Noble Blood

When the Shah of the Safavid empire died in 1576, three of his sons would eventually become Shah. But the real power behind the scenes was their sister, Pari Khan Khanum, a brilliant strategist and political thinker who maintained control of the kingdom until it led to her tragic death...

In 1600, Guaman Poma began writing what would become a nearly 1,200-page open letter to King Philip III of Spain. Part history, part social critique, it's an illustrated depiction of Inca life and culture that was lost to history for 300 years, until it was rediscovered by accident.

Support Noble Blood:

— Bonus episodes, stickers, and scripts on Patreon

— Merch!

— Order Dana's book, Anatomy: A Love Story

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information...

Sophia Dorothea of Celle was forced to marry a cousin she loathed. Stuck alone in restrictive Hanoverian court, her one happiness was the affair she began with a dashing visiting Count. But royal affairs almost always lead to tragedy, and though her husband's position in the courts of Europe would continue to rise, Sophia Dorothea would suffer only tragedy...

Margaret Whigham Sweeney Campbell was the most notorious tabloid figure of her day. Her divorce from Ian Campbell, Duke of Argyll, would be the longest and costliest divorce in British history until that point, and would help usher in the all-too-modern tabloid trend of tearing scandalized women apart.

Listen to Margaret, Duchess of Argyll - In Her Own Words (BBC Archive) for more...

In the 14th century, Jeanne de Clisson's husband was accused of being a traitor and beheaded by the king of France. In response, Jeanne decided to get her revenge.

Support Noble Blood:

— Bonus episodes and scripts on Patreon

— Merch!

— Order Dana's book, Anatomy: A Love Story

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The day began with an explosion, and it ended in death, and it changed the course of history forever.

Support Noble Blood:

— Bonus episodes and scripts on Patreon

— Merch!

— Order Dana's book, Anatomy: A Love Story

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Franz Ferdinand (the Archduke, not the band) is a central figure in the history of Europe, known the world over for being the target of the assassination that ignited World War I. But before his death, he was a shy, reluctant and awkward boy who was never meant to be the heir to an Empire, who fell in love with a woman he wasn't allowed to marry...

Dan Jones is a historian, television presenter, the author of a dozen books of history and the upcoming novel ESSEX DOGS. We chat about medieval history, the truth behind Arthurian legends, and castles, in honor of Noble Blood's 75th episode!

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The rumors about Rasputin—the mad monk who treated the hemophilia of the Tsar and Tsarina's only son—range from comical to absurd. But the truth is buried somewhere beneath, in a story about power and manipulation.

Support Noble Blood:

— Bonus episodes and scripts on Patreon

— Merch!

— Order Dana's book, Anatomy: A Love Story

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cleopatra is famous in popular culture for being one of history's greatest beauties. But her true political savvy and the real story behind her death are more interesting than any caricature. Support Noble Blood: — Bonus episodes and scripts on Patreon — Merch! — Order Dana's book, Anatomy: A Love Story See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.