Historical Fun

Fun Facts About King Charles II of England On This Day In History, May 29th 1630, King Charles II of England was born. Follow me on Twitter for daily Historical Fun and #OnThisDay tweets. https://twitter.com/HistoricalFun Ten Fun Facts About King Charles II of England 1) He was oft referred to as the Merry Monarch. Yep, that's completely true. Maybe because of his drunken debauchery, or his fondness to porking every hooker he could find, nobody knows. 2) Charles-Not-A-Spaniel had no legitimate children. Nope, not a one. When he died in 1685 (February 6th), the crown of England passed to his brother, James, who became King James-Is-Gonna-Screw-it-Up. Although no legitimate children, Charles II did have at least a dozen illegitimate kiddies by seven mistresses. Bastards. Although not the cool ones from Game of Thrones. But some of them were actual bastards. At least that's what James II called them. One son of Charles II, the Duke of Monmouth, tried to wrest...

HISTORICAL FUN FACTS - MAY 27th On This Day in History in 1199 King John of England was crowned King John of England. Yep, the hated brother of Richard I of England, otherwise known as Richard the Lionheart, you know those two from Robin Hood Price of Thieves, finally became the King. Finally. He was never meant to be King of England. John Lackland, yes that was his name, was the youngest of the five sons of his father, King Henry II of England. As the youngest, he was way down the line of succession. But after all his older big bros did go kaput, he found himself wearing the big-boy pants. However, the pull-ups didn't help him in the last few days of his reign. Should have stuck to the diapers. King John ruled until 1216 when he faced a problem-with-me-poopa and died of dysentery

On This Day In History, May 14th 1610, King Henry IV of France was assassinated. During his lifetime King Henry IV of France had three assassination attempts made against him. Well, two attempted assassinations and one actual assassination. King Henry had been raised a protestant. When he became King of France in 1589, he was pretty much forced to convert to Catholicism, due to France being a catholic country, and them placing nipple clamps on him until he agreed. Everyone was happy about the King's sudden and unexpected change of religion, except for the protestants. They were not. At all. It also appeared that Spain wasn't happy either. Mainly with Henry, who they didn't like as he didn't share any of his chocolate biscuits with them. Henry IV was the first King of France from the House of Bourbon. Spain kept pestering Henry to give him those chocolate biscuits. Henry finally had enough. Instead of handing over the biscuits, he just went and declar...

On this day in history, April 22nd, in 1519, the Spanish adventurer, explorer, Conquistador, and total git, Hernan Cortes, established a settlement in Mexico called Veracruz.   Cortes had invaded Mexico with his Spanish army in the hope of finding some gold. Or a decent cigar. Or semi-decent massage parlour.   In his efforts to find some treasure, Cortes deposed or killed all the kings in and around Mexico, and anyone he met on his way. Even the bloke selling bananas by the pond.   The guy was a git. It's a fact.   To give an example: Cortes was out walking through the jungle one night, perhaps as part of an expedition, perhaps as part of a mating ritual with the local gorilla population, who knows.   He saw King-Now-A-Hostage Cuauhtémoc having a laugh with two of his fellow former-kingies. It seems the famous Spanish Explorer and Conqueror, Herman Cortes, didn't like laughter.   After asking a blo...

Top 5 Strangest Easter Traditions 1)  Scoppio del Carro or Explosion of the Cart   Ever wondered about starting a tradition where you strap a rocket to a dove and shoot it along a wire into a cart that explodes? You have? Psycho!   As it turns out, you don't need to wonder. In Florence, they actually did it. Yep, not kidding.   On Easter Sunday, a herd of oxen sprinkled with flowers and herbs, probably for the barbeque afterwards, pull an antique cart that is three-stories high from Porta al Prato to the Piazza del Duomo. The cart is escorted by soldiers, musicians, a flock of people dressed like they've been ejected from the 15th century, which is where this tradition began, and a chef specialising in oxen barbeques.   A fire -- Fire ... FIRE ... we're all gonna end up on fire -- is started by rubbing some ancient flints together, which is used to light a candle, which is then used to light some coals, which is then placed in the cart fo...

HISTORY Fun Facts - 12th April On This Day in 1945 the second most famous Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt,  died at the age of 63.   Franklin Delano Roosevelt was only 3 months into his 4th term of office as President when he died, He was replaced by the Vice-President, Harry Truman.   Franklin D. Roosevelt has consistently been rated in the top 3 of American Presidents, along with President Martin Sheen, who had a seven year term in the West Wing of the White House, and Morgan Freeman who head butted an asteroid.   David Palmer, friend of Jack Bauer, tends to always come fourth.   On This Day in 1960, Jeremy Clarkson, former presenter of Top Gear, and now presenter of The Grand Tour on Amazon Prime, was born.   Jeremy Clarkson, who became future chaos of the BBC car show, Top Gear, sped out of his mother at over 90 miles an hour before performing a handbrake t...

On this day in history in 1874, Charles Lightoller was born.   Charles Lightoller was the English 2nd officer on board the infamous unsinkable ship that sank, the RMS Titanic.   Lightoller was the most senior officer of the Titanic to survive the ship's sinking. He was the officer in charge of loading the passengers into lifeboats. And enforced the "Women and Children First" policy.   In fact, he went a lot further than that, and enforced his own "Women and Children ONLY" policy. He actually lowered lifeboats into the water with empty seats, even though there were no women or children to board them, and when there were men waiting.   Lightoller only permitted one adult male passenger to board a lifeboat. His name was Arthur Godfrey Peuchen, who had experience sailing and could help the women navigate their craft.   Lightoller himself survived, but almost didn't.   As the Titanic disappeared beneath the waves, Lightoller was suck...

HISTORICAL FUN On this day in history in 1413, Henry V became King of England.   King Henry V became King of England after his father, Henry IV, died suddenly of not-alive-no-more.   The new King of England was crowned in a magnificent ceremony at Westminster Abbey on the 9th of April. Nothing can compare to the coronation of a medieval king.   Apart from the king's eyes. "They flashed from the mildness of a dove's to the brilliance of a lion's."   True story.

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY 5th FEBRUARY On this day 5th February 1788, Sir Robert Peel was born.   Although he served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, 67% of British people who recognised his name, didn't realise. Most will know his as the guy who set up the Metropolitan Police Force in London. Police officers in Britain are often called "Bobbies" or "Peelers" as a throw back to Robert Peel, the Met's creator. Robert Peel actually served as Prime Minister twice. The first term between 1934-1835, and the second between 1841-1846.   But, as stated above, he is better known for the creation, in 1829, of the Metropolitan Police Force based at Scotland Yard, London. When Peel set out the principals of policing a democracy, he said, "The police are the public and the public are the police."   Before adding: "Which one of you thieving scumbags stole my sandwich?" It was the first permanent police force of its kin...

HISTORY FACTS: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY 4th FEBRUARY On This Day, the 4th of February 211, Septimus Severus, the Roman Emperor , died in York (called Eboracum back in the day).   It wasn't a great death. Lord Voldermort cursed him with a Caracalla Geta spell for his inability to kill Harry Potter. By Grabthar's Hammer, I will cut your heart out with a spoon.   On This Day, the 4th of February 1703, forty six of the Forty-Seven Ronin committed seppuku, or ritual suicide, after avenging their master's death. The only one left standing was Keanu Reeves, ironically the only one everyone actually wanted to disembowel.   On This Day in 2004, the evil Empire known as Facebook was founded by Mark Zuckerberg.   Celebrity Birthdays On This Day in 1915, Sir Norman Wisdom was born.   Norman Wisdom was an English actor who starred in comedy films back in the 1950s and 1960s, most playing the character Norman Pitkin. He died on the 4th of October 2...

HISTORY FACTS: On This Day, 31st January 1606, the infamous Guy Fawkes was executed for his part in the Gunpowder Plot.   During his torture, I mean interrogation, there's a difference apparently, Guy Fawkes was asked the question, "What were you doing in possession of so much gunpowder?"   On November 5th, 1605, Guy Fawkes was found in the tunnels beneath the Houses of Parliament with 36 barrels of Gunpowder. Trying to explain your way out of that one and claim innocence would not be easy.   Guy Fawkes asked for the mildly hot poker to be removed from his bottom, a popular interrogation technique still used by the United States, and not torture, as there is a difference. He then said, "to blow you Scotch beggars back to your native mountains."   "To blow you Scotch beggars back to your native mountains." - a popular English drinking game in the early 1600s. King James, who would have been blown to teeny-tiny bits ...

HE EXECUTION OF KING CHARLES I of ENGLAND On This Day, the 30th of January 1649, King Charles-The-First-King-Of-England-To-Be-Tried-And-Executed , had his head separated from his shoulders by way of a really sharp axe.   After losing the English Civil war, King Charles-Not-A-Spaniel was imprisoned and tried for treason, and kicking a sick puppy that one time when he was a kid. But, little did the King know, that his days were numbered.   In fact, the king always believed he would be found innocent of all crimes, including puppy-kicking. He couldn't imagine, along with most of the country, that Parliament would not only find him guilty, but they'd also give him the death sentence.   The sentencing was driven by Oliver Cromwell, who hated the king and the monarchy. And puppies. He kicked more than a few in his time. But he had to be seen as a man of the people. So he switched to kicking kittens instead.   Most people break down before they are execute...

On This Day In History in 1393, Charles VI of France is almost killed , accidentally on purpose, by several masked dancers, who happened to be on fire.   The King of France was attending a masquerade ball, The Bal des Ardents, which translates as "The Ball of the Burning Men", which we hope was name after the event. If it was actually called that before it happened, then suspicions would have been aroused.   Charles VI was known for his awesome dance moves. That king could move. Think John Travolta on ice having an epileptic fit whilst holding seven octopi (or octopuses, or octopuddies) who are also having epileptic fits. Strobe lighting was very popular six hundred years ago. It was an issue.   The King of France, never wanting to miss an opportunity, decided to get up and dance. When shouts were heard from the spectators, "Yo, Kingy, You're On Fire!", Charles VI just assumed they were paying him compliments.   Little did he reali...

On This Day, the 23rd of January 1570, James Stewart , not a very legitimate son of King James V of Scotland, and also Regent to his half-nephew, baby King James VI of Scotland, was assassinated.   What was most interesting about the assassination, was the method.   James Stewart, the Earl of Moray was taking a stroll down the main street in Linlithgow, you know, minding his own business, and planning to usurp the throne from his baby nephew, when James Hamilton killed him by way of bullet from a gun.   This was the first recorded instance of assassination by firearm in history.   Rumours that Lady Mondegreen was also shot and killed at the same time is a myth. It's all down to the mistranslation of a poem.   Ye Highlands and ye Lowlands, Oh, where hae ye been? They hae slain the Earl o' Moray, And Lady Mondegreen.   In the original Scottish, the poem goes:   Ye Hielands an ye Lowlands O, whaur hae ye been. They ha...

On This Day, the 19th of January 1942, Michael Crawford was born.   Most of those as old as Crawford, who is old, but oh boy, does he look good for it, will know him as the hapless Frank Spencer in the television series Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em. Those a bit younger will know him as the star of The Phantom of the Opera.   Those who are even younger than that will be going, "Who the heck is Michael Crawford?" and "Phantom of the what?" and "Opera? I really love watching her television show."   Michael Crawford originally got the role as the Phantom in the Phantom of the Opera completely by chance. Although it may have involved some under the table tickling of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Little Lord Fauntleroys. No one is quite sure as to the details. But the tickling got so out of hand at one restaurant, the riot police were called.   Andrew Lloyd Webber originally cast British Rocker, Steve Harley, in the role of the Phantom. However, ...

HISTORICAL FUN FACTS FOR JANUARY 6th On This Day in History in 1540, King Henry VIII married his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves.   So ugly was Anne of Cleves, the King referred to her as The Flanders Mare. A horse by any other name. But, at the end of the day, that's what you get from internet dating.   He had been shown a picture of her before the marriage took place, and hadn't met. Oh, big mistake. Although we've all been there. The picture bore little resemblance to Anne's actual likeness. They did get married though.   Yet, for some reason it didn't last long. Later that year in July, King Henry-The-Eighth-Wife-Will-Be-A-Keeper decided to get the marriage annulled and move onto the next one. He promised the marriage had never been consummated, and everyone believed him this time. Who'd pork a horse?   Anne lived happily ever after, which couldn't be said for most of Henry's wives. She was referred to, after the non-marriage, as Henry...