logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2020
21m 47s

The Ghosts that Haunted the Female Emper...

iHeartPodcasts and Grim & Mild
About this episode

In 7th-century China, Wu Zetian went from low-tiered concubine to Empress and then, finally, to Emperor in her own right. Her legacy is murky and strange, and her rise to power is trickled with blood. 

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Oct 8
Introducing: SNAFU with Ed Helms - Season Four!
Hi Noble Blood listeners! We're excited to share with you a sneak peek at iHeartPodcasts’ newest season of SNAFU with Ed Helms. SNAFU with Ed Helms: Your favorite history podcast is back with even more SNAFUs -- one per episode, to be precise. With guests like Nick Kroll, Jenna F ... Show More
1m 55s
Oct 7
Sentencing His Son to Death
When Peter the Great's son and heir was on trial for treason, the emperor instructed the jury to treat him as they would any other man. If he were to be convicted, the sentence would be death. Support Noble Blood:— Bonus episodes, stickers, and scripts on Patreon— Order Dana's bo ... Show More
29m 34s
Sep 30
The Princess Onstage at the Moulin Rouge
Clara Ward was a "dollar princess" from Michigan who married a Belgian prince. But her adventurous spirit soon had her eloping with a Hungarian musician and she lives a life that scandalized and captivated Europe in equal measure. Support Noble Blood:— Bonus episodes, stickers, a ... Show More
26m 8s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2016
Queen Victoria: The Lady Hastings Scandal
Queen Victoria reigned for more than six decades, but her early years as ruler were peppered with a number of disastrous missteps. By participating in a horrible rumor campaign about her mother's lady-in-waiting, she ended up damaging her own reputation. Learn more about your ad- ... Show More
28m 5s
Nov 2011
Sisi: The Empress of Austria and Her Cult of Beauty
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. Learn more about your ad-choice ... Show More
30m 4s
Jun 2021
Count Struensee and King Christian VII of Denmark
King Christian VII ruled in the 18th century, and during his reign, his physician finagled a surprising amount of power, and basically ruled the country.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
38m 31s
Mar 2021
Zoë & Theodora, Byzantine Empresses
Over almost 30 years in 11th-century Constantinople, sometimes Zoë ruled alongside one of her husbands, sometimes she and Theodora ruled together, and in the end, Theodora ruled alone. All against a backdrop of distrust and intrigue and possibly murder. Learn more about your ad-c ... Show More
34m 39s
Mar 2017
Mongolian Princess Khutulun
Khutulun's story is a little bit cloudy, in part because it’s many hundreds of years old, and in part because accounts of her life involve a combination of propaganda and an outsider’s interpretation of it. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comS ... Show More
26m 55s
Jul 2019
Cleopatra: Ms. Understood
One of the great misunderstood figures in history was the last pharaoh of Egypt. Cleopatra’s story is almost always told along with the men in her life, and from the view of the Romans who were threatened by her. Unsurprisingly, there was lot more to her. Learn more about your ad ... Show More
50m 57s
Nov 2013
Zenobia and the Roman Empire
Our focus today is on a woman who was actually covered in the podcast several years ago. But she's a figure so mythic and with so many variations to her story that we wanted to give her another look and a little more time. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpod ... Show More
28m 14s
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
Jan 2015
The Glamorous Strongwoman
From an early age, Katie Sandwina wowed crowds, first as a wrestling act and then exclusively as professional strongwoman. During a time when women's suffrage was a hot button issue, she cultivated an image of a perfectly feminine powerhouse. Learn more about your ad-choices at h ... Show More
28m 52s
Jun 2016
The Achaemenid Empire
The Achaemenid Empire was founded by Cyrus II in the 6th century B.C.E., and it became an empire unlike any the world had seen up to that point. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
31m 51s