Through most of history, royals and nobles held a place high above the peasant class. Their word was law and they could often get away with murder, literally. So much unchecked power sometimes went to a rulers head, morphing their darker urges into unspeakable acts of violence and cruelty. The lives of peasants were given very little value, and there were fe ... Show More
Yesterday
Guinness Family - Ireland's Dark Beer Dynasty
When the Guinness family saw the turmoil and scandals of other great historic dynasties, they literally said, hold our beer, and proceeded to top them all. The new series, The House of Guinness dramatizes just one generation of the famous Irish family; the 4 children of Benjamin ... Show More
36m 1s
Mar 10
Madame Jeanne du Barry - The Last Great Royal Mistress of France
Jeanne Bécu, Jeanne du Barry, Madame du Barry, clawed her way up from the illegitimate daughter of a single mother, to one of the most celebrated courtesans in Paris, to the final royal mistress of King Louis XV. Her captivating life has been dramatized in numerous operas, films ... Show More
32m 34s
Mar 3
Which Nations have had the most Queens Regnant?
Through most of history, male monarchs have been the norm. Their wives held the title of Queen or Empress, but were merely consorts, with little real power. Many monarchies, like France, The Ottoman Empire and Bhutan have strictly barred women from inheriting the throne and have ... Show More
32m 11s
Oct 2023
The Murders of Alexander the Great
<p><em>This episode contains strong language, and references to sexual assault.</em></p><br><p>Alexander the Great - conqueror, legend, <em>murderer</em>. After ascending to the throne at aged 20 in 336BCE, his rule started with mass executions and political assassinations - them ... Show More
43 m
Jan 2024
Murder in the Stuart Court
<p>The public fascination with true crime is nothing new. Four centuries ago, the sensational story of the death in the Tower of London of Thomas Overbury, a lawyer in the court of King James I, led to a scandal that rocked the monarchy to its core. </p><br><p>In this e ... Show More
44m 44s
Jul 2022
L’affaire du collier de la Reine, la pire escroquerie de l’Histoire de France
C'est l’une des plus grandes affaires d’escroquerie du XVIIIème siècle. Celle d’un bijou d’une valeur exorbitante qui a terni pour de bon la réputation de Marie-Antoinette et a précipité la Révolution française. Diamants, fausses lettres, rendez-vous galant et manipulation… Autan ... Show More
15 m
Apr 2024
Sex & Scandal in King James' Court
<p>King James I was a man whose sexuality was known by people in France, let alone (the newly formed) Britain of the early 17th century.</p><br><p>So it may come as no surprise that men, such as the handsome George Villiers, might use their sexuality to their advantage and gain s ... Show More
1h 1m
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
Apr 2019
“Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run” - The Cleveland Torso Murders
When a torso washed up on the banks of the Cuyahoga River in 1937, the police initially assumed a crime of passion. But when the next torso was found, they knew they had a serial murderer on their hands. Nicknamed the Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run, a notorious killer stalked the s ... Show More
44m 27s
Sep 2020
E214: Edward & Richard, The Two Princes in the Tower Pt. 1
In 1483, two princes got caught in the center of a bloody war for the throne of England—and became one of the biggest murder mysteries in British history. After the princes' uncle realized they were the only thing standing between him and his life-long quest for the crown, he loc ... Show More
42m 55s