Scandalous History

The dangerous women of early England: Aelfthryth and Emma of Normandy The intertwined stories of Aelfthryth and Emma of Normandy span decades of royal intrigue, betrayal, and bloodshed. They played the game of thrones - but did they win?

Two queens. One family. Endless chaos. Aelfthryth was the first woman crowned queen of England. Her daughter-in-law Emma of Normandy married two kings, outlived them both, and shaped England’s future. Both women played the game of thrones - but did they win? #history

I really must watch this!

Zheng Yi Sao: the pirate queen who defied an empire Zheng Yi Sao, history’s most formidable pirate, rose from a Cantonese brothel to lead 80,000 outlaws, outwit empires, and build a maritime empire. Her story challenges everything we think we know abou...

The world’s most successful pirate wasn’t Blackbeard or Henry Morgan. It was a Chinese woman called Zheng Yi Sao, who went from working at a brothel to commanding a fleet of 80,000 pirates. Even the way her swashbuckling career ended was unlike all those other pirate captains… #history

Sex, drugs and jazz: the secret life of Prince George, Duke of Kent Long overshadowed by his brother Edward VIII, Prince George, Duke of Kent, led one of the most scandalous and mysterious lives in royal history. From wild affairs with both men and women to a dangerou...

He was the forgotten Windsor - handsome, charming, and always in trouble. While his brothers went on to rule, Prince George chased women, men, and the high. His untimely death in a mysterious plane crash raised questions that remain unanswered to this day #history

Front page of the San Francisco Chronicle this day in 1979 after the White Night Riots, depicting cop cars on fire after a bloody uprising after justice was not served.

The "White Night Riots" in 1979, most violent protest in LGBTQ+ history, in response to the 'voluntary manslaughter' charge handed down to Dan White, murderer of San Francisco mayor George Moscone and beloved activist and city supervisor Harvey Milk. #LGBTQhistory

Teach the kids.

YouTube video by History After Dark The most successful Royal mistress in British History, Jane Shore | People we should know about

New spicy #history video from History After Dark today! The most successful Royal mistress in British History, Jane Shore www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzm2... @katrina-marchant.bsky.social @britishhistory.bsky.social @historysquirrels.bsky.social

Women of the Black Flag: Anne Bonny and Mary Read Anne Bonny and Mary Read shattered every expectation placed on women in the 18th century, choosing guns and cutlasses over marriage and motherhood. From ruthless pirate raids to a sensational trial, t...

Anne Bonny and Mary Read rejected a life of domesticity for a brutal existence on board a pirate ship. Armed with pistols, cutlasses, and mouths like…well…sailors, they tore through the Caribbean - until a famed pirate hunter set his sights on them. #history

The glass king: how Charles VI of France lost his mind Charles VI of France's reign began with promise but descended into chaos. Plagued by mental illness, political infighting, and national crisis, his story is one of the most turbulent chapters in Frenc...

Charles VI of France inherited a powerful kingdom but his reign collapsed into madness, factional warfare, and national crisis. He thought he was made of glass. His brother was accused of sorcery. His court literally caught fire. It’s one of the wildest chapters in European #history…

#OTD in 1776, Elizabeth Chudleigh stood trial for bigamy. Already secretly married to Augustus Hervey, she wed another - richer - man and became Duchess of Kingston. The trial lasted 5 days and ended with her being found guilty. However, thanks to a technicality, she escaped punishment. #history

One of my historic faves died #OTD in 1204 - Eleanor of Aquitaine. She led a crusade, booted her boring first husband to marry a toy boy, allegedly slept with her uncle, and encouraged her sons to rebel against their father, Henry II. She lived to be 82 and showed that age is no barrier #history

Alice of Antioch: the rebellious Crusader princess Alice of Antioch was a three-time rebel who defied kings, struck deals with enemies, and fought for power in a world that expected women to stay silent. Discover the untold tale of the Crusader prince...

Alice of Antioch wasn’t just a princess - she was a three-time rebel who defied kings, struck deals with enemies, and fought for power in a world that expected women to stay silent. Discover the story of the Crusader princess who refused to play by the rules… #history

An illustration on the base of a Greek cup depicting a couple having sex. The bearded man is lying on his back while the woman - a hetaira or courtesan - lowers herself reverse cowgirl style onto his erect penis while using her arms to support herself.

Fitness goals - the upper body strength of a courtesan from Ancient Greece… #history

A chart titled "Roman Emperors 27 BCE - 395 CE" showing a timeline of Roman emperors with information about their lives, reigns, and manners of death. The chart is organized in rows, with each row representing a different period. Each emperor's name is listed, along with symbols indicating their birth, death, reign, and manner of death (assassination, captivity, suicide, unnatural causes, or unknown). The chart provides a visual overview of the succession of Roman emperors and their fates.

Visualising the lifetimes (and deaths) of major Roman Emperors

(by Reddit user: u/Western-Flatworm-537)

The Black Peril: Milica and Anastasia of Montenegro Princesses Milica and Anastasia of Montenegro brought the occult to the heart of the Russian Empire. From introducing the Empress to Rasputin to their role in shaping the fate of the Romanovs, their i...

In the twilight years of the Russian Empire, as the Romanov dynasty teetered on the brink of collapse, two princesses from Montenegro - Milica and Anastasia - wove a web of intrigue, mysticism, and influence that ensnared the highest echelons of Russian society… #history

👑🎨

Sole portrait of #England ’s ‘nine-day queen’ thought to have been identified by researchers

‘Compelling evidence’ suggests figure is #LadyJaneGrey, making it only known depiction made before 1554 execution

#Art #ArtHistory #History #Painting #Heritage

www.theguardian.com/culture/2025...

YouTube video by Scandalous History Rome's most "disgusting" emperor

From marrying a Vestal Virgin and prostituting himself in his own palace to throwing parties that literally killed people, this teenage emperor took chaos to a new level… #history

🕯New Episode 🕯

We are very excited to share our latest episode which features none other than Professor Ronald Hutton. Hutton discusses ghosts, the modern fascination with witchcraft and much more. We hope you enjoy it!

media.rss.com/the-shropshi...

#Witchcraft #Shropshire #Folklore #Podcast

It's #PancakeDay! 🥞

In some parts of Wales, it was believed that if pancakes were not made and tossed on this day, there would be little prosperity during the ensuing year.

#ShroveTuesday #Wales #History

IRA requirements for intelligence officers circa 1920 - must be 'earnest, zealous and attentive'. Worryingly, not much in here about being discreet.
#history #research #historicalresearch #writing #nonfiction #ireland #intelligence

Pausing to remember all those who perished and were wrongfully accused during the #SalemWitchcraftTrials which began 333 years ago today - March 1, 1692. Which ancestor did you have connected on any angle of the trials? #RT and remember them

Sex and the Sturmabteilung: Ernst Röhm, the first openly gay politician The first openly gay politician wasn’t a progressive hero - he was a high-ranking Nazi. Ernst Röhm, leader of Hitler’s SA, was a powerful figure until his downfall in a brutal purge.

The first openly gay politician wasn’t a progressive hero - he was a high-ranking Nazi. Perhaps not what you’d expect, right? Ernst Röhm, leader of Hitler’s SA, was a powerful figure until his dramatic betrayal and downfall #history

YouTube video by Scandalous History Rome's most "disgusting" emperor

From marrying a Vestal Virgin and prostituting himself in his own palace to throwing parties that literally killed people, this teenage emperor took chaos to a new level… #history

Event information, also available at https://www.sas.ac.uk/news-events/events/ihr-derek-keene-london-lecture-2025-think-punk-overused-word-matter-fact-london-england-1975-76

Join us for the @ihr.bsky.social Derek Keene #London Lecture 2025, from Prof Matthew Worley, University of Reading: “I think #punk is an overused word, as a matter of fact”: London, England, 1975–76. Free & open to all - new visitors to the IHR especially welcome. Book: www.sas.ac.uk/news-events/...

The original cougar: how Diane de Poitiers seduced a king and ruled France Diane de Poitiers wasn’t just a royal mistress - she was the woman who ruled France from behind the throne. From seducing a king to outwitting a queen, her story is one of ambition, scandal, and a dan...

Diane de Poitiers wasn’t just a royal mistress - she was the woman who ruled France from behind the throne. From seducing a king to outwitting a queen, her story is one of ambition, scandal, and a dangerous beauty secret… #history

A depiction of the Empress Theodora from the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. She is wearing a brown cape, an elaborate headdress and is dripping in jewels.

#MosaicMonday is a good excuse to talk about one of my faves - the Byzantine Empress Theodora. She began life as a prostitute and actress but married Emperor Justinian in a tale of rags to riches. She was smart, politically astute, and an early advocate for women’s rights (with great bling) #history

A black and white photo of Stormé DeLarverie looking quite handsome in a tux

Stormé DeLarverie, a Black lesbian & drag king, helped spark the Stonewall Riots, igniting the fight for LGBTQ+ rights. As we celebrate #BlackHistoryMonth, let’s honor her legacy & stand against the forces of fascism threatening our communities. #LGBTQHistory #Resistance #Equality #FascismFighters

vintage photos of queer love 🌷

we’ve always been here, we’ll continue to be here. photos from public domain. photographers unknown.
#queerlove #gay #lgbtqia #queerhistory

🐉 #ZhuQizhen, Chinese Emperor Yingzong of Ming, passed away #OTD 23 February 1464, aged 36. Just prior to his death, he sweetly issued an imperial edict ceasing the practice of burying concubines alive with the Emperor, surely a nice surprise for the concubines. #History

Alice H. Parker (1895-?) • Alice H. Parker was an African American inventor famous for her patented system of central heating using natural gas. In the 1920s using natural gas to power a heating furnace was a revolutionary idea...

⚠️WOKE CONTENT⚠️

🧵 She created the gas home heating system that was a precursor to the system many people use today. Her name is Alice H. Parker, a Black woman.

BTW, that's not her photo.

"Say what?"

(cont)

#ProudBlue
#ResistanceRoots
#USDemocracy

www.blackpast.org/african-amer...

Very happy to see this.