Early Modern

Defenestration: How Throwing People out of Windows Changed History

Throwing someone out of a window may seem like a bizarre and archaic form of protest. However, throughout European history, this violent act was used more often than you would expect in hopes of achieving important social and political goals. The word “defenestration” originates from the Latin word “fenestra,” meaning “window,” and “de,” a suffix …

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The Habsburg Jaw: Inbreeding and European Royalty

The Habsburgs (spelled Hapsburg as an Americanization) were one of Europe’s most powerful governing dynasties, dominating from the 13th century through 1918.  Austria, Bohemia, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia, and Slovenia, were once part of the monarchy’s extensive empire, as were considerable sections of Poland, Romania, and Italy. Although their dominance in Spain began in 1516, the …

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