Whether today or in their own time period, the Spartan Army has always held a spot among the most brutal and efficient fighting forces in history. This legacy wasn’t all smoke and mirrors, either, as Spartan warriors spent most of their lives devoted to constant, intensive training. In fact, these tactics earned the Spartan state its highly regarded place in the world—and possibly caused it to come crashing down.
Royalty is not always what it's cracked up to be. From tragic accidents to bloody executions, these doomed royals met the most disturbing ends possible. But that's not all. With their lives playing out for all the world to see, these high-profile tragedies often morphed into so much more: conspiracies, rumors, and even the most perplexing mysteries.
Whether today or in their own time period, the Spartan Army has always held a spot among the most brutal and efficient fighting forces in history. This legacy wasn’t all smoke and mirrors, either, as Spartan warriors spent most of their lives devoted to constant, intensive training. In fact, these tactics earned the Spartan state its highly regarded place in the world—and possibly caused it to come crashing down.
Romeo and Juliet has nothing on the tale of Peter I of Portugal and his lady love, Inês de Castro. Passion, drama, blood, and despair mark this tragic real-life story. Bring out the tissues, because trust us, anyone who reads these facts is going to need them.
Muhammad Ali could have just been a boxer. His meteoric rise saw him smash records left and right, defying all the odds, and cementing his name in history at a very young age. But he didn’t stop there, becoming an outspoken critic of American imperialism, systemic racism, and religious intolerance. The Greatest of All Time only got greater as time went on.
During his lifetime, J Paul Getty rose to become the richest man in the world. Nothing remained out of reach for him—and yet, he hoarded his money, counting every penny that life cost him. He could’ve lived a lavish life full of luxury, and yet, in the end, he lost everything that mattered, finding joy in the only thing that he had left: counting his millions, as if it still mattered.
There were lots of interesting figures in the Wars of the Roses. Richard III was the most ruthless, Margaret of Anjou was the most conniving, and Elizabeth of York? She was the most beautiful—but there's so much more to her than that. From her precarious childhood to her life in captivity to her devastating end, Elizabeth of York's dark life story was one for the ages.
If you’re looking for a quintessential British scandal, the story of Margaret Campbell—the so-called “Dirty Duchess”—is hard to beat. Long before she wed the Duke of Argyll, her name was already circulating through the upper tiers of society. But it was the explosive fallout from their divorce that cemented her place in the nation’s gossip lore. One thing was certain: the Duchess had a secret lurking in her past that would shock everyone.
Julius Caesar was always going to be a tough act to follow, but Augustus didn’t just manage to outstrip his predecessor in power and become the first Emperor of Rome, he also outdid Caesar in pure scandal, violence, and vengeance. Behind his placid, imperial demeanor—the one every Roman citizen saw on their coins—Augustus hid dark, cunning secrets.
When it comes to royal mistresses, few lived the absolute roller-coaster ride that Jeanne Bécu, AKA Madame du Barry, did. From her bitter rivalry with Marie Antoinette to the scandal that nearly destroyed her to her brutal and dark end, Madame du Barry's lurid story is like something out of a twisted period drama—yet so few people know the dirty details.
Isabella was never supposed to be queen. But she schemed and fought her way to the throne. Then Isabella was never supposed to be an active queen. But she turned out to be the greatest. In the end, she changed history—but it wasn’t always for the better.
He might have been almost 9 feet tall, but Robert Wadlow was a gentle giant known for his quiet manner and easy smile. Unfortunately, the world isn’t made for people that tall and he often struggled with finding accommodations for his great height. Health issues plagued him from the start and he lived only 22 years—but he still managed to make the most of it.
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