(04-17-2024, 10:03 AM)Hobbit99 Wrote: WOW -- Very cool.!!!!

I had no idea....?? 

(04-17-2024, 06:44 PM)Ladypanther Wrote:

(04-17-2024, 10:03 AM)Hobbit99 Wrote: WOW -- Very cool.!!!!

I had no idea....?? 

Me either. I found George Washington's assessment of the Vermont people interesting.  And it was a smart move to let them be.  Also glad we did not lose Bernie to Canada...lol.

Quote:King Henry VII had attendants specifically to help him go to the bathroom.



While this intimate courtier position developed over centuries, it was in the reign of King Henry VII of England that it became an official position of great honor. Henry VII had four "Grooms of the King's Stool" which assisted him in his most necessary task. These men monitored his bowel movements, checking them and reporting their results to the Royal Doctor. They supplied the king with a bowl, water, and a towel, and even assisted him in cleaning up after the fact.

Though it certainly doesn't sound like a job anyone in their right mind would strive for, the position meant these courtiers were privy to royal secrets. These attendants had quite a bit of court power, and the ones that served King Henry VII were all eventually knighted. This practiced continued until 1901.

Quote:The use of forks was once considered sacrilegious.

It's hard to believe, but we're taking our eating utensils for granted.... While forks were long-established in the Middle East, they first made their way over to the West in the 11th century. A Byzantine princess sent waves of shock and scandal through the court when she brought forks into her husband's Venetian home. Forks were considered to be an affront to God, as the Lord had already given us natural forks—our fingers. It wasn't until the 18th century that most of Europe had adopted the fork.

Quote:The University of Oxford predates the Aztec Empire.

This mind-blowing fact puts things into perspective. While Oxford is hardly the oldest university (that would be the University of Al-Karaouine, established in 859 CE), it was established way back in 1096. By 1249, Oxford had developed into a full-fledged campus, with student housing at three residence halls. And while other institutions were established earlier, Oxford is one of the oldest universities in continuous operation.

On the other end of the spectrum, many people are surprised by how recently the Aztec Empire existed. While many of us categorize this civilization as "ancient" in our minds, the founding city of Tenochtitlán at Lake Texcoco was established by the Mexica, a Nahuatl-speaking indigenous people, in 1325. Just 196 years later, Spanish conquerers captured Tenochtitlán.

Quote:Following the death of Israel’s first president, Chaim Weizmann, in 1952, the Israeli government, headed by Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion, offered the presidency to Einstein. Israeli presidents perform mostly ceremonial duties, so the role constitutes more of an honor than a position of power. Neither Einstein nor Ben-Gurion expressed much enthusiasm about the prospect of Einstein assuming the presidency. Einstein found the offer awkward, and Ben-Gurion joked to an assistant, “I’ve had to offer the post to him because it’s impossible not to. But if he accepts, we are in trouble.”

Throughout his life, Einstein consistently demonstrated support for the state of Israel. “I made the cause of Zionism mine because through it I saw a means of correcting a flagrant wrong,” he wrote in a 1947 letter to Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Yet when offered the presidency, Einstein tried to decline immediately, refusing an official meeting with representatives of the Israeli embassy. Israeli ambassador Abba Eban insisted on sending him a letter in the name of Ben-Gurion. Eban’s offer emphasized the Israeli people’s admiration for Einstein and urged him to consider the intellectual and spiritual potential of the nation. “Israel is a small State in its physical dimensions, but can rise to the level of greatness,” Eban wrote. The letter assured Einstein that he would retain the freedom to engage in scientific research while president. It also stipulated that to accept the position, Einstein, who lived in Princeton, New Jersey, would have to move to Israel.

Einstein’s reply was brief and cordial, sharing appreciation for the offer and highlighting his strong emotional connection to the Jewish people. He blamed his refusal on personal shortcomings, such as a dearth of relevant skills and his advancing age. “I lack both the natural aptitude and the experience to deal properly with people,” he wrote.

In Einstein’s stead, Zionist leader Itzhak Ben-Zvi assumed the Israeli presidency later that year.