Beheaded
Torture. Execution. Death. Listen as two die-hard fans chat about some of history's most gruesome death sentences. From famous queens and kings to the uncommon names in history, no conviction will be left untouched. Try not to lose your head over this comical approach to the shocking and disturbing stories of treason and crime (whether found guilty or not).
Episodes
78 episodes
Raid Against the Machine
In this episode, we delve into the life and legacy of Jeremiah Brandreth, a key figure in the Luddite rebellion. Known as 'The Nottingham Captain,' Brandreth led a desperate uprising of workers against the mechanization that threatened their jo...
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Season 6
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Episode 2
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55:57
Madame du Barry: The Girl from Nothing & Ready for Anything
In this episode, we take you back to the court of Versailles to share the story of Madame du Barry—the last mistress of King Louis XV. Was she truly the frivolous scandal history remembers? Or a woman of surprising wit, charm, and ambition? Pou...
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Season 6
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Episode 1
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1:24:20
Elisabeth de France and the Holy Guillotine: Part II
In part two of our season finale, we share the tragic ending of Elisabeth de France and how she stood by her brother, King Louis VXI, throughout the bloody French Revolution. While Elisabeth was notorious for her cheeky and even stubborn behavi...
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Season 5
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Episode 14
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52:57
Elisabeth de France and the Holy Guillotine: Part I
While Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI were dealing with revolutionists in France, there was one person behind the scenes who has received very little recognition: Elisabeth de France, King Louis' youngest sister. Elisabeth grew up in the ro...
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Season 5
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Episode 13
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55:34
The Last of the Gurus
Sikhism is the 5th largest religion in world and was founded in India in the late 15th century. It emphasizes the worship of one God, equality of all people, selfless service, and devotion to the teachings of the Sikh Gurus.While these ...
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Season 5
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Episode 12
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59:30
Pugachev the Great
Our story begins with Tsar Peter III of Russia being overthrown by his own wife, the infamous Catherine the Great, only to be declared deceased soon after for vague medical reasons. Years later, Yemelyan Pugachev, a peasant who claimed to be th...
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Season 5
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Episode 11
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1:00:10
Arsenic and Black Widows
Life in 1800’s Liverpool, England was rough. It was a port city with a high population of hard-working immigrants all trying to make ends meet. However, some were more desperate than others to ensure their living was made. Catherine and Margare...
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Season 5
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Episode 10
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52:22
The Rope Drop Flop
The Tudor Dynasty was notorious for creating religious tension across England as they swayed between Protestantism and Catholicism, depending on who wore the crown. With Elizabeth I on the throne, Catholics were forced to practice their beliefs...
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Season 5
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Episode 9
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51:47
Tomb Raiders: Treasure or Torture
It can be said that the ancient Egyptians were quite materialistic. The pyramids housed more than just the mummies and dust of pharaohs and queens, but also the lifetime of riches of the nobility to ensure they could bring them with them to the...
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Season 5
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Episode 8
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1:05:31
The Breaking Wheel on the Bayou
In the early 1700's, Jean Baptiste Baudreau II had a unique mixed heritage that enabled him to forge connections with both the French colonists of the American south and the Native American tribes. He was a rebel without a cause.... no really, ...
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Season 5
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Episode 7
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54:29
Dying on a Prayer
While King Henry VIII wasn't particularly known for being afraid of witches, he was certainly paranoid about assassination... even if it was only through a prophetic attempt. Mabel Brigge claimed she was a devout Catholic who used fasting as a ...
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Season 5
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Episode 6
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56:37
Captain Jack & His Bonny Lass
Jack Rackham, known as Calico Jack, was a true pirate of the Caribbean. With his Jolly Roger hoisted high and his bonny lass by his side, Jack and his crew sailed the seas during the Golden Age of Piracy. Jack stood apart from other pirates, th...
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Season 5
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Episode 5
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1:08:05
The Nightclub Murderess
Ruth Ellis, a young and alluring nightclub manager in 1950s England, came from a rough background. She was introduced early on in life to the consenquences of untrustworthy men, alcohol, and the unsavory underworld of London's nightlife....
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Season 5
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Episode 4
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1:12:04
Peter and the Wolf
We've all heard of people being accused of witchcraft, sorcery, and engaging in the dark arts. However, have you ever come across a case where someone was found guilty of being a werewolf? During the 1500s in Germany, a man named Peter St...
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Season 5
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Episode 3
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1:04:52
The Heartless Spy
For any poor soul standing in front of a judge awaiting their sentence, the last thing they want to hear is that they would be hanged, drawn, and quartered. This heinous act was reserved for traitors or those who have committed an extreme crime...
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Season 5
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Episode 2
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57:32
Perkin the Pretender
Beheaded is back with our 5th season, and we are starting off with the well-known story of the Princes in the Tower. This is the legacy of the two innocent boys who went mysteriously missing while staying at the Tower of London. For centuries, ...
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Season 5
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Episode 1
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1:06:19
Special Episode: Interview with Dr. Leah Redmond Chang
In this very special episode, we have the opportunity to speak with author and former professor Dr. Leah Redmond Chang to discuss her latest book, Young Queens: Three Renaissance Women and the Price of Power. This narrative hist...
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Season 4
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Episode 14
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58:23
Thomas Cromwell: From Statesman to Scaffold (Part II)
Thomas Cromwell quickly and unapologetically became one of King Henry VIII's closest advisors. As he continued to give the King whatever he asked for, Cromwell was rewarded with titles and wealth, making him one of the most powerful men i...
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Season 4
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Episode 13
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58:34
Thomas Cromwell: From Statesman to Scaffold (Part I)
In part one of our season finale, we tell the story of one of King Henry VIII's closest confidants: Thomas Cromwell. Cromwell is known for many things in history, primarily being a noble statesman in the court of King Henry VIII. He was self-ma...
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Season 4
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Episode 13
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47:45
Special Episode: Interview with Dr. Owen Emmerson
In this special episode, Dr. Owen Emmerson joins us to talk about his amazing career as a cultural historian and assistant curator of Hever Castle (Anne Boleyn's childhood home). As a Boleyn and Tudor history expert, you may recognize him...
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Season 4
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Episode 12
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59:48
Not Like a Regular Executioner, But a Cool Executioner
While Prague was not known for mass, bloody executions, there was at least one known as the Old Town Square Execution in 1621 that made the history books. This was the result of the Bohemian Revolt where 27 of the revolt leaders were found guil...
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Season 4
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Episode 12
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49:57
The Witch and the Sow
While we've heard of the Salem Witch Trials, we tend to forget that the Puritans adopted their fear of witches from back home in England. King James I brought panic and terror to England when he became obsessed with witch hunting. He even wrote...
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Season 4
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Episode 11
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51:03
Evil Begets Evil
Nat Turner's Slave Rebellion was the deadliest revolt in American history. Born into slavery in southern America, Nat was a prophet who believed God was sending him messages to raise a rebellion. After hundreds of years of oppression, he ...
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Season 4
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Episode 10
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58:40
End of the Bloodline
The Távora Affair was one of Portugals' bloodiest scandals that resulted in the extinction of an entire noble bloodline. What started with wanting to do away with a powerful political family ended with massive arrests, torture and execution. To...
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Season 4
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Episode 9
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57:49
Bad Boy Buccaneer Turned Beheaded Botanist
The story of Sir Walter Raleigh is is wild as this episode title. Yes, we are very good at alliteration. Sir Walter was one of Queen Elizabeth I's favorite courtiers. And how could he not be!? He was a soldier, explorer, poet, poli...
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Season 4
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Episode 8
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59:07