Historical Fun

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 stu...

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 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.   C aracalla 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...

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 con...

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 thos...