Episodes

  • Royal DNA Test - What is the Genetic Heritage of the Monarchs of Europe? 2/2

    Royal DNA Test - What is the Genetic Heritage of the Monarchs of Europe? 2/2
    Aug 11 2026
    What’s more British than the British royal family? More Spanish than the Spanish Monarchs? More Norse than the King of Norway? Well, a lot of things actually. In fact, nearly all of the 10 remaining hereditary monarchs of Europe have more German DNA than they do local. For centuries, royals almost exclusively married other, foreign royals. They rarely mixed their blue blood with people native to the Kingdoms they ruled over. What’s more, when dynasties died out (often from excessive inbreeding) foreign royal houses put their own seconds sons on the throne, establishing new, entirely alien dynasties. Modern royal families try to brand themselves as throughly native and in touch with the common people. And if they ever spit into a test tube and sent it off for a DNA test, they would probably never publish the results. But, by looking back at their family trees, we can get a pretty good idea of their heritage. Last week we explore the heritage of the reigning families of Belgium, Denmark Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco and Norway. Today we’ll analyze the DNA of the Dutch, Spanish, Swedish and British royal families. Plus we’ll compare them all to see which modern monarchy has the most local DNA; and find out why the royals of Europe are all so German. Royal family of The Netherlands - Dutch royal family Royal family of Spain - Spanish Royal family Royal family of Sweden - Swedish royal family Royal family of The United Kingdom - British Royal family Why are the royals so German? Which royal families are the most German? Which royal families are the most local? Music: Brandenburg Concerto No4-1 BWV1049 - Classical Whimsical by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100303 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ Join me every Tuesday when I'm Spilling the Tea on History! Check out my Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/lindsayholiday Please consider supporting me at https://www.patreon.com/LindsayHoliday and help me make more fascinating episodes! Intro Music: Baroque Coffee House by Doug Maxwell #HistoryTeaTime #LindsayHoliday Please contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    31 mins
  • Royal DNA Test - What is the Genetic Heritage of the Monarchs of Europe? 1/2

    Royal DNA Test - What is the Genetic Heritage of the Monarchs of Europe? 1/2
    Aug 4 2026
    What’s more British than the British royal family? More Spanish than the Spanish Monarchs? More Norse than the King of Norway? Well, a lot of things actually. In fact, nearly all of the 10 remaining hereditary monarchs of Europe have more German DNA than they do local. For centuries, royals almost exclusively married other, foreign royals. They rarely mixed their blue blood with people native to the Kingdoms they ruled over. What’s more, when dynasties died out (often from excessive inbreeding) foreign royal houses put their own seconds sons on the throne, establishing new, entirely alien dynasties. Modern royal families try to brand themselves as throughly native and in touch with the common people. And if they ever spit into a test tube and sent it off for a DNA test, they would probably never publish the results. But, by looking back at their family trees, we can get a pretty good idea of their heritage. So let’s find out just when and how the Swedish got so French, the Dutch got Argentinian, and everyone got so German! Royal family of Belgium Royal family of Denmark Princely family of Liechtenstein Grand Ducal family of Luxembourg Princely family of Monaco Royal family of Norway Please consider supporting me at https://www.patreon.com/LindsayHoliday Music: Brandenburg Concerto No4-1 BWV1049 - Classical Whimsical by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100303 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ Join me every Tuesday when I'm Spilling the Tea on History! Check out my Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/lindsayholiday Please consider supporting me at https://www.patreon.com/LindsayHoliday and help me make more fascinating episodes! Intro Music: Baroque Coffee House by Doug Maxwell #HistoryTeaTime #LindsayHoliday Please contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    30 mins
  • Börte, Genghis Khan’s Beloved Empress

    Börte, Genghis Khan’s Beloved Empress
    Jul 28 2026
    Genghis Khan is famous for launching the conquest of the largest contiguous empire the world has ever seen. And for fathering enough children that today nearly every person of Asian decent carries his DNA. But he might not have done any of it if not for the love he bore one incredible woman, his Empress, Borte. The couple started their story as a great romance. As it evolved into a saga of war, conquest, and politics, Borte was by her husband’s side, ruling in his stead and influencing trade and diplomacy across the Empire. She doesn’t even seem to have minded his many other, lesser wives, who we will also meet today. Let’s get to know the great Mongol Empress, Borte. Please consider supporting me at https://www.patreon.com/LindsayHoliday Sources: Favereau, Marie. The Horde: How the Mongols Changed the World. Harvard University Press, 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%B6rte Illustrations from: https://avid-archer.com/borte-empress-of-mongolia-wife-of-genghis-khan/ Music: Lau Tzu Ehru by Doug Maxwell Join me every Tuesday when I'm Spilling the Tea on History! Check out my Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/lindsayholiday Please consider supporting me at https://www.patreon.com/LindsayHoliday and help me make more fascinating episodes! Intro Music: Baroque Coffee House by Doug Maxwell #HistoryTeaTime #LindsayHoliday Please contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    32 mins
  • 10 Historic Royal Thrones from Around the World

    10 Historic Royal Thrones from Around the World
    Jul 21 2026
    If you want to be a monarch, you need three things: ultimate power over your domain, a brilliant gold crown to impress the peasantry, and the best seat in the palace. The idea of giving the most important person in a given space a special place to sit is near-universal. Many ancient civilizations placed their rulers, priests and gods on thrones. They became so synonymous with royalty that “the throne” is a byword for monarchy itself. Let’s take a closer look at 10 fabulous royal thrones from history. I’ve selected this list based on their fame, historic importance, beauty, and their fascinating stories. They span the globe and history. So find a comfortable seat, as we examine where ancient and modern monarchs rested their behinds. 1. Throne of Knossos, 1400s BCE 2. Golden Throne of Tutankhamun, 1323 BCE 3. Throne of Charlemagne, 790s 4. Chair of Saint Peter, 875 5. St. Edward’s Chair, 1296 6. Throne of Montezuma, 1507 7. Peacock Throne of the Mugal Empire, 1635 8. Coronation Chair of Denmark, 1662 9. Golden Stool of the Asante, 1701 10. Chrysanthemum Throne of Japan, 1912 Join me every Tuesday when I'm Spilling the Tea on History! Check out my Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/lindsayholiday Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091781568503 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyteatimelindsayholiday/ Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@historyteatime Please consider supporting me at https://www.patreon.com/LindsayHoliday and help me make more fascinating episodes! Intro Music: Baroque Coffee House by Doug Maxwell Music: Belissimo by Doug Maxwell #HistoryTeaTime #LindsayHoliday Please contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    32 mins
  • 10 Historic Royal Crowns from Around the World

    10 Historic Royal Crowns from Around the World
    Jul 14 2026
    The Crown. The very symbols of power, wealth, majesty and royalty. It was a shining signal to the mud-caked peasantry that here was a person who was above them and blessed from above. You can’t be the King without the Bling. Let’s take a closer look at 10 incredible crowns from history. I’ve selected this list based on their fame, historic importance, beauty, and their fascinating stories, like the power to kill Nazis. They span the globe and history, so let’s begin with the ancient diadems and work out way to the modern, eye-popping crown jewels. The Iron Crown of Lombardy, 300s (Italy) The Gold crowns of Silla, 400-600s (Korea) The Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire, 962 The Crown of St. Wenceslas of Bohemia, 1346 The Imperial Crown of Russia, 1762 The Great Crown of Victory, 1782 (Thailand) The Kiani Crown of Iran, 1796 The Crown of Napoleon , 1804 (France) The Shripech Crown of Napal The Imperial State Crown of the United Kingdom, 1937 Join me every Tuesday when I'm Spilling the Tea on History! Check out my Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/lindsayholiday Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091781568503 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyteatimelindsayholiday/ Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@historyteatime Please consider supporting me at https://www.patreon.com/LindsayHoliday and help me make more fascinating episodes! Intro Music: Baroque Coffee House by Doug Maxwell Music: Belissimo by Doug Maxwell #HistoryTeaTime #LindsayHoliday Please contact ⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    32 mins
  • Kings & Queens of Scotland 5/5: House of Stuart takes England (1567–1707)

    Kings & Queens of Scotland 5/5: House of Stuart takes England (1567–1707)
    Jul 7 2026
    In the final episode, we’ll find out what happened with the Kings of Scotland inherited the throne of England. And learn what the Scots thought of the English chopping off one King’s head, exiled another, and finally invited a German to take the throne. James VI of Scotland & I of England Charles I Charles II James VII of Scotland & II of England Mary II & William II Anne Music: "Angevin - Thatched Villagers" by Kevin MacLeod Join me every Tuesday when I'm Spilling the Tea on History! Check out my Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/lindsayholiday Please consider supporting me at https://www.patreon.com/LindsayHoliday and help me make more fascinating episodes! Intro Music: Baroque Coffee House by Doug Maxwell #HistoryTeaTime #LindsayHoliday Please contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    31 mins
  • Kings & Queens of Scotland 4/5: House of Stewart (1437–1567)

    Kings & Queens of Scotland 4/5: House of Stewart (1437–1567)
    Jun 30 2026
    Join me on a historic tour of Scotland, May 15th-21st, 2024: https://trovatrip.com/trip/europe/united-kingdom/united-kingdom-with-lindsay-holiday-may-2024 You can see the whole series now at: https://www.patreon.com/LindsayHoliday In this episode we’ll met more Stuarts monarchs, one who inspired the Red wedding Scene in Game of Thrones, another who’s vendetta against his uncle, Henry VIII cost him his life, and Mary Queen of Scots, who plotted to assassinate her cousin, Elizabeth I and lost her head for it. James II James III James IV James V Mary, Queen of Scots Music: "Angevin - Thatched Villagers" by Kevin MacLeod Join me every Tuesday when I'm Spilling the Tea on History! Check out my Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/lindsayholiday Please consider supporting me at https://www.patreon.com/LindsayHoliday and help me make more fascinating episodes! Intro Music: Baroque Coffee House by Doug Maxwell #HistoryTeaTime #LindsayHoliday Please contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    32 mins
  • Kings & Queens of Scotland 3/5: Wars of Independence (1286-1437)

    Kings & Queens of Scotland 3/5: Wars of Independence (1286-1437)
    Jun 23 2026
    In this episode we’ll see Scotland go through it’s most tumultuous century, beginning with it’s first, tragic Queen Regnant; though the Wars of independence, where we’ll learn what Braveheart and Outlaw King got right and wrong about William Wallace and Robert the Bruce, ending up with the accession of the Stewart Dynasty, who would rule Scotland for 300 years. Margaret “Maid of Norway” John Balliol Robert I “Robert the Bruce” David II Robert II “the Stewart” Robert III “the Lame” James I Music: "Angevin - Thatched Villagers" by Kevin MacLeod Join me every Tuesday when I'm Spilling the Tea on History! Check out my Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/lindsayholiday Please consider supporting me at https://www.patreon.com/LindsayHoliday and help me make more fascinating episodes! Intro Music: Baroque Coffee House by Doug Maxwell #HistoryTeaTime #LindsayHoliday Please contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    32 mins