Velvalee Dickinson ran a doll shop on Madison Avenue that catered to wealthy collectors. But in one of the strangest espionage cases of World War II, Dickinson's clients had no idea she was using correspondence about doll orders to transmit coded U.S. military intelligence to the Japanese.

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On the Very Special Episodes podcast, Dana Schwartz tells one incredible story each week. Follow her down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday. Subscribe to VSE wherever you get your podcasts.

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King Sejong the Great is considered, well, the greatest king in Korean history. And his greatest contribution of all might have been twenty-four letters.

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The 6th-century feud between Brunhild and Fredegund would last the rest of their lives, defining their kingdoms for generations as the women went from queens to rival regents.

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Queen Brunhild married Sigeburt I of Austrasia. Her sister married Sigebert's brother. At least, they were married, until Brunhild's sister died under mysterious circumstances and he re-married three days later. His new queen, Fredegund, would have a bitter rivalry with Brunhild that would change the fate of both of their nations.

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Cyrus the Great of Persia wanted to conquer the Massengetae people and, through cunning, he killed the son of their warrior-queen, Tomyris. It was a bad move.

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Agnes Sorel was the first official mistress in France, the lover of King Charles VII. But with her official position came a target on her back. Her influence meant that she would make enemies, and even the love of a king can't protect you from everything.

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In 1858, a Jewish child was taken from his family. They said that because the boy had been secretly baptized, he was now a ward of the Papal States. And his new adoptive father would be none other than Pope Pius IX.

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Most women in 17th century France were faced with a choice: marriage, or a convent. Ninon de l'Enclos chose her own path.

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