History Fun Facts November 19th

HISTORICAL FUN FACTS for NOVEMBER 19th

On This Day In History, 1600, King Charles I of England was born.

Charles was the second son of King James VI of Scotland, who was soon to get an upgrade and become King James I of England.

The eldest son of King James-The-Sixth-Soon-To-Be-First was Henry Frederick, the Prince of Wales. When Henry Frederick died in 1612, Charles became the Heir Apparent and the new Prince of Wales.

Charles spent his first few years in Scotland. Even when his father became King of England, Charles remained in Scotland as he was quite a sickly child. And rather annoying. His father couldn't stand the winging little git and left for England without him.

Charles wasn't seen as worthy until he could walk the length of the Great Hall at Dunfermline Palace with help, and scoff down a whole haggis without throwing up.

Just before the age of four, Charles achieved both and was immediately sent to join his family in London.

However, the interesting stuff happened later.

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 in January, 1649.

On the 18th June 1633, Charles I was crowned King of Scotland in Edinburgh.

He had been king of England since 1625 and king of Scotland since that date, too. However, keen to avoid travelling back to Scotland, he waited 8 years to be crowned.

Charles struggled with some personal issues just before his reign as king ended. The main issue, which was rather personal, was his head being separated from his body.

He had fought a civil war with Parliament during the 1640s. There was a lot of back and forth, until King Charles was finally defeated and captured by Oliver Cromwell's army.

After losing the English Civil war, King Charles-Not-A-Spaniel was imprisoned and tried for treason, and for kicking a sick puppy when he was a kid.

Little did the King know, that his days were numbered when the trial started.

 

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 executed. They cry, they scream, they beg for their life.

 

Not Charles-Needed-A-Different-Lawyer. The King asked to wear two shirts. The weather was biting cold, and he didn't want it to cause him to shiver. If the crowds observed him shivering, they might mistake it for fear.

 

An eyewitness to the execution was interviewed for the BBC News channel afterwards. "We all gasped, we did. They keel'd te king. T'was terrible. An awful thing. But fun."

 

The eyewitness continued: "They showed his head. Lifted it right up, they did. Dripped blood all over. So we dipped our handkerchiefs in it."

 

The spectators wanted a souvenir of the day. And those who were close enough, dipped their handkerchiefs into the pools of blood dripping on the floor as the King's head was raised and shown to the crowds.

 

The eyewitness concluded: "That Oliver Cromwell, the one who beat the king, and killed him proper, he did. He watched and smiled. Real pleased with himself, he was. Right proud to kill a king. Watta-git."

Also On This Day In History

On this day in 1831 James A Garfield was born.

James A Garfield was the 20th President of the United States of America between March 4th, 1881, and September 19th, 1881.

He was later assassinated by a bloke in a dress. READ MORE ABOUT GARFIELD'S ASSASSINATION.

Plus, on November 19th in 1816 Warsaw University was established.

And on this day in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered his Gettysburg Address in Pennsylvania.

History Fact July 26th

HISTORY FACT: On July 26th, 1775, The United States Post Office Department is established by the 2nd Continental Congress.

 

Kevin Costner is appointed its first Postman. It was a really long round. Let's hope they don't make a movie out of it.

 

EXTRA HISTORY FACT: Also, on July 26th, in the year 1788, New York finally ratifies the United States Constitution and became the 11th state of the United States of America.

 

And it's Kevin Spacey's birthday. He was born On This Day in 1959.

On this day facts 8th April

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY - 8th APRIL

On this day in history in 217, the Roman Emperor Caracalla died.

 

Well, he was assassinated. But, that's the same thing.

 

Anyways, the world rejoiced. Or at least the Roman world rejoiced. That guy was a right evil git.

 

Caracalla's rule was full of massacres and persecutions, and death, murder, kills.

 

Caracalla was the eldest son of Septimius Severus, who went on to kill Dumbledore. He ruled Rome with his father, until his father's death at the hands of Darth Vader. Caracalla then went on to jointly rule Rome with his younger brother, Geta, until he killed him for winning a game of Set-Fire-To-A-Hedgehog-And-Throw-It-At-A-Child.

 

Caracalla did get what was coming to him.

 

On the 8th April 217, he was piddling on the side of the road, playing let's drown the ants, when one of his personal bodyguards, Julius Martialis, stabbed him to death with a single sword strike.

 

Whilst sliding the blade into his back, Martialis shouted, "Those ants were like family to me."

 

Caracalla had also murdered Martialis' brother a few days early, which may also have had something to do with his motivation. 

 

Read our Humorous History

FUN FACTS ABOUT EMPEROR CARACALLA

On This Day facts March 8th

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY - 8th MARCH

On This Day in 1702, Queen Anne became Queen of England after the death of William III, or William of Orange, or William-Of-The-Evil-Fruit.

 

Queen Anne started out as Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland, then became Queen of Great Britain when the Kingdoms were officially united. She left no direct heirs, and, as such, was the last monarch of the House of Stewart.

 

Anne was the sister of Mary II, who was the wife of Not-The-First-William-Who-Invaded-England.

 

William-The-Third-Orange-Almost-Killed-Me had invaded England in what became known as the Glorious Revolution. It was an almost bloodless coup when James II took a holiday in France, which led Parliament to declare he had abdicated.

 

This was the second time someone called William invaded England to claim the throne. Must be something in the name.

 

If you know someone called William, better watch out for him. He's probably contemplating conquering your ass. Or horse. Whatever one you have.

Also On This Day In History

On This Day in 1775, Thomas Paine published his article "African Slavery in America."

 

Although the article was anonymous, the common consensus is that Thomas Paine was the writer. It was the first published article in the American colonies which called for the emancipation of slaves, and the abolition of slavery.

 

On This Day in 1817, the New York Stock Exchange is founded.

 

On This Day in 1921, Eduardo Dato Iradier, the Spanish Prime Minister, is assassinated as he left the Parliament Building in Madrid.

 

On This Day in 1971, Joe Frazier wins in 15 rounds by a unanimous decision from the judges against his opponent Muhammad Ali, in the Fight of the Century.

 

On This Day in 1978, the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, a book by Douglas Adams, is transmitted for the first time on BBC Radio 4.

On This Day In History - February 28th

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY - FEBRUARY 28th

On This Day in 628, Khosrau II, the last King of Persia to have anything like a decent length reign, was executed. To death. Yes, all the way.

 

His execution came by way of his son, Mihr Hormozd, who had become annoyed with his dad when he wasn't allowed to stay up late and play on his PlayStation.

 

Although really miffed with his father, Mihr Hormozd killed the King under the orders of Kavadh II, who had just recently invaded and taken control of the Sasanian Empire.

 

On This Day in 1525, Cuauhtémoc, the last Aztec King, if only for a year, was executed by the Spanish Conquistador, Hernan Cortes.

 

Cortes had invaded with his Spanish army in the hope of finding some gold. Or a decent cigar. Or semi-decent massage parlour.

 

He deposed or killed all the kings in and around Mexico, and anyone he met on his way, and those left were just kings-in-name-only.

 

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 bloke to translate what the three were discussing - apparently it was something to with comparing Breaking Bad with Game of Thrones - Cortes got upset at their conclusion.

 

He immediately ordered all three to be hanged. To Death. All the way. Cortes then invented a story to tell the locals. It involved a boy wizard, a special school in Scotland, and the ginger kid getting the girl.

 

When the locals wouldn't believe that story - no way the ginger kid gets the girl - Cortes made up another.

 

He informed them that the three kings were plotting his murder. Mwerder. To Death. All the way. And because of this plot, Cortes had no choice but to execute them all.

 

And anyone else who plots his Mwerder. So just you lot all watch yourself. Mwerderers.

 

Also ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

On This Day in 1883, the first vaudeville theatre opened in Boston.

 

On This Day in 1897, Queen Ranavalona III, the last monarch of the kingdom of Madagascar, was deposed by a French military force.

 

The Queen tried everything in her power to stop the French invading, including making trade deals with both the United Kingdom and the United States of America. She thought they'd come over and help save the singing and dancing wildlife which featured so heavily in the movie.

 

Neither the UK or the USA seemed that bothered and let the French do whatever they liked. And so, those pesky French invaders invaded the Kingdom of Madagascar and deposed its monarch.

 

She didn't really suffer. Even though her people did. Despite killing their own King, the French still had a liking for monarchs, although they'd never admit it.

 

The French treated Queen Ranavalona very well, giving her an allowance, house, staff, and even shopping trips to Paris to buy new clothes.

 

Sheesh. Wish I'd get invaded.

 

On This Day in 1940, Basketball was shown on television for the first time ever when Fordham University played the University of Pittsburgh at Madison Square Garden.

 

On This Day in 1983, a little shy of 106 million people tuned in to watch the final episode of M*A*S*H. It hold the record for the highest viewership of any season finale.

 

On This Day in 1986, Olof Palme, the Prime Minister of Sweden, was assassinated in Stockholm.

 

On This Day in 1991, the first Gulf War ends.

 

Bonus Round

 

On This Day in 1155, Henry the Young King, son of King Henry II of England, was born.

 

Henry the Young King was the only titular king of England. He was crowned King of England whilst his father, Henry II, was still alive. And Henry the Young King never reigned, dying before his father.

 

In fact, dying whilst trying to overthrow his father. The little git.

 

In the summer of 83, that's 1183, whilst he was 28 years old, and leading a campaign in Limousin against his father, the King, and his brother Richard, the next king, he died of poops-a-lot.

 

He died of dysentery on the 11th of June 1183, not long after completing a pillaging of the local monasteries. When it became clear kicking-the-bucket was inevitable, he asked for confession and the last rites.

 

As part of his penitence, he prostrated himself naked nekkid on the floor in front of a crucifix ... and several dozen hedgehogs with camcorders. The footage later found its way onto the Fail Army Youtube channel.

 

What is your favourite fail from youtube? Post in the comments below.