Renaissance English History Podcast: A Show About the Tudors

Did the Tudors celebrate Valentine’s Day? And if so, what did it actually look like before chocolates, roses, and greeting cards?

In this episode, we step into mid-February in Tudor England, that quiet stretch between Candlemas and the start of Lent, and explore how people marked St. Valentine’s Day. From candlelit church processions and weather lore to love poems written in the Tower of London, we look at the real traditions behind the holiday.

You’ll hear about the medieval belief that birds chose their mates in mid-February, the Duke of Orléans writing a valentine from captivity, and Margery Brews’ heartfelt love letter to John Paston. We’ll also look at how Tudor households actually celebrated, from drawing valentines by lot to exchanging gloves, ribbons, and small gifts.

It’s a gentler, quieter kind of Valentine’s Day, set in a world of church calendars, cold February mornings, and handwritten letters carried across the countryside.

A small holiday, but one that brought a little warmth to the middle of winter.
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What did a typical morning look like in Tudor England?

There were no alarm clocks, no hot showers, and no coffee waiting in the kitchen. Instead, people woke in cold rooms, often sharing beds, with the fire nearly out and the day’s work already ahead of them.

In this episode, we walk through a full Tudor morning routine, from first light to the start of work. You’ll hear about rush-covered floors, chamber pots, quick basin washes, layered clothing, bread and small beer for breakfast, morning prayers, and the all-important task of bringing the fire back to life.

It’s a practical, physical start to the day that depended on the household, the season, and the light of the sun.

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Late February was one of the hardest times of year in Tudor England. Food stores were running low, the weather was damp and cold, and spring still felt far away. But in the middle of that hungry season came Shrovetide, a brief burst of pancakes, games, and noise before the long fast of Lent began.

In this video, we spend a day inside a Tudor household at the end of winter. From thin pottage and smoky hearths to Shrove Tuesday pancakes and rough village football, this is what the season actually looked like for ordinary people.

We’ll follow the rhythm from the final feast of Shrovetide into the quiet first days of Lent, when the tables grew plainer and the long wait for spring began.

If you’d like to experience this season in a more reflective way, you can join The Tudor Spring: A 40-Day Sanctuary, a gentle, history-based journey through Lent with daily stories, music, and reflections:https://heatherteysko.thrivecart.com/the-tudor-spring-a-40-day-sanctuary/

#TudorHistory #Shrovetide #DailyLifeHistory #Lent #SocialHistory
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What if Mary I had listened to her people instead of her heart?

When Mary Tudor took the throne in 1553, she was a survivor who had beaten the odds. But she was also a woman in a hurry. She needed an heir, she needed to secure the Catholic faith, and she needed a husband. In our timeline, she chose Philip of Spain, a decision that brought Wyatt’s Rebellion, the loss of Calais, and the nickname "Bloody Mary."

But it didn't have to be that way.

In today’s episode, we’re diving into a fascinating "sliding doors" moment in Tudor history. We explore what would have happened if Mary had chosen the handsome, erratic, and purely English Edward Courtenay instead.

We’re breaking down the ramifications of that one choice:


Why the Spanish match was so loathed by the English public.


How the survival of Lady Jane Grey and the freedom of Princess Elizabeth hinged on this wedding.


The economic "miracle" of a timeline where England never loses Calais.


Whether a secure, "English" Mary would have ever become the "Bloody" queen we remember today.

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Arbella Stuart was born with royal blood, raised under watch, and treated as a possible queen her entire life. She never claimed the throne, but her lineage made her dangerous simply by existing.

In this episode, we follow Arbella from her childhood under Bess of Hardwick to her secret marriage to William Seymour, and the dramatic 1611 escape attempt that ended in pursuit, capture, and imprisonment in the Tower of London.

It’s the story of a woman who spent her life waiting for permission, and what happened when she finally stopped.
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