Cyrus the Great
A Persian shepherd boy ends up freeing the Jews, conquering Babylon, and inventing human rights. Nobody saw it coming.
Ramses the Great
Ruled for 66 years, fathered 100+ kids, fought the largest chariot battle in history, and put his face on every wall in Egypt.
Alexander the Great
By age 32 he's conquered most of the known world and reportedly cried because there was nothing left to conquer.
Augustus Becomes Emperor
Caesar's quiet 18-year-old nephew somehow outplays everyone, ends 100 years of civil war, and quietly turns Rome into an empire.
Charlemagne is Crowned
On Christmas Day, the Pope drops a crown on a Frankish king's head and declares the Roman Empire is back. Charlemagne pretends to be surprised.
Alfred the Great
An English king on the run from the Vikings hides in a swamp, regroups, and ends up the only English ruler called 'the Great.'
Richard the Lionheart
An English king who barely speaks English spends his entire reign on Crusade or in prison. His brother John runs the country into the ground at home.
Henry VIII and His Six Wives
Wants a son so badly he breaks with the Pope, beheads two wives, divorces two more, and ruins his own legacy. Get him out of his marriage.
Elizabeth I
The 'Virgin Queen' rules England for 45 years, never marries, defeats the Spanish Armada, and turns a backwater into a superpower.
Louis XIV Builds Versailles
The Sun King turns a hunting lodge into a 2,000-room palace and forces every powerful French noble to live there so he can keep an eye on them.
Peter the Great
A 6'8 Russian tsar travels Europe undercover, learns shipbuilding, comes home, shaves all the boyars' beards by force, and builds St. Petersburg in a swamp.
Catherine the Great
A German princess marries the wrong tsar, has him deposed (and possibly killed), then rules Russia for 34 years and almost doubles its size.
Frequently Asked Questions
What stories are in the Kings & Queens collection?
The Kings & Queens collection includes 12 stories: Cyrus the Great, Ramses the Great, Alexander the Great, Augustus Becomes Emperor, Charlemagne is Crowned, and 7 more. All available as immersive audio on History Tea.
Can I listen to Kings & Queens stories for free?
Yes! All 12 stories in the Kings & Queens collection are completely free to listen to on the History Tea app. Download on iOS and start listening today.
What time periods does Kings & Queens cover?
The Kings & Queens collection spans c. 539 BCE, c. 1279 BCE, 336 BCE, 27 BCE and more. Each story is a fresh, cinematic retelling with immersive narration.
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