Six Wives with Lucy Worsley

[TheHiphopopotamus]

Anyone else watching this? (Apologies if there's already a thread, I half looked and couldn't see one).

I really like Lucy Worsley but do we really need yet another programme about Henry VIII and his wives? There's so much history in this country and yet we seem to return over and over to the Tudors.

Am I being curmudgeonly or is this bringing anything to the table that we didn't already know?

[SirChenjin]

Of course - why not? Edwardian Farm/Two Men in a Trench are 2 off the top of my head where real live men actually dress up and act to bring the events to life. Breeches were involved iirc - it's what they wore in them days.

[coldcanary]

Tony Robinson dresses up in period costume at the drop of a hat - he did for every episode of the worst jobs in history.

[tribpot]

Yes, the dressing up is a more style thing and plenty of excellent female TV historians don't do it, it's Lucy's schtick. Janina Ramirez, Helen Castor, Bettany Hughes, Suzanna Lipscomb et al understandably don't feel the need.

[SirChenjin]

And equally understandably some do - it's simply down to style and preference.

[Trills]

That post about Queen Caroline is great - thanks for the link! :)

[Trills]

I realise that breeches are of course what one would wear if one were dressing up as a Tudor!

[SirChenjin]

Or indeed from other periods of history- having carefully studied Aiden Turner filling out a pair very nicely thank you, I feel I am now somewhat of an expert on breeches.

Slurp.

[BeyondIBringYouGoodTidings]

The stuff about Katherine Howard last night was rather sad. I'd taken her being a "slut" (bleugh) with a pinch of salt anyway, but to find out that she had been abused as a child (used as proof in her trial, ffs!!) and that probably led to her being susceptible to having an affair was quite upsetting :(

[Trills]

I am so very glad I live in a time with contraceptives. Poor Katherine Parr, getting through all of that and then dying in childbirth at 36.

[BeyondIBringYouGoodTidings]

Contraceptives and antibiotics!

[Lucydogz]

I also think we've heard too much about the Tudors, and particularly the wives, but I could watch Lucy W reading a telephone directory.

However, I found last night's episode irritating. I haven't read anyone referring to Katherine Howard as a slut, or Katherine Parr as 'the dull one'. She also made it sound as though KP was the leading light of the Reformation (she wasn't). And no reference in the K of Aragon bit to how important it was that she was the aunt of Charles V. All very low level.

If anyone wants to read an interesting book on women rulers of this period, try Games of Queens (naff title) by Gristwood. It extends the field to Europe and the fascinating women of the period - especially Margaret of Austria.

[tribpot]

Of course, what KP needed more than access to our contraceptives is the high standard of our obstetric care. Globally we still have a long way to go but infant and maternal mortality in the West are unbelievably low compared to even 50 years ago.

There was a great Beeb documentary about the Air Transport Auxiliary, which featured Pauline Gower. This amazing kick-arse woman basically created the women's division of the ATA, did incredible work in the war and then what happens? She dies in childbirth two years after the war ended. Our entire history is overshadowed by the immense risks of childbirth.

Now if Lucy wanted to do a series about history that did break new ground, covering the history of women's health and particularly maternity, would be very interesting.

[tribpot]

Btw I definitely want to read more about Margaret of Austria, thanks for the recommendation Lucydogz!

[DeepAndCrispAndEvenTheWind]

Tribpot

The book, "Sex Lives of the Tudors", gives a good overview of the various births along with some "commoner" births of the times.

[Lucydogz]

The History of Women's Bodies by Shorter is a fascinating (and horrifying) read.
Let me know what you think of the booktribpot. I only learnt about Margaret of Austria when visited Mechelen last year, where she lived while acting as her nephew's regent, ruling the Spanish Netherlands. What a woman!