This is an I-Heart podcast, guaranteed human.

Welcome to Noble Blood, a production of IHeart Radio and Grim and Mild from Aaron Manky.

Listener discretion advised.

The empire was collapsing around him, but Count Leopold Berk told had a job to do.

It was November 1st, 1918,

the tail end of World War I, and the end of the Austrian Empire. The emperor, Charles I,

knew that his days were numbered, and that he and his family needed to leave the country as soon as possible,

and so he had sent Count Leopold, the Lord Chamberlain, down to the imperial treasury.

The display of crown jewels was staggeringly impressive.

This is the Hapsburg dynasty, for goodness sake.

The display cases boasted glittering crowns, dripping pearls, and diamonds so large that they look

fake.

There were jewelry sets that had belonged to some of the most famous women in history.

Empress Maria Teresa, Empress Elizabeth, Marie Antoinette, and the

forgive me, crown jewel of the collection, was genuinely staggering.

The Florentine Diamond, a stunning 137-carat stone with a centuries-long pedigree. With the future breathing

down his neck, Count Leopold emptied the display case number 13, wrapping the priceless jewels in paper

and packing them into two bags.

That very night, the Count boarded a train for Switzerland,

where the Emperor Charles, his wife Zeta, and their family, would begin their exile.

53 jewelry pieces were taken out of Austria.

Fourteen of those were from the Empress Zeta's private collection,

...