The Opium Wars of the mid-nineteenth century were a watershed moment in modern Chinese history. From 1839 to 1842, China and the United Kingdom fought the first Opium War. From 1856 to 1860, a weakened China fought Great Britain and France in the Second Opium War. China was defeated in both wars. The terms of […]
On July 2, 1925, Patrice Lumumba was born in what was originally referred to as Belgian Congo. It is now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Part of his fame stemmed from his appointment as DRC’s first prime minister following the country’s independence on June 30, 1960. Patrice Lumumba was executed a
Suero de Quinones, also known as El del Passo, was a night and author born in the Kingdom of Leon. He gained popularity for staging a pas d’armes at the river Orbigo. But did you know why Quinones chose to challenge every night who crossed the river? Suero de Quinones, a knight who spent a
Timur, also known as Amir Timur or Tamerlane and later as Timur Gurkin, was a Turko-Mongol conqueror and the founder of the Timurid Empire in Persia and Central Asia. He was also the Timurid dynasty’s first ruler. But did you know why Timur ordered the massacre of over 100,000 citizens of Isfahan? Isfahan immediately surrendered
La Gonâve is a sparsely populated island off Haiti’s Gulf Coast, stretching westward from Port-au-Prince Bay, 40 kilometers from Cabaret or Léogâne. The island coexists with the La Gonâve Arrondissement, one of Haiti’s original arrondissements. But did you know a US Marine Corps sergeant was proclaimed king of the island? Faustin E. Wirkus, a United
If you have a debt forgiven or discharged for less than the full amount owed, the debt is considered canceled in the amount you no longer have to pay. However, the law provides several exceptions in which the amount you do not have to pay is not canceled debt. But did you know that King
When King Hammurabi Reigned, All Debt was Cancelled for All Citizens. Read More »
Guédelon is a must-see for anyone traveling to France for the castles or medieval history. Each year, more than 300,000 individuals come to the city, and a sizeable portion of them have been there previously, sometimes more than once. Even specialized tours that focus on castle construction from the middle of the 13th century, such
More than 8 million people die yearly from the tobacco crisis. It is one of the most significant risks to global public health. This figure includes roughly 1.2 million fatalities from exposure to secondhand smoke. But did you know who initially objected to the use of tobacco? Before the US acknowledged that smoking severely impacts
Nero Claudius Caesar was one of the most infamous Roman emperors, who ruled from 54 AD until 14 years later when he committed suicide. He is best known for his debaucheries, political assassinations, persecution of Christians, and love of music, which led to the probably fictitious rumor that Nero fiddled. But did you know why
A baronet holds a baronetcy, a hereditary title bestowed by the British Crown. The title of a baronet is mentioned as early as the 14th century, but it was created in its current form by James I of England in 1611 to raise funds for the crown. But who was the legitimate heir to the
Who is the True Heir to the Scottish Baronetcy? Read More »
