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

Throughout history, it's mostly been queer men who were persecuted under the historical sodomy laws, but the Tudor period saw a spike in women being tried under it.
Why was this? And why was it mostly happening in what is modern day Belgium and Netherlands?
Joining Kate today is historian Jonas Roelens, who specialises in sexuality in the early modern period, to explore the unique things that were happening in Europe during this time that gave rise to such persecutions.
His book, Citizens and Sodomites: Persecution and Perception of Sodomy in the Southern Low Countries (1400–1700), can be found here.
This episode was edited by Tom Delargy. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.
Voting is open for the Listener's Choice Award at the British Podcast Awards, so if you enjoy what we're doing, we'd love it if you took a quick follow this link and click on Betwixt the Sheets: https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/voting
Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code BETWIXT sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/
You can take part in our listener survey here.

Mary Queen of Scots had a life that resembled a Game of Thrones plot: she had awful taste in men, and a cousin in Queen Elizabeth I of England, who - spoiler alert - eventually signed her death warrant.
In the face of some outrageous adversity, though, Mary Queen of Scots was an extraordinary woman and queen.
Was it all bad luck, or was there poor judgement from Mary, too? What are some of the conspiracies that brought about her downfall? And what's her legacy that lasts to this day?
Joining Kate today is the wonderful Kate Williams, author of The Betrayal of Mary, Queen of Scots: Elizabeth I and Her Greatest Rival. Follow her on Instagram, here.
This episode was edited and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.
Voting is open for the Listener's Choice Award at the British Podcast Awards, so if you enjoy what we're doing, we'd love it if you took a quick follow this link and click on Betwixt the Sheets: https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/voting
Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code BETWIXT sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/
You can take part in our listener survey here.

Mary Queen of Scots had a life that resembled a Game of Thrones plot: she had awful taste in men, and a cousin in Queen Elizabeth I of England, who - spoiler alert - eventually signed her death warrant.

In the face of some outrageous adversity, though, Mary Queen of Scots was an extraordinary woman and queen.

Was it all bad luck, or was there poor judgement from Mary, too? What are some of the conspiracies that brought about her downfall? And what's her legacy that lasts to this day?

Joining Kate today is the wonderful Kate Williams, author of The Betrayal of Mary, Queen of Scots: Elizabeth I and Her Greatest Rival.

This episode was edited and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.

Voting is open for the Listener's Choice Award at the British Podcast Awards, so if you enjoy what we're doing, we'd love it if you took a quick follow this link and click on Betwixt the Sheets: https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/voting

What were condoms like in Tudor times? Before you were able to pop to the supermarket to pick some up, where did people buy them?
Joining Kate today is historian Dr. Kate Stephenson, to explore what the earliest evidence of condoms is, just how effective they were, and to smash some of the myths surrounding their history.
This episode was edited by Tom Delargy, the producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.
Voting is open for the Listener's Choice Award at the British Podcast Awards, so if you enjoy what we're doing, we'd love it if you took a quick follow this link and click on Betwixt the Sheets: https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/voting
Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code BETWIXT sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/
You can take part in our listener survey here.

What's the worst thing you could accuse someone of in Ancient Rome? There are a few strong candidates, but incest is definitely up there.
In today's episode, Kate speaks with Roman historian, Emma Southon, author of A History of the Roman Empire in 21 Women, to find out more about the different ways the Ancient Romans thought about incest.
This episode was edited by Tom Delargy. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.
Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code BETWIXT sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/
You can take part in our listener survey here.

The third season of Bridgerton is out and we are back in sexy scandalous Georgian society. But while we watch, we're taking a step back to ask: how real is Bridgerton?
On our third episode in our REAL Bridgerton mini-series, we're looking at the the booze and drugs that took 18th and early 19th century Britain by storm.
Why was opium taken for health purposes? How did gin get the nickname "mother's ruin"? And what does it feel like to take snuff?
Joining Kate today are Maddy Pelling, co-host of our sister podcast After Dark and author of Writing on the Wall: Graffiti, Rebellion and the Making of Eighteenth-Century Britain; Marina Capaldi from Summerhall Distillery, and Robert Good from Segar & Snuff Parlour.
Also, if you'd like to find out more about this incredible period, you can watch Kate present a two-part documentary - Georgian Sex, Drugs and Rock n Roll: Unbuttoning Bridgerton - over on History Hit. Simply click here for a free 14 day trial and watch now.
This episode was edited and produced by Stuart Beckwith. Additional production was provided by Annie Woodman. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.
Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code BETWIXT sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/
You can take part in our listener survey here.