She Became a Nun Just to Avoid Marriage (and Read Books)
Who would choose a convent over marriage? Well, meet Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, who called herself the "worst nun in history", built a private library in a convent in colonial Mexico, and argued with bishops, claiming that women had every right to study and learn, just as she did. Let's talk about this controversial nun, who unapologetically chose
Before TikTok: History's ORIGINAL Influencers
Scrolling through TikTok, Instagram, YouTube… it feels like influencers are everywhere, a thoroughly modern invention, right? But what if I told you the original influencers weren't crafting viral videos, but commanding royal courts, dazzling high society, and shaping empires centuries ago? And the recent Met Gala? It gave us a perfect glimpse into one fascinating branch of this long history
How Latin America Shaped Germ Theory (But History Overlooked It)
Imagine this: It's 1910, and you're strolling through an international medical conference in Europe. The legacies of Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch are being celebrated for discovering that tiny microbes—not "bad air"—cause diseases. Revolutionary! Groundbreaking! The audience applauds these European geniuses who saved humanity! And then, from the back of the room, a Brazilian doctor stands up: "Excuse me, but
Ephelia: Unmasking a Seventeenth-Century Feminist Voice
Do you love women writers who write with humour and irony? Who criticise their society in a satirical, tongue-in-cheek way? Do you like a good literary mystery? Let me introduce you to the elusive Ephelia – yes, that's Ephelia with an 'E', not Hamlet's Ophelia with an 'O'. Ephelia was a 17th-century poet & playwright whose identity has puzzled historians and
17th Century "Intuitive Eating": Paracelsus and Digestion
What should you eat to be healthy? Well, the answer varies according to time and place, as we know from social media influencers who seem to constantly change their minds about what we 'should' or shouldn't eat'. But who should decide what is healthy in the first place? According to some, only you can know what works for you and
Alchemy in the Renaissance: The Mysterious Isabella Cortese
How do you become an alchemist? This is what a 16th-century book suggests: This advice is said to come from a woman; it's from The Secrets of the Lady Isabella Cortese, published in Venice in 1561. But what does this book, and the mysterious writer to whom it is attributed, tell us about women, science, alchemy, authorship, authority and expertise
Caterina Sforza: The Alchemy and Power of a Renaissance Icon
Imagine you are the ruler of an Italian city in the Renaissance; your husband has been murdered and your children were taken hostage by your political enemies, who hope to take control of your fortress. Yet the people inside are still loyal to you and are not surrendering. So, leaving your children with your enemies, you go inside the castle,
5 More Brazilian Women Who Changed History
Have you ever heard of Anita Garibaldi, the Brazilian revolutionary fighter called the 'heroine of two worlds'; or Clarice Lispector, the modernist author who was born in Ukraine and raised in Brazil, and who wrote some of the most haunting novels you will ever read…? Well, after the fantastic response to my first text about remarkable Brazilian women, I couldn’t
5 Brazilian Women Who Changed History
Have you ever heard of Dandara, the Afro-Brazilian warrior who was a leader in the fight against slavery? Or of Maria Quitéria, the 'Brazilian Joan of Arc'? If you haven't, you're not alone. Like her, so many incredible women in Brazilian history have been erased from the historical narrative for centuries, whether they were soldiers, artists, or writers. Luckily, that
Paracelsus: The Rebellious Doctor Who Defied Tradition
I recently found myself going down the rabbit hole of Japanese manga and anime fandom online. Now, this is something I know nothing about. I've never really been into anime or manga, but I was fascinated to learn about Van Hohenheim or 'Hohenheim of Light', a character who is a powerful alchemist in the anime series Fullmetal Alchemist, clearly inspired
Veiled Truths: Scandal and Mystery in a Renaissance Convent
Can being possessed by the devil ever be a good thing…? Well, for a 17th-century Italian nun who claimed to have seen Jesus Christ, plus literally marrying him, it kind of was. Plus it helped with all the accusations of her having sex… with another nun. Let me tell you a story. The story of Sister Benedetta Carlini, sometimes described
Fioravanti: Pioneering Surgeon-Alchemist of the Renaissance
Leonardo Fioravanti was called a Charlatan, a Poisoner, a Reformer, a Knight, a Prophet, a Miracle-Worker, a Saviour, an Alchemist, and a Fraud.
Moderata Fonte and ‘The Woman Question’
Is there anything more enlightening than listening in while women discuss their role in society? As the recent adaptation of Miriam Toews novel Women Talking shows, this is a pretty fascinating premise. In Toews’ story, which was inspired by real events, eight women from a Mennonite community gather to decide what to do in the aftermath of horrific sexual attacks
What is the ‘Wandering Womb’?
Imagine ‘an animal inside an animal’, a thirsty creature, dragging itself in search of water, pushing aside everything that was on its way… Do you think that sounds sinister? So do I.
Elizabeth I and Ageing
A few days before Queen Elizabeth II’s death, she met the UK’s new prime minister, Liz Truss, at Balmoral Castle, in Scotland. Royal watchers were quick to point out what appeared to be a bluish bruise on her hand, as concerns over her health grew. At the time of her death, the Queen (1926-2022) was 96 years old, having reigned for 70 years. As the media coverage of the mourning and funeral rites took over the UK and much of the world, I couldn’t stop thinking about the Queen’s hands and ageing. I inevitably thought of Elizabeth I’s hands, famously beautiful with their long fingers, even into her old age.
Caterina Sforza: Using All the Weapons in Her Arsenal
After her husband was assassinated and she and her children were taken prisoners by their political enemies, Caterina Sforza (1463-1509) found herself in a precarious position. The conspirators wanted to take control of the castle in Forlì, yet the people inside, loyal to Caterina, did not want to surrender.
‘Let Nature Take its Course’: In Defence of ‘Gentle’ Midwifery
In the 16th and 17th centuries, a delivery room could be a noisy place. Childbirth was a social event, and birthing chambers were often full of women (friends, relatives, servants, midwives…), celebrating and helping the one giving birth. However, whenever I picture this scene, I remember how important it was to me that my birthing environment be calm and quiet.
She Became a Nun Just to Avoid Marriage (and Read Books)
Before TikTok: History's ORIGINAL Influencers
How Latin America Shaped Germ Theory (But History Overlooked It)
Ephelia: Unmasking a Seventeenth-Century Feminist Voice
17th Century "Intuitive Eating": Paracelsus and Digestion
Alchemy in the Renaissance: The Mysterious Isabella Cortese
Caterina Sforza: The Alchemy and Power of a Renaissance Icon
5 More Brazilian Women Who Changed History
5 Brazilian Women Who Changed History
Paracelsus: The Rebellious Doctor Who Defied Tradition
Veiled Truths: Scandal and Mystery in a Renaissance Convent
Fioravanti: Pioneering Surgeon-Alchemist of the Renaissance
Moderata Fonte and ‘The Woman Question’
What is the ‘Wandering Womb’?
Elizabeth I and Ageing
Caterina Sforza: Using All the Weapons in Her Arsenal