Reign On Me | A History Podcast by Jennifer Gulbrandsen

Empress Sisi of Austria has returned to the court of Vienna from her years of convalescing from a mystery illness, and everyone is shocked by how much she has changed. While a sullen and sorrowful young Empress left Vienna, a worldly and self assured woman arrives ready to use her voice and make some moves of her own.

This week host Jennifer Gulbrandsen, covers the first few years of Franz and Siri's marriage including the power struggle between the new Empress and her mother in law, Archduchess Sophie.

This week on 'Reign On Me' host Jennifer Gulbrandsen continues our journey with the new Emperor facing dismal public approval, and his mother Archduchess Sophie decides that the best PR plan for a flailing royal is weddings and babies, so a search for a bride is on. Sophie doesn't have to look too far, because her sister Ludovika happens to have the perfect daughter to step into the role of Empress. However, there's another free spirited daughter to contend with who sets the whole plan on its ear.

In the Season 2 premiere of Reign On Me, host Jennifer Gulbrandsen sets the stage for the drama that will unfold by introducing listeners to the two longest reigning dynasties in Europe, the Wittlespachs and the Hapsburgs. Two families both alike in dignity, and of course intrigue throughout European history. It's through this rapid recap of these families that we are brought up to speed where we begin our adventure in the 1840's with four daughters of the Bavarian King, and how three of them will change Austria forever.

As we learned in season one of Reign On Me, royal family drama didn't begin with our modern tabloid stories about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle - It's a tale as old as time. To be royal is to be the drama, dahling. In season two of Reign On Me, we dive into the deep end of the Hapsburg dynasty and the intrigues of Austria's last emperor, Franz Joseph, and his wife the eccentric Empress Sisi. A story that once began in triumph - and ended in a series of scandals and tragedies. Did Sisi suffer from the rumored curse of what was then called the Bavarian madness, or was she a progressive genius simply ahead of her time? Was the Emperor a mama's boy who couldn't rule and should have abdicated to his brother? Was the last archduchess the product of an affair? Was a murder-suicide covered up? In a family that on the surface looks more cursed than the Kennedys, was there a way these misfortunes could have been prevented? In season 2 of Reign On Me, we'll also look at how the industrial revolution changed monarchy forever, leaving only the soon to be renamed House of Windsor the last empire standing. How did England's Empire manage to be the only one to survive the first world war? So pull up a chair, pour your favorite drink, and join me, Jennifer Gulbrandsen, as we delve into more drama than today's modern monarchies can dish out as we start Season 2 of Reign on Me, the Hot Mess Hapsburgs, and the end of the Austrian Empire.

The Season One Finale of Reign On Me is upon us! In this episode, Jennifer reviews the lives of some of the supporting characters of the First Empire of France. We'll cover both of Napoleon's illegitimate sons, Jerome Bonaparte's first wife American Betsy Bonaparte, and the young woman reported to be Napoleon's 'Last Love' during his final exile in St. Helena, Betsy Balcombe. Reign On Me will return for Season 2 - The Haphazard Hapsburgs in 2023. Be sure to check out Jennifer's other projects in the meantime!

This week we talk about Napoleon's 100 days after he reaches France after escaping Elba, the battle of Waterloo, and his second exile to St. Helena. We also discuss what happens to the Bourbons after the second restoration of the monarchy.

In this episode, we follow Napoleon's abdication, first exile in Elba, and his return to France during the Vienna Convention and a very unpopular Bourbon Restoration.

The year is 1812, and we are beginning to see the what could be the end of the First Empire and how a young empress chooses to look out for herself rather than protect her adopted country.

This week we meet France's second Empress of the First Empire, Austrian Archduchess Marie Louise. At only 18 years old, she marries her father's enemy, the now 40 year old Napoleon Bonaparte, in hopes of securing an heir to his throne and legitimizing himself as a monarch of Europe. While things start out well for the new couple, an old problem reemerges changing everything.

In this bonus episode, Jennifer reviews the recent decisions of the United States Supreme Court, and how history has showed us how religion and oppression protects a failing and afraid ruling class.

In this episode, Jennifer take a a quick detour to talk about the lives of Napoleon's stepchildren, Eugene & Hortense Beauharnais, and what life was like for them after the Emperor divorced their mother, Josephine, in 1809.

This episode centers around the events that culminated in the dissolution of Napoleon and Josephine's marriage in 1809.

There's a huge turning point for Napoleon, Josephine, and the First Empire with the birth of his first illegitimate son in 1806, and then his second illegitimate son in 1810.

This episode covers the drama and intrigue of the coronation of both Napoleon and Josephine.

An assassination attempt on Christmas Eve 1800 has First Consul Napoleon concerned about an heir more than ever, which causes Josephine to make her biggest gamble yet.

This episode examines the events preceding the events of the Coup of the 18 Brumaire that establishes Napoleon as the ruler of France and Josephine as his first lady. We also see how messy things get with the Bonapartes, while Josephine's initial gambles pay off.

This episode takes us on the ride that is the early days of Napoleon and Josephine's marriage and the power struggle that would ensue between them throughout their tumultuous time together.

In this episode we take a look at the boring Bernadottes, their eccentric matriarch Desiree Clary, and how they came to be one of the longest ruling royal houses still on the throne today.

If ever there were a family tailor made for reality TV, it's the Bonapartes! In this episode we trace the origins of this family from Corsica and how they became an imperial dynasty.

Now that Rose is married to Alexandre de Beauharnais, drama ensues as his behavior forces Rose to make some serious decisions for herself. Soon both find themselves in the middle of the French Revolution which will change both of them forever.

Our story begins on the island of Martinique with a wealthy plantation owner, Joseph Tascher de la Pagerie, his sister Desiree, and the Governor turned Marquis de Beauharnais. Find out how the middle daughter Rose had fortune and fate change her life as she is sent to France for an advantageous marriage. Everyone thinks the Creoles are the messy ones, until this fated marriage happens.

In season one of 'Reign On Me' we delve into the three Royal houses of Beauharnais, Bernadotte, and Bonaparte. On this podcast, host Jennifer Gulbrandsen takes a look at how these families changed royal history and politics forever.