He was an art patron. He loved science. He spoke many languages. He was also known for a dark temper and instability, and his poor decisions as a ruler are credited with leading to the Thirty years War.
Apr 15
Peter Kropotkin's Mutual Aid, Part 2
After returning to Russia, Kropotkin was captured and imprisoned. But his life took many turns from there, and in 1902 he published his book book “Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution.” Research: "Peter Alekseevich Kropotkin." Encyclopedia of World Biography Online, Gale, 1998. Gale ... Show More
49m 58s
Sep 2020
How Tycho Brahe Saw the Stars
<p>Tycho Brahe was the heir to several lines of Danish nobility. Rather than spend his life as a bureaucrat, he devoted himself to astronomy and collected the data that would lead to a new era of discovery. He also had no nose, a pet elk, a dwarf, and a mysterious death. Just you ... Show More
35m 12s
Apr 2021
In the Shadow of the Great
<p>Catherine the Great's son, Paul I, idolized his deceased father Peter III and resented his powerful mother. Unfortunately for him, when he finally became Tsar, he would learn that wielding power isn't as easy as it looks.</p><p> </p> Learn more about your ad-choices at <a href ... Show More
21m 56s
Mar 2021
The First and Last Emperor of America
<p>At the end of the 19th century, a man in San Francisco declared himself the Emperor of the United States. Was he mad? Possibly. But he also became a beloved fixture of a city, a unifying symbol, and a monarchical mascot. This is the story of Emperor Norton I.</p><p> </p> Learn ... Show More
29m 22s
Oct 2013
Edward Bernays: The Most Famous Man You've Never Heard Of
<p>Nowadays Edward Bernays remains a relatively obscure historical figure. His legacy, however, is thriving around the globe, and his techniques are found in everything from the food we eat to the things we believe. But who was this man, and how did he get his start? And how does ... Show More
26m 33s
Aug 2020
The Red Paint on Leopold II
<p>Leopold II, King of the Belgians, was a man obsessed with the profits that came with colonization. Using smokescreens of charities and shell corporations, he claimed a private landholding 76x larger than his own nation, and unleashed decades of horror on the land's inhabitants ... Show More
43m 9s
Nov 2020
Charles the Beloved, the Mad, the Fool
<p>While feverish and riding on a hot day, King Charles VI had a fit of madness, and murdered one of his own men. For the rest of his reign, he would be plagued by periods of insanity during which he often couldn't remember his own name. And without a clear regent, greedy faction ... Show More
27m 21s
