Noble Blood
iHeartPodcasts and Grim & Mild
Author Dana Schwartz explores the stories of some of history’s most fascinating royals: the tyrants and the tragic, the murderers and the murdered, and everyone in between. Because when you’re wearing a crown, mistakes often mean blood.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jun 23, 2020 • 27min
The Bloody Queen of Madagascar
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 leader, protecting her kingdom from the insurrection of imperialism for her entire 33-year reign... at any cost. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 9, 2020 • 40min
The Crown Prince and His Lover Dead
The Archduke Rudolf, heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, retreated to his hunting lodge in Mayerling with his teenage lover in 1889 to enact a gristly suicide pact in an event both stranger and more tragic than it appears at first blush. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 26, 2020 • 33min
Survived
Katherine Parr was Henry VIII's sixth wife. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 12, 2020 • 32min
Beheaded II
Catherine Howard, the fifth wife of Henry VIII, shares her tumultuous journey from young romance to royal heartbreak. She reveals the intense pressures of court life and her emotional struggles during interrogations that might seal her fate. The narrative dives into her swift downfall as Henry's emotions shift from love to fury upon hearing rumors about her past. Ultimately, it paints a poignant picture of a young woman's tragic end and the harsh realities of Tudor society, showcasing the delicate balance of love, betrayal, and survival.
Apr 28, 2020 • 32min
Divorced II
Anne of Cleves was Henry VIII's fourth wife. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 14, 2020 • 25min
Died
Jane Seymour was Henry VIII's third wife. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 31, 2020 • 28min
Beheaded
Anne of Boleyn was Henry VIII's second wife. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 17, 2020 • 25min
Divorced
Catherine of Aragon was Henry VIII's first wife. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 3, 2020 • 22min
The Witch-Hunter King
During a post-wedding detour in Denmark, James VI of Scotland learned of the evils of witches, and he brought his anti-witch fervor with him when he returned to Scotland. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Feb 18, 2020 • 22min
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 omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
