⛪ The Keys of Blood — Part Two Presented by the Evio Creative Podcast Network Before popes sat behind a curtain of velvet and Swiss guards… before the Church wrapped itself in ceremony and certainty… there was a Rome so fragile, a single whisper could break it. In Part Two of The Keys of Blood: The Assassination of Pope John VIII, we descend into the final hours of a papacy balancing between faith and fear. The enemies have changed — from pagan raiders on the horizon to Roman nobles at the dinner table — but the threat is the same: power without allegiance, belief without protection. This is the half of the story where hope runs thin, candles burn low, and holy walls echo with the sound of footsteps that do not belong. ⚒️ Episode IV: The Hammer and the Veil Rome is quieter now — too quiet. The Saracens have withdrawn, but the peace they leave behind is brittle, unnatural, and heavy with dread. Pope John VIII walks the halls of the Lateran like a ghost haunting his own life. He fortifies walls, counts dwindling coins, and sleeps beside a dagger wrapped in scripture. Meanwhile, Rome’s noble families circle like wolves waiting for the shepherd to stumble. Loyalty evaporates. Conspiracy thickens. In the dark chapel of Saint Leo, John studies a relic hammer older than empire — a reminder that creation and destruction are brothers, and both may wear the garments of God. ✣ Episode V: The Assassination It happens the way power always falls: quietly first, then all at once. In the bitter winter of 882, whispers crystallize into action. Doors close. Torches move through the Lateran. A pope writes his final unfinished prayer. And steel — swung not by infidels, but by Christians — finds its mark. There is no trial. No trumpet. Just the snap of bone, the hiss of oil, the severing of a throat in a palace meant for saints. Rome wakes pretending nothing happened. But history remembers the sound. A papacy believed divine learns it can bleed. 🕯️ Episode VI: The Keys of Blood The morning after, Rome resumes — markets open, priests chant, and an election begins as if faith were a garment easily cleaned of blood. Yet nothing is the same. A murdered pope becomes a mirror the Church cannot bear to look into. The illusion of sacred invulnerability shatters. The century that follows will be chaos — popes made and unmade, corpses put on trial, faith wielded like a blade. And yet, in the ashes, something stubborn endures: a harder, leaner Church that has tasted mortality… and learned to survive it. 🕯️ What This Chapter Explores A cinematic finale to the darkest chapter in papal history:     •    The final unraveling of Rome’s sacred authority     •    How a hammer reshaped a millennium of religious power     •    The psychology of holy men facing mortal danger     •    The birth of the Dark Century — and the reforms it forced into being This is not just the death of a pope — it is the death of an illusion. 💀 Credits Written & narrated by Branden Morgan Produced by Evio Creative in partnership with Bellaire Studios Press & media: eviocreative.com 🕯️ Sponsor Shoutouts Support deep-dive storytelling by visiting our partners:     •    Quince — timeless essentials, honest prices: quince.com/IDES     •    Mint Mobile — premium wireless for $15/mo: mintmobile.com/DEVILWITHIN     •    ExpressVPN — protect your privacy: expressvpn.com/DEVILWITHIN     •    MOOD — legal THC/CBD delivered: mood.com/DEVILWITHIN     •    Ollie Dog Food — 60% off fresh dog meals: ollie.com/IDES     •    Monarch — smart financial planning: monarch.com/IDES (50% off first year) 🎙️ Network CTA Listen to more from the Evio Creative Network: The Devil Within • The Devil’s Ledger • Criminal Mischief • Taboo Treasures Follow: @eviocreative • @idesofaprilpod • @thedevilwithinpod • @taboo_treasures Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

⛪ Blood and Papal Gold – Part One Presented by the Evio Creative Podcast Network Before the Vatican was marble and gold… before the Church had armies and crowns… there was Rome — a ruin with a heartbeat. In this first half of The Keys of Blood: The Assassination of Pope John VIII, we enter the smoke and silence of the ninth century — a time when popes ruled by letter instead of sword, when faith was a fragile currency, and when the empire that once conquered the world had been reduced to a city clinging to its own memory. ⚜️ Episode I: The Broken Empire Europe is in fragments. Charlemagne’s heirs bicker over borders while Viking and Saracen raiders carve the continent apart. Into this chaos steps Pope John VIII, a scholar forced into kingship. His Rome is a relic surrounded by wolves, and his only weapon is diplomacy — or what’s left of it. But when he dares to pay tribute to Saracen pirates to spare the city, his mercy is mistaken for weakness, and whispers of betrayal begin to echo through the marble halls of the Lateran. ⚓ Episode II: The Pope and the Pirates As the raiders tighten their grip, John is forced to choose between faith and survival. His decision to ransom Rome with gold saves lives but shatters his reputation. The Frankish kings mock him; the clergy call him coward; the nobles begin to conspire. When he crowns Charles the Bald as Holy Roman Emperor, hoping for salvation, the emperor dies within months — leaving the papacy more isolated than ever. Rome’s enemies circle closer, and John’s greatest fear becomes clear: the Church will not fall to pagans, but to its own believers. 👑 Episode III: The Emperor’s Shadow In this final chapter of Part One, the illusion of empire collapses for good. As Saracens burn the coasts and noble families tear Rome apart from within, Pope John VIII fights a losing battle to keep faith alive in a city that no longer believes. He writes, he pleads, he endures. Yet within the candlelit halls of the Lateran, betrayal is already gathering — not in the form of armies, but of whispers. The hammer that will one day kill him has not yet fallen, but its echo is already in the air. 🕯️ What to Expect A cinematic historical narrative written in the immersive, literary tone of The Ides of April, exploring:     •    The fall of Charlemagne’s empire and the rise of feudal chaos     •    The paradox of a pope who bought peace with gold     •    How faith, politics, and paranoia became indistinguishable     •    The first cracks in the illusion of papal invincibility 💀 Credits Written and narrated by Branden Morgan Produced by Evio Creative in partnership with Bellaire Studios Sound design and original score by [Audio Engineer Name] For press or partnerships, visit eviocreative.com (https://www.eviocreative.com/) 🕯️ Sponsor Shoutouts Support The Keys of Blood and every Evio Creative series by visiting our partners: 🧥 Quince — timeless essentials at honest prices. Visit https://www.quince.com/IDES for free shipping and 365-day returns. 📱 Mint Mobile — premium wireless for just $15 a month. Visit https://www.mintmobile.com/DEVILWITHIN for unlimited talk and text. 🕵️ ExpressVPN — protect your data everywhere. Visit https://www.expressvpn.com/DEVILWITHIN for up to four months free. 🌿 MOOD — legal THC and CBD gummies shipped nationwide. Visit https://www.mood.com/DEVILWITHIN for 20% off your first order. 🐾 Ollie Dog Food — fresh, human-grade meals for your dog. Visit https://www.ollie.com/IDES for 60% off your welcome kit. 💰 Monarch — take control of your finances at https://www.monarch.com/IDES for 50% off your first year. 🎙️ Network CTA Listen to more from the Evio Creative Podcast Network, including The Devil Within, Criminal Mischief, The Devil’s Ledger, and Taboo Treasures. Follow @eviocreative, @thedevilwithinpod, and @idesofaprilpod for behind-the-scenes features and episode drops. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Shot Heard Around the World — Part II Chapters 4–6: “The Plotters,” “The Shot Heard Around the World,” “The War to End All Wars” A wrong turn.A teenage assassin.And a single moment that tore the modern world apart. In Part II of The Shot Heard Around the World, Branden Morgan takes us inside the conspiracy that killed the Archduke — and the avalanche that followed.From Gavrilo Princip’s desperate act of violence to the impossible tangle of alliances that turned one assassination into World War I, this is the anatomy of catastrophe. We follow the chaos in Sarajevo, the political fury in Vienna, and the slow, almost hypnotic collapse of reason across a continent drunk on power. By the end, the old empires are gone, millions are dead, and the myth of progress lies buried in the mud of the Western Front. Part II concludes with the war’s haunting legacy — how its “peace” became prelude, and how Europe, scarred and starving, unknowingly prepared itself for something even worse. 🎧 Featuring: Inside The Black Hand and the six men who changed history The “blank check” that sealed Europe’s fate The rise of trench warfare and the fall of civilization 📣 Follow & Support: Instagram: @idesofaprilpod For press & inquiries: info@eviocreative.com Rate, review, and follow The Ides of April wherever you get your podcasts. 💼 Sponsors:Take the online quiz and introduce Ollie to your pet at ollie.com/ides for 60% off your first box of meals.And use code IDES at monarchmoney.com for 50% off your first year. 🔥 The Ides of April — because one gunshot doesn’t just end an empire. It ends an era. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🎙️ The Ides of AprilThe Shot Heard Around the World — Part I Chapters 1–3: “The Heir of an Empire,” “A City on Edge,” “Europe in Tinder” He was born to rule an empire he never truly believed in.Archduke Franz Ferdinand — heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, reformer, romantic, and the man whose death would ignite the modern age. In this sweeping first part of The Shot Heard Around the World, Branden Morgan traces the improbable life of the Archduke, the fragile peace of Sarajevo, and the continent teetering on the edge of disaster. From his forbidden marriage to Sophie Chotek to the volatile web of alliances that bound Europe in mutual paranoia, this is the story of how one city — and one bullet — became the hinge upon which the twentieth century turned. Through vivid storytelling and sharp historical insight, The Ides of April brings to life the world that existed just before the fall — a world too confident to imagine it could end. 🎧 Featuring: The rise and decay of the Austro-Hungarian Empire The secret societies plotting revolution in the Balkans The chain of alliances that made peace impossible 💥 The Ides of April — where history’s turning points sound eerily familiar. 📣 Follow & Support: Instagram: @idesofaprilpod Press & inquiries: info@eviocreative.com Rate, review, and follow The Ides of April wherever you get your podcasts 💼 Sponsors: Take the online quiz and introduce Ollie to your pet at ollie.com/ides for 60% off your first box. Use code IDES at monarchmoney.com for 50% off your first year. 🔥 The Ides of April — because history doesn’t whisper. It detonates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ides of April: The Assassination of Julius Caesar (Part II) In the conclusion of our two-part story on the fall of the Roman Republic, host Branden Morgan of The Devil Withincontinues the saga of Julius Caesar’s last days and their aftermath. This episode covers the final three chapters:     •    The Fallout — Mark Antony seizes the moment, and Rome’s streets erupt in chaos.     •    Judgment of History — Brutus and Cassius, hailed by some as liberators and condemned by others as traitors.     •    The Death of the Republic, Birth of the Empire — How Caesar’s assassination closed one chapter of Rome and opened another that would last for centuries. The knives ended Caesar’s life, but they could not stop the tide of empire. Support Our Sponsors     •    Take the online quiz and introduce Ollie to your pet. Visit https://www.ollie.com/ides for 60% off your first box of meals!#ToKnowThemIsToLoveThem     •    Use code IDES at www.monarchmoney.com (http://www.monarchmoney.com/) in your browser for 50% off your first year. Follow & Connect     •    Follow us on Instagram: @idesofaprilpod (https://instagram.com/idesofaprilpod).     •    For press & inquiries: info@eviocreative.com.     •    Don’t forget to rate, review, and follow The Ides of April wherever you get your podcasts.     •    And check out more shows from Evio Creative, including The Devil Within. 🔥 The Ides of April. Because history doesn’t end with a knife—it begins with the fire that follows. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ides of April: The Assassination of Julius Caesar (Part I) The Ides of April is back—and now it’s a weekly series of new stories from across history, narrated by Branden Morganof The Devil Within. In this two-part debut story, we return to the Roman Republic at its breaking point. Part I covers the first three chapters of Julius Caesar’s dramatic rise and bloody fall:     •    The Rise of Caesar — From military genius to dictator-for-life, how Caesar unbalanced the Republic.     •    The Conspiracy Forms — Brutus, Cassius, and their allies wrestle with loyalty, power, and the fate of Rome.     •    The Ides of March — A day of omens fulfilled, as knives are drawn in Pompey’s Theater. This is where the Republic gasped its last breath, and the Empire began to stir. Follow & Connect     •    Follow us on Instagram: @idesofaprilpod (⁠https://instagram.com/idesofaprilpod⁠).     •    For press & inquiries: ⁠info@eviocreative.com⁠.     •    Don’t forget to rate, review, and follow The Ides of April wherever you get your podcasts.     •    And check out more shows from Evio Creative, including The Devil Within. Take the online quiz and introduce Ollie to your pet. Visit ⁠⁠https://www.ollie.com⁠/ides⁠ for 60% off your first box of meals! #ToKnowThemIsToLoveThem Use code IDES at ⁠www.monarchmoney.com⁠ in your browser for half off your first year. That’s 50% off your first year at ⁠www.monarchmoney.com⁠ with code IDES. 🔥 The Ides of April. History doesn’t just remember—it speaks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ides of April – Episode 8: This Dust Was Once the Man In the final episode of The Ides of April, the story closes with the aftermath of John Wilkes Booth’s death and the turbulent legal and political fallout that followed Lincoln’s assassination. Booth’s body, secretly buried to avoid turning it into a shrine, became the centerpiece of a deceptive operation involving a staged burial at sea. Meanwhile, the reward money for capturing the conspirators sparked fierce infighting, with payouts ranging from $15,000 for Everton Conger to just over $1,600 for each soldier of the Sixteenth New York. The trial of Booth’s co-conspirators was held before a military tribunal—controversial for trying civilians under military law. Of the nine accused, four were sentenced to death: Lewis Powell, George Atzerodt, David Herold, and Mary Surratt—the first woman executed by the U.S. federal government. Others, including Dr. Samuel Mudd, received life sentences. The Supreme Court’s later ex parte Milligan decision would prohibit such trials for civilians where civil courts remained open, sparing John Surratt when he finally faced justice. The episode then reflects on the political aftermath: President Andrew Johnson’s contentious presidency, Edwin Stanton’s death just days after being nominated to the Supreme Court, and the long-term constitutional changes of Reconstruction—the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments. It also honors the legacies of William Seward, whose foreign policy and Alaska purchase reshaped America’s future, and, of course, Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln’s enduring influence is framed through history, poetry, and perspective—culminating in Walt Whitman’s simple but powerful elegy: This dust was once the man, gentle, plain, just and resolute… was saved the Union of these States. 📩 Email the show: info@eviocreative.com 📷 Instagram: @idesofaprilpod (https://instagram.com/idesofaprilpod)  Take the online quiz and introduce Ollie to your pet. Visit https://www.ollie.com/ides for 60% off your first box of meals! #ToKnowThemIsToLoveThem Use code IDES at www.monarchmoney.com in your browser for half off your first year. That’s 50% off your first year at www.monarchmoney.com with code IDES.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 7: To Live and Die in Dixie By April 25, 1865, John Wilkes Booth should have been long gone—on a train, over the border, maybe even in Mexico. Instead, he lingered at the Garrett farm, unaware that the Union cavalry was closing in. In this episode, the net tightens. A chance conversation on a Virginia porch puts Booth’s pursuers just hours behind him. Inside the Garrett’s tobacco barn, a tense standoff plays out in the dark—demands, refusals, and one final, theatrical challenge from America’s most wanted man. When the smoke clears, Booth’s life ends much as he lived it: in a burst of drama, self-mythology, and ultimately, futility. We follow the last hours of the assassin’s flight, the men who brought him down, and the legacy that would forever brand him not as a hero of the South, but as America’s Brutus. Follow @idesofaprilpod on Instagram for updates, behind-the-scenes content, and more. Contact the show at info@eviocreative.com. Listen to The Ides of April wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

EPISODE 6: “Thus Always to Tyrants” “Sic Semper Tyrannis.” Booth’s cry echoed through Ford’s Theatre—words that would seal his fate. In this episode, The Ides of April traces Booth’s final days on the run. We explore his writings, his delusions of grandeur, and his doomed flight through Virginia as the manhunt closes in. 🎧  WitnessthefallofAmerica’smostnotoriousassassin. 📩  Share your thoughts: info@eviocreative.com ✅ Follow, rate, and review The Ides of April. 📲 Follow us on IG: @idesofaprilpod #TheIdesOfApril #JohnWilkesBooth #LincolnAssassination #AmericanHistory #PresidentialAssassination #CivilWarPodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🎙️ The Ides of April Episode 5: Ghosts of the Potomac As Abraham Lincoln’s body lies in state, the manhunt intensifies. In this episode, we turn to the quiet architect of vengeance: Secretary of War Edwin Stanton. As the capital mourns, Stanton mobilizes the full force of the Union Army to bring Booth to justice—calling in generals, detectives, and even suspending civil liberties. Meanwhile, Booth and Herold limp their way across southern Maryland, desperately seeking help from old allies who are now rethinking their loyalties. Enter the shadowy figures of the escape: Dr. Samuel Mudd, Colonel Samuel Cox, and the mysterious "River Ghost"—Thomas Jones—a Confederate smuggler who agrees to help ferry the fugitives across the Potomac. But bad directions, misread compasses, and sheer incompetence lead Booth and Herold in circles. This is the story of The Lost Week: five long days of confusion, starvation, wounded egos, dead horses, and increasingly deranged diary entries from the assassin himself. The South isn’t hailing Booth as a hero. The North isn’t losing its will. And Stanton? He’s just getting started. 📍 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your shows. 📸 Follow us on Instagram: @idesofaprilpod (https://instagram.com/idesofaprilpod) 🌐 Visit us at eviocreative.com Credits: Narrated by Alec Baldwin Written by Branden Morgan Produced by Evio Creative Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🎙️ The Ides of April — Episode 4: “…to the Ages” On the night of April 14, 1865, a young Union Army surgeon named Dr. Charles Leale bought a last-minute ticket to Ford’s Theatre—not to see the play, but to catch a glimpse of the President. What he didn’t expect was to become the first physician at Abraham Lincoln’s side after the shot that changed history. In this episode, Alec Baldwin guides us through the dramatic final hours of President Lincoln’s life, as told through the eyes of those who were there—Dr. Leale, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, and a host of eyewitnesses. We follow John Wilkes Booth’s daring escape across the Navy Yard Bridge, watch as Lincoln is carried to a boarding house across the street, and witness the weight of national grief crash down in a crowded bedroom lit by flickering lamps and quiet prayers. 🔎 We unravel the moment-by-moment decisions, chaotic missteps, and solemn eulogies of that fateful night. Featured voices: 🎤 Lincoln historian Harold Holzer 🎤 Historian Walter Stahr Highlights of Episode 4:     •    The chaotic scene inside the Presidential Box at Ford’s Theatre     •    Booth’s conversation at the Navy Yard Bridge checkpoint—under his real name     •    The fateful decision to bring Lincoln to the Petersen House     •    Edwin Stanton’s grief… and fury     •    The first hours of the greatest manhunt in U.S. history     •    The death of a president… and the words that sealed his legacy “Now he belongs to the ages.” — Edwin Stanton 📌 The Ides of April is a production of Evio Creative. 🎧 For more episodes, behind-the-scenes extras, and historical deep dives, visit eviocreative.com or follow us on Instagram @idesofaprilpod (https://instagram.com/idesofaprilpod). 📚 If you’re enjoying the series, please leave us a review and share with a friend. Your support keeps history alive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

THE IDES OF APRIL EPISODE 3: “Joy Cometh in the Morning”Show Notes:November 1864. A night at the theater becomes a night of terror. In this episode of The Ides of April, Alec Baldwin tells the story of the fateful performance of Julius Caesar that united the Booth brothers on stage—and foreshadowed the tragedy to come. From a Confederate plot to burn New York City to Booth’s growing obsession with Lincoln’s demise, we follow the night that turned the actor into a would-be assassin. 🎧  Listen now to uncover how a nation on the brink of peace almost burned before it could heal. 📩  Email us your thoughts: info@eviocreative.com ✅ Follow, rate, and review The Ides of April. 📲 Follow us on IG: @idesofaprilpod #TheIdesOfApril #LincolnAssassination #CivilWarPodcast #JohnWilkesBooth #AmericanHistory #JuliusCaesar #PoliticalConspiracy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

EPISODE 2: “Tragedy and Comedy” The stage is set. The war is over. But for John Wilkes Booth, the fight has just begun. In Episode Two of The Ides of April, we follow Booth’s transformation from frustrated actor to radical conspirator. From failed kidnapping plots to brazen plans of coordinated assassinations, Booth and his band of loyal followers edge closer to infamy. We trace the roots of his hatred, his obsession with legacy, and the moment Lincoln’s final speech pushed him over the edge. 🎙 Alec Baldwin guides us through Booth’s personal reckoning, the cultural divide that fueled him, and the final days before the nation’s most devastating political murder. 📩 Have a question or comment? Email us at info@eviocreative.com.  ✅ Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review The Ides of April. 📲 Follow us on IG: @idesofaprilpod #TheIdesOfApril #LincolnAssassination #BoothConspiracy #CivilWarHistory #PresidentialAssassination #AmericanHistoryPodcast #PoliticalViolence #Reconstruction #TrueHistory       Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

EPISODE 1: Northern Aggression April 1865. The Civil War ends—but the peace is fragile, and the nation stands at the edge of chaos. In this first episode of The Ides of April, we explore the days leading to the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. We uncover the towering egos, the desperate plots, and the fractures in a nation struggling to heal. What drove John Wilkes Booth—a celebrity actor and son of a famous family—to transform into an agent of terror? And how did his personal insecurities and extremist beliefs ignite one of the most shocking acts in American history? 🎙 Join Alec Baldwin as we journey into the final days of the war, Lincoln’s vision for Reconstruction, and Booth’s spiral into deadly conspiracy. 📩 Have thoughts or questions? Email us at info@eviocreative.com 📲 Follow us on IG: @idesofaprilpod✅ Follow, rate, and review The Ides of April on your favorite podcast platform. #TheIdesOfApril #LincolnAssassination #CivilWarPodcast #AmericanHistory #TrueHistory #ReconstructionEra #JohnWilkesBooth #PoliticalConspiracy #PresidentialAssassination Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ides of April with Alec Baldwin | Official Podcast Channel The Ides of April is a gripping historical podcast that takes listeners inside the seventeen pivotal days that reshaped America forever: the end of the Civil War, the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, and the largest manhunt in U.S. history. Hosted by Alec Baldwin, this immersive series blends dramatic narration, expert insight, and archival detail to uncover the complex web of conspiracy, ambition, and vengeance that led to Lincoln’s death—and the birth of modern America. 🎧 New episodes drop weekly. 📩 Have questions or insights? Email us at info@eviocreative.com ✅ Subscribe, rate, and review the show. Your support keeps history alive. #TheIdesOfApril #LincolnAssassination #AlecBaldwinPodcast #AmericanHistory #CivilWarPodcast #TrueHistory #PoliticalConspiracy #PresidentialAssassination Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices