Pirates
Pirates were known for wearing hoop earrings. While many pirates used their gold earrings as an insurance policy (melt them down for quick cash), wearing earrings also had a more practical function. What was it?
Answer: They tied ear plugs onto their hoop earrings for when they used the cannons
Answer: Christian Monasteries
Elizabeth Bathory was born in Transylvanian and was well known for being a serial slayer to her servants and slaves. Her husband gifted her a torture chamber in her castle for her birthday as she delighted in taking part in torturing and killing her victims. In 1611 Elizabeth was brought to trial by the church after being found of guilty of what?
Answer: Cannibalism
The Aztecs commonly had their merchants also working as what?
Answer: Spies
During the Crusades, professional performers would sing Songs of Deeds such as "The Song of Roland" which served as propaganda to do what?
Answer: Drive Recruitment
Think of it like the movie Top Gun in the 80's.
Answer: Yes it was a common punishment
Berserkers were a special group of elite vikings that didn't wear armour or helmets and were said to have supernatural powers from the god of war (Odin). What do some historians believe contributed to the berserkers savage fighting ability?
Answer: Magic Mushrooms
In 1553 Mary I assented to the throne of England. She burned hundreds of protestants at the stake and was given the nickname "Bloody Mary". How many years did Mary stay in power?
Answer: 5 Years
The Aztec's religion following closely to the Aztec calendar. It was up to the priests to plan out the calendar and each day told what ritual would be performed (ceremonies, fertility rituals, mock battles, nature predictions etc). What was the most common thing on their everyday calendar?
Answer: Human sacrifices
Referred to as "taking the cross", crusaders would sew a coloured cross on their clothing to tell others what?
Answer: Their country of origin
(eg. French used red crosses, English used silver crosses and so on)
In 1731 it became official policy to replace the water in barrels with what?
Answer: Rum!
Each sailor would get 1/2 pint of rum per day (5 shots)
What was the go-to weapon of choice for the vikings?
Princess Olga became the first female leader in Russia when her husband, Igor, was murdered. Her first act was to find and kill the men responsible for her husbands death. How did she kill them?
Answer: She boiled them alive- lobster style.
Additional note: she later was the first Russian to receive sainthood from the Orthodox church.
The Aztecs were mostly vegetarian: staples in their diet were beans, squash and corn. What animal protein did they eat regularly?
Answer: Insects
Compared to later crusades, the first crusade was more spontaneous and migratory. Many men bought their wives and children along. This caused multiple accounts verifying what?
Answer: That women had a military role in the crusades
Fun Fact: These records only last until the third crusade
What would it mean if a pirate ship hoisted a red flag?
Answer: It would mean "No Mercy" - everyone on board a captured ship would be slaughtered on sight.
Swords were rare in the viking age. They were expensive and difficult to make so only great warriors had one. If a family did have a sword it was past down from father to son. However if there was no son to pass down too- vikings were buried with their sword. What did they do to their swords when they took them to their grave?
Answer: Bent them so they were unusable (protected them from grave robbers)
Catherine the Great would lead 14,000 soldiers to kill the Russian Tsar Peter III. How was the Tsar related to Catherine?
Answer: Catherine was married to the Tsar.
What was the Aztec's weapon of choice?
Answer: Blow gun
Fun Fact: they used poisonous frogs to lace their darts with poison
A popular route to get to the middle east involved going through The Port of Antioch which meant armies had to carry what with them?
Answer: A lot of gold!
They needed to bring enough gold with them to buy large fleets in order to travel on water.
As early as the 1600's pirates practised Matelotage. What does this mean?
Answer: It means they practised Gay Marriage
Fun Fact: In 1645 the French Governor of Tortuga shipped hundreds of prostitutes to discourage this... it didn't work and Matelotage continued among the crews!
Vikings would all have a custom item made to fit their personal body- what was it?
Answer: Shield
Empress Wu Zetian was the only female ruler in all of china's history. How did she stay in power?
Answer: By killing her own family
Fun Fact: she usually ordered them to kill themselves while she watched.
The Aztecs would often start wars with their neighbours in order to gain what?
Answer: more people for human sacrifices
What routine behaviour did crusaders pick up while in the holy lands?
Answer: New bathing standards!
The desert landscape was very different and required them to adapt to a new hygiene routine including soap which was unknown to Europeans at the time.