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

You can't move for people talking about the Roman Empire or the British Empire, but what about the Ottoman Empire?

It spanned a huge period of time and at the heart of it was the Royal harem: enslaved women who lived in closed-off servitude to the Sultan.

Peaking in the 17th century, who were these women? What were their lives like inside the palace? And why have westerners been particularly fascinated by this part of history?

Joining Kate today is Dr Michael Talbot, Professor in the History of the Ottoman Empire and Modern Middle East at University of Greenwich, to help us find out.

This episode was edited by Tim Arstall and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Freddy Chick.

Ever heard of Margaret Beaufort? Probably not. But whilst her name has been overshadowed by those of her son, grandson and great-grandchildren, her impact on history remains.

Lauren Johnson joins Kate for this episode to explain how this woman put the Tudors on the throne. Why was she married aged 12? How did she use marriage to her advantage? And was she as manipulative as she has been portrayed?

Lauren's new book is ‘Margaret Beaufort: Survivor, Rebel, Kingmaker’.

This episode was edited by Tim Arstall and produced by Sophie Gee. The senior producer was Freddy Chick.

What did the Ancient Egyptians think about sex? Is there any truth to a rumoured royal sex scandal? What did they think of same-sex relationships?

In today's episode, Kate's joined by the fantastic historian and author Dr Campbell Price to go back thousands of years to the always-fascinating world of Ancient Egypt.

Find out why the Victorians sexualised the Ancient Egyptians, what an Ancient Egyptian mummy smells of, and what the first recorded chat-up line in history is!

*TW: This episode includes references to sexual assault*

This episode was edited by Tim Arstall and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Freddy Chick.

Myths are incredibly powerful, especially when it comes to creating nations.

Why are mythical women so central to how we think about our nations? When women had so little power in creating them in the first place.

Who was Aphrodite? She's often thought of as a goddess of sexuality, but there's so much more to this woman.

Which ancient civilisation was she created by? How did the early Christians react to her overt sexuality? Was she ever thought of a sex worker?

Joining Kate today is the fantastic author and historian Dr. Stephanie Budin, to introduce us to this fascinating goddess.

*TW: This episode includes references to sexual assault*

This episode was edited by Tim Arstall and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Freddy Chick.