The Exploress

Empress Börte and Life for Women in the Mongol Empire

Genghis (or Chinggis) Khan is pretty famous for building the largest contiguous land empire the world has ever seen. But he couldn't have done it with his wife, Börte. She was his advisor in all things, bore him MANY children, and ran their expansive horde while he was away. Empress Börte was the Mongols's chief manager, organising seasonal migrations, dealing with herders, and holding meetings with dignitaries and merchants. In other words, when her husband was away, she ran the show. The story of their marriage, and her rise to power, is extraordinary. But her influence wasn't necessarily unique within the Mongol Empire, which respected their ladies and saw them, in many ways, as mens' equal. So let's join Börte as she walks us through life for women in the Mongol Empire. Our special guests this episode includes Marie Favereau [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/2320827/marie-favereau/], author of The Horde: How the Mongols Changed the World, and Mongol expert and educator Stephanie Honchell Smith [https://stephaniehonchellsmith.com]. You can listen to my full interviews with both of them on patreon. Some of the music in this episode comes courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (Spirit of the Girl" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License) Ways to support The Exploress: * Become a patron [https://www.theexploresspodcast.com/become-a-patron] and enjoy exclusive bonus episodes, including the video version of this conversation and special episodes you won't find anywhere else * Grab a book at the Exploress Bookshop [https://bookshop.org/shop/the_exploress] * Buy some merch and art available at the Exploress shop [https://www.theexploresspodcast.com/store] * Check out Kate's novels, NIGHTBIRDS [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/697068/nightbirds-by-kate-j-armstrong/] and FYREBIRDS [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/697069/fyrebirds-by-kate-j-armstrong/9780593463307/]

Giving Cleopatra Voice with Natasha Solomons

In this episode of the Exploress Book Club, Natasha Solomons [https://www.instagram.com/natashasolomonsauthor/?hl=en] and I explore her new book I Am Cleopatra and the complexities of bringing Cleopatra's character to life on the page. Natasha discusses her inspiration for writing about Cleopatra, the challenges of researching a historical figure often viewed through a male-dominated lens, and the importance of portraying women's voices in history. We talk about Cleopatra's education, her relationships with powerful men, and the vulnerability that comes with being a woman in a position of power. Ways to support The Exploress: * Become a patron [https://www.theexploresspodcast.com/become-a-patron] and enjoy exclusive bonus episodes, including the video version of this conversation you won't find anywhere else * Grab I Am Cleopatra through the Exploress Bookshop [https://bookshop.org/shop/the_exploress] * Buy some merch and art available at the Exploress shop [https://www.theexploresspodcast.com/store] * Check out Kate's novels, NIGHTBIRDS [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/697068/nightbirds-by-kate-j-armstrong/] and FYREBIRDS [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/697069/fyrebirds-by-kate-j-armstrong/9780593463307/]

Empress Cleopatra of Ancient Egypt

In this series, we're time traveling back to past empires to meet some of the woman who ran them. This time, we're revisiting a ruling lady we've met before: the mighty Cleopatra of ancient Egypt's Ptolemaic Empire. This isn't just a re-release, though: I've re-recorded the three-part original series, giving it a 2026 glow-up, and smushed it into one big glitter bomb of goodness. Join me as we explore Cleopatra's life and reign, which was SO MUCH MORE impressive than her famous affairs with Roman generals. Let's go traveling. Ways to support The Exploress: * Become a patron [https://www.theexploresspodcast.com/become-a-patron] and enjoy exclusive bonus episodes, including the video version of this conversation and special episodes you won't find anywhere else * Grab a book at the Exploress Bookshop [https://bookshop.org/shop/the_exploress] * Buy some merch and art available at the Exploress shop [https://www.theexploresspodcast.com/store] * Check out Kate's novels, NIGHTBIRDS [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/697068/nightbirds-by-kate-j-armstrong/] and FYREBIRDS [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/697069/fyrebirds-by-kate-j-armstrong/9780593463307/] The music in this episode comes courtesy of Derek and Brandon Fiechter [https://dbfiechter.bandcamp.com/album/ancient-egypt], Keith Zizza [http://www.keithzizza.com/projects/children_of_the_nile], and Michael Levy [https://ancientlyre.com/].

Empress Theodora & Life for Women in the Byzantine Empire

In this series, we're time traveling back to past empires to meet some of the woman who helped run them. Let's link up with Empress Theodora, who's going to walk us through her Byzantine (aka Eastern Roman) Empire. We'll see her rise from a fairly humble, and sometimes scandalous, background as an actress and courtesan to become the most powerful woman in Constantinople. After she marries Justinian and becomes his leading lady, she guides him to make sweeping changes that touch every part of life, and most especially the lives of vulnerable women. Join me and expert historian Dr. Hannah Ewing [https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=Dr.+Hannah+Ewing&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sei=lkZDaerpJbeYseMPveaUmQE&dlnr=1] as we walk the streets of Constantinople, cheer on charioteers in the Hippodrome, and walk the halls of the imperial palace as Theodora navigates the treacherous waters of Roman politics. Riots, plagues, intrigues, murder mysteries: this one's got it all. Let's go traveling. Ways to support The Exploress: * Become a patron [https://www.theexploresspodcast.com/become-a-patron] and enjoy exclusive bonus episodes, including the video version of this conversation and special episodes you won't find anywhere else * Grab a book by Elizabeth, or read the current Exploress Book Club pick, at the Exploress Bookshop [https://bookshop.org/shop/the_exploress] * Buy some merch and art available at the Exploress shop [https://www.theexploresspodcast.com/store] * Check out Kate's novels, NIGHTBIRDS [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/697068/nightbirds-by-kate-j-armstrong/] and FYREBIRDS [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/697069/fyrebirds-by-kate-j-armstrong/9780593463307/] Music from this episode includes: * "Teller of the Tales" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License * "Gloria in Excelsis Deo", "Sequence - Victimae Paschali Laudes," "Jubilate Deo," "Credo in Unum Deo", and "Sanctus" by The Tudor Consort [https://freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Tudor_Consort/contact] is licensed under a Attribution 4.0 International License [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0].

Empress Taytu Betul & Life for Women in 19th-century Ethiopia

In this series, we're time traveling back to past empires to meet some of the woman who helped run them. Allow me to introduce you to Empress Taytu Betul, who wasn't afraid to storm battlefields, boss around her emperor husband, and tell certain colonial powers to go on home. Let's walk with Taytu on her extraordinary journey and find out what life was like for women during her reign. Ways to support The Exploress: * Become a patron [https://www.theexploresspodcast.com/become-a-patron] and enjoy exclusive bonus episodes, including the video version of this conversation and special episodes you won't find anywhere else * Grab a book by Elizabeth, or read the current Exploress Book Club pick, at the Exploress Bookshop [https://bookshop.org/shop/the_exploress] * Buy some merch and art available at the Exploress shop [https://www.theexploresspodcast.com/store] * Check out Kate's novels, NIGHTBIRDS [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/697068/nightbirds-by-kate-j-armstrong/] and FYREBIRDS [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/697069/fyrebirds-by-kate-j-armstrong/9780593463307/]