logo
episode-header-image
Apr 21
42m 10s

A Concubine Rises to Rule China

The HISTORY® Channel | Back Pocket Studios
About this episode
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 coup to take power for herself. How will she ever succeed?  Special thanks to ... Show More
Up next
Jul 7
Superman Takes Flight
July 7, 1938. Superman has the villain in his grasp. They soar through the air, then slam into the ground. This villain wants to start a war. Our hero won’t let that happen. At this point, Superman only has two comic book appearances. And yet, his legend is already beginning to g ... Show More
39m 14s
Jun 30
The Colosseum Becomes a Wonder | A Conversation with Barry Strauss & Alison Futrell
July 7, 2007. In a dramatic ceremony featuring pop stars, fireworks, and smoke cannons, the Colosseum is named one of the seven new wonders of the world. It’s an appropriately over-the-top blowout for an arena which, centuries before, was home to its own lavish events. How did sp ... Show More
37m 23s
Jun 23
The Forgotten Mentor Who Inspired Louis Armstrong
June 28, 1928. Louis Armstrong is in the studio recording what he hopes will be another hit. His career is on the rise, but he’s not a household name yet. But he’s about to lay down a track – “West End Blues” – that won’t just change his career, but the entire genre of jazz. But ... Show More
39m 6s
Recommended Episodes
Jun 8
The First Emperor of China
In the third century BC, China was a land fractured by war - a patchwork of rival kingdoms struggling for dominance. Out of this chaos rose a single, extraordinary figure who would reshape the course of history: Chin Shrr Hwong, the First Emperor of China. His achievements were m ... Show More
1h 1m
Aug 2024
181. The Dragon Empress: China’s Game of Thrones
The inculcation of Buddhism from India as the state religion in China was enabled by the violent rise of China’s only ever woman Emperor. Raised by pious Buddhist parents, Wu Zetian left a trail of bodies in her wake as she charted a path to absolute power. From a lowly ranked co ... Show More
36m 14s
Jan 2025
Empress Wu Zetian of China
Empress Wu Zetian rose from royal concubine to become the only female ruler in China’s 2,000 years of imperial history. Today she is seen as ruthless, tyrannical and willing to murder her own family to hold onto the throne. However this female leader has suffered from a millenniu ... Show More
22m 20s
Mar 2025
Real Wives of Dictators | Jiang Qing, Chairman Mao's Wife
For better or (mostly) worse, Jiang Qing left her mark on the 20th century. Even before she was married to Chairman Mao, Jiang was a charismatic actor, and her passion for culture helped her spearhead the Cultural Revolution as part of the Communist Party in China, later in life. ... Show More
43 m
Apr 24
The Last Ming Emperor
On 24th April 1644, the Chongzhen Emperor walked to Meishan, a small hill in present-day Jingshan Park and hanged himself on a tree, bringing a sudden end to the Ming dynasty.The writing had been on the wall for him for some time. By 1640, the unfortunate emperor faced multiple p ... Show More
12m 4s
Jan 2024
Season 3, Episode 3: Jessica Rawson, Life and Afterlife in Ancient China
Join Professor Jeffrey Sachs and Jessica Rawson, one of the world’s most eminent scholars of China, as they discuss Rawson’s book, Life and Afterlife in Ancient China. Listen in to learn about the roots of Chinese civilization through the stories of twelve grand tombs, each helpi ... Show More
44m 21s
Sep 2024
182. The Lady Macbeth of China
Having garnered absolute power through bloody means, Empress Wu Zetian begins seeing apparitions, haunted by her violent schemes. With her husband incapacitated, the Empress at first held counsel on his behalf from behind a curtain. But she soon officially proclaimed herself a di ... Show More
53m 16s
Aug 2024
Gulbadan Begum: princess, explorer, author
Gulbadan Begum was meant to live a quiet life in a Mughal harem. Instead she set off on a daring pilgrimage to Islam's holy cities and, on her return, wrote an extraordinary account of her dynasty. In conversation with Spencer Mizen, Ruby Lal explores the life of a princess who t ... Show More
29m 41s
Feb 2022
E33: Qin Shi Huang: China’s First Emperor
This week, Chris, James and Michael pay a visit to Qin Shi Huang, China’s very first emperor. He unified ancient China, oversaw the construction of the Great Wall and commissioned the Terracotta Army, hoping it would protect him in the afterlife. But he was also a brutal tyrant w ... Show More
1h 28m
Feb 2024
Season 3, Episode 4: Dr. David Daokui Li, China's World View: Demystifying China to Prevent Global Conflict
Join Professor Jeffrey Sachs and economist David Daokui Li as they discuss Professor Li’s brilliant new book, China's World View: Demystifying China to Prevent Global Conflict. Listen in as Professor Li explains the deep nature of Chinese politics and economics – based on Ch ... Show More
38m 4s