Peek behind the bedroom door at Sex and Sexuality in Tudor England.
England’s King Henry the VIII is known for his voracious appetites—both for food and women. He created an entirely new religion just so he could dump his first wife! Later, he realized it was easier to just execute them. With a king like that, how did the rest of England behave? The answer was wildly different from the mores and manners of today. Engagements were binding contracts. A public bedding ceremony was held for highborn couples. While virginity was a good way to ensure the groom was raising his own children in those pre-DNA testing days, 30% of English brides gave birth within eight months of their marriage.
In addition to the love and marriage practices of the time, the book also covers medicine, birth control, church, fashion, arts, witchcraft, and the naughty vocabulary of the time. It has extensive endnotes and a bibliography for further study.
Sex and Sexuality in Tudor England is an intriguing look back. It made me grateful to be living in the present. This book would be an excellent reference for historical fiction authors too. 4 stars!
Thanks to Pen & Sword History and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.