53 Poison Special - Poisonous Cosmetics ...

Hear Rasheed Newson, Jack Lowery and Bill Goldstein discuss Rasheed's new book My Government Means to Kill Me. They discuss the inspiration for the novel, activism, and the political and social reckoning of a young, black, gay man in 1980s New York City.Purchase My Government Mea ... Show More

Unknown History is on hiatus between seasons, but in the meantime, we hope you enjoy this special excerpt from Agent Sniper: The Cold War Superagent and the Ruthless Head of the CIA by Tim Tate, brought to us by our colleagues at Macmillan Audio. You can get your copy of Agent Sn ... Show More

Lincoln's choices and evolution didn't just transform the meaning of the Civil War—they transformed the Consitution itself. This is the third and final installment of The Broken Constitution mini-series. Read the companion article on Quick and Dirty Tips. Follow Unknown History w ... Show More

Catherine Monvoisin, aka La Voisin was a thriving entrepreneur/sorceress in 17th century France. She provided cosmetics, potions, charms, demonic rituals, and midwifery services to people of all classes. But one of her clients was the King’s mistress and they both got caught up i ... Show More

<p>Why did Cleopatra soak the sails of her ship in jasmine? How did Queen Elizabeth smell? And why was perfume an essential tool of power for women across history?&nbsp;</p><br><p>Whilst it’s hard to research the history of something that leaves no physical trace, we actually kno ... Show More

Appearance was everything in the Renaissance – a way to make a good marriage and gain power and influence. But what if you fell short of the era’s exacting beauty ideals? Speaking with Charlotte Hodgman, Professor Jill Burke ventures into the realm of Renaissance beauty culture, ... Show More

The Middle Ages have often been shrouded in myth and mystery, but was it actually as unchanging, uncivilised and muddy as we might think? Historian and author Ian Mortimer challenges these popular perceptions, arguing how the period has often been overlooked in favour of later ce ... Show More

What chores did medieval women have to get through each day? How could plucking your eyebrows in the Middle Ages land you in hell? And why did people believe that older women’s looks could kill? In our latest “Everything you wanted to know” episode, medievalist Dr Eleanor Janega ... Show More

<p>Poison is a bad way to go. Overtime, poisoning has become known as a "feminine" mode of murder. But do the facts support that contention? And what are some of the stories behind the most famous poisoners in history? Are there lesser-known cases that are just as interesting? Wh ... Show More

<p>How would a medieval woman achieve a Brazilian bikini line? Why can’t you trust a nun in the night time? And what were women doing at Medieval universities?&nbsp;</p><br><p>Kate is joined for the THIRD time by Eleanor Janega to talk about how women were expected to be in the m ... Show More

<p>For centuries people from all walks of life sought to eliminate friends, strangers and enemies using the devious, subtle poison known as arsenic. Arsenic poisoning became such a well-known method of murder that people in Britain began calling it ''inheritance powder''. But wha ... Show More

In the late 1340s, people in cities, towns and villages across the medieval world began to fall ill from a mysterious pestilence. This six part series looks at the how the Black Death shook the Middle Ages, killing millions and transforming societies. Speaking to expert historian ... Show More

<p>Where is the grave of King Arthur? What was the worst year in human history? Who were the most fractious royal siblings? What were the origins of humble pie? Which monsters pre-occupied Medieval minds?</p><br><p>In this episode, <em>Gone Medieval</em>’s co-hosts Matt Lewis and ... Show More