Journey into the terrifying world of 19th-century India to uncover the chilling reality of Thug Behram, one of history's most prolific serial killers. This episode of Devils of History explores the rise and fall of the Thugee cult—a secretive network of professional assassins who haunted the dusty trade routes, including the Grand Trunk Road, conducting ritualistic murders in the name of the Goddess Kali (Bhavani).

Learn how the crumbling Mughal Empire and the economic upheaval caused by the British East India Company created the perfect, lawless environment for the Thugs to thrive. We delve into their dark methods, their coded language (Ramasee), their chilling hereditary initiation rituals, and the belief system that justified their thousands of strangulations using a silk scarf (rumāl).

Finally, discover how British administrator William Henry Sleeman and his revolutionary use of approvers (informants like Feringhea) managed to systematically dismantle this centuries-old cult, leading to the capture and 1840 execution of the elusive Jamedar, Behram, and forever changing the face of law and order in the subcontinent.

This is a story of organized darkness, religious justification for mass violence, and the ultimate clash between ancient custom and colonial-era justice.

In this episode of "Devils of History," the podcast delves into the life and alleged crimes of Elizabeth Báthory, the infamous "Blood Countess" of 16th and 17th-century Hungary. The podcast explores the complex figure behind the legend, raising the question of whether she was a monstrous sadist or the victim of a political conspiracy. It begins by setting the stage in a volatile, war-torn Hungary where noble families, like the powerful Báthorys, held immense power and acted as kings in their own domains. The episode highlights Elizabeth's aristocratic background, her intelligence, and her arranged marriage to the formidable warrior, Ferenc Nádasdy. With her husband frequently away at war, Elizabeth was left in charge of their vast estates, including the remote and isolated Čachtice Castle, a place that would become central to her dark reputation.

The narrative explores how Elizabeth’s unchecked power and temperament allegedly led to a pattern of escalating cruelty. The episode addresses the most sensational and enduring part of her legend: the "blood baths."

The episode details the trial of her accomplices, who were tortured into confessing, and explores the political motivations behind her prosecution.

Elizabeth Báthory's story remains an enduring enigma, a chilling reminder of how power, cruelty, and legend can intertwine to create a monster who continues to haunt our collective imagination.

Devils of History: Historical Serial Killers in Their Own Words, is a new type of True-Crime podcast. It is told by the monsters themselves. Jack The Ripper - London's most notorious killer, Elizabeth Bathory - the "Blood Countess", H.H. Holmes - America's most prolific serial killer, Jane Toppan - "Jolly Jane", Peter Niers - the German torturer, and even, Adolf Hitler.

This episode offers a chilling, first-person narrative from the perspective of Jack the Ripper, combined with historical analysis, to explore the infamous Whitechapel murders. The podcast delves into the social and historical context of Victorian London, presenting the killer as a product of the city's grim realities and social inequalities. The narrator, in the persona of Jack the Ripper, provides a sinister and chilling account of the murders, seeing them not as simple acts of violence, but as a form of artistry and a statement against the hypocrisy of his time.

Devils of History: Historical Serial Killers in Their Own Words, is a new type of True-Crime podcast. It is told by the monsters themselves. Some might include: Jack The Ripper - London's most notorious killer, Elizabeth Bathory - the "Blood Countess", H.H. Holmes - America's most prolific serial killer, Jane Toppan - "Jolly Jane", Peter Niers - the German torturer, and even, Adolf Hitler.