Weird and wonderful history

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History’s greatest mysteries What caused the medieval ‘dancing plague’? . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Pod Mysteries 4 WL

History's greatest mysteries Why did Mao’s chosen successor flee China? . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Queen Elizabeth I, Queen regnant of England and Queen regnant of Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death, 7 September 1533 24 March 1603. After oil by Zucchero. (Photo by Culture Club/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***

The New Year’s resolutions Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth I and Franklin D Roosevelt should have made…

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History's greatest mysteries Agatha Christie disappears . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A model of the so-called ‘Piltdown Man’ and a replica of its skull,

Q&A Who was the Piltdown Man?

Engraving of three women affected by the dancing plague - by Hendrick Hondius (1642) after a drawing by Peter Brueghel. (Getty Images)

General History

7 real moments in history you might think are made up

Vintners in an ale house, 1642. From a broadsheet titled ‘Health to All’, artist unknown. (Photo by Historica Graphica Collection/Heritage Images/Getty Images)

Did Oliver Cromwell ban Christmas? The Puritan assault on Christmas during the 1640s and 1650s

John Duval Gluck, Jr, 'the Santa Claus man', pictured left, visiting the General Post Office to promote the Santa Claus Association’s benefit show

The con man who saved Christmas

Tom Smith's Surprise Cosaques, Christmas Crackers 1878. (Image by Getty)

The history of Christmas crackers

Depiction of a musician and dancing fool in Paris, 14th century

What was life like for a court jester?

Black and white drawing showing King George V using a broom to sweep away several crowns adorned with the words 'Made in Germany'.

Fake history: 3 historical untruths that shaped the world

Gaol fever illustration.

Q&A What is gaol fever and how was it caused and spread?

Londoners flee the city during the earthquake panic of April 1750. (Getty Images)

The earthquakes that rocked Georgian London (plus three more seismic events that shaped history)

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3 curious medieval ghost stories

Irving Finkel is a British archaeologist and Assyriologist. He is currently the Assistant Keeper of Ancient Mesopotamian script, languages and cultures in the Department of Middle East in the British Museum, where he specialises in cuneiform inscriptions on tablets of clay from ancient Mesopotamia. (Photograph by Sarah Lee-Eyevine)

Irving Finkel “Ghosts were taken for granted as part of everyday Mesopotamian life”