Vulgar History: Regency Era

Empress Elisabeth, known to almost everyone as Sisi, was a Bavarian royal who married the Emperor of Austria (a Hapsburg!!). Because this is an era and region I didn't know much about, we're joined by Sisi superfan and Hapsburg expert Lana Wood Johnson (author of two YA novels: Technically You Started It, and Speak For Yourself; you should buy them!!) to help fill in the blanks. Learn more about L...

We all know by now how iconic Hortense Mancini was. Is it any wonder that the other Mazarinettes were just as cool? This week, we tie up the Hortense saga with a look at the stories of Anna Marie Martinozzi, Laura Martinozzi, Laura Mancini, Olympe Mancini, Marie Mancini, and Marianne Mancini along with Boy Mazarinette Philippe Mancini. Between these seven we have: one musketeer, two accused poison...

This episode gets into Hortense's final years, which involve: two mother-daughter reunions, how she dealt with three rapid changes in who the monarch is, CM continuing to be the best best friend to ever friend, and of course, her scandilicious score!! Content warning: discussion of suicide starts at 47:01. If you want to skip ahead to the scoring, that starts at 57:31. Support Vulgar History on Pa...

Bonjour and welcome to Hortense's Salon Internationale! In this week's episode, we learn more about Hortense Mancini's time as Charles II's maitresse-en-titre, her relationship with Charles's daughter Anne Lennerd, her love of swordfighting, her self-sabotaging affair with Louis I of Monaco, and her platonic life partner Charles de Marguetel de Saint-Denis, seigneur de Saint-Évremond aka CM, and o...

So in 1675, Hortense Mancini fled France to hang out in London during the Restoration era. She truly took the city by storm with her superpowered beauty and scandalous ways. But in order to appreciate just what an effect she had, we need to talk for a minute about what London was like P.H. (Pre-Hortense). This week we learn about what Charles II had been up to since he unsuccessfully tried to marr...

In the next thrilling installment of the saga of Hortense Mancini, our heroine escapes from her awful husband with the help of her brother and sister, becomes the most popular muse in Rome/Europe, has a not-so-secret sexy affair with a servant, and writes her memoirs (all before age 29). And she's just getting started! Featuring special guest narrative: what her sister Marie had been up to since b...

Hortense Mancini appeared one day with Sailor Moon buns and such a fascinating Wikipedia entry I had to make room for her in this internationale season. Her story is like if you did a Frankenstein thing of putting together all the most scandilicious bits of every story ever on Vulgar History ever before into one story, because it's all here! Wearing a pants disguise! Breaking new ground for women...

In the conclusion of this Kristina of Sweden four-part saga, our heroine finds that her can't-be-tamed #JustBeingMiley personality can get in the way of her plans to take over Naples, Sweden, and Poland. But she gets a new house, drinks so much orange juice, and continues living this perplexing life that truly can't be described any way but EPIC. References: Christina, Queen of Sweden: The Restles...

This episode finds Kristina of Sweden entering her BANGERZ era as she a) shaves her head b) is a wrecking ball all over Rome as she ponders how to live as a Freelance Queen/King. She meets some new friends (some of whom aren't grifters), is surprisingly chill about other peoples' religions, goes TITS OUT both with her collection of erotic artwork AND her neckline, and, fully just vibes out with th...

If this was an episode of Friends, it would be called THE ONE WHERE SHE YEETS THE CROWN. Picking up from part one, Kristina is Teen Queen/King of Sweden and her main focus is doing the opposite of what Axel Oxenstierna wants her to do. But the more she remains Queen/King, the more she starts to channel Belle from Beauty and the Beast, wanting adventures in the great wide somewhere. And so, as Big...

Kristina of Sweden, like her distant ancestress Princess Cecilia of Sweden, wasn't going to let being a Swedish Royal get in the way of her just vibing out and doing wtf she wanted. In part one, we learn about her parents, the non-typical manner in which she was brought up, and the first years of her reign. We also talk a bit about her gender identity and the longstanding rumours that she may have...

We're joined by author Maya Deane (Wrath Goddess Sing) to talk about La Chevalière d'Éon, an audacious and incredibly interesting trans woman from 18th century France who was a spy, soldier, author, celebrity, and overall icon. Along the way, Maya also shares the stories of Joseph Boulange Le Chevalier De Saint-Georges, the Abbé de Choisy/Comtesse de Barres, Prince Philippe, and Achilles herself! ...

We're joined by author Tracy Dawson, author of Let Me Be Frank: Women Who Dressed Like Men To Do Shit They Weren't Supposed To Do! This book is perfect for the tits out brigade, as it is funny and smart, with gorgeous pictures, Catalina de Erauso is it, and it's feminist as hell. Learn more about Tracy and her book at https://tracydawson.net/ Buy a copy of Let Me Be Frank wherever you get books (o...

Anne of Denmark (1574-1619) was the second daughter of a loving family in Denmark, who had the misfortune to be married off to King James VI of Scotland AKA the second-worst man in British history (see: witch burnings, colonizing, translating the Bible to be more misogynistic, overall messiness).  Her life story includes: SO much drama, a super secret sexy religious conversion, NUMEROUS fabulous j...

More Qs are A'd this week, including: my fav things to eat and drink, which VH heroines I'd like most to do various social things with, and tits out heroines from Canadian history! Here's further info about each of the Canadian heroines: Filles du Roi thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/filles-du-roi Thanadelthur thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/thanadelthur Marie-Joseph Angélique thecanadi...

Because all the Internationále research is taking so much time, there isn't a new Vulgar History episode ready this week. But! I did have time to answer Qs from you, the Tits Out Brigade! You submitted questions via Patreon and social media, and I’m here with answers!  Click here for a list of all the books recommended in this episode Learn more about the National Network of Abortion Funds at abor...

Special guest Allison Epstein (A Tip for the Hangman) joins us for this action-packed conclusion of this three-part saga of the Lieutenant Nun. This time featuring: a return to Spain, a meeting with The Pope (!!!) and, crucially, how will Catalina fare on the Scandilicious Scale??  Subscribe to Allison's newsletter Dirtbags Through the Ages at rapscallison.substack.com and follow Allison on Instag...

Special guest Allison Epstein (A Tip for the Hangman) joins us to discuss Doña Catalina de Erauso. Catalina was a 17th-century Spanish woman who became known as the Lieutenant Nun because she was a) raised in a convent and b) cross-dressed for success as a man in the Spanish army. She was also c) a dirtbag, d) potentially a serial killer, and e) wildly interesting to talk about. This episode also...

Special guest Allison Epstein (A Tip For The Hangman) joins us to discuss Doña Catalina de Erauso. Catalina was a 17th-century Spanish woman who became known as the Lieutenant Nun because she was a) raised in a convent and b) cross-dressed for success as a man in the Spanish army. She was also c) a dirtbag, d) potentially a serial killer, and e) wildly interesting to talk about. That's why this is...

Njinga, aka Nzinga, aka Ana de Sousa was one of the longest-reigning and most consequential monarchs in history. She ruled over Ndongo and Matamba (near modern-day Angola) for thirty-seven years and is an icon for women over age 40, queer people, and anyone who loves a fashion moment and a grand entrance. References: Njinga of Angola: Africa's Warrior Queen by Linda Heywood Queer as Fact podcast q...

Njinga, aka Nzinga, aka Ana de Sousa was one of the longest-reigning and most consequential monarchs in history. She ruled over Ndongo and Matamba (near modern-day Angola) for thirty-seven years and NONE of those years was boring. She was a fashion icon, icon for women over age 40 getting shit done, an icon in Black history, an icon in African history, an icon in anti-colonialist history, and SO M...

This is the second part of a two-part episode about Hürrem Sultan. It will make most sense if you listen to part one first! Hürrem Sultan, aka Haseki Sultan, aka Roxelana, was born around 1502 and was captured and sold into slavery as a young girl. She caught the attention of the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and wound up shattering all kinds of glass ceilings for women, the enslaved, and concubine...

Hürrem Sultan, aka Haseki Sultan, aka Roxelana, was born around 1502 and was captured and sold into slavery as a young girl. She caught the attention of the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, and wound up shattering all kinds of glass ceilings for women, the enslaved, and concubines as she ascended to become his Queen.    References:   The Ottoman History podcast ottomanhistorypodcast.com Ottoman Lives...

Malintzin (aka Doña Marina, aka La Malinche) was born in Mexico around 1500. Twice sold into slavery, she found a way to use her multilingualism and skill at diplomacy to make her indispensable to newly-arrived Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés. In the aftermath of the Spanish conquest, Malintzin has been viewed alternately as victim, villain, seductress, folk legend, and myth. But who was the re...

This week's internationàle destination is North Africa, by way of the Iberian Peninsula. Sayyida al-Hurra, who is known by that name even though it's not actually her name (it's all explained in the episode don't worry), was a refugee from Granada who helped makeover a ruined city, then was named its governor, and also hung out with a very famous (alleged) pirate!!   References:  https://en.wikipe...