Historical Blindness
Historical Blindness is a podcast about history’s myths, mysteries, and misconceptions. By examining cases of outrageous hoaxes, pernicious conspiracy theory, mass delusion, baffling mysteries and unreliable historiography, host Nathaniel Lloyd searches for insights into modern religious belief and political culture.
176
Blind Spot: Tracking the Devil in Devon
I follow the trail of the Great Devon Mystery, looking to uncover the truth behind the so-called Devil's Footprints.
25 min
177
The Diabolical Features of Spring-Heeled Jack
An investigation into the Leaping Terror of Victorian London
34 min
178
The Myth and Mystery of Christopher Columbus
Exploring the ambiguities and misrepresentations in the legend that has evolved around the so-called Great Discoverer.
42 min
179
Blind Spot: Charles Dellschau and His Extraordi...
A look at the work of an outsider artist that some say proves the existence of a secret society of airship builders.
21 min
180
The Phantom Airships of 1890s America
I return to our survey of historical UFO sightings to examine the flap of airship sightings in 1896-7.
44 min
181
The Memorable Arrest of Martin Guerre
The tale of the most famous case of imposture in history
36 min
182
The Campden Wonder; or, The Supposed Murder of ...
An astounding story of true crime from the Restoration period of English history.
36 min
183
Blind Spot: Little Dauphin Lost
A look at the mystery surrounding the fate of Louis XVII
22 min
184
The Bastard Princes in the Bloody Tower; Part T...
The conclusion of our look at the mystery of the Princes in the Tower
37 min
185
The Bastard Princes in the Bloody Tower; Part O...
Part one of a 2-part series looking into the famous historical mystery of the Princes in the Tower.
38 min
186
Blind Spot: Babes in the Wailing Wood
An investigation into a nursery rhyme and whether it was inspired by a true crime or a folk legend.
22 min
187
The Lost Youth of St. Martin's Land, or Woolpit...
A study of a folktale, its transmission and the possibility of its veracity.
39 min
188
Blind Spot: The Beloved Disciple and the Author...
A brief look at a New Testament mystery.
22 min
189
Eustache Dauger, the Secret Prisoner in the Vel...
An investigation into the legend of the Man in the Iron Mask.
35 min
190
Blind Spot: The Secret of Rennes-le-Château and...
A closer look at the mystery of Abbé Saunière’s wealth and the legends of treasure at Rennes-le-Château.
19 min
191
The Priory of Sion and the Quest for the Holy G...
A look at a historical mystery that spiderwebs into hoax and pseudo-history.
36 min
192
The Marian Apparition of Guadalupe and Her Fant...
A study of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe
28 min
193
The Turin Shroud: Divine Likeness or Bogus Relic?
A look at the most studied artifact in history.
31 min
194
Blind Spot: The Great Los Angeles Air Raid and ...
An examination of the so-called Battle of Los Angeles and the conspiracy theory that would paint it as an alien encounter.
17 min
195
Blind Spot: Three Men Gone from Eilean Mor, the...
An examination of the Great Lighthouse Mystery
21 min
196
The Carroll A. Deering, Ghost Ship of Cape Hatt...
A tale of a ghost ship, mutineers and pirates in the modern era.
28 min
197
Blind Spot: The Terrible within the Small; or, ...
In this companion piece to my last episode on the blood libel, I expose the 19th and 20th centuries' conspiracy theories attributing plots of global domination to the Jews.
21 min
198
Bloody Libel; or, the Slaughter and Sacralizati...
An exploration of one of the darkest and most destructive myths in history, the blood libel.
36 min
199
The Specter of Devil Worship, Part Two
In part two of a Halloween special, Mike Brown and I continue to scrutinize claims of devil worship throughout history.
33 min
200
The Specter of Devil Worship, Part One
An exploration of the Satanic Panic and accusations of devil worship throughout history, with guest Mike Brown of Pleasing Terrors.
26 min