History is filled with fascinating events, but some facts are so bizarre that they sound like pure fiction.
Strange and Weird History Facts You Must Know
From peculiar royal habits to outlandish laws, here’s a list of weird history facts that will leave you scratching your head.
1. Napoleon Was Once Attacked by a Horde of Bunnies
In 1807, Napoleon Bonaparte organized a rabbit hunt for his men. However, when the rabbits were released, instead of running away, they charged at him and his army. The reason? The rabbits had been domesticated and thought the soldiers were there to feed them, not hunt them. Napoleon was forced to flee from the relentless bunny horde!
2. Ancient Egyptians Used Crocodile Dung as Contraception
Ancient Egyptians had some unique methods for birth control. One of the most peculiar involved using crocodile dung as a spermicide. Women would insert the dung, believing its acidic properties could prevent pregnancy. Thankfully, medical science has come a long way since then!
3. A War Lasted Only 38 Minutes
The Anglo-Zanzibar War of 1896 holds the record for the shortest war in history. It lasted just 38 minutes! When the British demanded the Sultan of Zanzibar abdicate, he refused. The British forces responded with a naval bombardment, quickly overwhelming the Sultan’s defenses. After surrendering, the war ended almost as quickly as it began.
4. Peter the Great Put a Beard Tax on His Citizens
In 1698, Russian Tsar Peter the Great introduced a tax on beards to encourage Western-style grooming among his people. Those who insisted on keeping their beards were required to carry a special token to prove they had paid the fee. If caught without it, they faced hefty fines!
5. The Dancing Plague of 1518
In the summer of 1518, residents of Strasbourg (modern-day France) inexplicably started dancing non-stop for days. The so-called “Dancing Plague” affected hundreds, with many dancing to the point of exhaustion or even death. Historians believe mass hysteria or ergot poisoning (a hallucinogenic fungus found in rye) may have been the cause.
6. A Chicken Survived Without Its Head for 18 Months
In 1945, a farmer in Colorado named Lloyd Olsen cut off a chicken’s head, but to his surprise, the chicken continued to live for another 18 months! Named “Mike the Headless Chicken,” it became a national sensation and toured the country. Mike’s survival was due to a portion of his brainstem remaining intact.
7. Roman Concrete is Stronger Than Modern Concrete
The Romans built structures like the Colosseum and aqueducts using a unique concrete mixture that has withstood the test of time. Incredibly, their formula, which included volcanic ash, made it more durable than many modern-day concrete structures. Scientists are still studying it to unlock its secrets.
8. President Andrew Jackson’s Pet Parrot Had a Foul Mouth
During President Andrew Jackson’s funeral in 1845, his pet parrot, Polly, had to be removed because it wouldn’t stop swearing. The bird had apparently picked up Jackson’s colorful language over the years and caused quite a scandal during the somber occasion.
9. Victorians Feared Being Buried Alive
In the 19th century, the fear of being buried alive was so widespread that people invented “safety coffins.” These coffins included features like bells and breathing tubes to alert the living in case the “deceased” woke up underground.
10. The Eiffel Tower Can Grow in Summer
The Eiffel Tower isn’t just an architectural wonder; it’s also an expanding one! Due to thermal expansion, the iron structure can grow up to 6 inches taller in the summer heat before shrinking back down in the winter.
These strange but true weird history facts with historical tidbits show that history can be as weird as it is wonderful. The next time you find history boring, remember these quirky facts!