Spill the Mead

Madi Gervais & CoHosts

Spill the Mead delivers research‑driven storytelling that makes history feel alive, immersive, and wildly entertaining. Host Madi and her Batch of Bards dig deep into the archives—cross‑checking sources, comparing accounts, and pulling from global scholarship—to bring you stories that feel less like a lecture and more like swapping unbelievable tales with friends. Real history meets real entertainment. This is history with personality. This is Spill the Mead.

  1. Jane Seymour | Part 2: The Scheme

    Jun 17

    Jane Seymour | Part 2: The Scheme

    Was Jane Seymour trapped? Was she used? Or was she playing the game all along? In Part Two of our Jane Seymour series, we follow Jane from Anne Boleyn's household to the threshold of queenship. Along the way, we explore the role of Elizabeth Seymour, trace the royal progress of 1535, examine Henry VIII's life-changing injury, and uncover what Jane's place at court may have really looked like. Then we turn to the question at the heart of the episode: the scheme. Was Jane a pawn in someone else's game, a woman caught in impossible circumstances, or an active participant in one of the most dramatic shifts in Tudor history? As Anne Boleyn's world begins to collapse, Jane Seymour's rise is only just beginning. AD‑FREE LISTENING on Patreon + tons of extra content! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/spillthemead Merch: https://linkpop.com/spillthemeadpodcast/ Find us on Instagram & Facebook: @spillthemeadpodcast Credits Host & Producer: Madi Gervais Featuring rotating cohosts from the Spill the Mead team © 2026 Spill the Mead LLC. All rights reserved.

    5h 4m
  2. Jane Seymour | Part 1: The Country

    Jun 3

    Jane Seymour | Part 1: The Country

    Before the court, there was the country. Episode 1/5 begins at Wolfhall, where ongoing archaeological excavations are still uncovering the world that Jane would have known. We talk about the fascinating (and not to be dramatic - but groundbreaking) finds they have uncovered as we attempt to understand the elusive Jane Seymour. Meanwhile at court, Catherine of Aragon’s marriage begins to fracture under the growing influence of Anne Boleyn. Jane will eventually arrive to a household increasingly defined by tension, uncertainty, and divided loyalties. Themes that would prove to be ongoing in her life. We will watch through Jane's eyes as Catherine’s household collapses around her, ultimately ending Jane's brief court career. Before she knows it, she will find herself back in the country once more, just waiting for her life to begin. AD‑FREE LISTENING on Patreon + tons of extra content! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/spillthemead Merch: https://linkpop.com/spillthemeadpodcast/ Find us on Instagram & Facebook: @spillthemeadpodcast Credits Host & Producer: Madi Gervais Featuring rotating cohosts from the Spill the Mead team © 2026 Spill the Mead LLC. All rights reserved.

    2h 57m
  3. Anne Boleyn Exhibit | What He Couldn't Say: Uncorked with Dr. Owen Emmerson

    May 13 ·  Bonus

    Anne Boleyn Exhibit | What He Couldn't Say: Uncorked with Dr. Owen Emmerson

    In this episode, Dr. Emerson returns to Spill the Mead to revisit the captivating Capturing a Queen exhibit at Hever castle and discuss some of the details he couldn’t fully speak on during our first conversation. We talk more about the exhibit itself, the portraits on display, and the stories surrounding Anne Boleyn. Then, naturally, things descend slightly into chaos as we play a game assigning personalities to different Anne Boleyn portraits — including which Anne would have ACTUALLY worn yellow that day (IYKYK), and which Anne would be the most fun to get a drink with. Part historical discussion, part portrait analysis, and part tavern chaos, this episode is a deeper and much more relaxed follow-up conversation exploring the many faces of Anne Boleyn. Be sure to check out Hever Castle & Gardens for more information on this amazing, once in a lifetime exhibit. Also check out Dr. Emmerson's website for more on his research, books, and upcoming events: Dr Owen Emmerson – Dr Owen Emmerson AD FREE LISTENING on Patreon as well as tons of extra content! Please consider supporting us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/c/spillthemead You can purchase Spill the Mead merchandise here https://linkpop.com/spillthemeadpodcast/ Find us on Instagram, and Facebook @spillthemeadpodcast Find Madi @myladygervais on Instagram Find Dr. Emmerson @drowenemmerson Music is composed by Nicholas Leigh nicholasleighmusic.com

    1h 11m
  4. Uncorked: "Mad Whimsy" & the Quaker Glow-Up with Dr. Erica Canela

    Apr 8 ·  Bonus

    Uncorked: "Mad Whimsy" & the Quaker Glow-Up with Dr. Erica Canela

    This week on Uncorked, Dr. Erica Canela joins us to dive into the wild, weird, and unexpectedly chaotic world of Quaker history. Yes, the Quakers were unhinged, and yes, they’ve had a major glow up. We break down the evolution from radical early Quaker antics to the modern-day Friends, some of whom are kind of attractive. Naturally, this leads to a very serious scholarly exercise we call “Quaker Hot or Not.” And don’t miss the story of the MOST unhinged Quaker woman of them all... a legend of pure, unfiltered “mad whimsy.” If you thought you knew the Quakers, think again. Make sure you catch the visual of this episode on our YouTube channel! For more from Dr. Erica Canela, check out her website for more on her upcoming classes and events, as well as how to access her book! Visit her site here: Dr Erica Canela | Public Historian, Copywriter & Editor AD FREE LISTENING on Patreon as well as tons of extra content! https://www.patreon.com/c/spillthemead You can purchase Spill the Mead merchandise here https://linkpop.com/spillthemeadpodcast/ Find us on Instagram, and Facebook @spillthemeadpodcast Find Madi @myladygervais on Instagram Music is composed by Nicholas Leigh nicholasleighmusic.com

    1h 13m
  5. Past Meets Pigskin | Drafting Historical Figures into the NFL

    Mar 25

    Past Meets Pigskin | Drafting Historical Figures into the NFL

    Ok, yes, it's a football episode BUT DISCLAIMER: you do NOT have to be familiar with or like football for this episode! As long as you like a WIDE range of historical figures, people fighting for their lives to make a case over an imaginary scenario, and Nicholas Cage... you're in the right place. Madi & Chris choose their historical dream team with potential "legends of the line" like Julius Caesar, Elizabeth I, Genghis Khan, and an absolute legendary woman with a cooking pot on her head (cheers to you if you know based off of just that!) Buckle up, the Historical 2026 Draft is NOW OPEN! AD FREE LISTENING on Patreon as well as tons of extra content! https://www.patreon.com/c/spillthemead You can purchase Spill the Mead merchandise here https://linkpop.com/spillthemeadpodcast/ Find us on Instagram, and Facebook @spillthemeadpodcast Find Madi @myladygervais on Instagram Find Chris @chrisrileyhistory on Instagram Music is composed by Nicholas Leigh nicholasleighmusic.com

    1h 17m
  6. The Holy Hell Raiser | Rasputin

    Mar 11

    The Holy Hell Raiser | Rasputin

    "Ra-Ra-Rasputin, love of the of the Russian Queen!" Except he probably wasn't. In this episode, we really get to know Rasputin. From what he preached, to his alleged healing abilities, to a trip to his apartment for tea... we give you the nitty gritty of all of the gossip surrounding the man who helped bring an end to the House of Romanov. We also look at an alternate theory to what happened on the night of this murder. The book used for this Episode is called "Rasputin, The Last Word" by Edvard Radzinsky AD FREE LISTENING on Patreon as well as tons of extra content! https://www.patreon.com/c/spillthemead You can purchase Spill the Mead merchandise here https://linkpop.com/spillthemeadpodcast/ Find us on Instagram, and Facebook @spillthemeadpodcast Find Madi @myladygervais on Instagram Find Gabby @so_dym_gabulous on Instagram Music is composed by Nicholas Leigh nicholasleighmusic.com

    3h 33m
  7. Movies & Mead | The VVitch

    Feb 25

    Movies & Mead | The VVitch

    Welcome to our brand-new segment: Movies & Mead In this series, Madi & Gabby watch a listener-chosen historical film and break down the real historical context, the key players, the cast, the gossip, and of course all the behind-the-scenes drama. We wrap it up by handing out our very official AcadeMEAD awards and rating the movie. For our first episode, we’re diving into The VVitch — a spooky tale set in 1630s New England. We hope you also like to live deliciously HoneyBees, because we give this one 5/5! AD FREE LISTENING on Patreon as well as tons of extra content! https://www.patreon.com/c/spillthemead You can purchase Spill the Mead merchandise here https://linkpop.com/spillthemeadpodcast/ Find us on Instagram, and Facebook @spillthemeadpodcast Find Madi @myladygervais on Instagram Find Gabby @so_dym_gabulous on Instagram Music is composed by Nicholas Leigh nicholasleighmusic.com

    1h 21m
  8. Brontë Book Club | The Bronte Siblings

    Feb 11

    Brontë Book Club | The Bronte Siblings

    Imagine growing up surrounded by the harsh beauty of wild moorlands. A gothic, windswept, haunting landscape right outside - and a few steps from your front door is a church graveyard that you watch slowly fill up with members of your own family. Welcome to growing up Bronte! Let Coco take you on a journey through the Bronte childhood experience, where hardship and loss were in no short supply and fierce sibling bonds formed through imagination and a love for literature. Coco and Madi chat about formative experiences that translate right into the books these women wrote, and discuss the part that the moors play in the books - almost a character themselves. Follow that up with a summary of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, and Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. Yes Honeybees - spoiler alerts for both, but we think you’ll agree the spoilers are so worth it. AD FREE LISTENING on Patreon as well as tons of extra content! https://www.patreon.com/c/spillthemead You can purchase Spill the Mead merchandise here https://linkpop.com/spillthemeadpodcast/ Find us on Instagram, and Facebook @spillthemeadpodcast Find Madi @myladygervais on Instagram Find Betsy @betsy.hegge on Instagram Find Coco @spill_it_coco on Instagram Find Gabby @so_dym_gabulous on Instagram Find Chris @chrisrileyhistory on Instagram Find Taylor @tjonesarmoredamma on Instagram Music is composed by Nicholas Leigh nicholasleighmusic.com

    1h 27m
See All (69)

5
out of 5
21 Ratings

About

Spill the Mead delivers research‑driven storytelling that makes history feel alive, immersive, and wildly entertaining. Host Madi and her Batch of Bards dig deep into the archives—cross‑checking sources, comparing accounts, and pulling from global scholarship—to bring you stories that feel less like a lecture and more like swapping unbelievable tales with friends. Real history meets real entertainment. This is history with personality. This is Spill the Mead.

Information

  • Creator
    Madi Gervais & CoHosts
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    69
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Madi Gervais 2022
  • Show Website
    Spill the Mead

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