Podcast Episodes

17th Century Female Spies

If you think that the female spy is a 20th century phenomenon, be it Mata Hari, Mrs Zigzag or Eve Polastri, think again! Accounts of numerous 17th century 'she-intelligencers' have lain undiscovered …

Published on 4 years, 3 months ago

Tudor Banquets

The Tudors loved a good banquet, to show off their wealth and social status. Guests were plied with the most superb food, made from the most expensive ingredients and displayed in the most outrageous…

Published on 4 years, 3 months ago

The Aztecs

What we know about the Aztecs of Mexico often comes from the accounts of their Spanish conquerors. But the Aztec culture was far more sophisticated than the European invaders chose to portray. In thi…

Published on 4 years, 4 months ago

The Queer Shakespeare: John Lyly

John Lyly's name may not be so familiar. He was a playwright and poet writing at the same time as Shakespeare and, in his day, was more famous than the Bard himself. Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks…

Published on 4 years, 4 months ago

Bridewell: The Palace that became a Prison

In the heart of Shakespeare's London, there was a palace that had become a prison: Bridewell. Professor Duncan Salkeld has explored the records of this notorious destination for the poor and the indi…

Published on 4 years, 4 months ago

Henry VIII's Billionaire Wardrobe

Episode 2

Venetian ambassador Sebastian Giustinian described Henry VIII as the 'best dressed sovereign in the world'. The King spent the equivalent of £2 million a year on clothes. In this episode with Profess…

Published on 4 years, 4 months ago

Velazquez and the Spanish Court

Episode 3

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Laura Cumming - author and art critic for The Observer - about Velázquez, arguably the greatest genius of Spanish painting. They particularly discuss one of the w…

Published on 4 years, 4 months ago

An Early Modern Teenage Werewolf

Episode 1

The witch-hunts of sixteenth and seventeenth century Europe are well-known. But did you know that some 300 people were convicted of being werewolves? In this revelatory podcast with Dr. Jan Machielse…

Published on 4 years, 4 months ago