History is a field filled with vast amounts of knowledge. No one dares to claim they fully understand history, especially the finer details. However, sometimes there are historical details, though small and less known, that stimulate humanity’s desire to explore history.
Shocking Historical Events That Leave Everyone Stunned
- 1. Roman Emperor Commodus Once Gathered All Disabled People in the Colosseum and Forced Them to Fight to the Death
- 2. The Shortest War in History Was Between England and Zanzibar
- 3. There Were Only 3 German Empires in History
- 4. The Spanish Inquisition Issued Death Sentences for All Residents of the Netherlands
- 5. Persian Grand Vizier Sahib Ibn Abbad Always Carried His Library with Him
- 6. Chinese Emperor Qin Shi Huang Ordered All Books in the Country to Be Burned
1. Roman Emperor Commodus Once Gathered All Disabled People in the Colosseum and Forced Them to Fight to the Death
Commodus, the emperor of ancient Rome, was eccentric and mad, similar to many emperors of that era. He enjoyed self-proclaiming titles for himself. For example, as he was nearing death, he ordered everyone to call him Hercules, the son of Jupiter. He also commanded that the months be renamed to correspond with his titles and names: Commodus, Augustus, Amazonius, Invictus, etc. In 190 AD, he changed the name of Rome to Commodus. No one was allowed to oppose and had to fulfill all of the emperor’s absurd orders.
Commodus also enjoyed performing as a gladiator in public. He was skilled with a sword and loved killing animals in the arena. He organized 735 events forcing citizens to participate, and no one dared to resist. To eliminate “imperfect” citizens, he ordered the gathering of all disabled people, dwarfs, and those with mental issues, forcing them to fight in the Colosseum to the death.
2. The Shortest War in History Was Between England and Zanzibar
The 38-minute confrontation between England and the island nation of Zanzibar in East Africa in 1896 is considered the shortest war in world history.
The war stemmed from internal power disputes after the pro-British Muslim King Hamad bin Thuwaini of Zanzibar suddenly died on August 25. Khalid bin Bargash, the king’s cousin, quickly took control of the palace with German support. Khalid’s ascension to the throne threatened British political power and interests, which is why the British army sent an ultimatum and surrounded the palace.
Khalid managed to gather nearly 3,000 guards while the British brought in 5 warships. It is believed that Khalid escaped through a backdoor of the palace, leaving behind his courtiers and armed forces still fighting. The Sultan’s flag was lowered, and the shortest war in world history officially ended after just 38 minutes.
3. There Were Only 3 German Empires in History
The first German Empire was the Holy Roman Empire, but it did not belong to ancient Rome. In 962, King Otto I the Great declared his empire the Holy Roman Empire, which inherited from the ancient Roman Empire and Charlemagne’s Frankish Empire. In 1806, the empire was overthrown during the Napoleonic Wars, and the last emperor, Francis II, was forced to abdicate.
The second German Empire was created by Otto von Bismarck in 1871. However, after the November Revolution, this empire collapsed. Later, Adolf Hitler established the Nazi Germany on March 24, 1933.
4. The Spanish Inquisition Issued Death Sentences for All Residents of the Netherlands
On February 16, 1568, the Spanish Inquisition issued death sentences for all residents of the Netherlands under the decree of Philip II. These courts were established in 1522 by King Charles V. At that time, most of the Dutch population was Protestant, while the orthodox Spaniards sought to eliminate other religions.
To counter all the opposition from the Dutch people, King Philip II imposed taxes and suppressed Protestantism. His tyrannical policies led to a rebellion that began with the nobility in 1567. The Spanish king sent the notorious commander Fernando Álvarez de Toledo to suppress the uprising and execute 1,800 nobles. All these events became the reason for Spain to issue a decree for the execution of all heretical Dutch citizens.
5. Persian Grand Vizier Sahib Ibn Abbad Always Carried His Library with Him
Sahib Ibn Abbad was born in Persia in 938. When his father passed away, Ibn Abbad was just 7-8 years old and was raised by a friend of his father.
Ibn Abbad greatly contributed to the development of Persian culture. He supported the development of poetry and was knowledgeable about various subjects. When the Samanid emperor invited Ibn Abbad to be the grand vizier, he replied that he could not accept due to his library. Subsequently, the Samanid sent 400 camels to carry all of Ibn Abbad’s books—60 of which were dictionaries.
6. Chinese Emperor Qin Shi Huang Ordered All Books in the Country to Be Burned
In 213 BC, Emperor Qin Shi Huang of China ordered the burning of all books in the country. More than 460 Confucian scholars were executed in 212 BC, and a large number of books were burned due to a law prohibiting personal book usage. Notably, Qin Shi Huang aimed to completely eradicate the Five Classics of Confucius.
Fortunately, the ban did not include the Qin dynasty’s archives, so books on pharmacology, divination, agriculture, and medicine survived in Chinese history. And, of course, the famous Five Classics still exist today despite undergoing many restoration processes.
