A podcast is an audio-based streaming service that delivers informative content to listeners, often focusing on topics of interest. Platforms like YouTube, YouTube Music, Spotify, and Deezer offer podcast services, with many providing free access. Listening to podcasts helps expand knowledge and keeps listeners engaged with meaningful content. In the past, I listened to podcasts about the Quran’s reasons for revelation (sabab al-nuzul), but retained little of what I learned—this content was available on Deezer, which previously offered free streaming. After Deezer shifted to a premium model, I lost access and couldn’t continue listening. Recently, YouTube introduced an algorithm change that affected my ability to access certain podcasts, particularly those covering European royal history. These podcasts initially appear on YouTube and later appear on YouTube Music using the same Google account. I’m especially drawn to stories about historical figures like King Henry or other English monarchs, though one such podcast was particularly disturbing, especially in its depiction of the final days of Napoleon Bonaparte—describing his suffering, decay, and agony before death. Another compelling story is that of Vlad the Impaler, who endured brutal torture as a child under Ottoman rule, and later inflicted horrific punishments on villagers, including impaling them—a practice mirrored by Ottoman soldiers during their invasions of Wallachia. I’ve also listened to a podcast about Mehmet II the Conqueror, who faced fear from European powers, yet was often shocked by the widespread looting that followed his conquests. Overall, podcasts offer deep insights into history, especially those highlighting the dark and tragic aspects of royal lives, which I find both fascinating and deeply unsettling.
