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  • The marriage certificate that made his claim - and cost Ottokar his empire

    The marriage certificate that made his claim - and cost Ottokar his empire
    2026/09/02
    A second son, destined for the church, unexpectedly inherits a throne and builds a vast central European empire. But his legal calculations and ambition may be his undoing.

    The marriage certificate that made his claim - and cost Ottokar his empire

    This episode explores the rise of Přemysl Ottokar II, King of Bohemia, who built an unprecedented empire across central Europe. It delves into the legal and political maneuvers that propelled him to power, and questions whether his very greatness led to his downfall.

    Date: August 26, 1278
    Location: Marchfeld plain, Lower Austria
    Person: Přemysl Ottokar II
    Event: Battle and death of Ottokar II

    - Ottokar II, born a second son, was educated for the church, learning administration and legal reasoning.
    - His elder brother's death in 1247 unexpectedly made Ottokar Margrave of Moravia at age 14.
    - In 1248, Ottokar rebelled against his father, was excommunicated, captured, and imprisoned.
    - In 1251, the Austrian nobility invited the 18-year-old Ottokar to become Duke of Austria after the Babenberg dynasty died out.
    - Ottokar married Margaret of Babenberg, sister of the last duke, to convert his governorship into a hereditary right.

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    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    19 分
  • A homemade crown was his only sovereign relic

    A homemade crown was his only sovereign relic
    2026/09/02
    A dead man in an El Paso hotel with only a homemade crown-how did a self‑proclaimed prince try to build a country from nothing?

    A homemade crown was his only sovereign relic

    This episode explores the life of James Aloysius Harden-Hickey, a Saint-Cyr graduate, baron, and novelist, who ended up alone in a hotel room with a homemade crown. What led a man of such credentials to this strange ascent and descent?

    Person: James Aloysius Harden-Hickey
    Date: February 9, 1898
    Location: El Paso, Texas
    Status: Deceased
    Topic: Attempted nation-building

    - James Harden-Hickey graduated from Saint-Cyr, a demanding French military academy, with high marks in 1875.
    - He launched an anti-republican newspaper in Paris called Triboulet in 1878, which led to at least twelve documented duels.
    - He published eleven novels under the pen name Saint Patrice, a nod to his Irish roots.
    - Harden-Hickey renounced Catholicism, studied Buddhism and Theosophy, and traveled to India, learning Sanskrit.
    - In 1891, he married Annie Harper Flagler, whose father was Henry Flagler, a partner of Andrew Carnegie.

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    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    19 分
  • The name Ismail that gathered men and then lost an empire

    The name Ismail that gathered men and then lost an empire
    2026/09/02
    A man claiming to be a dead Safavid Shah gathers followers in the Ottoman Empire. Can a name alone challenge an empire?

    The name Ismail that gathered men and then lost an empire

    This episode explores the story of a man who declared himself Shah Ismail the Second, a ruler believed to be dead, and the Ottoman Empire's response to this extraordinary claim. What made a dead king's name so powerful that it could rally a following and mobilize an empire?

    Person: Shah Ismail the Second (pretender)
    Date: August 12, 1578
    Location: Elbistan, Ottoman Empire
    Topic: Safavid succession crisis

    - An Ottoman clerk meticulously documented a man claiming to be the deceased Shah Ismail the Second, noting details like his blond hair and Persian language.
    - The real Shah Ismail the Second had died the previous year, leaving the Safavid empire in turmoil and without a clear successor.
    - The pretender, identified as belonging to the Sham Bayadi Turkmen, first declared himself Shah Ismail the Second in the Emik plains during the winter of 1577.
    - By spring 1578, he was gathering support from various Turkmen communities at seasonal assemblies in Yeni-Il.
    - The Ottoman Empire mobilized four commanders to intercept a man with 181 mounted followers, indicating the perceived threat of his claim.

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    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    17 分
  • A single word erased a saint's memory for centuries

    A single word erased a saint's memory for centuries
    2026/09/02
    A prolific theologian in third-century Rome vanishes from history. How did a man of such extraordinary output become a forgotten saint?

    A single word erased a saint's memory for centuries

    This episode explores the institutional forgetting of Hippolytus of Rome, a figure whose extensive writings and contested leadership within the early Western church led to centuries of misidentification. What does his story reveal about the fragility of historical memory?

    Person: Hippolytus of Rome
    Period: 199 to 235 CE
    Location: Rome, Sardinia
    Event: Persecution by Emperor Maximinus Thrax
    Status: First antipope in church history

    - Hippolytus was born around 165 CE in Rome, a city transitioning to Latin, yet he wrote exclusively in Greek.
    - He was active across the pontificates of four successive popes: Zephyrinus, Callixtus I, Urban I, and Pontian.
    - He accused Pope Zephyrinus of modalism and Callixtus I of extending absolution for adultery.
    - Hippolytus allowed himself to be elected rival bishop of Rome, becoming the first antipope.
    - In 235 CE, Emperor Maximinus Thrax arrested both Hippolytus and Pope Pontian, deporting them to the mines of Sardinia.

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    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    18 分
  • The Jacobite Claim That Stranded a King Without a Crown

    The Jacobite Claim That Stranded a King Without a Crown
    2026/09/02
    In 1944 a woman and her children board a Sachsenhausen transport under a single name - Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria. Who is she?

    The Jacobite Claim That Stranded a King Without a Crown

    This episode explores the life of Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria, a man caught between the collapse of his dynasty, a world war, and a despised regime. It delves into the qualities that made him exceptional yet left him stranded, and what was truly lost in his story.

    Person: Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria
    Date: October 1944
    Location: Sachsenhausen camp, Florence, Munich
    Topic: Jacobite claim

    - Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria was the heir to 738 years of Wittelsbach rule and a legitimate Jacobite claimant to the thrones of England, Scotland, and Ireland.
    - In October 1944, his wife and six children were taken to Sachsenhausen camp due to his name, while he was in Florence, having already lost his house in 1939.
    - Rupprecht foresaw Germany's complete defeat by May 1943, a judgment that proved correct but did not alter his personal circumstances.
    - He inherited the Jacobite claim in February 1919, upon his mother's death, but privately acknowledged it and discouraged public assertion.
    - Rupprecht's meticulous nature and refusal to compromise his judgment, while making him a good general, proved to be a liability for political survival.

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    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    18 分
  • The telegrams that pulled a prince from his British life

    The telegrams that pulled a prince from his British life
    2026/09/02
    A British prince, grandson of Queen Victoria, is groomed by a Kaiser and stripped of his titles. How did this royal fall from grace?

    The telegrams that pulled a prince from his British life

    This episode explores the life of Charles Edward, a British prince by birth who became a German duke. It delves into the choices he made and the forces that shaped his transformation from a British royal to a figure associated with a dangerous political movement.

    Person: Charles Edward
    Date: 1953
    Location: Coburg, Germany
    Status: Minor Nazi follower
    Event: Coronation of Queen Elizabeth

    - Charles Edward was born a British prince, a grandson of Queen Victoria, and a future duke.
    - At 14, he was chosen to become the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, moving to Germany and undergoing a Prussian military education.
    - Kaiser Wilhelm II orchestrated his education, military service, and marriage, shaping his adult life.
    - By 1905, he was the reigning Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, governing a small German state.
    - In 1914, while in Oxford, Charles Edward received telegrams about the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and returned to Germany.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    20 分
  • A broken neck on a beach undid a kingdom's secure future

    A broken neck on a beach undid a kingdom's secure future
    2026/09/02
    A seven-year-old queen, the Maid of Norway, dies on a remote island-will her death plunge medieval Europe into chaos?

    A broken neck on a beach undid a kingdom's secure future

    This episode explores the life of Margaret, the Maid of Norway, a child queen whose brief existence was shaped by political machinations and tragic loss. It delves into the circumstances that led to her unexpected inheritance and the profound impact her death had on the future of Scotland.

    Person: Margaret, Maid of Norway
    Date: Autumn 1290
    Location: Bergen, Norway
    Event: Death of a child queen
    Topic: Scottish succession crisis

    - King Alexander III of Scotland, a successful ruler, lost all three of his children within four years, leaving his dynasty vulnerable.
    - Eight days after his last son's burial, Scottish nobles swore an oath to recognize infant Margaret of Norway as heir to the throne.
    - Margaret was born in Norway, her mother dying in childbirth, and was raised by Bishop Narve of Bergen, not in a royal court.
    - A deception in her parents' marriage treaty meant Margaret had no claim to the Norwegian throne, making her solely a political tool for Scotland.
    - King Alexander III died in 1286 after a fall from his horse on a stormy night, leaving a seven-month-old Margaret as the undeniable heir presumptive to Scotland.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    17 分
  • The Dowry That Paid His Debts, But Cost His Empire

    The Dowry That Paid His Debts, But Cost His Empire
    2026/09/02
    Frederick III, Europe's most powerful ruler, is forced to flee his capital and loses a leg. How did the Holy Roman Emperor fall so far?

    The Dowry That Paid His Debts, But Cost His Empire

    This episode explores the early life and reign of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor, from his challenging inheritance to his eventual coronation. It examines how a man who wanted to conquer the world ended up a refugee in his own empire.

    Person: Frederick III
    Date: June 8, 1493
    Location: Linz
    Status: Holy Roman Emperor
    Topic: Amputation

    - Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor for 53 years, had his gangrenous left leg amputated in a provincial castle.
    - As a child, Frederick inherited the title of Duke of Inner Austria but was blocked from exercising full authority over his lands until he was nearly twenty.
    - The court humanist Enea Silvio Piccolomini described Frederick as wanting to conquer the world "while remaining seated."
    - In 1440, at age twenty-four, Frederick was unanimously chosen as King of the Romans by the Frankfurt electors.
    - Frederick adopted the mysterious motto A.E.I.O.U., which he stamped on all his possessions, reportedly meaning "All the world is subject to Austria."

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    19 分