Beheaded

The story of Agnes Bernauer is a haunting blend of love and tragedy that has been passed down for generations. Born in the early 1400's Bavaria, Agnes ascended from the working class to the Munich court by capturing the heart of a duke’s son. Duke Ernest of Bavaria, however, had other plans for his son. With accusations of witchcraft looming, her lover’s father took drastic measures to ensure...

In this episode, we delve into the life and legacy of Jeremiah Brandreth, a key figure in the Luddite rebellion. Known as 'The Nottingham Captain,' Brandreth led a desperate uprising of workers against the mechanization that threatened their jobs and livelihoods in early 19th-century England. We take a look at the impact of the Industrial Revolution who the Luddites were, as well as the...

In this episode, we take you back to the court of Versailles to share the story of Madame du Barry—the last mistress of King Louis XV. Was she truly the frivolous scandal history remembers? Or a woman of surprising wit, charm, and ambition? Pour yourself a glass of something French and let’s dive into the life of this infamous enchantress who found herself both beloved and betrayed by the world’s...

In part two of our season finale, we share the tragic ending of Elisabeth de France and how she stood by her brother, King Louis VXI, throughout the bloody French Revolution. While Elisabeth was notorious for her cheeky and even stubborn behavior as a child, she blossomed into a virtuous young adult who held firm to her devotion to the monarchy. While her sentence was controversial, unfortunately,...

While Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI were dealing with revolutionists in France, there was one person behind the scenes who has received very little recognition: Elisabeth de France, King Louis' youngest sister. Elisabeth grew up in the royal court of Versailles as a French Princess. While her education and upbringing was standard for the times, nothing could prepare her for the French R...

Sikhism is the 5th largest religion in world and was founded in India in the late 15th century. It emphasizes the worship of one God, equality of all people, selfless service, and devotion to the teachings of the Sikh Gurus. While these Gurus had a mission to live peaceful lives, they couldn't avoid a pattern of violence and death throughout their generations. In this episode, we share the st...

Our story begins with Tsar Peter III of Russia being overthrown by his own wife, the infamous Catherine the Great, only to be declared deceased soon after for vague medical reasons. Years later, Yemelyan Pugachev, a peasant who claimed to be the late Peter III, emerges. Pugachev's Rebellion, also known as the Cossack Rebellion, gained support from various social groups, including peasants and...

Life in 1800’s Liverpool, England was rough. It was a port city with a high population of hard-working immigrants all trying to make ends meet. However, some were more desperate than others to ensure their living was made. Catherine and Margaret Flannagn, two Irish sisters who owned a boarding house, found themselves in the middle of a dark network of women who took advantage of insurance organiza...

The Tudor Dynasty was notorious for creating religious tension across England as they swayed between Protestantism and Catholicism, depending on who wore the crown. With Elizabeth I on the throne, Catholics were forced to practice their beliefs in hiding. Margaret Ward was empathetic towards the Catholic priests being imprisoned and went so far as to help one of them escape. Known as the 'Pea...

It can be said that the ancient Egyptians were quite materialistic. The pyramids housed more than just the mummies and dust of pharaohs and queens, but also the lifetime of riches of the nobility to ensure they could bring them with them to the afterlife. In modern-day currency, these tombs were filled to the brim with hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of gold, jewels, and other valuable...

In the early 1700's, Jean Baptiste Baudreau II had a unique mixed heritage that enabled him to forge connections with both the French colonists of the American south and the Native American tribes. He was a rebel without a cause.... no really, we aren't quite sure what his cause was.... but he was found untrustworthy amongst the white colonists because of his strong ties to the indigenou...

While King Henry VIII wasn't particularly known for being afraid of witches, he was certainly paranoid about assassination... even if it was only through a prophetic attempt. Mabel Brigge claimed she was a devout Catholic who used fasting as a method to pray for those in need, whether it meant finding lost money or potentially praying for the death of the King of England! In this episode of B...

Jack Rackham, known as Calico Jack, was a true pirate of the Caribbean. With his Jolly Roger hoisted high and his bonny lass by his side, Jack and his crew sailed the seas during the Golden Age of Piracy. Jack stood apart from other pirates, though, as he had not one, but two notorious female pirates on his ship: Anne Bonny and Mary Read. Like most pirates of the age, Jack and much of his crew did...

Ruth Ellis, a young and alluring nightclub manager in 1950s England, came from a rough background. She was introduced early on in life to the consenquences of   untrustworthy men, alcohol, and the unsavory underworld of London's nightlife. Things only got worst when she found herself in a jelous rage aiming a revolver directly at her lover. At the young age of 28, Ruth Ellis left a lasting ma...

We've all  heard of people being accused of witchcraft, sorcery, and engaging in the dark arts. However, have you ever come across a case where someone was found guilty of being a werewolf? During the 1500s in Germany, a man named Peter Stumpp (given the nickname due to his left hand being a stump) was accused of being the perpetrator behind a series of mysterious murders in his village, but...

For any poor soul standing in front of a judge awaiting their sentence, the last thing they want to hear is that they would be hanged, drawn, and quartered. This heinous act was reserved for traitors or those who have committed an extreme crime, such being a spy during war. Our dear friend Francois Henry de la Motte, a French spy from the 1780s, was unfortunate enough to receive no mercy from the...

Beheaded is back with our 5th season, and we are starting off with the well-known story of the Princes in the Tower. This is the legacy of the two innocent boys who went mysteriously missing while staying at the Tower of London. For centuries, people have assumed their uncle, King Richard III, had them both murdered.  But the story does not end there. Shortly after their disappearance, there were...

In this very special episode, we have the opportunity to speak with author and former professor Dr. Leah Redmond Chang to discuss her latest book, Young Queens: Three Renaissance Women and the Price of Power . This narrative history looks at the intertwined lives of Catherine de’ Medici (the Queen of France from 1547 to 1559), Elisabeth de Valois (Queen of Spain from 1559 through 1568) and Mary, Q...

Thomas Cromwell quickly and unapologetically became one of King Henry VIII's closest advisors.  As he continued to give the King whatever he asked for, Cromwell was rewarded with titles and wealth, making him one of the most powerful men in the Tudor court.  Very rarely, though, do we see someone rise to power so quickly without a quick downfall. Inevitably, Cromwell found himself with fewer...

In part one of our season finale, we tell the story of one of King Henry VIII's closest confidants: Thomas Cromwell. Cromwell is known for many things in history, primarily being a noble statesman in the court of King Henry VIII. He was self-made, coming from a low background and rising all the way up to Chief Minister of the King's Privy Council. Cromwell can be seen as a driver for bot...

In this special episode, Dr. Owen Emmerson joins us to talk about his amazing career as a cultural historian and assistant curator of Hever Castle (Anne Boleyn's childhood home).  As a Boleyn and Tudor history expert, you may recognize him from shows such as Netflix's Blood, Sex & Royalty , BBC's Who Do You Think You Are and The Boleyns: A Scandalous Family,   along with multipl...

While Prague was not known for mass, bloody executions, there was at least one known as the Old Town Square Execution in 1621 that made the history books. This was the result of the Bohemian Revolt where 27 of the revolt leaders were found guilty and made an example of with an unusually brutal and public execution. Even more fascinating, the execution was conducted by the infamous Master Execution...

While we've heard of the Salem Witch Trials, we tend to forget that the Puritans adopted their fear of witches from back home in England. King James I brought panic and terror to England when he became obsessed with witch hunting. He even wrote a book called "Daemonologie" which worked as a manual on how to identify, prosecute, and execute witches. While many of the victims' na...

Nat Turner's Slave Rebellion was the deadliest revolt in American history.  Born into slavery in southern America, Nat was a prophet who believed God was sending him messages to raise a rebellion. After hundreds of years of oppression, he was finally able to raise a small "army" to fight against the white slave owners. Despite hundreds of people losing their lives that day, his rebe...

The Távora Affair was one of Portugals' bloodiest scandals that resulted in the extinction of an entire noble bloodline. What started with wanting to do away with a powerful political family ended with massive arrests, torture and execution. To this day, historians still debate on the validity of the claims. One thing is certain: the Portuguese knew how to put on an execution performance of e...