Here’s one of our listeners’ most requested episodes of 2019: This famous Queen ruled Egypt during the mid-14th century, BC, over a period of immense religious upheaval. With her husband, she conspired to convert all of Egypt from the traditional polytheistic religion to the worship of a single God.

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For centuries, Mexico lived under the rule of Spain. In that time, a discriminatory caste system was created to keep non-Europeans in their place. However, one priest, inspired by the thinkers of the Enlightenment, would cast the first stone and help bring about Mexico’s independence.

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Best remembered for his invention of the calendar we still use today, Pope Gregory XIII became a voice for reform in the Catholic Church by pulling the Vatican out of the dark ages and into the modern era.

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This 14th Century sultan of Mali became renowned for being the richest man who ever lived. During his 25-year reign, he helped Mali become one of the wealthiest and largest nations in the world.

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A first-wave feminist of the 1800s and 1900s, Professor Margaret Murray was known as both "The Old Woman of Egyptology" and "The Grandmother of Wicca." She was one of the first to take up the subject of the witch-cults of England.

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In the 1790s, Toussaint L’Ouverture emerges as a leading member of the most successful slave revolt in the Americas. This led to the formation of the country we know today as Haiti. 

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Ellen Johnson Sirleaf married as a teenager and was a mother of four before she had a college degree. But her remarkable life was characterized by beating the odds. Despite an abusive husband, political persecution, and frequent fear for her life, she was elected President of Liberia in 2005 -- becoming the first democratically elected female head of state in all of Africa. 

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In December 1955, Rosa Parks made history by refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger. Her resolve In the face of unfair treatment based on the color of her skin stands as a key point of the Civil Rights Movement.

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Anyone who has ever enjoyed a wine and cheese night owes their good time to Louis Pasteur. This 19th century microbiologist and chemist developed the process now called pasteurization, as well as the first vaccine for rabies. Not only was Pasteur the father of germ theory, he was also a master of disguise, often using deception to outsmart his rivals and come out on top.

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Margaret Thatcher was Britain's first woman Prime Minister. For more than a decade, she spearheaded conservative politics from a seat of power in the British Parliament. To some she was a hero, and to others, she was a monster. 

Parcasters - This week on Crimes of Passion we take on the infamous case of Lorena and John Bobbitt! You won’t want to miss this one! Listen today on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

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In July 1981, Princess Diana became the first non-royal to marry into the British Royal family in centuries. As the Princess of Wales, she became a style icon and a humanitarian force, all while contending with the very public infidelity of her husband, Charles, heir apparent to the British Throne.

Parcasters - Is there any truth behind the rumored society that protects the secrets of the Holy Grail? Learn more about the Priory of Sion on this week’s episode of Conspiracy Theories!

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