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Before Santa Claus… there was a bishop.

This week, Jamie and Leo travel back to the 4th century to uncover the story of Saint Nicholas, the real figure behind one of the most recognizable characters in the world.

Known as the Bishop of Myra, Saint Nicholas built a reputation for generosity, secret gift giving, and a growing collection of stories that would spread far beyond his lifetime. But like many historical figures, the line between fact and legend starts to blur pretty quickly.

From early Christian history to evolving folklore, the story of Saint Nicholas transforms over centuries. Eventually crossing continents and cultures to become something much bigger.

How much of the Saint Nicholas story is actually true? Where did the legends come from? And how did a 4th-century bishop turn into the modern-day Santa Claus?

From historical records to holiday tradition, this is the long (and slightly strange) journey from Saint to Santa.

Deck the… heretic? halls?... We’ll figure it out, in this episode of The Darkives

Serious history. Told not so seriously.

Email us: [email protected]

Follow us on socials: just search user name- darkivespodcast

Sources:

• britannica.com
• stnicholascenter.org
• vaticannews.va
• history.com
• britannica.com2
• stnicholascenter.org2
• clausnet.com

Theme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharvey

Used with permission, Thank you Geoff!

licensed through: Pixabay

Other music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

support the show https://patreon.com

Soap opera drama, early American edition.

This week on The Darkives, we head back to the War of 1812, when tensions between the United States and Britain exploded into one of the most shocking moments in early American history.

After the disastrous Battle of Bladensburg, British forces marched straight into Washington and set fire to the heart of the nation. Government buildings burned, the Capitol was left in ruins, and even the White House didn’t escape the flames.

We get into how it happened, why the capital was left so vulnerable, and how a young nation watched its own seat of power go up in smoke.

This wasn’t just a military loss… it was a moment that exposed just how fragile the new United States really was.

So what went wrong? And how did the country come back from something like this?

Pull up a chair and get toasty as we watch the new world burn.

Serious history. Told not so seriously.

Email us: [email protected]

Follow us on socials: just search user name- darkivespodcast

Sources:

• constitutioncenter.org
• britannica.com
• battlefields.org
• battlefields.org2
• nps.gov
• ourwhitehouse.org
• whitehousehistory.org
• smithsonianmag.com
• smithsonianmag.com2

Theme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharvey

Used with permission, Thank you Geoff!

licensed through: Pixabay

Other music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

support the show https://patreon.com

This week on The Darkives, we’re heading into the cold.

We “chisel” out a few stories from history, digging into ancient burial practices, unsettling discoveries, and the frozen bodies that refused to decay.

From Ötzi the Iceman, the 5,000-year-old man high in the Alps, to the Inca ice mummies high in the Andes, to eerie Siberian burials locked in permafrost, these are the stories of people preserved in ways that almost don’t feel real.

We get into how these bodies survived, what they reveal about the cultures that buried them, and why some of these discoveries are still raising questions today.

Because sometimes the cold doesn’t just preserve the past… it keeps it waiting.

So what do these frozen remains actually tell us? And what happens when history thaws out?

Bundle up in something warm, we’re climbing mountains to uncover the true stories of some of the most famous ice mummies and maidens of all time.

Serious history. Told not so seriously.

Email us: [email protected]

Follow us on socials: just search user name- darkivespodcast

Sources:

• secretsoftheice.com
• nationalgeographic.com
• iceman.it
• britannica.com
• cnn.com
• pbs.org
• ebsco.com
• livescience.com
• history.com
• bbc.com

Theme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharvey

Used with permission, Thank you Geoff!

licensed through: Pixabay

Other music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

support the show https://patreon.com

This week on The Darkives, we head into the remote frontier of Hokkaido in 1915, where one of the most terrifying animal attacks in history unfolded.

In a small settlement near Sankebetsu, a massive brown bear known as Kesagake began stalking the village. What followed wasn’t just a single attack… it was a series of calculated returns that turned a quiet winter outpost into a nightmare.

We get into how it started, why the villagers were so vulnerable, and how a desperate hunt was launched to stop a predator that seemed almost impossible to track.

This wasn’t just a bear attack… it was something closer to a siege.

So how did this happen? And what does it take to stop something that isn’t afraid of you?

Grab your rifles and your lanterns… because this episode, we’re going bear hunting.

Serious history. Told not so seriously.

Email us: [email protected]

Follow us on- instagram

Sources:

• nbcnews.com
• wakokujp.com
• outsiderjapan.pbworks.com

Theme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharvey

Used with permission, Thank you Geoff!

licensed through: Pixabay

Other music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

support the show https://patreon.com

Avast ye history lovers! Let's go back to the 18th century to learn some maritime outlaw stories throughout New England and British naval pirate history. We follow one of the most brutal pirate captains, Edward (Ned) Low and his crew of some of the most violent and terrifying real life pirates of the Caribbean. Chock-full of travels across the Atlantic, torture stories, and the worst thing for any pirate captain in the golden era of pirates, mutiny! Get your sea legs under ya and man the sails because we are sailing with someone who might be the most ruthless pirate in history.

Sources:

• https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history/2025/june/hunt-pirate-ned-low
• https://historyofmassachusetts.org/pirate-edward-low/
• https://biographics.org/edward-low-the-most-vicious-pirate-to-sail-the-seven-seas/
• https://www.worldhistory.org/Edward_Low/
• https://www.historyanswers.co.uk/people-politics/the-martyrdom-of-horst-wessel-how-a-far-right-street-fighter-became-a-nazi-icon/
• https://sillyhistory.com/2015/03/02/as-low-as-one-can-go-the-pirate-captain-ned-low/
• https://goldenageofpiracy.org/pirates/edward-low

Theme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharvey

Used with permission, Thank you Geoff!

licensed through: Pixabay

Other music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

support the show https://patreon.com

In this episode we get into Irelands famine history, about 100 years before The Great Potato Famine there was a mini ice age known as The Year Of The Slaughter. We will go to the beginning to find out what the caused the Irish famine, the impact on Irish farming, mass starvation and Irish deaths involved within this dark history of Ireland. Get ready to jump back to the 1740's and learn the legacy of this great famine and how the Irish rebounded after it came to its close.

Sources:

• https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/ireland-famine-history-year-slaughter
• https://www.britannica.com/science/Little-Ice-Age
• https://www.irelandsown.ie/the-great-frost-of-1740/
• https://www.irishtimes.com/news/the-great-frost-and-forgotten-famine-1.282539
• https://kids.kiddle.co/Irish_Famine_(1740%E2%80%931741)#Food_riots_and_protests
• https://www.waterfordtreasures.com/bliain-an-air-the-forgotten-famine-of-1740-41/

Theme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharvey

Used with permission, Thank you Geoff!

licensed through: Pixabay

Other music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

support the show https://patreon.com

In this episode... who was Geli Raubal? To answer this we travel back to a 1930's Munich apartment and dive into Nazi Germany scandals in the early life of Adolf Hitler. We'll hear stories from past lovers and dig up some dirt on the dark side of Hitlers private life. Learn how Gelli Raubal and Adolf Hitler's personal life became intertwined and shed light on one mysterious death in history. Lets crack open another one of The Darkives and delve into some history of Nazi Germany, the death of Hitlers niece and the true story of Geli Rubal's death.

Sources:

• https://allthatsinteresting.com/geli-raubal
• https://medium.com/@historyinanhour/geli-raubal-hitlers-niece-a-summary-27d3f746d939
• https://www.mamamia.com.au/geli-raubal-hitlers-niece/
• https://www.vanityfair.com/news/1992/04/hitlers-doomed-angel?srsltid=AfmBOop39UJrDg1P6KWUg6_tLPdmKLr4NWNNAMHSoYq34WrZNTZuXPAa
• https://www.history.com/articles/hitler-failed-beer-hall-putsch
• https://www.annefrank.org/en/timeline/139/hitler-as-a-soldier-in-the-first-world-war/
• https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/july-29/hitler-becomes-nazi-party-leader
• https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/HITLER%2C%20ADOLF%20%20MEDICAL%20ASSESSMENT%20%28DI%20FILE%29_0015.pdf
• https://historiamag.com/hitlers-sex-life/

Theme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharvey

Used with permission, Thank you Geoff!

licensed through: Pixabay

Other music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

support the show https://patreon.com

This week we figure out the true origins of Halloween and how the spooky traditions started. We study Celtic and Roman festivals, the pagan origins, Samhain history, and some folklore of Halloween. We'll answer questions like where did Halloween come from, how has it evolved over time, and how did Halloween in America start. We'll also get into how certain Halloween symbols came to be and the meanings behind them. We dive into popular superstitions as well as how ghosts and spirits became synonymous with Halloween celebrations around the world . This All Hallows' Eve before you go out and trick-or-treat take a little time to learn why we celebrate Halloween today and the connection it has to Samhain. Settle into your coffin, grab you favorite 'spirit', and enjoy another episode of The Darkives.

Sources:

• www.history.com
• blogs.loc.gov
• www.worldhistory.org
• https://chr.org.uk/anddidthosefeet/feralia-the-roman-festival-of-the-dead-february-21st/
• https://www.britannica.com/topic/Parentalia-Roman-religious-festival
• https://oldsoulartisan.com/blogs/library/the-legend-of-stingy-jack?srsltid=AfmBOooaoXPD5ClNWa_Ok86fi01AvHNhJTWlswKjuMY2tB2I4lhyn48i
• https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/articles/cx2n7jdp0zlo

Theme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharvey

Used with permission, Thank you Geoff!

licensed through: Pixabay

Other music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

support the show https://patreon.com

This week: the history of witches! Come with us as we travel the globe to discover real stories of accused witches throughout time. Why were witches hunted? What did witch executions look like? What laws were passed and repealed involving witches? What's the true history behind witch hunts? We skip the more commonly known Salem witch trials and find stories of medieval witchcraft, European witch hunts and travel up and down the Americas to uncover the dark history of witch trial we're all 'burning' for. Welcome back to the Darkives.

Support the show by leaving a rating or a comment.

Want to grab a copy of the 'Witch Trials' book? Find it here: https://amzn.to/3L79J7W

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Source:

• Mary Ellen Snodgrass. Witch Trials. McFarland, 28 June 2024.
• https://www.history.com/articles/history-of-witches
• https://seohelrune.com/2024/11/01/the-origin-story-of-the-witch/
• https://www.britannica.com/topic/Malleus-maleficarum
• https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/z79psk7#zqky9ty
• https://globalvoices.org/2014/05/27/how-an-internet-rumor-in-brazil-killed-fabiane-maria-de-jesus/
• https://www.history.com/articles/7-bizarre-witch-trial-tests
• https://www.hhogman.se/witch-trials-sweden.htm
• https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/history-magazine/article/a-german-werewolfs-confessions-horrified-1500s-europe
• https://scholars.unh.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1563&context=tnh_digital_archive

Theme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharvey

Used with permission, Thank you Geoff!

licensed through: Pixabay

Other music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

support the show https://patreon.com

This week we get back into the true story of Edgar Allan Poe and his mysterious death. We cover more events in Edgar's life that made him seem as if he was a haunted writer of the 19th century. Follow the timeline of Poe's short stories that cemented him in American gothic literature history and learn the known facts and theories towards the end of his dark life. In this case of The Darkives, we ponder the occurrences that happened 'Once upon a midnight dreary' and get to the bottom of what Poe's life and death meant. Who is Edgar as a man and as an author to society? Follow us into the 'pit and' see 'the pendulum' of our understanding of Poe sway back and fourth as we go deeper into the history of Edgar Allan Poe.

Enjoy the show? Consider leaving a rating or a comment.

Want to grab a copy of the book? Find it here: https://amzn.to/4nIrUiR

*As Amazon Associates we earn from qualifying purchases*

Source:

• Dawidziak, Mark. A Mystery of Mysteries. St. Martin’s Press, 14 Feb. 2023.

Theme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharvey

Used with permission, Thank you Geoff!

licensed through: Pixabay

Other music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License