Historical Blindness

In this companion piece to my episode on the devilish Spring-Heeled Jack, I follow the trail of the Great Devon Mystery, looking to uncover the truth behind the so-called Devil's Hoofmarks. In February of 1855, mysterious tracks appeared overnight all across the county of Devon in England. In this final Halloween episode and the last episode before the show's hiatus, I consider what might have lef...

For the first of our two Halloween episodes, I am joined by Diane Student of History Goes Bump in my investigation into the original Victorian bogeyman, the Leaping Terror of London: Spring-Heeled Jack! Find the blog post at historicalblindness.com for images and links to further reading, such as my main source, Mike Dash's wonderful research on the topic.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

I explore the ambiguities and misrepresentations in the legend that has evolved around the so-called Great Discoverer. Joining me is Moxie LaBouche of the podcast Your Brain on Facts. Visit the blog at historicalblindness.com to read the blog post with images and links to further reading.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a companion piece to the last episode on the Phantom Airships of 1896-7, I take a look at the work of an outsider artist that some say proves the existence of a secret society of airship builders at work in California in the 1850s. Visit the blog post at historicalblindness.com to find links to sources and further reading as well as examples of Dellschau's beautiful artwork. Learn more about yo...

I return to our survey of historical UFO sightings to examine the flap of airship sightings in 1896-7. Were there powered, steerable aircraft flying all over the country years before the Wright Brothers flew at Kitty Hawk, or was it a mass hysteria or a hoax? Featuring Deana Marie of Twisted Philly and Marie Mayhew of Whatever Remains. Visit the website at historicalblindness.com to read the blog...

In this episode, to cite precedent for my pet theory on the Campden Wonder case of the previous episode, I tell the tale of the most famous case of imposture in history. Enjoy this true crime tale from Reformation-era France, and visit the blog post at www.historicalblindness.com for images and links to further reading.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we tell an astounding story of true crime from the Restoration period of English history. This tale has it all: a missing person, a dubious confession of murder, accusations of witchcraft, a public execution, and a twist involving highwaymen, slavers, and Turkish pirates! Check out the blog post at historicalblindness.com for images and links to further reading! Learn more about y...

As a companion piece to the Bastard Princes in the Bloody Tower, I look at the mystery surrounding the fate of Louis XVII: did he die in prison or escape and later assert his birthright? Visit the blog at historicalblindness.com to read a crafted version of this episode's script, complete with images and links to further reading! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this conclusion of our look at the mystery of the Princes in the Tower, we consider the possibility that the princes may have survived and made attempts to reclaim their birthright. And looking at evidence that they were indeed murdered, or at least that they died, we look at other possibilities for who was responsible. Visit the website at historicalblindness.com to read the blog post, view im...

This is part one of a 2-part series looking into the famous historical mystery of the Princes in the Tower. In this first installment, we give context by exploring the War of the Roses that led up to this particular family squabble, and we consider whether history has been fair to Richard III. Visit the blog at historicalblindness.com to read the script, view accompanying imagery, and find links t...

This investigation into a nursery rhyme and whether it was inspired by a true crime or a folk legend was prompted by a digression in the last episode on the Green Children of Woolpit, and it turned out to be something of a rabbit hole on its own merit. Visit the blog post at historicalblindness.com to view imagery and click through to source reading.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaph...

In this episode, we study a ubiquitous folk tradition, the Green Children of Woolpit, First we consider its origins and its transmission through the ages, evaluating the qualities that seem to identify it as little more than a fairy tale. Then we examine the possibility that it may have been based on some true event. Check out the blog post at the website, historicalblindness.com, for accompanying...

A brief look at a New Testament mystery, this one is not only a companion piece to the last episode on the Man in the Iron Mask, being that it's also about a historically unidentified person, but also serves as a clarification to a statement I made a few times in my series on the Priory of Sion and the mysteries of Rennes-Le-Chateau. Visit the website at historicalblindness.com to read the blog po...

I lead an investigation into the legend of the Man in the Iron Mask, tracing the lore as it evolved and looking into all the usual suspects. Visit the Historical Blindness blog for imagery and links to sources as well as recommended reading on the Books page.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Continuing my investigation of the mystery profiled in the last episode, I take a closer look at the riddle of Abbé Saunière’s wealth and the legends of treasure at Rennes-le-Château. I explore the supposedly unusual decor of the church, the plausibility of a Templar connection as well as other possible origins for a treasure, and the first rumors of treasure that started the legends. Check out th...

A look at a historical mystery that spiderwebs into hoax and pseudo-history, involving hidden treasure, ancient codes, secret societies, and a cover-up to obscure the true Easter story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we study of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the legend of the Marian apparition behind it. As with our study of the Turin Shroud, we look closely at the miraculous claims about this item.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we take a look at the most studied artifact in history: the cloth said to be the burial shroud of Christ, which bears a mysterious image believed by many to be his wounded body.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An examination of the so-called Battle of Los Angeles, when during WWII LA believed it was under attack. Also, a brief discussion of the conspiracy theory that would paint the incident as an alien encounter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An examination of the Great Lighthouse Mystery, in which three lighthouse keepers mysteriously vanished from a barren island far off the coast of Scotland in December of 1900.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I share a twisty tale of a ghost ship featuring mutineers and pirates in the modern era. This episode's topic was chosen in response to a patron poll that expressed interest in another episode about a mysterious disappearance, like my episodes on the Lost Colony and the Dare Stones.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this companion piece to my last episode on the blood libel, I expose the 19th and 20th centuries' conspiracy theories attributing plots of global domination to the Jews. The focus of the episode is on the forged document known as the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, which has fueled anti-Semitic conspiracy theory ever since.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this exploration of one of the darkest and most destructive myths in history, I examine the blood libel, the accusation that Jews of the Middle Ages and beyond ritually murdered Christian children, a lie that I trade back to its roots in medieval England. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In part two of a Halloween special, Mike Brown and I continue to scrutinize claims of devil worship throughout history. Go back and listen to part one, if you haven't already. Listener beware: this subject matter involves alleged violent crimes against children. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This special two-part crossover Halloween edition explores the Satanic Panic and accusations of devil worship throughout history. Special thanks goes out to our guest co-host, Mike Brown of Pleasing Terrors. Check out his show if you don't already listen! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices