Episodes

  • Royals who Died of Bubonic Plague

    Royals who Died of Bubonic Plague
    Sep 8 2026
    As the great pestilence burned across central Asia, north Africa and Europe, roughly 100 million people lost their lives in the worst pandemic in human history. More than half of the populations of Florence, Paris and London fell victim. We will never know the names of most of the poor souls who met their end in mass graves. But perhaps the best way to put a human face on this apocalyptic event is to explore the lives of those victims for whom we do have carefully kept records - the Royals. Today let’s meet 21 Kings, Queens and Princes who where cut out of history by the scythe of the black death, and the many outbreaks of plague that followed. And see how their sudden deaths changed the course of history. Abu Sa’id Bahadur Khan, Mongul Sultan Joan of England, daughter of Edward III Blanche of Lancaster Edward of Angoulême, Son of Edward the Black Prince Anne of Bohemia, Queen of England Gruffudd ap Owain George Plantagenet, Duke of Bedford, Future Prince of Wales Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond Joan II, Queen of Navarre Jeanne of Burgundy, Queen of France Bonne of Luxembourg Eleanor of Portugal, Queen of Aragon Alfonso XI, King of Castile Philippa of Lancaster, Queen of Portugal Duarte, King of Portugal Ludovico, King of Sicily Luigi I , king of Naples Maria I, Queen of Sicily Erik Magnuson, King of Sweden Beatrix of Bavaria, Queen of Sweden Margrethe I of Denmark Music: Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saëns, Public Domain, Performed 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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    30 mins
  • A History of Bubonic Plague | The Black Death & Quarantining with The Decameron

    A History of Bubonic Plague | The Black Death & Quarantining with The Decameron
    Sep 1 2026
    “How many valiant men, how many fair ladies, how many sprightly youths, … breakfasted in the morning with their kinsfolk, comrades and friends, and that same night supped with their ancestors in the other world.” Giovanni Boccaccio, The Decameron Between 1346 and 1353 a horrifying pestilence burned across Central Asia, North Africa and Europe. The infected, covered in bubos and burning with fever, died in agony, with no family left to care for them or priest to pray for their souls. In some areas 50% of the population was wiped out, leaving whole villages deserted with no one to bury the dead. Those who were lucky enough to be healthy, and have the means to do so, escaped disease riddled cities for the fresh, miasma-free air of the countryside. In the midst of this horror, Florentine Giovanni Boccaccio, wrote his seminal work, The Decameron, about 10 young people who flee the plague for a lavish, sexy Tuscan Villa vacation and to hopefully not die. This medieval masterpiece has recently been turned into a darkly hilarious Netflix series, which further explores the class and gender dynamics of the 14th century in a way that anyone who recently lived through a world-wide pandemic can relate to. Today lets explore the history and science behind the Black death; the plague pandemics that came before and after it, and find out if this horrendous disease is still a risk today. Plus we’ll find out what the Decameron has to say about life, love, sex, and surviving the plague in 1348 and today. Music: Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saëns, Public Domain, Performed 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
  • Lady Godiva, Medieval Nude Equestrian

    Lady Godiva, Medieval Nude Equestrian
    Aug 25 2026
    Lovers of folklore and Chocolate will have heard of the famous Lady Godiva, who rode her horse naked through the streets of Coventry with only her golden hair to preserve her modesty. And of peeping Tom, the only man in the town who dared to gaze upon her birthday suit and was struck blind for his sin. But did Lady Godiva actually exist? And did she really take her famed bare-back canter? Let’s travel back to Anglo Saxon England and meet the real Lady Godiva... Music: Folk Round 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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    29 mins
  • Anne Boleyn's Sister & Brother

    Anne Boleyn's Sister & Brother
    Aug 18 2026
    Anne Boleyn is one of the most famous women in history. Her meteoric rise from minor noble to Queen of England, and even swifter downfall to the block in the tower of London is the stuff of legend and the focus of too many novels and dramas to count. But there are two important characters in Anne’s story who don’t get as much attention. Her older sister Mary was King Henry’s mistress first, and bore him two children. And her younger brother George also had an impressive rise at court, which was cut short when he was accused of incest with Anne and lost his head 2 days before her. I’m at Hever Castle just south of London where the Boleyn siblings lived for much of their childhood. Let’s explore the castle and get to know more about the Queen Anne’s childhood, and the lives of her fascinating and tragic sister and brother, Mary Boleyn and George Boleyn. Music: Journey in the New World by Twin Musicom 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
  • 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