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TIL about the Swiss Guard's Last Stand. In 1527 Over 20k troops of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, rebelled after not being paid for months, marched on Rome and sacked the city, killing thousands. Fearing for his life, Pope Clement VII fled and 142 Swiss Guard held off the mob, none survived.

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e8DD TIL in a letter called the Ashtiname, Muhammad called on followers of Islam to protect Christians “in any place they may dwell.” Violators would be regarded as having “despised [God’s] Religion, and made himself deserving of His Curse, whether he is a Sultan or any other believer of Islam.”
PYrke TIL In 1941, the NKVD (precursor to the KGB) executed around 100,000 people in the space of 5 months.
7raDp TIL of the Caterpillar Club, whose members consist solely of people who’ve escaped out of a failing plane and lived. The club was founded by an army test pilot who bailed out of a plane in 1922 and decided that anyone else who’s ever survived this ordeal would become an automatic member.
mxZ0Y TIL that an average-sized cat with its limbs extended achieves a terminal velocity of about 60mph (97km/h), while an average-sized man reaches a terminal velocity of about 120mph (193km/h). This is why cats can survive falls from such great heights.
wlrJ TIL: In the 1690s, Swordswoman and Opera Singer Julie d’Aubigny kissed a woman while wearing men’s clothes at a ball. For such an ‘insult’ she was challenged to a duel by three men. She accepted and beat all three, at the same time!