Monday’s podcast brought you a little more Chinese history. The Taiping Rebellion is considered the most important event in 19th century. It helped end the imperial system forever. So why did most of us completely miss this in history class?

The rebellion started with a man named Hong Xiuquan (alternately spelled Hung Hsiu-ch-uan), a poor farm boy who dreamt of passing the civil service exam, only to fail over and over. Although his professional dreams were thwarted, Hong had a new, different kind of dream: a vision of himself as the son of God, younger brother to Jesus. And his mission (because these dream visions often end with a mission)? Reform China.

Wednesday, you witnessed the rivalry between Mary Stuart and Elizabeth I.

The central conflict between Mary and Elizabeth was that Mary wanted to be named Elizabeth’s heir. (By birth order, she was, and Catholics believed her to be the legitimate queen of England anyway.) But Elizabeth couldn’t name an heir, for fear of her throne — and her life.

Mary and Elizabeth were both threatened and fascinated by each other. As female sovereigns, both understood the difficulties of the other’s position better than anyone else could. And yet, each was an obstacle to the other’s power. Mary said once that she wished one of them had been a man, so that they could marry and unite their kingdoms.