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TIL that following the Spanish Inqusition and their expulsion, banished Jews who were once pivotal in advancing Cartography and Ship Navigation during the Age of Exploration, sought revenge by becoming some of the most famed pirates

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vPLXx TIL during the French Revolution, Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, changed his name to "Citizen Égalité", advocated against absolute monarchy, and in the National Convention, voted to guillotine Louis XVI. Despite this, he still executed in 1793 during Reign of Terror as an enemy of the republic.
RD8l TIL that Patrick Stewart has said that playing Jean-Luc Picard changed him as a person. “…I suppose [he] even had some influence on me. I became a better listener than I ever had been as a result of playing Jean-Luc Picard because it was one of the things that he does terrifically well.”
9YAvM TIL that when Cato the Younger attempted suicide in secret to avoid capture by Caesar, his sword missed any vital organs, slicing open his stomach. When he awoke to a doctor stitching him up, Cato pushed him away, tore out his intestines with his bare hands, and died on the spot.
KOooG TIL: James Richard Shinn was a master book thief. Using expert techniques and fraudulent documents, he would ultimately pillage world-class libraries to the tune of half a million dollars or more. A detective called him “the most fascinating, best, smartest crook I ever encountered.''
7rbvM TIL According to official figures from the Russian government there are 2 747 997 lakes within the country's borders.