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The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon (Latin: Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Salomonici), also known as the Order of Solomon's Temple, the Knights Templar or simply the Templars, were a Catholic military order founded in 1119, headquartered on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem through 1128 when they went to meet with Pope Honorius II. They were recognized in 1139 by the papal bull Omne datum optimum. The order was active until 1312 when it was perpetually suppressed by Pope Clement V by the bull Vox in excelso. The Templars became a favored charity throughout Christendom, and grew rapidly in membership and power. They were prominent in Christian finance. Templar knights, in their distinctive white mantles with a red cross, were amongst the most skilled fighting units of the Crusades. Non-combatant members of the order, who made up as much as 90% of their members, managed a large economic infrastructure throughout Christendom, developing innovative financial techniques that were an early form of banking, building its own network of nearly 1,000 commanderies and fortifications across Europe and the Holy Land, and arguably forming the world's first multinational corporation. #CrusadesHistory #MedievalHistory #EuropeanHistory

1366 - c.1405 Konrad Kyeser of Eichstätt was a military engineer, a supporter of King Wenceslas IV and the author of Bellifortis, a manual on the military arts, which is the oldest example of a 'Kriegsbuch' to appear in the Bohemian territories. Written in Latin hexameter, the book consists of 140 parchments with somewhat incomprehensible text. It is accompanied by elaborate drawings by Kyeser himself. The book must have been very popular at the time of its writing, as testified by the fact that more than thirty manuscripts have survived to this day. Konrad Kyeser’s loyalty to the Bohemian King is attested by a number of drawings in the Gottingen manuscript, in particular a depiction of the king’s royal tent with a number of the symbols typical for Wenceslas IV, such as a torse (wreath) and the letter W. The main text is prefaced by a prologue and a long dedication to the King of Germany (Rex Romanorum), Rupert III of the Palatinate, which was probably an attempt to ingratiate himself into his services. Unfortunately, we will never know why he did not dedicate his work to Wenceslas IV. The ten chapters of Bellafortis are devoted to weaponry, siege warfare and the use of various techniques for besieging towers and castles. They also include prescriptions for making medicine and instructions for preparing baths, information about torture devices, and even an illustration and description of a chastity belt. The book concludes with an 'epichedion', a personal elegy written by Kyeser himself with his portrait and personal details (parents and date of birth), as well as a horoscope from May 1402. Bellifortis is an adroit compilation of military engineering and technology well-known in Kyeser’s epoch. The author based his book on various previous works, including De Mirabilibus Mundi and Liber Ignium by Marcus Graecus. Some parts are also based on personal experience. #KingdomComeDeliverance #KCD #History

Sir Gareth was the youngest son of King Lot and Morgause of Orkney, which made him the youngest brother of Sir Gawain as well. Playing a significant role in Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur, Gareth plays one of the most important roles of defending King Arthur and ultimately his death at the hand’s of Lancelot. The “Tale of Sir Gareth” was apparently created by Thomas Malory, and presents Sir Gareth as a prime example of chivalry. Gareth served as page to and is ultimately knighted by and devoted to Sir Lancelot, which makes his passing even more tragic. In addition to his loyalty and bravery, Gareth was one of the most chivalrous knights. His continued chivalrous and respectful attitude toward and treatment of Lady Lynette, even after her abuse of him shows the true gentleman that he was. Sir Gareth, who even avoided his own brothers when they acted less than chivalrously, is one of the characters that comes together in the final scenes of Le Morte d’Arthur to produce the tragic ending. Sir Lancelot blindly killed Sir Gareth accidentally in his rescue of Queen Guinevere from burning at the stake. When Sir Gawain, Gareth’s older brother heard of Gareth’s death at Lancelot’s hands, he turned against Sir Lancelot and demanded that King Arthur find and punish him. It was this rift between Lancelot and Gawain that ultimately set the stage for Mordred’s takeover of the Kingdom. In Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s Idyll of Gareth and Lynette Sir Gareth, like almost everyone in Camelot, is not what he seems, and yet he proves himself better than he seems to Lady Lynette and the judgmental Sir Kay who both misjudge him. Following his dealings with Lynette, Gareth defeated a series of knightly opponents and rescued Lyonors. Sir Gareth also makes appearances in more modern literary works like T. H. White’s The Once and Future King and E. M. R. Ditmas’s Gareth of Orkney (1956). Sir Gareth (or Guerrehet) first appears in Chrétien de Troyes’s French work: Perceval ou le conte du Graal. His death by Sir Bors de Ganis in the The Lancelot-Grail, also known as the Prose Lancelot or the Vulgate Cycle, differs from Mallory’s take (having him killed by Sir Lancelot). The legend of Bors killing Gareth (during Lancelot’s rescue of Queen Guinevere from being burned at the stake) is told in the Death of Arthur, the final volume of the cycle. Gareth is portrayed differently in Lancelot vs. the Death of Arthur. In the former he is the most beloved brother of Sir Gawain, but in the latter, Sir Gaheris is the favorite of Gawain. #ArthurianLegend #KingArthur #KnightsoftheRoundTable

Frank Hayes (1901 – June 4, 1923) was a jockey who, on June 4, 1923, won a steeplechase despite suffering a fatal heart attack in the later part of the race at Belmont Park in New York State, US. The twenty-two-year-old Hayes had never won a race before and in fact by profession was not actually a jockey but a horse trainer and longtime stableman. The horse, a 20-1 outsider called Sweet Kiss, was owned by Miss A.M. Frayling. Hayes apparently died somewhere in the later part of the race, but his body remained in the saddle throughout. Sweet Kiss eventually crossed the finish line, winning by a head with Hayes technically still atop her back, making him the first, and thus far only, jockey known to have won a race after death. Gloria Ramirez (January 11, 1963 – February 19, 1994) was a woman from Riverside, California who was dubbed "the Toxic Lady" or "the Toxic Woman" by the media when several hospital workers became ill after exposure to her body and blood. She had been admitted to the emergency department while suffering from late-stage cervical cancer. While treating Ramirez, several hospital workers fainted and others experienced symptoms such as shortness of breath and muscle spasms. Five workers required hospitalization, one of whom remained in an intensive care unit for two weeks. Shortly after arriving at the hospital, Ramirez died from complications related to cancer. The incident was initially considered to be a case of mass hysteria. An investigation by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory proposed that Ramirez had been self-administering dimethyl sulfoxide as a treatment for pain, which converted into dimethyl sulfate, an extremely poisonous and highly carcinogenic alkylating agent, via a series of chemical reactions in the emergency department. Although this theory has been endorsed by the Riverside Coroner's Office and published in the journal Forensic Science International, it is still a matter of debate in the scientific community. Elmer J. McCurdy (January 1, 1880 – October 7, 1911) was an American bank and train robber who was killed in a shoot-out with police after robbing a Katy Train in Oklahoma in October 1911. Dubbed "The Bandit Who Wouldn't Give Up", his mummified body was first put on display at an Oklahoma funeral home and then became a fixture on the traveling carnival and sideshow circuit during the 1920s through the 1960s. After changing ownership several times, McCurdy's remains eventually wound up at The Pike amusement zone in Long Beach, California where they were discovered by a film crew and positively identified in December 1976. In April 1977, Elmer McCurdy's body was buried at the Summit View Cemetery in Guthrie, Oklahoma. #BizarreHistory #StrangeHistory #WeirdHistory

Wu Zhao, commonly known as Wu Zetian (17 February 624[note 8][note 9] – 16 December 705), alternatively Wu Hou, and during the later Tang dynasty as Tian Hou, was the de facto ruler of China, first through her husband the Emperor Gaozong and then through her sons the Emperors Zhongzong and Ruizong, from 665 to 690. She subsequently became empress regnant of the Zhou dynasty (周) of China, ruling from 690 to 705. She is notable for being the only female monarch in the history of China. Wu was the concubine of Emperor Taizong. After his death, she married his successor—his ninth son, Emperor Gaozong, officially becoming Gaozong's huanghou (皇后, empress consort, title for the reigning emperor's main consort) in 655, although having considerable political power prior to this. After Gaozong's debilitating stroke in 660, Wu Zetian became administrator of the court, a position equal to the emperor's until 705. After her wedding to Emperor Gaozong in 655, Empress Wu's rise to power was swift. A strong, charismatic, and well-educated woman who enjoyed the absolute interest of her husband, Empress Wu was the most powerful and influential woman at court during a period when the Tang Empire was at the peak of its power and glory. She was more decisive and proactive than her husband, and she is considered by historians to have been the real power behind the throne and ruling figure for more than eighteen years. She was often present when the Emperor held court, and even held court independently when the Emperor was unwell. She was given charge of his Imperial Seal, implying that her perusal and consent were necessary before any document or order received legal validity. The Emperor Gaozong sought her views on all matters before issuing orders. Empress Wu was granted certain honors and privileges which were not enjoyed by any Chinese empresses before or after. After Gaozong's death, Empress Wu as Empress dowager and regent conquered power independently and uniquely, and seven years later, she seized the throne in the Zhou dynasty, becoming the only empress regnant in Chinese history. Because she ruled from 665 to 690 through her husband and sons, she was thus one of the longest-reigning de facto rulers in the history of the world. She also spent one of the brightest periods of history in China as emperor. The importance to history of Wu Zetian's period of political and military leadership includes the major expansion of the Chinese empire, extending it far beyond its previous territorial limits, deep into Central Asia, and engaging in a series of wars on the Korean Peninsula, first allying with Silla against Goguryeo, and then against Silla over the occupation of former Goguryeo territory. Within China, besides the more direct consequences of her struggle to gain and maintain supreme power, Wu's leadership resulted in important effects regarding social class in Chinese society and in relation to state support for Taoism, Buddhism, education, and literature. Wu Zetian also had a monumental impact upon the statuary of the Longmen Grottoes and the "Wordless Stele" at the Qianling Mausoleum, as well as the construction of some major buildings and bronze castings that no longer survive. Besides her career as a political leader, Wu Zetian also had an active family life. Although family relationships sometimes became problematic, Wu Zetian was the mother of four sons, three of whom also carried the title of emperor, although one held that title only as a posthumous honor. One of her grandsons became the renowned Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. #WomenofHistory #HistoricalWomen #FamousFemales

Robert II, byname Robert Curthose, French Robert Courteheuse, (born c. 1054—died February 1134, Cardiff, Wales), duke of Normandy (1087–1106), a weak-willed and incompetent ruler whose poor record as an administrator of his domain was partly redeemed by his contribution to the First Crusade (1096–99). The eldest son of William I the Conqueror, Robert was recognized in boyhood as his father’s successor in Normandy. Nevertheless, he twice rebelled against his father (1077/78 and c. 1082–83) and was in exile in Italy until he returned as duke on his father’s death in 1087. He was totally unable to control his rebellious vassals or to establish a central authority in Normandy. In 1091 Robert’s younger brother, King William II of England, invaded Normandy and compelled Robert to yield two counties. William attacked again in 1094, and when a peace was made that gave him control of Normandy in return for money, Robert joined the First Crusade. He fought at Dorylaeum (1097) and was at the capture of Jerusalem (1099). His courageous leadership contributed to the victory at Ascalon (1099). When Robert’s youngest brother, Henry I, succeeded William as king of England (1100), Robert was in Italy. He hastened back to invade England, with ignominious results, and Henry in turn invaded Normandy (1105 and 1106). Captured in the Battle of Tinchebrai (September 28, 1106), Robert spent the rest of his life as a prisoner, dying in Cardiff castle. #CrusadesHistory #MedievalHistory #EuropeanHistory

1354 — 18. 1. 1411 Jobst of Moravia was Margrave of Moravia from 1375 and Elector of Brandenburg from 1388; he also held the throne of the King of the Romans, although he did so for a mere 15 weeks until his death (1410-11). He was the son of John Henry of Luxembourg and the nephew of Emperor Charles IV. He achieved his standing in Europe due to military and political intrigues, aimed primarily against members of his own dynasty, particularly Wenceslas IV, against whom he rebelled along with the Moravian forces in the so-called Margraviate Wars. He initially supported Sigismund of Luxembourg's efforts to seize the Bohemian crown, but in 1403 he began opposing him and together with Albert IV, Duke of Austria, took part in a rebellion against him. His previous support for Sigismund was probably motivated more by self-interest — it ensured him future influence as long as it seemed that Wenceslas would be deposed and Sigismund, or even Jobst himself, would take his place. His campaign against Wenceslas won him and other nobles many privileges. Then, in 1402, when the situation changed, he rebelled against Sigismund and was even instrumental in liberating Wenceslas from captivity. We don 't know whether the change was due to cunning or conscience, but to the end of his life he remained surprisingly loyal to Wenceslas IV. Towards the end of his life he even stood against Sigismund in the election of King of the Romans, and won. He didn 't enjoy the crown for long though, and died shortly after. Jobst was not only politically astute, but also a very thrifty governor - many rulers, including Sigismund himself, were financially indebted to him. In his day, it was said that it was Jobst, and not either Wenceslas or Sigismund, who was the true uncrowned sovereign of Bohemia. At the time our game takes place, however, he was in debt up to his ears. #KingdomComeDeliverance #KCD #History

Sir Geraint, who was the eldest son of King Erbin of Dumnonia was a Knight of Devonshire. After the death of his his wife, Prince Geraint spent much of his time at King Arthur’s Court looking for action and adventure. It was during this period that he encountered the Sparrow Hawk Knight and ultimately came to marry Lady Enid of Caer-Teim (Cardiff), a story told in the ancient tales of Erec (alias Geraint) & Enid and “Geraint mab Erbin”. Sir Geraint restored Sir Yniol all of his possessions and then married his beautiful daughter, Lady Enid. At one point, Geraint heard Enid complaining that he was a lazy knight. He was so embarrassed that he accused Enid of cheating on him. To ease his conscience, Geraint took Enid on a journey through a series of trials until she convinced him of her faithfulness to him. Enid remained so devoted to Sir Geraint that ultimately they returned home and lived in happiness for the remainder of their lives. Sir Geraint inherited the Dumnonian Throne in 497 AD (or 480) and is recorded as one of the great “Fleet Owners” of post-Roman Britain. His castle was once called Caer-Gurrel or Fort of the Ship. According to an old Welsh poem called Elegy for Geraint, Sir Geraint died fighting the Saxons with King Arthur at the Battle of Llongborth (Langport, Somerset) around 480/510 some years after being married to Enid. There appears to be two different Geraints associated with Arthurian Legend and Tradition, and both are interesting characters in their respective stories. Sir Geraint’s deeds at the Battle of Llongborth are talked about in the poem “Geraint son of Erbin“, written probably in the 10th or 11th century and traditionally attributed to Llywarch Hen. #ArthurianLegend #KingArthur #KnightsoftheRoundTable

Hetty Green (November 21, 1834 – July 3, 1916), nicknamed the Witch of Wall Street, was an American businesswoman and financier known as "the richest woman in America" during the Gilded Age. She was known for her wealth and was named by the Guinness Book of World Records as the "greatest miser", which meant that even when being incredibly rich, she was a renowned cheapskate, as she refused to buy expensive clothes or pay for hot water, and wore a single dress that was only washed when it was worn out. She amassed a fortune as a financier when other major financiers were men. After her death, The New York Times stated that "It was the fact that Mrs. Green was a woman that made her career the subject of endless curiosity, comment and astonishment." Edgar Allan Poe (/poʊ/; born Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is widely regarded as a central figure of Romanticism in the United States and of American literature as a whole, and he was one of the country's earliest practitioners of the short story. He is also generally considered the inventor of the detective fiction genre and is further credited with contributing to the emerging genre of science fiction. Poe was the first well-known American writer to earn a living through writing alone, resulting in a financially difficult life and career. Poe was born in Boston, the second child of actors David and Elizabeth "Eliza" Poe. His father abandoned the family in 1810, and his mother died the following year. Thus orphaned, Poe was taken in by John and Frances Allan of Richmond, Virginia. They never formally adopted him, but he was with them well into young adulthood. Tension developed later as Poe and John Allan repeatedly clashed over Poe's debts, including those incurred by gambling, and the cost of Poe's education. Poe attended the University of Virginia but left after a year due to lack of money. He quarreled with Allan over the funds for his education and enlisted in the United States Army in 1827 under an assumed name. It was at this time that his publishing career began with the anonymous collection Tamerlane and Other Poems (1827), credited only to "a Bostonian". Poe and Allan reached a temporary rapprochement after the death of Allan's wife in 1829. Poe later failed as an officer cadet at West Point, declaring a firm wish to be a poet and writer, and he ultimately parted ways with Allan. Poe switched his focus to prose and spent the next several years working for literary journals and periodicals, becoming known for his own style of literary criticism. His work forced him to move among several cities, including Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City. He married his 13-year-old cousin, Virginia Clemm, in 1836, but Virginia died of tuberculosis in 1847. In January 1845, Poe published his poem "The Raven" to instant success. He planned for years to produce his own journal The Penn (later renamed The Stylus), but before it could be produced, he died in Baltimore on October 7, 1849, at age 40. The cause of his death is unknown and has been variously attributed to disease, alcoholism, substance abuse, suicide, and other causes. Poe and his works influenced literature around the world, as well as specialized fields such as cosmology and cryptography. He and his work appear throughout popular culture in literature, music, films, and television. A number of his homes are dedicated museums today. The Mystery Writers of America present an annual award known as the Edgar Award for distinguished work in the mystery genre. #BizarreHistory #StrangeHistory #WeirdHistory

A common tool and weapon for the lower classes of 16th and early 17th century Central Europe, this wholly utilitarian form of the Dussack cutting sword is hand forged from a single billet of steel and has its tang cunningly formed into a single piece grip and knuckle bar. The steel is 1035 high carbon steel which was tempered to a final 50-54 HRc hardness. Like originals it was left with a rough state of polishing which leaves the marks from the blows of the hammer visible. It has a simple wrap of leather around the grip and it comes with a stitched sheath of faux leather. The sheath has a buttoned retaining strap and a belt loop for easy wear. The term Dussack can be used for a wide array of cutting swords with sweeping, stout blades reminiscent of a cutlass or falchion. Some examples are quite lavish with complex hilts, shell guards and levels of craftsmanship fit for the well-heeled of society. Others such as this one are clearly a pragmatic tool and self defense weapon of the lower classes. The one shown here is based on a Czech example with its hanger or cutlass like blade, though other forms existed as evidenced by a mid-16th century German example with a straight and wide cleaver like blade. These Dussack have a form and craftsmanship not unlike utility knives of the period and this short fighting sword may be an extended derivative of such practical tools. #SwordReview #SwordTesting #MedievalWeapons Buy It: http://www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=HS7899&name=Czech+Dussack

Catherine II (born Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst; 2 May 1729 – 17 November 1796), most commonly known as Catherine the Great,[c] was Empress of All Russia from 1762 until 1796 – the country's longest-ruling female leader. She came to power following a coup d'état that overthrew her husband and second cousin, Peter III. Under her reign, Russia grew larger, its culture was revitalised, and it was recognized as one of the great powers worldwide. In her accession to power and her rule of the empire, Catherine often relied on her noble favourites, most notably Count Grigory Orlov and Grigory Potemkin. Assisted by highly successful generals such as Alexander Suvorov and Pyotr Rumyantsev, and admirals such as Samuel Greig and Fyodor Ushakov, she governed at a time when the Russian Empire was expanding rapidly by conquest and diplomacy. In the south, the Crimean Khanate was crushed following victories over the Bar confederation and Ottoman Empire in the Russo-Turkish War, 1768-1774 due to the support of the United Kingdom, and Russia colonised the territories of Novorossiya along the coasts of the Black and Azov Seas. In the west, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, ruled by Catherine's former lover, King Stanisław August Poniatowski, was eventually partitioned, with the Russian Empire gaining the largest share. In the east, Russia started to colonise Alaska, establishing Russian America. Catherine reformed the administration of Russian guberniyas (governorates), and many new cities and towns were founded on her orders. An admirer of Peter the Great, Catherine continued to modernize Russia along Western European lines. However, military conscription and the economy continued to depend on serfdom, and the increasing demands of the state and of private landowners intensified the exploitation of serf labour. This was one of the chief reasons behind rebellions, including the large-scale Pugachev Rebellion of Cossacks, nomads, peoples of Volga and peasants. The period of Catherine the Great's rule, the Catherinian Era, is considered a Golden Age of Russia. The Manifesto on Freedom of the Nobility, issued during the short reign of Peter III and confirmed by Catherine, freed Russian nobles from compulsory military or state service. Construction of many mansions of the nobility, in the classical style endorsed by the empress, changed the face of the country. She enthusiastically supported the ideals of the Enlightenment and is often included in the ranks of the enlightened despots. As a patron of the arts, she presided over the age of the Russian Enlightenment, including the establishment of the Smolny Institute for Noble Maidens, the first state-financed higher education institution for women in Europe. #WomenofHistory #HistoricalWomen #FamousFemales

The Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem, also known as the Leper Brothers of Jerusalem or simply as Lazarists, was a Catholic military order founded by crusaders around 1119 at a leper hospital in Jerusalem, Kingdom of Jerusalem, whose care became its original purpose, named after their patron saint, Lazarus. It was recognised by King Fulk of Jerusalem in 1142 and canonically recognised as a hospitaller and military order of chivalry under the rule of Saint Augustine in the Papal bull Cum a Nobis Petitur of Pope Alexander IV in 1255. Although they were centered on their charism of caring for those afflicted with leprosy, the knights of the Order of Saint Lazarus notably fought in the Battle of La Forbie in 1244 and in the Defense of Acre in 1291. The titular seat was successively situated at Jerusalem, Saint-Jean-d'Acre and - after the fall of the Kingdom of Jerusalem - split in two main branches in Italy and in Château Royal de Boigny-sur-Bionne in France. In 1489, Pope Innocent VIII attempted to merge the order and its land holdings with the Knights Hospitaller. This was resisted by the larger part of the jurisdictions of the Order of Saint Lazarus including those in France, Southern Italy, Hungary, Switzerland, and England. The Knights Hospitaller only managed to appropriate the Lazarus holdings in Germany. In 1572, the Order of Saint Lazarus in Italy was merged with the Order of Saint Maurice under the Royal House of Savoy to form the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, which still exists until today, widely recognised as a dynastic successor of the Italian branch. This merger however excluded the holding in the southern part of Italy, then forming part of the Spanish realm. These were transformed into ecclesiastical benefices. The Duke of Savoy only managed to gain control of those benefices sited in the duchy of Savoy. In 1608, King Henry IV of France, with the approval of the Holy See, linked the French section administratively to the Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel to form the Royal Military and Hospitaller Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem united. This branch became closely linked to the Royal Crown during the 18th century with the serving grand masters then being members of the Royal family. It suffered the consequences of the French Revolution, and went into exile along with its grand master Louis-Stanislas-Xavier, Comte (count) de Provence, king-in-exile Louis XVIII. It formally lost its Royal protection in 1830 and then ceased to remain listed as of royal protection in the French Royal Almanac. The word lazarette, in some languages being synonymous with leprosarum, is believed to also be derived from the hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus, these edifices being adopted into quarantine stations in the fifteenth century when leprosy was no longer the scourge it had been in earlier centuries. #CrusadesHistory #MedievalHistory #EuropeanHistory

Charles IV (Prague, 14 May 1316 - Prague, 29 November 1378) was King of Bohemia from 1346 to 1378 and Emperor of Holy Roman Empire from 1355 to 1378. 14.5.1316 — 29.11.1378 Charles IV of Luxembourg, born Wenceslas, son of King John of Luxembourg, was the second member of the Luxembourg dynasty to become King of Bohemia (1346 — 1378) and the first to attain the title Holy Roman Emperor (1355 - 1378). He held many other titles besides: Margrave of Moravia, Count of Luxembourg, King of Italy, King of the Romans and King of Burgundy. Renowned for his diplomatic skills and erudition, he actively endeavoured to consolidate his position and ensure the survival of his line in Europe, especially in Bohemia, Moravia and Germany. He was well-versed in several languages and at the French court he was tutored by none other than the future pope, Clement VI. During his reign, Prague and the lands of the Bohemian Crown underwent a major transformation, becoming a powerful political, economic and cultural centre. For this reason, this period of his reign is known as the Golden Age. He initiated the construction of many superb edifices, which thus bear his name, including Charles University, Charles Bridge and Karlstein Castle. He was keen to emphasise the role of religious faith in society. He renewed the cults of St. Wenceslas, St. Sigismund and St. Vitus, consecrating various Church buildings to them, among others Prague Cathedral. He married four times and had thirteen children, most of whom died in infancy. The most illustrious of his offspring were his sons Wenceslas and Sigismund, who both became rulers over the lands of the Bohemian Crown. #KingdomComeDeliverance #KCD #History

Sir Galahad was the son of Sir Lancelot and Elaine. His name may be of Welsh origin or come from the place name of Gilead in Palestine. Born out of wedlock, he was placed in a nunnery as a child being that the abbess there was his great aunt. On one occasion a “sword in a stone” was seen in a river by King Arthur’s knights and legend stated that only the world’s best knight could pull out the sword. Galahad was led into King Arthur’s court where he sat in the Siege Perilous (the vacant seat at the Round Table reserved for the Knight who would one day be successful at recovering the Holy Grail). Following his seat at the Round Table, Galahad then drew the sword from the stone. Years later while at Arthur’s Court, the Holy Grail appeared in a vision to Galahad and showed him that he was one of the three knights chosen to undertake the Quest for the Holy Grail. He was given a white shield, made by Evelake with a red cross which Joseph of Arimathea had drawn in blood. In the course of his Quest he joined up with Sir Percivale, Sir Bors de Ganis, and Percivale’s sister. Once on board Solomon’s ship, Sir Galahad obtained the Sword of David, and after the death of Percivale’s sister the trio split up for a while and Galahad traveled with his father, Sir Lancelot. All of the Knights of the Round Table embarked on the Grail quest at first, but only three of the knights persevered together… When Galahad, Bors de Ganis and Percivale rejoined forces they traveled to Carbonek and discovered the Grail together. Sir Galahad mended the broken sword, and therefore, He was allowed to see the Grail. After seeing the Holy Grail, Galahad requested of Joseph of Arimathea that he die, which request was granted unto him. Galahad was always known as the “Perfect Knight” – perfect in courage, gentleness, courtesy, and chivalry. Eventually, Bors left Galahad and Percivale to take Percivale’s sister’s body back to England, and so Galahad and Percivale traveled alone together. According to legend, after bidding farewell to Percivale, Galahad ascends to heaven with the angels, and thus never truly dies. Well before Galahad’s birth, Merlin had prophesied of Galahad, telling Uther Pendragon that one would come who would “fill the table of Joseph”, but he had not yet been born. #ArthurianLegend #KingArthur #KnightsoftheRoundTable

The radio hat was a portable radio built into a pith helmet that would bring in stations within a 20-mile (32 km) radius. It was introduced in early 1949 for $7.95 as the "Man-from-Mars Radio Hat." Thanks to a successful publicity campaign, the radio hat was sold at stores from coast to coast in the United States. Spruce veneer bathing suits were described as simple, cheap, and easy to make, yet fashionable and modern. In a way, they were promoting the DIY (do it yourself) and recycling method of creating things. In one of the promotional videos, a girl is explaining how her father completed building a house and he had some leftover veneer. She used that veneer to make her own bathing suit. “[Wooden bathing suits] are the latest novelty for use on the bathing beaches. Fashioned of thin spruce, they are said to be practical as costumes and also are sufficiently buoyant to encourage a timid swimmer to take a plunge. So far, none of them has warped or cracked.” What do a cat and a telephone have in common? They were the same thing in an experiment conducted in 1929 by Professor Ernest Glen Wever and his research assistant Charles William Bray here at Princeton University. Wever and Bray took an unconscious, but alive, cat and transformed it into a working telephone to test how sound is perceived by the auditory nerve. To do so, they first sedated the cat and opened its skull to better access the auditory nerve. A telephone wire was attached to the nerve and the other end of the wire was connected to a telephone receiver. Bray would speak in the cat’s ears, while Wever would listen through the receiver 50 feet away in a soundproof room. The common notion during this time was that the frequency of the response of a sensory nerve is correlated to the intensity of the stimulus. In the case of the auditory nerve, as a sound becomes louder, the frequency or pitch of the sound received by the ear should be higher. When Bray made a sound with a certain frequency, Wever heard the sound from the receiver at the same frequency. As Bray increased the pitch of the sound, the frequency of the sound Wever heard also increased. This experiment proved that the frequency of the response in the auditory nerve is correlated to the frequency of the sound. To further validate their experiment, Wever and Bray performed more trials with varying conditions. When they placed the wire on other tissues and nerves away from the auditory nerve, the telephone receiver did not produce any sound. In one experiment, they restricted the blood circulation to the cat’s head, which also ceased the transmission of sound from the receiver. From their findings through these experiments, Wever and Bray were awarded the first Howard Crosby Warren Medal of Society by the Society of Experimental Psychologists in 1936. #BizarreHistory #StrangeHistory #WeirdHistory

Catherine de' Medici (Italian: Caterina de' Medici, pronounced [kateˈriːna de ˈmɛːditʃi]; French: Catherine de Médicis, pronounced [katʁin də medisis]; 13 April 1519 – 5 January 1589) was an Italian noblewoman. She also was queen consort of France from 1547 until 1559, by marriage to King Henry II, and mother of kings Francis II, Charles IX and Henry III. The years during which her sons reigned have been called "the age of Catherine de' Medici" as she had extensive, if at times varying, influence in the political life of France. Catherine was born in Florence to Lorenzo de' Medici, Duke of Urbino, and Madeleine de La Tour d'Auvergne. In 1533 at the age of fourteen, Catherine married Henry, second son of King Francis I and Queen Claude of France. Catherine's marriage was arranged by her uncle Pope Clement VII. Henry excluded Catherine from participating in state affairs and instead showered favors on his chief mistress, Diane de Poitiers, who wielded much influence over him. Henry's death thrust Catherine into the political arena as mother of the frail 15-year-old King Francis II. When Francis II died in 1560, she became regent on behalf of her 10-year-old son King Charles IX and was thus granted sweeping powers. From 1560 to 1563, she ruled France as regent for her son Charles IX. After Charles died in 1574, Catherine played a key role in the reign of her third son, Henry III. He dispensed with her advice only in the last months of her life and outlived her by seven months. Catherine's three sons reigned in an age of almost constant civil and religious war in France. The problems facing the monarchy were complex and daunting. However, Catherine was able to maintain the monarchy and the state institutions functioning- even at a minimum level. At first, Catherine compromised and made concessions to the rebelling Calvinist Protestants, or Huguenots, as they became known. However, she failed to fully grasp the theological issues that drove their movement. Later she resorted (in frustration and anger) to hard-line policies against them. In return, she came to be blamed for the excessive persecutions carried out under her sons' rule, and in particular, for the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre of 1572, during which time thousands of Huguenots were killed both in Paris and throughout France. Some historians have excused Catherine from blame for the worst decisions of the crown, though evidence for her ruthlessness can be found in her letters. In practice, her authority was always limited by the effects of the civil wars. Therefore, her policies may be seen as desperate measures to keep the Valois monarchy on the throne at all costs and her patronage of the arts as an attempt to glorify a monarchy (whose prestige was in steep decline). Without Catherine, it is unlikely that her sons would have remained in power. According to Mark Strage, one of her biographers, Catherine was the most powerful woman in 16th-century Europe. #WomenofHistory #HistoricalWomen #FamousFemales

Raymond IV, byname Raymond of Saint-Gilles, French Raimond de Saint-Gilles, (born 1041 or 1042, Toulouse, county of Toulouse, France—died February 28, 1105, near Tripoli [now in Lebanon]), count of Toulouse (1093–1105) and marquis of Provence (1066–1105), the first—and one of the most effective—of the western European rulers who joined the First Crusade. He is reckoned as Raymond I of Tripoli, a county in the Latin East which he began to conquer from 1102 to 1105. In the early years of his countship, Raymond was a pious lay leader of the papacy’s reform movement. Before preaching the First Crusade (1095), Pope Urban II probably secured assurance of Raymond’s participation. Although he initially disliked the Byzantine emperor Alexius I Comnenus, Raymond became the most faithful partisan of the emperor’s territorial interest in the Crusade, sometimes to his own disadvantage. After helping to capture Antioch from the Turks (June 3, 1098), Raymond unsuccessfully tried to induce Bohemond I, Frankish Crusader prince of the city, to restore it to Alexius. He then organized a march on Jerusalem and took part in its capture (July 15, 1099). Apparently, he refused the Crusaders’ crown of Jerusalem, which was then given to Godfrey of Bouillon, duke of Lower Lorraine. Although he quarreled with Godfrey, together they repulsed an attack on Jerusalem by the Egyptian Fāṭimids. From 1100 Raymond, on behalf of Alexius, blocked the southward expansion of Bohemond’s principality of Antioch. He built near Tripoli the castle of Mons Peregrinus (Mont-Pèlerin), in which he died. #CrusadesHistory #MedievalHistory #EuropeanHistory

Sigismund of Luxembourg (15 February 1368 – 9 December 1437), also referred to as the Red Fox by Bohemians, was King of Hungary and Croatia, Germany, Bohemia, Italy and at a later point in life the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. He was a son of Charles IV and younger half-brother of Wenceslas IV of Bohemia. 14.2.1368 - 9.12.1437 Sigismund of Luxembourg, son of Charles IV, was King of Hungary and Croatia from 1387, King of Germany from 1411, King of Bohemia from 1419 and King of Italy from 1431. He was also Prince of Silesia, from 1419 Margrave of Lusatia and most notably Holy Roman Emperor between 1433 and 1437. At an early age, he was sent to be educated at the Hungarian court, quickly mastering the tough conditions of politics. Like other members of his family, he was abducted at least once (in his case by the Hungarian nobility). Having lost faith in the Hungarian nobility, he turned his attention to Bohemia and became engaged in hostilities with his half-brother, Wenceslas. Some of the Bohemian nobility welcomed Sigismund, hoping he would rid them of their ineffective monarch, while others sided with Wenceslas, resulting in long-lasting wars, in the course of which Sigismund and his Hungarian army (consisting in no small part of Cuman mercenaries) repeatedly pillaged Bohemia, often with the help of Bohemian - and especially Moravian - lords themselves. Sigismund fought not only to seize his brother's throne, but also against the Hussites with the aim of seizing the Imperial crown. He regarded himself as the defender of Christianity and in 1409 even founded the Order of the Dragon to wage war against all enemies of the Christian faith. (One of the later members of the order was the infamous Vlad the Impaler, inspiration for the fictional Dracula). After the death of Wenceslas, Sigismund brought to Bohemia four unsuccessful crusades against the Hussites. He died soon after the signing of the Compacts – a set of agreements with the reformers guaranteeing freedom of religious belief to every inhabitant of the lands of Bohemia and Moravia. #KingdomComeDeliverance #KCD #History

Sir Gawain was generally said to be the nephew of King Arthur. Gawain’s parents were King Lot of Orkney and Morgause (though his mother is said to be Anna in Geoffrey of Monmouth’s History of the Kings of Britain). Upon the death of King Lot, Gawain became the head of the Orkney clan, which includes in many sources his brothers Agravain, Gaheris, and Gareth, and his half-brother Mordred. Though Lancelot is often referred to as the greatest knight, Gawain is also referred to as the greatest knight of the Round Table on occasion and is most recognized from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. It seemed to be common knowledge that Sir Gawain was also the most trusted friend of Sir Lancelot and in some legends he seems to be the rightful heir to the throne of Camelot once King Arthur passes. Sir Gawain figures prominently in many romances and adventure tales. In the French traditions he is generally presented as one who has adventures paralleling but not overshadowing the hero’s, whether that hero be Lancelot or Percivale. So, more so a supporting actor of the story. In the English tradition, however, it is much more common for Gawain to be the principal hero and the exemplar of courtesy and chivalry, as he is in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and the other Arthurian romances of the Alliterative Revival. In Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur, however, he has a role similar to that in the French romances, in that Sir Lancelot is the principal hero. The accidental death of Gawain’s brothers, Sir Gareth at Sir Lancelot’s hands caused Gawain, one of the mightiest warriors at court, to become the bitter enemy of his once greatest friend. Legend says that Gawain was mortally wounded in a fight with Lancelot who then lay for two nights weeping at Gawain’s tomb. Before his death, Gawain repented of his bitterness towards Lancelot and forgave him. #ArthurianLegend #KingArthur #KnightsoftheRoundTable

Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis dzе Jughashvili, 18 December [O.S. 6 December] 1878 – 5 March 1953) was a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet politician who ruled the Soviet Union from the mid-1920s until his death in 1953. During his years in power, he served as both General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1922–1952) and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union (1941–1953). Despite initially governing the country as part of a collective leadership, he ultimately consolidated power to become the Soviet Union's de facto dictator by the 1930s. A communist ideologically committed to the Leninist interpretation of Marxism, Stalin formalised these ideas as Marxism–Leninism while his own policies are known as Stalinism. Napoléon Bonaparte (/nəˈpoʊliən, -ˈpoʊljən/; French: [napɔleɔ̃ bɔnapaʁt], born Napoleone, Italian: [napoleˈoːne]; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821) was a French military and political leader who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led several successful campaigns during the Revolutionary Wars. As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 until 1814, and again in 1815. Napoleon dominated European and global affairs for more than a decade while leading France against a series of coalitions in the Napoleonic Wars. He won most of these wars and the vast majority of his battles, building a large empire that ruled over continental Europe before its final collapse in 1815. One of the greatest commanders in history, his wars and campaigns are studied at military schools worldwide. He also remains one of the most celebrated and controversial political figures in history. Napoleon had an extensive and powerful impact on the modern world, bringing liberal reforms to the numerous territories that he conquered and controlled, especially the Low Countries, Switzerland, and large parts of modern Italy and Germany. He implemented fundamental liberal policies in France and throughout Western Europe. His lasting legal achievement, the Napoleonic Code, has been highly influential. Roberts says, "The ideas that underpin our modern world—meritocracy, equality before the law, property rights, religious toleration, modern secular education, sound finances, and so on—were championed, consolidated, codified and geographically extended by Napoleon. To them he added a rational and efficient local administration, an end to rural banditry, the encouragement of science and the arts, the abolition of feudalism and the greatest codification of laws since the fall of the Roman Empire." Albert Einstein (/ˈaɪnstaɪn/ EYEN-styne; German: [ˈalbɛʁt ˈʔaɪnʃtaɪn] (About this soundlisten); 14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of relativity, one of the two pillars of modern physics (alongside quantum mechanics). His work is also known for its influence on the philosophy of science. He is best known to the general public for his mass–energy equivalence formula E = mc2, which has been dubbed "the world's most famous equation". He received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics "for his services to theoretical physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect", a pivotal step in the development of quantum theory. #BizarreHistory #StrangeHistory #WeirdHistory

Boudica or Boudicca (UK: /ˈbuːdɪkə, boʊˈdɪkə/, US: /buːˈdɪkə/), also known as Boadicea (/ˌboʊ(ə)dɪˈsiːə/, also US: /ˌboʊæd-/) or Boudicea, and in Welsh as Buddug (IPA: [ˈbɨðɨɡ]), was a queen of the British Celtic Iceni tribe who led an uprising against the conquering forces of the Roman Empire in AD 60 or 61. Roman sources claimed she died shortly after its failure and was said to have poisoned herself or died of her wounds although there is no actual evidence of her fate. She is considered a British folk hero. Boudica's husband Prasutagus, with whom she had two children whose names are unknown, ruled as a nominally independent ally of Rome, and left his kingdom jointly to his daughters and to the Roman emperor in his will. However, when he died, his will was ignored, and the kingdom was annexed and his property taken. According to Tacitus, Boudica was flogged and her daughters raped. Cassius Dio explains Boudica's response by saying that previous imperial donations to influential Britons were confiscated and the Roman financier and philosopher Seneca called in the loans he had forced on the reluctant Celtic Britons. In AD 60 or 61, when the Roman governor Gaius Suetonius Paulinus was campaigning on the island of Mona (modern Anglesey) on the northwest coast of Wales, Boudica led the Iceni, the Trinovantes, and others in revolt. They destroyed Camulodunum (modern Colchester), earlier the capital of the Trinovantes but at that time a colonia, a settlement for discharged Roman soldiers and site of a temple to the former Emperor Claudius. Upon hearing of the revolt, Suetonius hurried to Londinium (modern London), the 20-year-old commercial settlement that was the rebels' next target. He lacked sufficient numbers to defend the settlement, and he evacuated and abandoned Londinium. Boudica led a very large army of Iceni, Trinovantes, and others against a detachment of Legio IX Hispana, defeating them, and burning Londinium and Verulamium. An estimated 70,000–80,000 Romans and British were then killed in the three cities by those following Boudica, many by torture. Suetonius, meanwhile, regrouped his forces, possibly in the West Midlands; despite being heavily outnumbered, he decisively defeated the Britons. The crisis caused Nero to consider withdrawing all Roman forces from Britain, but Suetonius's victory over Boudica confirmed Roman control of the province. Boudica then either killed herself to avoid capture (according to Tacitus), or died of illness (according to Cassius Dio). Interest in these events was revived in the English Renaissance and led to Boudica's fame in the Victorian era. Boudica has remained an important cultural symbol in the United Kingdom. #WomenofHistory #HistoricalWomen #FamousFemales

The Knights Hospitaller was a medieval Catholic military order founded in 1113 CE with the full name of 'Knights of the Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem'. After their base was relocated to Rhodes in the early 14th century CE, the order's members were often called the Knights of Rhodes and when they moved again in 1530 CE, this time to Malta, they were subsequently known as the Knights of Malta. The original purpose of the order was to provide aid and medical care to Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land, but it soon became a military order which acquired extensive territories in Europe and whose knights made significant contributions to the Crusades in Iberia and the Middle East. The Knights Hospitaller, identified by their distinctive white eight-pointed cross on a black background, participated in many other campaigns besides, notably those involving the Byzantine Empire. The order still exists today in several modified forms in many countries worldwide, ranging from the Roman Catholic Sovereign Military Order of Saint John to the volunteer Saint John's Ambulance Brigade. The order was first established at the Hospital of Saint John in Jerusalem c. 1080 CE (or even earlier) by a group of merchants from Amalfi in Italy. The John it was originally dedicated to was the 7th-century CE patriarch John the Almsgiver, but he was later replaced as patron by the more universally known and more popular Saint John the Baptist. At the hospital, which had two branches - one for men and another for women, charitable aid was offered to pilgrims in the Holy Land, especially the ill and poor, although there were even some non-Christians amongst its patients. The hospital was run under the auspices of the Benedictines monks of the Latin Church of Santa Maria Latina in Jerusalem and then, in 1113 CE the organisation was officially recognised as a religious order by Pope Paschal II (r. 1099-1118 CE). In the same year, its first master, the Blessed Gerard, was officially appointed and its members recognised as monks. Following the capture of Jerusalem by western armies in the First Crusade (1095-1102 CE), the order was reorganised and made more militaristic from 1120 CE by the then master Raymond du Puy. Between 1135 and 1154 CE the church granted the order independence from any local religious authority. The Hospitallers, as they would become known, eventually ran most of the hospitals in the Holy Land and even started to build them in Europe, one of the earliest being in Utrecht in 1122 CE. The hospital at Jerusalem was, of course, the most famous, and its 75 x 40 metre (250 x 130 ft) building could accommodate over 1,000 patients. Such was the respect from the Muslims for the institution that even when Saladin, Sultan of Egypt and Syria (r. 1174-1193 CE), conquered Jerusalem the Hospitallers were allowed a year to shut it down and move patients away. The gradual establishment of command posts (commanderies) across Europe ensured the order a steady supply of funds, materials and recruits. Generally, the outposts fed one-third of their revenue back to the order's headquarters. By the second half of the 12th century CE, the order had established itself as a reliable source of well-armed and well-trained knights immensely useful to Crusader armies and the newly established Christian states of the Latin East. #CrusadesHistory #MedievalHistory #EuropeanHistory

Hans Capon was a young Bohemian nobleman and the heir of the market-town of Rattay. He is based on the real life character of Jan Ptáček (see codex below), and going off the dates in the codex, he is approximately fifteen years old during the events of the game. 1388? - 1419 The underage son of Jan Ješek Ptáček and Hedvika of Dauba. After the death of his father, his family, the Lords of Leipa - his uncle Jindřich (Henry) and his son Hanuš (Hanush) and his brothers, became his guardians. Young lord did not take possession of Rattay (and hereditary estate in Polna) until 1412. Soon afterwards he entered political life and he held positions in the provincial offices. After the imprisonment of Master Jan Hus he signed a petition in his defence, but during the Hussite wars he was initially on the side of the League of Lords against the Hussites in a few minor battles (in 1419 he took part in a battle against the Hussites at Knin), apparently due to the influence of his close neighbor Lacek of Kravař of Šternberk. There are no records indicating he took part in the war later. His son was Hynek Ptáček, who achieved high office in the Kingdom of Bohemia, becoming Royal Hofmeister and Mince Master. #KingdomComeDeliverance #KCD #History

Sir Lancelot du Lac or Sir Launcelot was the son of King Ban of Benwick and Queen Elaine. Lancelot was the First Knight of the Round Table, and he never failed in gentleness, courtesy, or courage. In addition to his courage and prowess on the battlefield, Lancelot was also a knight who was consistently serving others, thus giving him a good name and favor among most circles. It has been said that Lancelot was the greatest fighter and swordsman of all the Knights of the Round Table, and yet he was also extremely intelligent and known for his charm and humor. Legend tells us that as a child, Lancelot was left by the shore of The Lake, where he was found by Vivien, the Lady of the Lake. Caring for him as her own, Vivien fostered and raised Lancelot, raising one of history’s greatest knights. Legend tells us that Lancelot was the father of Galahad by Elaine. It was another Elaine, Elaine of Astolat, who died of a broken heart because Launcelot did not return her love and affection, once again winning over the ladies of the court with his wisdom and charm. Lancelot was Arthur’s greatest knight and companion, the Lord of Joyous Gard (Bamburgh Castle) and the greatest swordsman and jouster of the age. Many sources refer to the common affection between Lancelot and Queen Guinevere, and there may be some truth to even more than a common affection since Lancelot was a favorite of the Queen’s. He rescued her from being burned at the stake on two different occasions, and it was at one of these rescues that Lancelot mistakenly killed Sir Gareth, which led to the disbandment of the Round Table. After the Queen repented to an abbey as a nun, Lancelot lived the rest of his life as a hermit in penitence. Sir Lancelot is almost certainly a combination of characters created in early Roman/British as well as French literature. The name Lancelot may have been an invention by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes or the character Anguselaus, talked about by Geoffrey of Monmouth in the History of the Kings of Britain. Did Lancelot originate in Celtic mythology, was he a continental invention, or did he really live as a famous knight and hero? We may never know… but Lancelot will always live in our imaginations as one of the greatest knights in history. #ArthurianLegend #KingArthur #KnightsoftheRoundTable

Medieval trial by combat typically adhered to ethical hitman rules: no women, no children, no lepers. These were at the mercy of their champions, men willing to fight in their stead. But there was one exception: marital disputes. Since a wife would have a hard time talking her husband into picking a fight with himself (and if she could, why get divorced at all), European courts allowed her the rare privilege of picking up arms herself. This practice was commonplace and weird enough to warrant an entire chapter in the dueling manual written by legendary fencing instructor Hans Talhoffer. In his 1467 book, Talhoffer showcases the insane lengths judges went to make the husband-and-wife duel a fair fight. As opposed to regular duels, the defendant wasn't allowed to pick their weapon of choice. Women, unaccustomed to the tools of war, were given the Medieval equivalent of a prison tube sock filled with used batteries -- a rock wrapped in a piece of cloth. For all its strange sexism, the rules of the marital duels did seem to work in the woman's favor as there are several recorded occasions of a scorned wife towel-flicking her terrible husband into submission. And while marital Duels were typically not to the death, someone was always bound to die. If the man lost, he was to be executed with honor in the town square. And if the woman lost, it was her time to go into a hole to be buried alive. It just goes to show that progress is always two steps forward, one step back -- into a chest-high hole. Dancing mania (also known as dancing plague, choreomania, St. John's Dance and St. Vitus' Dance) was a social phenomenon that occurred primarily in mainland Europe between the 14th and 17th centuries. It involved groups of people dancing erratically, sometimes thousands at a time. The mania affected men, women, and children who danced until they collapsed from exhaustion. One of the first major outbreaks was in Aachen, in the Holy Roman Empire (in modern-day Germany), in 1374, and it quickly spread throughout Europe; one particularly notable outbreak occurred in Strasbourg in 1518 in Alsace, also in the Holy Roman Empire (now France). One of the more unusual aspects of the Medieval world was that animals could be put on trial like human beings. Yes, there was such a thing as legal animal trials! While the veracity of many Medieval animal trials is difficult to ascertain, it is without doubt that some of them took place. All kinds of animals could be brought before a secular or ecclesiastical court, either as individuals or as groups. A wide range of crimes could be committed by these animals including murder, being an accomplice in bestiality, and damage of crops and property. If found guilty, the larger animals would be punished with execution or exile, whereas the smaller ones would be excommunicated or denounced by a church tribunal. One of the more detailed examinations of this strange subject is Edmund P. Evans’ The Criminal Prosecution and Capital Punishment of Animals , which was published in 1906. #BizarreHistory #StrangeHistory #WeirdHistory