Hot Mess History Podcast

Cleopatra might be one of the most famous women in history, but most of what we think we know about her was written by her enemies. In this episode of the Hot Mess History Podcast, we cut through the Roman gossip and Hollywood glam to get to the truth about Egypt’s last pharaoh.

Was Cleopatra really a seductress who bewitched Caesar and Mark Antony—or a brilliant ruler fighting to keep her kingdom alive in a world run by men who wanted her gone? We’ll talk power, politics, propaganda, and why her story still matters today.

Join us as we untangle the legend from the reality—and spill the tea on the ultimate queen of reinvention.

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In this episode of the Hot Mess History Podcast, Sarah takes us through one of the wildest periods in English history: the Interregnum. From King Charles I’s downfall and shocking execution, to Oliver Cromwell’s rise as Lord Protector and his strict Puritan rule, we explore how England tried—and failed—to live without a monarchy. And just when you think it can’t get messier, we cover the bizarre posthumous “trial” and execution of Cromwell’s corpse under Charles II. Join us for political chaos, royal revenge, and one of the strangest chapters history has to offer.

Fair Use Disclaimer: This podcast may contain excerpts of copyrighted material used for purposes such as commentary, criticism, education, and discussion. This use is permitted under Section 107 of the United States Copyright Act. All rights remain with their respective copyright holders.

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In Part 2 of our Salem Witch Trials series, the hysteria reaches its deadly peak—innocent people are convicted on flimsy spectral evidence, and the gallows claim more victims. We cover shocking executions, including Giles Corey’s brutal death by pressing, and the turning point that finally ended the madness. This is the blood-soaked climax of Salem’s most infamous chapter.

Fair Use Disclaimer: This podcast may contain excerpts of copyrighted material used for purposes such as commentary, criticism, education, and discussion. This use is permitted under Section 107 of the United States Copyright Act. All rights remain with their respective copyright holders.

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In Part 1 of our deep dive into the infamous Salem Witch Trials, we’re setting the stage for one of the wildest moral panics in American history. What started with a group of young girls and some suspicious fits turned into a community-wide witch hunt that cost innocent people their lives.

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Fair Use Disclaimer: This podcast may contain excerpts of copyrighted material used for purposes such as commentary, criticism, education, and discussion. This use is permitted under Section 107 of the United States Copyright Act. All rights remain with their respective copyright holders.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the Hot Mess History Podcast, we travel to Elizabethan England to meet Margaret Clitherow—wife, mother, rebel… and saint. When Catholicism was outlawed under Queen Elizabeth I, Margaret didn't just quietly resist—she turned her home into a secret base for underground Masses and fugitive priests.

In a brutal twist of fate, Margaret refused to plead at her trial to protect her family, and the state executed her in one of the most horrific ways imaginable: by pressing. Listen as Sarah guides Alora through this gripping, heart-wrenching story of conviction, courage, and the dark side of religious persecution.

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Fair Use Disclaimer: This podcast may contain excerpts of copyrighted material used for purposes such as commentary, criticism, education, and discussion. This use is permitted under Section 107 of the United States Copyright Act. All rights remain with their respective copyright holders.

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In this episode of the Hot Mess History Podcast, we dive into the radical, rebellious, and deeply spiritual life of Marguerite Porete — a 13th-century mystic who dared to challenge the Church with her book, The Mirror of Simple Souls. She believed the soul could become so united with God that it no longer needed the Church, the sacraments, or even moral rules. Marguerite wasn’t a nun. She was part of the Beguines, a group of laywomen who lived spiritually independent lives outside traditional Church structures. But when her mystical writings started to spread, the Church saw her as a threat. What followed was book burnings, Inquisition trials, and eventually, her execution in 1310. The church tried to silence her, but they failed.

Love the episode? Drop us a rating or review and share with your history-loving friends. It helps new listeners find the show!

Fair Use Disclaimer: This podcast may contain excerpts of copyrighted material used for purposes such as commentary, criticism, education, and discussion. This use is permitted under Section 107 of the United States Copyright Act. All rights remain with their respective copyright holders.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

She was brilliant, devout, and politically convenient—and she paid the price. In this episode of the Hot Mess History Podcast, we unravel the heartbreaking story of Lady Jane Grey, the teenage girl forced onto the throne of England for just nine days before being imprisoned and executed.

You’ll hear how a network of power-hungry men used Jane as a pawn, how she tried to resist, and how the brutal politics of Tudor succession ultimately sealed her fate.

Was she a queen? A victim? A martyr?

Yes—she was all three.

Fair Use Disclaimer: This podcast may contain excerpts of copyrighted material used for purposes such as commentary, criticism, education, and discussion. This use is permitted under Section 107 of the United States Copyright Act. All rights remain with their respective copyright holders.

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In this episode of Hot Mess History, we dive into the brilliant and brutal life of Hypatia of Alexandria—mathematician, philosopher, astronomer, and the last great light of classical learning before the dark tides of religious and political upheaval swept through the Roman world.

We talk philosophy, power struggles, Neoplatonism, the menstrual rag story (yes, really), and the violent intersection of politics, religion, and gender. Hypatia was brilliant. The world wasn’t ready.

Because history?

It’s messy.

Sources:

Hypatia: The Sum of Her Life by Gabrielle Birchak

Hypatia: Her Life and Times by Faith L. Justice

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Fair Use Disclaimer: This podcast may contain excerpts of copyrighted material used for purposes such as commentary, criticism, education, and discussion. This use is permitted under Section 107 of the United States Copyright Act. All rights remain with their respective copyright holders.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we dive into the fiery rebellion of Boudica, queen of the Iceni, who led a brutal uprising against Roman rule in Britain. After personal and political betrayal, Boudica sparked a campaign of vengeance that left Roman cities in ruins.

Sources:

• Boudica: Iron Age Warrior Queen by Richard Hingley & Christina Unwin
• Boudica: Warrior Woman of Roman Britain by Caitlin Gillespie

Fair Use Disclaimer: This podcast may contain excerpts of copyrighted material used for purposes such as commentary, criticism, education, and discussion. This use is permitted under Section 107 of the United States Copyright Act. All rights remain with their respective copyright holders.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.