Hello. I'm Emily Rudder and I'm the head of development at Wonder Media Network. Thrilled to be stepping in for Jenny to guest host today's episode of Womanica. This month, we're diving into the divas of history, examining how the label has been used from many angles, whether describing women pejoratively or with admiration. Today we follow a debutante of the English aristocracy on her quest for love and adventure from the royal courts of Europe to the deserts of the Middle East. This woman left behind scattered suitors and scandalized her family name along the way. Let's talk about Jane Digby. Jane Elizabeth Digby was born on April third, eighteen o seven, at Forston House, tucked into the lush green hills of Dorset, England. She was the only daughter of Lady Andover and Adamore Girl Henry Digby, a decorated naval hero. From an early age. Jane was infamous for her appearance, wide violet blue eyes and golden curls that cascaded into ringlets down to her knees. But she had brawn and brains as much as she did beauty. Jane had no interest in playing with dolls. Instead, she preferred to best her brothers in horse races. She was educated in foreign languages, the arts, and ancient history, just the same as her male counterparts, which was unusual for the time. After years of training and the dealings of aristocratic life, Jane had an irresistible charm and aptitude for polite society. When she debuted in London in eighteen twenty four, youthful admirers swarmed her, but none compared to Lord Ellenborough. He was a handsome, rich politician, nearly twice Jane's age, with a reputation. Her parents approved of the match, and Jane delighted in the flowery love poems they exchanged during their five month courtship. They married that same year, when she was seventeen years old, as the newly minted Lady Ellenburrow. Jane seemed to have it all, wealth, beauty, love, but out of the public eye, CROs and her marriage started to show. Lord Ellenborough was known for his frequent absences due to political engagements. Then, six months into their marriage, Jane found a portrait of his mistress in their home. Disenchanted with her husband, Jane moved on, first with George Anson, her childhood crush and first cousin. Jane became pregnant in eighteen twenty seven. With his baby, she hid the truth from her husband, who was naively thrilled to have a son. The next year, she began a rendezvous with Prince Felix of Schwarzenberg. By eighteen twenty nine, Jane was pregnant again, and this time Lord Ellenborough knew the child wasn't his. With tensions rising and gossip spreading, the Lord reluctantly filed for divorce at a time when the average divorce rate in England was almost nonexistent. The couple knew this choice would cause a stir. They hoped to settle things quietly, but the rumor mill had already won. News of the divorce and Jane's affairs hit the front page of The Times In April of eighteen thirty. The paper published direct reports from staff at the places she'd stayed with her lovers. This confirmed her infidelity and plunged her family into deep shame. Cast aside by society, Jane fled England. In the decades that followed, Jane found more relationships and betrayals from kings and nobles across continental Europe. By eighteen fifty three, she was forty six years old and had given birth to six children, died young and three were raised by their father's families. That April, Jane was preparing to visit Syria. She wanted to purchase Arabian horses for the home she shared with a Greek war hero, but when she found out he had been unfaithful, she broke things off. Jane decided to swear off men and change her plans. She then embarked on a quest to achieve a lifelong dream, visiting Jerusalem, Damascus, and the desert ruins of Palmyra, one of the most important cultural centers of the ancient world. One hundred and fifty miles fifty hours on camelback, little respite from blazing desert sun and fine sand whipping your face, threats of raids or capture around any corner that was the path from Damascus to Palmyra. She was escorted by Shaikh medjul el Mesrob, a bedwin or nomad. She swapped her velvet cloaks and satin riding habits for a shift dress and caphea and and set off. As they traced through the vast expanse of land. Jane traded tales of travel with Mijewel and remarked on the landscape's beauty. Miles of sand peppered with plants, desert eagles soaring above, streaks of pink and purple that washed over rock formations. As expected, they clashed with thieves but remained unharmed thanks to Medjewell. It had likely been thirty years since a European woman had braved the journey to Palmyra, and Medjell admired Jane's brazen curiosity and grit. In her diary, Jane wrote that this trip was the greatest adventure of all my journeys. In October eighteen fifty three, she sold her home in Athens and traveled back to Damascus to begin her new life. She also returned to a marriage proposal from a smitten Majewel. Jane was taken aback. Did he only want her for her money? Did she even love him? Could she live as a bedowin? Jane told him she'd consider, and set off on a four month trek to Bagdad. This would allow her to test out the bedouin lifestyle. One night, while camped out with her traveling group. Jane was captured in a raid and held for ransom. A Bedouin leader on the trip negotiated the price, and she was eventually released. Unflinching. Jane found the experience exhilarating, not frightening. She decided that if this was bedowin life, then she was more than capable of living it. When her caravan returned to Damascus, Medjeell was there to greet her, looking regal on horseback. Jane accepted his proposal shortly after. Unlike her exes, Medjuell was willing to make sacrifices for Jane. He risked estrangement from his tribe by marrying a woman of a different race and faith. He even divorced his wife and became monogamous. The couple married in March of eighteen fifty five and went on a honeymoon in Palmyra. Upon leaving, Jane wrote, today my dream has begun its accomplishment. I leave Damascus for the loved desert with my adored and adoring Medjewel. Despite continued disapproval from most of high society back home, Jane finally got her happily. Ever after, Jane died in August eighteen eighty one at age seventy four. She was buried in Damascus in front of her more European style gravestone is a block of pink limestone which Mejewel brought specifically from Palmyra. In it, he carved Madame Digby el Mesrob in Arabic and never married again. All month We're talking about divas. For more information, find us on Facebook and Instagram at Wamanica Podcast Special Thanks to Jenny and Liz Kaplan for having me as a guest host. Talk to you tomorrow

Hello. I'm Emily Rudder and I'm the head of development at Wonder Media Network. Thrilled to be stepping in for Jenny to guest host today's episode of Womanica. This month, we're diving into the divas of history, examining how the label has been used from many angles, whether describing women pejoratively or with admiration. Today we follow a debutante of the English aristocracy on her quest for love and adventure from the royal courts of Europe to the deserts of the Middle East. This woman left behind scattered suitors and scandalized her family name along the way. Let's talk about Jane Digby. Jane Elizabeth Digby was born on April third, eighteen o seven, at Forston House, tucked into the lush green hills of Dorset, England. She was the only daughter of Lady Andover and Adamore Girl Henry Digby, a decorated naval hero. From an early age. Jane was infamous for her appearance, wide violet blue eyes and golden curls that cascaded into ringlets down to her knees. But she had brawn and brains as much as she did beauty. Jane had no interest in playing with dolls. Instead, she preferred to best her brothers in horse races. She was educated in foreign languages, the arts, and ancient history, just the same as her male counterparts, which was unusual for the time. After years of training and the dealings of aristocratic life, Jane had an irresistible charm and aptitude for polite society. When she debuted in London in eighteen twenty four, youthful admirers swarmed her, but none compared to Lord Ellenborough. He was a handsome, rich politician, nearly twice Jane's age, with a reputation. Her parents approved of the match, and Jane delighted in the flowery love poems they exchanged during their five month courtship. They married that same year, when she was seventeen years old, as the newly minted Lady Ellenburrow. Jane seemed to have it all, wealth, beauty, love, but out of the public eye, CROs and her marriage started to show. Lord Ellenborough was known for his frequent absences due to political engagements. Then, six months into their marriage, Jane found a portrait of his mistress in their home. Disenchanted with her husband, Jane moved on, first with George Anson, her childhood crush and first cousin. Jane became pregnant in eighteen twenty seven. With his baby, she hid the truth from her husband, who was naively thrilled to have a son. The next year, she began a rendezvous with Prince Felix of Schwarzenberg. By eighteen twenty nine, Jane was pregnant again, and this time Lord Ellenborough knew the child wasn't his. With tensions rising and gossip spreading, the Lord reluctantly filed for divorce at a time when the average divorce rate in England was almost nonexistent. The couple knew this choice would cause a stir. They hoped to settle things quietly, but the rumor mill had already won. News of the divorce and Jane's affairs hit the front page of The Times In April of eighteen thirty. The paper published direct reports from staff at the places she'd stayed with her lovers. This confirmed her infidelity and plunged her family into deep shame. Cast aside by society, Jane fled England. In the decades that followed, Jane found more relationships and betrayals from kings and nobles across continental Europe. By eighteen fifty three, she was forty six years old and had given birth to six children, died young and three were raised by their father's families. That April, Jane was preparing to visit Syria. She wanted to purchase Arabian horses for the home she shared with a Greek war hero, but when she found out he had been unfaithful, she broke things off. Jane decided to swear off men and change her plans. She then embarked on a quest to achieve a lifelong dream, visiting Jerusalem, Damascus, and the desert ruins of Palmyra, one of the most important cultural centers of the ancient world. One hundred and fifty miles fifty hours on camelback, little respite from blazing desert sun and fine sand whipping your face, threats of raids or capture around any corner that was the path from Damascus to Palmyra. She was escorted by Shaikh medjul el Mesrob, a bedwin or nomad. She swapped her velvet cloaks and satin riding habits for a shift dress and caphea and and set off. As they traced through the vast expanse of land. Jane traded tales of travel with Mijewel and remarked on the landscape's beauty. Miles of sand peppered with plants, desert eagles soaring above, streaks of pink and purple that washed over rock formations. As expected, they clashed with thieves but remained unharmed thanks to Medjewell. It had likely been thirty years since a European woman had braved the journey to Palmyra, and Medjell admired Jane's brazen curiosity and grit. In her diary, Jane wrote that this trip was the greatest adventure of all my journeys. In October eighteen fifty three, she sold her home in Athens and traveled back to Damascus to begin her new life. She also returned to a marriage proposal from a smitten Majewel. Jane was taken aback. Did he only want her for her money? Did she even love him? Could she live as a bedowin? Jane told him she'd consider, and set off on a four month trek to Bagdad. This would allow her to test out the bedouin lifestyle. One night, while camped out with her traveling group. Jane was captured in a raid and held for ransom. A Bedouin leader on the trip negotiated the price, and she was eventually released. Unflinching. Jane found the experience exhilarating, not frightening. She decided that if this was bedowin life, then she was more than capable of living it. When her caravan returned to Damascus, Medjeell was there to greet her, looking regal on horseback. Jane accepted his proposal shortly after. Unlike her exes, Medjuell was willing to make sacrifices for Jane. He risked estrangement from his tribe by marrying a woman of a different race and faith. He even divorced his wife and became monogamous. The couple married in March of eighteen fifty five and went on a honeymoon in Palmyra. Upon leaving, Jane wrote, today my dream has begun its accomplishment. I leave Damascus for the loved desert with my adored and adoring Medjewel. Despite continued disapproval from most of high society back home, Jane finally got her happily. Ever after, Jane died in August eighteen eighty one at age seventy four. She was buried in Damascus in front of her more European style gravestone is a block of pink limestone which Mejewel brought specifically from Palmyra. In it, he carved Madame Digby el Mesrob in Arabic and never married again. All month We're talking about divas. For more information, find us on Facebook and Instagram at Wamanica Podcast Special Thanks to Jenny and Liz Kaplan for having me as a guest host. Talk to you tomorrow