Noble Blood

The Clothes that Make the Queen (with Kate Strasdin)

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 07:02:00 +0000

How does a queen show her power through her clothing? In her book DRESSING THE QUEEN, historian Kate Strasdin traces two hundred years of the most important garments that a royal can wear.

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Betrayal and a Tudor in Scotland

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 07:05:00 +0000

When she was still a child, Margaret Tudor, sister of the future King Henry VIII, was married to the King of Scotland. But it wouldn't be until her husband's death that Margaret would face the greatest challenges of her life during her regency.

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The Last Plantagenets

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 07:02:00 +0000

During Henry VIII's reign, his dynasty was looking shaky: he had only one son, and if Henry died before his heir came of age, the country would be in danger of a civil war. Worse, there were still heirs to the York family in England, possibly plotting against him...

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The Woman of Canossa Castle

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 07:02:00 +0000

In 1077, the King of Germany and future Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV walked barefoot in the snow and waited three days outside of Canossa Castle. He had been excommunicated by the Pope and was hoping to appeal to the Pope's sense of forgiveness. But the Pope was only at Canossa Castle himself because he was being hosted by Matilda of Tuscany, a fascinating figure at the heart of one of the most famous religious episodes in history.

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Anne and Religion Askew

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 07:02:00 +0000

In the reign of Henry VIII, religion in England became a minefield of confusing and shifting doctrine. Anne Askew, the daughter of a well-connected courtier, preached her interpretation of the Bible. Her punishment was more a matter of politics than of doctrine.

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A Ploughman's 'Uprising' (with Dan Jones)

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 07:02:00 +0000

In the new film Uprising, a ploughman played by Andrew Garfield joins in the 1381 Peasants' Revolt against Richard II of England. Historian Dan Jones served as the medieval consultant on the film, and joins us to discuss the movie, and his upcoming book, CASTLES.

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"The Apple is Ripe; Pick It Now Or It Will Rot"

Tue, 01 Sep 2026 07:01:00 +0000

Leopoldina married into the royal family of Portugal, which meant moving to Brazil with her husband. But civil war was bubbling on both sides of the Atlantic, and while her husband was out of town and Leopoldina was serving as Princess Regent, she would be faced with making a fateful decision that would define the future of her country.

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Lord Kitchener Wants You!

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 07:01:00 +0000

The image of Uncle Sam saying "I Want You!" is one of the most famous poster designs in the world... but it was a copycat of a British original. Their version didn't feature a fictional mascot, but a very real, very living man.

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Frances Duff's Jamaican Inheritance

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 07:01:00 +0000

When Frances was a child, her mother went before the Assembly to petition that she be legally classified as "white." Frances would go on to become a wealthy heiress, and marry into the British aristocracy, but the cost would be engaging with the very system of slavery and discrimination that subjugated her mother and generations of mixed-race people after her.

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The Surreal Life of Elsa Schiaparelli

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 07:01:00 +0000

Elsa Schiapparelli was the founder of a fashion house which has become known for its sometimes outrageous, always glamorous designs. But beyond fashion, her transatlantic life would involve a conman and an FBI investigation as she tried to use her inflfuential and famous friends to bolster her success through the second World War.

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The Tudor Villainess

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 07:01:00 +0000

She has been called "the most hated woman in Tudor England." Jane Boleyn, sister-in-law to Anne, served five queens. Two of them were beheaded. How much was her fault?

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The House of Boleyn (with Tracy Borman)

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 07:02:00 +0000

Where does a woman go when a King is wooing her and won't stop? Dana speaks with Chief Historian of Historic Royal Palaces, Tracy Borman, about her newest historical fiction novel, THE HOUSE OF BOLEYN.

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The King for a Day

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 07:01:00 +0000

In December of 1586, the King of Poland died suddenly and without an obvious successor. King was an elected position, and the noblemen bickered and tried to advance their own agendas, to no avail. It was a complete standsill. They needed an unbiased third party to be a temporary king. It's a romantic story of a non-royal ascending to a temporary throne, but is it true?

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Wyatt and Elizabeth in Revolt

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 07:01:00 +0000

Queen Mary I's decision to marry a foreign prince turned people against her. Some were so against her they planned an uprising to overthrow her in favor of her half-sister, Elizabeth. But how much did Elizabeth know? And when she was imprisoned in the Tower of London, how much evidence of her treason would be uncovered?

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How to Start a Monarchy from Scratch (Part 2)

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 07:01:00 +0000

The British Monarchy were using the divisions of the Māori people against them. And so, some Māori thought that what they needed to face off against a monarch.... was a monarch of their own.

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How to Start a Monarchy from Scratch (Part 1)

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 07:01:00 +0000

Eventually, Te Wherowhero would become the first Māori king. But decades before that, he would face off against rival tribes, proving his leadership ability and bravery in the face of an enemy coming right at him.

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Countess of the Demimonde

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 07:01:00 +0000

At the dawn of La Belle Epoch in Paris, a trans woman who became known as "The Countess" would journey from ballrooms to prison and back, a key figure in queer history who wrote her own autobiography to tell readers exactly how strange and dazzling the experiences of her life were.

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The Chloroform Baronet (Part 2)

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 07:01:00 +0000

In 1847, James Young Simpson successfully used chloroform for the first time to help in childbirth. But the anesthetic was still controversial and dangerous, which made it all the more risky when Simpson was faced with a royal patient: Queen Victoria.

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The Chloroform Baronet (Part 1)

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 07:01:00 +0000

James Young Simpson, as a young surgeon, was distraught at the seemingly inescapable pain and fear that patients were suffering. He decided to try to find a better solution.

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Napoleon's Forgotten Wife

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 07:01:00 +0000

When Josphine failed to produce heirs, Napoleon secured a divorce and arranged for another marriage: to the 18-year-old daughter of the Emperor of Austria. Young Marie-Louise arrived in Paris and, to her surprise, found herself enchanted by her new husband. But Napoleon's Empire was crumbling, and it was Marie-Louise's own father who would help secure its downfall.

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When the Kennedeys met the Windsors (with Caroline Hallemann)

Tue, 26 May 2026 07:01:00 +0000

Two families captivated the 20th century: the Kennedy clan in America, and the Windsors, the royal family of the UK. Both faced the tribulations of fame and power, and the challenges of the 21st century media. Dana spoke about the parallel dynasties with Caroline Hallemann, author of the upcoming book The Kennedys and the Windsors.

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Kaspar Hauser Came to Town

Tue, 19 May 2026 07:01:00 +0000

In 1826, a young man stumbled into town with limited language and a mysterious past: he revealed that he had spent his life in isolation, in a single room with no human interaction. Was he telling the truth? And if he was... was it possible that he might actually be a missing royal prince?

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The Mind of Émilie du Châtelet (Part 2)

Tue, 12 May 2026 07:01:00 +0000

Part two of our episode on Émilie du Châtelet, the brilliant female mathematician and physicist who helped to redefine our understanding of how the world works..

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The Mind of Émilie du Châtelet (Part 1)

Tue, 05 May 2026 07:01:00 +0000

History has often reduced the brilliant mathematician and physicist Émilie du Châtelet to her relationship with a famous man (Voltaire). But she was a fascinating figure in her own right, an 18th century polymath at the forefront of conversations about how the world worked.

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The Virgin and Thomas Seymour

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 07:01:00 +0000

When the future Queen Elizabeth I was just 13 years old, she was living with Catherine Parr, who remarried after the death of Henry VIII. Catherine's new husband was handsome and charming, but he was also someone who would threaten scandal. A scandal that could cost Elizabeth's future.

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The Mad Baron in Mongolia (Part 2)

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 07:01:00 +0000

For eight months, Roman von Ungern-Sternberg took control of the capital of Mongolia, in a campaign that was less about international politics and more about his own warped sense of purpose.

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The Mad Baron in Mongolia (Part 1)

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 07:01:00 +0000

In 1921, a Russian officer named Roman von Ungern-Sternberg invaded Mongolia, ostensibly with the goal to liberate it from Chinese forces. But he had his own ulterior motives, and a pattern of cruelty that was only beginning.

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The Queen Mother Who Refused to Die

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 07:01:00 +0000

Against the odds, Idia's son, Esigie, became the leader—Oba—of the Edo people. And against even greater odds, Idia survived to help him rule.

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A Medievalist of the Seven Kingdoms (with Dr. Hugh Doherty)

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Dr. Hugh Doherty (University of East Anglia), the historical consultant for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, joins the podcast to discuss 14th century tournament culture, the dangers of jousting, and the Bayeux Tapestry.

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Fortune Has Changed My Life

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 07:01:00 +0000

Born in Africa, enslaved, and brought to a foreign land, Abram Petrovich Gannibal forged an incredible path for himself, rising until he became a respected nobleman and member of Russian court.

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Politics and Murder in the Harem

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 07:01:00 +0000

Kösem Sultan was the favorite of the Sultan and the mother of a ruler. She had extraordinary power over the Ottoman Empire, but, as we've learned from this podcast, power can have deadly consequences.

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A Terrible Waste

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

When Heinrich VI, King of Germany, called a gathering of noblemen to deal with a property dispute, he couldn't have predicted how tragic—and disgusting—the meeting would turn out to be.

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Daughters of the Empress (with Veronica Buckley)

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 08:01:00 +0000

Veronica Buckley, author of the new book SEVEN SISTERS, joins us to discuss the daughters of Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, who remade Europe with their marriages.

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Olympic Glory for a Princess

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 08:01:00 +0000

Though Queen Elizabeth II's daughter, Princess Anne, competed in the Olympics, the first princess to do so beat her to it by more than a thousand years.

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The Winter Queen

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 08:01:00 +0000

Elizabeth Stuart was the daughter of King James I and VI of England and Scotland. Her husband was offered the throne of Bohemia, and who would ever say no to a crown?

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A Philosopher's Death

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 08:01:00 +0000

Giovanni Pico Della Mirandola was a brilliant and precocious philosopher, who caused a stir in Italy with his writings before he was even 25. But Pico would have many powerful enemies and rivals, and his suspicious death would remain a mystery for centuries.

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Maria Theresa's Medical Legacy (with Matt Kaplan)

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 08:01:00 +0000

Dana is joined by the science writer for The Economist, Matt Kaplan, to discuss 18th century medical progress, the legacy of Maria Theresa, and the tragedy of Ignaz Semmelweis. Order Matt's new book, I TOLD YOU SO!, now.

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The Real Cyrano

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 08:01:00 +0000

Cyrano de Bergerac is a larger-than-life figure in pop culture, whose story has been adapted countless times. But it turns out, Cyrano was a real man, albeit possibly with a smaller nose than media has led you to believe.

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The Missing Diamond in Case XIII

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 08:01:00 +0000

The Florentine Diamond was one of the crown jewels (sorry) of the Habsburgs—a 137-carat diamond that had come from the court of the Duke of Tuscany. But after World War I, when the Austrian Empire collapsed, the royal family fled to Switzerland, taking the diamond with them. From there, it disappeared. Or did it?

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Antoine Lavoisier's Head

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 08:02:00 +0000

Antoine Lavoisier was a French chemist, who gave us the name for oxygen and other terminology that we still use today. But he was also a wealthy man who collected taxes and served the Ancien régime, and when the revolution came, the elements were ripe for explosion.

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Cruelty and Murder, War and Peace

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 08:01:00 +0000

Natasia Minkin was the mistress of one of the cruelest men in tsarist Russia. She apparently tried to give him a run for his money.

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The Affair of the Poisons

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 08:01:00 +0000

In the 17th century, aristocratic France was set on high alert—women were procuring poisons and using it for nefarious, murderous means. It was a scandal that mortified the nobility, quite literally. And it all seemed to come back to one woman, known as La Voisin.

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The Mitford Communist (With Carla Kaplan)

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 08:01:00 +0000

The glamorous Mitford sisters—six daughters of a Baron—have captivated the public imagination for decades. One became a duchess, one a famous novelist, one retired into a life of privacy, two become fascists, and one became a communist. Jessica "Decca" Mitford is a character larger than life, and the subject of the new book, TROUBLEMAKER, from Carla Kaplan.

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How Lola Montez Took Down a King

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 08:01:00 +0000

Though she was born in Ireland with no Spanish blood, the self-named "Lola Montez" captivated Europe with her charm and sexuality, eventually entangling King Ludwig I in a scandal that would lead to the end of his reign.

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The Noblewoman Marooned on the Isle of Demons

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 08:01:00 +0000

While sailing from France to the New World, Marguerite de La Rocque and her lover were punished, marooned on an island where they would be tormented by natural forces and, according to some stories, demons.

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The Kennedy Marchioness

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 08:02:00 +0000

One of the most glamorous members of the Kennedy clan, Kathleen "Kick" Kennedy dazzled and scandalized British society. But her story would ultimately end in tragedy.

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Husbands of the Scottish Queen

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 08:02:00 +0000

Lord Darnley, the husband of Mary Queen of Scots, was murdered under mysterious circumstances. How Mary reacted, and what happened next, would lead to her undoing.

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Sing Me a Song of a Lad That Is Gone

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 08:02:00 +0000

After the Battle of Culloden, the Bonnie Prince Charlie needed to escape to safety. His salvation would come in the form of a young woman named Flora MacDonald, who would become an indelible piece of romantic Scottish history.

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The Example of an Honest Courtesan

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 08:01:00 +0000

As a courtesan, Veronica Franco would entertain Henry III of Valois in her Venetian home. But her greatest accomplishments would be a literary career that defied public expectation and defended her honor from men who would mock and diminish her.

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Revolutionaries on Cato Street

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 08:02:00 +0000

In 1820, a group of desperate radicals came up with a violent plan for complete social and political reform in England: murdering the entire cabinet at a nearby dinner party. But their scheme—known as the Cato Street Conspiracy—was over before it even began.

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King James VI's Stolen Crown (with Tracy Borman)

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 07:01:00 +0000

On her deathbed, the unmarried "Virgin Queen" Elizabeth I declared that her successor would be King James VI of Scotland. Or at least, that's the story that we've been told. In her new book THE STOLEN CROWN, historian Tracy Borman, Chief Curator of Historic Royal Palaces, discusses the bombshell new discoveries that reveal that the Stuart Dynasty was built on a lie. (For more, here's Tracy for History Extra's Life Lessons from History)

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Lady of the Mercians

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 07:02:00 +0000

Æthelflæd's father was Alfred the Great, King of the Anglo-Saxons, and he married her to the leader of Mercia to seal an alliance. But Æthelflæd's husband would become sickly, and she would become a formidable leader in her own right.

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Æthelstan and a United England (with David Woodman)

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 07:02:00 +0000

Why does William the Conqueror get all of the credit when Æthelstan was king of a united England in 927? David Woodman (Professor of History at Cambridge University) joins us to talk about his new book The First King of England.

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Introducing: SNAFU with Ed Helms - Season Four!

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 07:05:00 +0000

Hi Noble Blood listeners! We're excited to share with you a sneak peek at iHeartPodcasts’ newest season of SNAFU with Ed Helms.

SNAFU with Ed Helms: Your favorite history podcast is back with even more SNAFUs -- one per episode, to be precise. With guests like Nick Kroll, Jenna Fisher and Angela Kinsey, Paul Scheer, Jordan Klepper, Mike Schur, and more, it's part history lesson, part hangout pod, and part group therapy for humanity.

Listen to season 4 of SNAFU with Ed Helms on the iHeartRadio App or wherever you get your podcasts!

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Sentencing His Son to Death

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 07:02:00 +0000

When Peter the Great's son and heir was on trial for treason, the emperor instructed the jury to treat him as they would any other man. If he were to be convicted, the sentence would be death.

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The Princess Onstage at the Moulin Rouge

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 07:02:00 +0000

Clara Ward was a "dollar princess" from Michigan who married a Belgian prince. But her adventurous spirit soon had her eloping with a Hungarian musician and she lives a life that scandalized and captivated Europe in equal measure.

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More Malatesta Murders

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 07:05:00 +0000

The bloody murder of an adultrous brother and wife was just the beginning for the Malatesta family, whose family tree would be dotted with murders and betrayals for decades.

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The First Malatesta Murder

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 07:01:00 +0000

In Dante's Inferno, Dante meets two lovers, Paolo and Francesca. Francesca was married to Paolo's brother, but the two had a secret affair, until they were discovered and things took a deadly turn. But theirs is just one of the many murders and betrayals in the Malatesta family tree...

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Renaissance Man (with Peter Weller)

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 07:01:00 +0000

Frederick II was celebrated as a "renaissance man" who championed education and the arts. But his conflicts with the Pope would lead to multiple excommunications. Actor and historian Peter Weller (RoboCop, author of Leon Battista Alberti in Exile) joins the show to discuss his complicated legacy.

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An Earl, a Priest, and Martha Ray

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 07:01:00 +0000

When Martha Ray was 18, she met the Earl of Sandwich. The married Earl took Martha as his mistress, and they spent years living together as husband and wife. But their arrangement wasn't without friction, and in the end, their story would be a tragedy neither could have imagined.

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The Drillmaster of Valley Forge

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 07:01:00 +0000

When Baron von Steuben arrived at Valley Forge, he was met with a dismal sight. The soldiers were starving, undisciplined, and freezing. The Baron had a daunting task ahead of him: give them a fighting chance against the British.

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Who's Afraid of the Duchess of Newcastle (Part Two)

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 07:01:00 +0000

Virginia Woolf compared her to a giant cucumber plant. Had she read that, Margaret Cavendish might have thought it a compliment.

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Who's Afraid of the Duchess of Newcastle (Part One)

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 07:01:00 +0000

In 'A Room of One's Own,' Virginia Woolf writes of Margaret Cavendish's reputation: "Evidentally the crazy Duchess became a bogey to frighten clever girls with." Dismisses as mad in her own time, and untalented later, Cavendish remains something of an enigma, a strange proto-feminist, proto-science fiction writer who remained entirely untamed.

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The Real King Arthur

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 07:01:00 +0000

King Arthur is arguably the most famous monarch in British history, the subject of countless films and books of both non-fiction and fantasy. But there's one tiny, but important question worth asking: did he even exist?

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A Smoking Gun in the Spanish Royal Family

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 07:01:00 +0000

King Juan Carlos I had an astonishingly eventful life and ruled as King of Spain for nearly four decades. But a tragic event when he was a teenager maybe have been the defining incident of his life.

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Beethoven's Immortal Beloved, Part 2

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 07:01:00 +0000

Beethoven wrote an effusive, romantic letter, to a woman identified only as his "Immortal Beloved." Her (or his!) identity remains a matter of debate, but it turns out Beethoven had some other "beloveds" as well...

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Beethoven's Immortal Beloved, Part 1

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 07:01:00 +0000

After Beethoven died, his secretary published an effusively romantic letter the composer had written to someone identified only as his "Immortal Beloved." Beethoven had a type -- namely: noble, and unavailable. But the true identity of the letter's intended recepient has mystified music historians.

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Pope of Math and Dark Magic

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 07:01:00 +0000

Continuing the theme of exploring Papal history, we discuss Gerbert of Aurillac, AKA Pope Sylvester II, who's scientific and mathmatical mind lead him to the highest seat of Catholic power. But after his death, detractors and enemies would spin his story into one of dark arts and deals with the devil.

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The Thousand-Day Conclave

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 07:01:00 +0000

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Teaching People Manners

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 07:01:00 +0000

In 1921, Katherine Mansfield wrote a letter to Princess Bibesco which began, "I am afraid you must stop writing these little love letters to my husband while he and I still live together." Scandalous as that is, it only scratches the surface of the glamorous and adventerous life of the daughter of a Prime Minister who became royalty.

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The Murder of the Last Korean Queen

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 07:03:00 +0000

Queen Min was the de facto power behind the throne in Korea, and so she had plenty of enemies. Eventually, a coup would come to the palace.

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Count and Cavalry Commander

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 07:05:00 +0000

Through sheer force of will, Polish nobleman Casimir Pulaski came to America and forced the Continental forces to allow him to create a cavalry unit. His bold, impulsive, and sometimes reckless manuevers reinvented the way the war was fought.

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The "Wild" Nobleman of French Court

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 07:01:00 +0000

Petrus Gonsalvus was born with a rare genetic condition that meant he was entirely covered in hair. His life took him to French court, where he lived as an oddity, but also, as a nobleman, husband, and father. [NOTE: Listen to Courtney's podcast The Craft Lab on Apple or Substack!]

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A Scandal at Tranby Croft

Tue, 27 May 2025 07:01:00 +0000

Queen Victoria's son, Albert Edward, was gambling with his friends at a country estate when the host's son noticed one of the guests cheating. Eventually, that evening playing baccarat spirled into a scandal that forced the Prince of Wales to take the stand in court.

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Vasa, Sunken and Resurrected

Tue, 20 May 2025 07:01:00 +0000

In 1688, a royal ship was embarking from Stockholm harbor on its maiden voyage. The Vasa was incredibly grand and intricate; it was also incredibly top-heavy. A few minutes after it began sailing, the ship toppeled over and sank into the sea. But its story was only just beginning.

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The Witches of Belvoir Castle

Tue, 13 May 2025 07:01:00 +0000

The Earl and Countess of Rutland were dealing with unimaginable tragedy - their eldest son had died and their second son began suffering from the same mysterious illness that killed the first. But servants were whispering.... a servant had recently been dismissed, and her family was known outsiders. Was it possible the women of the Flowers family had been practicing evil witchcraft?

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The Life and Prophecies of Nostradamus

Tue, 06 May 2025 07:01:00 +0000

Nostradamus's names and predictions are famous, centuries after his death. But the man behind the predictions is still largely unknown. Was he a true believer, or a savvy opportunist?

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Petronilla of Aquitaine Had Chosen Her Husband

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 07:01:00 +0000

Eleanor of Aquitaine's younger sister Petronilla was attractive and wealthy, but she remained unmarried until she was 19 and met the charming Ralph of Vermandois. There was one big problem with the match though, and it would have bloody consequences.

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The King's Alphabet

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 07:01:00 +0000

King Sejong the Great is considered, well, the greatest king in Korean history. And his greatest contribution of all might have been twenty-four letters.

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Rival Queens (Part 2)

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

The 6th-century feud between Brunhild and Fredegund would last the rest of their lives, defining their kingdoms for generations as the women went from queens to rival regents.

A source that was particularly helpful in making this episode was The Dark Queens: The Bloody Rivalry that Forged the Medieval World” by Shelley Puhak (Bloomsbury, 2022).

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Rival Queens (Part 1)

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Queen Brunhild married Sigeburt I of Austrasia. Her sister married Sigebert's brother. At least, they were married, until Brunhild's sister died under mysterious circumstances and he re-married three days later. His new queen, Fredegund, would have a bitter rivalry with Brunhild that would change the fate of both of their nations.

A source that was particularly helpful in making this episode was The Dark Queens: The Bloody Rivalry that Forged the Medieval World” by Shelley Puhak (Bloomsbury, 2022).

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More Blood Than You Can Drink

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Cyrus the Great of Persia wanted to conquer the Massengetae people and, through cunning, he killed the son of their warrior-queen, Tomyris. It was a bad move.

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Agnes, Mary, and Mary Magdalene

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Agnes Sorel was the first official mistress in France, the lover of King Charles VII. But with her official position came a target on her back. Her influence meant that she would make enemies, and even the love of a king can't protect you from everything.

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The Pope's Kidnapped Child

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

In 1858, a Jewish child was taken from his family. They said that because the boy had been secretly baptized, he was now a ward of the Papal States. And his new adoptive father would be none other than Pope Pius IX.

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The Coquette Avenged

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Most women in 17th century France were faced with a choice: marriage, or a convent. Ninon de l'Enclos chose her own path.

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Will the Real Tsar Dmitri Please Stand Up? (Part 2)

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Tsar Dmitri I was murdered by assassins, but he wouledn't be the last to use the name of Ivan the Terrible's son claiming to be the rightful ruler of Russia.

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Will the Real Tsar Dmitri Please Stand Up? (Part 1)

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

In 1605, Dmitri — the son of Ivan the Terrible — became the Tsar of Russia. Less than a year leader, he was brutally deposed. But one question remained: was he actually even the real Dmitri?

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Count Orlok's Coat (with Linda Muir)

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

From leg-of-mutton sleeves to fur overcoats, the costumes in Robert Eggers's Nosferatu are extraordinarily detailed and, thanks to the research of Oscar-nominated costume designer Linda Muir, incredibly historically accurate. Dana speaks with Muir about her work, and the process of creating costumes for German gentleman, wealthy ladies, and a 300-year-old decomposing corpse.

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“No one else in the world but her!”

Tue, 11 Feb 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Prince Wilhelm of Prussia had fallen in love with Elisa von Radzwill, and wanted to marry her. Unfortunately, even though she was a princess, her rank was low enough that the marriage would actually be illegal. Still, the two clung to the hope they would end up together, fighting royals and bureacrats for years to try to make it happen.

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The Myth and Making of Lawrence of Arabia

Tue, 04 Feb 2025 08:01:00 +0000

Most people know of the famous "Lawrence of Arabia" thanks to the iconic imagery of the Oscar-winning film. But far fewer people know of the real man behind the myth, who fought for Britain and for the Arab Revolt during World War I and became a folk hero in the process.

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The Mistress Makes Her Escape

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Henrietta Howard was saddled with an abusive embarrassment of a husband and no money. She took matters into her own hands, ingratiating herself with the court of the Princess and Princess of Wales.

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Survived (From the Archive)

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 08:01:00 +0000

Catherine Parr was the sixth and final wife of King Henry VIII.

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Beheaded II (From the Archive)

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 08:01:00 +0000

Katherine Howard was the fifth wife of King Henry VIII.

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Divorced II (From the Archive)

Tue, 07 Jan 2025 08:01:00 +0000

Anne of Cleves was the fourth wife of King Henry VIII.

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Died (From the Archive)

Tue, 31 Dec 2024 08:01:00 +0000

Jane Seymour was the third wife of King Henry VIII.

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Beheaded (From the Archive)

Tue, 24 Dec 2024 08:01:00 +0000

Anne Boleyn was the second wife of King Henry VIII.

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Divorced (From the Archive)

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 08:01:00 +0000

Catherine of Aragon was the first wife of King Henry VIII.

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Noble Steed

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

The "fun fact" that Caligula tried to appoint his horse to the senate is a classic example of an emperor gone mad with power. The truth is, his appointment was likely a pointed political joke. But who was the horse at the center of it all?

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The Maxwell Prison Break from the Tower of London

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 08:01:00 +0000

Winnifred Maxwell's husband was tried and sentenced to death after participating in the 1715 Jacobite uprising against King George I. She refused to let that stand.

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Dunstan and Eadwig's Notorious Twosome

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 08:01:00 +0000

At the end of the 10th century, King Eadwig was locked in a bitter rivalry with Abbot Dunstan. Their feud would eventually lead to exile, a broken marriage, a split kingdom, and a rumor that has persisted to this day.

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E.T. and Me

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 04:45:00 +0000

In 1981, 11-year-old Matt DeMeritt got a call that would change his life. He wasn’t a child actor, or a performer of any kind. He was just a suburban kid enjoying his summer break. But Matt had something no other kid had — something Steven Spielberg needed to make his most ambitious movie yet.

Note: This episode contains discussions of suicide. Please take care while listening.

Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English
Written by Jake Rossen
Produced by Josh Fisher
Story Editor is Marisa Brown
Editing and Sound Design by Mary Dooe, Jonathan Washington and Josh Fisher
Mixing and Mastering by Baheed Frazier
Voice Actors are Jess Krainchich and Juliet English
Original Music by Elise McCoy
Research and Fact Checking by Jake Rossen and Austin Thompson
Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla
Executive Producer is Jason English

Special thanks to Simon Brew. Check out the Film Stories podcast!

Thanks for listening! If you're enjoying Very Special Episodes, please leave us a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform. You can reach us at veryspecialepisodes@gmail.com.

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The 'Unruly' British Monarchy (with David Mitchell)

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 08:01:00 +0000

Comedian, writer, and actor David Mitchell joins the podcast to discuss his newest book, Unruly: The Ridiculous History of England's Kings and Queens. The book is an overview of the monarchs from King Arthur to Elizabeth I, but it's also a cultural analysis of how the stories we tell ourselves about kings inform who we are. The book is available now in paperback.

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The 500-Year Medici Mystery

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 08:01:00 +0000

Lorenzino de Medici killed his cousin, the Duke of Florence, 11 years ago. Still, he's constantly looking over his shoulder, worried that justice might come at any moment. Turns out, he was right: Lorenzino was finally assassinated. But the culprit behind the revenge-killing would only be revealed almost 500 years later.

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The Murder of Licoricia of Winchester

Tue, 05 Nov 2024 08:01:00 +0000

In the 13th century, Licoricia of Winchester rose to prominence as the wealthiest Jewish woman in England. Twice widowed, she ran a successful business and worked closely with King Henry III. But antisemitism was rising in England, and Licoricia would face multiple stays in the Tower of London before an ultimately bloody end.

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The Impossible Identity of Elegabalus

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 07:01:00 +0000

In 2023, a museum in England determined that they would refer to the Roman emperor Elegabalus using feminine pronouns. Elegabalus, who allegedly asked to be referred to as a lady, has become a node in queer history as a trans woman. Though it's impossible to fully know the truth of how she may have identified, we can try to unpack the ways in which sex and gender were seen in Roman society.

CW: sexual content

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Gilles de Rais, Baron Serial Killer of Legend

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 07:01:00 +0000

Gilles de Rais was a powerful, wealthy French baron who fought alongside Joan of Arc. But a castle sale gone-wrong would lead to an investigation, revealing gruesome and salacious details of murder.

CW: murder, pedophilia

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The Notorious Banquet of Chestnuts

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 07:01:00 +0000

On October 31, 1501, the notorious Italian family. the Borgias, threw a party in the Papal Palace. The salacious details of that event, known as the "Banquet of Chestnuts" has captivated gossips for centuries.

CW: sex

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Napoleon's Brother Off Exit 7

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 07:01:00 +0000

After Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo, it became a dangerous thing to be a Bonaparte in Europe. And so Joseph, Napoleon's older brother, sailed to America, where he lived for more than two decades, building a luxurious estate in New Jersey filled with art and historical artifacts.

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Miscalculations in the Court of Richard II (with Helen Castor)

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 07:01:00 +0000

Richard II, grandson of the great King Edward III, inherited the throne when he was 10 years old, and was told he was a Messiah. The power went to his head. Dana is joined by historian Helen Castor, author of the upcoming The Eagle and the Hart, a dual biography of Richard II and his cousin, Henry IV, who would depose him.

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Lettice Knollys and her Pride

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 07:01:00 +0000

When Queen Elizabth I's favorite, Robert Dudley, got married without her permission, nothing would protect the new couple from the Queen's wrath. But Lettice met the prospect of her exile from court with her head held high.

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The Witch of the Ottoman Empire

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 07:01:00 +0000

When Roxelana was a teenager, she was captured from her homeland and brought to Istambul to be sold as a slave. With a famusly dazzling personality, she rose in the ranks to become the Sultan's favorite concumbine and, eventually, his wife, a
breach of tradition that left an entire empire reeling.

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Henry V (with Dan Jones)

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 07:01:00 +0000

Was Henry V the greatest king in English history? Or was he a violent and vindictive monarch overrated by history? Historian Dan Jones joins us to talk about Henry V, the subject of his new biography, available in the United States October 1.

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"The Princess with the Sad Eyes"

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 07:01:00 +0000

It should have been a fairytale romance: after a whirlwind courtship, Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary married the Shah of Iran and the two fell deeply in love. But their happiness would be challenged at every turn by the roadblocks that come from royal obligation.

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A Double Murder in Madrid

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 07:01:00 +0000

In 1980, a story captivated the Spanish media — the Marquis and Marchioness of Urquijo were found dead in the summer home, with no clear suspect in sight. Eventually, attention would turn to their playboy son-in-law, but the mysterious details of the case offer more questions than answers.

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The Cannibal Count of Pisa

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 07:01:00 +0000

CW: Cannibalism, child death Dante's Inferno presents a stark view of the ninth circle of Hell, the circle reserved for traitors, in which sinners are stuck in agony in a frozen lake. One such sinner is the Ugolino della Gheradesca, a Pisan nobleman who, as Dante imagines, is forced forever to chew through the skull of the man in front of him, an eternal reminder of the crimes he committed in life.

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The Noble Revolutionary

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 07:01:00 +0000

If you're familiar with the musical 'Hamilton,' yoiu probably know about "America's favorite fighting Frenchman:" the Marquis de Lafayette. A teenage nobleman enraptured by the ideals of the American Revolution, he would put his life on the line to fight alongside George Washington, only to face another revolution when he returned back to France.

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The Princess and the Commoner

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 07:01:00 +0000

In 2021, Princess Mako of Japan made headlines for giving up her royal title in order to marry a commoner. On the surface, it sounds like a picture-perfect love story. But the truth of their courtship, and the rules around the imperial family in Japan, are anything but simple.

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Prometheus in Paris

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 07:01:00 +0000

In 1777, Benjamin Franklin made his way across the Atlantic to Paris. He was the most famous American in the world, a celebrated inventor thought of as Galileo reincarnate. But Franklin would need more than just his celebrity if he were to achieve his mission: convincing the French monarchy to support the Americans in overthrowing a king.

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Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt Among the Royals (with History On Trial's Mira Hayward)

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 07:01:00 +0000

In the 1930s, America was captivated by a scandalous courtroom drama - a custody battle of little 10-year-old Gloria Vanderbilt (mother of Anderson Cooper). Gloria's mother, Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt, was accused of improperly managing her daughter's trust and galivating around Europe when she should have been parenting. The trial was already a media circus -- and that was before the British Royal family got involved.

For more on this trial and other fascinating trials in American history, listen to HISTORY ON TRIAL from Mira Hayward.

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Empires and the Benin Bronzes

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 07:01:00 +0000

The Benin Bronzes are some of the most famous artifacts in the world. And the story of how they were looted from the Kingdom of Edo in the 19th century by the British is the story of colonialism, revenge, and the European scramble for African resources.

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The Cabbage King and Queen vs. the Nazis

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 07:01:00 +0000

The tiny island of Sark, in the English Channel, had the distinguished honor of being the last fiefdom in Europe. And in 1929, an American businessman named Robert Hathaway became its lord. He could not have known just how challenging the next few decades would be, for all of Europe and for a tiny island that would soon be occupied by enemy forces.

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Live by the Guillotine, Die by the Guillotine

Tue, 02 Jul 2024 07:01:00 +0000

On October 6, a mob from Paris descended on Versailles, demanding blood. They stormed the palace, trying to find the private chambers of Marie Antoinette. But more shocking than a mob forcing their way through the royal gates was the member of the group rumored to be in their midsts: Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orleans, and a prince of the blood. A cousin of Louis XVI, he became a folk hero of the revolution. But did he actually believe in what the revolutionaries stood for, or was he merely serving his own best interests? In the end, he would be forced to make a choice and pick a side, a decision that would cost more than his title.

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A Rebel Heiress in the French Royal Family

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 07:01:00 +0000

Anne Marie's father was the brother of the King of France. Her mother was one of the country's richest women. And though in her youth Anne Marie had dreamed she would marry her cousin, King Louis XIV, in the end she would lead a life far more interesting—becoming a symbolic leader during a political civil war, and embarking on an attempt for a doomed love match marriage that would, in the end, cost her more than her heart.

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How the Duke of Monmouth Lost His Head

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 07:01:00 +0000

King Charles II's oldest illegitimate son, the Duke of Monmouth, was handsome and charismatic. But more importantly, he was Protestant, which made him an attractive alternative to the Catholic Duke of York, next in line for the throne. Eventually, the power and propoganda would go to Monmouth's head.

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Love and Tragedy at the Taj Mahal

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 07:01:00 +0000

The Taj Mahal is one of the most famous buildings in the world, a tourist destination that attracts travelers from all over the globe. But the story of its construction is fascinating—a monument (sorry) to lasting love and an intricate architectural celebration of a diverse empire.

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Nell Gwyn's Cinderella Story

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 07:01:00 +0000

When the monarchy of England was restored and King Charles II became king, the playhouses were reoppened. And for the first time, women would be permitted to be on stage, performing. The most popular comedic actress of the age, Nell Gwyn, would become a success, but her most famous role would be as the King's mistress.

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The Queen of Romance

Tue, 28 May 2024 07:01:00 +0000

Over her lifetime, Dame Barbara Cartland would write over 700 books that would sell more than 750 MILLION copies worldwide. Though her books were primarily aimed and read by women, Cartland's messages were strickingly regressive, with an ephasis on purity that seems strange to modern readers of romance novels. As her step-granddaughter Diana Spencer would one day discover, some fairy tales don't align with reality.

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The Corpse on Trial

Tue, 21 May 2024 07:01:00 +0000

When Pope Stephen was putting his predecessor on trial, there were signs that what he was doing wasn't quite right. For one, in the middle of the trial, an earthquake shook Rome. For another, his opponent was a dead body.

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The Female Pharaoh

Tue, 14 May 2024 07:01:00 +0000

From wife and sister of a Pharaoh, to regent to eventually Pharaoh in her own right, Hatshepsut is one of the most compelling figures of the ancient world, a woman who sought to preserve her legacy in real time by carving her accomplishments in stone.

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Death and the King's Favorite (with Benjamin Woolley)

Tue, 07 May 2024 07:01:00 +0000

George Villiers was in his early twenties when he caught the eye of King James the VI and I. Almost immediately, George became an intimate "favorite," catapulted into a new title and world of courtly power. Whether the relationship between the two men was sexual is still a question historians debate, but the thing that can't be denied is that their relationship would have deadly consequences. Dana is joined by author Benjamin Woolley, whose book The King's Assassin inspired the new television series Mary & George.

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The Nun of Monza, Part 2

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 07:01:00 +0000

CW: murder, gore.

Sister Virgina (born Marianna) had made a terrible choice in secret lovers. When a young secular boarder at the convent where she was a nun threatened to expose her illicit relationship with a neighboring nobleman, the man killed the young boarder. Together they tried to cover up the crime, but there would be no way for Marianna to run from her sins forever.

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The Nun of Monza, Part 1

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 07:01:00 +0000

For plenty of young women in the early modern era, if their families couldn't afford their dowries, they simply shipped them off to a nunnery. That was the case for Marianna, a young girl who rose in the ranks of her monastery as an exemplary nun... until she crossed paths with the rakish nobleman who lived in the estate next door.

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Lucretia as a Symbol

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 07:01:00 +0000

Why did the Roman Empire do away with kings? Simone de Beauvior would write that, through women, "certain historical events have been set off, but the women have been pretexts rather than agents. The suicide of Lucretia has had value only as symbol." CW: Sexual assault, suicide

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A Grand Duchess Above the Barber Shop

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 07:01:00 +0000

History is fascinated by the possible escape of Anastasia Romanov, the Grand Duchess killed alongside her family in the Russian Revolution. But there was a Grand Duchess that DID escape - Anastasia's aunt, Olga Alexandrovna, who would hold onto hope that her favorite niece escaped as well.

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The Daring Prison Break of the Emperor in Exile

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 07:01:00 +0000

When a coalition of European nations invaded Paris in 1815, they offered Napoleon what they believed to be very generous terms of surrender: he would keep his head, but be exiled to a life as Emperor of the insignificant island of Elba off the coast of Italy. Though Napoleon claimed to be content with the thought of retirement, less than 11 months later, he had returned to France and reclaimed his throne.

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The Dinner Party at the End of the Iranian Monarchy

Tue, 26 Mar 2024 07:01:00 +0000

When Mohammad Reza Shah got into a helicopter in 1979, he had no idea that it would be the last time he would ever see his country again. Nor did he know that he would be ending a 2,500 year tradition of monarchy in Iran.

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Odoacer and Theodoric, the Barbarian Kings of the Roman Empire

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 07:01:00 +0000

The Western Roman Empire was conquered by Odoacer, who styled himself as the "King of Italy." But the leader of the Ostrogoths, a warrior named Theodoric, would challenge Odoacer for supremacy. But were both men just playing into the hands of the Eastern Roman Emperor?

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Napoleon's Coup Within a Coup

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 07:01:00 +0000

Was Napoleon a military dictator, or a man who did what was necessary in order to preserve a French republic that was crumbling? To discuss the coup in which Napoleon became "First Consul" of France, Dana is joined by Pascal Confraveaux from the French Embassy.

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How Ada Lovelace Constructed Her Wings

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 08:01:00 +0000

When Annabella Millbanke had a daughter with her husband, Lord Byron, she was terrified that their child might inherit his poetical madness. And so she steered the girl, Ada, toward math and logic, where eventually, Ada Lovelace became obsessed with the potential of computers.

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The Plot to Undo Mary Eleanor Bowes, Part 2

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 08:01:00 +0000

Mary Eleanor Bowes managed to escape her abusive husband, Andrew Stoney, but the trial to divorce him and secure her financial freedom would ultimately risk her reputation, and her life. CW: spousal abuse, rape

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The Plot to Undo Mary Eleanor Bowes, Part 1

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 08:01:00 +0000

When Mary Eleanor Bowe's first husband died, he left her a letter warning her that, "A living man have no interest to mislead. A living man may." He could not have possibly predicted just how deceitful Mary Eleanor's next husband would be.

CW: spousal abuse, pregnancy termination.

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The Sheika Kept Prisoner (with Heidi Blake)

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 08:01:00 +0000

In 2018, Sheika Latifa bint Mohammed Al Maktoum, the daughter of the ruler of Dubai, attempted a daring escape to international waters, away from what she characterized as a dangerous and oppresive life among her family. She was captured and brought back to the United Arab Emirates, and though there have been public statements saying she is safe and content, her wellbeing has become a matter of international concern. Dana is joined by New Yorker staff writer Heidi Blake.

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Introducing: History on Trial

Fri, 09 Feb 2024 02:57:44 +0000

From the Salem Witch Trials to O.J. Simpson, trials have always revealed hidden truths about our society. History on Trial will dig into these cases, focusing on the real people behind the headlines, and the powerful cultural contexts that shaped the verdicts. We’ll dive deep into the grimy underworld of sports betting with the 1919 Black Sox Scandal, investigate mid-century Soviet espionage through the cases of Alger Hiss and the Rosenbergs, and explore the scandalous sex lives of Victorian preachers via the adultery trial of Henry Ward Beecher. Fans of true crime, legal dramas, and history alike will be captivated by the unbelievable true cases that played out in the courtrooms of history.

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The Venetian Doge Condemned in Memory

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 08:01:00 +0000

Along the walls of the Chamber of the Great Council in the Doge's Palace in Venice, there are portraits—one after another—of the Republic's doges. Each man has his likeness, and a description of some of his accomplishments. But there's a gap in the parade -- one man was painted over, and covered with a painted black veil. A man who committed a crime against the Republic so great, that he was "condemned in memory."

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Introducing: Very Special Episodes

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 19:16:02 +0000

On Very Special Episodes, we tell one incredible story each week. Stranger-than-fiction tales about normal people in extraordinary situations. Stories that make you say, “this should be a movie.” Follow Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday.

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Pompey and the Prince

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 08:01:00 +0000

Jean Baptiste Charbonneau is best known for something that he accomplished as an infant -- traveling with his mother, Sacagawea, and Lewis and Clark with the Corps of Discovery to the Pacific Ocean. But as he reached adulthood, he would become a symbol of a new American identity, eventually spending six years living alongisde an eager explorer who happened to be a German Duke.

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The Contradictions and Controversies of Marc de Montifaud

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 08:01:00 +0000

In the late 19th century, French writer Marc de Montifaud was sentenced to prison for indecency in his work. But rather than being sent to the rather cushy location for literary criminals, he was sentenced to forced labor... as a woman. Born Marie, but ultimately living as Marc, the Comtesse de Montifaud remains one of the most interesting and enigmatic figures in literary history, a trans man who defied social conventions to live and work as he pleased.

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