My new obsession is the Rex Factor podcast, which examines every king and queen of England from Alfred the Great to Elizabeth II in order to determine which was the greatest ruler of all time. The podcast actually started way back in 2010 and determined its final verdict in 2014. But hosts Graham Duke and Ali Hood are now working their way through the kings and queens of Scotland, and I’ve been immensely enjoying the show’s back catalogue, which is still easily accessible.
Each monarch gets their own podcast (and sometime several if they’re a particularly important ruler). The hosts briefly go over the monarch’s biography and then rank them from 1-10 on “Battleyness,” (their warfare skills), “Scandal” (the more scandal, the higher the score), and “Subjectivity” (how much they improved the lives of their subjects). They also examine each ruler’s longevity and their ability to produce a strong dynastic line. And finally, Duke and Hood determine whether each monarch has a certain extra special star quality they call “Rex Factor.”
Though they clearly love history, Duke and Hood don’t take their subject matter too seriously. Their conversations are light-hearted and easy to follow, even for the biggest historical novice. I’m only on their Richard the Lionheart episode, but I’m really looking forward to listening to the rest and seeing who they pick as their ultimate Rex Factor winner.
You can listen to Rex Factor wherever you listen to podcasts or learn more via Twitter and Facebook as well as the show's website and blog. You can also help support the podcast with a donation right here.
