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TIL I learned of the prankster Horace de Vere Cole. He once ruined a “pretentious and terrible play” by giving tickets for strategically selected seats to bald men. When the lights went up their shiny heads spelt out a swearword.

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78mdM TIL in the early 14th century, King Ludwig IV of Bavaria became Holy Roman Emperor. After repeated clashes with the Pope, he was officially excommunicated. Ludwig then tried to install his own “anti-pope”, but the scheme ultimately failed, deepening the empire’s rift with the church.
5Vorn TIL: William Bailey was a Harvard dropout turned salesman who promoted using radioactive radium as a cure-all. He claimed it can cure mental illness, diabetes, flus, etc. He became wealthy. He died of cancer and when his body was exhumed, it was found to be "ravaged by radiation".
97VD TIL in Chile, the the act of not wearing underwear has been called “to go gringo-style” (andar a lo gringo)
EAZd TIL that to decide who would become the monarch of the Persian Empire (44% of world population), six nobles decided on a test. They were to gather outside the palace, mounted on their horses at sunrise, and the man whose horse neighed first in recognition of the rising sun would become king.
6ErG7 TIL about the Battle of Cannae, in which the Carthaginian general, Hannibal crushed a Roman Republic army, resulting in an estimated loss of 55,000 - 70,000 men for the Romans, and is considered one of the most significant battles in history.