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Not Just the Tudors
Origins of the Condom
The first surviving mention of condoms dates from the mid-16th century, in the writings of an Italian anatomist better known for the discovery of the fallopian tubes. Born out of a medical need to prevent the spread of syphilis, the condom was originally made from fabric, normally linen, and later from animal guts.
In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb meets Dr. Kate Stevenson, whose work as a dress historian has taken her on a journey of discovery into the origins of the condom.
**WARNING: This episode contains graphic language and sexual content**
This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.
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491. The Secrets Hidden In Tudor Art
52:19||Ep. 491Why are diamonds black, and how does a triangle show power in Tudor portraits? From Henry VII’s shrewd statecraft to the glittering reign of Elizabeth I, the Tudors projected their power not just through politics, but through visual propaganda, art and objects.Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr Christina Faraday, who ventures beyond the Tudor rose and the famous faces painted by Holbein to take us deeper, uncovering how art and objects shaped the ambitions and identities of people at every level of Tudor society.MOREFig Leaves & A Grumpy Jesus: Renaissance to Baroque ArtListen on AppleListen on SpotifyThe Women Who Painted the TudorsListen on AppleLIsten on SpotifyPresented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Max Wintle, audio editor is Amy Haddow and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcastSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
490. Princes in the Tower
59:37||Ep. 490The unsolved mystery of what happened to the Princes in the Tower - Edward V and Richard, Duke of York - is possibly English history’s greatest cold case. Were they murdered by their paternal uncle Richard III?Recent findings have raised new questions about the 540-year-old mystery. Professor Suzannah Lipscomb explores the evidence with Nathen Amin and Matt Lewis.MOREHenry VII: Rise of the Medieval TudorsListen on AppleListen on SpotifyTudor True Crime: Murder in the Stuart CourtListen on AppleListen on SpotifyPresented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Max Wintle, audio editor is Amy Haddow and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcastSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
489. Did Oliver Cromwell Ban Christmas?
40:16||Ep. 489In 1647 Christmas vanished by the decree of the Puritans who ruled Britain. But not everyone complied. Families lit candles behind closed doors, whispered carols, and held secret services. And protestors in Canterbury launched the infamous "plum pudding riots". This was more than a fight over festivities; it was a struggle over power and belief.Prof. Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Prof. Mark Stoyle to explore how the war on Christmas revealed a deeper contest between authority and resistance, godliness and joy, and how echoes of it can even be found in the works of C.S. Lewis and Charles Dickens.MORE:Tudor Christmas CarolsListen on AppleListen on SpotifyTudor Ghosts and Angels: Spirits of Christmas PastListen on AppleListen on SpotifyPresented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Max Wintle, audio editor is Max Carrie and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcastSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
488. From Succession to Codpieces: Your Tudor Questions Answered
46:29||Ep. 488In this special episode, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb fields questions about the Tudors and their time that have all been suggested by you. From the hundreds of ideas for episodes and queries received from listeners all over the world, Suzannah has chosen a wide array of subjects - from Henry VIII’s illegitimate son to knitting, from atheism to codpieces! Helping her to answer them are Professor Alec Ryrie and Professor Maria Hayward.MORE:Fig Leaves & A Grumpy Jesus: Renaissance to Baroque ArtListen on AppleListen on SpotifyOrigins of PantomimeListen on AppleListen on SpotifyPresented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. Edited and produced by Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcastSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
487. Surviving Plague in Venice
54:34||Ep. 487450 years ago, Venice found itself facing a plague outbreak that would kill more than 50,000 people - a third of its population. But to manage the epidemic, the city developed pioneering measures. These included the creation of of special islands called 'lazzaretti', Europe's first quarantine institutions, which isolated people and goods suspected of carrying the plague. Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. Jane Stevens Crawshaw to discover how Venice balanced commerce, compassion, and survival in the face of deadly disease.MORESurviving Plague in FlorenceListen on AppleListen on Spotify How to Survive the PlagueListen on AppleListen on SpotifyPresented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Max Wintle, audio editor is Amy Haddow and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcastSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on
486. Elizabeth Boleyn: The Queen's Mother
44:00||Ep. 486What if the most powerful woman in Anne Boleyn’s story never spoke on the record? Elizabeth Boleyn steps out of the shadows in this revelatory Tudor deep-dive. Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Sophie Bacchus-Waterman to piece together the elusive life of Anne Boleyn’s mother, from Howard girlhood to court matriarch, exploring power, silence and survival amid the dangerous glitter of Henry VIII’s court.MOREJane Boleyn with Philippa GregoryListen on AppleListen on SpotifySix Wives: Anne BoleynListen on AppleListen on SpotifyPresented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Max Wintle, edited and produced by Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcastSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on
485. Henry VIII At War
59:07||Ep. 485**Contains descriptions of war atrocities, including rape and infanticide**In 1544, Henry VIII led the largest army ever raised by an English monarch to capture the French port of Boulogne. It was said that the conquest would be Henry’s “perpetual monument.” Yet history has largely forgotten it.Professor Suzannah Lipscomb speaks with Professor Neil Murphy to uncover the little-known story of Henry VIII at war. Together they explore the campaign to seize Boulogne, which reshapes our view of Tudor power, imperial ambition, and Henry’s legacy as a conqueror.MOREMary Rose & the Battle of the SolentListen on AppleListen on SpotifyMontaigne: Philosopher of the French RenaissanceListen on AppleListen on SpotifyPresented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Max Wintle, audio editor is Amy Haddow and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on
484. How Poets Spoke Truth to Power
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483. Dark Side of the Quakers
48:17||Ep. 483**Contains story of a young male suicide**Out of the devastation of the English Civil Wars, a radical new religious movement was born. The early Quakers, led by fiery and charismatic preachers, believed they had been chosen by God to save souls and purify a corrupt world. But the origins of Quakerism were far darker and more complex than the peaceful faith we know today. Convinced of divine purpose, Quakers performed failed miracles, disrupted services, defied the law, and faced imprisonment, all in pursuit of what they saw as God’s truth.Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. Erica Canela to uncover how religious zeal, fear, and desperation drove ordinary men and women to extraordinary, and sometimes terrifying, acts.MOREVoices of Thunder: Radical Women of the 17th CenturyListen on AppleListen on SpotifyHeretic or Martyr? Tudor Poet Anne AskewListen on AppleListen on SpotifyPresented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Max Wintle, audio editor is Amy Haddow and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcastSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on