Great Queers in History

Otto Mas
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Great Queers in History

A laid-back approach to various historical figures whose homosexuality got lost, or was concealed, in history books because it turns out, western historiography didn't find any sexuality other than the predominant one, that is, heterosexuality, to be significant. Chapter by chapter, the lives of individuals whose significance in history caused their sexual orientation to be overshadowed under the pretext that their orientation was unnatural and shouldn’t be made public to avoid setting a bad example or tarnishing their image, as if being homosexual, bisexual, or transgender was bad. In addition to these episodes, you can also learn a lot more about other characters in my book, Grandes Maricas de la Historia, published in Spanish by Penguin Random House, which you can find in any bookstore in Spain or in digital format everywhere. For suggestions or any comments, you can go on Twitter to @Otto_Mas or on Instagram to @ottomas, though, heads up, trolls are not welcome! ;-) The cover design is by wbraz.studio"

  1. S01E21: Francis Bacon, English writer, essayist, politician, and philosopher, founder of empiricism (1561-1626)

    04/21/2024

    S01E21: Francis Bacon, English writer, essayist, politician, and philosopher, founder of empiricism (1561-1626)

    Francis Bacon, the one studied in philosophy classes in school, was a first-rate statesman and a great philosopher, as well as a homosexual who was fortunate enough to enjoy his sexuality because the king at the time was also homosexual, and Bacon was by his side, meaning he was privileged. Eventually, he fell from grace, but it was due to financial issues, and his brother, incidentally, was also homosexual, much to the dismay of their puritanical mother, Lady Anne Bacon, who ended up without grandchildren. The music you are listening to can be found on this playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6sTbqqy8eOhfoWKz2GAflu?si=K7IADIIaTCStd3JVZpTcLQ

    25 min
  2. S01E20: Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), Danish writer known for his children's fairy tales

    03/18/2024

    S01E20: Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), Danish writer known for his children's fairy tales

    But how can Hans Christian Andersen be homosexual when he wrote children's tales?! Reeeeeeally? Are homosexuals not allowed to write stories? Well, Andersen's love story was quite asexually oriented, with lots of letters, diaries, and 19th-century romanticism, of course. And, hey, he had his flings and prospered in his own way. After all, someone had to be the inspiration for his story "The Ugly Duckling"! Yes, himself. Oh, and the music for the episode can be found here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/03i9DgQGJHRxkdOrGkBSjM?si=VC8WvBUXSi-BGEAlUHogrw

    21 min
  3. S01E19: Edward II of England, also known as Edward II of Plantagenet (1284-1327)

    03/04/2024

    S01E19: Edward II of England, also known as Edward II of Plantagenet (1284-1327)

    Edward II, the son of Eleanor of Castile, fell head over heels in love with Piers Gaveston, and they even had a religious ceremony that resembled a marriage... well, not exactly, it was more like a religious bonding, but you know, with some intimacy, even though the Church didn't allow such things. If you want to learn more about this union that wasn't a marriage, just click. It includes very medieval content in the form of public execution and the music of their time, as always, which you can listen to in this Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6WbB0z48Coe3qfoHy7EsVL?si=VASdBSXESpS6vjpWWEgfGg

    24 min
  4. S01E18: Pier Luigi Farnese, Duke of Castro and Parma (1503-1547)

    02/26/2024

    S01E18: Pier Luigi Farnese, Duke of Castro and Parma (1503-1547)

    Pier Luigi Farnese was the illegitimate son of a Pope, to begin with. In addition to being a mercenary, he had an insatiable sexual appetite and left no young man untouched, willingly or not, so he was essentially a rapist. He established the Duchy of Parma, which, oddly enough, ended up in the hands of the Spanish Bourbon family through the marriage of Felipe V. Oh, and he raped a young bishop, just like that... The music for this episode can be found, as always, on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4QB9qe17xxqpbEzl6GCgcp?si=bugormTSRv6J5qkS_q9inQ

    19 min
  5. S01E17: William Lygon, 7th Earl Beauchamp (1872-1938)

    02/19/2024

    S01E17: William Lygon, 7th Earl Beauchamp (1872-1938)

    William Lygon was a true English nobleman with a long lineage, complete with medieval castles and all. He prospered in British society with all the merits and titles. Married with seven children, he had his flings and boyfriends until his brother-in-law found out and reported him. A scandal erupted, but his children never abandoned him, and his story inspired Evelyn Waugh's novel "Brideshead Revisited," which ITV turned into a legendary series. The music featured in this episode can be found in this Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2lTtwMB1uvDX03oiGY9KEK?si=LuVPPB2MS4un8bJdnppKiw

    22 min
  6. S01E16: Federico García Lorca, poet, playwright, musician, and member of the Generation of '27 (1898-1936)

    02/12/2024

    S01E16: Federico García Lorca, poet, playwright, musician, and member of the Generation of '27 (1898-1936)

    What can be said about Federico García Lorca that hasn't been said already? Well, quite a few things, such as his three boyfriends, his homosexual friends, the works in which he reflected his condition, and even the album he recorded! A fundamental figure in universal literature forever linked to his tragic execution by the Francoists for being homosexual. The music for this episode can be found in this playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0YfrVsZcLZOS1Bm1dc36Wi?si=PsOH-fcHRnCfsMpk70MOOA

    21 min
  7. S01E15: Luis Cernuda, Spanish poet and literary critic, member of the Generation of '27 (1902-1963)

    02/05/2024

    S01E15: Luis Cernuda, Spanish poet and literary critic, member of the Generation of '27 (1902-1963)

    Luis Cernuda left his native Seville to discover his homosexuality in the warm city of Malaga, and from there, he moved to Madrid, where he became very close friends with two of Spain's greatest homosexual figures in literary history, Federico García Lorca and the future Nobel laureate in literature, Vicente Aleixandre. In his poetry, Cernuda explored his sexuality, loneliness, and love, making him one of the greatest poets in the Spanish language of the 20th century. An active anti-fascist, he spent his final days in exile, like many other Spaniards, welcomed by Mexico. You can find the playlist accompanying this episode here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5meWRA8y980wJX1qeRqCxP?si=RH09tPtMTMmXTMtZbUJ70w

    20 min
  8. S01E14: Philipp Friedrich Alexander, Prince of Eulenburg and Hertefeld, and Count of Sandels (1847-1921)

    01/29/2024

    S01E14: Philipp Friedrich Alexander, Prince of Eulenburg and Hertefeld, and Count of Sandels (1847-1921)

    Philipp von Eulenburg was the typical stuffy aristocrat, old-fashioned, classist, antisemitic, and racist, who disliked parliamentary systems. He formed the Liebenberg Circle, a clique of friends like him, meaning nobles and homosexuals, to advise, or rather, influence, Kaiser Wilhelm II. However, people were somewhat tired of nobles and, on top of that, homosexuals. The scandal made its way into the press and the courts, and overall, homophobia ran rampant in what became known as the Eulenburg Affair. Quite a drama... but it had its waltzes and all, and here's the playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0rFmKreJSz80PWgitqKcFG?si=FuPAw04SQH605_2YkSgnuA

    19 min
See All (21)

About

A laid-back approach to various historical figures whose homosexuality got lost, or was concealed, in history books because it turns out, western historiography didn't find any sexuality other than the predominant one, that is, heterosexuality, to be significant. Chapter by chapter, the lives of individuals whose significance in history caused their sexual orientation to be overshadowed under the pretext that their orientation was unnatural and shouldn’t be made public to avoid setting a bad example or tarnishing their image, as if being homosexual, bisexual, or transgender was bad. In addition to these episodes, you can also learn a lot more about other characters in my book, Grandes Maricas de la Historia, published in Spanish by Penguin Random House, which you can find in any bookstore in Spain or in digital format everywhere. For suggestions or any comments, you can go on Twitter to @Otto_Mas or on Instagram to @ottomas, though, heads up, trolls are not welcome! ;-) The cover design is by wbraz.studio"

Information

  • Creator
    Otto Mas
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2024
  • Episodes
    21
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Otto Mas
  • Show Website
    Great Queers in History

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