All  

Store Banner Mobile

Store Banner Mobile

Famous People

In this section, we shed light on some of the most famous and infamous people known throughout history, from powerful pharaohs, to emperors and empresses, acclaimed military leaders, or just regular civilians who’ve been thrown into the spotlight for great crimes or for heroic actions, leaving an indelible mark on the world.

Why would monarchs abdicate their thrones? These ten stories will give some ideas. Source: Elles Rijsdijk / Adobe Stock
24 October, 2022 - 18:36 Robbie Mitchell

Momentary Monarchs: 10 Rulers Who Turned Their Back On The Throne

Throughout history, there have been numerous monarchs - some good, some bad, and many largely forgotten. Some monarchs, like Queen Elizabeth II, ruled for decades, but the reign of many others was...
The statue of St. Nicholas in Demre, Turkey. Source: olinchuk / Adobe Stock
22 October, 2022 - 15:00 Nathan Falde

Saint Nicholas Discovery! Has the Tomb of the Real Santa Been Found in Turkey?

Santa Claus is a mythological character, loved by children and adults alike around the world. But the fictional Jolly Old Saint Nick was actually inspired by a real-life St. Nicholas, who resided not...
King Charles I was beheaded with one blow of the axe blade. The identity of the executioner is unknown, as the official executioner credibly denied responsibility. Source: Nomad_Soul / Adobe Stock
12 October, 2022 - 22:59 Robbie Mitchell

King Charles I: The Only English Monarch Executed for Treason

Quite a few European monarchs met their fates at the end of an executioner's axe. One of the most famous examples is King Charles I of England, sentenced to death for treason. Unlike many executions...
Gout can be caused by large amounts of red meat and alcohol, a common diet of historical kings Source: diter / Adobe Stock
20 September, 2022 - 14:56 Robbie Mitchell

Why Was Gout The Kingliest of Ailments?

When we think of historically significant diseases we tend to think of diseases like the bubonic plague, cholera, tuberculosis, or more recently, COVID-19. These are all diseases that have had almost...
Leonardo da Vinci’s weapons included a tank and a scythed chariot, drawings shown here. Source: janaka Dharmasena / Adobe Stock
17 September, 2022 - 19:00 Robbie Mitchell

Da Vinci’s Deadly Designs: The Wildest Weapons of the Renaissance Man

Although Leonardo da Vinci is predominantly remembered as a great artist, he was also a remarkable scientist and inventor. Many of his inventions were weird, some were wonderful, and more than a few...
William, the new Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales visiting Sweden in 2018. Source: Frankie Fouganthin / CC BY-SA 4.0
12 September, 2022 - 22:58 Nathan Falde

Why is William’s New Prince of Wales Title So Significant?

In King Charles III’s first speech to the nation, he made an announcement that was fully expected, but still significant. The new king confirmed that he’d named his oldest son William as the new...
The death of Queen Elizabeth II has triggered conversation about the royal line of succession. Source: PolizeiBerlin / CC BY-SA 4.0
10 September, 2022 - 01:52 Sahir

The Queen’s Death Sparks Conversation Around Royal Line of Succession

In 1953, 8,251 guests from 181 countries and territories participated in the coronation of Elizabeth II. With her passing, her oldest son, Charles, takes over as monarch and be formally proclaimed...
Queen Elizabeth II, The Second Longest-Reigning Monarch in History Dies
8 September, 2022 - 19:16 Cecilia Bogaard

Queen Elizabeth II, the Second Longest-Reigning Monarch in History, Dies

Today, Thursday 8th of September, 2022, Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the Commonwealth has passed away peacefully at her country home, Balmoral. The news comes just...
The village and citadel at Thula have their roots in the Himyarite kingdom. Source: fotoember/ Adobe Stock
26 August, 2022 - 14:48 Robbie Mitchell

The Himyarite Kingdom’s Bloody Conversion to Judaism: Passion or Ploy?

The Himyarite Kingdom was established in 110 BC and lasted until 570 AC. It is most often remembered these days as the “Jewish Kingdom”, thanks to the fact that for some time its predominant religion...
This replica of Captain Cook's famous Endeavour ship, one of two modern replicas. Source: Dennis4trigger / CC BY-SA 3.0
18 August, 2022 - 22:57 ashley cowie

Are Sea Creatures Really Eating Captain Cook’s “Endeavour”?

Headlines read “Shipworms threaten to destroy Captain Cook’s HM Bark Endeavour,” which was wrecked off the US east coast in the late eighteenth century. However, while museum staff “believe” it's...
Splat pattern. Source: Ruslan Gilmanshin / Adobe Stock By Sahir Pandey
16 August, 2022 - 02:00 Sahir

William the Conqueror’s Body Exploded in a Grotesque Shower at Funeral

The first Norman king of England met an untimely and turbulent death, although, to be fair, the situation really ‘exploded’ after his death. William the Conqueror, sometimes known as William the...
Left; 1660 chart illustrating Tycho Brahe’s model of the universe Right; Portrait of Tycho Braha, Skokloster Castle, Source: Left; Public Domain, Right; Public Domain
10 August, 2022 - 14:59 Sahir

Tycho the Psycho? Meet One of History’s Maddest Scientific Minds Ever!

Tycho Brahe, the 16th century Danish astronomer, alchemist, astrologist, and scientist (1546-1601) was a force to be reckoned with – the true epitome of the brilliant, mad scientist. In the backdrop...
Tamerlane's cruelty was legendary and extensive, including 120 skull towers containing about 90,000 heads near Baghdad after the sultan of the city insulted him. (Kanphichaya / Adobe Stock)
8 August, 2022 - 15:00 Mark Brophy

Did The Curse of Tamerlane Cause One of the Bloodiest Battles in World War II?

When Tashmuhammed Kari-Niyazov and Mikhail Gerasimov were tasked by Stalin to lead an expedition to Samarkand in Uzbekistan to open the tomb of Tamerlane, they didn’t know just how significant their...
This must have been the imagined landscape of John Wilkins' 17th-century moon mission just as his flying chariot left the clouds behind. Source: flashmovie / Adobe Stock
7 August, 2022 - 18:47 Mark Johnston

Astronomer John Wilkins Planned a Moon Mission in 1640 AD with a Flying Chariot!

In 1961, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to orbit the Earth. In 1969, the American Apollo 11 moon mission placed the first human boots on the surface of the moon. These nations...
Conceptual image of a large stone in the shape of a human brain. Source: Orlando Florin Rosu / Adobe Stock
6 August, 2022 - 22:30 Lex Leigh

Searching for Genius: Einstein’s Stolen Brain

When you think of intelligent people, Albert Einstein may be the first name to come to mind. Known as one of history’s greatest geniuses, he fascinated the world with his many contributions to...
Stylized depiction of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. Source: Towseef / Adobe Stock
5 August, 2022 - 15:00 Khadija Tauseef

Controversial Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb & Mughal Wars of Succession

An old man sits hunched over his prayer mat as dawn breaks over the horizon, his white beard soaked from tears shed through the night. No one would believe that this troubled figure is the sixth...
A female, crowned, royal occult practitioner with a magical raven. Source: Petro / Adobe Stock
4 August, 2022 - 19:01 Robbie Mitchell

Royals and the Occult: Witchcraft, Astrology, and Mystical Healing

We often talk about the modern world’s obsession with celebrities. People love to talk about the rich and famous. This is nothing new. It’s been a part of human nature since time immemorial. Before...
Relief of Mentuhotep II and the Goddess Hathor, circa 2010-2000 BC Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art
1 August, 2022 - 22:57 Jake Leigh-Howarth

Mentuhotep II and the Emergence of the Middle Kingdom

The iconic ancient Egyptians are perhaps the best and grandest example of an ancient civilization that was both technologically advanced and spiritually rich. It was during the Archaic Period that...
Weld-Blundell Prism, a clay cuneiform inscribed with the Sumerian Kings List. Source: Public domain
30 July, 2022 - 02:00 Joanna Gillan

The Sumerian King List Reveals the Origin of Mesopotamian Kingship

Out of the many incredible artifacts that have been recovered from sites in Iraq where flourishing Sumerian cities once stood, few have been more intriguing than the Sumerian King List. An ancient...
The Emperor Commodus Leaving the Arena at the Head of the Gladiators by American muralist Edwin Howland Blashfield. Source: Public Domain
27 July, 2022 - 14:58 Mark Brophy

5 Celebrity Gladiators of Bloodthirsty Ancient Rome

Fierce fighters, enslaved and forced into a world of violence and brutality, Roman gladiators provided gruesome entertainment to the Roman public, training for months in specialized schools managed...
Diogenes, depicted here by the French painter Jean-Léon Gérôme, was a philosopher of the cynic school of Greek philosophy and many thought he was crazy, but he was super popular with the people of Athens. Source: Jean-Léon Gérôme / Public domain
25 July, 2022 - 18:52 Mark Brophy

Diogenes: The Crazy Greek Philosopher Plato Called ‘Socrates Gone Mad’!

Diogenes (412 BC- 323 BC) was a Greek philosopher like no other. One of the founders of the cynic philosophy, Diogenes believed that people should live simple lives that reject all natural desires...
Section of X-ray image of Vincent van Gogh self-portrait discovered at the back of another van Gogh painting housed in Edinburgh. Source: National Galleries of Scotland
25 July, 2022 - 14:58 Lex Leigh

Hidden Faces: Vincent van Gogh's Secret Self-Portrait

Vincent van Gogh, one of the most famous figures in 19th-century Western art history, is still surprising us. According to the National Galleries of Scotland, a previously hidden self-portrait of van...
French manuscript from 1512/1514, showing Pythagoras turning his face away from fava beans in revulsion. Source: Public Domain
24 July, 2022 - 14:58 Sahir

Did Pythagoras’ Bizarre Fear of Fava Beans Contribute to his Death?

The ancient Ionian Greek philosopher Pythagoras (c.570-495 BC) is widely credited with many foundational mathematic and scientific discoveries. An ardent ascetic vegetarian, several myths emerged...
The Hashshashins were a military group of trained fedayeen fighters, also known as the Order of Assassins. Source: warmtail / Adobe Stock
22 July, 2022 - 01:57 dhwty

The Notorious Hashshashins, the Original Assassins of Persia

When it comes to legends, none is quite as moviesque as that of the Hashshashins, who in the Middle Ages inspired fear in the hearts of leaders in the Middle East. Hassan-i Sabbah, dubbed the Old Man...

Pages