In Belgium, King Leopold II was hailed as the “Builder King” for his wondrous works. But overseas, in the Congo Free State, lay the horrific truth: Leopold was more of a butcher than a builder.
Homer and Langley Collyer were a pair of brothers whose reclusive hoarder lifestyle made them something of a local New York attraction. Sadly, in a horrifying twist, their hoard became their grave.
Eleanor of Aquitaine began her tumultuous life in Europe's royal circles as the most eligible bride in the Medieval period. But she didn't stay that way for long. By the time Eleanor took her last breath, she had led armies, mouldered in a prison cell, endured a scandalous breakup, wed a significantly younger man, supported an illicit revolt, and more. Prepare to bend the knee to the fierce Eleanor of Aquitaine.
Through the late 1800s, Ned Kelly and his gang of bushrangers looted, pillaged, and terrorized the authorities in Australia—and are still seen as heroes to some.
From Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo to the sinking of the Titanic, history is full of shocking plot twists, but maybe none were as tragic as the fate of Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria. Attractive, rich, and powerful, Rudolf had everything—until the fateful day he threw it all away, changing the course of the future forever.
Some historical figures are undeniably larger than life—both in presence and reputation. Anna Haining Swan Bates was one such figure, celebrated not only for her remarkable personality but also for her title as “The Largest Woman in the World.”
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Hortense Mancini's life was full of drama, intrigue, and more than a little controversy. Read on for these scandalous facts about Hortense Mancini.
It’s fun to hate a guy like Manuel Godoy. The King lavished him with piles of cash, all while Godoy was recklessly—and secretly—sleeping with the Queen.
Even though she never won Academy Awards, Angie Dickinson was a Hollywood legend, turning heads with her flirtatious characters and almost-always-bare legs.
From her shocking affair to her alleged treachery against the crown, Penelope Rich lived her life on the edge—right to the bitter end.
The roots of Las Vegas have their stories—and some of those stories trace back to the rowdy streets of New York City, and the legend himself, Bugsy Siegel.
A Complete Unknown painted Pete Seeger as a villain in Bob Dylan’s story—but the truth is so much more explosive than what the film portrays.
Archaeologists in southern Jordan have uncovered the long-lost Byzantine city of Tharais, tucked away on the southeast coast of the Dead Sea.
Archaeologists have discovered a vast network of ancient irrigation canals near Eridu in Iraq, regarded as the world’s oldest city. The discovery is an amazing window on how early agriculture supported the growth of civilizations.
The earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28, 2025 caused tragic death and destruction, but it also revealed an surprising archaeological treasure: the remains of a grand structure belonging to Burma’s historic Konbaung Dynasty.
Hollywood has given us all kinds of glamorous stories—but the darkest tales come from the real history of the town itself.
In 2018, scientists made a discovery of stone tools at Ain Boucherit, Algeria, dated to approximately 2.4 million years ago. The find challenges our previously held notions about the development of early humans.
New age dating of a boomerang found in a Polish cave has archaeologists abuzz that it could be the oldest boomerang on Earth.
Archaeologists in northern Vietnam have uncovered two fully intact wooden boats with an unprecedented double-hulled design, the first discovery of its kind.
Over the centuries, European explorers have done some undoubtedly wild (and disgraceful) things to survive and profit.
In 1923, Frank Hayes suffered a fatal heart attack while mid-race, but stayed in the saddle until his horse finished first place.
Nirvana only released three albums before Kurt Cobain demise, but in that short time, they left a legacy that changed music forever.
The charred scrolls of Herculaneum, buried under the ash of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, were long thought to be undecipherable. But new technology has allowed researchers to see what’s written on them.
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