Aaron Mahnke's Cabinet of Curiosities

Episode: "The Last Knight"
Date: August 26, 2025
Host: Aaron Mahnke
Produced by: iHeartPodcasts and Grim & Mild

Episode Overview

This episode of Cabinet of Curiosities explores two fascinating, history-laden tales rooted in the bizarre and the poignant. The first recounts the story of Josef Menčík, a Czech eccentric devoted to living as a medieval knight—who confronted invading Nazi tanks in 1938 armed only with his chivalric code and a suit of armor. The second tale follows the strange odyssey of King Henry IV of France’s missing head, tracing its journey from revolution-era desecration to modern forensic debate. Both stories examine the tangled intersection of identity, legacy, and the enduring allure of the past.

Segment 1: Josef Menčík—The Last Knight of Czechoslovakia

[00:38 – 05:52]

Key Discussion Points & Insights

• Setting the Scene: Nazi Invasion of Czechoslovakia

  • The episode opens with a vivid image:

    "The ground shook as the column of tanks rumbled along the country road making for the Czech border... Suddenly the tanks screeched to a halt... standing between them and the Sudetenland was an armor clad, sword wielding knight."
    (Aaron Mahnke, 00:40)

• Who Was Josef Menčík?

  • “Not much is known about the early life of Josef Menchik, the last knight of Czechoslovakia... a town councillor with a taste for rum, anchovies and adventure.” (00:56)
  • In 1911, Menčík purchased a dilapidated 13th-century Gothic castle in Dubří and painstakingly restored it, filling it with medieval antiques and eschewing modern conveniences.

• Living the Medieval Life

  • Menčík embraced medieval customs:

    "He lived as someone in the Middle Ages would, rejecting electricity and cars in favor of torchlights and horses." (01:30)

  • His passion extended to donning a suit of French armor, participating in fairs, parades, and enlisting his family in dressing up to match his medieval lifestyle.

• Chivalric Code and Community Reputation

  • Known in the village as both eccentric and kind, Menčík followed the classic knightly virtues of “generosity, bravery, courtesy, and respect for tradition.” (01:57)
  • He dubbed himself “The Last Knight,” offering tours of his castle and acting as a beloved local character.

• Confronting the Nazis

  • As Nazi Germany annexed the Sudetenland in September 1938, most Czechs accepted the political betrayal and remained indoors—except Josef.

    "According to his chivalric code, he had to defend his people, even if it was a losing battle. So that day in October of 1938, when the Germans marched on the border, he rode out in full armor to meet them." (04:06)

  • The vision briefly stopped the Nazi advance, causing “the tanks and the soldiers [to] actually stop for a few moments in shock at seeing what looked like something out of Don Quixote.” (04:20)
  • Ultimately, he was forced aside, but not before leaving an impression as “local champion.”

• End of an Era

  • Menčík survived the occupation, remaining mostly out of view until the end of the war. He passed away in November 1945, only months after the liberation.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Menčík’s Defiance:

  “Josef Menchik may have brought a sword to a gunfight, but when it came to protecting his people, and his country, he had the heart of a true knight.” (05:45)

Segment 2: The Lost Skull of Henry IV

[07:23 – 12:13]

Key Discussion Points & Insights

• An Unexpected Discovery in an Attic

  • In 2008, Jacques Bellinger, a retired French tax collector, discovered an ancient mummified skull in his attic, which made international news:

    “It wasn’t just any skull, it was one that had been missing for generations, the lost skull of King Henry IV.” (07:45)

• Who Was Henry IV?

  • Reigned 1589–1610, known for his popularity and reforms:

    “Henry was beloved by the majority of his subjects, garnering the nickname Good King Henry or Henry the Great.” (08:07)

  • His Edict of Nantes granted rights to French Protestants, earning both acclaim and deadly enmity.

• Assassination and Posthumous Fate

  • Assassinated in 1610; body entombed peacefully for over a century until the French Revolution, when:

    “An angry mob stormed St. Denis. In an anti-royal fervor, they disinterred the French kings and threw them into a mass grave. At some point in the chaos, Henry’s head was cut off and saved from burial.” (08:55)

• A Skull’s Mysterious Journey

  • The head allegedly appeared at auction for 3 francs in 1919, changed hands among private collectors, and spent decades shrouded in skepticism and obscurity.
  • Its condition was remarkable, with “his nose... still intact, although visibly broken, and several mustache hairs… preserved.” (10:04)

• Forensic Investigation and Debate

  • Modern DNA and facial reconstruction pointed to possible authenticity, but conclusive proof remains elusive.

• Legacy and Unresolved Ending

  • The skull was returned to the Bourbon descendant, the Duke of Anjou, with the intent to reinter it at St. Denis—though

    “some will say that the head still rests within a bank vault in Paris, waiting for the day that it can rejoin its body at the end of the journey.” (11:30)

  • Touching on the mystery and allure of relics:

    “What are we left to conclude? That even being a good king is no guarantee that your remains will be untouched, that body parts acquire a mysterious seek not unlike Catholic saints. Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown, they say.” (11:45)

• Literary Allusion

  • Hosts wraps with a meta-touch:

    “It’s perhaps worth noting that this saying is taken from a play by Shakespeare. Which play? You might ask. Henry IV, of course.” (12:00)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Kings and Remains:

  “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown, they say. So it’s perhaps worth noting that this saying is taken from a play by Shakespeare. Which play?... Henry IV, of course.” (11:50–12:00)

Notable Timestamps

• 00:38: Start of Josef Menčík’s story / Nazi tanks halted by a lone knight
• 01:30 – 02:30: Menčík’s medieval lifestyle and eccentricity
• 04:06: Menčík stands against Nazi troops
• 05:45: Summation of Menčík’s legacy
• 07:23: Start of Henry IV’s skull story—discovery in attic
• 08:07 – 09:00: Henry IV’s reign, assassination, and revolution
• 10:04: Condition and forensic investigation of the skull
• 11:45 – 12:00: Broader reflection and Shakespearean reference

Episode Tone and Style

• Warm, slightly whimsical, with reverent curiosity for oddities and human quirks
• Narrative blends history, legend, and light philosophical reflection—classic Aaron Mahnke style
• Balances the bizarre with a touch of poignancy and admiration for individuals who defy their time

Summary

This episode spotlights two outcasts of history—one a literal knight standing alone against advancing evil, the other a king whose severed head survived centuries of intrigue. Both tales explore what it means to be remembered, and how the relics (whether armor-clad men or mummified skulls) we leave behind continue to fascinate and inspire long after the world has moved on.

“He had the heart of a true knight.” (05:45)
“Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.” (11:45)

For more stories, subscribe to Cabinet of Curiosities or visit curiositiespodcast.com.