History is not just about humanity’s past, but also a fascinating science that tells us about unique events and personalities from various times.
- Everyone knows about Napoleon Bonaparte, the French emperor and ambitious military leader. However, he is often remembered only for his short stature. Few know that Napoleon valued science and was a decent mathematician. In fact, he proved a theorem about equilateral triangles inscribed on each side of a random triangular figure. His knowledge didn’t end there—during his 1798 Egyptian campaign, Napoleon helped French scholars decipher Egyptian hieroglyphs carved on the “Rosetta Stone.” Unfortunately, when Britain took control of Egypt shortly after, the stone could not be brought to France and remains in the British Museum to this day.
- From France, we jump to Britain. In 1896, England participated in the shortest war in history. On August 27, after a coup by Sultan Khalid bin Barghash in Zanzibar, Britain’s interests were at odds with the new ruler, leading to war. However, the conflict lasted only 38 minutes, ending in an undisputed victory for the colonial power. While this war is seen as ironic in Britain, it holds significant and even tragic importance in Africa, as over 500 Zanzibaris died during the brief fighting.
- What stereotypes exist about Russians and Russia in general? Bears, vodka, and the balalaika! But here’s an interesting fact: before the Russian Revolution of 1917, Russia was one of the most sober countries in Europe for 300 years (from the 17th to the 20th century), second only to Norway. After 1917, however, things changed, and vodka became a symbol of the Russian soul and nation.
- It’s well known that an army is one of the most important parts of any state, ensuring its security and protecting national borders. But some rulers thought otherwise. In the 12th century, Denmark was ruled by King Niels (1104-1134), whose army consisted of just seven men—his personal assistants. This is the smallest known army in history. Remarkably, Niels ruled for 30 years, with Denmark at that time including territories in Sweden, Norway, and northern Germany.
- Many people in science and the arts have actively participated in political life. For example, the great theoretical physicist Albert Einstein took an interest in politics, leaving a mark on his biography. Born to Jewish parents in Germany, Einstein loved his homeland. However, when Hitler came to power, Einstein emigrated to the U.S. and supported the creation of the state of Israel. In 1952, the Israeli Prime Minister officially offered Einstein the position of the country’s second president. Though honored, Einstein declined, explaining that he simply did not have the necessary experience in politics and governance.
- History includes not only political or economic events but cultural ones as well. Today, many socialites carry small animals, mimicking ladies from the Middle Ages. However, back then, women kept small dogs or cats to rid themselves of parasites. Since these animals had higher body temperatures than humans, it was believed that harmful insects would prefer them as hosts. Additionally, these pets served other purposes in the Middle Ages: people would wipe their hands on them after meals or use them to absorb unpleasant smells that even perfumes couldn’t mask.
- The ancient world is just as fascinating as modern times. We all know Cleopatra, the queen who ruled ancient Egypt long ago. Egypt is largely associated with its great and unique pyramids. However, Cleopatra reigned between 69-30 BC, meaning she was closer in time to the 1969 moon landing than to the construction of the famous pyramids. The Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops) was built around 2540 BC, making Cleopatra not as ancient as one might think.
If you dive into history, you’ll discover countless curious facts that are either absurd or captivating. One way or another, these events are part of us, and even the smallest moment in history shapes the destiny of future generations—a sort of “butterfly effect” on a global scale.