They called her a treasonous nymphomaniac who bankrupted France for diamonds and cake. The revolutionaries didn't just execute Marie Antoinette - they waged a brutal smear campaign to ruin her first. But what if almost everything you’ve been told about 'Madame Déficit' is a lie? From fake royal sex scandals to a black-market diamond heist that brought down a monarchy, this is how a teenage Austrian princess became the most hated woman in Europe.

Joining Dan is Kate Williams, author of 'Regina: A New History of Women and Power’.

Produced by James Hickmann and edited my Natasha Hughes.

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Dan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcast

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At its height, Ming China was one of the most powerful states on Earth. Its cities bustled with merchants and scholars, its goods travelled across continents, and its treasure fleets sailed as far as East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. At the heart of this vast empire stood the Forbidden City- a spectacular symbol of imperial authority.

But prosperity bred corruption, power created enemies, and rebellion threatened the dynasty from within. In this episode, Dan heads to Beijing to explore how an impoverished peasant founded a dynasty that ruled China for nearly three centuries and how war, political crisis, rebellion and environmental catastrophe ultimately brought it down. Warning: this episode refers to suicide.

Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore

You can check out our documentary on Youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHBTevu_eTc

If you want more of Jeremiah on Dan Snow's History Hit, check out these episodes on any podcast player:

The Opium Wars at https://open.spotify.com/episode/4GYkpTToitfmACR6RX9yGa

The Forbidden City at https://open.spotify.com/episode/5FdOolMSttL4aIXlMniMUj

The Terracotta Warriors at https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-terracotta-warriors/id1042631089?i=1000666138627

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

Dan Snow's History Hit is a History Hit podcast.

History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The fate of the Mediterranean hung in the balance during this bloody battle between the Knights of St John and the armies of Suleyman the Magnificent in the summer of 1565. The Ottoman Empire had carved its way across three continents and now turned its sights to the tiny island of Malta. Tens of thousands of Ottoman troops descended. What followed was one of the most ferocious sieges of the 16th century: relentless bombardments, desperate hand-to-hand fighting and assaults on seemingly impregnable forts. Both the attackers and defenders were pushed close to breaking point.

Dan is joined by Heritage Malta curator Kirsty Grech at Fort St Angelo - the Knight's headquarters during the siege - to tell the extraordinary story of bloodshed, resistance and survival.

Made in collaboration with VisitMalta and Heritage Malta.

If you'd like to visit Malta and see the history discussed in this episode, you can find out more at https://www.visitmalta.com

Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Matthew Wilson. With thanks to Jeffrey Powell, Liam Gauci, Patricia Ebejer, Priscilla Civelli, Jeremy Nikolai Amaira, Annie Woodman and Giles Jagger.

Dan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcast

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

Dan Snow's History Hit is a History Hit podcast.

History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.