Edgar Allan Poe is a literary giant, famous for his poems and short stories which are known for their gruesome imagery, themes of loss and melancholy, and chilling horror. Poe may be most known for tales such as The Fall of the House of Usher and The Black Cat, or poems like The Raven and […]
What is Mesmerism? The phrase “animal magnetism” evokes mental images of emanating sensuality, of raw primal attraction. Colloquially, this is what animal magnetism means. However, animal magnetism once held a very different definition. There was a time, in fact, when it was thought, albeit by a small group of believers, that animal magnetism would completely […]
Richard III was never meant to be the king of England. He was, in fact, several degrees removed from this position for most of his life. Born in 1452 as the fourth surviving son to the powerful Duke of York, Richard was certainly positioned to be a man of importance, however his elder brothers would […]
John Wilkes Booth was a celebrity in his own right long before the act that would install him permanently as one of the most infamous figures in American history. Born to a family of British actors, Booth was touring the United States performing in Shakespearean plays and other productions by the time he was about […]
Who is Christopher Marlowe? Christopher Marlowe, also referred to as “Kit” Marlowe, led a short but impactful life. Born in 1564, the young Marlowe studied at The King’s School in Canterbury on a scholarship before earning another scholarship to study at Corpus Christi College in Cambridge. Marlowe earned a bachelor’s degree in the arts in […]
Gaius Julius Caesar was a conqueror, dictator, reformist, and divisive politician whose name remains synonymous with empire and dominance. He was assassinated by a group of sixty conspirators including several men whom he considered to be steadfast allies. His death on the “Ides of March” in 44 BC has endured as one of history’s greatest […]
St. Francis of Assisi is often associated with animals. His philosophy of respect and stewardship over nature has cemented him in history as a patron of ecology, nature, and the creatures with which we share this planet. Like many other saints, Francis’s gentleness towards animals is just one of the many pious behaviors associated with […]
The author of The Three Musketeers, Alexandre Dumas, wrote several books which fictionalized the lives of French nobility during the seventeenth century. One such novel, a sequel to The Three Musketeers which follows the life of Louis XIV, is entitled “The Vicomte of Bragelonne: Ten Years Later.” From this novel, which is often split into […]
In this article, we’re taking a look at some of the most puzzling, head-scratching, page-turning historical mysteries that we’ve previously discussed. Be sure to check out the full articles for each case, where we explore all of the facts and theories in detail!
Ask a modern person which year was the worst to be alive and they might say “2020.” Ask a Medieval European peasant which year was the worst in human history and they’ll likely reply “536.” But what about this particular year made it so terrible? The year 536 saw unusual and prolonged weather phenomena and […]
