This week the blood countess, Elizabeth Báthory. Tales of medieval torture, murder, and one of the meanest female serial killers in history. In 16th century Europe the Elizabeth Báthory murders have a healthy mix of documented facts, myths, and legends. Jamie separates the facts from the fiction and brings to light some newer theories that may wash away all we know of this historical murder mystery. Time to get medieval again in this installment of The Darkives.

Email us: thedarkivescommunity@gmail.com

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Sources:

• https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/december-29/bathorys-torturous-escapades-are-exposed
• https://www.britannica.com/topic/list-of-serial-killers-2026519
• https://www.biography.com/crime/elizabeth-bathory
• https://www.historyhit.com/the-blood-countess-facts-about-elizabeth-bathory/
• https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/the-bloody-legend-of-hungarys-serial-killer-countess
• https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/elizabeth-bathory
• https://www.czechcenter.org/blog/2024/2/3/elizabeth-bthory-the-hungarian-countess

Theme music: Ways of the Wizard

Composed by: geoffharvey

Licensed through: Pixabay

Used with permission, Thank you Geoff!

Other music used licensed through Pixbay

• Horror Music Box-ViraMiller

Other sounds used through Pixbay

used under the Pixabay Content License

Keywords: aristocratic crimes, blood bathing myth, dark European legends, macabre history stories, shocking historical crimes, eerie true history, who was Elizabeth Báthory, true story of the Blood Countess, Elizabeth Báthory myth vs reality, how many victims did Elizabeth Báthory kill, Elizabeth Báthory crimes explained, dark secrets of Elizabeth Báthory, historical serial killer

Forgotten tragedies, 19th century balloon flight exploration, and polar bears! This week we go over the highs and lows of Andrée’s Arctic expedition. In 1897, balloon enthusiast Salomon Andrée set out to explore the north pole by air. This tragic exploration attempt seemed to be doomed from the start. Lets take flight and fly on the winds of early aviation and arctic scientific exploration in this installment of The Darkives.

Email us: thedarkivescommunity@gmail.com

Follow us on socials: Just search user name- darkivespodcast

Sources:

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Theme music: Ways of the Wizard

Composed by: geoffharvey

Licensed through: Pixabay

Used with permission, Thank you Geoff!

Other music used licensed through Pixbay

• Upbeat Adventure Journey Loop 1-Cyberwave-Orchestra

Other sounds used through Pixbay

used under the Pixabay Content License

Keywords: polar exploration history, survival in the Arctic, extreme exploration history, dark history of Arctic exploration, deadly Arctic expeditions, explorers lost in the Arctic, Swedish polar explorers, dark history podcast episode, bizarre historical expeditions, historical mystery, true story of the Arctic Balloon Expedition, what happened to Andrée’s Arctic expedition, why the Arctic balloon expedition failed, Salomon Andrée death, lost Arctic expedition, darkest moments in polar exploration

This week we cover the Norman Conquest of England and the atrocities of William the Conqueror. William I of England was faced with Anglo-Saxon resistance during his reign so he clapped back with some medieval war crimes leading to mass starvation in England. Before population devastation and the destruction of northern England, William seized the throne through a series of scorched earth warfare and brutal medieval campaigns. The most notable battle on his way to the throne being the Battle of Hastings. Join us for a king sized true story in grim medieval history with an 'explosive' ending in this case of The Darkives.

Email us: thedarkivescommunity@gmail.com

Follow us on socials: just search user name- darkivespodcast

Sources:

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Theme music: Ways of the Wizard

Composed by: geoffharvey

Licensed through: Pixabay

Used with permission, Thank you Geoff!

Other sounds used licensed through Pixbay

• Medieval Castle Loop- Ebunny
• Coins Drop 1- u_xg7ssi08yr
• AHHHH- random_intruder (Freesound)

used under the Pixabay Content License

Keywords: Norman Conquest brutality, 1069, Norman rule in England, medieval England history, medieval famine England, long-term effects of Norman conquest, forgotten atrocities in history, what was the Harrying of the North, true history of the Harrying of the North, why William the Conqueror destroyed the North, Harrying of the North death toll.

This week we travel back to late 19th century Africa to learn this true horror story in history. A case of real-life man-eating lions! In British East Africa (now Kenya) during the construction of the Uganda Railway in the Tsavo river region, we find two African lions more terrifying than your average animal predators. Full of deadly animal attacks and railway construction disasters, we learn what happened during one of the deadliest animal attacks in African history. Get ready to sink your teeth into this shocking historical event from The Darkives.

The main source for this episode: Patterson, John Henry. The Man-Eaters of Tsavo and Other East African Adventures.

link to book: https://amzn.to/4aEQYU6

*As Amazon Associates we earn from qualifying purchases*

Other Sources:

• https://www.fieldmuseum.org/blog/tsavo-lions
• https://wildlifecollege.org.za/the-man-eaters-of-tsavo/
• https://www.livescience.com/58735-man-eating-lions-analyzed.html
• https://tsavotrust.org/why-are-tsavos-male-lions-maneless/

Theme music: Ways of the Wizard

Composed by: geoffharvey

Licensed through: Pixabay

Used with permission, Thank you Geoff!

Other sounds used licensed through Pixbay

• African Tribal Music- BackgroundMusicForVideos
• Crunching Bones- spookymodem (Freesound)
• Horror Trailer- SimpleSound
• Lion Roaring Sound Effect- Engyclick

used under the Pixabay Content License

Keywords: Tsavo lions, Tsavo lion attacks, lions that ate people, dark history of the Man-Eaters of Tsavo, colonial Africa tragedies, Tsavo National Park history, Kenya wildlife history, Kenya dark history, dark history podcast episode, bizarre tragedies in history

This week we uncover the LaLaurie Mansion horrors. The tale of Delphine LaLaurie is hidden away in the French Quarter buried deep in New Orleans true crime history. Here we expose historical serial abuse and brutal crimes so disturbing that the LaLaurie house is now known as one of the most haunted places in New Orleans. Let's band together and break down the door hiding the true story of the LaLaurie Mansion in this episode of The Darkives.

Sources:

• Retrospect of Western Travel, Volume II, Harriet Martineau- https://amzn.to/4pcrd1d*As Amazon Associates we earn from qualifying purchases*
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Theme music: Ways of the Wizard

Composed by: geoffharvey

Licensed through: Pixabay

Used with permission, Thank you Geoff!

• Other sounds used licensed through Pixbay
• Spooky-NikitaKondrashev
• Wood Break-BOAAY (Freesound)
• Gasplaft2k-(Freesound)
• Locked door being forced open-Talitha5 (Freesound)

used under the Pixabay Content License

Keywords: Madame LaLaurie history, Madame LaLaurie, Delphine LaLaurie mansion LaLaurie House New Orleans, brutal crimes in history, haunted New Orleans, French Quarter history, Royal Street New Orleans, Louisiana dark history ,LaLaurie Mansion ghosts, haunted LaLaurie House, who was Madame Delphine LaLaurie, what happened at the LaLaurie House, LaLaurie Mansion slave abuse, dark secrets of Madame LaLaurie, Madame LaLaurie crimes explained

This week, the history of Christmas traditions. We time travel back to the 4th century to learn of an early Christian Saint that serves as the origins of Santa Claus. Beginning with the true history of Saint Nicholas we follow his path to becoming the Bishop of Myra. After the verifiable tales we'll get into Saint Nicholas' folklore and legends. Finally we end with the evolution of Santa Claus and bridge the gap between ol' Saint Nick and Santa Claus. Deck the heretic, halls, whatever! in this Holiday special of The Darkives.

Sources:

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Theme music: Ways of the Wizard

Composed by: geoffharvey

Licensed through: Pixabay

Used with permission, Thank you Geoff!

Other sounds used licensed through Pixbay

• real_punches_and_slaps (Freesound)
• Chopping wood with a hatchet (Freesound)
• Magic 03 Universfield
• Harp Glissando Ascending Short Serge Quadrado Music
• Ancient Histroy BackgroundMusicMaster
• Jail Door Closing (Heavy Door) TanwerAman
• Pain/Anger Scream 2 TheLlywellyn
• Snow Lantern Waltz BFCMUSIC

used under the Pixabay Content License

Keywords: Saint Nicholas facts, miracles, myths, Christmas folklore

This week we cover the destruction of the U.S. capital and the British burning Washington D.C. in 1814. During the war of 1812 (President Madison era) few skirmishes hit harder than the British invasion of Washington after the Bladensburg battle. We cover some early American history with dramatic historical attacks that lead to the White House burning. Pull up a chair and get toasty as we listen to the new world burn in this episode of The Darkives.

Sources:

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Theme music: Ways of the Wizard

Composed by: geoffharvey

Licensed through: Pixabay

Used with permission, Thank you Geoff!

Other sounds used licensed through Pixbay

• Party horn TiesWijnen (Freesound)
• Short Crowd Cheer qubodup (Freesound)
• Sad Dramatic Music Tunetank
• Fire Sound Efftect MaxHammarbäck
• Crowd In Panic Sdanezis
• VINYL STOP ALEXIS_GAMING_CAM

used under the Pixabay Content License

Keywords: darkest moments in history, dark history podcast, shocking events in American history, lesser-known U.S. history, historical disaster, 19th century American conflicts, War of 1812 history

This week ice mummies! We 'chisel' out a few stories from The Darkives of ancient burial practices, unsettling stories, and icy tomb discoveries. Learn the stories behind Ötzi the Iceman, Inca ice mummies in the Andes, and Siberian ice burials. Let's thaw the veiled history covering these ancient and chilling archaeological mummy finds. 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.

Sources:

• https://secretsoftheice.com/ice-mummies/
• https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/141017-white-war-first-world-war-italy-austro-hungarian-mountains-history
• https://www.iceman.it/en/oetzi/the-body
• https://www.britannica.com/topic/Otzi
• https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/03/world/ice-maiden-juanita-facial-reconstruction-scn
• https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/sacrificial-ceremony/
• https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/science/peruvian-ice-maiden
• https://www.livescience.com/38504-incan-child-mummies-lives-revealed.html
• https://www.history.com/articles/ice-maiden-mummy-siberia
• https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p0b5vtbj/the-mystery-of-siberia-s-2-500-year-old-ice-maiden-

Theme music: Ways of the Wizard

Composed by: geoffharvey

Licensed through: Pixabay

Used with permission, Thank you Geoff!

Keywords: frozen mummies, ancient ice mummies, preserved bodies in ice, ice mummy discoveries, ancient human remains, ancient burial practices, eerie archaeological finds, chilling ancient mysteries, macabre historical discoveries unsettling mummy stories, Inca ice mummies, Andes sacrifice mummies, high-altitude mummies, dark history podcast episode, creepy history podcast topics, bizarre historical events, mysterious archaeological finds, ancient mysteries explained, true story of ice mummy discoveries, ancient rituals and ice burials, chilling stories from archaeological history, real history behind ice mummy legends