Bitterly lonely and abandoned by her family, Anna Ivanovna grew to hate love. And when she became the unlikely Empress of Russia she used her power to build an ice palace that was both a spectacle and a torture chamber.

The Ice Queen

Author Dana Schwartz explores the stories of some of history&rsquo;s most fascinating royals: the tyrants and the tragic, the murderers and the murdered, and everyone in between. Because when you&rsquo;re wearing a crown, mistakes often mean blood.

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

Why did the Roman Empire do away with kings? Simone de Beauvior would write that, through women, "certain historical events have been set off, but the women have been pretexts rather than agents. The suicide of Lucretia has had value only as symbol." CW: Sexual assault, suicide

Support Noble Blood:
— Bonus episodes, stickers, and scripts on Patreon
— Noble Blood merch
— Order Dana's book, 'Anatomy: A Love Story' and its sequel 'Immortality: A Love Story' See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lucretia as a Symbol

History is fascinated by the possible escape of Anastasia Romanov, the Grand Duchess killed alongside her family in the Russian Revolution. But there was a Grand Duchess that DID escape - Anastasia's aunt, Olga Alexandrovna, who would hold onto hope that her favorite niece escaped as well.
Support Noble Blood:
— Bonus episodes, stickers, and scripts on Patreon
— Noble Blood merch
— Order Dana's book, 'Anatomy: A Love Story' and its sequel 'Immortality: A Love Story' See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Grand Duchess Above the Barber Shop

Very Special Episodes is a new podcast hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English. Follow us down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday.
In 2011, after many delays, one of the most anticipated musicals in theater history finally opened on Broadway. The show was Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. The powerhouse creative team included an up-and-coming playwright, a MacArthur Genius, and Bono. But its downfall would be long and treacherous. Here's the story of what went wrong — and why we're still pushing for a revival.
Go follow Very Special Episodes! Drop in on the night someone poisoned the cast and crew of James Cameron's Titanic; unravel a 130-year-old mystery surrounding the Pledge of Allegiance; go inside the illicit black market moon rock trade. And more!
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CREDITS
Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English
Written by Joe Kinosian
Produced by Josh Fisher 
Editing and Sound Design by Chris Childs
Additional Editing by Emily Marinoff
Mixing and Mastering by Baheed Frazier
Story Editors are Josh Fisher and Marisa Brown
Research and Fact-Checking by Austin Thompson and Joe Kinosian
Original Music by Elise McCoy
Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla
Executive Producer is Jason English
If you're enjoying the show, leave us a rating and review on your favorite podcast platforms.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spider-Man's Surreal Adventures on Broadway

When a coalition of European nations invaded Paris in 1815, they offered Napoleon what they believed to be very generous terms of surrender: he would keep his head, but be exiled to a life as Emperor of the insignificant island of Elba off the coast of Italy. Though Napoleon claimed to be content with the thought of retirement, less than 11 months later, he had returned to France and reclaimed his throne.
Support Noble Blood: 
— Bonus episodes, stickers, and scripts on Patreon
— Noble Blood merch!
— Order Dana's book, 'Anatomy: A Love Story' and its sequel 'Immortality: A Love Story' See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Daring Prison Break of the Emperor in Exile

When Mohammad Reza Shah got into a helicopter in 1979, he had no idea that it would be the last time he would ever see his country again. Nor did he know that he would be ending a 2,500 year tradition of monarchy in Iran.

Support Noble Blood:
— Bonus episodes, stickers, and scripts on Patreon
— Noble Blood merch
— Order Dana's book, 'Anatomy: A Love Story' and its sequel 'Immortality: A Love Story' See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ice Queen

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