The History Chicks

When we last left the Grand Duchess Catherine, she was feeling alone, unloved and unnecessary. She had just given birth and the child, Paul, heir to the Russian Empire, was ripped from her arms to be raised by Empress Elizabeth. Not cool, Elizabeth, not cool at all.

Mary Queen of Scots got off to a good start: she was wearing the crown early and upgraded it at a young age (under the watchful eye of many an interested party),  but once she started making decisions for herself? Ah, that's when her life took dramatic twists and turns that ultimately took the crown off her head. Actually, those decisions got her whole head taken off, but let's start at the beginning, shall we?

Jackie Kennedy changed the cultural outlook of the United States during her brief role as First Lady.

We begin our second season with a woman whose life will take us two episodes to discuss. She wasn’t just black dresses, and talking about herself in the third person, you know! She led a very colorful and unique life!

The post Episode 43: Elizabeth I, Part One appeared first on The History Chicks.

The listeners have spoken! Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, was the winner in our Guaranteed Content Poll - and in this episode, we take our innocent German princess from obscurity onto the world stage. 

Channel your inner pioneer. Think tall plains grasses, humble and hardworking people who knew what it meant to carve a life out of the rugged terrain. The woman we talk about this week is remembered for romanticizing her childhood and for sporting a really, sweet bonnet. But her reality was more gritty.

Katherine of Aragon appeared first on The History Chicks.

Puppet? Manipulating social climber? Misunderstood? Deeply in love? However you see her, the fact remains that a king abdicated his throne, defied his family and lived in exile to marry twice divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson. 

The Romanovs (Part 1) appeared first on The History Chicks.

The Winchester Mystery House has intrigued us for almost a century. Its story has always been a dramatic one, full of ghosts, guns, and desperation - but perhaps there is a simpler explanation buried within the life of Sarah Winchester herself.

Charlotte Brontë didn't let her circumstances and the discouragement of others stand in the way of her goal of becoming a published author; she got knocked down over and over before she was able to present the world with one of the most beloved heroines in literary history.

The post Episode 46 : Cleopatra appeared first on The History Chicks.

How much of the New Orleans Voodoo Queen's legend is myth? (Hint: A lot)

She was the Queen of France, the Queen of England, the mother of royalty, gave us a long life of ruling to talk about, and she was the winner of our last Guaranteed Content Poll. Excellent choice!

The post Episode 44: Queen Elizabeth I, Part 2 appeared first on The History Chicks.

Even though her life was a short one, Anne Frank's account of her turbulent times has provided inspiration for millions of people all over the world.

One of the world's most prolific serial killers... basically lives up to the hype. The only thing we can clear her of is her gruesome bathing practices!

Joan of Arc, Jeannette, Jean, The Maid, La Pucelle, Hero, Heretic, Visionary, Lunatic…that’s a lot of names and titles for a teenage girl who is remembered for events from only a short period of her life.

Lucille Ball had a long climb up (and down) before she made history when I love Lucy debuted in 1951, and we cover those struggles and successes in this episode.