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TIL the "Cardinal King" Henry the Chaste of Portugal never expected the throne, as he was an elderly man vowed to celibacy, doomed without successors. He attempted to resign the clergy to produce an heir, but Spain pressured the pope to deny him. When Henry died, Spain annexed Portugal for 60 years

YDVA TIL that in 16th century England, beggars, thieves and other criminals developed their own language known as “thieves’ cant” in order to keep law enforcement from learning about their plans or habits
Lke4v TIL in 2018 a 75-year-old British man pooped into a container for six to eight weeks, built a homemade pump, drove 200 miles to his former friend's house and used the pump to spray the poo all over the hallway and stairs through the mailbox.
a84xZ TIL that Police Squad, forerunner to The Naked Gun, was cancelled by ABC because casual audiences couldn't keep up with the rate of jokes, claiming "the viewer had to watch it in order to appreciate it", stated by TV Guide as being "the most stupid reason a network ever gave for ending a series"
lPNr TIL Peter Francisco, known as the Virginia Giant, was a Goliath-like soldier in the American Revolutionary War. Because of his prowess, George Washongton once said the war might have been lost without his efforts.
rRDX1 TIL Under German law you can be jailed for up to one year, if you provide alcoholic beverages for someone placed by public order into an institution for withdrawal treatment.