20 Weird History Facts You Might Not Know

History is really big, and sometimes we miss out on interesting stories and events. Here are weird and fun facts from history you might remember. Among the stories everyone knows, there are some really strange and fascinating facts from history that are worth knowing about. These odd stories show us some of the funny and strange things that happened in the past.

Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup: In the 1800s, there was a popular medicine for children called ‘Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup’ that promised to stop all pain. People didn’t know it was full of morphine!

Roman Family Rules: In Ancient Rome, families were controlled by men. Fathers had the legal right to sell, disown, or even kill their family members.

Einstein and Israel: When Israel became a country, Albert Einstein was asked to be the president, but he said no.

Royal Helpers: King Henry VIII of England had a group of men whose job was to check his poop and wipe his bottom. They were called ‘Grooms of the King’s Stool’ and were even given knighthood.

Tanks with Tea: Since 1945, all British tanks have had tea-making equipment inside. Very British!

Unlikely Peace Prize Nominees: Hitler, Stalin, and Mussolini were all nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize at different times. Quite surprising!

Pirate Queen Ching Shih: One of history’s most feared pirates was Ching Shih, a former Chinese prostitute. She led a fleet of over 1,500 ships and 80,000 sailors.

Caligula’s Horse: Roman Emperor Caligula loved his horse so much that he made it a senator.

38-Minute War: The shortest war ever was between England and Zanzibar and lasted only 38 minutes!

335-Year War: The longest war was between the Netherlands and the Isles of Scilly, lasting 335 years. No one was killed in the entire war.

Olympic Tug of War: From 1900 to 1920, Tug of War was an official event at the Summer Olympics. Yes, really!

Tallest Married Couple: Anna Haining Swan (7’11”) and Martin Van Buren Bates (7’9”) were the world’s tallest married couple.

Lord Byron’s Pet Bear: Poet Lord Byron was upset that his college didn’t allow dogs, so he kept a pet bear instead.

The Real Richard Parker: In Edgar Allan Poe’s novel, “The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket,” a character named Richard Parker is eaten by shipmates. Weirdly, 46 years later, a real cabin boy named Richard Parker was eaten by shipmates after a shipwreck.

Pope Pius II’s Past: Before becoming Pope Pius II, Aeneas Sylvius Piccolomini wrote a bestselling erotic novel called “The Tale of Two Lovers.”

Cleopatra and the Calendar: Cleopatra’s lover, Julius Caesar, changed the calendar to the one we use today, the Julian calendar.

Napoleon and Rabbits: Napoleon once ordered a rabbit hunt, but the rabbits attacked him instead!

Catherine the Great’s Potemkin Villages: Catherine the Great of Russia was shown fake villages to impress her during tours. These were called “Potemkin villages.”