Vulgar History: Regency Era

In a long-awaited crossover between pale-skinned history nerds with glasses and long reddish hair, whose cats like to make guest appearances in their content, Hepburn and I are joined by I'm joined by E.K. McAlpine (and Minnie) to talk about her all-time fav: Saint Margaret of Scotland! Support E.K. on Patreon Follow E.K. on Instagram ---- Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at...

We're joined today by Katie Gee Salisbury, author of the new Anna May Wong biography Not Your China Doll: The Wild and Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong. Katie helps guide us through a discussion of Anna May Wong's life from childhood through Hollywood and European stardom, her trip to China, and her final comeback era. Learn more about Katie and her book at notyourchinadoll.com Click here to order...

This week we're talking about Mary, Queen of Scots AGAIN because (drumroll please) she's the topic of the latest Vulgar History book club book! We're joined by author Flora Carr to talk about her new book, The Tower. It's a historical fiction novel about Mary, Queen of Scots and the Lochleven Scenario and it includes faves like Mary Seton and Yung Willy, with a bunch of other names you'll recogniz...

Time to talk about a longtime Vulgar History fav, this time in her own episode! Claire Clairmont is mostly known as the third-wheel stepsister of Mary Shelley. But as you will soon find out, she was also a Goth Queen in a different way. We're joined by author Lesley McDowell, whose new novel Clairmont makes Claire the main character for once. Click here to order Clairmont from bookshop.org (UK) Cl...

We're joined by return guest Princess O'Nika Auguste, here to share the story of The Queen of Sheba. Princess explains this Queen's connection to Ethiopian, Rastafarian, Yemeni, Islamic, Jewish, Christian, and Black history. Follow Princess's podcast Badass Women of History Support Princess on Patreon All other ways to follow and support Princess online ---- Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery...

Mary Ann Shadd Cary is recognized as a national hero in both Canada and the United States. I'm joined by Nneka D. Dennie, author of Mary Ann Shadd Cary: Essential Writings of a Nineteenth-Century Black Radical Feminist to discuss Mary Ann's life and legacy. Download the intro to her book for free with this link. Buy a copy of her book here -- and use code AAFLYG6 for 30% off! Learn more about Nnek...

We're joined this week by Avery Cunningham, author of The Mayor of Maxwell Street. This historical fiction novel has it all: old timey gangsters! Lady journalists! Noir-adjacent gangland rivalries! And: 1920s outfits. It's also a story about the Black elite of 1920s Kentucky and Chicago, using fictional characters to highlight this lesser known aspect of Black American history. Learn more about Av...

Talking with Vanessa Miller, author of the historical fiction novel The American Queen. This novel is based on actual events that occurred between 1865 - 1889 and shares the unsung history of a Black woman who built a kingdom as a refuge for the courageous people who dared to dream of a different way of life. Learn more about Vanessa and her books at vanessamiller.com The resources Vanessa mention...

Born into an illustrious family of swashbuckling war heroes and brilliant political leaders, Lady Hester Stanhope was a Regency-era adventuress who lived on her own terms and refused to conform. Author Andrea Penrose took Hester's life as inspiration for her new historical fiction novel, The Diamond of London. Learn more about Andrea and her work at andreapenrose.com Read Andrea's blog posts at Wo...

This week is a re-release of season 1, episode 6 of Vulgar History, telling the saga of the Wizard Earl's Daughter, Frances Howard's protegee, that's right: lady spy Lucy Percy Hay! This rerelease includes a new edit of the original recording and a new intro and extro. Mentioned in this episode:  Sweet Valley Sagas by Francine Pascal  Court Lady and Country Wife: Royal Privilege and Civil War: Two...

This week is a re-release of season 1, episode 5 of Vulgar History, telling the saga of the Imposteress Rabbit Breeder, Mary Toft! This rerelease includes a new edit of the original recording and a new intro and extro. Content warnings: animal cruelty/killing, nonconsensual gynecological procedures, Nathanael St. Andre References: The Imposteress Rabbit Breeder: Mary Toft and Eighteenth-Century En...

This week is a re-release of season 1, episode 4 of Vulgar History, telling the saga of Elizabeth Báthory aka The Blood Countess aka #JusticeForBettyBats! This rerelease includes a new edit of the original recording and a new intro and extro. References: Countess Dracula: The Life and Times of Elizabeth Bathory, the Blood Countess by Tony Thorne -- Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and access...

This week is a re-release of season 1, episode 3 of Vulgar History, telling the saga of the Affair of the Necklace and Jeanne de la Motte! This rerelease includes a new edit of the original recording and a new intro and extro. References: How To Ruin A Queen by Jonathan Beckman -- Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories at common.era.com/vulgar or go to commonera.com and use code VU...

This week is a re-release of season 1, episode 2 of Vulgar History, telling the scandalicious saga of OG tits out icon/ our patron saint, Frances Howard. This rerelease includes a new edit of the original recording and a bunch of new updates about Frances, two other people ALSO called Frances Howard, what is Bobby Duds doing in this narrative, and: Lettice Knollys! I also reassess Frances's score...

Iṣmat ad-Dīn Khātūn was a 12th-century Muslim woman who lived in the Levant. She lived during the Frankish Wars aka The Crusades, and made a name for herself through her bravery and diplomacy. -- Call for de-escalation and ceasefire (for US people) Email your US rep to demand a ceasefire Template for UK people to email your MP Take action to call for a ceasefire (for US, UK, Canada, and internatio...

Revisiting where it all began! This week is a re-release of season 1, episode 1 of Vulgar History, telling the saga of the rebel of the regency: Caroline of Brunswick! This rerelease includes a new edit of the original recording and one hour of new content, INCLUDING a reappraisal of Caroline's score on the Fredegund Memorial Scandilicious Scale. -- References: Caroline and Charlotte: Regency Scan...

My name is Ann, joined this week by Allison, to talk about a tits out women who only needs one name: RACHEL. References: Tragic Muse: Rachel of the Comédie-Francaise by Rachel H. Brownstein https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/09571558211045052 https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/rachel-eliza-rachel-felix https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/6068-felix-elisa-rachel -- As mentioned...

Remember awhile ago, we did three episodes about the iconic Queen Fredegund? And she was so iconic we re-named the scandilicious scale after her? WELL By popular request, we're back to look at Fred's arch-nemesis, Brunhild of Austrasia. To keep my #TeamFred energy from overwhelming things, our guest this week is Shelley Puhak, author of The Dark Queens: The Bloody Rivalry That Formed The Medieval...

Today we're joined by Katherine Howe to talk about her pirate-y new novel, A True Account: Hannah Masury's Sojourn Amongst the Pyrates, Written by Herself. Learn more about Katherine and her work at katherinehowe.com -- Buy A True Account from bookshop.org and support Vulgar History with this link: https://bookshop.org/a/1419/9781250304889 -- Get 15% off all the gorgeous jewellery and accessories...

This week, it's a Foster duet as we're joined by Dr. Meg Foster (no relation) to talk about Australia's legacy of bushrangers, and her recent book Boundary Crossers: The Hidden History of Australia's Other Bushrangers. If you don't know who the bushrangers were, don't worry, that's the first thing Meg explains. Our discussion focuses on Mary Ann Bugg, a mixed-race Worimi woman often left out or mi...

Today, we're joined by Emma Southon to talk about lesser-known women of Roman history and her new book, A Rome of One's Own: Forgotten Women of the Roman Empire. Learn more about Emma and her work at emmasouthon.com Listen to Emma's podcast History Is Sexy historyissexy.com -- Buy A Rome of One's Own from bookshop.org and support Vulgar History with this link: https://bookshop.org/a/1419/978141976...

It's a slightly belated Halloween super special/ continuation of the Mary, Queen of Scots saga this week! We're talking about Margaret Fleming, Countess of Atholl: older sister of one of the Four Marys and also a witch who was never arrested or punished for it. Our guest is Lucy Hinnie, an Early Career Researcher, Wikimedian and digital humanist. She is currently Postdoctoral Fellow at the Institu...

Historians and authors Julia Fox and John Guy join us this week to talk about their new co-written biography, Hunting the Falcon: Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, and the Marriage that Shook Europe. Learn more about Julia and her work at juliafox.co.uk Learn more about John and his work at johnguy.co.uk -- Buy Hunting the Falcon from bookshop.org and support Vulgar History with this link: https://bookshop...

This week we're talking about the six-foot-tall fashion and party-loving queen who had a loving male companion she discovered singing in a choir... no, not Mary QofS, it's Empress Elisabeth!!! With a thrilling cameo of a past VH fav but I'll wait for you to hear until I reveal who it is!! We're joined by Allison Epstein, whose new book Let The Dead Bury the Dead takes place in olde timey Russia. B...

Today we're talking about beloved American author Louisa May Alcott, best known as the author of Little Women. Joining me to discuss Alcott's life and career is Dr. Alice Rutkowski, Chair and Associate Professor of English at SUNY Geneseo. Our discussion today will look at Alcott's life through a queer, trans lens, which Alice has written about in academic articles. Learn more about Alice and her...