Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society
Join sex historian 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? She'll be bed-hopping 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. So join Kate 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 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...
From luring in unicorns to protecting the Roman Empire, myths have surrounded virginity for centuries. But is virginity itself a myth?
In this episode from the archive, Kate speaks to Anke Bernau about where the so-called cherry comes from, what it stands for and why it has been important throughout history.
*WARNING there are mentions of sexual assault in this episode*
Produced by Charlotte Long and Sophie Gee. Mixed by P...
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...
What happened if a Vestal Virgin broke their pledge of virginity? How would a woman be chosen for the role? And were there any benefits to taking it?
Kate is finding out in this episode with Peta Greenfield, co-author of ‘Your Cheeky Guide to the Roman Empire’ and co-host of ‘The Partial Historians’, with her colleague Dr Fiona Radford.
This episode was edited by Tom Delargy and produced by Sophie Gee. The senior producer was...
Did Cleopatra have a bee-powered vibrator? Why did she marry both of her brothers? And how serious were her relationships with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony?
Kate is joined by Egyptologist Sarah Parcak to find out where Cleopatra's seductress reputation came from, and whether she lived up to it.
This episode was edited by Tim Arstall. The producer was Sophie Gee. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.
Please vote for us f...
People will do crazy things to keep hold of power.
The Habsburgs - one of the most powerful families in European history - were a prime example of this. To keep hold of their power, they decided they would keep their gene pool as small as possible.
What were the disastrous consequences of this incest? How common was incest in royal families? And how did it all end for this dynasty, which included Charles II of Spain and Marie...
Was Elizabeth I really a virgin? When we talk about queens being remembered for their sex lives, we absolutely have to mention the woman so often remembered for her lack of one.
Kate is joined by Professor Anna Whitelock, author of ‘Elizabeth’s Bedfellows: An Intimate History of the Queen’s Court’ and, more recently, ‘The Sun Rising: James I and the Dawn of a Global Britain’.
This episode was edited by Tomos Delargy. The prod...
In the summer of 1889, a London police officer stopped and searched a telegraph boy, suspecting him of stealing from the Post Office he worked for. What he uncovered was not theft, but instead a network of male sex workers being frequented by some of the most respectable gentlemen in the country.
Kate is joined by John Scott to discuss the scandal that ensued. John is Head of School in the School of Justice at Queensland Univers...
Did Catherine the Great really die having sex with a horse? Was she involved in her husband's death? And were her lovers selected for political reasons?
In this episode, Kate speaks with Virginia Rounding about the real Catherine the Great. We find out why Catherine's sex life still intrigues so many, and what kind of ruler she was. Virginia is the author of 'Catherine the Great: Love, Sex and Power’.
This episode was edited ...
As the Roman Empire grew, so did the importance of its army - the Roman Legion.
But what was life on the march like? What happened on the encampments after dark? And why couldn't eunuchs join the Roman legion?!
Joining Kate today to tell her all about this battle-hardened rabble, is Rome-based historian and tour guide Alex Meddings. Find out more about his work here: https://alexandermeddings.com/
Episode edited by T...
Behind the wild accusations of extra-marital affairs and a lavish lifestyle, who was the real Marie Antoinette? Why did her marriage to King Louis XVI go unconsummated for 7 years? And why did her life of luxury end in tragedy amidst the French Revolution?
Joining Kate today for the second episode in our Royal Sex mini-series, is Professor of French literature, Catriona Seth, to help us get to know this remarkable woman.
This...
People have always gossiped, but what did they gossip about in medieval times? How were women punished for gossiping? And where does the term 'gossip' come from?
Joining Kate today to gossip about all things medieval gossip is the wonderful Eleanor Janega, co-host of our sister podcast Gone Medieval.
This episode was edited by Tom Delargy and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.
Please vote...
With NINE children, it can probably be assumed that Queen Victoria was no stranger to the sheets, but what do we actually know about her love (and sex) life?
To examine Victoria's diaries, her passionate relationship and her society's attitude to sex, Kate is joined for this special episode by Royal Historian Kate Williams and journalist Robert Hardman. Kate and Robert are cohosts of 'Queens, Kings and Dastardly Things', a podca...
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