Bess of Hardwick

Bess of Hardwick (birth name: Elizabeth Cavendish) appeared a few times throughout the Mary, Queen of Scots series. And today, we're diving into just how this low(ish) born woman became the second-wealthiest woman in Tudor England (after Queen Liz I). We spill all the tea: the four husbands, the attempted poisonings, the embroideries, her dealings with the Grey family, the house building, the useless sons (and step-sons) and the LATE BREAKING NEWS. -- References: Devices and Desires: Bess of Hardwick and the Building of Elizabethan England by Kate Hubbard https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-derbyshire-66265517 https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/peak-district-derbyshire/hardwick https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/peak-district-derbyshire/hardwick/gideon-tapestry-project-at-hardwick-hall -- Recommended podcast: Dwarfism History with Aubrey Smalls -- Get Vulgar History merch at vulgarhistory.com/store (best for US shipping) and vulgarhistory.redbubble.com (better for international shipping) -- Support Vulgar History on Patreon  -- Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices