logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2024
44m 36s

Empress Dowager Cixi of China Part 1: Co...

Wondery
About this episode

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 time. But getting power is one thing – keeping it will prove to be an entirely different challenge.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next
Jul 7
The She-Wolf of France Part 2: How to Topple Your Husband | 87
In Part One, Isabella learns that her husband, King Edward II, is more devoted to his male favorites than his queen – or his crown. But his latest obsession isn’t just scandalous, it’s disastrous for England. As tensions in England rise, Isabella decides she can’t stay silent any ... Show More
38m 40s
Jun 30
The She-Wolf of France Part 1: A Royal Throuple Gone Wrong | 86
Before she became known as “The She-Wolf of France,” Isabella was a princess sent to unite two warring kingdoms through marriage. But her husband, King Edward II of England, didn’t get the same memo. From day one, it’s clear he’s more interested in the cute men at court than his ... Show More
43m 31s
Jun 27
Even the Rich: Prince Harry Part 3 | The Royal We | 85
When Harry's military dreams are thwarted, falling for Meghan Markle helps soften the blow. But when the press discovers their secret romance, the love of his life comes under attack. Can Harry protect the life he's building and still hold on to the one that's falling apart?See P ... Show More
41m 15s
Recommended Episodes
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
Apr 2018
Dowager Empress Cixi of China
The story of a Chinese concubine who rose to power from behind a curtain of yellow silk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 
1h 59m
Jun 2024
Empress Dowager Cixi
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the woman who, for almost fifty years, was the most powerful figure in the Chinese court. Cixi (1835-1908) started out at court as one of the Emperor's many concubines, yet was the only one who gave him a son to succeed him and who also possessed g ... Show More
50m 2s
Mar 2019
Ching Shih
Ching Shih was the terror of the seas during the Qing Dynasty in China. Although she was the most powerful and successful pirate in history, most of her story is yet to be fully discovered. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 
1h 16m
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
May 2022
Queen Lili'oukalani, Revisited
As a modern queen prepares for her Platinum Jubilee this month, we take a look back at another queen, the last monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 
1h 41m
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
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.comSee om ... Show More
21m 47s
Apr 2024
Cleopatra | A Taste for Betrayal | 1
Cleopatra is born into a life of luxury - and violence. Beautiful and brilliant, the young queen of Egypt is still a teenager when she ascends the throne - but it's not long before she's betrayed by those closest to her. Listen to Legacy on the Wondery App or wherever you get you ... Show More
41m 17s
Feb 2022
Who Were the Human Sacrifices in Shang China? Interview with Dr. Christina Cheung
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 in ... Show More
41m 51s