The Restoration Queen: Maria of Modena

**This episode contains discussions of miscarriage** When a teenage Catholic princess was sent from Italy to marry James II and reunite England with Rome, public scandal and political intrigue fuelled society. Maria of Modena defied all expectations. Professor Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Dr. Breeze Barrington to uncover the hidden world of women at the Restoration Court, a network of female painters, poets, and maids of honour who reshaped the Stuart world. At its heart, Maria built a vibrant female-led court in Protestant England, demonstrating resilience against cruel gossip and societal pressures. Suzannah and Breeze celebrate how female friendships, creativity, and quiet resistance gave Maria strength in the face of relentless scrutiny, and left an indelible mark on history. MORE: Nell Gwynn: Actress and Royal Mistress https://open.spotify.com/episode/780pqRqcS8BCidbvHWRId7 How to Live Like a Stuart Aristocrat https://open.spotify.com/episode/0VEpSUUnO1jr8IvM5YNudD Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Max Wintle, audio editor is Amy Haddow and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff. Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  You can take part in our listener survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on