What'sHerName

She prevented war and death on an immense scale, in acts that could earn the Nobel Peace Prize today. But History enshrined Sisi, Empress of Austria, as a vain beauty queen. The smear campaign was personal, not political: it started with her own tyrannical mother-in-law. Can Sisi conquer her own self-doubt, and drag draconian Austria into the modern world? Our guest is Nancy Goldstone, author of The Rebel Empresses: Elisabeth of Austria and Eugenie of France, Power and Glamor in the Struggle for Europe. _________________ Music in the episode includes works by Johann Strauss, Joseph Suk, Giuseppe Verdi, Bedrich Smetana, Johannes Brahms, Franz Schubert, Franz Liszt, and Kevin MacLeod. Join us on our women's history tours! What'sHerName listeners make the best travel buddies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When world-famous strongman Eugen Sandow finally met his match, nobody expected it to be at the hands of an 18 year old girl. But whether it was bending metal bars, beating horses in a tug-of-war, or hefting her own husband over her head with one arm, German strongwoman Katie Sandwina would continue to shatter records (and Victorian gender norms) for another forty years. Guest Haley Shapley, author of Strong Like Her, introduces us to this astonishing, unexpected heroine. Your wish is our command! THE GREAT SANDWINA hoodies and tanks are HERE! Voiceovers for this episode provided by Marion Lamm, Anica Bell, Mark Henderson, and Matthew Meikle. Music featured in this episode provided by Jeremy Korpas, The United States Marine Band, Asher Fulero, Quincas Moreira, and Amanda Setlik Wilson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A pirate ship jammed with treasure. The worst storm to ever hit Cape Cod. The mythical shipwreck-- 280 years later, found. Everything in this swashbuckling tale (full of impossible things that really did happen) occurred because of Maria Hallett. Did she turn witch, to curse her lover's ship, or to save it? Join us on location at Real Pirates Museum in Salem, MA. Music featured in this episode includes: Blow the Wind Southerly by Anne Norman; Blow Boys Blow and Goodbye Fare You Well from the Library of Congress; and compositions generously shared by Cooper Cannell, Brian Bolger, Patrick Patrikios, Wayne Jones, Jesse Gallagher, and Jimena Contreras. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How did two ordinary 18th century Anglo-Irish sisters end up gallivanting around the European continent, fraternizing with all the most radical and revolutionary minds of the Enlightenment, and becoming BFFs with a Russian Princess? Guest Dr. Alexis Wolf introduces Olivia to the astonishing lives of Katherine and Martha Wilmot. Music for this episode provided by Amanda Setlik Wilson, Killarney, and Tatyana Kalmokova. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Travel to snowy Victorian Maine in this year's Christmas Special, as Katie reads from the memoirs of Sarah Orne Jewett. An immensely famous and beloved novelist in her day, Sarah wrote wholesome tales of the country folk of Maine, where as a child she had accompanied her physician father on his rounds. Find a massive collection of Sarah Orne Jewett's works collected by the Sarah Orne Jewett Text Project HERE. Our What'sHerName SHOP is open! Every purchase supports our mission to get these women's stories out into the world. Thank you for your support! Music in this episode includes: Fiddlesticks, from their album Cold Fusion; Wexford Carol by Rob Whalen on SoundCloud; Twin Musicom; Cooper Cannell; Kevin MacLeod; Esther Abrami; The Midshipmen Glee Club; Quincas Moreira; Asher Fulero. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices