Questions tagged [individuals]

For questions on and about specific individuals in history as opposed to larger groups of people.

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Was Leonardo da Vinci an atheist?

I read in a William Smith Quora answer that this question "is easily answered" because Vasari wrote that Leonardo, on his deathbed, asked for the sacraments. I don't say this is false, but ...
Fausto Vezzaro's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
2k views

How tall was Frederick the Great of Prussia?

Frederick's father, Frederick Wilhelm I of Prussia, was somewhat short at 5'3" (160 cm), as discussed in an article on the Potsdam Giants. But how tall was Frederick II?
Betterthan Kwora's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
483 views

Did any of the bystanders express their reactions after realizing that they'd experienced the death of Antoni Gaudí?

Gaudí's death, on 7th June 1926, when he was struck by a tram while crossing a road, is generally described in narratives along the lines of 'the unkempt look of the wounded person made the onlookers ...
gktscrk's user avatar
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0 votes
2 answers
405 views

Did Nathan Bedford Forrest wear a wig or dye his hair?

I have seen pictures of Nathan Bedford Forrest with a dark beard and light hair on his head. Given that his head hair color does not match his beard color, did he wear a wig or dye his hair? I have ...
Richard J.'s user avatar
10 votes
2 answers
373 views

What's known about Tullia's son?

Tullia was the daughter of the great Roman politician Cicero. She had a few marriages and according to English Wikipedia she had two sons, the first one of which died the same year it was born. Tullia ...
Casimir Rönnlöf's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
169 views

How did Pontus de la Gardie drown?

Pontus de la Gardie was a French nobleman who ended up fighting in Swedish service against the Russians, being given the Livonian governorate as a reward, who died in 1585 (the most common though ...
gktscrk's user avatar
  • 10.8k
9 votes
1 answer
511 views

Was Queen Henrietta Maria (of England) known for scratching her initials into things?

C. S. Lewis's novel That Hideous Strength contains the following passage: “Look out! Look out!” said a dozen voices at once as a splintering of glass became audible and a shower of stones fell onto ...
Spencer's user avatar
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6 votes
1 answer
190 views

Why did the First Mexican Empire replace 60% of its Regency?

From September of 1821 until Agustín I ascended the throne, a five-man Imperial Regency governed independent Mexico. Initially it included Agustín Iturbide (the same), José Isidro Yáñez, Manuel ...
Aaron Brick's user avatar
  • 27.6k
2 votes
3 answers
7k views

Did Lisa Chester (Xiola Blue) miss her father's funeral?

In or about 1987 Lisa Chester, Casey Niccoli, and Perry Farrell enjoyed a three-day orgy of sex and heroin. Farrell commemorated the event in his ten-minute song "Three Days" and album cover artwork ...
Aaron Brick's user avatar
  • 27.6k
21 votes
3 answers
5k views

Was Haile Selassie the world's only involuntary messiah?

History is full of supposed Messiahs and Saviors who founded religious movements and/or identified themselves as saviors (e.g. Joseph Smith and Raël). (By contrast, some messiahs were only venerated ...
Aaron Brick's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
191 views

Range of sailors' ages on a typical Pacific trading ship in 1810

This question is about crew ages on trading voyages in the North Pacific around 1810. The number of crew members on these voyages was often in the low dozens. Funding could come at least in part from ...
Aaron Brick's user avatar
  • 27.6k
6 votes
1 answer
164 views

Who was the American settler Tolman of Kamchatka?

In To the Pacific and Arctic with Beechey: The Journal of Lieutenant George Peard of HMS Blossom, 1825–1828, Peard mentions visiting "Mr. Tolman an American Settler" in Avatcha, Kamchatka, "7 or 8 ...
Aaron Brick's user avatar
  • 27.6k
10 votes
1 answer
262 views

Was Leo II of Armenia poisoned?

Leo II, also known as Leon II or Levon II, became the King of Armenian Cilicia from 1269/70 and was a vassal of the Mongols. Five of his 16 children by his highly regarded wife Keran (who later ...
Lars Bosteen's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
175 views

Where did Nguyễn Văn Thiệu (Thieu) learn his English?

I just watched a clip of Thieu's speech in English from the early 70s. He seemed to have a good command of English. His Wikipedia page doesn't have much biographical information on his formal ...
Eddie Kal's user avatar
  • 323
4 votes
1 answer
234 views

What did the Russian ambassador to Japan do during his trip to London?

The Nadezhda stopped September 28th, 1803 in Falmouth, Cornwall to obtain salt meat [Voyage Round the World in the Years 1803, 1804, 1805, & 1806, pp. 35]. Imperial ambassador to Japan Nikolai ...
Aaron Brick's user avatar
  • 27.6k
1 vote
1 answer
128 views

What was the role of Theon at the Library of Alexandria? [closed]

Does anybody knows something in detail about Theon of Alexandria concerning his role in the Library of Alexandria?
Viktor Radun's user avatar
9 votes
4 answers
15k views

How many Russian people did Tsar Ivan IV ("the Terrible") kill?

Ivan's rule was full of contradiction, success and failure. Was his rule bloody? How many Russian people were killed by him?
md nth's user avatar
  • 1,652
2 votes
1 answer
157 views

What are the contributions of Professor Hans List?

Considering his academic titles, what are the contribution of the automotive engineer, Professor Dr Dr h.c.mult. Hans List? What did he invent? I could not find anything except a brief obituary.
spyder's user avatar
  • 819
3 votes
2 answers
158 views

Was the French philosopher Pierre Bayle a Calvinist believer or an atheist?

European Enlightenment: The 17th century's most read philosopher produced sharp and honest literature. Yet until today the question seems to be unanswered where he really belonged (Bayle enigma).
Ben Oehler's user avatar