstain from sex.Together, they edited Celibacy, Culture, And Society: Anthropology Of Sexual Abstinence, and you can read more on the subject of celibacy in Sandra's book Dynamics of Biocultural Diversity.This episode was edited by Tom Delargy. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.All music from Epidemic Sounds/All3 Media.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.You can take part in our listener survey here.Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.

Meek and mild, or smart and scheming? Have we all been underestimating the third wife of Henry VIII?Was Jane Seymour the meek and mild lady she's often portrayed as, or was she more smart and scheming than we give her credit for?Although her time as queen didn't last long, Seymour's legacy was huge. Not only did she give Henry his first son, she was also the only one of his wives not to lose her title, her head, or her husband.Who was the real woman behind the reputation? How did she cleverly win Henry's favour? And how did her life meet a sudden and tragic end?In the third episode of our limited series, Secret Wives of the Six Wives, Kate is joined once again by Tudor export Nicola Tallis, to help us find out more about the woman who finally gave Henry what he craved: a male heir.This episode was edited by Tom Delargy. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.All music from Epidemic Sounds/All3 Media.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  You can take part in our listener survey here.Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.

We often think of the way we treat pubic hair as a relatively modern thing.But how did they manage pubic hair in Ancient Greece, or the Middle Ages? Why would someone wear a pubic wig (also known as a merkin)? And why was the pubic hair of suspected witches shaven off?Joining Kate today is Professor Jill Burke, author of How to be a Renaissance Woman: The Untold History of Beauty and Female Creativity, to help us uncover this history.This episode was edited and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.All music from Epidemic Sounds/All3 Media.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  You can take part in our listener survey here.Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.

How did Anne Boleyn go from being a commoner to being the Queen of England?As soon as she arrived in the Tudor court she stood out from the other beautiful women who were throwing themselves at Henry VIII, but made him wait for seven years before they eventually got together.In the second episode of our limited series, Secret Wives of the Six Wives, Kate is joined once again by Tudor export Nicola Tallis, to help us find out more about the woman who helped alter the future of England.What made some say that she seemed more French than English? And what happened to make her meet her bloody end?Find out more about Nicola Tallis' work: https://nicolatallis.com/This episode was edited by Tom Delargy. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.All music from Epidemic Sounds/All3 Media.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.You can take part in our listener survey here.Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.

Evidence shows us that women gladiators fought in front of baying crowds in Ancient Rome.Who were these women? How would these fights have played out? And what did the rest of Rome think of women taking up such a masculine space?Joining Kate is historian and expert in all things Ancient Rome, Emma Southon, author of A History of the Roman Empire in 21 Women, to help us explore how gender plays out in this unique area of Roman life.This episode was edited by Tom Delargy. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.All music from Epidemic Sounds/All3 Media.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  You can take part in our listener survey here.Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.