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Listener Q&A

FromFootnoting History

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46 minutes

Released:

Jul 2, 2022

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Podcast episode

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(Christine and Kristin) You asked, we answered! Join Footnoting History's producers for our first-ever episode entirely dedicated to answering your questions about everything and anything related to history and our show.

Released:

Jul 2, 2022

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

Footnoting History is a bi-weekly podcast series dedicated to overlooked, popularly unknown, and exciting stories plucked from the footnotes of history. For further reading suggestions, information about our hosts, our complete episode archive, and more visit us at FootnotingHistory.com!

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Zombies in Thietmar of Merseburg: (Lucy) Why did commoners and kings in eleventh-century Germany keep seeing dead people? Why did a bunch of animated corpses decide to burn a priest alive? And why did a busy bishop write all this down? by Footnoting History
9 min listen
Lepers and Leprosy in the 13th Century: (Lucy) Reactions to medieval lepers were often extreme. Medieval romance-writers depict them as not only disease-ridden but filthy, and morally suspect to boot. Saints, on the other hand, ran around kissing them. More ordinary people just asked lepers to by Footnoting History
12 min listen
Occupy Alcatraz: Protesting Native American Autonomy: (Lesley) As an imposing fortress, Alcatraz island isolated inmates and imprisoned the most dangerous criminals like mob boss Al Capone. Yet after its closure in 1963, Alcatraz became the scene of occupying Freedom as Native Americans tried to take back la by Footnoting History
11 min listen
Special Edition: Olaudah Equiano: (Nathan and Elizabeth) Join us for a discussion of one of the most well-known narratives of slavery used by the British Abolitionist cause in the 18th century. We examine what it reveals about identity and race in the time period but also tackle the issue by Footnoting History
18 min listen
Cruel Mind and Deadly Malice: A Murder in Early Modern England: (Lesley) Imagine hiring a man to kill off your enemy... and then pleading a defense that would allow you to walk out free. This week, we'll trace the story of a neighborly feud in Tudor England that left one man dead and an unbalanced man free, if not for by Footnoting History
10 min listen
Heresy and You: Alice Rowley and Lollardy: (Kirsti) Some people just get all the luck. Others, like poor Alice Rowley of Coventry, just can’t seem to catch a break. Join us as we explore Alice’s dedication to the Lollard community and what that meant for her in court! by Footnoting History
14 min listen
Henry II and the Invasion of Ireland: (Christine) The English and the Irish have been fighting (and singing) about hating one another) for as long as both sides can remember, but what brought the English to Ireland in the first place? What did the English king, Henry II, have to do with it? A by Footnoting History
10 min listen
The Mau Mau Insurgency: (Samantha) In June 2013 the British government agreed to pay approximately £20 million in reparations to individuals tortured during the Mau Mau emergency in Kenya in the 1950s. But who were the Mau Mau? What was the emergency? And why do the British feel by Footnoting History
16 min listen
Viking Invasions and St. Edmund's Talking Head: (Nicole) In 870 A.D.,  Edmund, the king of East Anglia, was killed by a Viking army. Discover how this event was transformed from a battle between two armies into the story of a Christian martyrdom. by Footnoting History
9 min listen
Drinking in Medieval England: (Samantha) Do you like to drink? Well, so did people in the Middle Ages.  Tune in to learn about what people were drinking and about the culture associated with booze 700 years ago. by Footnoting History
15 min listen
Running in the Ancient Olympic Games: (Esther) How did the Greeks monitor foot races during the ancient Olympic games without technologies such as Timex watches and slow-motion cameras? They certainly weren't worried about doping, but there were other ways runners could gain unfair advan by Footnoting History
12 min listen
Getting Skinny: A Brief History of Dieting: (Samantha) From WeightWatchers to the Atkins Diet to the Lemon Detox, Americans are obsessed with using diet to control our weight. But we’re not the first ones to be concerned with our body mass, to experiment with dieting, and to come up with some reall by Footnoting History
14 min listen
Prehistoric Runners and the 'Fall' of the Neanderthals: (Esther) Did you know that our homo sapien ancestors were altogether skinnier, weaker and dumber than our fellow hominid relatives, the Neanderthals? Some scientists theorize that it was running that saved us from extinction. by Footnoting History
14 min listen
The French Revolution Countdown (Part I): (Nathan and Christine) From Marie Antoinette's fake peasant village to Robespierre's botched suicide, the French Revolution is full of fascinating stories that are often omitted from textbooks. Join Nathan and Christine for Part I of a two-part count by Footnoting History
27 min listen
Science, Plague, and Pericles: Reconstructing the Face of Myrtis: (Kirsti) In 430 BCE, a plague swept through ancient Athens, killing thousands. It eventually claimed even the great Pericles. But what was it? In 1994, a group of historians and scientists banded together to find out, starting with the skull of one little by Footnoting History
9 min listen
Reformation Propaganda: (Nicole)  Most people think of modern campaigns, such as propaganda posters during World War I, when they hear the word 'propaganda'. But did you know that during the Reformation Protestants and Catholics alike used images in their own propaganda cam by Footnoting History
9 min listen
The Several Defenestrations of Prague: (Kirsti) The people of Prague have a unique approach to the resolution of religious and political arguments: throwing the opposition out of windows! Listen as we explore this odd tradition throughout history, starting in 1419 and continuing to 1948. by Footnoting History
11 min listen
Hernán Cortés and the Conquest of Mexico: (John) How did Hernán Cortés and his “300” soldiers topple the Aztecs? What motivated these conquistadores, and what legal justifications did they use to legitimize this conquest? Find the answer to these questions and more as we explore the clashing by Footnoting History
8 min listen
Why Simon de Montfort is in the U.S. House of Representatives: (Christine) His father was a major player in the Albigensian crusade but when was the last time you heard about the man who led a rebellion against King Henry III and became the father of the modern parliament? It's time to fix that. by Footnoting History
13 min listen
Napoleon, Part I: The Man: (Nathan and Christine) It's Bastille Day weekend so we make a return to France for today's topic.  In the third installment of our Revolutionary France series, we'll talk about the scandals, intrigues, and tragedies of Napoleon and his inner circle. by Footnoting History
44 min listen
Tulipmania!: (Nathan) In the 1630s, the tiny-but-wealthy Netherlands were gripped by a frenzy of public trading in tulip bulbs.  At the height of the craze, a single bulb could sell for a small fortune.  What caused this "tulip mania" and how did it all come by Footnoting History
17 min listen
The French Revolution Countdown (Part II): (Nathan and Christine) Picking up where they left off at the end of Part I, Nathan and Christine tackle actors' rights and changing fashions while wondering if anyone truly understood the Republican Calendar. Join them as they conclude the countdown of th by Footnoting History
32 min listen
Cheating on Jesus: Bigamy in the Medieval Catholic Priesthood: (Christine) How could a priest in medieval England, who was single at the time of his ordination, be guilty of bigamy? Can a person actually cheat on Jesus? Join us today as we discuss the ins and outs of this curious clause of canon law and how it brough by Footnoting History
12 min listen
Goethe's Werther and the Suicide Effect: (Elizabeth) Forget Nirvana or James Dean! Back in the 19th century, every angsty teen had one idol: Werther--and they would do anything to be like him ... anything. by Footnoting History
7 min listen
Mozart's Zombie, the Runaway Priest, and the Emperor's Opera: (Lucy) In Don Giovanni, Wolfgang Amadeus and Lorenzo da Ponte created opera's most famous antihero. Find out how Mozart and Da Ponte were influenced by the philosophical ideas and social concerns of their day in forging a tale of class conflict and l by Footnoting History
16 min listen
Special Edition: Royal Baby Names: (Elizabeth and Christine) The Kingdom of Great Britain is celebrating today because the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have welcomed their first child, a son! In this special edition of Footnoting History, we discuss the history of royal baby names in by Footnoting History
20 min listen
Edward Gibbon Wakefield, Part II: Australia and New Zealand: (Christine and Elizabeth) In Part II of the life of Edward Gibbon Wakefield, we follow him as he leaves prison, picks up his pen, and chases a new goal: revolutionizing British systems of colonization. Did people listen to a convicted felon? Were his drea by Footnoting History
32 min listen
Queer Women in the Golden Age of Mysteries: (Lucy and Elizabeth) From the early to mid-twentieth century, queens of crime Sayers, Christie, Marsh, and Wentworth reigned supreme over British detective fiction. Their works not only reveal whodunit but give insight into how queer women lived in and we by Footnoting History
24 min listen
The Strategic Failure of the Habsburg Chin: (Kirsti) What’s the best approach to consolidating power and land within your family? The ambitious Habsburgs achieved greatness through marrying close relations—surely a sound policy that could have no consequences at all! This week we’ll talk about love by Footnoting History
11 min listen
Entertainment in Medieval Towns: (Christine) Whether they got a day off from working at their trade or had so much money they could pay people to entertain them, everyone within the town walls wanted to have a little fun. Listen today to find out what occupants of medieval European towns by Footnoting History
12 min listen

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Murder and the Mignonette: (Host: Christine) In 1884, a yacht called Mignonette left England for Australia but never reached its destination. After it was lost, those aboard were adrift at sea for weeks, resorting to desperate measures for survival. Here, Christine covers the... by Footnoting History
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Leo Frank and the Murder of Mary Phagan: (Christine) In 1913, Leo Frank was arrested for the murder of 13-year-old Mary Phagan in Atlanta, Georgia. Two years later, he, too, was dead. In this episode, Christine explores the complicated case and its perhaps unexpected musical theatre legacy. by Footnoting History
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Titus Oates, a Popish Plot, and the Mysterious Murder of Sir Edmund Berry Godfrey: (Samantha) In the summer of 1678 a defrocked preacher named Titus Oates claimed to have knowledge of a Catholic plot to kill King Charles II and to replace him with his crypto-Catholic brother. At first the story gained no traction, reported as it wa... by Footnoting History
20 min listen
A Royal Son: Geoffrey, duke of Brittany: (Host: Christine) Of the four sons of King Henry II of England and Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine who lived to adulthood, only one was never called king. In this episode we look at the life of Geoffrey, duke of Brittany, including why he has a reputation... by Footnoting History
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True Crime on Stage in Shakespeare’s England: (Lucy and Rachel) In the often-chaotic society of sixteenth-century England, many people enthusiastically consumed true crime narratives in songs, news, and theater plays. Then as now, true crime narratives often centered on community crime-solving a... by Footnoting History
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Wyatt Earp and a Heavyweight Fix: (Josh) In 1896, retired from his life in the so-called "Wild West," Wyatt Earp was asked to referee a boxing match. But not just any boxing match - a bout that would determine the new heavyweight champion. Two legendary boxers, Bob Fitzsimmons and To... by Footnoting History
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William Mumler and Spirit Photography in the 19th century: (Kristin) The 19th-century was on the cutting edge of some new technology and a new religious movement, and they intersected in some interesting – and surprising – ways. Find out how spirit photography became A Thing and how William Mumler “captured”... by Footnoting History
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SPECIAL EDITION: The Stone of Destiny and the Crowning of Kings: (Samantha) During his coronation ceremony Charles III will sit on a chair built by Edward I over 725 years ago to house the Stone of Destiny (also called the Stone of Scone), that he had recently stolen from the Scots. Tune in today to learn more abo... by Footnoting History
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The Public Arch: (Josh) While one of the safest cities in the United States today, El Paso, Texas was one of America's most dangerous cities in the 1880s. Run by gunslingers, gambling brokers, and brothel madams, the city often descended into significant bouts of vio... by Footnoting History
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The Newsies Strike of 1899: (Christine) In the summer of 1899, young New York newspaper sellers took a stand against publishing magnates Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst. In this episode, Christine looks at the causes, events, and outcome of the strike, as well as ho... by Footnoting History
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Margaret Eaton and the Petticoat Affair: (Christine) In January of 1829, a widow named Margaret O'Neale Timberlake married John Eaton, a United States Senator with his star on the rise. Inspired by the suggestion of a Footnoting History listener, Christine uses this episode to dive into the... by Footnoting History
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1288: A Moment in Norwich: (Samantha) Often it is hard to get any sense of what life was like in the past. This week, Sam will take you into the Norwich Leet Roll of 1288. This local court record that listed fines for everyday transgressions provides unique insights to the liv... by Footnoting History
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Listener Q&A

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Titles in the series (100)

More Episodes from Footnoting History

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