Jane Digby (1807-1881) was an English aristocrat, who lived a life filled with adventure and scandal, mostly on her own terms. She had four husbands and many lovers, many of whom were royalty and nobility. Her divorce and infidelity shocked polite society and rendered her an outcast. In the deserts of Syria, she explored ancient ruins and fell in love with Bedouin life. She married Sheikh Medjuel el Mezrab, who remained her husband until death.
For Further Reading:
- Jane Digby el-Mezrab: from ballroom conquests to bedouin camps | The Royal Scottish Geographical Society
- A Scandalous Life: The Biography of Jane Digby
- Around the World in 80 Days | Who is Jane Digby? | Masterpiece | PBS
- The Heart Is an Impetuous Traveler - The New York Times
This month, we're diving into the "Divas" of history, examining how the label has been used from many angles, whether describing women pejoratively... or with admiration.
History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.
Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more. Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures.
Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Lindsey Kratochwill, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, Paloma Moreno Jimenez, Luci Jones, Abbey Delk, Hannah Bottum, Adrien Behn, Alyia Yates, and Vanessa Handy. Special thanks to Shira Atkins. Original theme music composed by Miles Moran.
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