The Darkives: Serious history. Told not so seriously

Poison. Alcohol. Exposure. And somehow… he just kept going.This week, Jamie and Leo head to Prohibition era New York to tell the unbelievable story of Michael Malloy, better known as “Iron Mike.”In the early 1930s, a group of men came up with what they thought was a simple plan: take out a down-on-his-luck bar regular, collect on a life insurance policy, and split the payout. What followed was a series of increasingly desperate (and increasingly ridiculous) attempts to make that plan work.Drink after drink. Toxic cocktails. Freezing nights left out in the cold. Even food that absolutely should have done the job.And somehow… it didn’t.How did Michael Malloy survive so many attempts on his life? And how does a story this bizarre actually end?Find out in this episode of The Darkives.Serious history. Told not so seriously.Email us: [email protected] us on- instagramEnjoy the show? Consider leaving a rating and a comment or share us to a fellow history lover.Sources:irishcentral.comsmithsonianmag.comTheme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

This week, Jamie and Leo head to London to explore the long and unsettling history of Bethlem Royal Hospital, better known as “Bedlam.”Originally founded as a place of care, Bethlem one of the most infamous institutions in history. Over the centuries, it moved locations, and developed a reputation for conditions that were as chaotic as the name it inspired. Reports of neglect, public viewing of patients, and questionable treatments turned the hospital into something far darker than its original purpose.But the story doesn’t end there.Figures like William Battie and competing institutions started challenging the way patients were treated, pushing for reform and a more humane approach to care.How did Bethlem become “Bedlam”? What were conditions actually like inside its walls?Find out with us this week on The Darkives.Serious history. Told not so seriously.Email us: [email protected] us on- instagramEnjoy the show? Consider leaving a rating and a comment or share us to a fellow history lover.Sources:historicengland.orghistoryextra.commuseumofthemind.orgmuseumofthemind.org2historicengland.org2bbc.comqmro.qmul.ac.uklatimes.commuseumofthemind.org3museumofthemind.org4Theme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

This week on The Darkives, we have a whale of a tale. Let's sail out to sea in 1819 aboard the whaling ship Essex, a voyage that would turn into one of the most unbelievable survival stories in history.When a massive sperm whale attacked and sank the ship, the crew was left stranded in the open ocean with only three small boats and barely enough supplies to survive.What followed was a series of desperate decisions... Drinking seawater, choosing whether to stay on a remote island or risk the open ocean, and eventually, facing choices no one ever thinks they’ll have to make.We get into what really happened after the Essex went down, how the crew tried to survive against impossible odds, and how this story would go on to inspire Moby-Dick.This isn’t just a shipwreck story… it’s what happens when survival pushes people past their limits.So how did it all go so wrong? And what do you do when there are no good options left?Serious history. Told not so seriously.Enjoying the show? Leave us a rating/comment or share us to a fellow history lover.Email us: [email protected] us on- instagramSources:https://www.britannica.com/topic/Essex-whaling-shiphttps://www.americanheritage.com/essex-disasterhttps://www.gutenberg.org/files/61931/61931-h/61931-h.htmhttps://www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/history-whalinghttps://essex.nha.org/the-whaleship-essex/https://essex.nha.org/the-aftermath/Theme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

This week on The Darkives, we’re digging into one of the strangest rivalries in scientific history… and yeah, it gets way more chaotic than you’d expect.In the late 1800s, two paleontologists, Edward Drinker Cope and Othniel Charles Marsh, basically went to war over dinosaur bones. What started as competition quickly turned into full-on sabotage; stolen fossils, destroyed evidence, and some very public attempts to ruin each other’s careers.And the wild part? This wasn’t happening in secret. The feud played out in newspapers, in the field, and across the growing world of American science… dragging in other figures like Joseph Leidy, who at one point just wanted no part of the chaos.We get into how this rivalry started, how bad it actually got, and how two brilliant scientists managed to push dinosaur discovery forward while also actively making each other’s lives worse.Because somehow, in the middle of all this pettiness… they helped shape everything we know about dinosaurs today.Serious history. Told not so seriouslyEmail us: [email protected] us on- instagramSources:ebsco.compbs.orgebsco.com 2coloradoencyclopedia.orgebsco.com 3paconservationheritage.orgarchives.upenn.eduTheme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

A city of gold. A ritual in a sacred lake. And a legend that refused to die.This week, Jamie and Leo head deep into South America to unravel the story of El Dorado. The myth of “the gilded one" and the enduring mystery of the Lost City of Z.The legend begins with indigenous rituals at Lake Guatavita, where stories of gold-covered rulers and offerings sparked centuries of obsession. What followed was a wave of expeditions into the jungle, each one chasing a fortune that may have never existed.Among them was Gonzalo Pizarro, whose spectacular journey through the jungle gave the Amazon it's name. Years later, Sir Walter Raleigh helped fuel the legend while chasing it himself. Then there was Percy Fawcett, whose final expedition into the jungle became one of history’s most famous unsolved disappearances.As the story unfolds, the line between myth and reality starts to blur.Was El Dorado ever a real place? What actually happened to Percy Fawcett when he vanished into the Amazon?Sit down with us as we pull another file from The Darkives.Serious history. Told not so seriously.Email us: [email protected] us on- instagramSources:forbes.comnewspapers.combritannica.comlivescience.comnationalgeographic.comnationalgeographic.com 2history.compenn.museumhistoryextra.comTheme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

Hollywood has always had secrets.This week on The Darkives, we step into the golden age of film, where the studios didn’t just make stars… they controlled the narrative. At the center of it all was Edgar “Eddie” Mannix, the powerful MGM general manager whose real job wasn’t just running a studio… it was making problems disappear.Alongside publicist Howard Strickling, Mannix became Hollywood’s ultimate fixer, quietly handling scandals that could have destroyed careers and exposed the industry’s darker side.We get into Mannix’s rise at MGM, the system that gave him that kind of power, and the stories that still raise questions decades later. Stories like the death of George Reeves, the fallout surrounding Thelma Todd, the hidden pregnancy of Loretta Young, and the disturbing Patricia Douglas case.And then there are rumors like Nils Asther’s career troubles, and Joan Crawford’s alleged stag film, rumors that never quite went away.How much of this was damage control… and how much was something darker? And how far will the movie industry go to protect an image?This is the story of Eddie Mannix and the version of Hollywood the studios didn’t want you to see.Serious history. Told not so seriously.Email us: [email protected] us on- instagramSources:theshot.comgrunge.comutterlyinteresting.comharlemworldmagazine.comgoldenglobes.com1900scrime.comatlasobscura.comhistory.comTheme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

This episode is hot! flaming!... sticky?This week, Jamie and Leo dive into three bizarre disasters where history proved that sometimes the most dangerous floods don’t involve water at all.First, we head to 1814 London and the infamous London Beer Flood, where a massive vat at a brewery burst open and unleashed a wave of beer that tore through the streets. Then we travel to the Dublin Whiskey Fire of 1875, where a whiskey warehouse blaze created a river of burning liquor flowing through the city. Finally, we arrive in Boston in 1919, where a storage tank collapse triggered the Great Molasses Flood. Millions of gallons rushed through the North End (moving faster than anyone thought possible) in one of the strangest industrial disasters in American history.These are three moments when everyday goods turned into historical catastrophes.What caused these disasters? How much damage did they actually do? Fill up a pint (or a boot) and find out.Serious history. Told not so seriously.Email us: [email protected] us on- instagramSources:historic-uk.comsmithsonianmag.comirishtimes.comwineenthusiast.comboston.govoldnorth.comTheme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

This week on The Darkives, we’re heading to one of the most infamous prison colonies in the British Empire, Port Arthur Historic Site in Tasmania.Established in the 1830s, Port Arthur became a destination for some of Britain’s most hardened convicts. The prison developed a reputation for harsh discipline, psychological punishments, and a strict system of control. From silent confinement to brutal labor, authorities experimented with all kinds of methods they believed would reform criminals… or at the very least keep them in line.For some prisoners, things got even worse. A number of convicts were sent to the nearby coal mines, where grueling work, miserable conditions, and a surprisingly creative list of punishments made life even harder. That said, even in a penal colony people still found ways to entertain themselves (sometimes in ways the guards definitely didn’t approve of).Between the prison and the mines, Port Arthur became one of the harshest penal settlements in the colonial world.But the site’s dark history didn’t end when the prison closed.More than a century later, Port Arthur became the site of one of the most tragic events in modern Australian history, the Port Arthur massacre of 1996. The attack shocked the country and led to national gun law reforms across Australia.In this episode, we look at the brutal punishments of the convict era, the harsh realities of the coal mines, and the modern tragedy that forever changed the legacy of Port Arthur.Email us: [email protected] us on- instagramSources:portarthur.org#1australianconvictsites.auhistoricalragbag.comcoalmines.orghistoryhit.comportarthur.org#2portarthur.org#3Theme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

Before there were Cajuns cooking in Louisiana, there were Acadians trying to survive in a colony caught between two empires.This week, Jamie and Leo head to early North America to unpack how a quiet French settlement called Acadia (in what is now Nova Scotia) became a political tug-of-war between France and Britain (and how ordinary families ended up paying the price).As control of the territory shifted, loyalty oaths were demanded, trust evaporated, and in 1755 the British began forcibly deporting thousands of Acadians from their homes in what became known as The Great Expulsion or The Great Deportation. Families were separated. Communities dismantled. Ships sent in every direction.Some of those exiles eventually made their way south to Louisiana, where their culture didn’t disappear. It adapted. It survived. And over time, it became Cajun. Shaping what we now recognize as Cajun history and culture.How does a community rebuild after exile? What really sparked the decision to remove them? And how does forced displacement end up shaping American culture centuries later?This isn’t just a story about borders changing on a map. It’s about what happens when empires redraw lines and people are caught in between.Serious history. Told not so seriously.Email us: [email protected] us on- instagramSources:ebsco.comebsco.com 2ebsco.com 3ebsco.com 4cityofopelousas.comumaine.eduacim.umfk.eduperspectives.nsgc.orgTheme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

Inês de Castro’s love story didn’t just end in tragedy... it ended in execution… and then a coronation.In this episode, Jamie and Leo dive into one of the most dramatic and bizarre royal scandals in European history. When Portuguese nobleman Pedro fell in love with Inês, it sparked political tension, royal panic, and an ultimately a murder ordered by the king himself. But that wasn’t the end of it.According to legend, Pedro later declared Inês his rightful queen- after she was already dead, and forced the court to acknowledge her as royalty.Yes. You read that correctly.We break down the real history behind the story, what likely happened, what may have been exaggerated, and why this medieval tragedy still feels completely unhinged by modern standards.If you like doomed romances, royal drama, political paranoia, and historical stories that sound made up but absolutely aren’t, this one’s for you.History is messy. This one is downright chaotic.Email us: [email protected] us on- instagramSources:britannica.comartsandculture.google.comportugal.comlisbon.vip.algarvehistoryassociation.comTheme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

She reduced a city to ashes… and history eventually called her a saint.This week, Jamie and Leo travel back to Viking Age Eastern Europe to unpack the unbelievable rise of Olga the ruler, widow, strategist, and one of the most calculating figures of the medieval world.After her husband was murdered by the Drevlians, she didn’t just seek revenge, she engineered it. From burying emissaries alive to the infamous pigeon fire story that allegedly set an entire city ablaze, her retaliation was deliberate, theatrical, and devastatingly effective. But the story doesn’t end in smoke...The same woman known for one of history’s most ruthless revenge campaigns would later convert to Christianity, become the first Christian ruler of Kievan Rus, and lay the groundwork for the region’s religious transformation.So. what is legend, what’s documented, and how does someone move from orchestrating fiery vengeance to being canonized?We break down the myths, the medieval chronicles, and the political brilliance behind one of Eastern Europe’s most powerful rulers.History is messy. This one left burn marks.Email us: [email protected] us on- instagramSources:oldnorse.orgmedievalreporter.comwarfarehistorynetwork.comTheme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

They wanted a shortcut to California. Instead, they found themselves trapped in the Sierra Nevada during the winter of 1846 — snowed in, starving, and running out of time.This week, Jamie and Leo unpack one of the most infamous disasters in American history: the Donner Party tragedy. What began as a hopeful wagon train on the California Trail quickly turned into a brutal fight for survival after the group chose to bypass the safer Oregon Trail and forge their own path west.When early snowstorms sealed the mountain passes, rescue became nearly impossible. Supplies dwindled. Morale collapsed. And over the following months, the pioneers faced choices that would cement their place in survival horror history.Why did the Donner Party resort to cannibalism? How many people actually died? What really happened in those frozen camps near present-day Truckee, California?We break down what’s myth, what’s documented fact, and how a single decision during westward expansion spiraled into one of the darkest chapters of 19th-century America.Grab a seat by the campfire. This one gets cold.Email us: [email protected] us on- instagramSources:nps.orghighways.dot.govhistory.comhistory.com-2britannica.compbs.orghistory.com-3Theme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

They shot him. Embalmed him. Then forgot to bury him.This week, Jamie and Leo dive into one of the strangest true crime stories in American history the bizarre afterlife of outlaw Elmer McCurdy.After a failed robbery in early 1900s Oklahoma ended with a bullet, McCurdy’s body didn’t exactly rest in peace. Instead, he was embalmed, displayed, toured, propped up in carnivals, passed around by showmen, and eventually mistaken for a prop decades later. Yes. Mistaken. For. A. Prop.From abandoned child to small-time outlaw… to sideshow attraction… to roller skating decoration (you read that correctly), this story spirals into one of the most disturbing and absurd chapters of outlaw history.How did Elmer McCurdy become a mummy? How did his body end up in a funhouse? And how did it take decades for anyone to realize he was real?This is what happens when the Wild West meets weekend at Bernie's.Welcome to The Darkives. Dark history. Darker humor.Email us: [email protected] us on- instagramSources:history.comnpr.orgbroadway.comnewenglandhistoricalsociety.comTheme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

Treasure fleets. Naval battles. Billions in gold and silver sitting at the bottom of the ocean.This week, Jamie and Leo set sail into one of the most legendary maritime mysteries in history, the story of the Spanish galleon San José.In 1708, during the War of the Spanish Succession, a heavily loaded Spanish treasure galleon left the Americas carrying enormous wealth from the New World. But off the coast of present-day Colombia, the ship encountered British warships, and the battle that followed sent the San José and its unimaginable cargo to the bottom of the Caribbean.For more than 300 years, the wreck remained lost...Then modern explorers finally located what may be the richest shipwreck in history, sparking international disputes, treasure hunting controversies, and a new wave of deep-sea archaeology.How much treasure was actually on board? And who really owns a fortune that’s been sitting on the ocean floor for three centuries?Underwater discoveries and modern political battles over gold, this is the story of a shipwreck that refuses to stay buried.Serious history. Told not so seriously.Email us: [email protected] us on- instagramSources:history.comnam.ac.ukcbsnews.combbc.comnationalgeographic.comTheme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

Serial killer. Noblewoman. Legend.This week, Jamie and Leo dig into the chilling story of Elizabeth Báthory, the infamous “Blood Countess” of 16th-century Europe.For centuries, Báthory has been remembered as one of the most brutal figures in history. Stories claim she tortured and murdered dozens (possibly hundreds) of young women inside her Hungarian castles, earning a reputation as one of history’s earliest female serial killers.But the deeper historians look into the case, the stranger it gets.Some records point to horrifying crimes and witness testimony. Others suggest that the legend may have been shaped by political rivalries, rumors, and centuries of retelling.So what actually happened inside Báthory’s estates? Was she truly a monster of medieval Europe? or did the story grow darker over time?From documented trials to terrifying legends and modern historical theories, Jamie and Leo separate fact from folklore in one of Europe’s most infamous murder mysteries. Time to get medieval and find out in this episode of The Darkives.Serious history. Told not so seriously.Email us: [email protected] us on- instagramSources:history.combritannica.combiography.comhistoryhit.comnationalgeographic.comebsco.comczechcenter.orgTheme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

Hot air balloons. Arctic exploration. And a plan that may have been doomed from the start.This week, Jamie and Leo take to the skies to follow the strange and tragic story of Andrée's Arctic Balloon Expedition.In 1897, Swedish engineer and balloon enthusiast Salomon August Andrée believed the future of polar exploration might not be by ship or sled, but by air. His plan was simple in theory. Launch a hydrogen balloon from the Arctic and ride the winds straight across the North Pole.What could possibly go wrong?As the expedition set off toward the frozen unknown, problems began piling up almost immediately. Equipment failed, navigation became impossible, and the Arctic environment proved far less forgiving than anyone expected.What followed became one of the most haunting stories of early exploration. A journey filled with ambition, desperation, polar bears, and a mystery that wouldn’t be fully solved for decades.What actually happened after the expedition vanished into the Arctic? And how did the truth of their final days finally come to light? Lets take flight and fly on the winds of early aviation and arctic scientific exploration in this installment of The Darkives.Serious history. Told not so seriously.Email us: [email protected] us on socials: Just search user name- darkivespodcastSources:12345Theme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

Conquest, rebellion, and a campaign that left northern England devastated.This week, Jamie and Leo head back to medieval England to unpack one of the darkest chapters of the Norman Conquest, the brutal campaign known as the Harrying of the North.After claiming the English throne following the famous Battle of Hastings, William the Conqueror faced repeated rebellions from Anglo-Saxon resistance in the north. His response was ruthless.Villages were burned. Crops destroyed. Livestock slaughtered. Entire communities were left to starve as Norman forces carried out a scorched-earth campaign designed to break the region permanently.The result was a humanitarian disaster that reshaped northern England and remains one of the most controversial actions of William’s reign.Why did William launch such a devastating campaign? How severe was the destruction across northern England? And what does medieval evidence tell us about the true scale of the devastation?Join us for a 'king sized' true story in grim medieval history with an 'explosive' ending in this case of The Darkives.Serious history. Told not so seriously.Email us: [email protected] us on socials: just search user name- darkivespodcastSources:123456789Theme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

Two lions. Dozens of victims. And a construction project that ground to a halt.This week, Jamie and Leo travel to late 19th century East Africa to uncover the chilling true story of the Tsavo man-eating lions.In 1898, during the construction of the Uganda Railway in what is now Kenya, workers began disappearing in the night. At first, it seemed like isolated attacks. Then the pattern became impossible to ignore.Two lions had started hunting humans.As fear spread through the camps, laborers refused to work, progress slowed, and the situation escalated into one of the most infamous wildlife incidents in history. The attacks would continue for months, turning a massive engineering project into something much closer to a survival story.What caused these lions to target humans? How many people were actually killed? And how did the attacks finally come to an end?One of the most disturbing cases of animal behavior on record, this is the story behind the legend of the Tsavo lions.Serious history. Told not so seriously.Email us: [email protected] us on socials: just search user name- darkivespodcastThe main source for this episode: Patterson, John Henry. The Man-Eaters of Tsavo and Other East African Adventures.Other Sources:fieldmuseum.orgwildlifecollege.org.zawww.livescience.comtsavotrust.orgTheme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

A mansion. A fire. And a discovery that shocked an entire city.This week, Jamie and Leo head to the French Quarter of New Orleans to uncover the disturbing story of Delphine LaLaurie and the infamous LaLaurie Mansion.In the early 1800s, Madame LaLaurie was a wealthy socialite known in New Orleans high society. But behind the doors of her Royal Street home, something far darker was happening.In 1834, a fire broke out at the mansion, and what responders discovered inside would quickly turn rumor into horror. Reports of abuse, confinement, and brutal treatment surfaced, leaving the city stunned and the LaLaurie name permanently tied to one of the most disturbing cases in its history.Over time, the story only grew. Blending documented accounts with legend, and turning the mansion into one of the most talked about and supposedly haunted locations in New Orleans.What was actually discovered inside the LaLaurie Mansion? How much of the story is supported by historical records? And how did this case become one of the most infamous in American history?Let's band together and break down the door hiding the true story of the LaLaurie Mansion in this episode of The Darkives.Serious history. Told not so seriously.Email us: [email protected] us on socials: just search user name- darkivespodcastSources:Retrospect of Western Travel, Volume II, Harriet Martineau2neworleanslegendarywalkingtours.comneworleanshistorical.orgblackpast.org64parishes.orgneworleanslegendarywalkingtours.com2Theme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

Before Santa Claus… there was a bishop.This week, Jamie and Leo travel back to the 4th century to uncover the story of Saint Nicholas, the real figure behind one of the most recognizable characters in the world.Known as the Bishop of Myra, Saint Nicholas built a reputation for generosity, secret gift giving, and a growing collection of stories that would spread far beyond his lifetime. But like many historical figures, the line between fact and legend starts to blur pretty quickly.From early Christian history to evolving folklore, the story of Saint Nicholas transforms over centuries. Eventually crossing continents and cultures to become something much bigger.How much of the Saint Nicholas story is actually true? Where did the legends come from? And how did a 4th-century bishop turn into the modern-day Santa Claus?From historical records to holiday tradition, this is the long (and slightly strange) journey from Saint to Santa.Deck the… heretic? halls?... We’ll figure it out, in this episode of The DarkivesSerious history. Told not so seriously.Email us: [email protected] us on socials: just search user name- darkivespodcastSources:britannica.comstnicholascenter.orgvaticannews.vahistory.combritannica.com2stnicholascenter.org2clausnet.comTheme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

Soap opera drama, early American edition.This week on The Darkives, we head back to the War of 1812, when tensions between the United States and Britain exploded into one of the most shocking moments in early American history.After the disastrous Battle of Bladensburg, British forces marched straight into Washington and set fire to the heart of the nation. Government buildings burned, the Capitol was left in ruins, and even the White House didn’t escape the flames.We get into how it happened, why the capital was left so vulnerable, and how a young nation watched its own seat of power go up in smoke.This wasn’t just a military loss… it was a moment that exposed just how fragile the new United States really was.So what went wrong? And how did the country come back from something like this?Pull up a chair and get toasty as we watch the new world burn.Serious history. Told not so seriously.Email us: [email protected] us on socials: just search user name- darkivespodcastSources:constitutioncenter.orgbritannica.combattlefields.orgbattlefields.org2nps.govourwhitehouse.orgwhitehousehistory.orgsmithsonianmag.comsmithsonianmag.com2Theme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

This week on The Darkives, we’re heading into the cold.We “chisel” out a few stories from history, digging into ancient burial practices, unsettling discoveries, and the frozen bodies that refused to decay.From Ötzi the Iceman, the 5,000-year-old man high in the Alps, to the Inca ice mummies high in the Andes, to eerie Siberian burials locked in permafrost, these are the stories of people preserved in ways that almost don’t feel real.We get into how these bodies survived, what they reveal about the cultures that buried them, and why some of these discoveries are still raising questions today.Because sometimes the cold doesn’t just preserve the past… it keeps it waiting.So what do these frozen remains actually tell us? And what happens when history thaws out?Bundle up in something warm, we’re climbing mountains to uncover the true stories of some of the most famous ice mummies and maidens of all time.Serious history. Told not so seriously.Email us: [email protected] us on socials: just search user name- darkivespodcastSources:secretsoftheice.comnationalgeographic.comiceman.itbritannica.comcnn.compbs.orgebsco.comlivescience.comhistory.combbc.comTheme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

This week on The Darkives, we head into the remote frontier of Hokkaido in 1915, where one of the most terrifying animal attacks in history unfolded.In a small settlement near Sankebetsu, a massive brown bear known as Kesagake began stalking the village. What followed wasn’t just a single attack… it was a series of calculated returns that turned a quiet winter outpost into a nightmare.We get into how it started, why the villagers were so vulnerable, and how a desperate hunt was launched to stop a predator that seemed almost impossible to track.This wasn’t just a bear attack… it was something closer to a siege.So how did this happen? And what does it take to stop something that isn’t afraid of you?Grab your rifles and your lanterns… because this episode, we’re going bear hunting.Serious history. Told not so seriously.Email us: [email protected] us on- instagramSources:nbcnews.comwakokujp.comoutsiderjapan.pbworks.comTheme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

Avast ye history lovers! Let's go back to the 18th century to learn some maritime outlaw stories throughout New England and British naval pirate history. We follow one of the most brutal pirate captains, Edward (Ned) Low and his crew of some of the most violent and terrifying real life pirates of the Caribbean. Chock-full of travels across the Atlantic, torture stories, and the worst thing for any pirate captain in the golden era of pirates, mutiny! Get your sea legs under ya and man the sails because we are sailing with someone who might be the most ruthless pirate in history.Sources:https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history/2025/june/hunt-pirate-ned-lowhttps://historyofmassachusetts.org/pirate-edward-low/https://biographics.org/edward-low-the-most-vicious-pirate-to-sail-the-seven-seas/https://www.worldhistory.org/Edward_Low/https://www.historyanswers.co.uk/people-politics/the-martyrdom-of-horst-wessel-how-a-far-right-street-fighter-became-a-nazi-icon/https://sillyhistory.com/2015/03/02/as-low-as-one-can-go-the-pirate-captain-ned-low/https://goldenageofpiracy.org/pirates/edward-lowTheme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

In this episode we get into Irelands famine history, about 100 years before The Great Potato Famine there was a mini ice age known as The Year Of The Slaughter. We will go to the beginning to find out what the caused the Irish famine, the impact on Irish farming, mass starvation and Irish deaths involved within this dark history of Ireland. Get ready to jump back to the 1740's and learn the legacy of this great famine and how the Irish rebounded after it came to its close.Sources:https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/ireland-famine-history-year-slaughterhttps://www.britannica.com/science/Little-Ice-Agehttps://www.irelandsown.ie/the-great-frost-of-1740/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/the-great-frost-and-forgotten-famine-1.282539https://kids.kiddle.co/Irish_Famine_(1740%E2%80%931741)#Food_riots_and_protestshttps://www.waterfordtreasures.com/bliain-an-air-the-forgotten-famine-of-1740-41/Theme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

In this episode... who was Geli Raubal? To answer this we travel back to a 1930's Munich apartment and dive into Nazi Germany scandals in the early life of Adolf Hitler. We'll hear stories from past lovers and dig up some dirt on the dark side of Hitlers private life. Learn how Gelli Raubal and Adolf Hitler's personal life became intertwined and shed light on one mysterious death in history. Lets crack open another one of The Darkives and delve into some history of Nazi Germany, the death of Hitlers niece and the true story of Geli Rubal's death.Sources:https://allthatsinteresting.com/geli-raubalhttps://medium.com/@historyinanhour/geli-raubal-hitlers-niece-a-summary-27d3f746d939https://www.mamamia.com.au/geli-raubal-hitlers-niece/https://www.vanityfair.com/news/1992/04/hitlers-doomed-angel?srsltid=AfmBOop39UJrDg1P6KWUg6_tLPdmKLr4NWNNAMHSoYq34WrZNTZuXPAahttps://www.history.com/articles/hitler-failed-beer-hall-putschhttps://www.annefrank.org/en/timeline/139/hitler-as-a-soldier-in-the-first-world-war/https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/july-29/hitler-becomes-nazi-party-leaderhttps://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/HITLER%2C%20ADOLF%20%20MEDICAL%20ASSESSMENT%20%28DI%20FILE%29_0015.pdfhttps://historiamag.com/hitlers-sex-life/Theme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

This week we figure out the true origins of Halloween and how the spooky traditions started. We study Celtic and Roman festivals, the pagan origins, Samhain history, and some folklore of Halloween. We'll answer questions like where did Halloween come from, how has it evolved over time, and how did Halloween in America start. We'll also get into how certain Halloween symbols came to be and the meanings behind them. We dive into popular superstitions as well as how ghosts and spirits became synonymous with Halloween celebrations around the world . This All Hallows' Eve before you go out and trick-or-treat take a little time to learn why we celebrate Halloween today and the connection it has to Samhain. Settle into your coffin, grab you favorite 'spirit', and enjoy another episode of The Darkives.Sources:www.history.comblogs.loc.govwww.worldhistory.orghttps://chr.org.uk/anddidthosefeet/feralia-the-roman-festival-of-the-dead-february-21st/https://www.britannica.com/topic/Parentalia-Roman-religious-festivalhttps://oldsoulartisan.com/blogs/library/the-legend-of-stingy-jack?srsltid=AfmBOooaoXPD5ClNWa_Ok86fi01AvHNhJTWlswKjuMY2tB2I4lhyn48ihttps://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/articles/cx2n7jdp0zloTheme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

This week: the history of witches! Come with us as we travel the globe to discover real stories of accused witches throughout time. Why were witches hunted? What did witch executions look like? What laws were passed and repealed involving witches? What's the true history behind witch hunts? We skip the more commonly known Salem witch trials and find stories of medieval witchcraft, European witch hunts and travel up and down the Americas to uncover the dark history of witch trial we're all 'burning' for. Welcome back to the Darkives.Support the show by leaving a rating or a comment.Want to grab a copy of the 'Witch Trials' book? Find it here: https://amzn.to/3L79J7W*As Amazon Associates we earn from qualifying purchases*Source:Mary Ellen Snodgrass. Witch Trials. McFarland, 28 June 2024.https://www.history.com/articles/history-of-witcheshttps://seohelrune.com/2024/11/01/the-origin-story-of-the-witch/https://www.britannica.com/topic/Malleus-maleficarumhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/z79psk7#zqky9tyhttps://globalvoices.org/2014/05/27/how-an-internet-rumor-in-brazil-killed-fabiane-maria-de-jesus/https://www.history.com/articles/7-bizarre-witch-trial-testshttps://www.hhogman.se/witch-trials-sweden.htmhttps://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/history-magazine/article/a-german-werewolfs-confessions-horrified-1500s-europehttps://scholars.unh.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1563&context=tnh_digital_archiveTheme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

This week we get back into the true story of Edgar Allan Poe and his mysterious death. We cover more events in Edgar's life that made him seem as if he was a haunted writer of the 19th century. Follow the timeline of Poe's short stories that cemented him in American gothic literature history and learn the known facts and theories towards the end of his dark life. In this case of The Darkives, we ponder the occurrences that happened 'Once upon a midnight dreary' and get to the bottom of what Poe's life and death meant. Who is Edgar as a man and as an author to society? Follow us into the 'pit and' see 'the pendulum' of our understanding of Poe sway back and fourth as we go deeper into the history of Edgar Allan Poe.Enjoy the show? Consider leaving a rating or a comment.Want to grab a copy of the book? Find it here: https://amzn.to/4nIrUiR*As Amazon Associates we earn from qualifying purchases*Source:Dawidziak, Mark. A Mystery of Mysteries. St. Martin’s Press, 14 Feb. 2023.Theme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

This week we cover the early life of Edgar Allan Poe, one of the most famous 19th century American authors. Poe's life was about as mysterious and macabre as his writings in gothic literature. Hear tales of Poe as a child, the events that molded him into young adulthood, and the tragedies as well as the triumphs that influenced him to become one of the most renowned dark poets in history. Join us for this case of The Darkives as we 'tear up the planks!'' of his biography and learn the true story of Edgar Allan Poe. And as for next week Quoth the Darkives "we'll have more!"Enjoy the show? Consider leaving a rating or a comment.Want to grab a copy of the book we used for research to get a deeper dive into Edgar's life? Find it here: https://amzn.to/4nIrUiR*As Amazon Associates we earn from qualifying purchases*Source:Dawidziak, Mark. A Mystery of Mysteries. St. Martin’s Press, 14 Feb. 2023.Theme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

This week, come judge the history of the Greenbrier ghost and the life (and murder) of Zona Heaster Shue. This famous American ghost story isn't like the others, we hear stories of 1890's West Virginia true crime, fast lovers (one with a secret past), and a ghost's testimony used in court... Let's hear a tale of how a ghost helped solve a murder but can Zona be the first ghost to actually convict a murderer? Join us in this episode of The Darkives and learn the true story of the Greenbrier ghost.Sources:https://www.greenbrierhistorical.org/blog/the-greenbrier-ghost-reexaminedhttps://greenbrierwv.com/editorials/the-greenbrier-ghosthttps://allthatsinteresting.com/greenbrier-ghosthttps://www.murderbygaslight.com/2009/12/zona-heaster-shue-greenbriar-ghost.htmlhttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/5015852/zona-shuehttps://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/erasmus-stribbling-trout-shue-24-1pwqg5https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/178188560/lucy-ann-shueTheme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

This week we share a tale of 1800's California history and explain the real history of the Whaley house in San Diego. One of the historic houses in San Diego's dark history, a house that is considered by many to be one of if not the most haunted house in America. We delve into Thomas Whaley's family history and the impact they had on their communities throughout the generations. We will uncover the Whaley's tragic past and the multiple deaths and executions that took place on the Whaley house property that are the basis to the claims of paranormal activity. Join us for this weeks case of The Darkives.Enjoy the show? Consider following and leaving a rating or a comment.Sources:https://www.sohosandiego.org/educators/images/lessonspioneerwhaleyfamily.pdfhttps://sandiegohistory.org/archives/biographysubject/whaley/https://sandiegohistory.org/journal/1960/april/whaley/https://www.trolleytours.com/san-diego/whaley-househttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/69953130/anna_eloise-whaleyhttps://www.geni.com/people/Violet-Whaley/6000000019937741413Theme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

This week we cover the history of one of the most famous mountains in the world. We dive back to the first Everest attempt in 1921, the famed 1924 Everest expedition involving George Mallory and Andrew Irvine, 1953 Everest expedition involving Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay as well as more climbers throughout the mountains long dark history. Hear the history of the mountain, true stories of people who went up but never came back down and some controversial moments on the mountain. Suit up, grab some oxygen and prepare for high altitude as we enter the death zone. Today on The Darkives we're climbing Mount Everest!Enjoy the show? Consider rating us, additional support by commenting and sharing the show.Sources:explorer passageNat Geolive scienceglobal rescuebase camp maghimalayan recreationnamasadventureNat Geo againclimbing-Kilimanjarooutside onlinebritannicaLets go Nat Geo!expend reviewNat mother-loving GeoTheme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

This week we discuss the grisly story of Alfred/Alferd Packer aka the Colorado cannibal! Learn of a Donner Party like journey through the Rocky Mountains that has it all...a run in with natives, murder and one of the original American Cannibals in history . Was it actually a crime or was it just pioneers struggle for survival? Join us as we dive into The darkives to discover what really happened out there.Enjoying the episodes? Consider leaving a rating or comment to help us grow.Sources:https://history.denverlibrary.org/news/western-history/alferd-packer-truth-out-there-or-right-herehttps://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/january-8/cannibal-alfred-packer-is-paroledhttps://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/alferd-packerhttps://www.coloradolifemagazine.com/blog/post/the-mystery-of-alfred-packer?srsltid=AfmBOor2jgmnYlqyJO5yi4l5IdBTBPZH3w8_0IuMRKzeTBk_IUfAQ2PShttps://www.newspapers.com/image/906720018/?match=1&terms=ALFRED%20PACKERhttps://www.museum.littletonco.gov/Research/Littleton-History/Biographies/PackerTheme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

Join us this week as we dive into the chilling disappearances of Walter Collins, the Winslow brothers and Alvin Gothea. 1920's Wineville California's history harbored secrets of child abductions and unsolved murders so scandalous the town changed its name to Mira Loma. Learn who Gordon Stewart Northcott was and the true story behind the film Changeling staring Angelina Jolie. The Wineville murders have tales of desperate mothers, corrupt police and a string of true crimes that would haunt California for decades. Welcome back to The Darkives where we shed light on dark history through the ages.Like the show? leave a rating and a comment and help us grow.Sources:https://www.alcatrazeast.com/crime-library/serial-killers/wineville-chicken-coop-murders/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMu7_Xpp1SMhttps://people.com/gordon-stewart-northcott-chicken-coop-house-horrors-11695921https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-feb-07-me-5769-story.htmlTheme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

This week, we spill the dirt on the Paris catacombs history and the miles of underground tunnels running through the modern day city in France.We'll cover questions like, why were the Paris catacombs built? How many bodies are in the catacombs? Where were the Paris plague burial sites in 18th century French history?We also tell tales of bodies spilling through walls, bones stacked floor to ceiling and sneaking into the off limits section of the tunnels.Grab a shovel and a torch as we divulge the real story of the Paris catacombs, explore the empire of the dead and the dark tourism of Paris in this episode of The Darkives.Serious history. Told not so seriously.Enjoying the show? Consider leaving a rating/comment or share us to a fellow history lover.Email us: [email protected] us on- instagramSources :https://www.history.com/articles/paris-catacombs-originshttps://www.catacombes.paris.fr/en/history/site-historyhttps://www.earthsystems.com/building-on-the-past/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/article/paris-catacombs#:~:text=The%20first%20major%20collapse%20occurred,more%20houses%20tumbling%20into%20darkness.https://www.sortiraparis.com/en/what-to-visit-in-paris/history-heritage/articles/248888-history-of-paris-the-cemetery-of-the-innocents-and-what-remains-of-it-todayhttps://www.cityexperiences.com/blog/paris-catacombs/https://www.cometoparis.com/paris-guide/paris-monuments/the-catacombs-of-paris-s955#:~:text=In%20any%20case%2C%20these%20quarries,reconstruction%20of%20a%20medieval%20castle.Theme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

This week, Jamie tells Leo the true story of Vlad Dracula aka Vlad III aka Vlad Tepes aka Vlad the Impaler who is, you guessed it, the real life inspiration for the infamous Dracula. Honestly I think Vlad is scarier!We cover one of the most brutal rulers in the ottoman empire wars and Romanian history. Recount dark history moments of medieval torture methods as well as some of Vlad's more noteworthy executions.Who was Vlad the Impaler?We'll sick to the facts vs the myths and paint a picture of the real history of the one and only Vlad III Dacula. Sit back and grab a blood bag... I mean beverage and join us for another file of The Darkives.Serious history. Told not so seriously.Enjoy the show? Consider leaving a rating/comment to help us grow or share us with a fellow history podcast lover.Email us: [email protected] us on- instagramSources:https://www.britannica.com/biography/Vlad-the-Impalerhttps://www.livescience.com/40843-real-dracula-vlad-the-impaler.htmlhttps://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/the-origins-of-dracula-vlad-the-impaler/https://www.executedtoday.com/2011/04/17/1457-the-wallachian-boyars/https://www.executedtoday.com/2010/08/24/1460-amlas-vlad-dracula-impaled/https://www.historyhit.com/facts-about-vlad-the-impaler/Theme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

Listener discretion advised: These events are as disturbing as they are important to remember.This weeks episode, we discuss the declassified cover-up of Unit 731 in the Japanese occupation of Manchuria China during WWII.Unit 731 carried out some of history’s most grotesque human experimentation and biological warfare during the war.Discover the true history of Unit 731, about the hidden atrocities of World War II and how these secret military units were able to avoid war crimes.What is unit 731?We do our best to shed a little light on a very dark moment in our history in this instalment of The Darkives.Serious history. Told not so seriously... usuallyEnjoy the show? Consider giving us a rating and leaving a comment or sharing the podcast with a fellow history lover.Email us: [email protected] us on- instagramSources:https://www.pacificatrocities.org/human-experimentation.htmlhttps://www.montana.edu/historybug/yersiniaessays/shama.htmlhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4487829/https://www.ethos.hku.hk/hidden-horrors-of-harbinTheme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

Jamie and Leo cover the trial of a dead Pope, more specifically the cadaver synod trial of Pope Formosus.Wrapped up in a medieval catholic church scandal and one of the strangest trials in history, Formosus had quite the life (and death). We delve into the dark history of the Vatican and of 9th century papacy.So, let's learn the true story of the cadaver synod.Why was Pope Formosus put on trial? And how were papal controversies in Rome handled back in the day?We cover the history before, during and after the cadaver synod, and the key players involved. Join us for this bizarre and downright dark moment in medieval Europe history.Serious history. Told not so seriouslyEmail us: [email protected] us on- instagramEnjoy the show? Consider leaving a rating and a comment or share us to a fellow dark history lover.Any and all support is appreciated by our team <3Sources:https://historymedieval.com/pope-formosus-trial-in-the-cadaver-synod/https://lost-in-history.com/the-macabre-corpse-trial-of-pope-formosus/https://www.britannica.com/biography/FormosusTheme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

This week, Jamie and Leo cover treatments for ailments throughout history.Learn how well milk worked as blood, what a tobacco enema is, the origins of snake oil. And is you thought that was all...We've got a few more treatments, some involving mummies, blood, and whale carcasses.Lets delve into another chapter of The Darkives.Serious history. Told not so seriously* P.S. We are aware of the weird audio in this episode but it is fixed in the upcoming episodes. Thanks for understanding!Email us: [email protected] us on- instagramSources:https://www.aamc.org/news/grave-errors-spooky-cures-and-creepy-medical-missteps-pasthttps://www.massmed.org/About/MMS-Leadership/History/The-Blood-in-Surgery---A-Historical-and-Critical-Study/https://gizmodo.com/blowing-smoke-up-your-ass-used-to-be-literal-1578620709Theme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License

Jamie and Leo cover the atrocities hidden from the public eye behind the facade of a self sustaining school and hospital.For almost 60 years they kept their secrets locked away. Thanks to one brave journalist, the horrors were finally exposed.Find out what happened at Pennhurst state school and hospital (aka Pennhurst Asylum) and the true history behind the treatment of mental illness in American history.This episode of The Darkives we learn of Pennhurst's abuse scandals, patient stories and the institutions dark past that lead to it being closed for good.Serious history. Told not so seriouslyEmail us: [email protected] us on- instagramEnjoy the show? Leave us a rating or a comment to help us grow or share us to a fellow history lover.Sources:http://www.preservepennhurst.org/default.aspx?pg=93https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPlblHK5c6Y&t=4sTheme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharveyUsed with permission, Thank you Geoff!licensed through: PixabayOther music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License