Tales of philosophy, power, and upheaval — the layered histories of a continent that shaped the modern world.
Jeanne Calment’s viager contract — a French property deal where the buyer pays until the seller dies — seemed routine in 1965. She was 90, he was 47. She lived to 122, outlasting him and forcing his estate to pay more than double the apartment’s value. A historical twist that really happened — documented, ironic, unforgettable.
The Lawyer Who Bet on Jeanne Calment’s Death — and Lost Read More
Some public figures died on the same date they were born. The match is rare, but records confirm it — from emperors to entertainers. This post lists those cases: actors, musicians, politicians, and others whose final day fell on their birthday.
Celebrities and Historical Figures Who Died on Their Birthday Read More
More executions took place inside the Tower of London during the 20th century than under the Tudors, Plantagenets, and Stuarts combined. This post traces the quiet shift — from royal spectacle to wartime secrecy — and revisits the Rifle Range, where eleven men were shot for espionage between 1914 and 1941.
Executions at the Tower of London: The 20th Century Toll Read More
In 1275, English law defined “time immemorial” as everything before July 6, 1189. This post explains why that date became the threshold of legal memory — and why the Wednesday before it, July 5, was procedurally erased.
Wednesday Just Disappeared: Legal Memory and the Birth of Time Immemorial Read More
“I don’t think there will be a woman Prime Minister in my lifetime,” Margaret Thatcher told a boy named Roger on BBC1 in 1973. She wasn’t hedging. She wasn’t speculating. She dismissed the idea outright. Six years later, she became Britain’s first — and longest-serving — female Prime Minister.
He stole the Crown Jewels, assaulted a guard, and walked away with a pension. In Charles II’s England, charm could outwit justice.
Thomas Blood and the Crown Jewel Heist Read More
