Horrifying History

Between the years of 1482 and 1782; thousands of people were accused of witchcraft and were executed. People believed that witches were everywhere plotting with the devil to cause harm. They started appearing in local lore and in fairytales as a versatile symbol for evil and transgression, and by the late 16th and 17th centuries people of all classes believed that witches were everywhere. They were a deadly threat to life and of the divine order.

It is these beliefs that helped develop the legend of witches, but also resulted in innocent people dying.

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The Palace of Versailles has a special place in my heart. My nine times great grandfather managed the farms at this location that was the royal seat of power for over 100 years. When you walk towards the Palace of Versailles there are a few things you will realize right away…that this was the location for opulence, and political intrigue. But for Eleanor Jourdain and Charlotte Moberly who were hoping for a quick trip into history, they found themselves transported into the past where they saw the long dead Queen of France - Marie Antoinette.

Our website is the one stop spot for everything spooky!  Go to https://horrifying-history-shop.fourthwall.com to watch our history videos, find our social media links, read our spooky blog, get yourself some great creepy merch, and to join our fan club! If you are a member of our fan club - you will receive a permanent discount in our store while you are a fan club member.  

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Some people believe that the afterlife can only be accessed by a spiritual means, and others currently and throughout history believe that you can reach the underworld using portals on Earth. Some of these gateways involve Christian concepts of hell while others are said to lead to some very unpleasant afterlives alternatives.

Today we are going to talk about some of these locations, and what you may endure if you choose to do a little exploring.

Our website is the one stop spot for everything spooky!  Go to https://horrifying-history-shop.fourthwall.com to watch our history videos, find our social media links, read our spooky blog, get yourself some great creepy merch, and to join our fan club! If you are a member of our fan club - you will receive a permanent discount in our store while you are a fan club member.  

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In the novella “The Death of Ivan Ilyich”, Leo Tolstoy writes about a man who is shocked to discover that his death is inevitable. This is what we all realize sometime in our lives, and we hope that while here we live great lives and will be remembered fondly in death. For most this happens, but for some their legacy is overshadowed by how they died.

Our website is the one stop spot for everything spooky!  Go to https://horrifying-history-shop.fourthwall.com to watch our history videos, find our social media links, read our spooky blog, get yourself some great creepy merch, and to join our fan club! If you are a member of our fan club - you will receive a permanent discount in our store while you are a fan club member.  

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As people get older, it is natural that they think about their mortality. Many plan for their end by writing a will, and planing their funeral. But no one normally plans for their body to be stolen.

Our website is the one stop spot for everything spooky!  Go to https://horrifying-history-shop.fourthwall.com to watch our history videos, find our social media links, read our spooky blog, get yourself some great creepy merch, and to join our fan club! If you are a member of our fan club - you will receive a permanent discount in our store while you are a fan club member.  

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One of our lovely listeners reached out to me to ask about my thoughts on Countess Elizabeth Bathory. In the spooky world, Elizabeth is one of the most famous people there is, or should I say infamous. I first heard the tale of Elizabeth when I was a teen, and instantly wanted to hear more. Could it be true that a noblewoman was actually a vampire like some of the stories say, or was she actually one of the worst mass murderers in history as many believe. Or maybe, was she a scapegoat as others suggest?

Before we get started today, I do want to give you all a warning. In today’s episode we will be talking about torture. Listener discretion is advised.

Our website is the one stop spot for everything spooky!  Go to https://horrifying-history-shop.fourthwall.com to watch our history videos, find our social media links, read our spooky blog, get yourself some great creepy merch, and to join our fan club! If you are a member of our fan club - you will receive a permanent discount in our store while you are a fan club member.  

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For well over a century, some have made claims that a person can suddenly, and without explanation explode into a ball of fire. The phenomenon of spontaneous human combustion or SHC has been talked about in countless books and television shows concerning unexplained mysteries.

I remember as a kid, I read stories about SHC in what my grandma called her newspapers which were the National Enquirer, and The World News. I found the concept of SHC hard to believe even at this age. There are three things needed to make a fire…oxygen, fuel, and an ignition source. In the stories I read, they had two out of the three - but no ignition source. Then how can this happen? Is it even possible, or just another tale? My child brain couldn’t help but wonder…could this happen to me?

Our website is the one stop spot for everything spooky!  Go to https://horrifying-history-shop.fourthwall.com to watch our history videos, find our social media links, read our spooky blog, get yourself some great creepy merch, and to join our fan club! If you are a member of our fan club - you will receive a permanent discount in our store while you are a fan club member.  

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Christmas is a time of celebration, and joy. To me, it’s not about getting presents. The best gift is the gift of spending time with the ones I love, and making new memories. .But we wouldn’t be Horrifying History if we spoke about that.

In our very first Christmas special you will hear about the Christmas traditions and legends that will send chills down your spine. Christmas is all about jingling bells, and jolly old St. Nick. But, there are dark and creepy creatures lurking in our Christmas season, and they don’t come from the North Pole.

For those of you who want to hear more of the amazingly spooky song that played during this episode, it is called Winter Trouble and it is by Myuu. You can find the full version at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDB1dZLje58

Our website is the one stop spot for everything spooky!  Go to https://horrifying-history-shop.fourthwall.com to watch our history videos, find our social media links, read our spooky blog, get yourself some great creepy merch, and to join our fan club! If you are a member of our fan club - you will receive a permanent discount in our store while you are a fan club member.  

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When you walk down the streets of New Orleans, you will hear the sounds of jazz music wherever you go. It normally is calming and soothing, but on March 19, 1919 it only brought fear. Why? If you were not playing that music you were going to die.

Our website is the one stop spot for everything spooky!  Go to https://horrifying-history-shop.fourthwall.com to watch our history videos, find our social media links, read our spooky blog, get yourself some great creepy merch, and to join our fan club! If you are a member of our fan club - you will receive a permanent discount in our store while you are a fan club member.  

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If there is one thing that Disney is known for is their re-telling of fairy tales. They take a fairy tale, and Disney it up for the big screen. All the women are beautiful, but oppressed in some way. All the men are strong and valiant. Somehow facing insurmountable odds they are always victorious against the bad guy, take their thrones, and live happily ever after wearing uniforms or hoop skirts while hanging out with the forest creatures or friends they met along the way.

But that is not how these stories started. There was no hoop skirts or dancing teapots. Fairy tales are actually a type of folk lore that was handed down from generation to generation. While a folk tale is often simplistic in its storyline, fairy tales are often more complex. While today’s versions of the original stories are told to children, they were originally meant for an adult audience due to their darkness and gruesome plots.

Our website is the one stop spot for everything spooky!  Go to https://horrifying-history-shop.fourthwall.com to watch our history videos, find our social media links, read our spooky blog, get yourself some great creepy merch, and to join our fan club! If you are a member of our fan club - you will receive a permanent discount in our store while you are a fan club member.  

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