Jeffrey Hudson: Englands Forgotten Swashbuckler

Published: July 30, 2022, 4 a.m.

(Lucy) Dancer, court favorite, and popular celebrity in late 17th-century England, Jeffrey\xa0Hudson\xa0was distinguished not chiefly by his achievements, but by his size. Born with dwarfism,\xa0Hudson\xa0was known as \u201cLord Minimus.\u201d His diminutive stature and social ableism meant that his court career was dependent in some ways on his novelty. A favorite of Queen Henrietta Maria, Jeffrey\xa0Hudson\xa0was painted by Van Dyck, and frequently figured in court entertainments. This podcast looks at his life, and what it can tell us about disability in early modern England.