He had at least 14 known mistresses and a hoard of illegitimate children; Charles II's private life was as politically charged as it was scandalous. He presided over the Restoration court, a world of excess, intrigue, gambling, gossip and a lot of sex. Dan is joined by the host of the Betwixt the Sheets podcast, Dr Kate Lister to explore the salacious side of Restoration England and examine how power, pleasure, and reputation collided at court. A warning that this episode isn't suitable for children! 0:00 Introduction 0:50 The Rise of the Merry Monarch 2:02 From Penniless Exile to the Throne 4:25 Diplomacy and Religious Tolerance 6:10 Restoring Fun: The End of Puritan Rule 8:15 Plague, Fire, and French Influence 10:20 Catherine of Braganza: The Childless Queen 12:35 The Mistress Institution: Power and Politics 15:58 Barbara Villiers and Court Scandals 21:05 Nell Gwyn: The People’s Protestant Mistress 26:35 Syphilis and the Death of Charles II 28:00 Female Agency in the Stuart Court Produced by Mariana Des Forges, James Hickmann and McKenna Fernandez, edited by Matthew Wilson & the channel manager is Vilde Øksnes. You can find more Dan Snow's History Hit on the audio podcast here: https://podfollow.com/dan-snows-history-hit/view 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. All music from Epidemic Sounds. #DanSnowsHistoryHit #HistoryPodcast #CharlesII