The Exploress

Explore Queen Elizabeth I's strategic decisions as a single queen, her suitors and challenges, manipulation of her image, struggles with criticism, mastery of language and power, and beliefs in her rule as a chosen leader, showcasing her as a politically adept individual in a male-dominated society.

Season 3, Episode 27. Survived. Join Henry VIII’s sixth and final queen, Katherine Parr, as we explore what education looked like for women in Tudor England. We’ll discover where girls studied, what subjects they learned, and how many of them could read and write. We’ll also learn about the extraordinary life of Katherine Parr, and how she became the wife that survived by leveraging her education. She became the first Queen of England to publish her own book, educated her step-daughter (the future Queen Elizabeth I), promoted religious reform, made reading the most popular pastime for upper class Tudor women, and successfully navigated the dangerous political waters of Henry’s court. Let’s go traveling.  For this episode's show notes, including a transcript and tons of images, go to The Exploress website. To support the show, become a patron. To find out more about Elizabeth Norton's fanstastic work, check out her website. The music featured in this episode comes courtesy of John Sayles.

Queen Catherine Howard, guide to all things sex for Tudor women, discusses societal expectations and challenges faced by Tudor women, including double standards, harassment, and consequences for servants. The chapter explores power imbalances, sexual assault, and unwed mothers in Tudor society. It also delves into courtly love, scandalous affairs, and the church's view on sex during the Tudor era.

Elizabeton Norton discusses sorcery, murder, and scandal in the French court of Louis XIV. Topics include a high-born lady accused of poisoning, scandalous mistresses navigating power, intrigues at Versailles, and the rise of La Voisin from midwife to witchcraft.

Season 3, Episode 24. Murder, mystery, and WWII code girls: oh my! Join me as I chat with Ellie Marney, the New York Times bestselling author of the new YA historical novel The Killing Code. Atmospheric, compulsive, and deliciously dark, it’s the perfect book to kick off the spooky season, and it’ll introduce you to a slice of women’s history you might not know that much about. Ellie joined me to talk about the real-life female codebreakers who inspired her novel, as well as life for women in wartime D.C. in the 1940s.  To find out more about Ellie and The Killing Code, visit her website. For this episode's show notes, including a transcript and some fun links, go to The Exploress website. To support the show, become a patron. 

Season 3, Episode 23. Like most royal women, Anne of Cleves - English king Henry VIII's fourth wife - didn’t have much choice when it came to whom she married. It was considered her “duty” to honor the needs of her family and her kingdom over whatever her own might be. But what about everyone else - the non-royals? Did they get to pursue their hearts more freely? Let’s take a walk with Anne of Cleves, who’ll show us more about what love, courtship, and marriage looked like for women in Tudor England.  For this episode's show notes, including a transcript and tons of images, go to The Exploress website. To support the show and get more Tudor bonus content, become a patron. To find out more about Elizabeth Norton's fanstastic work, check out her website.

Author Sylvia Barbara Soberton discusses Tudor queen's ladies-in-waiting, their roles, and impact on the court. Topics include the characteristics required to be chosen as a lady-in-waiting, Anne Boleyn's rise and downfall, challenges faced by women in the Tudor age, and Soberton's upcoming book release on women of the Tudor court.

Season 3, Episode 21. English King Henry VIII's third wife, Jane Seymour, will take us on a journey through one of the most important jobs and greatest perils women faced in Tudor England: fertility and childbirth. We will explore getting pregnant, staying pregnant, and getting through the delivery ordeal in (we hope) one piece. For this episode's show notes, including a transcript and tons of images, go to The Exploress website. To support the show, and get bonus Tudor content, become a patron. To find out more about Elizabeth Norton's fanstastic work, check out her website.

Season 3, Episode 20. Will the real William Shakespeare please stand up? The Shakespeare authorship debate started with a woman named Delia Bacon, and since then, thousands of anti-Stratfordians have become obsessed with using literary analysis and ciphers to search for hidden meanings within the Bard's plays, in a quest to prove that Shakepeare was merely a pen name. Names like Edward Vere, Christopher Marlowe, and Sir Francis Bacon have all been floated around as possible candidates for the real genius behind the quill, but one name is particularly intriguing – Amelia Bassano Lanyer. So, why are people so unwilling to accept that Shakespeare was … well … Shakespeare? Today we’ll dig through the historical evidence behind the debate, learn about the life of Amelia, England’s first professional female poet, and discuss whether or not she was the “Dark Lady” featured in Shakepeare’s sonnets.  Thanks to my lovely supporters over on Patreon for bringing us this special bonus episode. If you want to help support the show, consider becoming a patron. You can also buy some merch, including a Ladycentric Timeline of Tudor England, at my store. 

Season 3, Episode 19. I had the privilege of interviewing Jennifer Kranz, the producer of The King's Wife, a musical that reimagines the relationship between Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn. Come behind the scenes with me on this still-developing musical, which gives us a heartfelt, feminist version of the story of two of Tudor England's most infamous queens, and find out what it takes to make a show about women in history. Make sure you listen through to the end to hear one of show's beautiful songs, "I Know You." To find out more about The King's Wife, check out their Instagram account or add "I Know You" on Spotify. To hear more about Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, or about the lives of Tudor women more generally, go and binge the rest of The Exploress Season 3. To support the show and get access to exclusive bonus content, check out my Patreon.