S4 E10 The Kingdom of the Damned: Münster’s Apocalyptic Rebellion

In this gripping episode of The Dark History Podcast, we journey back to 16th-century Germany and uncover one of the most terrifying uprisings in religious history — the Anabaptist Rebellion in Münster.

It’s 1534. The Protestant Reformation has split Europe apart, and in the city of Münster, a new nightmare is about to take shape. Led by self-proclaimed prophets Jan Matthys and Jan van Leiden, the city descends into religious extremism, brutal theocracy, forced polygamy, torture, starvation, and finally — total collapse.

This isn’t just a story about faith gone wrong — it’s about how hope, fear, and power can twist ordinary people into something unrecognisable. From mass executions to cannibalism, and from gold robes to rusted cages that still hang today, the so-called New Jerusalem became one of the darkest episodes in European history.

Whether you're into true crime, cults, religious history, or the strange and obscure, this episode has it all:

• Doomsday prophets and violent revolutions
• Fanatical leaders claiming divine visions
• Polygamy, torture, and mass starvation
• A siege so brutal it turned people into cannibals
• And the haunting legacy that still lingers in Münster’s skyline

Perfect for fans of: dark history, religious cults, historical rebellions, apocalyptic movements, Anabaptists, and medieval Europe.

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👉 Join us as we pull back the curtain on The Kingdom of the Damned — and discover just how far people will go when they think God is on their side.