In part one of our season finale, we tell the story of one of King Henry VIII's closest confidants: Thomas Cromwell. Cromwell is known for many things in history, primarily being a noble statesman in the court of King Henry VIII. He was self-made, coming from a low background and rising all the way up to Chief Minister of the King's Privy Council. Cromwell can be seen as a driver for both prosperity and destruction. He was arguably the creator of Anne Boleyn's success as well as the cause of her...
Jul 07, 2023•48 min•Season 4Ep. 13
In this special episode, Dr. Owen Emmerson joins us to talk about his amazing career as a cultural historian and assistant curator of Hever Castle (Anne Boleyn's childhood home). As a Boleyn and Tudor history expert, you may recognize him from shows such as Netflix's Blood, Sex & Royalty , BBC's Who Do You Think You Are and The Boleyns: A Scandalous Family, along with multiple other shows on the BBC, HistoryHit, Amazon, etc. He is also the co-author of four books, his newest being Holbein's ...
Jun 17, 2023•1 hr•Season 4Ep. 12
While Prague was not known for mass, bloody executions, there was at least one known as the Old Town Square Execution in 1621 that made the history books. This was the result of the Bohemian Revolt where 27 of the revolt leaders were found guilty and made an example of with an unusually brutal and public execution. Even more fascinating, the execution was conducted by the infamous Master Executioner of Prague: Jan Mydlář. In this episode of Beheaded, we take a closer look at Jan's life as the lo...
Jun 08, 2023•50 min•Season 4Ep. 12
While we've heard of the Salem Witch Trials, we tend to forget that the Puritans adopted their fear of witches from back home in England. King James I brought panic and terror to England when he became obsessed with witch hunting. He even wrote a book called "Daemonologie" which worked as a manual on how to identify, prosecute, and execute witches. While many of the victims' names were lost in history, one woman has remained in the textbooks over the centuries: Elizabeth Sawyer. Perhaps it was b...
May 19, 2023•51 min•Season 4Ep. 11
Nat Turner's Slave Rebellion was the deadliest revolt in American history. Born into slavery in southern America, Nat was a prophet who believed God was sending him messages to raise a rebellion. After hundreds of years of oppression, he was finally able to raise a small "army" to fight against the white slave owners. Despite hundreds of people losing their lives that day, his rebellion in 1831 was not enough to overthrow American slavery. Nat Turner has gone down in history as a hero of the res...
May 04, 2023•59 min•Season 4Ep. 10
The Távora Affair was one of Portugals' bloodiest scandals that resulted in the extinction of an entire noble bloodline. What started with wanting to do away with a powerful political family ended with massive arrests, torture and execution. To this day, historians still debate on the validity of the claims. One thing is certain: the Portuguese knew how to put on an execution performance of epic proportions. Support the show...
Apr 13, 2023•58 min•Season 4Ep. 9
The story of Sir Walter Raleigh is is wild as this episode title. Yes, we are very good at alliteration. Sir Walter was one of Queen Elizabeth I's favorite courtiers. And how could he not be!? He was a soldier, explorer, poet, politician and an experienced gardener amongst other things. After fighting battles in foreign lands, he was granted a charter ship to explore the New World in hopes of colonization. His crew came back from unknown lands with tobacco and other mysterious goods, making him ...
Mar 30, 2023•59 min•Season 4Ep. 8
Did you know that it's possible to live inside the Tower of London!? If not, you are in for a treat. Megan Clawson is an author and daughter of a Yeomen Warder currently residing in the Tower of London, and we can guarantee she has some stories! In this very special episode, Megan shares with us what it's like to live inside one of England's oldest fortresses, including the highs, the lows, and the quirky parts. We also chat about her new novel, "Falling Hard for the Royal Guard", which will be ...
Mar 15, 2023•48 min•Season 4Ep. 7
La Voisin was a woman of many trades: fortune teller, midwife, and, of course, one of France's top-selling poison makers. Not only did she assist anyone who needed to do away with someone (for a great profit, of course), she was also more than eager to orchestrate black, satanic masses to ensure their every wish came true. It was only a matter of time before she got caught up in what would be known as "The Affair of the Poison" in 17th century France. In this episode, we talk about the dangers o...
Mar 02, 2023•59 min•Season 4Ep. 7
While now of days you might be excited to find out you're a wizard, that was not the case in 1692. The Salem Witch Trials resulted in 19 people hanged, 1 person pressed to death, and 2 dogs being shot. In this episode, we revisit this gruesome time in America's history (mostly to follow up on the 2 dogs), but also to tell the story of George Burroughs, who was amongst the 19 people hanged for witchcraft. Not only was he one of the few men to be found guilty, but he is also the only pastor to be ...
Feb 07, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Season 4Ep. 6
Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, was well acquainted with the politics of Tudor court. His father and grandfather were both noblemen who served several different kings on the English throne, from King Henry V to Richard III. Edward Stafford learned at a young age the price one can pay if their allegiance to the king is questioned. With a strong royal bloodline himself, the 3rd Duke of Buckingham had to play the game carefully in an effort to keep the young King Henry VIII on his good sid...
Jan 24, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Regicide has always been addressed with the most severe punishments. However, in 18th century France, it didn't matter if it was a successful assassination or a failed attempt, as the culprit could still receive the worst of ends. In 1757, Robert-François Damiens' crimes against King Louis XV resulted in hours of public torture and execution, and included a number of creative methods (horses included). So the question must be asked: does the crime fit the punishment? Support the show...
Jan 06, 2023•52 min•Season 4Ep. 4
Mirror, mirror on the wall.... who is the bloodiest countess of them all? Why, no other than Elizabeth Bathory. She was a rich and beautiful noblewoman in mid-16th century Hungary. While she dripped in jewels and velvet, she also was known to soak herself in the blood of young local girls to preserve her youth and beauty. Bathory can be easily considered one of Europe's most notorious female serial killers, even centuries before the term was coined. Her sadistic killing spree could only last for...
Dec 13, 2022•54 min•Season 4Ep. 3
We have a special guest! In this unique episode, we have the pleasure of chatting with the one and only James Peacock. James is the manager and founder of one of the most successful social media communities for all things regarding Anne Boleyn: The Queen Anne Boleyn Society. Not only does he run all of these platforms, but he is also a Palace Host at Hampton Court Palace, making him a top Queen Anne expert. Get to know James with us and hear from a true professional on our favorite subject. Enjo...
Nov 22, 2022•41 min•Season 4Ep. 2
The notorious case of Dr. Crippen is that of transatlantic proportions. He was a homeopathic American doctor in the early 20th century who moved to London with his lovely (yet unfaithful) wife, Cora. Affairs can go both ways, however… after Cora goes mysteriously missing, Dr. Crippen and his own lover are on the run. Their story makes history as London police tracked down their suspects using a wireless telegraph for the first time. Don't be a creep - listen to Dr. Crippen's notorious tale today...
Nov 11, 2022•56 min•Season 4Ep. 2
We are back with season 4! And what better way to kick off a new season than by re-doing our first episode? Queen Marie Antoinette is easily one of the most famous beheadings in history, so we need to do her justice and get her story right. This time with better audio quality and better education, we start with Marie’s early childhood and discuss her life all the way to her downfall. This time, we even explain why she was executed! So come eat some cake with us (again) as we listen to some of ou...
Oct 31, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Season 4Ep. 1
Our season 3 finale comes to a close with recounting the final days of Lady Jane Grey and her fellow supporters. In part one of this episode, we discussed Jane's rise to power: Edward VI quickly added a very important annotation to the succession document changing "Lady Jane's male heirs" to "Lady Jane and her male heirs", making her the next queen of England. At this point, Jane's supporters are few and Mary Tudor is building up an army to take the crown she has fought long and hard for. In par...
May 31, 2022•58 min•Season 4Ep. 13
You may think you know all of the kings and queens of the Tudor Dynasty. We know King Henry VIII had 3 children, all of whom made their way to the throne at one point or another. But we tend to forget about another queen who reigned for a mere 9 days between King Edward VI and Queen Mary I. She was a young teenage girl by the name of Jane Grey. Later in history, she becomes known as the 9-day queen. The course of history was changed forever when the Edward VI added the the words 'and her' into h...
May 10, 2022•54 min•Season 3Ep. 13
Few may recognize his name, however, we owe much of our modern chemistry to Antoine Lavoisier, a chemist who revolutionized science in the 18th century. While he was revolutionizing chemistry, though, the French people were revolutionizing their country. The Reign of Terror lasted for one year during the French Revolution (1793-1794) and resulted in 17,000 citizens being executed. The French people attacked anyone under suspicion of not supporting their cause. Despite Antoine Lavoisier's breakth...
May 04, 2022•54 min•Season 3Ep. 12
During the final years of King Henry VIII's reign, Catholics were in charge and Protestantism was illegal. Despite this danger, Anne Askew very proudly and publicly shared her Protestant beliefs around London. Up until her imprisonment at the Tower of London, torturing women on the rack was also illegal. Anne refused to reveal the names of her fellow Protestant friends (perhaps including Queen Catherine Parr herself) and her inquisitors felt the need to take extra measures. Shockingly, this coul...
Apr 19, 2022•50 min•Season 3Ep. 11
Florence, Italy during the Renaissance was an era of lavish art, scientific discoveries, and powerful families. The wealth and popularity of the Medici family was not to be questioned. They owned one of Italy's largest banks and if you needed a favor, you needed the Medici's approval. The Pazzi family had plans of their own, though, and decided they wanted to be the top players. What became known as the Pazzi Conspiracy ended in bloodshed and capital punishment. Get ready for the Italian accents...
Apr 05, 2022•56 min•Season 3Ep. 10
Tudor monarchs are notorious for executing their lovers, and it didn’t stop with King Henry VIII. In full Tudor fashion, Queen Elizabeth I dappled in romance with the young Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex (despite being 34 years his senior). While Elizabeth was enamored with his energy, spirit, and good looks, the rest of the court rolled their eyes at Robert’s arrogance. No doubt, they were excited to see his inevitable and bloody downfall after one too many slip-ups. In his own final words,...
Mar 16, 2022•52 min•Season 3Ep. 9
Voodoo (also known as Vodou or Vundun) is an ancient practice that has gone back over 6,000 years with origins from West Africa. While perhaps a very misunderstood religion, people of all cultures have been fascinated and intrigued by its mysterious virtues. Despite Catholicism being claimed as the primary religion of Haiti in the 1860's, without a doubt, Vodou was the popular religion amongst citizens. But is it evil? Those on the jury during the Affaire de Bizoton may argue so. In 1864, eight ...
Feb 23, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Brunhilda of Austrasia was Queen Consort of the Merovingian age from 575 - 613 AD. She was a fierce and brave leader of the Frankish dynasty, despite having to rule through her sons and grandsons. Her story, though not widely popular, is a tale of confusing names and violence, making it sound like something out of a fable. It includes assassinations, murder, suicide, family rivalry, and brutal wars. Her execution was no different as she paid the price for decades of a savage lifestyle. Support t...
Jan 26, 2022•50 min•Season 3Ep. 7
The myths and legends of the Knights Templar goes back almost a century. At their peak of power, these glorious and brave heroes escorted pilgrims through the Holy Land while also protecting their territories in the Crusades. They were rich and above any law, making them the ultimate celebrity of 13th century Europe. King Phillip IV got caught up in some bad debt with the Knights, though, and his only way to financial freedom was arresting, torturing, and burning thousands of members. In another...
Jan 18, 2022•48 min•Season 6Ep. 6
Let's start with saying the ancient Romans loved a good halftime show. Very similar to modern day sporting events, it involved large stadium seating, great concessions, a boisterous crowd of thousands of people, and solid entertainment. Rather than watching a ball get tossed around, though, their form of entertainment was watching people get torn to shreds by wild animals. In this episode, Elizabeth and Megan discuss a plethora of ways the Romans executed criminals in the infamous Colosseum. Fro...
Jan 05, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Sophie and Hans Scholl were brother and sister who shared more than blood, but a passionate hatred towards the Nazi's during their rise to power. As two young Germans who went from Hitler's Youth Program to attending the University of Munich, it was extremely illegal and beyond dangerous to speak out against the Nazi's. With a small group of their university friends who privately shared the same liberal perspective, they formed a secret society called the White Rose. Together, they worked to spr...
Dec 21, 2021•50 min•Season 3Ep. 4
H.H Holmes is one of America's oldest serial killers who met his fate with an excruciating hanging. While he confessed to 27 murders, historians believe there could have been as many as 200 victims. Evidence suggests the majority of his crimes took place in his own Chicago based building conveniently blocks away from the World's Fair. The building was primarily retail space and apartment living, but later became known as the Murder Castle due to its vast size and and terrifying presence. The bui...
Dec 04, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Season 3Ep. 3
Giordano Bruno was an Italian philosopher born too early for his time. Despite starting his early career as a monk, he quickly traded out his priesthood attire for some travel breeches and started teaching his progressive beliefs about the infinite universe across Europe. His views about religion and philosophy were groundbreaking, yet controversial. In the 16th century, this was the perfect recipe to get the Roman Inquisition coming after you. Elizabeth and Megan pull out their terrible Italian...
Nov 17, 2021•51 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Charles I was the first and only king of England to be found guilty of high treason and executed for his crimes. This outcome was especially a shock to poor old Chuck, as he was convinced that there was no higher power than him besides God himself. However, England wasn't so happy about his constant desire to "dissolve" Parliament and use his own subjects to financially invest in his love for war. Elizabeth and Megan rejoin in the kickoff to season 3 of Beheaded with one of our favorite kings of...
Nov 03, 2021•57 min•Season 3Ep. 1
