The Archduke Rudolf, heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, retreated to his hunting lodge in Mayerling with his teenage lover in 1889 to enact a gristly suicide pact in an event both stranger and more tragic than it appears at first blush.
Yesterday
Husbands of the Scottish Queen
<p>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.</p> <p><strong>Support Noble Blood:</strong></p> <p>— <a href="https://www.patreon.com/noblebloodtales ... Show More
45m 39s
Nov 2011
Sisi: The Empress of Austria and Her Cult of Beauty
<p>Empress Elisabeth of Austria, better known as Sisi, is often considered the public's "favorite" member of the Habsburgs. She only reluctantly carried out her duties, but her murder created an outcry across Europe -- and the story doesn't end there.</p><p> </p> Learn more about ... Show More
30m 4s
Jun 2019
SYMHC Classics: Sisi - The Empress of Austria and Her Cult of Beauty
We're traveling back to 2011 for this one! Empress Elisabeth of Austria, better known as Sisi, is often considered the public's "favorite" member of the Habsburgs. She only reluctantly carried out her duties, but her murder created an outcry across Europe -- and the story doesn't ... Show More
30m 17s
Nov 2020
How a German Prince Built his own Artificial Volcano
Like many nobles of his day, Leopold III Friedrich Franz traveled widely in his youth, taking in the ancient wonders of Europe. A stunning experience witnessing an eruption at Mount Vesuvius transformed the young prince's life. As he headed home to Germany, he vowed he would crea ... Show More
36m 23s
Nov 2015
Sophia Duleep Singh, Part 1: Princess In Exile
<p>A princess of the Sikh empire, Sophia Duleep Singh grew up in Great Britain, and was Queen Victoria's god daughter. But her childhood was not exactly a charmed one, and her family, caught between two worlds, experienced great upheaval and tragedy.</p><p> </p> Learn more about ... Show More
24m 45s
Aug 2021
SYMHC Classics: The Beheading of Sir Walter Raleigh
This 2018 episode covers the famed courtier, explorer, historian, Member of Parliament and soldier. He was part of England's defense against the Spanish armada, as well the Tudor conquest of Ireland, some of which was truly horrifying. According to some people, he is now a ghost. ... Show More
37m 48s
Mar 2022
EP204: The Joys of An Ordinary Tree and The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt
On this episode of Our American Stories, Joy Neal Kidney, author of Leora's Letters: The Story of Love and Loss for an Iowa Family During World War II, tells the story of the ordinary tree in her yard which has given her so much. In his Pulitzer Prize-winning biography, The Firs ... Show More
38m 16s