Historical Education



The House Of Sydney offers a wide variety of shows tailored to 16th-century Europe.  We possess in-depth knowledge of the period through various research projects, readings, and discussions.  This brings our characters to life, and gives our audiences a unique opportunity to share in those lives.  The House Of Sydney historical presentations are appropriate for audiences of any age or background, and have been performed at numerous schools, libraries, and specialized educational festivals and events.


Courtly Etiquette

Our characters discuss the social classes of the 16th century, king to peasant, and everything between!  Audiences learn greetings, customs, courtesies, and the different forms of address for knights, gentlemen, ladies, nobles of all levels, and the royalty.  Our characters represent each of these classes, and all of these customs are demonstrated first-hand as we perform.

The Duke teaching etiquette to an audience member


The Renaissance Lifestyle

The House Of Sydney's most informative, entertaining, and interactive show!  We take our audiences through numerous aspects of 16th-century life, starting with a typical day in the life of each social class.  Our performers are experts in their subjects, and our characters have been specifically developed to present The Renaissance Lifestyle in the most realistic way possible.  As we move through the day, we discuss:
  • Food
  • Clothing
  • Hygiene
  • Medicine
  • Entertainment and sports
  • Courtship and romance
  • Education
  • Religion
Audience members participate in every aspect of the presentation, bringing them into our lives.  The Renaissance Lifestyle is a one-of-a-kind experience!

The Irish Wolfhounds


The Duke introducing Seamus O'Malley, Master of Hounds


The House of Sydney, with partners Cad e Sin, discuss Irish Wolfhounds, Greyhounds, and other dogs commonly seen in the 16th century.  We discuss what they are, what they can do, and why they were so important to royalty and nobility of our time.  See www.cadesin.com for more information about these wonderful animals!

Weapons of the Renaissance


Weapons of the Renaissance at Parkview Middle School, Ankeny, IA


The House of Sydney, with the Iowa Tudor Guard, discuss the finer points of weaponry in the 16th century, and how weapons were used both on the battlefield and in a courtly setting.  Numerous true-to-life weapons are safely demonstrated for our audiences.  See the Iowa Tudor Guard website to learn more about Weapons Of The Renaissance.