Noble Blood
iHeartPodcasts and Grim & Mild
Author Dana Schwartz explores the stories of some of history’s most fascinating royals: the tyrants and the tragic, the murderers and the murdered, and everyone in between. Because when you’re wearing a crown, mistakes often mean blood.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jun 6, 2023 • 29min
The Chevalier de Saint-Georges, Excellent or Nothing
In the late 1700s, one man became a celebrated fixture of Parisian salon culture: he was a prodigy fencer, and then a brilliant composer and violinists. He befriended Marie Antoinette and lead one of the city's most famous orchestras. And he was the son of an enslaved woman, fighting against the stigma of his skin color in a world where it made him hyper-visible but didn't let him be truly seen. Support Noble Blood: — Bonus episodes, stickers, and scripts on Patreon — Merch! — Order Dana's book, 'Anatomy: A Love Story' and its sequel 'Immortality: A Love Story'See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 30, 2023 • 34min
The Woman Who Wrote Fairy Tales
When it comes to fairy tales, most people know Charrles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm. Fewer know of Madame d'Aulnoy, whose own life of murder and political inrigues inspired the stories where love is hard won and happiness is harder when the parties are human. Support Noble Blood: — Bonus episodes, stickers, and scripts on Patreon — Merch! — Order Dana's Book 'Anatomy: A Love Story' and its sequel 'Immortality: A Love Story'See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 23, 2023 • 31min
Through the Eyes of La Castiglione
More than a hundred years before the selfie became commonplace, a woman in France used photographs to immortalize her favorite subject: herself. But as she aged, she became a lighting rod for our cultural conversation about growing old and the power of beauty. Support Noble Blood: — Bonus episodes, stickers, and scripts on Patreon — Merch! — Order Dana's book, 'Anatomy: A Love Story' and its sequel 'Immortality: A Love Story' See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 16, 2023 • 46min
The Pretty Prime Minister (with Jennifer Wright)
TW: This episode contains discussions of violence towards children that might be disturbing for some listeners. For decades, one woman was the heart and soul of Versailles: Madame de Pompadour. Dana speaks with Jennifer Wright (author of Madame Restell) about the courtier's rise to the King's Mistress and her strengths as a diplomat and great party guest. Support Noble Blood: — Bonus episodes, stickers, and scripts on Patreon — Merch! — Order Dana's book, 'Anatomy: A Love Story' and its sequel 'Immortality: A Love Story'See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 9, 2023 • 30min
The Party to End Nicolas Fouquet's Career
In August 1661, the superintendent of finance in France threw the party of the century. In September, he was arrested. The lesson: don't fly too close to the sun (king). Support Noble Blood: — Bonus episodes, stickers, and scripts on Patreon — Merch! — Order Dana's book, 'Anatomy: A Love Story' and its sequel 'Immortality: A Love Story'See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 2, 2023 • 40min
The Self-Reported Life of the Sham Prince
In the aftermath of World War I, aristocratic Germans were clinging to whatever sense of identity and social structure they could. They relished the opportunity to parade around with the deposed Prince Wilhelm, delighted to become his friend and shower him with gifts. The only problem? Their new friends wasn't Prince Wilhelm. It was a nobody named Harry Domela who was all too happy to make a new name for himself.Support Noble Blood:— Bonus episodes, stickers, and scripts on Patreon— Merch!— Order Dana's book 'Anatomy: A Love Story' and its sequel 'Immortality: A Love StorySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 25, 2023 • 35min
The Resurrection of the Parking Lot King
After the Battle of Bosworth Field, Henry Tudor became King Henry VII. But what happened to the king he replaced, King Richard III? Well, we weren't quite sure. Not until 2012, when a group of archeologists galvanized by an amateur named Philippa Langley made a momentous discovery in a Leicester parking lot. Support Noble Blood: — Bonus episodes, stickers, and scripts on Patreon — Merch! — Order Dana's book, 'Anatomy: A Love Story' and its sequel 'Immortality: A Love Story'See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 18, 2023 • 43min
Lucy Walter's Lover and Child
Before he was King Charles II, Charles was a prince in exile. His relationship with a young woman named Lucy Walter and their subsequent child would have ripple effects through English history. Support Noble Blood: — Bonus episodes, stickers, and scripts on Patreon — Merch! — Order Dana's book, 'Anatomy: A Love Story' and its sequel 'Immortality: A Love Story'See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 11, 2023 • 31min
"And Historians Will Call Them..."
Isabella of Parma had a fairy tale wedding to Joseph, the son of Empress Maria Theresa of Austria. But he wasn't the great love of her life: his sister was. Support Noble Blood: — Bonus episodes, stickers, and scripts on Patreon — Merch! — Order Dana's book, 'Anatomy: A Love Story' and its sequel 'Immortality: A Love Story'See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 4, 2023 • 31min
Pope Pius the Silent
For centuries, historians have debated the legacy of Pope Pius XII. Did he prudently avoid angering fascists, or did he stand by silently while atrocities against the Jewish people were occurring all over Europe, and right outside his window? Support Noble Blood: — Bonus episodes, stickers, and scripts on Patreon — Merch! — Order Dana's book, 'Anatomy: A Love Story' and its sequel 'Immortality: A Love Story' See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
