Did the Tudors DO April Fools?

It's April 1st, and I'm not going to trick you. Instead, let's ask a genuine question: did the Tudors even DO April Fools' Day? The answer is no, not really. But what they did instead is so much more interesting. We dig into the murky origins of April Fools' Day (the most popular origin story is probably itself a myth, which is perfect), the Tudor tradition of licensed misrule, and the story of Will Sommers, Henry VIII's court jester, the only person in England allowed to call the king "Harry" to his face and tell him he was being robbed by his own advisors. He also occasionally had to flee the palace for his own safety. It was a complicated job. No tricks. Just Tudor history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices