Francis I of France is inevitably compared to Henry VIII. Both kings had big personalities, big love affairs, and big scandals that rocked the face of Europe. But there’s a lot more to Francis than just the similarities to the Tudor counterpart. From his unlikely ascension to the throne to his brutal defeats and torturous later years, Francis did not languish in his neighbor's shadow.
A gentleman to some and a menace to others, John Dillinger put America in a frenzy with a spree that led to the formation of the FBI itself—until his luck ran out.
Imagine a world where burly Norse warriors discover a new continent—and then just... walk away. Wild, right? Get ready for a story into why the Vikings pulled the ultimate “not interested” move on North America. But first, an introduction.
Field Marshal Bernard Law “Monty” Montgomery was instrumental in defeating the Axis forces during WWII. His strategic brilliance, however, was second only to his massive ego and total lack of tact. More people need to know about Bernard “Monty” Montgomery, the man who Winston Churchill himself described as, “In defeat, unbeatable; in victory, unbearable”.
Meg Ryan has been a Hollywood fixture for the better part of four decades. Best known for rom-com romps such as Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail, the actress’s off-screen life has been equally romance and comedy-filled....
Napoleon's ego-driven ambition and military conquests left a legacy of devastation and upheaval that is still remembered with bitterness by many.
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Ike Turner couldn’t escape his infamous reputation, but days before he passed, he recorded one last song—and made a heartbreaking confession.
History is supposedly shaped by powerful leaders making enormous decisions. Except sometimes it isn’t that at all. None of these choices seemed capable of changing the world. Then that is exactly what they did.
In the late 1990s, Mindy McCready was on her way to becoming a country music superstar unlike any other. But a series of dramatic personal struggles and legal troubles ended her career—and her life—far too soon. These facts are why fans call McCready the Amy Winehouse of country music.
The 106-year-old Filipina artist Whang-od Oggay is known as the “last” traditional Kalinga tattooist. But she also has a heart-wrenching backstory.
Victorious dynasties, political enemies, religious propagandists, playwrights, and filmmakers have spent centuries turning complicated people into convenient villains. Modern scholarship has not necessarily declared these figures innocent, but closer examination of the evidence has made many of their darkest legends considerably harder to defend.
The forbidden romance of Prince William and Zsuzsi Starkloff scandalized the royal family—until it went up in flames. Literally.
So notorious that its name is synonymous with madness, the history of Bethlem Royal Hospital, or Bedlam, is filled with some of humanity's darkest moments.
The history of Mexico City stretches back almost two centuries before the Spanish ever set foot in the Americas. Rather, the Spanish built their capital on top of the ashes of one of the most beautiful and unique cities in history: Tenochtitlan.
Alcatraz was only in operation for less than 30 years, but in that time it gained the reputation as one of the most notorious prisons in American history.
Area 51's workers don't drive there. They fly in on a classified US Government airline known only as "Janet."
We may be standing on the shoulders of giants—and, if some legends are believed, that phrase might be shockingly literal.
The world is filled with spectacular, bizarre, and iconic buildings—but these structures often have a surprisingly dark history.
Hollywood affairs have kept the gossip mill alive for decades. These stories expose all the dirty details: broken hearts, brutal betrayal, and pure passion.
So notorious that its name is synonymous with madness, the history of Bethlem Royal Hospital, or Bedlam, is filled with some of humanity's darkest moments.
Many of history's biggest events were accompanied by uncanny coincidences.
As a young telegraph operator, he designed an ingenious electrical machine that could record legislators’ votes almost instantly, only to discover that some politicians considered slowness a feature rather than a flaw. His failed invention taught him a lesson that shaped the rest of his career: technical brilliance means very little when the people expected to buy an invention do not actually want it.
What happened to these reality stars when the cameras stopped rolling? Just because they weren't on TV anymore doesn’t mean they stopped causing drama.
The Statue of Liberty is so famous that most people don't realize how colorful her history really is.
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