How did Renaissance People Get High?

Get early episodes & ad-free audio on Patreon: https://patreon.com/DrowsyHistorianThe Renaissance is remembered as an age of clarity, reason, and rediscovered beauty — but it was also an age lived through smoke, drink, and tincture. From wine-soaked debates in Florentine taverns to incense-thickened chapels, from apothecary jars of opium and mandrake to the first bitter sips of coffee, this was a world where enlightenment often arrived through a haze. In this video, we wander through the intoxicating side of the Renaissance — a history not of statues and sonnets, but of cups, vials, and rituals that dulled, sharpened, or transformed the human mind.Join me as we explore how scholars, peasants, nobles, and monks all shared in this universal search for escape and endurance — and how a society that celebrated clarity so often found it clouded.🛏️ Drowsy Historian’s Favorite Sleep ToolsLooking 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/3GJ9jTwThese 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.#History #Renaissance #DrowsyHistorian #HistoricalStorytelling #SleepHistory #RelaxingHistory #HistoricalNarration