Historical Bookworm

You know, we at Historical Bookworm want to bring you enjoyment, encouragement, and … an escape through this show. With so much upheaval in our world today, it’s nice to relax and share a few interesting characters for history.

Napoleon

In July of 1807, the war between the French Empire and Imperial Russia finally came to an end. To Celebrate, Napoleon arranged a rabbit hunt for himself and his men. It’s reported that his chief of staff had… 3,000 rabbits captured and placed into cages. When they were released, Napoleon and his warriors were armed and ready. But, instead of running away, the bunnies turned toward Bonaparte and his men, jumping at them in masses. Think Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds, but with bunnies.

At first, the men laughed but when the onslaught ensued, they did everything they could to beat the rabbits away, using batons, riding crops, and even going so far as to shoot at them… We’re talking 3,000 rabbits. Eventually, Napoleon retreated to his carriage, only to be followed.

Historian David Chandler described the semi-comical carnage thusly: “With a finer understanding of Napoleonic strategy than most of his generals, the rabbit horde divided into two wings and poured around the flanks of the party and headed for the imperial coach.”

Napoleon escaped in his carriage, leaving his men behind to fend for themselves.

So, why did this happen, you may ask. I mean, we’re talking about rabbits. It seemed like the fault falls on Napoleon’s chief of staff, Alexandre Berthier. Rather than capturing wild rabbits for the hunt, he bought rabbits from farms, so rather than scurry away before Napoleon and his men, these hares ran toward them, likely expecting to be fed.

Marie Antoinette Never Said, “Let Them Eat Cake”

Although it is recorded in Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s autobiography that A princess said this phrase, it was falsely attributed to the popular Princess of France, Marie Antoinette. It is however unlikely she ever said this, and there is no historical fact. The idea that she did, is in fact complete fiction.

Abraham Lincoln is enshrined in the Wrestling Hall of Fame.

The Great Emancipator wasn’t quite WWE material, but thanks to his long limbs he was an accomplished wrestler as a young man. Defeated only once in approximately 300 matches, Lincoln reportedly talked a little smack in the ring. According to Carl Sandburg’s biography of Lincoln, Honest Abe once challenged an entire crowd of onlookers after dispatching an opponent: “I’m the big buck of this lick. If any of you want to try it, come on and whet your horns.” There were no takers. Lincoln’s grappling exploits earned him an “Outstanding American” honor in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Lyudmila Pavlichenko

The final, and not so popular figure I’d like to share with you since March is Women’s history is Lyudmila Pavlichenko. She is history’s deadliest female sniper. A divorced teenage mother from a  tiny Ukrainian town is credited with killing at least 309 Nazis. Pavlichenko had been wounded four times and had PTSD. Some say she was just Russian Propaganda, but one famous woman, Eleanor Roosevelt, was not dissuaded by these rumors.  In fact, these two no-nonsense women toured the States together and formed a historic bond. Many years later, in the midst of the Cold War, Roosevelt had an emotional reunion with Pavlichenko in Moscow.

In pop culture, Pavlichenko has been immortalized by a Woody Guthrie song, and the film “Battle for Sevastopol,” a joint Ukrainian-Russian production filmed before these two countries went to war with each other in 2014.