CLASSIC: A Dead Pope Goes To Court

For well over a century, schoolchildren across the United States learned the story of John Henry. According to the legend, John was a formerly enslaved man who found work with a railroad after the Civil War. Widely known as the best steel driver in the area, John wins a Phyrric v ...  Show more

While often forgotten by the global West, the Ottoman Empire was an absolute superpower in its heyday. As the Empire expanded across three separate continents, they also practiced mass enslavement -- and used it to power their army. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore t ...  Show more

In this 2011 episode, prior hosts Sarah and Deblina cover Pope Stephen VI having his deceased predecessor Formosus exhumed and put on trial in 897. The corpse was found guilty, but this desecration disgusted Romans and made them rebel. Learn more about your ad-choices at https:// ...  Show more

Today, Vatican City is known as an elegant seat of divine power and prestige. But the centuries-long history of the Vatican is marked by bloodshed, corruption — and more secrets than the Church would like to admit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoi ...  Show more

Sex, scandal and ... the Sacraments? Renaissance Rome wasn't for the faint hearted. And the Vatican? For some that was the source of the drama.In this episode, Kate is joined by Catherine Fletcher to meet one of the Vatican's randiest residents - Pope Alexander VI. From saucy par ...  Show more

Now wearing the papal tiara, Pope Alexander VI was determined to root out the corruption that had plagued Rome and the Vatican. But as his papacy continued, rumors began to spread that the Spanish pope was guilty of his own corruption, murder, and incest. Learn more about your ad ...  Show more