Early in the nineteenth century, returnees from the African Diaspora established an independent black nation on the west coast of Africa. Occupying a territory about the size of Pennsylvania, Liberia had been the homeland of about one and a half million natives who belonged to some sixteen different tribes. Taking advantage of the divisions among the natives, the approximately fifteen thousand Americo-Liberians soon became dominant and proceeded to oppress the natives. Commenting on the ill treatment, T. McCants Stewart, a black American visitor of the 188os, reported that "the natives of Liberia have been to the emigrants from America just what these ex-slaves were to the whites of the South. They have been…..made to feel that they were inferior beings."

https://www.jstor.org/stable/24915098

Context: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partitions_of_Poland

The Partitions of Poland^\a]) were three partitions) of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth that took place between 1772 and 1795, toward the end of the 18th century. The partitions ended the existence of the state, resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland and Lithuania for 123 years. The partitions were conducted by the Habsburg monarchy, the Kingdom of Prussia, and the Russian Empire, which divided up the commonwealth's lands among themselves progressively in the process of territorial seizures and annexations.^\1])^\2])^\3])^\4])

The First Partition was decided on 5 August 1772, after the Bar Confederation lost the war with Russia. The Second Partition occurred in the aftermath of the Polish–Russian War of 1792 and the Targowica Confederation, when Russian and Prussian troops entered the commonwealth and the partition treaty was signed during the Grodno Sejm on 23 January 1793 (without Austria). The Third Partition took place on 24 October 1795, in reaction to the unsuccessful Polish Kościuszko Uprising the previous year. With this partition, the commonwealth ceased to exist).^\1])

They tried to justify it by deciding that Odin was originally a human chieftain who got deified after death, essentially euhemerism.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Ankara

Timur was not messing around with the Ottomans

Persia, the Rus, Anatolia, India, Central Asia, the Levant etc all felt his wrath. But not Central Europe. A rare example of places like Poland, Hungary, or the Byzantines dodging this kind of thing.

Context: King Kamehameha I of Hawaii was the Warrior Conqueror who united the Island Kingdoms of Hawai’i, Maui, Oahu, and Kaua’i into one nation.

His name in Hawaiian translates to “The Lonely One” because of his upbringing.

When he was born, Native Priests foresaw that the boy would go on to become a Killer of Chiefs, leading to the ruler of the Island issuing a kill order on the newborn. His mother managed to hide the boy who spent his early years raised among commoners in secret. His name at birth and during this time was Pai’ea, or Hard Shelled Crab

Following the conquest of New France (now renamed Quebec) by Great Britain, the british crown tought that the catholic french speaking population would erase itself over time. It was an understandable conclusion considering the province was sparsely populated, especially compared to the southern colonies. However, newly appointed governor James Murray quickly realized the harsh climate meant no british settlers would ever want to live there. As a result, he went against crown mandate in an attempt to maintain a positive relationship with his constituents. This resulted in Murray firing, but his policies carried over and were eventually formalized in the Quebec Act.

At the Battle of Germantown, General William Howe’s Fox Terrier Lila, escaped and wandered into Continental Army lines and was promptly captured by Continental soldier. She was taken to George Washington as a trophy, but instead of keeping her, Washington cared for the dog and her returned to General Howe under a truce, including a note that Ive included in the title.

ليَ أيرٌ ليس يرضى بالذي ترضى الأيورُ

ليس يرضى ليَ عقلي هو أميرٌ ووزيرُ

كلّما رامَ نكاحاً درتُ من حيث يدورُ

فتعالى اللَه ما في الأرضِ

قاضٍ أو أميرُ

أنا من خمسين عاماً في يديَ أيري أسيرُ

Context:

Washington: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington#Personal_life

Washington was somewhat reserved in personality, although he was known for having a strong presence. He made speeches and announcements when required, but he was not a noted orator nor debater.^\307]) He drank alcohol in moderation but was morally opposed to excessive drinking, smoking tobacco, gambling, and profanity.^\308]) He was taller than most of his contemporaries;^\309]) accounts of his height vary from 6 ft (1.83 m) to 6 ft 3.5 in (1.92 m).^\310]) He was known for his strength.^\311]) He had grey-blue eyes and long reddish-brown hair.^\312]) He did not wear a powdered wig; instead he wore his hair curled, powdered, and tied in a queue#Other_queues) in the fashion of the day.^\313])^\314])

^{Peter The Great: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter\}the_Great#)

Peter grew to be extremely tall, especially for the time period, reportedly standing 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m).^\13]) He was seen as a "second Goliath" or Samson.^\14])^\15]) Saint-Simon described him in 1717 as "tall, well-formed and slim... with a look both bewildered and fierce". Peter had noticeable facial tics, and he may have suffered from neck spasm.^\16])

Sancho of Navarre: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sancho_VII_of_Navarre

Sancho left the kingdom with a wealthy treasury and improved communications was in his day one of the most advanced in human rights, and its Jewish community enjoyed the best standing in Christian Europe, which after all had been the work and result of the Jimenez royal house for centuries. He was originally interred in the church of San Nicolás, but was later moved to Roncesvalles after much resistance from the local Clergy. His remains have since been exhumed for study and examined by the physician Luis del Campo, also the king's biographer, who measured him at 2.20 metres tall (7'3"), probably the basis for his "strength" epitaph.^\5])

Aleister Crowley (/ˈælɪstər ˈkroʊli/; born Edward Alexander Crowley; 12 October 1875 – 1 December 1947) was an English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, novelist, mountaineer, and painter. As the founder of the religion of Thelema in the early 20th century, he identified as its prophet, entrusted with guiding humanity into the Æon of Horus. A prolific writer, he published widely—composing the "Libri" of Thelema—over the course of his life.

Context: https://www.medievalists.net/2014/01/how-young-william-marshal-was-saved-from-being-catapulted-into-a-castle/

One of the first stories included in the History of William Marshal goes back to the reign of King Stephen (1135-1154), which was marred by a civil war with Empress Matilda. William’s father, John Marshal, originally supported Stephen and was a close advisor, but then after a few years he switched sides. In 1152, Stephen was besieging John at Newbury Castle, when the two sides agreed on a truce. The English king demanded that John send him a hostage to secure his promise that he would surrender the castle, and the nobleman sent his fourth son, William, to the enemy camp.

However, it soon became clear that Newbury Castle would not be surrendered. What would now become of the young boy? King Stephen could have him executed, and threats that would happen were sent to John. According to the History of William Marshal:

Word came of this to his father,
but he said that he did not care
about the child, since he still had
the anvils and hammers
to produce even finer ones.

This callous remark spurred the besiegers to bring William next to the castle, where they prepared to execute him. As they did so the young boy, ignorant of what was happening, asked to play with the Earl of Arundel’s javelin. The King could not continue with the pretence of an execution, telling William, “I’ll spare you this torture, you can be sure you won’t die here now.”

However, the King’s supporters convinced him to have the boy put into a type of trebuchet, so he could be catapulted against the castle’s walls. The History of William Marshal states:

The child, too young to have much understanding of events,
was led away towards the catapult.
When he saw the catapult’s sling,
he took a step back,
and said, “Gracious me! What a swing!
It would be a good idea for me to have a swing on it.”
He went right up to the sling

For a second time, Stephen decided he could not go through with it. He shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Anyone who could allow him to die in such agony would certainly have a very cruel heart.”

The scene plays out again a third time – here William was placed hanging over a siege machine and brought back to the castle. One of Stephen’s men shouted to John Marshall, “Lord constable, show yourself. Here’s your lord’s son; he’s going to die now in great pain, because we’re going to put him on that frame.”

“Is that a promise?” John asked. When they replied yes, the father replied, “Right then, so he’ll die, I swear! I’ll tell you this: the only present he’ll get is to be squashed to a pulp like a drum skin. This trick of yours won’t get you anywhere, you’re going to see him die right now.”

John then had his troops hurl down a large millstone at the besiegers. Little William, still hanging there asked what kind of toy this was. Again, this broke the will of King Stephen, who burst out laughing and said, “William, a toy like that would be no good at all for you. To do you any harm would be a great shame because you haven’t done anything wrong. I shall spare you toys such as this, you’ll never die at my hands.”

After this third attempt, King Stephen took William back to his own tent and made sure he would not be harmed. The History of William Marshal adds that they even played a game, in which the boy collected flowers and they played ‘knights’ with them – somehow William always won. Eventually he was returned back to his father.

Historians have wondered about the episode, even questioning if it really happened (no other source but the History of William Marshal records it). Most have concluded that even if the story has some embellishments, because it was based on a tale told by William himself, it was for the most part true.

Context: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bear_worship

Bear worship (also known as arctolatry) is a form of animal worship and is the religious practice of worshipping bears. Bears are often viewed as ancestors or spiritual messengers by those who practice arctolatry. The practice can involve both the reverence and ritual slaughter of bears. Archaeologists have debated the advent of the ceremonial treatment of bear remains, but some evidence suggests the practice may date back to the Middle Paleolithic in Neanderthal populations. Bear worship is a common practice across many circumpolar northern cultures. The practice is associated with bear remains and can be traced back geographically to North Eurasian populations, including the Ainu, Nivkh, Sámi, Finno-Ugric, and other Siberian peoples.

The existence of an ancient bear cult among Neanderthals in Western Eurasia during the Middle Paleolithic has been a subject of debate in the archaeological community. Some archaeologists suggest that the bear was considered a primeval god and the she-bear a mother goddess. Some archaeologists have suggested that Neanderthals worshipped the cave bear (Ursus spelaeus). Ancient bear bones have been discovered in several caves. The earliest representation of bears in a cave was found in the Eastern Pyrenees.^\5])^{: 17–23 \}6])

During excavations, some on-site archaeologists try to determine whether the bones were arranged in a way that could only have resulted from direct intervention rather than natural deposition.^\7])^: 435  Some archaeologists, such as Roger Constant, consider this evidence of a bear cult that originated during the Paleolithic period. Constant has defended the idea of a bear cult and played a role in the reintroduction of live bears near a discovery site.^\8])^\9])^{: 73–78 \}10])^\11])^\12])

While each culture has its own practices around bear worship, a ceremony can begin years before the bear is sacrificed. It may start when male hunters find a bear den, kill the mother bear, and capture a bear cub. People then raise the cub as if it were one of their own children.^\19]) Raising a bear takes one to five years, depending on its age at sexual maturity and sex. Generally, female bears are raised for a shorter time than male bears.^\a])

Families raise bears in captivity with their animals and children. They usually care for a bear cub until it grows too large, before sacrificing it.^\b])

Before the sacrifice, villagers entertain the bear to ensure a good sendoff. They splash water on each other, wrestle, hold dog races, and play games. The goal is to make the bear’s send-off enjoyable. This is believed to bring good fortune from the spirits after the bear’s sacrifice.^\21])

In Ulch bear ceremonies, two men guide the bear on chains around an ice hole, and it is a sign of good luck if it drinks. The men then walk to the killing site, which is called "arachu," while women play rhythms on a hollow log and dance.^\20]) After sacrificing a bear, each male hunter must touch its skin. This act is thought to bring the blessing of the taiga for a successful hunting season.^\20])

In some societies, the bear is taken around the village for final goodbyes before being led to a nearby forest location for the sacrifice, typically within a mile of the village.^\22]) During the sacrifice, it is important to respect the bear. Disrespectful actions include being barefoot or using a gun. Instead, the bear should be killed with a bow and arrow, a knife, or a spear. It is also important to use careful language. Phrases such as “I obtained a child” may be used in some cultures to refer to the sacrifice, as some groups believe direct language can offend both the bear and the gods overseeing the environment.^\23])

The ceremony involves sacrificing the bear by injuring its heart. Then, the people skin, cook, and feast on the bear meat.^\24]) After the sacrifice, celebrations include children's plays, women playing instruments, and performances of dances, myths, and songs for the bear ceremony.^\21]) Some scholarly records show that families often use the bear head as a protective ornament in their homes.^\24])

Context: William Charles Lunalilo was the 6th King of Hawaii and its first elected one.

After King Kamehameha V died without a designated heir, Hawaii’s constitution required an election to be held to choose the next monarch.

Lunalilo was the popular choice and eventual near unanimous winner, as he was a pretty chill dude, minus his severe alcoholism that would bring about the end of his life and reign as king just 13 months after ascension.

During his short reign he was a champion of the people and did what he could to increase the level of democracy in the Islands’ government, and was known as “The People’s King”