The Other Half: The History of Women Through the Ages
James Boulton
Women make up half of the world's population, and yet history books often consign them to the sidelines. They are dismissed as merely the wives of powerful men; babymakers and nothing more. Yet women have been the driving force behind history for millennia, from female Pharoahs, warrior princesses and pirates, to the revolutionaries who sought to topple the male-dominated political systems of their day. From host of the popular 'Queens of England Podcast', The Other Half tells the forgotten and ignored stories of the most powerful and influential women in history. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Aug 10, 2025 • 58min
6.13 Mata Hari (1) Born from ruin
The tragic origins of a legend: a privileged childhood followed by devastating bankruptcy, family betrayal, and a life of scandal - and that's before she even took up dancing.Support the show on PatreonFollow us on Facebook Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 27, 2025 • 1h 4min
6.12 Gabrielle Petit (2) The spy who laughed
Tapped on the shoulder on board a ship to England, Gabrielle Petit is thrust into the dangerous world of World War I espionage.Support the show on PatreonFollow us on Facebook Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 13, 2025 • 37min
6.11 Gabrielle Petit (1) Born to defy
From the orphanage to the streets of Brussels, Gabrielle Petit grew up with a healthy disdain for authority - perfect training for a budding spy.Support the show on PatreonFollow us on Facebook Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 29, 2025 • 1h 8min
6.10 Edith Cavell (3) The price of defiance
Facing a rigged trial and execution, Edith Cavell's defiance and iconic last words ignite global outrage, cementing her legacy as a true wartime hero.Support the show on PatreonFollow us on Facebook Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 8, 2025 • 45min
6.09 Edith Cavell (2) Under the Eagle's Shadow
As the German occupation tightens its grip, Edith Cavell risks everything to save Allied soldiers, transforming her clinic into a clandestine lifeline under the constant threat of betrayal and arrest.Support the show on PatreonFollow us on Facebook Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 25, 2025 • 36min
6.08 Edith Cavell (1) Belgium's Florence Nightingale
A vicar's daughter became the founding mother of modern Belgian nursing, but the outbreak of the First World War would change her life forever.Support the show on PatreonFollow us on Facebook Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 5, 2025 • 59min
6.07 Elizabeth Van Lew (3) Exhuming a hero
AUDIO ISSUES FIXED - Please re-download if you can't hear the music properlyIf you ever find yourself in need of someone to help you dig up a dead body - Elizabeth Van Lew is your woman. As the US Civil War reaches its bloody climax, Elizabeth rises to the occasion turning the Richmond Underground into an intelligence machine. She played a significant role in winning the war, but it would cost her dearly.Support the show on PatreonFollow us on Facebook Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 6, 2025 • 50min
6.06 Elizabeth Van Lew (2) The Spy and the Beast
Against an outpouring of support for the new Confederacy, Elizabeth begins her journey as a spy, establishes the Richmond Underground and helps enable one of the biggest prison breaks of the war.Support the show on PatreonFollow us on Facebook Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 16, 2025 • 34min
6.05 Elizabeth Van Lew (1) My country, oh my country!
Wealthy, well-connected people rarely rebel - but Southern socialite Elizabeth van Lew would be an exception.Support the show on PatreonFollow us on Facebook Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Feb 23, 2025 • 29min
6.04 Policarpa Salavarrieta: The Seamstress Spy
Revolutionary heroes can come from anywhere - and Colombia found one in their seamstress spy, Policarpa SalavariettaSupport the show on PatreonFollow us on Facebook Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
