Heretic History Podcast

For over a century the strange and tragic story of the Romanovs (the last imperial rulers of Russia) has captivated the world. It is a story of courtly intrigue, political uprisings, assassinations and the occult. But at the center of it all is the story of a family.

In this two part series I will be discussing the Romanov women, Alexandra and her daughters.

Alexandra, or Alix, not cut out for the role of Empress, devoted herself instead to motherhood. Believing that through sheer devotion and piety she might overcome the tragedies of her past and provide a life of sheltered tranquility for her family. But despite her many good intentions, nothing could keep out the "family curse" that flowed in her veins, or the creeping dread and paranoia that would begin to consume her every waking moment.

The Chinese Empire lasted nearly four thousand years. It saw the rise and fall of numerous dynasties and hundreds of Emperors. But only one woman who would rise to sit upon the imperial throne and rule over all of China in her own name... Empress Wu Zhao

According to ancient chroniclers she was a vicious tyrant, monstrous and inhuman. But modern archeological finds paint a more complicated picture: that of a woman who, ruling over the largest empire in the world, did what she believed was necessary for her own glory and the glory of China.

From dime novels to Hollywood, Calamity Jane has long been a staple of American lore and legend. A wild amazon of the frontier, a female adventurer in men's clothes, bucking the status quo and living her life on her own terms.

But the life of the real Calamity Jane was quite different from many of the stories we know about her. In this episode I will explore some of her representations in popular media throughout the years, and delve into the true story of Martha Canary.

In the aftermath of her arrest, Rosa Parks makes the choice to step into a symbolic role, becoming both a martyr and a champion for her community to rally around. From this, the long brewing Civil Rights Movement will explode onto the national stage and a young, unknown reverend will rise up to become its new leader. Parks will be thrust into the spotlight herself. While doing everything she can to support the movement she will watch her own life, and the lives of those dearest to her, unravel. As a friend of hers observed, "It is fine to be a heroine but the price is high."

On the evening of December 1, 1955 in Montgomery AL, Rosa Parks, a black woman, refused to give up her seat to a white man because her feet hurt and she was tired. Her arrest and the subsequent Montgomery bus boycott, kicked off the Civil Rights Movement which eventually led to desegregation and ended institutional racism in America…. At least, that's the story we all learned in school; simple and easy with a happy ending. Of course, there is much more to this story (and to its heroine) than you might imagine.

TW: discussion of SA, violence

We have long been obsessed with tales of swash-buckeling pirates and their many sea-fairing adventures. And there is a special fascination with the rare and domineering women who have donned the role of 'pirate.' But what if I told you female pirates were not nearly as rare a phenomenon as we have been led to believe?

In this episode I share the stories of five great pirate women, from the Bronze Age all the way to the dawn of the 20th century. As well as exploring (and dismantling) the notions that have long separated a woman at sea from being considered 'a real pirate.'

Following her brutal attack at the hands of the popular and well liked Jacques Le Gris, Marguerite de Carrougues had a choice… remain silent or speak the truth. She chose to speak up. What would follow would be a sensational court case, culminating in a trial by combat between Le Gris and her husband (and champion) Jean de Carrougues on December 29, 1386.

The events surrounding this case are still discussed and debated to this day. It was even recently made into a hollywood film (The Last Duel). But beneath the legends and the rumors, still lies the steadfast account of Marguerite herself.

TW: Sexual assault, rape, gore

On a cold December day in 1386, Paris, a crowd of thousands gathered for a spectacle of blood. Among them were peasants, royalty and all walks of life in between, but one figure was set apart... Marguerite de Carrouges, seated on a solitary platform, awaited her judgment and her fate.

By publicly accusing the man who had violated her she had sought justice, no matter the cost. Her case would soon be decided by the "ultimate power" and her own life now hung in the balance. TW: Sexual assault, rape

In 1802 a near forgotten rebellion unfolded on the tiny island of Guadeloupe in the French Caribbean. Freedom fighters, soldiers and civilians, took up arms against Napoleon's army in a desperate fight for liberty.

Among them was a small and peculiar woman. At times she was beautiful and at times she was terrifyingly ferocious. She danced into battle carrying her unborn child, laughing in the face of her own death. She was Solitude, and to this day her story remains a blend of history, myth and legend.

Before Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe or Greta Garbo, there was Theda Bara, the original VAMP of the silver screen. She made a career playing the embodiment of female sexual empowerment, the original femme fatale.

Before the fame, she was a bookish theatre nerd from Ohio. Plucked from obscurity and rocketed into stardom overnight.

But as quickly as her star rose it would fall, and her name has become nothing more than a footnote in cinema history. Let's fix that.