Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society
Join sex historian Dr Kate Lister on Betwixt the Sheets as she gets intimate with the stories that would make your history teacher blush. What were the Victorians really like behind closed (bedroom) doors? How did the Black Death favour women in medieval England? And what was Caesar like in the sack? Join Kate as she bed-hops around different time periods; from ancient civilisations, to the middle ages, to renaissance and early modern...right up to now. You’ll laugh, you’ll wince, and you’ll ask yourself how much has actually changed. Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society - a podcast from History Hit. 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
The 16th century was a dangerous time to be talking about magic and hidden forces, so how did John Dee end up being invited into Elizabeth I's court?
He was an astronomer, occultist and alchemist who dedicated his life to understanding how celestial activity influenced life on earth.
What happened when he thought angels told him to swap wives with another mystic? How did his influence impact the Tudor court? And why was he ne...
Shoot outs, hard drinking and gambling. The Wild West is remembered for it's general lawlessness, but what might life have been like for the first women to join the American settlers as they moved west?
**TW: This episode contains mentions of suicide**
In this episode, we are investigating the lives of sex workers on the American frontier. Who were they? What were their living conditions like? And how were they treated by the...
She was executed on Henry VIII's orders alongside Catherine Howard, and was sister-in-law to Anne Boleyn and the King. She lived in the heart of the Tudor court, and almost made it out alive.
It was a time of huge danger, and such high stakes. But who was Jane Boleyn? Traitor, spy, a woman trying to surive?
In today's episode Kate's joined by the fantastic historian and author Philippa Gregory, author of Boleyn Traitor, to he...
After the first licensed brothel opened in the 17th century, how was sex work thought of in Japan throughout the following centuries?
From the brothels in the pleasure quarters, to the rise and popularity of male sex workers and where geishas fit into the picture, Kate is joined by Elizabeth Lublin to explore this world.
This episode was edited by Tim Arstall and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte ...
Is this strangest threesome in royal history?!
We're endlessly fascinated with the lives of royal mistresses, and this has to be one of the most notorious.
It takes place in 16th century France between Henry II, his wife Catherine de Medici and his much older mistress, Diane de Poitiers.
How does this three-way power dynamic play out, inside and outside the bedroom? And how does Diane claim more power than the Queen?
Jo...
Why did a British ship carry over 200 women to Australia in the late 18th century? In this episode, we are going inside the Lady Juliana, a convict transportation ship.
What crimes were these women being punished for? What was life like on the ship? And why was it called a 'floating brothel'?
Our guest, Siân Rees, is the author of ‘The Floating Brothel: The extraordinary true story of an 18th-century ship and its cargo of fem...
Rasputin presented himself as a mystic healer, and preached that the only way to salvation was through sin — which sometimes, if rumour is to be believed, manifested in orgies.
It's definitely giving f*ckboy behaviour.
How did he make his way from poverty to the Russian royalty inner circle? What mystical powers did he claim to have? And did he really have a 13" penis?
Where did the idea of the bunny boiler come from?
In this episode we're exploring how single women got such a bad rap in popular culture. From Miss Havisham to Bridget Jones, Caroline Young joins Kate once again.
Caroline is the author of 'Single and Psycho: How Pop Culture Created the Unstable Single Woman'.
This episode was edited by Tom Delargy and produced by Sophie Gee. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.
Sex, scandal and ... the Sacraments? Renaissance Rome wasn't for the faint hearted. And the Vatican? For some that was the source of the drama.
In this episode, Kate is joined by Catherine Fletcher to meet one of the Vatican's randiest residents - Pope Alexander VI. From saucy parties to the scandals of the Borgia family, why might this be the naughtiest pope in history?
Catherine is the author of a number of books including ...
Where does Emperor Nero fit in the pantheon of history's worst f*ckboys?
Does he measure up against the likes of previous episodes on Charles II or Raphael? Is he the worst of the lot? And what strange sex games did he like to play?
Helping Kate getting to know the awful Emperor Nero is returning guest, Rome-based historian and tour guide, Alex Meddings.
This episode was edited by Tom Delargy and produced by Stuart Beckwit...
How did the Georgians discuss sexuality? And how, and why, did they regulate it? In this episode, Kate talks to Dr Anthony Delaney about his new book 'Queer Georgians: A hidden history of lovers, lawbreakers and homemakers'.
Listen to find out the truth about the Chevalier D'Eon: soldier, spy ... and transgender trailblazer?
Anthony hosts our sister podcast, After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds and the Paranormal, with Dr Maddy Pellin...
The Renaissance is known for its heady combination of sex, art and exciting new ideas about the world.
Was Raphael, one of the superstar painters of the period, a Renaissance top shagger? Were sex workers essential to the artistic process of painting nudes? Why did historians think he died from having too much sex?
Joining Kate today is the wonderful professor and author, Jill Burke, to help us get to know this man better.
They say behind every great man is a great woman. In this episode, we meet the woman behind Alexander the Great's success. From securing his status, to influencing his succession, Olympias was a force to be reckoned with.
Kate is joined for this episode by Tristan Hughes, host of our sister podcast, The Ancients.
Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards! Follow this link - https:...
Our mini-series exploring the worst f*ckboys in history is back!
In today's episode, Kate is joined by Dr. David Taylor of Oxford University to get to know the so-called Merry Monarch and the many women in his life.
Was it better to be married or be a mistress to Charles II? How many lovers did he really have? And was Restoration England as fun as it sounded?
This episode was edited by Amy Haddow and produced by Stuart Bec...
Which would be better for a fling, which would you not touch with a barge pole, and which is marriage material? There's only one way to find out.
This episode was edited by Tim Arstall and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.
Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards! Follow this link - https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/voting - and do...
With SIX wives, Henry VIII must have had something going for him, right? Was he handsome? Charming? Intelligent? Just plain powerful?
In this episode, Kate is joined by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb, host of our sister podcast Not Just the Tudors. They discuss the vanity of Henry VIII, his sporting prowess, and his injuries. Listen to discover just how terrible this Tudor king smelt.
This episode was edited by Tim Arstall and p...
Why has the idea of the Virgin Mary’s virginity been so important?
What does this tell us about the relationship between Christianity and sex? And what else do we know about this woman?
Joining Kate today to help her get to know more about Mary, her life and her influence is author and historian Sir Diarmaid Macculloch.
This episode was edited by Tim Arstall. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlo...
As Rome fell, was it really non-stop orgies and parties?
That's become a popular connotation, and in today's episode Kate is joined by historian and friend of the show Emma Southon (https://www.emmasouthon.com) to find out what was happening on the ground as the Roman empire crumbled.
This episode was edited by Tom Delargy and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.
Please vote for us for Liste...
Forget oysters, have you tried eating sparrows with a side of phallic vegetables to stir your lust?!
Getting in the mood isn’t just a modern preoccupation, but the reasons behind it have definitely changed throughout the centuries.
What aphrodisiacs were people using in the Early Modern period? Who were the authorities on this? And how was witch craft involved?!
Joining Kate today is author and historian Dr. Jennifer...
Henry VI didn't fit the medieval image of masculinity, or that much of a king, either.
Who gave sex education to someone of this stature? How did his controversial marriage to the French Margaret of Anjou effect his reputation? And what problems were they facing in the bedroom?
Joining Kate today is author and historian Lauren Johnson to help us get to know this misunderstood medieval monarch.
This episode was edited by To...
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