History
Discover facts about history. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
History
King Wenceslas IV of Bohemia was historically known as Wenceslas the Idle because he completely ghosted his own coronation ceremony to rule the Holy Roman Empire simply because he felt like taking a nap.
King Wenceslas IV of Bohemia was historically known as Wenceslas the Idle because he completely ghosted his own coronation ceremony to rule the Holy Roman…
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Dutch citizens became so angry with their Grand Pensionary, Johan de Witt, during a disastrous political crisis in 1672 that an angry mob completely overwhelmed his guards,…
Dutch citizens became so angry with their Grand Pensionary, Johan de Witt, during a disastrous political crisis in 1672 that an angry mob completely…
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British military engineers specifically mandate that every single armored tank in their armed forces must be equipped with a functional boiling vessel designed strictly for brewing hot tea and heating up field rations.
British military engineers specifically mandate that every single armored tank in their armed forces must be equipped with a functional boiling vessel…
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American CIA operatives actively deployed fake vampires in the Philippines during the 1950s to psychologically terrify communist rebels hiding out in the deep jungles!
American CIA operatives actively deployed fake vampires in the Philippines during the 1950s to psychologically terrify communist rebels hiding out in the deep…
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Ancient Athenians literally invented the concept of a democratic vote, but they frequently used it to exile their most annoying politicians from the city for a decade!
Ancient Athenians literally invented the concept of a democratic vote, but they frequently used it to exile their most annoying politicians from the city for…
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Charles Darwin was not just a groundbreaking biologist who formulated the theory of evolution, but also an adventurous eater who tried to consume almost every new exotic animal he discovered!
Charles Darwin was not just a groundbreaking biologist who formulated the theory of evolution, but also an adventurous eater who tried to consume almost every…
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Justus von Liebig accidentally created the massive modern bouillon cube industry because he was desperately trying to figure out what to do with mountains of rotting cow flesh!
Justus von Liebig accidentally created the massive modern bouillon cube industry because he was desperately trying to figure out what to do with mountains of…
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Mystery novelist Agatha Christie famously faked her own disappearance in 1926, brilliantly sparking a massive nationwide manhunt involving thousands of desperate police officers and panicked civilians.
Mystery novelist Agatha Christie famously faked her own disappearance in 1926, brilliantly sparking a massive nationwide manhunt involving thousands of…
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United States military engineers spent years during World War I developing a highly sophisticated flying bomb that was basically the most pathetic prototype drone ever conceived.
United States military engineers spent years during World War I developing a highly sophisticated flying bomb that was basically the most pathetic prototype…
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Ancient Greek messenger Pheidippides is famously credited with inspiring the modern marathon, which is incredibly ironic considering the historical run literally killed him on the spot.
Ancient Greek messenger Pheidippides is famously credited with inspiring the modern marathon, which is incredibly ironic considering the historical run…
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Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II sent a fleet of heavily armed warships down the Scheldt river in 1784 to break a massive Dutch blockade, fully expecting a glorious and decisive military confrontation.
Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II sent a fleet of heavily armed warships down the Scheldt river in 1784 to break a massive Dutch blockade, fully expecting a…
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Ancient Greeks believed that having a small, uncircumcised penis was the absolute pinnacle of masculine aesthetic beauty and intellectual superiority.
Ancient Greeks believed that having a small, uncircumcised penis was the absolute pinnacle of masculine aesthetic beauty and intellectual superiority. They…
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Byzantine emperors loved blinding their political rivals instead of killing them because Orthodox Christian theology dictated that a mutilated person could never rightfully sit on the throne.
Byzantine emperors loved blinding their political rivals instead of killing them because Orthodox Christian theology dictated that a mutilated person could…
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George Washington firmly believed the perpetrators of the Boston Tea Party should financially compensate the British East India Company for the destroyed cargo.
George Washington firmly believed the perpetrators of the Boston Tea Party should financially compensate the British East India Company for the destroyed…
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Queen Victoria survived at least seven separate assassination attempts during her reign, most of which were carried out by teenagers armed with incredibly poorly maintained pocket pistols.
Queen Victoria survived at least seven separate assassination attempts during her reign, most of which were carried out by teenagers armed with incredibly…
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Soviet spies in the Cold War spent considerable time and resources trying to plant miniature microphones into the heels of diplomatic shoes.
Soviet spies in the Cold War spent considerable time and resources trying to plant miniature microphones into the heels of diplomatic shoes. The KGB…
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Factory managers in the 1920s encouraged female workers to lick paintbrushes coated in radioactive radium to keep the tips pointed while painting glowing numbers on watch dials.
Factory managers in the 1920s encouraged female workers to lick paintbrushes coated in radioactive radium to keep the tips pointed while painting glowing…
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American soldiers fought alongside soldiers from the German Wehrmacht to defend a medieval Austrian castle against an attacking force of the Waffen-SS during the final chaotic days of World War II in May 1945.
American soldiers fought alongside soldiers from the German Wehrmacht to defend a medieval Austrian castle against an attacking force of the Waffen-SS during…
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Future Russian Tsar Peter III was so mentally unstable and obsessed with military discipline during his time as a young prince that he famously organized a full court-martial for a rat he caught in his bedchamber.
Future Russian Tsar Peter III was so mentally unstable and obsessed with military discipline during his time as a young prince that he famously organized a…
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American colonists who participated in the Boston Tea Party in 1773 actually returned the next day to sweep the decks and make sure they did not damage any property other than the tea.
American colonists who participated in the Boston Tea Party in 1773 actually returned the next day to sweep the decks and make sure they did not damage any…
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Novelist Edgar Allan Poe published a terrifying survival story in 1838 about a shipwrecked crew who brutally cannibalized a young cabin boy named Richard Parker to avoid starving to death on the open ocean.
Novelist Edgar Allan Poe published a terrifying survival story in 1838 about a shipwrecked crew who brutally cannibalized a young cabin boy named Richard…
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Tug of war was an official, highly competitive Olympic sport from 1900 until 1920, featuring massive, heavily muscled international teams furiously pulling a rope in the middle of a muddy field to win actual gold medals.
Tug of war was an official, highly competitive Olympic sport from 1900 until 1920, featuring massive, heavily muscled international teams furiously pulling a…
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Thomas Edison essentially invented the concept of modern movie piracy when he dispatched hired thugs to physically assault independent filmmakers who refused to pay him…
Thomas Edison essentially invented the concept of modern movie piracy when he dispatched hired thugs to physically assault independent filmmakers who refused…
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Mikhail Gorbachev, the final leader of the Soviet Union, famously starred in a completely bizarre television commercial for Pizza Hut in 1997, just a few years after he presided…
Mikhail Gorbachev, the final leader of the Soviet Union, famously starred in a completely bizarre television commercial for Pizza Hut in 1997, just a few…
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