Our Fake History

Buffalo Bill Cody was one of America's great mythmakers. The man born William Cody reinvented himself as the west's greatest rider, scout, and buffalo hunter before taking his schtick to the American stage in the early 1870's. Buffalo Bill would eventually develop his frontiersman act into the Wild West Show, an outdoor exposition that was part circus, part rodeo, and part historical reenactment. Between 1883 and 1913 the ...

In this bonus episode Sebastian takes questions about the recent episodes on Thailand's legendary elephant duels and the seafaring Welsh Prince Madoc. The host does his best to pinpoint the "real" last elephant duel and takes questions from a practicing druid. We also hear from a Welsh listener with some fascinating thoughts about the Madoc episode.

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There's a story that in the year 1170 a Prince from Wales, named Madoc, led a group of Welsh colonists over the Atlantic to North America. This group allegedly mingled with the local indigenous people and eventually assimilated into their culture. However, they left behind their language. For centuries it was believed that a lost tribe of welsh-speaking indigenous people lived somewhere in America. Is there anything to the...

One of the most pivotal moments in the history of Thailand was the Battle of Nong Sarai in 1593. This confrontation between the Burmese Tuangoo Dynasty and the proto-Thai kingdom of Ayutthaya is remembered as the setting for an epic elephant duel. King Naresuan of Ayutthaya was said to have challenged the Burmese crown prince to single combat on elephant back. His victory that day become symbolic of Thailand's independent ...

In this Bonus Episode Sebastian takes questions from listeners about the recent episodes on Werewolves and Witches. Sebastian explores the connection between rabies outbreaks and vampire/werewolf mythology. Listeners weigh in on the psychological meaning of the Egyptian god Anubis. We break down some witchy myths associated with English alewives and explore the inspiration for Shakespeare's witches. Tune-in and find out ho...

In 1487 a scandal prone Dominican inquisitor published one of the most notorious witch-hunting manuals in history. The Malleus Maleficarum, or Hammer of the Witches, argued that Europe was under siege by witches and that these witches were almost exclusively female. The book was one of the first widely available texts that presented witchcraft as a uniquely female evil. By the end of 1500's women had become the main victim...

Stories about human beings transforming into wolves are as old as literature itself. Even the ancient Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh featured a story of a man becoming a wolf. The Werewolf may be one of our most ancient and historically durable monsters. Could Werewolf stories reflect a distant, if blurry, historical memory? Belief in real werewolves seems to have peaked during the witch-panics of 16th and 17th centuries. ...

In this bonus episode Sebastian answers questions from listeners about the recent series on the Parthenon Marbles. The host tangles with the ethics of repatriation requests from notorious dictators, the role of the Parthenon Marbles in inspiring the Greek Independence movement, and the path towards a true "universal museum." Sebastian also wrangles with the notorious "If I don't do it, somebody else will" argument that is ...

The Parthenon Sculptures have been hugely controversial objects from the moment that they arrived in England. The British public has long been split over the morality of keeping these famous works of art in London. In the early 1800's the famous poet Lord Byron went so far as to write angry poems castigating Lord Elgin for defiling Athena's temple. Over the last 200 years the topic of the sculptures has remained a perennia...

The Parthenon Sculptures, also known as the Elgin Marbles, are some of the most controversial museum objects in the world. In the early 19th century the Scottish aristocrat Thomas Bruce, the seventh Earl of Elgin, used his position as Ambassador Extraordinary to the Ottoman Empire to gain access to Athens' historic acropolis and remove priceless works of ancient art from the Parthenon. Since that time both the legality and...

In this throwback episode Sebastian takes you to the conclusion of this fan-favorite season 3 series. Almost as long as people have been telling stories about Robin Hood, historians have been trying to find the real person who inspired the legend. Over the centuries dozens of researchers have cooked up elaborate theories in an attempt to locate the man who became the myth. Were any of them successful in finding a “real” Ro...

In this throwback episode Sebastian takes you back to this fan favorite episode from Season 3. Robin Hood is easily one of the most beloved characters in English storytelling. For centuries the forest outlaw has been the ultimate hero of the downtrodden. He steals from the rich, gives to the poor, and resists tyranny in all of its forms. But, is Robin Hood just a fictional character, or could there have been a real person ...

From Jonestown to Heaven’s Gate, to the Octopus Murders and the Waco Siege, the world is full of deception, manipulation, and destruction. Listen to Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes every Wednesday as we explore the real people at the center of the world’s most shocking secrets and nefarious organizations. Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes is a Crime House original powered by PAVE Studios. Follow the show now so...

In this throwback episode Sebastian takes you back to the conclusion of one of OFH's most popular series. In classic samurai films the swordsman Miyamoto Musashi was always presented as rough but honourable. The real Musashi may have been considerably more complicated. If we look closely at some of the samurai’s most famous duels, we may find reason to question Musashi’s reputation as the ultimate “lone wolf”. Tune-in and ...

In this throwback episode Sebastian revisits an incredibly fun series from Season 3. The samurai swordsman Miyamoto Musashi is the archetypal lone-wolf warrior. Legend has it that in course of his life he fought over sixty duels and never once lost. His psychological strategies and unique two-sword fighting style made him one of the most famous martial artists in Japan’s history. However, many of Musashi’s most celebrated ...

The beloved children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of OZ has been celebrated as the quintessential American fairytale. But, many believe that the book is more than just a pleasing adventure story for kids. It's been argued that hidden in the text is a subtle allegory that satirizes the politics of late 19th century America. Some believe that the author L. Frank Baum used his fantasy story to make a point about the election ...

In this Bonus Episode Sebastian answers questions from listeners about the recent series on President McKinley. He discusses the challenges associated with using a book written by Karl Rove, conspiracy theories around the destruction of the USS Maine, and the complicated political legacies of Theodore Roosevelt and Marc Hanna. One listeners also provides some fun 19th century political slander-rhymes! 

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It's impossible to assess the historical reputation of President William McKinley without tangling with the Spanish-American War. In this final part of the William McKinley trilogy Sebastian gets into the debate around what actually lead to the war. Could a war with Spain have been avoided? Was McKinley pushed into it by a manipulative American press? How did the outcome of the "splendid little war" change America, McKinle...

The 1896 election of William McKinley has been noted as an inflection point in American politics. But, historians are often conflicted about what story they want to tell. It could be seen as moment when Americans rejected a populist firebrand, critical of the wealthy and appealing to working class consciousness. It could also be seen as the moment when American industrialists, bankers, and other monied interests took an ac...