So That's How That Happened

Alexander Hamilton had a problem: people thought he might be financially corrupt.

His solution? Publicly admit that the secret payments weren’t government corruption — they were because he was having an affair and being blackmailed by his mistress’s husband.

In this episode, we’re getting into Alexander Hamilton, Maria Reynolds, and the Reynolds Pamphlet — the affair, the blackmail, the political accusations, and Hamilton’s truly wild decision to publish the receipts himself.

Technically, it cleared him of corruption.

Personally? Not so much.

Because history is wild, friends. And sometimes, the receipts really are forever.

Follow @sothatshowthathappened on Instagram for more history, gossip, and behind-the-scenes chaos.

So That’s How That Happened is hosted and produced by Jessica “Jess” Mosely and is part of Dead Air Co.

Learn more at deadairco.net.

Rasputin wasn’t just a mystic—he was a full-on imperial fever dream.

The scruffy Siberian “holy man” who somehow hypnotized the Russian royal family, partied like it was 1916, and refused to die no matter how many times people tried to kill him.

From faith healer to political puppet master, Rasputin’s rise was as wild as his reputation—whispers of orgies, prophecies, and straight-up witchy vibes had the press losing their minds. He became the scandal of St. Petersburg, the “unkillable monk” who might’ve cursed an entire dynasty.

This episode is dripping with imperial tea: poison plots, royal panic, murder attempts, and the downfall of the Romanovs—all starring the most chaotic man in history.

Follow on Instagram @sothatshowthathappened for more historical gossip, memes, and unholy levels of drama.

Anne Boleyn wasn’t just Henry VIII’s second wife—she was the drama. The French-educated fashion queen who had the King risking heaven, divorcing his wife, and basically inventing the Church of England just to get her. Talk about power moves.

But court life isn’t all pearls and French hoods. Anne went from ultimate Tudor “It Girl” to accused traitor faster than you can say divorced, beheaded, survived. Jealous rivals, political enemies, and one very moody king made sure her crown didn’t stay on long.

This episode is packed with Tudor tea: ambition, betrayal, scandal, and the downfall that shook England.

Follow on Instagram @sothatshowthathappened for even more royal gossip and memes!

The Princes in the Tower: Vanished Heirs and a Royal Cover-Up

Before Henry VIII, before Elizabeth I—there were two young princes who vanished without a trace. Edward V and his little brother Richard, Duke of York, were next in line for the English throne… until they disappeared inside the Tower of London. What happened to them? And who had the most to gain?

This royal mystery has haunted history books for centuries—and the suspects are as infamous as the crime itself.

Key Topics Covered:

• How the Wars of the Roses set the stage for royal betrayal
• Richard III’s rise to power and the suspicious “protection” of the princes
• The political chaos that followed Edward IV’s death
• Theories behind the disappearance: murder, escape, or Tudor propaganda?
• Why this centuries-old mystery still sparks debate today

This wasn’t just a disappearance—it was a dynastic power play with deadly consequences.

🎙️ So That’s How That Happened dives into history’s most dramatic stories. Follow for more hot historical gossip!

Cleopatra & Arsinoë: Sisters, Rivals, and Queens

Before Cleopatra became Egypt’s most famous queen, she had a little sister who wanted the throne just as badly. Arsinoë IV wasn’t just another royal sibling—she was a serious contender in the high-stakes game of power, rebellion, and survival. From palace intrigue to a dramatic showdown in Rome, their rivalry was the ultimate ancient-world drama.

Key Topics Covered:

• How Cleopatra and Arsinoë’s family drama shaped the fate of Egypt
• Arsinoë’s rise as Cleopatra’s biggest threat
• Julius Caesar’s role in their deadly sibling rivalry
• The shocking betrayal that sealed Arsinoë’s fate
• How their feud influenced the fall of the Ptolemaic dynasty

This wasn’t just a sibling rivalry—it was a fight for a kingdom.

🎙️ So That’s How That Happened brings you the drama behind history’s most infamous stories. Follow for more! #Cleopatra #ArsinoeIV #AncientHistory #HistoryTea #SiblingRivalry

Before there was Anne Boleyn, there was Catherine of Aragon—the Spanish princess who spent decades fighting for her crown, her marriage, and her legacy. As the first wife of King Henry VIII, Catherine played the long game in a royal marriage that started with love but ended in one of the biggest divorces in history. From political power moves to dramatic courtroom showdowns, her story is the ultimate Tudor-era scandal.

Key Topics Covered:

• How Catherine of Aragon went from Spanish princess to Queen of England
• Her marriage to Henry VIII: love, loyalty, and betrayal
• The battle over their divorce—why she refused to step aside
• The role of religion and politics in Henry’s break from the Catholic Church
• How Catherine’s fight shaped the future of England

She was more than just Henry’s first wife—she was a queen who refused to be forgotten.

🎙️ So That’s How That Happened brings you the drama behind history’s most infamous stories. Follow for more! #TudorHistory #CatherineOfAragon #HenryVIII #HistoryTea #RoyalDrama

America’s Breakup, Bridgerton’s Heartache, and Hamilton’s Madness – The King George III Story

Ever wonder how one man could be the villain in Hamilton, the tragic husband in Bridgerton, and the king who lost America—all at the same time? Enter King George III, the ruler with one of the most dramatic story arcs in history. From his rocky reign to his infamous “madness,” we’re spilling all the royal tea on the king who just could not catch a break.

Key Topics Covered:

• How King George III went from ruling an empire to losing the American colonies
• His love story with Queen Charlotte (and why Bridgerton romanticized it)
• The truth behind his so-called "madness"—illness or royal cover-up?
• Why Hamilton made him the ultimate petty ex-boyfriend

History has never been this dramatic. Grab your tea (or something stronger) and let’s get into it!

Bloodlines and Battlefields: The Family Ties Behind WWI

What happens when three royal cousins, each ruling a global superpower, let their family drama spiral out of control? World War I, apparently. King George V of Britain, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, and Tsar Nicholas II of Russia were more than just world leaders—they were family. But instead of holiday dinners, they ended up dragging the world into one of the deadliest wars in history.

Key Topics Covered:

• How Queen Victoria’s grandkids ended up ruling half of Europe
• The complicated (and messy) relationships between George, Wilhelm, and Nicholas
• How petty rivalries and power struggles helped spark WWI
• The letters they sent each other before the war—and why they didn’t work
• The downfall of the Romanovs, the fall of empires, and how this war changed everything

Turns out, keeping it in the family isn’t always a good thing. Grab your tea, because this history gossip is wild.