By 
History class has a habit of making the past sound much more orderly than it actually was. The big wars, famous leaders, major discoveries, and political turning points usually get all the attention, while the bizarre details that make historical figures feel like actual people are left somewhere in the margins. Reddit’s history buffs have plenty of those forgotten stories, including ridiculous battles, wildly questionable decisions, strange characters, and moments that sound like they were written for a comedy. These are the details that rarely make it into the textbook, but they might be the ones that make you remember the history in the first place.
Bi.org
Julie d’Aubigny Was Basically a Real Life Action Movie
Julie d’Aubigny lived in 17th century France and somehow managed to pack duels, opera, romance, sword fighting, and a convent escape into a remarkably short life. At one point, she reportedly entered a convent to rescue a woman she had fallen in love with, then escaped by setting the building on fire.
Vail Daily
A Chinese Admiral Pawned a Warship’s Gun
During the First Sino Japanese War, a Chinese admiral reportedly pawned one of the main guns from his flagship to pay gambling debts. The same war also involved accusations that military funds had been diverted for palace renovations, making the whole situation even more bizarre.
AgWeb
America Almost Got Hippo Farming
During a meat shortage in 1910, Louisiana Congressman Robert Broussard proposed importing hippopotamuses into the American South as a potential source of meat. The plan even earned the wonderfully ridiculous nickname “Lake Cow Bacon” before going nowhere.
Rare Historical Photos
An Ancient Cannon Helped Stop the British
During the Napoleonic Wars, Ottoman defenders used a massive cannon that was already around 340 years old. The enormous weapon fired stone projectiles weighing hundreds of kilograms and helped damage a British fleet attempting to force its way through the Dardanelles.
World History Encyclopedia
Attila the Hun Had a Son Named Erp
Attila had several sons, but one of them was named Erp and apparently received no share of his father’s empire. The Reddit thread understandably had a lot of fun with the idea of Erp the Hun getting both a terrible inheritance situation and a memorable name.
Amusing Planet
A War Once Had a Soup Kettle as Its Only Casualty
The Kettle War was a 1784 conflict between the Holy Roman Empire and the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands. One shot was reportedly fired, hitting a soup kettle, making it one of the strangest examples of military action in European history.
CPG
Liechtenstein Went to War and Came Back With an Extra Soldier
n 1866, Liechtenstein sent 80 soldiers to participate in a conflict in Italy. They returned without losing anyone and had somehow acquired an additional companion along the way, bringing their total back to 81.
History
A Pope Put a Dead Pope on Trial
During the infamous Cadaver Synod, Pope Stephen VI had the corpse of his predecessor Formosus exhumed and placed on trial. The dead pope was declared guilty, stripped of his robes, and eventually thrown into the Tiber River.
Wikimedia Commons
Diogenes Once Used a Chicken to Mock Plato
Plato reportedly described humans as “featherless bipeds,” prompting the philosopher Diogenes to pluck a chicken and bring it into Plato’s Academy as his supposed example of a man. Plato subsequently added another qualification to the definition.
WeAreTheMighty
Mark Twain Briefly Joined a Confederate Unit
Before becoming one of America’s most famous writers, Mark Twain joined a small Confederate militia unit during the Civil War. According to the Reddit account, the group spent a couple of weeks camping, drinking, and avoiding the realities of war before hearing that Union troops were approaching and promptly going home.
Field Ethos
Hemingway Tried to Hunt a U Boat With Booze and Grenades
During World War II, Ernest Hemingway heard reports of a German U boat near Key West and decided to go looking for it himself. He and some friends took a boat loaded with alcohol, guns, and grenades, although their improvised submarine hunt was unsuccessful.
Smithsonian Magazone
Andrew Jackson Beat Up His Would Be Assassin
When Richard Lawrence attempted to assassinate President Andrew Jackson in 1835, both of his pistols reportedly misfired. Jackson responded by attacking Lawrence with his cane and had to be pulled away by people including Davy Crockett.
Wikipedia
A Bear Served in the Polish Military
During World War II, a Syrian brown bear named Wojtek became part of a Polish military unit. He was taught to salute, apparently enjoyed beer, and reportedly helped carry ammunition during the Italian campaign.
The Napoleon Series
Dutch Ships Were Captured by Cavalry
During the French Revolutionary Wars, Dutch naval ships became trapped in ice near the Netherlands. French cavalry rode across the frozen water and captured 14 ships, creating one of the strangest examples of a cavalry charge in military history.
Monticello.org
Thomas Jefferson Built a Second Home to Escape Visitors
After leaving the presidency, Thomas Jefferson continued receiving visitors who wanted to talk with him at Monticello. The constant interruptions apparently became such a burden that he built another residence, Poplar Forest, partly so he could get some peace and quiet.
The post 15 History Buffs Share the Funny Bits That Always Get Left Out appeared first on Den of Geek.
