The History Blog
Welcome to the only history blog brave enough to admit that the past was mostly just a series of ridiculous accidents and terrible decisions your high school teachers deliberately hid from you. Instead of putting you to sleep with dusty textbook lectures, we actually drag ourselves to real historical locations to dig up the gloriously weird facts that truly matter, delivering a daily dose of yesteryear’s absurdity straight to your inbox. Where else are you going to learn that a Great Dane named Juliana was awarded the Blue Cross Medal, or the most famous female serial killer was a Hungarian Countess, Elizabeth Báthory de Ecsed. Our daily digest is your morning ticket to stepping back in time without having to endure any of the boring parts. Subscribe today, because those who don’t learn from history’s weirdest moments are doomed to be terrible conversationalists at parties.
The Curious Tale of Andrew Jackson’s Swearing Parrot at His Funeral
According to an eyewitness recollection published decades after the event, President Andrew Jackson’s pet parrot became so excited during Jackson’s 1845 funeral that it began loudly repeating profanities and had to be removed from the service. The story originates from Reverend William Menefee Norment, who attended the funeral and later described the incident.
From Ohio Valley to Revolution: The French and Indian War
George Washington’s 1754 clash with French forces in the Ohio Valley helped ignite the French and Indian War, whose aftermath contributed directly to the American Revolution.
The Evolution of Combat: Why Knights Stopped Using Shields
For centuries, the shield was the most defining piece of equipment for any warrior. When you picture a medieval knight riding into battle, you likely imagine them holding a broadsword in one hand and a brightly painted shield in the other. These large wooden or metal defenses were vital for survival on the chaotic battlefields of the Middle Ages. They absorbed the crushing blows of enemy weapons and protected knights from volleys of arrows raining down from above.
The Thirty Years’ War Explained in 10 Minutes
The Thirty Years’ War was a devastating European conflict fought between 1618 and 1648. Beginning as a religious struggle within the Holy Roman Empire, the war expanded into a massive political battle involving France, Sweden, and Spain, ultimately killing millions and establishing the modern system of sovereign states.
The Great Mince Pie Myth: Did Cromwell Really Ban Pie?
In the mid-17th century, Puritan-led Parliament restricted Christmas celebrations (1640s–1650s), discouraging festive foods such as mince pies. These measures, often later attributed to Oliver Cromwell, were lifted with the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660.
The Baboon Who Ran a Railway Station Flawlessly
A baboon named Jack was officially employed by a South African railway in the 1880s as an assistant signalman. After proving his competence, he worked for approximately nine years and, according to historical accounts, never made a single mistake during his service.
