Episodes

  • Episode #215- Edgar Allan Poe: Hoax Master?

    Episode #215- Edgar Allan Poe: Hoax Master?
    Nov 20 2024
    Edgar Allan Poe has been remembered as one of America's greatest authors and poets. However, many are less familiar with is career as a hoaxer. In the 1830's and 1840's Poe made a name for himself orchestrating elaborate newspaper hoaxes, and debunking hoaxes attempted by others. Poe specialized in deceptions that dealt with the frontiers of science. Some of these scientific hoaxes flopped, while others drummed up real excitement among astonished readers. What was the secret sauce that made a newspaper hoax go large? Tune-in and find out how moon-gnomes, chess playing automatons, and bipedal space beavers all play a role in the story.
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    1 hr and 35 mins
  • Episode #214- Have We Misremembered the Gunpowder Plot? (Part II)

    Episode #214- Have We Misremembered the Gunpowder Plot? (Part II)
    Nov 6 2024
    Trying to come an "objective" understanding of the 1605 Gunpowder Plot has proved difficult for historians. From the the outset the facts of the case were distorted to help serve the political interests of powerful English ministers. The details were massaged so that a group of Jesuits could be framed as the masterminds. But, if the authorities were lying about the Jesuits, what else might they have been lying about? Was the Gunpowder Plot actually a false flag operation cooked up by members of King James' inner-circle? Have revelers on bonfire night been celebrating a lie... or is something more complicated going on? Tune-in and find out how Satan's imps, English Mardi Gras, and the Guilford Guys all play a role in the story.
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    1 hr and 36 mins
  • Episode #213- Have We Misremembered the Gunpowder Plot? (Part I)

    Episode #213- Have We Misremembered the Gunpowder Plot? (Part I)
    Oct 22 2024
    There is an old English rhyme that implores every patriotic Briton to "Remember, Remember, the 5th of November." This was the date of a foiled attack on the English parliament known as the Gunpowder Plot. The man poised to light the fuse on the 36 barrels of gunpowder stockpiled under the house of lords in 1605 was the Catholic agitator Guy Fawkes. Since the date of his capture the popular understanding of Fawkes has undergone a remarkable transformation. He has gone from being a nearly forgotten triggerman, to a reviled villain burnt in effigy, to a valiant folk hero, to a symbol for internet "hacktivists." Does "Guy Fawkes" the symbol have anything to do with Guy Fawkes the man? Tune-in and find out how rambunctious political theatre, Hungry Scots, and a man with all sorts of Rizz play a role in the story.
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    1 hr and 22 mins
  • OFH Throwback- Episode #3- Was There a Real Labyrinth?

    OFH Throwback- Episode #3- Was There a Real Labyrinth?
    Oct 15 2024
    In this throwback episode Sebastian revisits one of the earliest episodes of Our Fake History from 2015. Is the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur just a bedtime story for morbid children or does it contain the kernels of real history? This week we dive into this classic myth and discover how it might hold clues about a real conflict between ancient bronze-age civilizations. Tune in to discover how bull jumpers, volcanic eruptions, boys with double-daddys, and the real life Indiana Jones all play a role in the story!
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    55 mins
  • Episode #212- Was "The Man Called Intrepid" a Fraud?

    Episode #212- Was "The Man Called Intrepid" a Fraud?
    Oct 8 2024
    In 1976 the bestselling biography A Man Called Intrepid made the Canadian spy Sir. William Stephenson something close to a household name. The book claimed that the previously obscure Stephenson had secretly been the head of one of WWII's most important espionage agencies. Some even gave him credit for inspiring Ian Fleming's beloved fictional spy, James Bond. But, despite it's success, the book soon met with a wave of criticism from historians. The most vocal critics decried Stephenson as an "intrepid fraud" who "fooled the world into believing he was a master spy.” Was Stephenson truly an important part of British Intelligence, or was he just a Winnipeg con-man who duped his gullible biographers. Tune-in and find out how secret Canadian commando camps, stolen can openers, and the Butcher of Prague all play a role in the story. Thanks for supporting our sponsors! Secure your privacy with Surfshark! Enter coupon code FAKEHISTORY for 4 months EXTRA at https://surfshark.com/FAKEHISTORY
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    1 hr and 26 mins
  • Episode #211- Who Killed King Tut? (Part II)

    Episode #211- Who Killed King Tut? (Part II)
    Sep 24 2024
    When King Tutankhamun became King of Egypt at the tender age of eight he inherited a kingdom in chaos. His father's religious revolution had upended the traditional social structure and enraged the old priesthood. In those early years of his reign Tutankhamun was clearly guided by his advisors to lead a restoration of the old ways. But did hose advisors get a little too comfortable with power? When Tutankhamun suddenly died at the age of 18, one of those advisors quickly slid into the role of Pharaoh. Was this a cleverly orchestrated palace coup? Or have some Egyptologists become too invested in a murder mystery of their own making? Tune-in and find out how vengeful cobras, Disney's Aladdin, and an ancient international incident all play a role in the story. Thank you for supporting our sponsors! Surfshark: Secure your privacy with Surfshark! Enter coupon code FAKEHISTORY for 4 months EXTRA at https://surfshark.com/FAKEHISTORY Indeed: Go to https://Indeed.com/ourfakehistory to get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to get your job more visibility. Terms and conditions apply. Progressive: Press play on comparing auto rates! Quote at https://Progressive.com today!
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    1 hr and 26 mins
  • Episode #210- Who Killed King Tut? (Part I)

    Episode #210- Who Killed King Tut? (Part I)
    Sep 10 2024
    King Tutankhamun may be the best known Egyptian Pharaoh. The discovery of his tomb in 1922 created a wave of "Tut-mania" that has made him a fixture of pop-culture ever since. But even though his treasures are among the most visited museum objects in history, the details of his life remain obscure. This may be because King Tut's successors actively tried to erase him from history. Why was this young monarch's name omitted from the official Kings List and carved out of monuments? Is this all just the fallout of an elaborate murder plot and a coup for the Egyptian throne? Tutankhamun lived through one of the most tumultuous periods in Egyptian history, so why was he written out of the official story? Tune-in and find out how Britain's most dangerous driver, a mummy's curse, and Steve Martin all play a role in the story.
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    1 hr and 17 mins
  • OFH Throwback- Episode #172- Who Was the African Samurai? (Part II)

    OFH Throwback- Episode #172- Who Was the African Samurai? (Part II)
    Sep 3 2024
    In this throwback episode Sebastian takes you back to the conclusion of the African Samurai series. In the 1580’s Japan was a on the precipice of a massive transformation. For over a century the country had been embroiled in war, but by 1581 the end seemed to be in sight. The powerful Lord Oda Nobunaga was on the path to unifying the fractured nation. It was at this time that a remarkable man from East Africa, known as Yasuke, came into his service. Nobunaga would take a shine to this foreigner and would eventually honour him with a ceremonial sword and a monthly stipend. For many historians this makes Yasuke the first ever foreigner born Samurai. Legend has it that he played a pivotal role in Oda Nobunaga’s final living moments. Should we trust these stories of Samurai derring-do? Tune-in and find out how a loosely tied top knot, a public scrubbing, and the slippery definition of “samurai” all play a role in the story.
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    1 hr and 44 mins