Empress Dowager Cixi wasn’t born into power – she took it. After participating in a 19th century version of The Bachelor, Cixi was chosen as one of the Emperor’s concubines. In part one of this two-part series, Cixi uses her cunning, wit, and scrappy attitude to rise through the ranks, eventually becoming one of the most powerful Chinese empresses of all tim ... Show More
Nov 10
New Season: ‘Tis The Grinch Holiday Podcast
<p>Grinch is back and jollier than NEVER! Whoville’s sassiest late-night talk show host returns for season 3 with more sharp-tongued monologues about everything nipping at his nose this holiday season, his signature brand of merry mischief, and a fete of festive banter, determine ... Show More
6m 20s
Aug 25
Table Manners and Tudor Scandals | 94
<p>Just like us, royals are not immune to cringe-worthy moments. Caroline of Brunswick nearly flashed the crowd at her own wedding — while her groom got plastered across the church. Classy! To avoid pulling a royal faux pas, Brooke and Aricia are joined by Bonnie Tsai, founder of ... Show More
39m 8s
Apr 2023
A Concubine Rises to Rule China
April 27, 1856. In Beijing’s Forbidden City, one of the emperor’s consorts, a woman named Cixi, has given birth to a son – the emperor’s first heir. This landmark event is met with mass celebration. But in just five years time, the emperor will be dead and Cixi will be planning a ... Show More
38m 26s
Aug 2019
Isabella of Castile Part 1
Never before have we covered a woman with such far reaching influence. This determined woman began by pulling off a coup, then branched out into such far reaching endeavors as the Spanish Inquisition, the settlement of the Americas, and transforming the queen (in chess and in lif ... Show More
1h 10m
Feb 2011
Cinderella
Once upon a time, in ancient Egypt, a princess was born. But before her happily ever after, she had to live a challenging life of servitude, duty, and a deep belief in her own character. The long life of the woman that we discuss in this episode crosses cultural, territorial and ... Show More
52m 50s
Feb 2020
The Ghosts that Haunted the Female Emperor
<p>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. </p><p> </p> Learn more about your ad-choices at <a href="https://www.iheart ... Show More
21m 47s
Feb 2022
Who Were the Human Sacrifices in Shang China? Interview with Dr. Christina Cheung
<p>Human sacrifice is an ugly but essential topic in understanding the Shang Dynasty, but we know very little about precisely who these people were, where they came from, and what their lives were like prior to their deaths. Dr. Christina Cheung is a bioarchaeologist specializing ... Show More
41m 51s