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Mansa Musa, ruler of the Malian Empire in the fourteenth century, was fabulously wealthy. How was this demonstrated, in a spectacular fashion, on his visit to Mecca in 1324?

Answer: Traveling with an entourage of over sixty thousand people, Mansa gave away so many gifts of gold en route through Egypt and Arabia that it lowered the the price of the precious metal, and depressed the wider economy in these states for a decade afterwards.

Source: The Earth and Its People by Richard W. Bulliet et. al

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1908 – King Carlos I of Portugal and his heir, Prince Luis Filipe are assassinated by Republican sympathizers in Lisbon.

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A short, sharp hit of history in video format. Acclaimed Irish playwright and novelist Oscar Wilde was the toast of London society in the 1890s until things came decidedly unstuck through an association with a young British aristocrat, Lord Alfred Douglas, known as ‘Bosie’.

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“In Russia a man is a called reactionary if he objects to having his property stolen and his wife and children murdered.”

Winston Churchill (1874-1965), British statesman

Source: The Wicket Wit of Winston Churchill by Dominique Enright

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HistoryWow’s Featured Historical Figure of Note

Marcus Porcius Cato (234-149BCE)

Roman statesman, soldier and writer of virtue, simplicity and wisdom. He condemned the luxury of his time and was nicknamed “the censor”. He became Consul in 195BCE, took part in the defeat of Hannibal at Zama, held command in Sardinia and Spain, and in 191 BCE assisted the Greeks in overthrowing Antiochus III at Thermopolyae.

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