Podcast Summary: Cabinet of Curiosities – “Typope”

Host: Aaron Mahnke
Date: March 10, 2026
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts and Grim & Mild

Overview

In this episode titled “Typope,” Aaron Mahnke delves into the strange and unpredictable ways legacies are formed and remembered throughout history. Through two captivating stories, he explores how honest mistakes and unexpected circumstances can immortalize both fictional and real people—sometimes for reasons that defy logic.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Curious Case of Pope Donus II

[00:08–06:00]

Exploring Legacies:
Aaron sets the stage by asking what makes a truly lasting legacy. Is it wealth, fame, or the way we are remembered?

“You don’t have to be a king or a head of state to have this kind of thought... we all hope that some part of us can live on, if not through our family or our work, then through the ways in which we are remembered by our communities.” (00:40)
The Vatican’s Mosaic Portraits:
Mahnke recounts the impressive ring of mosaic portraits of the Popes at St. Paul’s Basilica in Rome, directing attention to the mysterious Pope Donus II.
Anti-Popes and Historical Errors:
The tale unfolds during a tumultuous period for the papacy in the 970s, rife with “anti-popes” like Boniface VII. These figures, while not officially recognized, still left their mark on the records.
The Mix-up of Donus II:
Donus II, listed as Pope for only three months, was later discovered to have never existed. A 1947 Vatican audit, led by archivist Monsignor Angelo Mercati, revealed that an honorific—“Domnus de Sutri”—had been mistakenly recorded as a papal name by early record keepers.

“His predecessor, Pope Benedict VI, was listed with a title, Domnus de Sutri, after his name in the year 974. Early record keepers appear to have mistaken Domnus for another pope rather than an honorific title.” (05:00)
Consequences of a Clerical Typo:
Despite the error, Donus II’s portrait remains in the Basilica—an inadvertent monument to a man who never was.

“The portrait of Pope Donus II, entirely fictionalized, stands alongside real men who lived at the same time. Due to an honest mistake, an imaginary man was memorialized in his own place of honor, like giving a tombstone to a typo.” (06:00)
Reflection on History and Memory:
Mahnke uses this story to reflect on the nature of history:

“If someone who never existed can have such a robust legacy, who’s to say that ordinary people like you and I can’t? … That’s all history is. Stories we’ve agreed to tell each other for so many centuries that they’ve practically become true. Or at least until someone who’s curious enough bothers to check your sources.” (06:14)

2. Princess Alexandra: From Attic Waitress to Fashion Icon

[06:20–10:47]

Royalty from Humble Beginnings:
Mahnke introduces Alexandra, later Princess of Wales, born in 1844 to a modest branch of Danish royalty. Her family’s complicated ties—her father was both son and cousin to the king—placed them low on the royal hierarchy.

“Alexandra lived in the attic with her sister Dagmar, and both of the girls waited tables at a local restaurant...” (07:36)
Physical Challenges:
Alexandra was partially deaf and bore a visible scar on her neck, making her self-conscious. She and her sister received an English education from their tutor, Hans Christian Andersen.
Ascendance to Royal Power:
Through a twist of fate, Alexandra’s father was chosen as the new Prince of Denmark, and later king, propelling Alexandra onto the world stage.
Marriage to Prince Edward:
Alexandra’s upbringing and royal connections led Queen Victoria to select her as a bride for her son, the heir to the British throne. Her marriage in 1863 made her Princess of Wales.
The Weight of Royal Life:
Life in the British royal family was no fairytale. Edward was known for extravagance and infidelities; Alexandra bore the stress quietly, focused on her family, and suffered health challenges (a permanent limp due to fever).

“She had six of them between 1864 and 1871, almost one per year. This was incredibly taxing on her body, and it led her to catching a fever, which in turn resulted in her having a permanent stiffness in her right leg. She limped from there on out.” (09:02)
Unintentional Trendsetter:
Despite (or because of) her disabilities and insecurities, Alexandra’s style—choker necklaces, cigarette holders, even her limp—inspired a wave of imitation among young women in England.

“Young women in England began to take up the same habit. They also wore choker necklaces and some of them even wore mismatched shoes and used a cane to imitate her limp... But in actuality, when interviewed, many of the young women imitating Alexandra's style and limp admired her.” (09:55)
Legacy of Influence:
Alexandra was often overshadowed by more famous royals, but her resilience, personal growth, and ability to inspire were recognized by her beloved childhood tutor—Hans Christian Andersen.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“Like giving a tombstone to a typo.” (06:07)
“That’s all history is. Stories we’ve agreed to tell each other for so many centuries that they’ve practically become true.” (06:14)
“She seemed like a kind and down to earth leader compared to her husband. It was a rare case of a disability giving rise to a fashion trend.” (10:12)
“[Hans Christian Andersen] recognized the power of her story and her personal growth. And he would know because he made his own mark on history as a lover of classic tales. The man who gave us The Little Mermaid.” (10:35)

Important Segments & Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamps | Summary | |------------------------------------|-------------|------------------------------------------------| | Pope Donus II & the Papal Typo | 00:08–06:14 | An imaginary pope earns a place in history. | | Alexandra’s Unlikely Rise | 06:20–08:15 | From attic life to European royalty. | | Alexandra’s Struggles & Adaptations| 08:16–09:40 | Her insecurities, limp, and resilience. | | Fashion Trend Origins | 09:40–10:20 | Alexandra’s style—and limp—inspires England. | | Hans Christian Andersen Link | 10:35 | Her tutor’s literary legacy. |

Tone and Final Reflection

Aaron Mahnke weaves these tales with his characteristic warmth, curiosity, and wry humor—inviting the listener to question what truly lasts. A clerical error or a personal hardship may seem small, but the echoes can outlast even the grandest intentions.

“If someone who never existed can have such a robust legacy, who’s to say that ordinary people like you and I can’t?” (06:13)

For more stories of wonder, error, and unexpected influence, listen to the full episode or visit grimandmild.com/curiosities.

Transcript

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Welcome to Erin Menke's Cabinet of Curiosities, a production of iHeartRadio and Grim and Mild. Our world is full of the unexplainable. And if history is an open book, all of these amazing tales are right there on display, just waiting for us to explore. Welcome to the Cabinet of Curiosities. What would you consider to be a good legacy for all of human history? People have wondered this Is it an estate to leave to your children, grandchildren and so on? Is it a name that your descendants can be proud of? Is it a statue or a monument? You don't have to be a king or a head of state to have this kind of thought. Death is certain. So we all hope that some part of us can live on, if not through our family or our work, then through the ways in which we are remembered by our communities. Or to quote the great Bruce Lee, the key to immortality is first living a life worth remembering. But when you achieve a position of great influence, this question is practically decided for you. Whether you do good or great evil, you will always appear on some list of royalty or prime minister or generals. A title, for better or worse, is a guarantee that you are an exceptional person. If you go to Rome and you visit the Papal Basilica of St. Paul, outside of the walls you will see a ring of mosaic portraits lining the walls. Each of these shows in order the line of popes leading back to the early 400s. It's an impressive piece of work, but I would draw your attention to one of these portraits. The Pope between Benedict VI and Benedict vii. He's known as Pope Donis II and he reigned sometime in the 970s and this was, to put it mildly, a pretty chaotic time for papal history. All throughout the Middle Ages, conflict within the Christian faith led to several so called anti popes, people who claimed to be the true pontiff in defiance of the Roman Catholic Church. And it appears that the reign of Pope Donis II was during the brief reign of the anti pope Boniface vii, who claimed to be pope for approximately a month in 974. Now the funny thing about antipopes is that while none of them were seen as legitimate, men like Boniface VII would have a ripple effect on papal history. The next pope who wanted to choose the name Boniface would go for Boniface VIII rather than share a name with a former antipope. Pope Donis II, however, was no anti pope, even if his reign was similarly brief. According to some records, it lasted for only three months between August and October of 974. He is remembered in papal histories as an honorable man of great integrity. And if that sounds like a generic, if maybe complimentary description of a pope, well, there's a reason for that. It was common knowledge that the roster of popes was flawed. But it wasn't until 1947 that they finally conducted an audit of the official papal lists. It turned up several bizarre errors and contradictions. For instance, Pope Anacletus was listed as two different people. A number of popes were absent from the official count. And then there's Pope Donis ii. Monsignor Angelo Mercati, the Vatican archivist, determined that Donis II never actually existed. Now, there was a Pope Donis who held the title in the 670s, but the successor for the name appears to have been a clerical error. His predecessor, Pope Benedict vi, was listed with a title, Domnus de Sutri, after his name in the year 974. Early record keepers appear to have mistaken Domnus for another pope rather than an honorific title. The mural at St. Paul's was created in the 18th century, long after the popes of the Middle Ages were deceased. And thus it was perfectly normal for the artist to imagine what someone looked like based on the existing records. And yet, the artwork outside of St. Paul's remains. The portrait of Pope Donis II, entirely fictionalized, stands alongside real men who lived at the same time. Due to an honest mistake, an imaginary man was memorialized in his own place of honor, like giving a tombstone to a typo. And it really does beg the question for us. If someone who never existed can have such a robust legacy, who's to say that ordinary people like you and I can't? And honestly, past a certain point of record keeping, that's all history is. Stories we've agreed to tell each other for so many centuries that they've practically become true. Or at least until someone who's curious enough bothers to check your sources. Despite being a royal, Alexandra did not have a glamorous upbringing. She came from modest beginnings, but would become a true storybook princess. Alexander was born into the Danish Royal family in 1844. Her family didn't have a last name in the modern sense that you and I would recognize. They were known as the House of Schleswig Holstein, Sonderburg, Glucksberg. But a traditional last name definitely would have made recording this episode easier. Her parents were fairly low in the royal line of succession. Her dad was the king's second cousin, and. And her mom was his niece. Making them, I guess, double second cousins today. That might get some sideways glances, but that was actually pretty mild incest by 19th century royal family standards. Everything changed, though, in 1848, when the king died and his son took the throne. The son had no male heirs, and so a council was held to determine the line of succession. And ultimately it was decided that none other than Alexandra's father would become the new Prince of Denmark. Now, surprisingly, this didn't come with much in the way of wealth. Alexandra, her parents and her siblings all lived in a townhome in Copenhagen. It was a decent place to live by most standards, but far from a palace. Heck, Alexandra lived in the attic with her sister Dagmar, and both of the girls waited tables at a local restaurant, which wasn't actually very easy for Alexandra. She was partially deaf in one ear, which made it difficult to hear the customer's orders. She also had a scar on her neck from a childhood accident, which she had to cover with a choker necklace. Now, even though they were working class people, they did receive some perks as royals. The children had a tutor, a kind man who would tell them stories and taught them to read and write in English. This was important as England dominated European politics at the time, with Queen Victoria ruling since before Alexandra was born. And then in 1863, the king died and Alexandra's father took the throne. Alexandra and Dagmar suddenly became prime targets for marriages to other royal families. That same year, Alexandra's royal ties and strong education brought her to the attention of none other than Queen Victoria herself. She was looking for a bride for her son, Prince Edward. The two were married that same year. Alexandra was officially a Princess of Wales, the traditional title given to the wife of the heir to the English throne. A few Years later, in 1866, Dagmar married the Prince of Russia. They also had a brother who became the King of Greece. Their family had truly moved up in the world. Once in England, Alexandra encountered a decadent society far removed from her life as a waitress. Edward and his friends loved to party, and Edward had many affairs. Alexandra took all this in stride. She focused on her home and soon their children. She had six of them between 1864 and 1871, almost one per year. This was incredibly taxing on her body, and it led her to catching a fever, which in turn resulted in her having a permanent stiffness in her right leg. She limped from there on out. With her limp, her neck scar and partial deafness, she became very self conscious. She continued to wear choker necklaces and tried to have her dresses tailored to hide the limp. She smoked cigarettes to deal with the stress of being a princess and this was uncommon for women at the time, but she used a cigarette holder to look more elegant. Before Alexandra realized what was happening, the young women in England began to take up the same habit. They also wore choker necklaces and some of them even wore mismatched shoes and used a cane to imitate her limp. And at first she may have thought that they were mocking her. Her husband wasn't that popular actually. He was seen as a lazy playboy, so it would figure that the public would come after Alexandra too. But in actuality, when interviewed, many of the young women imitating Alexandra's style and limp admired her. She seemed like a kind and down to earth leader compared to her husband. It was a rare case of a disability giving rise to a fashion trend. Edward became king after Victoria's death in 1901. His rule is generally overshadowed by his mothers as well as by his sons. George V took the throne in 1910 after Edward's death and his mother was always close by his side. Alexandra herself is often overshadowed by the more famous members of her family, but her childhood tutor remained proud of the little girl he helped grow into a real life princess. He recognized the power of her story and her personal growth. And he would know because he made his own mark on history as a lover of classic tales. The man who Gave us the Little Mermaid Hans Christian Andersen I hope you enjoyed today's guided tour through the Cabinet of Curiosities. This show was created by me, Aaron Manke, in partnership with iHeart Podcasts, researched and written by the Grim and Mile team and produced by Jesse Funk. Learn more about the show and the people who make it over@grimandmild.com curiosities. You'll also find a link to the official Cabinet of Curiosities hardcover book available in bookstores and online, as well as ebook and audiobook. And if you're looking for an ad free option, consider joining our Patreon. It's all the same stories but without the interruption for a small monthly fee. Learn more and sign up over@patreon.com grimandmild and until next time, stay curious.