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 life) into the most powerful piece on the board.
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Sep 2020
Queen Isabella Pt. 1: Castile and Aragon
She was never supposed to be queen. But in 1474, when Isabella of Castile’s half-brother King Enrique died, she seized her chance to take what was hers. And after holding onto the crown from Portuguese invaders, Isabella set out to do what no other Spanish monarch had been able t ... Show More
43m 10s
Jul 2025
The Rise of Isabel of Castile
**This episode contains sexually explicit language**In an age when powerful female rulers were few and far between, Isabel of Castile rose against the odds to become one of Europe's most formidable monarchs. Crowned ruler of a chaotic, divided kingdom in 1474, Isabel transformed ... Show More
51m 54s
Apr 2024
142. Isabella of Castile: Uniting Spain
To some she is Europe’s first great queen, to others she is one of history’s great villains, but there is no doubt that Isabella of Castile holds one of the most significant legacies in European history. Born third in line to the throne of Castile, she asserted herself and rose t ... Show More
46m 49s
Sep 2022
Teaser: Elizabeth the First
In a world where “influence” equals follower counts and likes, there was one woman who, over the course of her career and half a century before, defined the meaning of influence and transformed its power. She went the distance by living a remarkable life beyond the dazzle - break ... Show More
4m 27s
Apr 2024
143. Isabella of Castile: The Spanish Inquisition, the Conquest of Granada, and Columbus
For centuries Spain had been an outlier in Europe due to its religious diversity; Christians, Jews, and Muslims all existed reasonably peacefully across the Iberian peninsula. Under Isabelle of Castile that all changed. She began the Spanish Inquisition and brought to the fore a ... Show More
54m 37s
Jun 2020
The Bloody Queen of Madagascar
<p>Stories from history are not kind to Queen Ranavalona of the Kingdom of Imerina. They call her bloodthirsty, mad, a "female Caligula." People were killed under her rule—lots of them, and cruelly. But "madness" doesn't tell the whole story. Ranavalona was a canny political lead ... Show More
27m 18s