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Delaney & Kendyl Florence

SPILLED.

A History and Comedy podcast Explicit

#67 in History · 🇳🇬 #184 in History · 🇿🇦
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About the show

Kendyl and Delaney Florence are bringing you history’s hottest gossip, every other Tuesday. SPILLED. brings you the tea you didn’t know you needed through a light-hearted and (somewhat) educational podcast on historic scandals, betrayals, rumors, and more. Each episode will focus on a new - well, old - story that will leave you with the coolest fun facts at your next dinner party. Join us to make history a bit more fun, and a lot juicier. Business Inquiries: spilledhistory@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Newest episodes

Did Lizzie Borden Kill Her Parents? | Halloween Episode

50 min

In 1892, Andrew and Abby Borden were murdered with a hatchet in their Fall River home, and Lizzie Borden was the only family member in the house. We go minute by minute through the day of the murders, line up the suspects, and dig into how a defense built on “nothing feminine about it” got her acquitted. Lizzie Borden took an ax… or did she? Sources: Scholarly [1] Filetti, Jean S. "From Lizzie Borden to Lorena Bobbitt: Violent Women and Gendered Justice." Journal of American Studies 35, no. 3 (2001): 471–84 — JSTOR. http://www.jstor.org/stable/27557007 Peer-reviewed; strong. Journalism and reference [2] The Unsolved Mystery of Lizzie Borden and the Grisly Fall River Axe Murders — BBC Culture. https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20260914-the-unsolved-mystery-of-lizzie-borden-and-the-grisly-fall-river-axe-murders Reputable outlet; article's URL date is as given in your notes. [3] Lizzie Borden: biographies and 1892–1927 timeline (compiled by UMKC School of Law students) — crimearchives.net. https://crimearchives.net/1893_borden/html/bios.html Useful but not peer-reviewed; includes an impossible date ("Nov. 31") and a death-age error. Primary documents (as transcribed in your research notes) [4] Inquest testimony of Lizzie Borden, Aug 9–11, 1892 — Fall River, MA inquest transcript. https://famous-trials.com/lizzieborden/1444-inquest The transcript pasted in your notes did not include a source URL; this is the inquest page cited by the US Ghost Adventures piece. Confirm the match. [5] Trial testimony of Bridget Sullivan, June 7, 1893 — Trial transcript, Fall River/New Bedford. Source site not given in your notes; confirm before final citation. Commercial blog (weakest tier) [6] Lizzie Borden myths-and-facts article (title and URL not included in your notes) — US Ghost Adventures blog (usghostadventures.com), which promotes tours and stays at the Lizzie Borden House. Commercial; use for myth-busting leads only and verify against the sources it cites. Cited within that ar...

WTF was Gin Mania? Why Everyone in 18th c. London was Hammered

1 hr 1 min

In 1688, a Dutch king took the English throne, banned French wine and brandy, and then let basically anyone distill gin at home. What could go wrong? This week we're spilling Gin Mania, which historians call the Gin Craze and Londoners called "mother's ruin." By 1730, the city had more than 7,000 gin shops. Many of them were run by women, who were shut out of most other work, and some sold gin anonymously through cat-shaped "puss and mew" slot machines. Birth rates dropped, infant deaths climbed, and crime spiked. Meanwhile, doctors decided gin was full of tiny sharp structures stabbing your body's fibers from the inside. We get into Hogarth's Gin Lane vs. Beer Street propaganda, why the Gin Act of 1736 flopped and fed a black market in spirits cut with turpentine and sulfuric acid, and how the 1751 crackdown finally ended the craze. Plus: how Victorian gin palaces may have given us the modern bar, and why Gordon's is still on shelves today. Our last non-spooky episode before Halloween. Pour yourself a beer. History suggests you should. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Mosquitoes Shaped History | ft. JACOB!!

1 hr 37 min

Mosquitoes are the deadliest animal on Earth and they've been shaping human history since long before recorded time. This week, Delaney sits down with SPILLED. team member Jacob to trace malaria's fingerprints across evolution, colonization, the slave trade, the British Empire, and a WWII research push second only to the Manhattan Project. Two vaccines later, they're still winning. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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All episodes

Did Lizzie Borden Kill Her Parents? | Halloween Episode

50 min

In 1892, Andrew and Abby Borden were murdered with a hatchet in their Fall River home, and Lizzie Borden was the only family member in the house. We go minute by minute through the day of the murders, line up the suspects, and dig into how a defense built on “nothing feminine about it” got her acquitted. Lizzie Borden took an ax… or did she? Sources: Scholarly [1] Filetti, Jean S. "From Lizzie Borden to Lorena Bobbitt: Violent Women and Gendered Justice." Journal of American Studies 35, no. 3 (2001): 471–84 — JSTOR. http://www.jstor.org/stable/27557007 Peer-reviewed; strong. Journalism and reference [2] The Unsolved Mystery of Lizzie Borden and the Grisly Fall River Axe Murders — BBC Culture. https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20260914-the-unsolved-mystery-of-lizzie-borden-and-the-grisly-fall-river-axe-murders Reputable outlet; article's URL date is as given in your notes. [3] Lizzie Borden: biographies and 1892–1927 timeline (compiled by UMKC School of Law students) — crimearchives.net. https://crimearchives.net/1893_borden/html/bios.html Useful but not peer-reviewed; includes an impossible date ("Nov. 31") and a death-age error. Primary documents (as transcribed in your research notes) [4] Inquest testimony of Lizzie Borden, Aug 9–11, 1892 — Fall River, MA inquest transcript. https://famous-trials.com/lizzieborden/1444-inquest The transcript pasted in your notes did not include a source URL; this is the inquest page cited by the US Ghost Adventures piece. Confirm the match. [5] Trial testimony of Bridget Sullivan, June 7, 1893 — Trial transcript, Fall River/New Bedford. Source site not given in your notes; confirm before final citation. Commercial blog (weakest tier) [6] Lizzie Borden myths-and-facts article (title and URL not included in your notes) — US Ghost Adventures blog (usghostadventures.com), which promotes tours and stays at the Lizzie Borden House. Commercial; use for myth-busting leads only and verify against the sources it cites. Cited within that ar...

WTF was Gin Mania? Why Everyone in 18th c. London was Hammered

1 hr 1 min

In 1688, a Dutch king took the English throne, banned French wine and brandy, and then let basically anyone distill gin at home. What could go wrong? This week we're spilling Gin Mania, which historians call the Gin Craze and Londoners called "mother's ruin." By 1730, the city had more than 7,000 gin shops. Many of them were run by women, who were shut out of most other work, and some sold gin anonymously through cat-shaped "puss and mew" slot machines. Birth rates dropped, infant deaths climbed, and crime spiked. Meanwhile, doctors decided gin was full of tiny sharp structures stabbing your body's fibers from the inside. We get into Hogarth's Gin Lane vs. Beer Street propaganda, why the Gin Act of 1736 flopped and fed a black market in spirits cut with turpentine and sulfuric acid, and how the 1751 crackdown finally ended the craze. Plus: how Victorian gin palaces may have given us the modern bar, and why Gordon's is still on shelves today. Our last non-spooky episode before Halloween. Pour yourself a beer. History suggests you should. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Mosquitoes Shaped History | ft. JACOB!!

1 hr 37 min

Mosquitoes are the deadliest animal on Earth and they've been shaping human history since long before recorded time. This week, Delaney sits down with SPILLED. team member Jacob to trace malaria's fingerprints across evolution, colonization, the slave trade, the British Empire, and a WWII research push second only to the Manhattan Project. Two vaccines later, they're still winning. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More Than Mulan: A History of Cross-Dressing for War

57 min

We're covering seven real female warriors and soldiers across four continents and almost 1,900 years of history — women who disguised themselves as men to fight, and women who didn't have to. Featuring Hannah Snell (the British soldier who enlisted to hunt down her husband), Sarah Rosetta Wakeman (a Civil War soldier who kept her secret to the grave), Nadezhda Durova (the Russian cavalry officer awarded the St. George Cross), the Trung sisters (who led an army of 80,000 to overthrow Han China), Mai Bhago (the Sikh warrior who turned back an army of deserters), and Yaa Asantewaa (the Ashanti queen mother who led her people to war). Plus: what Deborah Sampson's story has in common with all of them. A history podcast episode on women warriors, female soldiers, and women in war — from the American Revolution and the Civil War to the Napoleonic Wars, the Mughal-Sikh Wars, and the Ashanti Empire. Sources: Hannah Snell: Hannah Snell — Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannah_Snell Forces News: “Hannah Snell, A Female Soldier In Disguise” Royal Marines History: “Hannah Snell Joins the Marines, 1747” British Tars, 1740–1790: “Hannah Snell, A Woman and a Marine” The Hunterian Blog: “Hannah Snell — Cross Dressing in the 1700s” Academic: “Body and Gender Expressed by the Cross-Dressing of Hannah Snell…” (Academia.edu) Primary: Robert Walker (attrib.), The Female Soldier; or, The Surprising Life and Adventures of Hannah Snell (1750) Deborah Sampson: American Battlefield Trust: Deborah Sampson National Women's History Museum: Deborah Sampson Massachusetts Historical Society: “Deborah Sampson, Soldier in Disguise” Paul Revere House: “Quitting the Male Habit” (Revere's 1804 pension letter, digitized at MHS) Historic New England: “Deborah Sampson, Fighting for Recognition” Just Teach One: The Female Review (1797) — annotated teaching edition Hanna Lauren Kawamoto, The Female Soldier: Gender Performance and National Identity (UC Irvine MA thesis, 2025) — open access, escholarship.org/...

Human Sacrifice | not just the Aztecs

1 hr 4 min

Human sacrifice gets a bad rap in the history books, and we're here to spill the tea. This week we're digging into who was really practicing ritual sacrifice across history. From Mesopotamia's royal tombs to Aztec blood debts, Celtic wicker men to Japanese seppuku and why the "savage civilization" narrative doesn't hold up. Sources: General / Context: Caldararo, Niccolo. "Human Sacrifice, Capital Punishment, Prisons & Justice." Historical Social Research 41, no. 4 (2016): 322–46. Løvschal et al. "Human Sacrifice and Value." Antiquity 93, no. 370 (2019). Schwartz, Glenn M. "The Archaeological Study of Sacrifice." Annual Review of Anthropology 46 (2017): 223–240. Mesopotamia / Ur: Recht, Laerke. "Human Sacrifice in the Ancient Near East and Egypt." The Ancient Near East Today 8, no. 2 (2020). Egypt: Campbell, Roselyn Anne. Kill Thy Neighbor: Violence, Power, and Human Sacrifice in Ancient Egypt. PhD diss., UCLA, 2019. Nielsen, Nicky. "In Ancient Egypt, Human Sacrifice and Shabti Figures Ensured an Afterlife of Servitude." Atlas Obscura, October 17, 2023. Celtic / Druid / Greco-Roman: Caesar, Julius. The Conquest of Gaul. Translated by F. P. Long, 2005. Allen, Stephen. Celtic Warrior — 300 BC–AD 100. Osprey Publishing, 2001. Davies, John. The Celts: Prehistory to Present Day. Sterling Publishing, 2005. "Human Sacrifice." Digital Medievalist, Opinionated Celtic FAQs. digitalmedievalist.com Aztec: Pennock, Caroline Dodds. "Mass Murder or Religious Homicide?" Historical Social Research 37, no. 3 (2012): 276–302. Neiburger, E. J. "The American Ball Game Court." Central States Archaeological Journal 62, no. 2 (2015): 74–77. Japan: Roberts, Michael, and Arthur Saniotis. "Introduction: Empowering the Body and 'Noble Death.'" Social Analysis 50, no. 1 (2006): 7–24. India: BBC News. "India Outrage after Man Acquitted over Wife's Sati Death." September 10, 2024. Chakravorty, Ranes C. "British Abolish Suttee in India." EBSCO Research Starters, 2023. Dhungel, Suraj. "Sati System i...

The Founding MOTHERS: Women of the American Revolution

58 min

Paul Revere gets all the glory, but he wasn't the only one riding through the night to save the American Revolution. This Fourth of July, Delaney and Kendyl are spilling the tea on the women history left out of the story: 16-year-old Sybil Ludington, who rode twice as far as Paul Revere through a rainstorm to warn the Continental Army; Deborah Sampson, who disguised herself as a man to fight in combat and removed a musket ball from her own leg; and Abigail Adams, the original "Mrs. President," who ran the family finances, advised a president, and told her husband to "remember the ladies." In honor of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, we're giving America's founding mothers the credit — and the chaos — they deserve. Happy Fourth of July, besties. Sources: Sybil Ludington: Hunt, Paula D. "Sybil Ludington, the Female Paul Revere: The Making of a Revolutionary War Heroine." The New England Quarterly 88, no. 2 (2015): 187–222. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24718670American Battlefield Trust. "Sybil Ludington." https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/sybil-ludingtonSmithsonian Magazine. "Did the Midnight Ride of Sibyl Ludington Ever Happen?" March 2022. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/did-midnight-ride-sibyl-ludington-ever-happen-180979557/Deborah Sampson: Young, Alfred F. Masquerade: The Life and Times of Deborah Sampson, Continental Soldier. New York: Vintage Books, 2004. [Definitive scholarly biography]Mann, Herman. The Female Review: Life of Deborah Sampson, the Female Soldier in the War of Revolution. 1797. [Primary source, published during her lifetime]Massachusetts Historical Society. Letter from Paul Revere to William Eustis, February 20, 1804. https://www.masshist.org/database/326National Women’s History Museum. "Deborah Sampson." Michals, Debra. 2015. https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/deborah-sampsonMuseum of the American Revolution. "Biography of Deborah Sampson." https://www.amrevmuseum.org/coll...

Should You Trust a Short King? Leprechauns & Irish Folklore

1 hr 7 min

You've been lied to by Lucky Charms. The leprechaun you know — jolly, green, guarding gold at the end of a rainbow — is about 150 years old. The leprechaun from Irish folklore is about 1,300 years old, and they are not the same creature. This week we're tracing how the original lucharpán went from a fearsome red-coated water sprite who'd drag a sleeping king into the sea, to the cereal-box mascot Americans invented in the 1840s. We get into the medieval Celtic oral tradition, the professional storytellers who kept it alive, the pot of gold as a lesson about human greed, and how Irish immigration during the potato blight turned a misunderstood trickster into a symbol of Irish pride. New episodes every other Tuesday. 🍀 🎧 Share it with a friend — 40% of podcast discovery is still word of mouth. 📚 Books we mention live on the Spilled Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/SPILLED Academic & Institutional Sources: EBSCO Research Starter: "Leprechauns."Oí Giolláin, Diarmuid. "The Leipreachán and Fairies, Dwarfs and the Household Familiar: A Comparative Study." Béaloideas 52 (1984): 75–150. https://doi.org/10.2307/20522237Winberry, John J. "The Elusive Elf: Some Thoughts on the Nature and Origin of the Irish Leprechaun." 1976.Mulligan, William H., Jr. "Review: Alive and Well: New Perspectives on Irish America." 2012.National Folklore Collection, University College Dublin (UNESCO Memory of the World Register). Primary source accounts. https://www.duchas.iePrimary Sources Referenced: "The Adventure of Fergus Son of Léti" (8th century). Earliest known reference to the luchorpán."The Death of Fergus" (13th–14th century). Lupracan civilization account.Lover, Samuel. Legends and Stories of Ireland. 1831.Croker, Thomas Crofton. Fairy Legends and Traditions of The South of Ireland. 1825.Hardy, Philip Dixon. 1837 description. Referenced via Oí Giolláin (1984).Mr and Mrs Hall. 1843 account. Referenced via Oí Giolláin (1984).O’Donnell, Edward T. 1001 Things Everyone Should Know About...

Pocahontas: Literally Everything You Know is Wrong!

1 hr 9 min

She was eleven years old when the English arrived. Disney made her twenty-something with a love story. History gave her a name that wasn't hers. This week we're spilling the real story of Pocahontas — or Amonute, as she was actually named — and it's nothing like what you were taught. We're breaking down the Powhatan Confederacy (one of the most powerful empires on the eastern seaboard), what John Smith actually wrote versus what he claimed seventeen years later, and the kidnapping, forced conversion, and suspected poisoning that the Disney movie conveniently left out. Spoiler: she didn't save him. She was sent there. And the love story was invented by men who needed a myth more than they needed the truth. If you've ever wanted to understand Native American history, Indigenous women, or colonization in the Americas beyond what you learned in school — this one's for you. Want more? Check our our book reccomendations: https://bookshop.org/shop/SPILLED Sources: Aron, Paul. "Pocahontas & John Smith: The Love Story Was Fiction...But Loved." Trend & Tradition Magazine (Colonial Williamsburg), July 2, 2025. https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/discover/resource-hub/trend-tradition-magazine/trend-tradition-summer-2025/pocahontas-and-john-smith/Historic Jamestowne. "Meeting the English." Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation. https://historicjamestowne.org/history/pocahontas/meeting-the-english/Mansky, Jackie. "The True Story of Pocahontas Is More Complicated Than You Might Think." Smithsonian Magazine, updated February 20, 2024. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/true-story-pocahontas-more-complicated-than-you-might-think-180962649/National Park Service. "Pocahontas: Her Life and Legend." Jamestown National Historic Site, last updated September 4, 2022. https://www.nps.gov/jame/learn/historyculture/pocahontas-her-life-and-legend.htmPaul, Heike. "Pocahontas and the Myth of Transatlantic Love." In The Myths That Made America. Bielefeld: Transcript Verlag, 2014. http://www.jsto...

WWII & Lesbian Step-Sisters: Men Wish They Knew These 4 Stories

1 hr 3 min

You loved our first WWII episode, so we're back with MORE! This week we're covering stories that your history teacher definitely skipped: women in codebreaking, queer resistance, and psychological warfare. Think cracking Nazi spy rings from behind a desk, two lesbian stepsister artists using "paper bullets" to take down an occupying army, and a 21-year-old Jewish refugee who had German soldiers writing her love letters. No dry lectures. Just the drama, the gossip, and the stories that actually deserved the spotlight. Haven't listened to Part 1 yet? Start there — that's where we lay the context on the origin of and players in WWII. Obsessed? Want more? Check our fiction & nonfiction book recommendations here: https://bookshop.org/shop/SPILLED Research Documents: BBC Future. “The Female Code Breakers Who Were Left Out of History Books.” bbc.com/future, October 9, 2017. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20171009-the-female-code-breakers-who-were-left-out-of-history-booksBBC. “The Bletchley Girls: Cracking Women.” bbc.co.uk. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/Q3lFn2vTv9JMgxX98bRhL/the-bletchley-girls-cracking-womenThe Art Newspaper. “How Artist Couple Claude Cahun and Marcel Moore Resisted the Nazis with Their Paper Bullets.” November 4, 2020. https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2020/11/04/extract-or-how-artist-couple-claude-cahun-and-marcel-moore-resisted-the-nazis-with-their-paper-bulletsHistory Extra. “On the Same Side: Homosexuals During the Second World War.” https://www.historyextra.com/period/second-world-war/on-the-same-side-homosexuals-during-the-second-world-war/Putnam, Jennifer, PhD. “V for Victory: A Sign of Resistance.” The National WWII Museum, February 1, 2024. https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/v-victory-sign-resistanceWhite, April. “One of the Allies’ Secret Weapons Against the Nazis Was a 21-Year-Old Woman Armed With a Microphone and a Script of Lies.” Smithsonian Magazine, March 2026. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/allies-secre...

Sugar Baby, Then She Led the Black Panther Party: Elaine Brown's Story

1 hr 0 min

She had a married sugar daddy funding her LA apartment. Then she dumped him and became the first — and only — woman to lead the Black Panther Party. This week we're spilling everything on Elaine Brown: her rise through the Black Panther Party, what black feminism actually looked like in the 1960s, and why history class completely left her out. If you've ever wanted to understand the civil rights movement, intersectionality, or just want to feel smarter at your next dinner party — this one's for you. Sources: Brown, Elaine. "A Woman Black Panther." PBS American Experience: Eyes on the Prize. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/eyesontheprize-woman-black-panther/Fremon, Celeste. "41st and Central, 1969 – The Black Panther Shootout & the Birth of SWAT." WitnessLA, April 6, 2011. https://witnessla.com/41st-and-central-1969-the-black-panther-shootout-the-birth-of-swat/Henry, Carmel. "A Brief History of Civil Rights: The Black Panther Party." Howard University School of Law. http://library.law.howard.edu/civilrightshistory/bppJernigan, Cameron. "A Taste of Power: The Rhetorical Potency of Elaine Brown." UNC JOURney, Spring 2017. https://uncjourney.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/13377/2017/05/JOURneySpring2017vol1Digital-1.pdfMaynard, Alicia. "The Assassination." The Assassination of Fred Hampton. Digital Chicago, 2019. https://digitalchicagohistory.org/exhibits/show/fred-hampton-50th/the-assassinationNational Archives. "Elaine Brown (March 2, 1943)." https://www.archives.gov/research/african-americans/individuals/elaine-brownNBCUniversal. "Elaine Brown: A Black Panther’s Journey in Breaking New Ground." Voices of the Civil Rights Movement, 2021. https://voicesofthecivilrightsmovement.com/articles/elaine-brownSeither, Robert James. "Women in the Black Panther Party." TCNJ Journal of Student Scholarship 17 (April 2015). https://mapped.tcnj.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/176/2015/04/2015-Seither.pdfVerge, Shane Trudell. "Revolutionary Vision." Meridians 2, n...

The Secret Lives of Henry VIII's Wives

1 hr 16 min

Henry VIII's six wives — Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard, and Katherine Parr — were more powerful, more capable, and more fascinating than Tudor history ever gave them credit for. Let's fix that. SOURCES Catherine of Aragon: Bergenroth, G. A., ed. "Introduction." Calendar of State Papers, Spain. London, 1868. British History Online. https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/spain/supp/vols1-2/vii-lxxxBridge, Mark. "Katherine of Aragon’s Military Nous Helped Defeat Scots Invasion." The Times, May 27, 2020.Britannica Editors. "Catherine of Aragon." Encyclopedia Britannica, January 3, 2026. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Catherine-of-AragonBrown, Rebecca Starr. "The Upbringing of Katherine of Aragon & Her Siblings." RebeccaStarrBrown.com, March 5, 2018. https://rebeccastarrbrown.com/2018/03/05/the-childhood-of-katherine-of-aragon/Glasgow Museums Collections Online. "Catherine Aragon." https://collections.glasgowmuseums.com/mwebcgi/mweb?request=record;id=82029;type=701Prendergast, Maria Teresa. "King, Confessor, and Princess: Contesting Catherine of Aragon’s Dowry and Soul in Her 1507 Letters."Solly, Meilan. "When Catherine of Aragon Led England’s Armies to Victory Over Scotland." Smithsonian Magazine, October 14, 2020. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/when-catherine-aragon-led-englands-armies-victory-over-scotland-180975982/Zarevich, Emily. "Catherine of Aragon: Europe’s First Female Ambassador." Daily JSTOR, January 2, 2023. https://daily.jstor.org/catherine-of-aragon-europes-first-female-ambassador/Anne Boleyn: "Anne Boleyn." Historic Royal Palaces. https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/history-and-stories/anne-boleyn/"Anne Boleyn Timeline." Hever Castle. https://www.hevercastle.co.uk/visit/hever-castle/timelines/anne-boleyn-timeline/Percy, Henry. "Henry Percy." Spartacus Educational. https://spartacus-educational.com/Henry_Percy.htmToscani, Melissa. "Anne Boleyn." Prof. Pavlac’s Women’s History R...

What To Say When a Man is Mansplaining WWII

58 min

CORRECTION: In this episode we reference Audie Murphy as the "most decorated American soldier in WWII." His kill count was 240, not 33 -- we misspoke, he had 33 awards. In this episode, we get into what to say when a man starts mansplaining WWII… and the stories he’s probably leaving out. We talk about Lyudmila Pavlichenko, known as Lady Death, and how she became one of the deadliest snipers of the war, the Soviet Night Witches who flew nighttime bombing missions in near-silent planes, double agent Juan Pujol García (Garbo) who helped mislead the Nazis, and Wojtek the bear, a literal bear enlisted by Polish troops who carried ammunition during battle. If you’re into World War II history, this episode has a mix of overlooked figures, spy chaos, and stories that sound fake but are very real. It’s part history lesson, part unhinged commentary, and fully the kind of context you’ll wish you had the next time this topic comes up. Sources: National WWII Museum. “Night Witches: The Soviet Women Pilots Who Terrified Nazi Soldiers.” October 2025. https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/night-witches-soviet-women-pilots-who-terrified-nazi-soldiersNational WWII Museum. “Lady Death of the Red Army: Lyudmila Pavlichenko.” March 2021. https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/lady-death-red-army-lyudmila-pavlichenkoMI5. “Agent GARBO.” mi5.gov.uk. https://www.mi5.gov.uk/history/world-war-ii/agent-garboBBC News. “Wojtek the Bear.” https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy4nd3n33yeoUnited States Holocaust Memorial Museum. “Introduction to the Holocaust.” https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/introduction-to-the-holocaustNational WWII Museum. “WWII by the Numbers.” https://www.nationalww2museum.org/students-teachers/student-resources/research-starters/research-starters-worldwide-deaths-world-warHistory.com Editors. “World War II.” https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/world-war-ii-history Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ancient Greece's Gay Army (and Their Swords) | The Theban Sacred Band

47 min

In this episode, we get into the Sacred Band of Thebes, an elite ancient Greek army made up of 150 pairs of male lovers who quite literally fought side by side. We talk about why the Thebans believed love made soldiers stronger, how this unit became one of the most feared forces in Greece, and how they went head to head with Sparta at the height of its power. If you loved The Song of Achilles, this story has the same mix of battlefield devotion, loyalty, and heartbreak. It is part military strategy, part love story, and fully chaotic in the way only ancient history can be. We break down the rivalry, the battles, and the real history behind the idea that couples who fight together might actually win together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Watergate Scandal was MESSY - Do You Really Know What Happened?

59 min

Watergate is one of the biggest political scandals in U.S. history, but do you actually know what happened? This week we spill the story behind the Watergate break-in, the cover-up, and how it all led to the resignation of Richard Nixon. We also get into the wild side of the scandal, including the outspoken Martha Mitchell and the mysterious source known as Deep Throat. Lies, secret tapes, political drama, you're in for a wild ride. SOURCES:  Colodny, Len, and Robert Gettlin. Silent Coup: The Removal of a President. St. Martin's Press, 1991. Dwyre, Diana, and Robin Kolodny. "Corruption and Campaign Finance in the U.S." The Fundamentals of Campaign Finance in the U.S.: Why We Have the System We Have, University of Michigan Press, 2024, pp. 29–63. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.3998/mpub.9813302.8. Gormly, Kellie B. "Martha Mitchell Was the Brash 'Mouth of the South' That Roared." Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Apr. 2022, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/martha-mitchell-was-the-brash-mouth-of-the-south-that-roared-180979951/. HISTORY.com Editors. "Identity of 'Deep Throat,' Source Who Helped Unravel the Watergate Scandal, Is Revealed." History.com, 13 Nov. 2009, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/may-31/deep-throat-is-revealed. Lineberry, Cate. "Martha Mitchell: The Socialite Turned Watergate Whistleblower." History.com, 25 Apr. 2022, http://history.com/articles/martha-mitchell-watergate-kidnapping. Morgan, Ruth P. "Nixon, Watergate, and the Study of the Presidency." Presidential Studies Quarterly, vol. 26, no. 1, 1996, pp. 217–238. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/27551561. National Security Archive. "Six Things You Didn't Know About Watergate." nsarchive.gwu.edu, 27 May 2021, https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/briefing-book/2021-05-27/six-things-you-didnt-know-about-watergate. National Security Archive. "Haldeman Diary Transcript, April 29, 1973." nsarchive.gwu.edu, https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/document/21240-730429-haldeman-diary-transcript....

The Peaky Blinders Were Real? Everything You Need To Know

56 min

Even if you haven't seen the show (Kendyl hasn't), you're going to want to tune in to this one. This week we’re getting into the real history behind Peaky Blinders. Inspired by the hit series Peaky Blinders, we break down who the Peaky Blinders actually were, the true gang wars of early 1900s Birmingham, and the core figures who built the gang’s reputation long before TV dramatized it. We talk bad accents (ours included), the iconic outfits, what the show gets right (and wrong), and how much of the Shelby story is rooted in fact. If you’ve ever wondered about the real Peaky Blinders, their history, and the crime culture that inspired the series — this one’s for you. SOURCES Gooderson, Philip. The Gangs of Birmingham. Milo Books, 2010. Our History. "The Shocking History Behind the Real Peaky Blinders." YouTube, 25 Oct. 2025, www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUJibuwsImI. Sharpe, James. "Who Were the Real Peaky Blinders?" Smithsonian Magazine, www.smithsonianmag.com/history/who-were-real-peaky-blinders-180973328/. "The Real Peaky Blinders." FindMyPast, www.findmypast.com/blog/discoveries/real-peaky-blinders. West Midlands Police Museum. Criminal Records and Mugshots Collection. Birmingham, England. Wu, Yang. "Coal Resources Distribution and Its Influence on Industrial Development and Underground Water in UK." Journal of Coastal Research, vol. 94, 2019, pp. 97–101. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/26853258. Primary Sources: "Peaky Blinders Gang Activity." Birmingham Mail, 24 Mar. 1890. "Thomas Walters Criminal Record." Cheltenham Chronicle, 12 Jan. 1901. "Birmingham Gang." Warwick and Warwickshire Advertiser, 2 Nov. 1929. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

F*ck, Marry, Kill: Aqua Tofana, The Original Husband Poison

48 min

This week, we’re talking Giulia Tofana and the infamous Aqua Tofana — the legendary 17th-century poison rumored to be colorless, tasteless, and almost impossible to detect. We break down the history, the myths, and why this story still fascinates people today, especially its ties to women secretly poisoning abusive husbands in a time when divorce wasn’t an option. Plus, because it’s us, we’re playing F**k, Marry, Kill inspired by the episode. If you love dark history, true crime legends, and chaotic commentary, this one’s for you. SOURCES:  Griffiths, Arthur. “Female Criminals.” The North American Review 161, no. 465 (1895): 141–52. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25103561. Review of Inorganic Poisons, by Paul Dittrich, Franz Erben, and R. v. Jaksch. The British Medical Journal 2, no. 2556 (1909): 1802–3. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25289004. Johann Wilhelm Archenholz recounted the story of “Aqua Tofana” in his travel narrative England und Italien (1785) https://www.folger.edu/blogs/shakespeare-and-beyond/women-and-early-modern-poison/ Dash, Mike. “Aqua Tofana,” n.d. From the greater book “Toxicology in the Middle Ages and Renaissance” Ferraro, Joanne M. “The Power to Decide: Battered Wives in Early Modern Venice.”  Renaissance Quarterly 48, no. 3 (1995): 492–512. https://doi.org/10.2307/2862872. Monson, Craig A. The Black Widows of the Eternal City: The True Story of Rome’s Most  Infamous Poisoners. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2020. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Salem Witch Trials Debunked

1 hr 5 min

We're back with our MOST requested episode yet -- the Salem Witch Trials! Join us to hear us unpack the biggest misconceptions, implications, and causes of the witch hunts and trials that plagued Salem, Massachusetts between February 1692 – May 1693. We cover famous trials, shocking facts, and as always, one too many dirty jokes. SOURCES:  Deodat Lawson, A Brief and True Narrative of Some Remarkable Passages Relating to Sundry Persons Afflicted by Witchcraft, at Salem Village Which happened from the Nineteenth of March to the Fifth of April 1692 (Boston: Benjamin Harris, 1692), p. 9.Norton, Mary Beth. In the Devil's Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692. Alfred A. Knopf, 2002Georgescu, Sedona. Fear Thy Neighbor: Spatial Relations in 17th Century New England Witch-Hunt Trials. Documents, 2017. https://jstor.org/stable/community.34031178. https://doi.org/10.2307/362849.(A. Scott, personal communication, 2025) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We Thought the World Was Ending? Y2K Explained

51 min

Everyone jokes that Y2K was fake. It wasn’t. It was stopped. In this episode, we break down how a tiny design choice made decades earlier put banks, power grids, hospitals, air traffic control, and even nuclear systems on edge as the clock approached January 1, 2000. We explore why the Y2K bug was a real, systemic risk, how hundreds of billions of dollars and years of invisible labor quietly defused it, and why the absence of disaster became proof of success. Drawing on first-hand accounts (from Reddit, obviously) from the programmers who fixed the code and waited on call, we chat aboutY2K as a case study in technological dependence, mass anxiety, and what it actually looks like when prevention works. Sources: Scholarly + Academic / Research ReportsBosch, Olivia. “Expectations in 1999 of Potential Impact of Y2K.” In The Year 2000 Issue and Information Infrastructure Security. Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies, 2001. http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep20291.6.Bosch, Olivia. “Motivations for Dealing with Y2K.” In The Year 2000 Issue and Information Infrastructure Security. Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies, 2001. http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep20291.5.Bosch, Olivia. “What Happened?” In The Year 2000 Issue and Information Infrastructure Security. Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies, 2001. http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep20291.7.Garcia-Feijóo, Luis, and John R. Wingender. “Y2K: Myth or Reality?” Quarterly Journal of Business and Economics 46, no. 3 (2007): 27–44. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40473301.Romanosky, Sasha, and Jonathan W. Welburn. “Disclosure of Software Supply Chain Risks.” RAND Corporation, 2022. http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep41324.Knox, Hannah. “How the Climate Takes Shape.” In Thinking Like a Climate: Governing a City in Times of Environmental Change, 63–66. Duke University Press, 2020. https://doi.org/10.2307/jj.33610740.8.Journalism / Magazine / NewsKolker, Claudia. “Seeking Y2K Getaway, Some Head for the Hills, in Ozarks.” Los...

Shrooms, Rome, and Reddit: 10 Christmas Tradition Origins

51 min

Come with us on a holly jolly holiday episode on debunking 10 Christmas traditions and their origins. This episode is a little different, though -- you'll be in charge of guessing if each of the 20 traditions is "Real or Reddit." That's right, Kendyl did her trademark Reddit deep-dive to find 10 family traditions that'll keep you guessing if the origin is Pagan, Nordic, Victorian, or some plain and simple family creativity. We break down the origins of the Christmas Tree, Santa's appearance, why reindeer fly, Christmas cards, and more! Sources: Chastagner, Gary A., and D. Michael Benson. “The Christmas Tree: Traditions, Production, and Diseases.” Plant Health Progress, October 13, 2000.  https://doi.org/10.1094/PHP-2000-1013-01-RV . Eldridge, Adam, and Ilaria Pappalepore.  “Festive Space and Dream Worlds: Christmas in London.” In Destination London, 183–204. 2019. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctvhrd0t9.12 . HISTORY.com Editors.  “History of Christmas Trees.” History.com, November 28, 2023 (updated December 19, 2025). https://www.history.com/articles/history-of-christmas-trees . Miller, Daniel. \ “Christmas: An Anthropological Lens.” Hau 7, no. 3 (2017): 409–442. https://doi.org/10.14318/hau7.3.027 . Salazar-Porzio, Margaret. “Who Arrives on the  12th Day of Christmas? Three Wise Men, of Course.” National Museum of American History, January 6, 2014.  https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/stories/who-arrives-12th-day-christmas-three-wise-men-course . Wachelder, Joseph. “Toys, Christmas Gifts and Consumption Culture in  London’s Morning Chronicle, 1800–1827.” Icon 19 (2013): 13–32. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23788118 .  https://www.ffungi.org/blog/the-influence-of-hallucinogenic-mushrooms-on-christmas V&A. “Victorian Christmas Traditions.”  https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/victorian-christmas-traditions History.com Saturnalia:  https://www.history.com/articles/saturnalia Britannica Christmas:  https://www.britannica.com/topic/Christmas Massachusetts law banning Chr...

They Were the Richest People in the World, then the Murders Started: The Osage Nation

51 min

Imagine becoming the richest community in America overnight—only for people around you to start turning up dead. This episode uncovers the stunning rise of the Osage Nation during the Oklahoma oil boom: how they strategically secured “worthless” land that sat on massive oil reserves, built extraordinary wealth, and shaped a cultural renaissance that most history books barely mention. Then we get into the part everyone tried to hide—the guardianship scams, the coordinated theft, and the string of murders that became the Osage Reign of Terror. We untangle the schemes, the conspirators, and how the FBI used the case to craft its own origin story. A gripping, human look at power, brilliance, and the truth behind one of America’s darkest scandals.   Sources: https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/historic-preservation/osage-cultural-history https://www.phmc.state.pa.us/portal/communities/archaeology/native-american/early-middle-woodland-period.html https://biodiversity.ku.edu/archaeology/research/ancient-farming Mack, John. “OSAGE MISSION: THE STORY OF CATHOLIC MISSIONARY WORK IN SOUTHEAST KANSAS.” The Catholic Historical Review 96, no. 2 (2010): 262–81. http://www.jstor.org/stable/27806535. Christian, Allison B. “DIGGING DEEPER TO PROTECT TRIBAL PROPERTY INTERESTS: UNITED STATES v. OSAGE WIND, LLC.” American Indian Law Review 43, no. 2 (2018): 411–35. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26789486. Jean Dennison. “The Logic of Recognition: Debating Osage Nation Citizenship in the Twenty-First Century.” American Indian Quarterly 38, no. 1 (2014): 1–35. https://doi.org/10.5250/amerindiquar.38.1.0001. Bone, Corey. “Osage Oil.” The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. Oklahoma Historical Society. https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=OS006. Hunter, Andrea A., James Munkres, and Barker Fariss. Osage Nation NAGPRA Claim for Human Remains Removed from the Clarksville Mound Group (23PI6), Pike County, Missouri. Pawhuska, OK: Osage Nation Historic Preservati...

The Dancing Plagues - There Wasn't Just One...

58 min

In this episode, we get into the absolutely unhinged Dancing Plague of 1518 — the real moment when hundreds of people in Strasbourg danced for days, weeks, and sometimes literally to death. We look at the dance manias that came before, the political and religious chaos that had everyone on edge, and how it all escalated after Frau Troffea started dancing and just… didn’t stop. We break down the competing explanations of the time — curses, saints, divine punishment, choreomania, humors, ergot, even early “hysteria.” Then we connect it to now: what the dancing plague can teach us about mass psychogenic illness, social contagion, and the way behaviors go viral today, from TikTok tics to doomscrolling spirals. A weird, chaotic, and surprisingly relevant deep dive into one of history’s strangest events.   Sources: Andrews, Evan. “What Was the Dancing Plague of 1518?” History, August 31, 2015. Lapinskas, Vincas. “A Brief History of Ergotism: From St. Anthony’s Fire and St. Vitus’ Dance until Today.” Medicina Teorija ir Praktika, 2007. Miller, Lynneth J. “Divine Punishment or Disease? Medieval and Early Modern Approaches to the 1518 Strasbourg Dancing Plague.” Dance Research 35, no. 2 (2017): 149–164. Petlevski, Sibila. “Choreomanic NeuroDance and Its Aesthetics: Dance Research and Controversies Connected to Cognitive Neuroscience and Meme Theory.” In Taboo–Transgression–Transcendence in Art and Science, 650–674. Sweeney, John. “INFECTIOUS CONNECTIVITY: ILLUSTRATING THE THREE TOMORROWS.” In The Postnormal Times Reader, edited by Ziauddin Sardar, 137–58. Turner, Osie. The Dance Manias of the Middle Ages. The Forlorn Press, 2013. Waller, John. “A Forgotten Plague: Making Sense of Dancing Mania.” The Lancet 373, no. 9664 (2009): 624–625. Waller, John C. “In a Spin: The Mysterious Dancing Epidemic of 1518.” Endeavour 32, no. 3 (2008): 117–121. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Exotic Dancer Turned WWI Spy: Mata Hari

45 min

efore she became the most infamous “female spy” of World War I, Mata Hari was a Dutch dancer who turned her heartbreak and reinvention into performance art. Celebrated across Belle Époque Europe for her seductive “Eastern” dances, she embodied every fantasy — and every fear — men had about powerful women. When war broke out, that fantasy turned fatal. Accused of being a double agent, Mata Hari was tried, convicted, and executed for espionage — though the evidence was almost entirely fabricated. In this episode, we unravel how a woman who blurred the line between performance and identity became the perfect scapegoat for France’s paranoia. Was she a master spy, a myth, or just a woman ahead of her time?   Sources: Alfonso, Kristal L. M. “Introduction.” Femme Fatale: An Examination of the Role of Women in Combat and the Policy Implications for Future American Military Operations. Air University Press, 2009. http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep13932.6. Anderson, Jack, and Joseph Spear. “Mata Hari Was Framed, Files Show.” Washington Post, November 23, 1985. Central Intelligence Agency. https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP90-00965R000100120015-5.pdf. Andrews, Evan. “The Dancer Who Became WWI’s Most Notorious Spy.” History, August 5, 2016. https://www.history.com/articles/the-exotic-dancer-who-became-wwis-most-notorious-spy. “‘Mata Hari’ alias McLeod Margaretha Geertruida (Marguerite Gertrude): Executed by the French in 1917 for Accusations of Spying for Germany, KV 2/1, 1914–1924.” The National Archives (UK). https://cdn.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/filesonfilm/mata-hari-alias-mcleod-margaretha-geertruida-marguerite-gertrude-kv-2-1.pdf. Matano, Lisette. “Letters from Mata Hari.” Georgetown University Library, June 24, 2016. https://library.georgetown.edu/special-collections/manuscripts/letters-mata-hari. Myers, Alice. “France Executes Mata Hari.” EBSCO Research Starters, 2023. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/france-executes-mata-hari. Solly, Mei...

Abe Lincoln’s Ghost & White House Seances

39 min

Is Abraham Lincoln still haunting the halls of the White House?  This week on SPILLED., we’re talking presidential paranormal activity. He showed up in offices and bathrooms alike. Was Honest Abe trying to warn us… or just checking in on democracy? Join us as we unpack the ghostly lore surrounding Lincoln, the séances held in the White House, and why America’s most solemn president became its most famous spirit. Expect spooky history, dramatic retellings, and our completely unqualified theories. Tune in if you love ghost stories, U.S. history, or the weird overlap between politics and the paranormal. Sources: Bach, Jennifer L. “Acts of Remembrance: Mary Todd Lincoln and Her Husband’s Memory.” Journal of the Abraham Lincoln Association 25, no. 2 (2004): 25–49. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20149062. Baker, Jean H. Mary Todd Lincoln: A Biography. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1987. DJangi, Parissa. “Séances at the White House? Why These First Ladies Turned to the Occult.” National Geographic, April 24, 2024. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/seances-at-the-white-house. Kommel, Alexandra. “Séances in the Red Room: How Spiritualism Comforted the Nation during and after the Civil War.” White House History, April 24, 2019. https://www.whitehousehistory.org/seances-in-the-red-room. Moore, R. Laurence. “Spiritualism and Science: Reflections on the First Decade of the Spirit Rappings.” American Quarterly 24, no. 4 (1972): 474–500. https://doi.org/10.2307/2711685. Pimple, Kenneth D. “Ghosts, Spirits, and Scholars: The Origins of Modern Spiritualism.” In Out Of The Ordinary: Folklore and the Supernatural, edited by Barbara Walker, 75–89. University Press of Colorado, 1995. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt46nwn8.10. White House Historical Association. “White House Ghost Stories.” White House History. Accessed October 21, 2025. https://www.whitehousehistory.org/press-room/press-backgrounders/white-house-ghost-stories. “Last Hours Of Abraham Lincoln.” The British...

No Blood, No Sparkles — China’s Hopping Vampires

1 hr 1 min

A corpse that hops through the night in Qing dynasty robes—sounds fake, right? But the jiāngshī was once a very real fear. This week, we’re talking about China’s “hopping vampires,” and how they came from something way less supernatural: family obligations, burial delays, and the weird science of what happens to a body when you can’t lay it to rest. We get into corpse-walking rituals, qi-stealing, peachwood talismans, and why people started sleeping with mirrors by their beds. We also compare the jiāngshī to the Western vampire—because spoiler: they’re not drinking blood, and they’re definitely not hot. By the end, it’s not really a question of vampire or virus. It’s about what happens when death doesn’t go smoothly, and how communities turned anxiety into rules, rituals, and really good ghost stories.Works Cited Works Cited All About History Team. “Chinese Hopping Vampires: The Qing Dynasty Roots Behind the Jiangshi Legend.” All About History, 2 Dec. 2015, www.historyanswers.co.uk/ancient/two-new-bookazines-on-sale-today/. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025. Blair, John. Killing the Dead: Vampire Epidemics from Mesopotamia to the New World. Princeton University Press, 2025. https://doi.org/10.2307/jj.29075015. “Jiangshi: The Hopping Dead.” Fangoria, www.fangoria.com/jiangshi-the-hopping-dead/. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025. Francis, Sing-chen Lydia. “‘What Confucius Wouldn’t Talk About’: The Grotesque Body and Literati Identities in Yuan Mei’s ‘Zi Buyu.’” Chinese Literature: Essays, Articles, Reviews (CLEAR), vol. 24, 2002, pp. 129–60. https://doi.org/10.2307/823479. “[Google Books preview; book title unavailable].” Google Books, books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=xhJgEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA146. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025. Liu, Xiongfei, editor. “A Mystery in Western Hunan: Walking Corpse.” ChinaCulture.org, 5 Dec. 2011, en.chinaculture.org/chineseway/2011-12/05/content_426742.htm. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025. Louie, Kam, and Louise Edwards. “Introduction.” Censored by Confucius: Ghost Stories by...

How to Spot a Witch: The Origin of Witches, Witch Hunts, and…Demon Sex?

1 hr 16 min

Join Kendyl and Delaney as they explore the origins of witches and witch hunts across early modern Europe when bad weather, curdled milk, or a cranky neighbor could get you accused of serving the devil. We unpack what actually made someone a “witch,” who decided that, and how it all ties back to the social and religious stressors of the time. Plus: Kendyl buys a spell off Etsy (for science) and learns that modern witchcraft… may not come with a money-back guarantee.   Sources:  Primary / FoundationalThe Bible: Exodus 22:18; Deuteronomy 18:10–12; Leviticus 20:27; 1 Samuel 28 (Witch of Endor). Kramer (Institoris), Heinrich, and Jacob Sprenger. Malleus Maleficarum (1486). Boguet, Henri. Discours des sorciers (Lyon, 1610). Alice Kyteler case (Ireland, 1324) — as summarized in the packet. “Confession of Béatrice” — heretical/diabolic confession excerpts summarized in the packet. Suzanne Gaudry (France, 1652) — trial narrative summarized in the packet. Rebecca Lemp (Germany, 1590s) — coerced confession example summarized in the packet. Secondary / Scholarship & ReferenceBailey, Michael D. “The Meanings of Magic.” In Magic: The Basics, pp. 8–23. Abingdon & New York: Routledge, 2018. Behringer, Wolfgang. “Weather, Hunger and Fear: Origins of the European Witch-Hunts in Climate, Society and Mentality.” German History 13, no. 1 (1995): 1–27. Cole, Lucinda. “Rats, Witches, Miasma, and Early Modern Theories of Contagion.” In Imperfect Creatures: Vermin, Literature, and the Sciences of Life, 1600–1740, 24–48. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2016. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt1gk0873.5 Larsen, Aaron John Henry. “Darkest Forests and Highest Mountains: The Witches’ Sabbath and Landscapes of Fear in Early Modern Demonologies.” European Review of History 31, no. 1 (2023): 157–174. https://doi.org/10.1080/13507486.2023.2230591 Moore, R. I. The Formation of a Persecuting Society: Authority and Deviance in Western Europe, 950–1250. 2nd ed. Oxford: Blackwell. (esp. pp. 94–116 as...

Was Versailles Just Overcompensation? Insecurity, Bizarre Rules, and Freestyle Rapping

57 min

Versailles wasn’t just a palace — it was Louis XIV’s ego on display. In this episode, we break down how the Sun King’s insecurity complex shaped court life, from the bizarre rituals around his daily routine to the rules designed to keep everyone competing for his attention. We also trace how these traditions turned Versailles into the most theatrical (and exhausting) place on earth. We also may or may not try to freestyle rap, so stick around till the end.   Sources: Heltzel, Virgil B. “The Rules of Civility (1671) and Its French Source.” Modern Language Notes, vol. 43, no. 1, 1928, pp. 17–22. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/2914493. Accessed 15 Sept. 2025. “Versailles and the Royal Court.” Palace of Versailles, en.chateauversailles.fr/discover/resources/versailles-and-royal-court. Accessed 15 Sept. 2025. Château de Versailles. “History.” Palace of Versailles: Discover History. Accessed 16 Sept. 2025. https://en.chateauversailles.fr/discover/history Château de Versailles. “Courtiers — Key Dates.” https://en.chateauversailles.fr/discover/history/key-dates/courtiers Kronenberger, Louis. “Saint-Simon, Chronicler of Versailles.” The Kenyon Review, vol. 31, no. 2, 1969, pp. 237–54. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/4334896. Accessed 16 Sept. 2025. Kettering, Sharon. “Brokerage at the Court of Louis XIV.” The Historical Journal 36, no. 1 (1993): 69–87. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/2639516. “Anne of Austria.” EBSCO Research Starters. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/anne-austria (JSTOR) Stable ID: https://www.jstor.org/stable/3257484 “The Frustrations of Being the Spare: Second Sons in the French Monarchy.” (JSTOR Stable ID: jj.1640541.12) https://www.jstor.org/stable/jj.1640541.12 Jenner, Greg. “Versailles: A Guide to Its Historical Accuracy.” BBC Two, May 2016. Accessed 13 Sept. 2025. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5jPx75byxj2rptb50s5y5nC/versailles-a-guide-to-its-historical-accuracy The Kings of France. “Versailles ‒ How to Behave at Vers...

Confessions of the Castrated Choir Boys

56 min

This week we’re diving into the castrati, the choirboys who paid the ultimate price to hit the high notes. We cover how the church justified it, what actually went down in the procedure (spoiler: it’s grim), and why these singers were so popular. Of course, we can’t resist the scandals, the bedroom rumors, and all the messy ways castrati blurred gender and power. As always, there are way too many ball jokes and questionable accents, yet a surprising number of parallels to modern pop stars.   Sources: Jenkins, John S. “Mozart and the Castrati.” The Musical Times, vol. 151, no. 1913, Winter 2010, pp. 55–68.   Jenkins, John S. "The Lost Voice: A History of the Castrato." Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism, vol. 13, no. 6 (suppl.), February 2000, pp. 1503–1508. Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism. DOI: 10.1515/jpem-2000-s625.   Melicow, M. M. “Castrati Singers and the Lost ‘Cords.’” Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine, vol. 59, no. 8, Oct. 1983, pp. 744–764.   Mount, H. “Treble Voices in English Choral Tradition.” Music & Letters, 1976.   Rosselli, John. “The Castrati as a Professional Group and a Social Phenomenon, 1550–1850.” Acta Musicologica, vol. 60, no. 2, May–Aug. 1988, pp. 143–179.   Sherr, Richard. “Guglielmo Gonzaga and the Castrati.” Renaissance Quarterly, vol. 33, 1980, pp. 33–56.   Taylor, Aaron. The Reception of the Castrati in Early-Eighteenth-Century London. Undergraduate dissertation, University of Bristol, 2013.   Lanzillotta, Lee. “What a Queer Institution Was the Castrati.” The Gay & Lesbian Review, July–Aug. 2024 issue, 1 July 2024, glreview.org/article/what-a-queer-institution-was-the-castrati/.    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Should Men Farm and Women Fight? The Dahomey Amazon Warriors

50 min

This week we’re talking about the Dahomey Amazons, the all-women military force from West Africa who had European colonizers absolutely terrified. We get into how their story has been twisted over time, what they tell us about gender roles, and why African history deserves way more credit than it usually gets. Along the way there are plenty of side tangents, questionable sex jokes, and a few moments that would definitely get us banned from giving guided tours at any respectable museum.   Sources:  Baëta, C. G. “Review: Olodumare: God in Yoruba Belief by E. Bolaji Idowu.” The Journal of African History, vol. 4, no. 1 (1963), pp. 134–135. Law, Robin. “The ‘Amazons’ of Dahomey.” Paideuma, vol. 39 (1993), pp. 245–260. Alpern, Stanley B. “On the Origins of the Amazons of Dahomey.” History in Africa, vol. 25 (1998), pp. 9–25. Yoder, John C. “Fly and Elephant Parties: Political Polarization in Dahomey, 1840–1870.” The Journal of African History, vol. 18, no. 1 (1977), pp. 65–90. Forbes, Frederick E. Dahomey and the Dahomans. 2 vols., London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, 1851. Burton, Richard F. A Mission to Gelele, King of Dahome. 2 vols., London: Tinsley Brothers, 1864. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Was Ben Franklin a Zaddy?

51 min

Before he was flying kites in storms or posing on the $100 bill, young Benjamin Franklin was stirring trouble—and hearts. In this episode, we sift through the flirtatious, scandalous, and occasionally eyebrow-raising side of America’s favorite Founding Father: from the cheeky Silence Dogood letters that charmed colonial Boston, to fathering a child out of wedlock, to his rumored Parisian romance with Madame Brillon. We’ll also unpack his essay “Fart Proudly” (yes, really) and his infamously unfiltered advice on choosing a mistress. Was Franklin a true 18th-century heartthrob or just history’s most charismatic chaos agent? Let’s gossip.   Sources: "1776–1783: Diplomacy of the American Revolution." Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State, 1997–2001 archive. Diplomacy is Our Mission, U.S. State Dept., https://1997-2001.state.gov/about_state/history/time1.html. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025. “Fighting for Independence: An Alliance with France.” Diplomacy Is Our Mission, U.S. State Department, https://diplomacy.state.gov/online-exhibits/diplomacy-is-our-mission/security/fighting-for-independence-an-alliance-with-france/. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.   “Benjamin Franklin in France.” The Americas, Cambridge University Press.   Boyd, Julian P. The Papers of Benjamin Franklin. Vol. 6, Yale University Press, 1963. JSTOR.   “Divided Loyalties: Benjamin and William Franklin.” Monticello, 21 Mar. 2021, www.monticello.org/research-education/blog/divided-loyalties-benjamin-and-william-franklin/. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.   Copeland, Thomas W. “Franklin’s Mistress Letter: Satire or Sincerity?” The William and Mary Quarterly, vol. 28, no. 3, July 1971, pp. 421–437. JSTOR.   “Enlightenment Irony and Satirical Ethics.” American Quarterly, vol. 29, no. 1, Spring 1977, pp. 45–63. JSTOR.   “Fart Proudly.” Eighteenth-Century Studies, vol. 9, no. 2, Winter 1975, pp. 190–200. JSTOR.   Franklin, Benjamin. “Letter from Benjamin Franklin to a Royal Academy About Farting (1781).” Teaching American Histo...

The Truth Behind (some) Catholic Virgin Saints

53 min

What do a beheaded music lover, a teenage runaway, a dragon-slayer, and a girl who just wanted to stay single have in common? They all became virgin saints — whether they asked for it or not. In this episode, we unravel the lives (and afterlives) of St. Agnes of Rome, St. Cecilia, St. Margaret of Antioch, and St. Margaret of Cortona — four women whose stories were polished, rebranded, and passed down as holy templates of purity and pain. There’s a lot of uncomfortable questions about control — especially over young women’s bodies, choices, and legacies. These weren’t passive martyrs - they were messy, complicated figures whose real power may have been in how inconvenient they were. This week, we’re peeling back the gold leaf to ask: Who gets remembered as a saint — and what did it cost them?   Sources:  Elliott, Dyan. “The Bride of Christ and the Milk of the Virgin: An Example of Marginalia as a Source for Women’s History.” Signs, vol. 14, no. 2, 1989, pp. 252–268. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/3174397. Bitel, Lisa M. “Body of a Saint, Story of a Saint: Creating a Sacred Past.” History of Religions, vol. 30, no. 2, 1990, pp. 116–140. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/1062951. Lochrie, Karma. “Between Women: Imagining.” GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies, vol. 4, no. 4, 1998, pp. 523–556. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/41678197. Hollywood, Amy. “Virginity and the Invention of Heterosexuality.” Journal of the History of Sexuality, vol. 10, no. 1, 2001, pp. 1–32. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/3704550. Petroff, Elizabeth Alvilda. “Women and Mysticism.” Mysticism and Spirituality, vol. 1, 1986, pp. 113–135. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/40339263. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Dark Lady of Doona: Ireland's Pirate Queen

46 min

In this episode, we dive into the legend and legacy of Ireland’s Pirate Queen: from her wild childhood as “Grace the Bald” to the rumors she gave birth on a ship and went back to battle within the hour. We chart her rise through maritime conquests, clan warfare, and a jaw-dropping face-to-face with the English queen herself. Along the way, we unpack the geopolitical tug-of-war between England and Ireland, and how Grace used her femininity—not in spite of it—as a strategic force in a man’s world.       Sources:  Chambers, Anne. Granuaile: The Life and Times of Grace O'Malley. Gill & Macmillan, 2003. Knox, H. T. “Grace O’Malley.” Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society, vol. 4, no. 2, 1905, pp. 65–72. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/44973429. Accessed 25 June 2025. Maguire, Conor. “Grace O’Malley: The Queen of the West.” Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review, vol. 32, no. 126, 1943, pp. 225–30. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/30100558. Accessed 25 June 2025. Ohlmeyer, Jane H. Making Ireland English: The Irish Aristocracy in the Seventeenth Century. Yale University Press, 2012. Chambers, Anne. Granuaile: Ireland’s Pirate Queen. Gill Books, 2003. Canny, Nicholas. Making Ireland British, 1580–1650. Oxford University Press, 2001. McNeill, Mary. Grania: She-King of the Irish Seas. Irish University Press, 1972. O’Dowd, Mary. A History of Women in Ireland, 1500–1800. Pearson Education, 2005. Staton, Tracy. “Grace O’Malley: The Pirate Queen of Ireland.” Rebel Women, 1998.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before Cleopatra: The Woman Who Ran Rome (and Antony)

42 min

You know Cleopatra—the scandal, the eyeliner, the drama. But before she stepped onto the scene with Marc Antony, there was Fulvia: a Roman powerhouse, political strategist, and all-around boss. In this episode, we dig into the story of the woman who didn’t just love Antony—she leveraged him. From leading armies to stirring up civil war, Fulvia was making major moves long before Cleopatra made headlines. Let’s give credit where it's very overdue.   Episode 1 Sources:  Appian. The Civil Wars. Translated by Horace White, Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press, 1913. Asconius. Commentary on Cicero’s Speeches. Translated by R.G. Lewis, Clarendon Press, 1990. Babcock, Charles L. “The Early Career of Fulvia.” The American Journal of Philology, vol. 86, no. 1, 1965, pp. 1–32. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/292619. Accessed 29 May 2025. Cassius Dio. Roman History. Vol. 5, Book 48, translated by Earnest Cary, Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press, 1916. Cicero, Marcus Tullius. The Philippics of Cicero. Translated by W. C. A. Ker, Harvard University Press, 1926. Huzar, Eleanor G. “Mark Antony: Marriages vs. Careers.” The Classical Journal, vol. 81, no. 2, 1985, pp. 97–111. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/3296739. Accessed 29 May 2025. Levick, Barbara. Women in Roman Politics. Historical Review Publications, vol. 78, 2000, pp. 35–48. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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