Sasha Wren articles

As Catherine of Aragon’s body was prepared for burial, it was noted that her corpse appeared to be healthy, save for her heart, which had turned completely black.

Henry McCarty, or as he was later known, Billy the Kid, may not have been perfect, but he wasn’t the bloodthirsty outlaw that several others in his time became. Looking deeper into his life as a bandit, it’s clear that in many circumstances, he was the victim of simple misfortune. While he certainly enjoyed life on the other side of the law, most of his issues came from being in the wrong place at the wrong time—even at the bitter end.

In November 1971, a man known only as D.B. Cooper boarded Northwest Orient Flight 305 with a briefcase and a calm demeanor. Airport security was almost nonexistent, and no one suspected a thing—until it was far too late. What happened next would spark one of the greatest mysteries in American history.

We all think we know the Spartans—bare-chested warriors shouting “This is Sparta!” and charging into battle without fear. But how much of that is Hollywood, and how much is history? Behind the legend lies the startling truth—a real society more brutal, bizarre, and complex than most people realize. Let’s pull back the curtain on the true lives of ancient Sparta’s most feared fighters.

Of all the famous survivors of the Titanic, Dorothy Gibson is the least known—and the most scandalous.

When people hear the name Wolfgang Mozart, they probably think about Symphony No. 40 in G Minor—or at least a man in a powdered wig effortlessly conjuring magic at the piano. But what rarely comes to mind? His wife, Constanze Mozart. And yet, to overlook Constanze is to ignore a life just as fascinating, and perhaps even more daring, than that of her legendary husband.

When Ferdinand Magellan was cut down by natives in the Philippines, the lives of his ships and crew hung in the balance. Juan Sebastian Elcano stepped forward to take comman of the expedition.

For a brief time in her short life, it looked like Amy Robsart had it all. Beautiful and young, she was also married to one of the most powerful men in the land, Queen Elizabeth I’s favorite, Robert Dudley. But one infamous September day turned Amy into the Tudor period’s greatest true crime story.

Lady Arbella Stuart had a life full of secrets, ambition, and rebellion. The once-likely successor to Queen Elizabeth I, her rare pedigree was a curse, not a blessing—and led her right into scandal and an infamously tragic end.