About this episode
Get early episodes & ad-free audio on Patreon: https://patreon.com/DrowsyHistorian Tonight, we’re not following kings, warriors, or saints. We’re following a tailor’s apprentice in Renaissance Europe… as his skin blooms with red sores, his neighbors whisper of sin and punishment, and the local barber-surgeon arrives with hot cups and mustard plasters. There are no miracles here. Just fever. Isolation. And a slow, painful transformation that leaves the body disfigured — and the memory quietly erased. This is the horrifying fate of a smallpox victim. And in the Renaissance, you wouldn’t need to be cursed or criminal to suffer it. Just unlucky. 🛏️ Drowsy Historian’s Favorite Sleep Tools Looking to upgrade your nighttime routine? These are a few things I personally use or recommend: • Sleep Earbuds for Enhanced Immersion → https://amzn.to/4pVFoJy • Blanket Soft Enough to Make the Plague Feel Tolerable → https://amzn.to/3GSOq8f • Weighted Blanket for Pretending You’re a Mummified Pharaoh → https://amzn.to/4kVJCgE • Sleep Mask Headphones For Total Historical Escape → https://amzn.to/4nWsNVn • Book Light for Reading About Plagues at 2AM → https://amzn.to/4eSg0iu • White Noise Machine for Blocking Out the 21st Century → https://amzn.to/3GJ9jTw These are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them—at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting the show while staying cozy. #smallpox #renaissance #drowsyhistorian #historysleepstories #calmhistory #historicalillness #plague #barbersurgeon #historicalfiction #secondperson