The 16th-Century Jewish Woman Who Ran A Pepper Empire

Doña Gracia Nasi was born in Portugal to Spanish parents, then because of the whole Reconquista and Inquisition scenarios, wound up in Antwerp, Venice, and then Istanbul. She ran a wildly impressive banking company, inherited a pepper empire, and used her connections to help save other Jewish people from persecution. Along the way, she crossed paths with a truly impressive number of previous Vulgar History heroines.

Discussion of antisemitism 5:27 – 18:03

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Podcasts to learn more about Gracia and about Jewish history:

A Deeper Conversation: The Podcast for Jewish Women

The Jewish Story

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References:

https://jewishmuseum.org.uk/2019/01/31/jews-money-myth/

https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/nasi-dona-gracia

https://mjhnyc.org/blog/a-righteous-woman-dona-gracia-mendes-nasi/

https://headstuff.org/culture/history/terrible-people-from-history/gracia-mendes-nasi-renaissance-businesswoman/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gracia_Mendes_Nasi

https://www.etzion.org.il/en/halakha/pogroms-1391-spain

https://aish.com/dona-gracia-nasi-the-spanish-inquisitions-underground-railroad/

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International, part 39: Chinese Pirate Queen, Zheng Yi Sao

It’s the internationale season finale and we’re going out with a PIRATE STORY!!! Zheng Yi Sao aka Shi Yang aka Ching Shih was the most successful pirate of all time. Not just the most successful lady pirate: The Most Successful Pirate Of All Time (All Gender). Hers is a story of success after success and honestly that’s refreshing after all that some of the other women this season had to put up with.

Recommended podcasts to learn more about Asian history:

With Chinese Characteristics podcast hosted by Natalie and Cherrie

Asian American History 101 podcast hosted by Gen and Ted

References:

You’re Dead To Me podcast featuring Professor Ronald C. Po

Pirate Women: the princesses, prostitutes, and privateers who ruled the seven seas by Laura Sook Duncombe

Pirates and Privateers article by Tanner Price

Atlas obscure article by Urvida Banerji

Article on Sixth Tone by Xueting Christine Ni

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Support Vulgar History on Patreon

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International, part 38: Empress Cixi: Final Years (pt 2/2)

After part one laid a lot of track, part two is just all engines go as we look at the subsequent forty-seven years. There were two cult-based rebellions! Three emperors, all chosen by her! A marble boat! A person named Wild Fox Kang! Poisonings! Illnesses! Fleeing in a mule cart! She kept trying to retire but they kept sucking her back in! Also please note: PANTS.

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Recommended podcasts to learn more about Asian history:

Asian American History 101

With Chinese Characteristics

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Support Vulgar History on Patreon

Get merch at http://vulgarhistory.store – use code TITSOUT for free U.S. shipping or TITSOUT10 for 10% off your order

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References:

Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China by Jung Chang

Women In World History: A Biographical Encyclopedia

Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History.

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International, part 36: Ancient Iranian Warrior Queen Artemisia I of Caria

Artemisia I of Caria is one of the earliest recorded tits out women of history. She was the Queen of Halicarnassus hundreds of years before Cleopatra, and midway through the events of the Old Testament. She helped out Persian Emperor Xerxes I battle against the Greeks, and was so impressive Herodotus wrote about her (even though she was a woman).

Help for Iran. Some organizations to consider donating to in support of the women of Iran:

Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI)

Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran

Amnesty International 

United for Iran

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Support Vulgar History on Patreon

Get merch at http://vulgarhistory.store – use code TITSOUT for free U.S. shipping or TITSOUT10 for 10% off your order

References:

Wikipedia

Britannica.com

https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1492/women-in-ancient-persia

https://www.worldhistory.org/article/927/women-in-ancient-greece/

https://www.persianesquemagazine.com/4717/

Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History.

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Author Interview: Daphne Palmer Geanacopoulos (The Pirate’s Wife: The Remarkable True Story of Sarah Kidd)

You may not have heard of Sarah Kidd, but you likely have heard of her third husband: Captain Kidd, the famous pirate. I’m joined by Daphne Palmer Geanacopoulos, author of the first-ever full length biography of Sarah, THE PIRATE’S WIFE: THE REMARKABLE TRUE STORY OF SARAH KIDD to learn all about this lesser-known figure from history. Arrrr!

Learn more about Daphne and her books at daphnepalmergeanacopoulos.com/

Buy a copy of THE PIRATE’S WIFE from bookshop.org to help support Vulgar History 

Support Vulgar History on Patreon

Get merch at http://vulgarhistory.store – use code TITSOUT for free U.S. shipping or TITSOUT10 for 10% off your order

Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History.

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International, part 33: Manuela Sáenz: Post-Revolution (pt 2/2)

Doña Manuela Sáenz de Vergara y Aizpuru was the illegitimate daughter of Spanish nobility in Quito (in modern day Ecuador). Side by side with Simón Bolívar, she was instrumental in Spanish colonies emancipating themselves from Spain. Following Simón’s death, Manuela wound up with money problems in Perú. Since the 20th century, South American feminists have reclaimed her legacy and today, she is widely beloved all over South America as their beloved Manuelita.

Support Vulgar History on Patreon

Get merch at http://vulgarhistory.store – use code TITSOUT for free U.S. shipping or TITSOUT10 for 10% off your order

References:

Wikipedia

For Glory and Bolivar by Pamela S. Murray

Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History.

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International, part 31: Lola Montez and the Gold Rush (part 2/2)

Part two of our exploration of Ireland’s most scandalous heroine covers the second part of Lola Montez’s life. Can’t mention any details here, it’s all best experienced as guest Allison Epstein (A Tip for the Hangman) did, by just vibing out while I tell the tale.

Learn more about Allison at allisonepstein.com and subscribe to Dirtbags Through The Ages at rapscallison.substack.com/

** I forgot to announce Lola’s total scandilicious score in the episode, scroll to the bottom of these notes to see what it is **

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Support Vulgar History on Patreon at patreon.com/annfosterwriter

Get merch at http://vulgarhistory.store – use code TITSOUT for free U.S. shipping or TITSOUT10 for 10% off your order

References:

Wikipedia

The Irish History Podcast

Queens of the Mines podcast

Stuff You Missed in History Class podcast

The Lonely Empress by Joan Haslip

Lola Montez: A Life, by Bruce Seymour

https://decider.com/2021/02/19/dickinson-season-2-spider-dance-lola-montez-anna-baryshnikov-pico-alexander/

https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/montez-lola-4226

https://allthatsinteresting.com/lola-montez

** Lola Montez got a 23. Here is where that puts her on the overall scale:

Catalina de Erauso 23.5

Lola Montez 23

Boudica 23

Christopher Marlowe 22.5

Empress Sisi 21

–Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History: bookshop.org/shop/vulgarhistory

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