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Amusingly named historical events

For discussion and debate about anything. (Not a roleplay related forum; out-of-character commentary only.)

What's your favourite amusingly named historical event?

The Parliament of Bats
7
5%
The Diet of Worms
34
22%
The Defenestrations of Prague
14
9%
The Boston Tea Party
6
4%
The Great Molasses Flood
13
8%
The War of Jenkins' Ear
32
21%
Other (please elaborate)
9
6%
I protest that this poll is anglocentric and culturally imperialist
28
18%
I agree with the Archregimancy
10
7%
 
Total votes : 153

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The Archregimancy
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Amusingly named historical events

Postby The Archregimancy » Wed May 18, 2011 1:05 am

The Parliament of Bats

The Diet of Worms

The Defenestrations of Prague

The Boston Tea Party

The Great Molasses Flood (what is it with Boston, anyway?)

The War of Jenkins' Ear

History is full of amusingly named events (whether due to mispronunciation, changes in meaning, or - in the case of Prague - just using a great word).

What are your favourites, and why?

Examples from languages other than English are very welcome, but please explain why they're amusing/cool in the other language.

Please remember that this is supposed to be a fun thread - it would be hypocritical in the extreme for me to discourage petty niggling over historical accuracy, but let's try and keep it fairly light-hearted.

Poll reset:

Poll was reset so as to include the War of Jenkins' Ear; feel free to vote again.
Last edited by The Archregimancy on Wed May 18, 2011 1:46 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Georgism
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Postby Georgism » Wed May 18, 2011 1:09 am

Defenestration by a mile.
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Barringtonia
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Postby Barringtonia » Wed May 18, 2011 1:09 am

The roundheads vs. the cavaliers.. I mean, I guess it's funny due to the connotations made afterwards but, still, made English civil war history a touch more amusing.
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Offenheim
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Postby Offenheim » Wed May 18, 2011 1:12 am

I always thought it was called the "Molassacre" up in Boston. Regardless of the truth, I think the one I know is superior.

Also, War of Jenkin's Ear is by far the most amusing name for a historical event.
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The Archregimancy
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Postby The Archregimancy » Wed May 18, 2011 1:15 am

Offenheim wrote:Also, War of Jenkin's Ear is by far the most amusing name for a historical event.


Damn... I had that one on the tip of my tongue, and had enough space on the poll to include it; just slipped my mind.

I agree that it's certainly a strong candidate, and should have been listed in the OP. My apologies.

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Sun Aut Ex
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Postby Sun Aut Ex » Wed May 18, 2011 1:17 am

You bastards, I was going to say the War of Jenkins' Ear! :p
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Laerod
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Postby Laerod » Wed May 18, 2011 1:17 am

Wow. I've never seen the Diet of Worms in that light...

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Munathanura
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Postby Munathanura » Wed May 18, 2011 1:23 am

I think I'll have to vote for War of Jenkin's Ear.
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Offenheim
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Postby Offenheim » Wed May 18, 2011 1:26 am

The people have spoken. Put it in.
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Vellosia
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Postby Vellosia » Wed May 18, 2011 1:31 am

Although, really, the War of Jenkin's Ear was more a prelude to a greater war than anything else.
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Postby Nanatsu no Tsuki » Wed May 18, 2011 1:33 am

The Battle of the Bulge. When I first read about it, I thought it was a joke. With that name?! How couldn't it be? But I soon realized it was a real event, a battle fought during WWII.
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Postby Villemaa » Wed May 18, 2011 1:33 am


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Risottia
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Postby Risottia » Wed May 18, 2011 1:36 am

Nanatsu no Tsuki wrote:The Battle of the Bulge. When I first read about it, I thought it was a joke. With that name?! How couldn't it be? But I soon realized it was a real event, a battle fought during WWII.

Yep, but I don't think it's very aptly named. A lot of battles happen where frontlines form a bulge. After all it's full of healthy men in the vigour of their youth.

Anyway, win for the War of the Oaken Bucket. It even generated an epic poem.
Last edited by Risottia on Wed May 18, 2011 1:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
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The Archregimancy
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Postby The Archregimancy » Wed May 18, 2011 1:37 am

Offenheim wrote:The people have spoken. Put it in.


Done; Jenkins' Ear is in - though unfortunately this did mean resetting the poll.

Laerod wrote:Wow. I've never seen the Diet of Worms in that light...


That's because, as a German, you pronounce 'Worms' correctly ;)

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Nanatsu no Tsuki
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Postby Nanatsu no Tsuki » Wed May 18, 2011 1:39 am

Risottia wrote:
Nanatsu no Tsuki wrote:The Battle of the Bulge. When I first read about it, I thought it was a joke. With that name?! How couldn't it be? But I soon realized it was a real event, a battle fought during WWII.

Yep, but I don't think it's very aptly named. A lot of battles happen where frontlines form a bulge. After all it's full of healthy men in the vigour of their youth.


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Postby Rambhutan » Wed May 18, 2011 2:08 am

The London Beer Flood of 1814
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Nazis in Space
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Postby Nazis in Space » Wed May 18, 2011 2:13 am

Reichskristallnacht.

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Meowfoundland
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Postby Meowfoundland » Wed May 18, 2011 2:46 am

I always liked the Pig War.
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Postby Risottia » Wed May 18, 2011 4:49 am

The Archregimancy wrote:
Laerod wrote:Wow. I've never seen the Diet of Worms in that light...

That's because, as a German, you pronounce 'Worms' correctly ;)


Huge flamey debate at the Diet: the last issue really opened a can of Worms. :blink:
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Laerod
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Postby Laerod » Wed May 18, 2011 4:53 am

Risottia wrote:
The Archregimancy wrote:That's because, as a German, you pronounce 'Worms' correctly ;)


Huge flamey debate at the Diet: the last issue really opened a can of Worms. :blink:

Don't be silly. The only German city that comes in cans is Berlin.

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Risottia
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Postby Risottia » Wed May 18, 2011 4:56 am

Laerod wrote:
Risottia wrote:
Huge flamey debate at the Diet: the last issue really opened a can of Worms. :blink:

Don't be silly. The only German city that comes in cans is Berlin.

...I thought it was only Berliner babies that came in cans and bottles. Now it's :unsure: the whole city?
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The Archregimancy
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Postby The Archregimancy » Wed May 18, 2011 5:06 am

Risottia wrote:
The Archregimancy wrote:That's because, as a German, you pronounce 'Worms' correctly ;)


Huge flamey debate at the Diet: the last issue really opened a can of Worms. :blink:



What, Charles V's closing declaration in the Edict of Worms that...

"Item. Furthermore, we declare in this ordinance that if anyone, whatever his social status may be, dares directly or indirectly to oppose this decree--whether concerning Luther's matter, his defamatory books or their printings, or whatever has been ordered by us--these transgressors in so doing will be guilty of the crime of lèse majesté and will incur our grave indignation as well as each of the punishments mentioned above."

A century later, that would take Europe into the Thirty Years War, so, yes, I suppose you're essentially correct.

You were trying to be funny? Don't you realise there's no room for humour in an NSG history thread?

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Laerod
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Postby Laerod » Wed May 18, 2011 5:06 am

Risottia wrote:
Laerod wrote:Don't be silly. The only German city that comes in cans is Berlin.

...I thought it was only Berliner babies that came in cans and bottles. Now it's :unsure: the whole city?

Well, the air. I'm not sure how much a can of Berlin air goes for these days, but it's a pretty typical souvenir to buy.

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Colombie-Britannique
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Postby Colombie-Britannique » Wed May 18, 2011 5:07 am


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