138. The Graceful Reed: Ruling the Islamic Empire

Empire

Jack Davenport

History

4.6 • 4.1K Ratings

🗓️ 8 April 2024

⏱️ 46 minutes

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Summary

Sold as a slave to the great Abbasid Caliph, al-Khayzuran quickly rose to the very top of the pyramid. Through marriage and motherhood, she became wife of the caliph and then Queen Mother and in both instances she wielded extraordinary power. In the court at Baghdad - the very heart of the civilised world - al-Khayzuran had major influence and it is possible that during her lifetime, she was the most powerful woman in the world, determining politics from Morocco to Afghanistan. Some even say she assassinated one of her sons, and put a second on the throne. Listen as William and Anita are joined by Hugh Kennedy to discuss the extraordinary life of al-Khayzuran. **Empire Live** Tickets for our live show go on sale on THIS Thursday, but for members of the Empire Club tickets are available in the pre-sale as of 9am GMT TODAY! If you want to sign up to the Empire Club, simply go to https://empirepod.supportingcast.fm/ Twitter: @Empirepoduk Email: [email protected] Goalhangerpodcasts.com Assistant Producer: Anouska Lewis Producer: Callum Hill Exec Producer: Neil Fearn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Well, hello there Empire listeners. Now before you get to today's episode, William and I have a very exciting special announcement, don't we?
0:15.4	We do, we do, we do.
0:17.0	This summer we are returning to the stage for a live show.
0:21.2	On Monday, the 8th of of July we will be in London at the Barbican no less.
0:26.4	If you didn't come last year you will have missed William Dower and Paul breaking every rule that the venue
0:31.2	had and climbing into the pulpit to deliver his sermon from the mouth?
0:35.6	Yes, that was fun. I like that.
0:37.3	Did you see the blanched faces of everybody around the hall?
0:42.0	I thought it was a shame not to use a bull bit if it was there.
0:44.0	Oh my God, what is he doing?
0:46.0	Honestly, it was basically our podcast made flesh
0:49.0	where you're out of control man, out of control.
0:52.0	Do come, to please come we have so many things that we want to
0:57.2	share with you it's going to be bigger it's going to be better we're not going to
1:00.0	spoil the surprise as to what the topics are going to be partly because we don't know yet but it's going to spoil the surprise as to what the topics are going to be partly because we don't
1:03.2	know yet.
1:04.2	But it's going to be history.
1:06.2	It's going to be history related.
1:07.8	And it's going to be all the history that you didn't learn in school.
1:10.8	Yes, with a few laughs along the way we hope so look should I give you the
1:13.4	details if you got your pen have you got your pencil ready have you got your paper
1:16.8	in front of you because this is when the show is the evening of Monday the 8th of July
	...

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