Knights Templar Facts Nine

The Knights Templar had a fleet of 18 ships which many used to escape from La Rochelle, France on the eve of their arrests in 1307. As fugitives from the Pope they were viewed by many in Europe as pirates. They did find sanctuary in Scotland and fought with Scotland in their war for independence from England. Henry Sinclair later used the Templar fleet in exploration of Greenland and North America in 1398. He had also claimed family ties to the Templars stating first Grand Master Hugues de Payns had married a Sinclair.


Knights Templar page

Viking Fact Nine

Vikings believed if they were killed in battle they would go to Valhalla. There they would live with Odin who was the king of the gods. Every day in Valhalla would be spent fighting and every night would have a great feast.

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American Civil War Facts Nine

South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union on December 20, 1860. The other ten states in order of secession:

Mississippi	January 9, 1861
Florida	January 10, 1861
Alabama	January 11, 1861
Georgia	January 19, 1861
Louisiana	January 26, 1861
Texas	February 1, 1861
Virginia	April 17, 1861
Arkansas	May 6, 1861
North Carolina	May 20, 1861
Tennessee	June 8, 1861

American Civil War page

Ancient Egypt Fact Nine

One of the gods worshiped in Ancient Egypt was Anubis. The god had the head of a jackal and body of a man. He helped people make the transition to the afterlife when they died.


Ancient Egypt page

Pirate Fact Nine

The term Motley Crew was coined because most pirate crews tended to wear mismatched clothes of multiple colors. 

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Natural Disaster Fact Eight

The worst natural disaster in the span 2000 to 2010 occurred on December 26, 2004 when a 9.3 magnitude earthquake happened in the Indian Ocean. The earthquake triggered a tsunami and between the two about 230,000 people were killed with Indonesia hit hardest.

Ancient Seven Wonders of the World Fact Eight

The distance between the Temple of Artemis and the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus was about 63 miles or 101.4 km.


Ancient Seven Wonders page

Knights Templar Facts Eight

Before heading into battle during the crusades the Knights Templar sang the Psalm of David after the sounding of the trumpet, "Not to us Lord, not to us but to your name give the glory". This was likely homage to their ties to the House of Judah.


Knights Templar page

Viking Facts Eight

Three days of the week have Viking origins. The obvious is Thursday which was based on Norse god Thor. Friday is based on Norse goddess Freya. Wednesday draws its name from Norse god Wodin which was also commonly spelled Odin.

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American Civil War Facts Eight

There were many children that made up the armies of both sides but two of the youngest were eight year old Avery Brown of Ohio and eight year old Edward Black of Indiana. Both claimed to be the required 12 years old enlisting in 1861 and served as drummer boys in the Union army. Brown took a disability discharge in 1863 due to illness. Black was discharged in September 1862 but reenlisted with his father in February 1963 to become the youngest to fight in the war while still nine. He survived to the War's end and was a veteran at the age of 11. 


American Civil War page

Ancient Egypt Fact Eight

The scarab beetle is a common beetle in Egypt that became a symbol for hope and the restoration of life. It was replicated in jewelry, good luck charms and amulets to ward off evil.


Ancient Egypt page

Pirate Fact Eight

The Dead Man's Chest referenced in the famous pirate song is an island which is part of the British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean Sea.

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Natural Disaster Facts Seven

The two deadliest avalanches in history occurred on Huascarán, a mountain in Peru. The first happened on January 11, 1962 when a rapid rise in temperature contributed to a landslide that killed about 4000. The second occurred on May 31, 1970 when an earthquake caused part of the mountain to collapse and the towns of Yungay and Ranrahirca were buried killing more that 20,000 people. That same earthquake also destroyed a reservoir dam and the flood waters killed more than 20,000 in Huaraz.

Ancient Seven Wonders of the World Fact Seven

There had been multiple lists composed by Greek writers and while they agreed on the majority of the wonders the Lighthouse of Alexandria had the least support. Other sites vying for the last position were the Palace of Cyrus, the walls of Babylon, an obelisk in Babylon, and Rome's Colosseum.


Ancient Seven Wonders page

Knights Templar Fact Seven

The Knights Templar did extensive research on Kabbalah. There is speculation they may have found ancient text while excavating the Temple Mount.


Knights Templar page

Viking Fact Seven

Erik the Red was exiled first from Norway and later from Iceland due to violet killings. The first exile was in 960 AD when his father and entire family were exiled because of a number of killings in Norway. Then in 982 after he was sentenced for murder Erik the Red was exiled from Iceland for three years.

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American Civil War Fact Seven

President Lincoln had offered Robert E Lee the command of the Union army in February 1861. Lee was loyal to Virginia and resigned his commission and returned to the South.


American Civil War page

Ancient Egypt Fact Seven

The heart was the only organ that was not removed when a body was mummified because they believed that is where the soul was.


Ancient Egypt page

Pirate Facts Seven

Hanging was the most common execution method for pirates. A short rope hanging was sometimes used to ensure a slow and painful death. Use of a long rope was much more common which brought a quick death by breaking the neck or severing the spinal cord. Mass hangings were done at gallows for public viewing. It was common for the gallows to accommodate ten hangings at once and they were sometimes expanded to hang as many as 24 at a time. 

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Natural Disaster Facts Six

The Blizzard of 1967 hit the Midwestern cities of Chicago, IL,  Kalamazoo, MI and Gary, IN around January 26 with snow totals passing 24 inches (61 cm), winds topping 50 mph (80.5 kph) and a death total of 76.

Ancient Seven Wonders of the World Fact Six

The Lighthouse of Alexandria was the last of the six of the lost wonders to disappear after being destroyed by an earthquake in 1323. Only the Pyramids at Giza remain of the original seven wonders.


Ancient Seven Wonders page

Knights Templar Fact Six

The main stronghold of the Knights Templar in Ireland was Clontarf Castle in Dublin County. They also had properties in Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Louth, Sligo, Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford counties.


Knights Templar page

Viking Fact Six

Vikings were among the initial Varangian Guard who were the elite body guards of the Byzantine Emperors starting with Emperor Basil II in 988.

Viking page

American Civil War Fact Six

The Union army was almost twice as large as the Confederate army with 2,100,000 soldiers compared to 1,064,000.


American Civil War page