Her first lover was found dead in a river. Her second husband was strangled in his bed. Perhaps it's no surprise that in popular culture, Lucrezia Borgia has become a femme fatale, a black widow murderess who stepped over husbands in order to achieve her own ends. But the real Lucrezia is a figure far more complex and tragic than the stereotypes might lead y ... Show More
Sep 8
A Ploughman's 'Uprising' (with Dan Jones)
In the new film Uprising, a ploughman played by Andrew Garfield joins in the 1381 Peasants' Revolt against Richard II of England. Historian Dan Jones served as the medieval consultant on the film, and joins us to discuss the movie, and his upcoming book, CASTLES. Support Noble Bl ... Show More
29m 12s
Sep 1
"The Apple is Ripe; Pick It Now Or It Will Rot"
Leopoldina married into the royal family of Portugal, which meant moving to Brazil with her husband. But civil war was bubbling on both sides of the Atlantic, and while her husband was out of town and Leopoldina was serving as Princess Regent, she would be faced with making a fat ... Show More
35m 1s
Feb 2018
“The Blood Countess” - Elizabeth Bathory
In the late 16th and early 17th centuries, young peasant girls who went to the Castle Cachtice were being led to death at the hands of the Blood Countess. Although much of her life is shrouded in mystery, it’s no secret that Elizabeth Bathory was a sadist responsible for dozens, ... Show More
36m 33s
Sep 2025
She Used Flypaper to Kill Her Husbands (And It Actually Worked)
She was BEAUTIFUL. She was DEADLY. She had all sorts of men DANCING TO HER TUNE. She was "Idaho's Lady Bluebeard," and her story is about to absolutely BLOW YOUR MIND! 🤯 Get ready to deep-dive into the chilling, unbelievable true crime saga of Lyda Trueblood.On the outside, she ... Show More
1h 6m
Apr 2023
The black widow of Isère - Part 1
To what extent can one know misfortune ? How many tragedies can occur in a life, and continuously break some rare periods of happiness ? For Manuela Gonzalez-Cano, there seems to be no limit : in 25 years, she had lost three husbands. Suicide, fire, depression... Each of her comp ... Show More
13m 33s
Aug 2024
Catherine de' Medici, Serpent Queen
<p>Queen Consort of France and mother to three successive Kings, Catherine de’ Medici's legacy could have been one of intelligence, fortitude, artistic patronage and religious moderation. But instead, as with so many women in positions of power, Catherine's life and actions have ... Show More
39m 58s