Merlin was not just a legendary figure. An examination of ancient Welsh poetry, Geoffrey of Monmouth’s accounts of King Arthur, and other works reveals a powerful, real prophet, holy man, and bard.

In Britain in the sixth century AD, there existed a prophet, magician, and counselor to King Arthur—Merlin. Was Merlin real? In Britain of the post-Roman Dark Ages, the traditions of the Celts were still alive despite the influence of Christianity. The existence of Celtic culture and that of the real pagan druid or bard Merlin was removed from history by later chroniclers.

There were probably two Merlins. One lived from about AD 450–-536. This was Arthur’s Merlin. Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote of him in the History of the Kings of Britain, which became a best seller in Europe when it appeared in 1136. The Life of Merlin by Geoffrey appeared in 1150.

The second, later Merlin was a bard named Myrddin in Welsh. After the Battle of Arderydd in 573, this Merlin went insane and retreated into the woods. These two figures have been conflated, adding confusion to the dating of the Merlin’s life.

10 The Collapsing Tower Story Has A Historical Basis

Writing in the sixth century, St. Gildas recounts how the evil tyrant Vortigern fled from the onslaught of Saxon invaders. The tale is taken up in the Nennius papers that Vortigern tried to build a protective citadel for himself and his followers in Snowdonia.

Geoffrey tells how the tower that Vortigern was building kept collapsing. To remedy the situation, Vortigern’s counselors told him to sacrifice a fatherless boy on the site. This boy was Merlinus Ambrosius. Merlin instructed workers to excavate the foundation of the tower. There, in a pool, they would find two sleeping dragons, one red and one white.

In The Quest for Merlin, Nikolai Tolstoy proposes that Vortigern consulted Merlin, a person of spiritual authority who was known by the name “Myrddin Embreis.” He was the successor to the druids who had once presided over the “navel” of Britain, or a center of Earth that Tolstoy theorizes was Stonehenge.

While the tale of the collapsing towers is not historical per se, the place names and the names of the people involved are real.

9 Geoffrey Of Monmouth’s Information Is Sound

Since 1198, the historical accuracy of Geoffrey of Monmouth’s work has been discredited because of inconsistencies and mistakes that could be the result of translation errors or Geoffrey’s geographical errors. Beginning in the 20th century, scholars defended Geoffrey, pointing to the existence of valid written and oral materials in his time for him to draw upon. As he was a careful chronicler, much of Geoffrey’s information can be seen as sound.

For example, archaeologist T.C. Lethbridge used Geoffrey’s descriptions of ancient giants in Britain to uncover the giant chalk figures in the Cambridgeshire hills. Another example is an inscribed pillar stone found in Ireland that supports Geoffrey’s information that Vortigern’s son had fled to Ireland.

8 Merlin Is The Narrator Of History Of The Kings Of Britain

In History of the Kings of Britain, Geoffrey names Merlin as the source of the information that he has translated from British into Latin. In a letter to Alexander, bishop of Lincoln, Geoffrey writes, “The regard which I owe to your great worth, most noble prelate, has obliged me to undertake the translation of Merlin’s prophecies out of British into Latin.”

Throughout the years, scholars have doubted Geoffrey’s claims that his source for the History of the Kings of Britain could have been an authentic sourcebook written in the native British tongue. However, as Norma Lorre Goodrich points out in her book King Arthur, Geoffrey knew Brythonic.

In addition, Geoffrey claimed that his source material for the History of the Kings of Britain was a “small book” lent to him by a churchman at Oxford. Charlotte Guest, who translated ancient Welsh texts into English, wrote that many of her sourcebooks were little books of about 8 centimeters (3 in) by 15 centimeters (6 in).

Given the credence of the tales in the light of modern scholarship and interpretation, it is not outlandish to suppose that the information ascribed to Merlin by Geoffrey was exactly what Geoffrey claimed it was.

7 Arthur’s Merlin Was Archbishop Dubricius

In her book Merlin, Norma Lorre Goodrich makes the case for Merlin and the Archbishop Dubricius being one and the same person. Merlinus Dubricius Ambrosius, the historical personage, was the Merlin who crowned Arthur king at Carlisle, established the church and priory at Llandaf, and created centers of learning and astronomy.

As Goodrich relates, both men were born into a priestly, Celtic family and had unknown fathers. Both were also prodigies and were unmatched in intellectual brilliance, learning, and wisdom. For reasons of its own, the Roman church co-opted Merlin into the pantheon of its saints.

Merlin became a myth while the historicity of St. Dubricius is not questioned.

6 The Legendary Merlin Is Linked To The Worship Of The Celtic God Lug

As early writings about Merlin link him to ancient Celtic worship of the god Lug, Nikolai Tolstoy asserts that the Merlin tales reflect a real figure behind the myth. That figure, Merlin, was an earthly representative or priest of Lug.

Pagan practices were not extinguished in Britain during and after Roman rule. Tolstoy cites evidence that the Celtic festival of Lughnasa, which honored Lug, was celebrated in Britain during Merlin’s time.

In the Welsh poem Cyfoesi Myrddin (probably composed before AD 1100), Merlin foretells the succession of kings after King Rhydderch. Merlin uttered these prophecies “in his grave,” which means Merlin is speaking from the otherworld. Similarly, appearing to Conn, Lug reveals the succession of the kings of Ireland.

These and other similarities suggest to Tolstoy that there was a real Merlin figure who stood for Lug in the Celtic spiritual practices of that time.

5 Merlin Went Mad After The Battle Of Arderydd

North of Carlisle in Scotland, the Battle of Arderydd was fought in the second half of the sixth century. Geoffrey of Monmouth tells that after this battle in which his lord Gwenddolau is slain, Merlin goes mad and retreats into the woods to live, “forgetful of himself . . . lurking like a wild thing.”

This tale refers to Myrddin, who came after King Arthur’s Merlin. Not only has the site of the battle been identified by the historian W.F. Skene, but Nikolai Tolstoy has placed Myrddin’s retreat at a spring known as Hartfell Spa.

4 Merlin Was A Druid

In his book The Quest for Merlin, Nikolai Tolstoy explains that the Battle of Arderydd was fought as Christianity was overthrowing the pagan power of Dark Age Britain.

The Myrddin of Welsh poetry was a druid, and druidic associations abound in the Myrddin poetry. The “sweet apple tree” mentioned by Myrddin hid him from the rival king, Rhydderch. In addition, Myrddin is a prophet and shape-shifter who is associated with Cernunnos, the horned god and leader of the Wild Hunt.

3 Merlin Was A Dark Ages Soothsayer

Merlin was a historical prophet of the sixth century. As evidence, Nikolai Tolstoy cites a passage from The Life of St. Samson. Anna, the mother of St. Samson, and her husband go to see a soothsayer who is “a man sought out from many regions because all who had consulted him were assured of the truth of all he told them.”

As Tolstoy points out, this is significant because it is from an authentic, historical document that describes a contemporary figure of the fame and ability of Merlin.

2 Merlin Prophesied The Time Of His Own Death

In the Huth Merlin manuscript, Merlin predicted that the Earth would be darkened in the middle of the day at the time of his death. According to the work of an Austrian astronomer, 8,000 solar eclipses occurred or will occur between the years 1207 BC and AD 2161. The one numbered 4,143 was visible in Britain on September 1, AD 536. This was the eclipse that occurred at the time of Merlin’s death.

1 Merlin Was Buried At Bardsey Island

If Merlin is indeed the Archbishop Dubricius, then The Text of the Book of Llandaf tells that he was originally buried at Bardsey Island, where he lived “among the bones and bodies of martyrs and 20,000 saints.” His remains were taken to Llandaf in 1120.

Bardsey was a burial place for “the Treasures of Britain,” those of royal and priestly blood, warriors, and the nobility.

Sources:

Goodrich, Norma Lorre, King Arthur. (Harper & Row, 1986)
Goodrich, Norma Lorre, Merlin. (Franklin Watts, 1987)
Hennig, Kaye D., King Arthur: Lord of the Grail. (DesignMagic Publishing, 2008)
Monmouth, Geoffrey, History of the Kings of Britain. (In parentheses Publications, 1999)
Tolstoy, Nikolai, The Quest for Merlin. (Little, Brown and Company, 1985)

+Further Reading

For more tales of mystery, magic, and history, check out the following lists from our archives:

10 Of History’s Most Fascinating Sorcerers
10 Mysterious Swords From Legend And History
10 Notable People Thought To Be Immortal
Top 10 Medieval Urban Legends

Davanna is a writer living on the Gulf Coast of Florida. Contact her on Twitter.

Irish dancing is a vibrant and integral part of Ireland’s cultural heritage. From its humble beginnings centuries ago to its global recognition today, Irish dancing has captivated audiences with its intricate footwork, lively rhythms, and rich history. Let’s explore the top 10 most famous Irish dancers who have left an indelible mark on this rich cultural art form.

Top 10 Famous Irish Dancers You Should Know About

Discover the top 10 most famous Irish dancers who have left an indelible mark on the world stage.

1. Michael Flatley: The Lord of the Dance

No doubt, the most famous Irish dancer is Michael Flatley. Known as the “Lord of the Dance,” Michael Flatley revolutionized Irish dancing with his electrifying performances and innovative choreography. He gained worldwide fame with shows like “Riverdance” and “Lord of the Dance,” setting the standard for modern Irish dance productions.

See also: Top 10 Most Famous Dancers of All Time

2. Jean Butler: The First Lady of Irish Dance

Jean Butler rose to prominence as Michael Flatley’s original female lead in “Riverdance.” Her grace, precision, and expressive movements earned her acclaim as one of the foremost Irish dancers of her generation.

3. Colin Dunne: Master of Rhythm

Colin Dunne’s technical prowess and artistic flair have made him a standout figure in the world of Irish dance. His performances seamlessly blend tradition with contemporary influences, captivating audiences around the globe.

See also: The Top 10 Most Famous Belly Dancers

4. Riverdance Troupe

The Riverdance troupe, featuring a talented ensemble of dancers, musicians, and singers, brought Irish dance to a global audience with their iconic performances. Their dynamic routines and infectious energy have inspired countless individuals to embrace Irish culture.

5. Michael Donnellan: Dynamic Performer

Michael Donnellan’s dynamic style and unparalleled agility have earned him widespread acclaim in the Irish dancing community. As a former principal dancer with Riverdance, he continues to showcase the beauty and complexity of Irish dance on the international stage.

See also: Top 10 Most Famous Pole Dancers

6. James Devine: Traditional Virtuoso

James Devine is renowned for his dynamic footwork and captivating stage presence. With roots in traditional Irish dance, he has pushed the boundaries of the art form, infusing it with modern elements while honoring its heritage.

7. Bernadette Flynn: Riverdance Icon

Bernadette Flynn’s grace and poise have made her a beloved figure in Irish dance circles. As a lead dancer in “Riverdance,” she helped popularize Irish dance on the world stage, inspiring a new generation of performers.

8. Joanne Doyle: Trailblazing Talent

Joanne Doyle’s technical precision and expressive storytelling have earned her acclaim as a top Irish dancer. Her performances are characterized by fluid movements and emotional depth, captivating audiences wherever she goes.

See also: 10 Most Famous Dance Styles in the World

9. Liam Harney: Iconic Choreographer

Liam Harney’s infectious enthusiasm and dynamic choreography have made him a standout presence in Irish dance. With a background in both traditional and contemporary styles, he continues to push the boundaries of the art form with his innovative approach.

10. Ciara Sexton: Rising Star

Ciara Sexton’s versatility and charisma have made her a sought-after performer in the world of Irish dance. From traditional jigs to modern interpretations, her performances showcase the richness and diversity of Irish dance culture.

Irish dancing has not only entertained audiences but also served as a cultural ambassador, promoting Irish heritage and tradition on the global stage. Through their talent and dedication, these top Irish dancers have ensured that this vibrant art form continues to thrive for generations to come.

FAQs: Irish Dancing

See also: Top 10 Most Beautiful Irish Women

The world of Irish dancing is rich with history, tradition, and talent. From the traditional reels of centuries past to the contemporary performances of today, Irish dancers have captivated audiences with their skill and artistry.

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It is a common refrain that prostitution is the oldest profession in the world. If that is true, then the second oldest is being a soldier-for-hire. Mercenaries have always been a part of warfare, and even though national armies, whether predicated upon voluntary professionals or conscripts, have ruled the battlefield since the 18th century, mercenaries haven’t gone anywhere. In fact, mercenaries (otherwise known by the more antiseptic term “private military contractors”) have enjoyed a renaissance since the 2003 war in Iraq. Most recently, in late 2017, Erik Prince, former US Navy SEAL and the founder of Blackwater, wrote an editorial suggesting that the war in Afghanistan could be won by replacing thousands of American troops with military contractors.^[1] The idea was not accepted by the Trump administration, but it got a serious hearing.

Mercenaries and privateers (the seaborne version of a mercenary) have been responsible for some of the greatest triumphs and darkest deeds in the history of warfare. Stories about these men have dazzled readers for centuries. The exploits of history’s mercenaries can also tell us a lot about human interactions and how mercenaries were some of the first people to cross cultural barriers and interact with different civilizations.

10 The Celtic Mercenaries Of Egypt

Ancient history makes it clear that some tribes and peoples have always been considered warlike. Between the Western Roman Empire and the end of the Early Modern Era, Europe’s most feared mercenaries were German-speakers from the Holy Roman Empire or Switzerland (more on some of these men later). However, prior to this epoch, Europe’s most sought-after warriors were the Celtic peoples of Gaul (France), Northern Italy, the Balkans, and the British Isles.

Beginning in the fourth century BC, Celtic tribes began raiding the city-states of the Mediterranean. In 390 BC, Celtic warriors sacked an Etruscan city on the Tiber River.^[2] Thus began a long feud between the Celts and the people of the Italian Peninsula. This feud would reach its apogee on July 18, 387 BC, when Gallic tribesman led by Brennus defeated a Roman army and sacked Rome, taking with them slaves, women, and gold.

Word quickly spread concerning these fearsome red- and blond-haired warriors from the north. The Greek city-states of Syracuse and Sparta often employed Celtic mercenaries to fight their battles, and the Carthaginian general Hannibal also used Celts in his army during the Second Punic War.

Celtic mercenaries saw fighting outside of Europe, as well. During the reign of the ethnically Greek Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt, Celtic mercenaries were often hired as part of the kingdom’s official army. Many of these Celts came from the tribes of Eastern Europe and Galatia in central Anatolia (today’s Turkey). During the reign of Pharaoh Ptolemy III Euergetes, Celtic mercenaries played a decisive role in conquering Syria and Judea and defeating the armies of the Seleucid Empire, another ethnically Greek kingdom in Asia. The Greek historian Polybius even recorded that many Celtic mercenaries settled in Egypt and took Egyptian or Greek wives. To the Greeks, these Celto-Mediterranean children became known as e pigovoi.

9 The Wild Geese

The so-called “Wild Geese” of the 17th and 18th centuries are in many ways the direct heirs of the ancient Celtic mercenaries of the Mediterranean. Following the Treaty of Limerick in 1691, which ended the Williamite-Jacobite War in Ireland, Irish Jacobite general Patrick Sarsfield agreed to let as many as 20,000 Irish Catholic troops board French ships and become mercenaries in Europe. Like their Celtic forebears, these battle-hardened troops were known for their toughness and were considered to be the best light infantry force on the continent. The Irish soldiers of Sarsfield later became known as the Wild Geese, and their Catholic fighters would serve honorably in the armies of France, Spain, and Russia.

Irish mercenaries had served in Habsburg Spain since at least the 1580s, when the English crown sent rebellious Catholics to Spain as a way to both fight the Spanish and keep Ireland quiet. Unfortunately for London, many of these Irish soldiers pledged allegiance to Spain and fought against English and Dutch armies. Irish soldiers in Spain would see service later against Napoleon, while during the apex of the Spanish Empire, Irish mercenaries saw action in Mexico and South America.^[3] Many of these Irish mercenaries would establish noble families in the New World, and as a result, several leaders of the Latin American independence movements turned out to be ethnically Irish. (See, for instance, Bernardo O’Higgins of Chile.)

The Wild Geese truly earned their fighting reputation in France. The Irish Brigade of King Louis XIV’s army would fight in the War of Spanish Succession, the War of Austrian Succession, and the Seven Years War. Irish mercenaries also fought for the Spanish-French forces against the British during the siege of Pensacola, Florida, in 1781.

8 American Mercenaries In China

Americans of all stripes have long taken an active role in Chinese affairs. During the 19th century, American Christian missionaries, doctors, and school teachers were all over China, especially in coastal cities like Shanghai, Tientsin (Tianjin), and Tsingtao (Qingdao). Another group of Americans came to China as mercenaries either in the employ of the Qing Dynasty or the various warlords who came to power following the Xinhai Revolution of 1911–1912.

Notable American mercenaries in China included Homer Lea and Philo McGiffin. Lea was a native of Colorado who became interested in Chinese affairs after befriending Ng Poon Chew in Los Angeles’s Chinatown. Seeing in China a chance for glory and adventure, Lea learned Cantonese, joined a secret society, and began training Chinese men for military service in China while they lived in California. In 1899, the Stanford-educated Lea joined an army loyal to the warlord K’ang Yu-wei and stayed in China until Empress Dowager Tz’u Hsi began reforming the Qing monarchy along Western lines. Lea would later befriend Dr. Sun Yat-sen in Hong Kong, and in 1909, his book, The Valor of Ignorance, predicted that a militarily aggressive Japan would try to conquer America by attacking the Philippines and Hawaii.

Philo McGiffin was born in Pennsylvania to a family with a long history of fighting in America’s wars. McGiffin attended the US Naval Academy at Annapolis but failed to attain an officer’s commission due to poor test scores. Still seeking to put his naval skills to use, McGiffin sailed to Tientsin during the Tonkin War (1884–1885) and volunteered for the Imperial Chinese Navy. After serving as an instructor at the Chinese Naval Academy, McGiffin was an officer aboard the Chinese battleship Chen Yuen during the Battle of the Yalu River in 1894. Although the Japanese fleet destroyed its Chinese foe, McGiffin’s battleship managed to fight on for hours without sinking.^[4] McGiffin is pictured above recovering from wounds sustained in the battle.

The most famous American mercenaries to ever serve in China were the members of the First American Volunteer Group, or “Flying Tigers,” who served as members of the Chinese Air Force between 1941 and 1942.

7 The Mercenary Revolt In Brazil

Because most of them fight for nothing more than money, mercenaries have shown a propensity to engage in unruly behavior. This is certainly what happened in 1828, when Irish and German mercenaries revolted against the Empire of Brazil, the very government that had hired them in the first place.

The roots of this revolt originated in the Cisalpine War between Brazil and the United Provinces. By July 1828, Brazilian war-weariness was at an all-time high, thanks to several military defeats. Incensed that the terms of their contracts had not yet been met, two battalions of Irish and German mercenaries revolted and took control of a large swath of the city of Rio de Janeiro.^[5]

Unsurprisingly, violence was used to put this revolt down. A force of 300 Brazilians, 300 French sailors, and 224 British Royal Marines managed to suppress the revolt by killing approximately 150 of the mercenaries. Many of the Irish who survived were sent back to their homeland, while a large percentage of the Germans were sent to live in the remote provinces of Brazil.

6 Swiss Mercenaries

Today, Switzerland is synonymous with its pacifist foreign policy. Switzerland simply does not fight wars. However, Swiss mercenaries have been fighting on battlefields since the Middle Ages. The first written accounts of Swiss mercenary companies date from the 13th century, but the fearsome Swiss soldiers of Europe did not become infamous until the 16th century. At that time, Swiss mercenaries fought in the army of King Louis XII of France during the Italian Wars. Between 1516 and 1793, Swiss mercenaries almost exclusively served the French throne as part of an unofficial agreement.

The most elite of these Swiss mercenaries were the pikemen. Usually formed into phalanxes, Swiss pikemen used 6-meter (20 ft) spears to devastating effect. In 1386, 1,200 pikemen defeated a Holy Roman army of 6,000 soldiers who had invaded Swiss territory. In 1444, at the Battle of St. Jakob an der Birs, the French army of King Louis XI was routed by 1,200 to 1,600 Swiss pikemen.^[6] This was despite the fact that the Swiss were outnumbered 15–1.

Recognizing that mobile formations of battle-hardened Swiss pikemen could defeat almost any European army, France and Austria employed them to great effect. Swiss pikemen helped the Spanish and Holy Roman forces to take Milan in 1525. The notoriety of the Swiss pikemen also encouraged the Vatican to hire Swiss mercenaries. The Swiss Guard, a body of Swiss Catholic soldiers, was officially formed in 1506 and still serves the papacy to this day.

5 The Black Army

It was a mostly mercenary army that turned the Kingdom of Hungary from a backwater into one of the most powerful states in Christendom. The Black Army was the idea of King Matthias Corvinus (Matyas Corvinus), the so-called “Renaissance King” who was known for his large library, his scientific work, and his excellent statecraft. Realizing that Hungary needed a skilled military to protect itself from the growing power of the Ottoman Turks, Corvinus taxed Hungarian nobles in order to raise a force of 30,000 mercenaries. These fighters came from Bohemia, Austria, Poland, Croatia, Serbia, Bavaria, and Switzerland. Until Corvinus’s death in 1490, the Black Army ruled Central Europe as the premiere fighting force in the Balkans and Eastern Europe.^[7]

The Black Army would eventually lose power in Hungary thanks to the tax legislation of the 16th century. Before that, the Black Army won several notable victories, witnessed several mutinies, and was one of the first European armies to embrace a terrifying new technology—the firearm.

4 The White Legion

In the modern world, Africa has seen the most mercenary activity. Since at least the late 19th century, several African colonies and states have employed foreign nationals to serve as mercenaries in the continent’s many bush wars. One of the more infamous mercenary units was the White Legion of the First Congo War.

The White Legion consisted of about 200 Eastern European mercenaries who served on behalf of the Congolese dictator Mobutu Sese Seko.^[8] The White Legion primarily guarded the important city of Kisangani. By 1997, it was clear to all observers that Mobutu would not be able to hold on to power, and therefore, the White Legion left the country in that same year after several insignificant battles.

Although the White Legion played no role in the outcome of the First Congo War, their presence on the battlefield did speak volumes about how globalized the mercenary trade had become. The White Legion mostly came from the former state of Yugoslavia, and more specifically, a majority of these mercenaries had once served under the Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladic. Mladic was nicknamed the “Butcher of Bosnia” for his gruesome exploits during the Bosnian War of the early to mid-1990s. In 2017, Mladic received a life sentence for war crimes.

3 The Eagle Of Brittany

Arguably the best-known mercenary of the medieval world is the Englishman John Hawkwood, the leader of the White Company. Another great warlord of medieval Europe was the Breton knight Bertrand du Guesclin, a man so fearsome that he was nicknamed the “Eagle of Brittany” and the “Black Dog of Broceliande.”

Guesclin was born in 1320, and he first saw serious action in the 1340s. At that time, Guesclin fought for the House of Blois against the House of Montfort. Known as the War of Breton Succession, this inter-noble fighting ended in a victory for the Montfort family. At the Battle of Auray, Guesclin was captured by the Anglo-Breton army and ransomed for 100,000 francs. Following his release, Guesclin briefly left France in order to fight as a mercenary in Spain under the command of Count Henry of Trastamara, the future King Henry II of Castile and Leon.

Guesclin saw heavy action during the Castilian Civil War, and his “free company” (a medieval term for mercenaries) helped to win the day at the Battle of Montiel in 1369. A year later, French king Charles V recalled Guesclin back to France in order to fight the English army. In that same year, Guesclin was named as the constable of France, the highest military position at that time.^[9] Under Guesclin, French soldiers and mercenary bands frequently defeated the English by employing the Fabian strategy, or the art of avoiding pitched battles in favor of small skirmishes.

2 The Landsknechts

The most controversial, yet most successful, mercenary unit of the Early Modern Era was the Landsknechts, an almost exclusively German force from the mountainous states of the Holy Roman Empire. During the 16th century, the Landsknechts were known for their bloodthirsty ways and their often disloyal behavior. (It was reported widely at the time that Landsknecht soldiers would switch sides during battles.)

What is known about the Landsknechts for sure is that they were created by the Holy Roman emperor Maximillian I. Inspired by the Swiss pikemen used by the French army, Emperor Maximilian began recruiting tough men from places like Swabia, Alsace, Tyrol, and the Rhineland. These men literally stood out on the battlefield because they were exempt from clothing regulations, thus Landsknecht soldiers became easily identifiable due to their flashy and bright clothing.

At the height of their power, the Landsknechts utilized such weapons as the halberd (a poleaxe), a two-handed sword called the zweihander, and the arquebus long gun to defeat better-trained and larger armies.^[10] At the battles of Bicocca and Marignano, the Landsknechts defeated the Swiss pikemen. Like their adversaries, the Landsknechts employed squares of pikemen, but these pikemen were flanked by supporting troops armed with halberds, guns, and swords. The Landsknechts also used a tactic called the forlorn hope, whereby swordsmen would run in between pikemen in order to disrupt battle formations.

By the time of the Protestant Reformation, many of the Landsknechts had become Lutherans. However, this did not stop many from serving Catholic masters. Similarly, the Landsknechts were not known for their Christian behavior. They almost always traveled with prostitutes, drank hard, and were known to rape and pillage cities if their pay was late. The Landsknechts can easily be summed up by the motto used by their most famous commander, Georg von Frundsberg: “Many enemies, much honor.”

1 5 Commando

Following the declaration of independence from Belgium in 1960, the Congo dissolved into a horror show of insurgent warfare and racial violence. The left-wing radical Patrice Lumumba tried to become the strongman of the country by squashing all nascent federalist and independence movements. The strongest anti-Lumumba force was the State of Katanga. Katanga was the most economically dynamic part of the Congo, with numerous copper mines and large reserves of cobalt and diamonds. Katanga’s leader, Moise Tshombe, was a Christian whose pro-European stance earned him the support of Congo’s white population. During the 1961 siege at Jadotville, the Irish soldiers of the UN met violent resistance from many of the whites who had moved to Katanga in order to escape the anti-white pogroms that began during an army mutiny in Stanleyville in 1960.

Three years later, in Northeastern Congo, a group of young communists called the Simbas revolted against the central state and took over almost 50 percent of the entire country. Since the Congolese Army proved so inept, Prime Minister Tshombe (Lumumba had been assassinated in 1961) hired approximately 300 mercenaries under the command of Mike Hoare. Known as “Mad Mike,” Hoare had served in the British Army in India and Burma during World War II. After the war, Hoare moved to South Africa and became a big game hunter and mercenary.

Taking inspiration from the Wild Geese, Hoare created 5 Commando, a pro-Tshombe force of white mercenaries drawn mostly from the Boer population of South Africa. (Even today, white South Africans serve as mercenaries all across Africa.) 5 Commando, along with other mercenary units, successfully put down the Simba rebellion by 1965. 5 Commando is one of the most well-documented mercenary units because several journalists, including the South African Hans Germani, served in the unit and documented its many battles against the genocidal Simbas.^[11]

The legacy of 5 Commando was cemented with the 1978 action film The Wild Geese, which Hoare worked on as a technical consultant. Many of the veterans of Hoare’s unit would go on to serve in the Rhodesian Bush War and the many insurgency wars between apartheid-era South Africa and its neighbors.

Before it was revealed that the Cottingley Fairies were just cardboard cut-outs, people were mesmerized by these delicate little creatures who were seemingly stumbled upon by two young girls who presented five photographs they claimed to have taken of the fairies.

There is something awe-inspiring about creatures of myth, whether it be their sheer size, their magical powers or simply their beauty. Mythical creatures and monsters are woven into the fabric of our modern-day lives; just think of the elves in Iceland and the ever-elusive Nessie supposedly roaming the waters of Loch Ness in Scotland.
Not to mention the massive creature that roams the deep of the oceans …

10 Sea serpent of Gaelic folklore

… No, not that one.

While most people have likely heard a thing or two about the much-feared Kraken of yore, many may never have heard or read about the sea serpent straight out of Scottish Gaelic folklore: Cirein-cròin.

This humongous sea monster lived alongside dinosaurs and could eat a total of 7 whales in one day. Cirein-cròin behaved in a devious manner by transforming itself into a small silver fish and allowing local fishermen to catch it. As soon as it was on board their boat, Cirein-cròin would change back into its usual form and devour everyone and everything within reach.

Some versions of the tale says that Cirein-cròin wasn’t a sea serpent but a large land-based dinosaur that hunted other creatures and humans both on land and in the ocean.

9 Mortal handmaidens turned evil

Mermaids are commonly depicted as aquatic creatures, half fish, half human, both beautiful and terrifying, both full of compassion and murderous.

This is because before mermaids took over the legends with their beauty and magic, there were sirens. Sirens were said to have taken the form of a combination of a woman and a bird, which meant they had large human heads, bird feathers and feet covered in scales. They sang enchanting songs to lure sailors and mariners which drew them into approaching the sirens, after which the creatures got into their boats and killed them.

These bird-women were said to have inhabited a remote Greek island, and a popular legend has it that before they acquired their half-and-half forms, they were handmaidens to the goddess Persephone. After Hades kidnapped Persephone, the handmaidens were given golden wings by Demeter to help search for her. But since Persephone was being held in the underworld, the maidens were unsuccessful in their search efforts. Demeter became enraged at their failure, banned them to the Greek island and cursed them.

The curse meant they would remain in half-bird form until someone passed their island without stopping first. They were also fated to die if a human heard them sing and survived. When Odysseus passed their island without incident, the sirens hurled themselves into the ocean in defeat.

8 The beast that devoured humans whole

Persian and Greek mythology speaks of a creature similar in looks to the Egyptian sphinx, with the head of a human, the body of a lion and a tail made up of spines filled with venom. Some versions of the legend of the manticore depicts it with the tail of a scorpion. The manticore was said to be invincible and able to kill and devour every animal in the jungle, with the exception of elephants, using its three rows of teeth. Much like a siren, the manticore had a beautiful voice with which it lured its human victims to their deaths. It swallowed humans whole after paralysing them with poisonous spikes shot from its tail.

In modern times, the manticore can found in the popular game, Dungeons & Dragons, in which it appears with added dragon wings (or bat wings). The beast was first introduced to the game in 1974.

7 Gargoyles and grotesques

Gargoyles, those terrifying-looking creatures squatting on the corners of many old European buildings, were popular in Gothic architecture between the 12th and 16th century as spouts that allow water to drain away from buildings. They were so popular, in fact, that they were even added to cathedral roofs.

But, of course, gargoyles and their decorative counterparts, grotesques, have their own place in mythology as well. They were believed to have been made of animated stone which gave them the ability to come to life when darkness fell. Some also believed that these fantastical monsters guarded the buildings they sat on and frightened evil spirits away. Others, however, feared the gargoyles and believed that they could be possessed by demons and as such used for sinister purposes.

During the 19th century, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the US, fully embraced Gothic architecture and to this day the city sports over twenty authentic gargoyles and hundreds of grotesques.

6 Deep water transport

While the hippocampus is a brain structure found in the temporal lobe, it is also the name of the mythical seahorse said to have pulled along the chariot of Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea. The hippocampus is depicted as having the upper body of a horse and lower body of a fish, wings protruding from its sides and said to appear in both fresh water and salt water, with its fin-mane and fin-hooves helping it to swim.

Hippocamps are described in mythology as having a personality like that of horses found on land and forming close relationships with both mermen and sea elves. When attacked, the hippocamps use their teeth and tails to fend off their attacker, but then swim away to avoid further fighting. Legend also has it that hippocamps only return to the ocean surface when their food source, seaweed, is in short supply in the deeper waters. They don’t require air to live and must stay under water or they will die.

5 Wild asses as large as horses

Unicorns make for cute outfits, cakes, and memes, but this mythical creature is a lot more than just a chubby white horse with a rainbow-colored mane and tail. The first written description of a unicorn came from a Greek doctor named Ctesias who travelled through Persia in the 4th century. He wrote of ‘wild asses as large as horses’ with white bodies, red heads and blue eyes. The wild asses also had horns on their foreheads that were about a foot and a half in length. Ctesias further wrote that the animals were faster and stronger than any other creature.

The lure of the unicorn remained throughout the centuries, with Scotland even naming the beast their national animal. Unicorns are mentioned in the Bible nine times, in the books of Numbers, Deuteronomy, Job, Psalms and Isaiah, although many take exception to the translation of the Hebrew word re’em to unicorn, as they believe the word referred to an ox or rhinoceros instead.

This belief has been somewhat backed up by the discovery of a skull fossil in Kazakhstan in 2016. The skull belonged to “Elasmotherium sibiricum” or a ‘real-life unicorn’ that lived around thirty thousand years ago and resembled a rhino. Also known as the Siberian unicorn, the creature had longer legs than a traditional rhino, a horse-like gait, and a massive horn on its nose. Experts also believe that the Siberian unicorn may have lived at the same time as modern humans.

4 Monster that causes storms

The most well-known mythical monsters of Africa are the Popobawa, the Mokele-mbembe and perhaps most infamous of all, the Tokoloshe. But have you ever heard of the Inkanyamba?

In KwaZulu Natal, on the Umgeni River, lie the majestic Howick Falls. The pool at the bottom of the waterfall is home to the Inkanyamba, according to legend. This creature, a giant serpent with fins on its horse-like head, is said to have a terrible temper that causes seasonal storms in the summer time. Only traditional healers (sangomas) are brave enough to approach the falls and are the only ones who can do so safely. Once they stand in front of the falls, they offer prayers and sacrifices to the Inkanyamba and ancestral spirits. The Xhosas in the area believe that the Inkanyamba transforms into a tornado once every year and whirls off in search of its mate.

In 1998, residents in the surrounding area tearfully blamed the Inkanyamba for the violent storm that cost thousands their homes.

3 Gnomes for good luck

It’s not uncommon to see gnome figurines decorating gardens, as these mythical beings are said to be good-luck charms, able to enrich soil and causing anything that is planted in it to flourish. People have placed gnomes in their gardens since the early 1800s, starting in Germany and soon the tradition spread to England. By the 1870s, mass production of clay garden gnomes was in full swing, but it was just about wiped out with the start of WWI and then WWII. By the 1960s, plastic gnomes were manufactured but they were nowhere near as popular as their predecessors.

Gnomes, according to legend, lived underground and guarded golden treasure. They could be found all over Europe including Spain, England, Denmark, and Norway but under different names. Sometimes they are called goblins or dwarves because of their depiction as small, deformed ‘old men.’ Gnomes have been tasked with protecting the elements of air, fire, water, and earth from humans. They are said to be sensitive to sunlight and will turn to stone if exposed to it for too long. A gnome’s advice is to be taken to heart as it is claimed it could make rich anyone who listened to it.

In recent times, gnome-napping has become somewhat of a thing. It involves ‘kidnapping’ a garden gnome from any given garden and taking it on an adventure that includes a lot of picture-taking and then sending the photos to its owner.

2 Ogres that torment the living

Ogres don’t exactly look like Shrek. Or at all like Shrek. In mythology they are described as being extremely large, with even larger heads that sprout abundant hair, off-colored skin and a strong appetite for humans, especially children. Ogres have appeared as characters in many fairytales. For instance, the witch in Hansel and Gretel is presumed to be a female ogre (ogress) because she eats children. The wolf in Little Red Riding Hood also resembles an ogre.

In Japan, ogres are called oni and portrayed as having sharp claws and two horns protruding from their heads. Some have an odd number of fingers, toes or eyes and their skin can take on any color, but they commonly appear as blue, black, brown, white and particularly red. Oni are said to be born after evil humans die and end up in one of the Buddhist Hells. There they are transformed into oni and become servants of the ruler of Hell. Part of their job is to crush the bones and peel the skin off wicked humans. When a human is too evil to be redeemed, he is transformed into an oni on Earth and remains there to terrorize those around him who are still alive.

1 The forming of the Milky Way

There are a lot of truly fascinating Maori legends about mythical beings. These include the tale of the god of weather, Tawhirimatea who sent his children, the four winds and clouds, to cause devastation on Earth, as well as the story of Taniwhas, which are reptile-like creatures that sometimes take on the form of sharks and whales and lurk in rivers and other bodies of water.

Then there is Mangaroa, the shark placed high up in the sky by the demigod Maui to look after the Maori tribes on Earth from its vantage point in the ‘sea of the sky.’ Another legend says that the sea in the heavens, better known as the Milky Way, was formed when the god Kiho-tumu formed a ship and sailed across the sky. The ship, named The Long Shark, protects the Maoris and they believe that the dark parts of the Milky Way represent the Long Shark travelling through it, while the white patches are from the waves it creates as it sails through the sea in the sky.

For millennia, we’ve been using swords to settle heated debates, as what is war but a debate that got really out of hand? Contrary to popular opinion, though, the sword isn’t the easiest weapon to master, unlike what Game of Thrones would have you believe. Many other weapons are far more effective on the battlefield and easier to learn, but for those born with a talent for it, the sword can indeed be one of the deadliest weapons to wield. Well, it used to be at one point, anyway, until firearms made it obsolete.

Because of its high skill ceiling, the sword has been sparingly used in battle in history, and true mastery of it shows up in only a handful of cultures. Because of that, legendary swordsmen are few and far between, even if the ones we do know of have been some of the most badass melee fighters of all time.

10 Minamoto Yoshitsune

Minamoto Yoshitsune is one of the more well-known samurai in Japanese history. Not only was he a capable warrior, but he was also a brilliant strategist. He was one of the sons of Minamoto Yoshitomo—head of a powerful samurai clan in 12th-century Japan—who was killed in his war against the rival Taira clan. Fortunately for the history books, and unfortunately for the Tairas, they spared Yoshitsune.

While growing up in a monastery, he learned from any source he could find, including Sun Tzu’s Art of War. He left the monastery to travel and further honed his skill by fighting anyone stupid enough to duel him, picking up various different styles of fighting on the way.

Yoshitsune went on to become one of the greatest samurai generals Japan has ever seen and eventually helped his older brother, Minamoto Yorimoto, to annihilate Taira forces and establish the first shogunate of Japan. However, the two brothers would later have a falling out, leading Yoshitsune to attempt to rebel against Yorimoto.^[1]

9 Fiore Dei Liberi

Fiore dei Liberi is the author of one of the oldest surviving treatises on fencing—Flower of Battle—as well one of the best swordsmen and fencing masters of medieval Europe. Even if the actual techniques mentioned in it are of no use in the modern era, it’s still extensively studied by students and YouTube martial arts gurus alike.

Not much is known about Liberi from outside sources, though the book places him as having been born somewhere around 1350.^[2] He was the son of the lord of a small Italian town called Premariacco and had been practicing for half a century before the book was written, according to its contents.

Aside from writing the definitive book on swordsmanship, he was also a teacher to many of the royal houses in the surrounding regions and is generally regarded by historians as one of the best swordsmen in Europe’s history. He is famous for winning duels against many great swordsmen of the era, including his famous fights against five of the best fencing masters of the time.

8 Kamiizumi Nobutsuna

Despite our best efforts to keep this list geographically diverse, Japanese samurai still feature heavily on it. No other region in the world has had a more profound impact on the development of swordsmanship through the years than Japan, which is why it’s home to some of the greatest sword masters in history.

Kamiizumi Nobutsuna was a renowned samurai in 16th-century Japan. He is credited with improving upon the Kage-ryu (shadow school) style of sword fighting and coming up with his own school called Shinkage-ryu (new shadow school). While other schools were focused on dealing the maximum amount of damage as fast as possible, Shinkage-ryu is more defensive, relying on a low stance and protecting the body—at least until you could deal that one blow that could finish the duel, as it also relies on the concept of “the sword of only one cut.”^[3]

Shinkage-ryu was the primary martial arts school throughout the Tokugawa period, which was the last shogunate before Japan decided to industrialize and . . . well, we all know what happened then.

7 Donald McBane

Born in possibly the most well-known city of the Scottish Highlands, Inverness, Donald McBane is still regarded as one of Europe’s best swordsmen. Like most other notable European sword masters, he was a renowned fencing master and wrote all about it in his autobiography, The Expert Sword-Man’s Companion.

While his early history involves quite a bit of losing and running away from battles—especially during clan battles in the Highlands—his sword fighting career began when he got into an argument with a senior officer fighting in the Nine Years’ War. He figured that learning how to fight himself was the best way forward, though because of his temper, he couldn’t stay in any one regiment.

He soon made his way back to Ireland and started a fencing school of his own. He made his mark when he defeated four fencing masters of rival schools. Interestingly, McBane’s school also served as a brothel. He claimed to have won nearly 100 duels.^[4] Even if that may be a bit exaggerated, nearly all sources confirm that he didn’t lose any duels.

6 Tsukahara Bokuden

The Sengoku period, spanning roughly 150 years in the 15th and 16th centuries, was one of the most defining periods in Japanese history. It was a time of warring factions, social change, and general chaos. If there’s a movie or game set in samurai-era Japan, it’s most likely from that time.

The Sengoku period was also the backdrop for the rise of one of the greatest samurai to have ever lived: Tsukahara Bokuden. If records are anything to go by, Bokuden never lost a duel in his life, defeating adversaries who were much more experienced than him.^[5] He fought numerous duels with some of the best fighters around the country and taught many important figures of that time, the most notable being shogun Ashikaga Yoshiteru.

His philosophy, while widely accepted now, was at odds with fighters of that era. He believed in not attacking until absolutely necessary, which influenced the fighting style of his Shinto-ryu school.

5 Johannes Liechtenauer

Johannes Liechtenauer was one of the most influential fencing masters from the German style of fencing, and his influence can be still be seen in modern fencing traditions. Born in 14th-century Germany, he traveled far and wide, picking up sword fighting techniques from many places in Europe and beyond before coming up with his own.

The Liechtenauer system, as those with a passion for fencing would be aware, is still a widely known school of fencing. It relies on calculated blows to break the opponent’s guard and has influenced many subsequent styles of fencing in the years since.

Liechtenauer’s influence can be gauged by the fact that his disciples went on to become celebrated sword masters in their own right. They came up with distinct techniques of their own, all of which form an intrinsic part of the German fencing style.^[6]

4 Joseph Bologne

Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, was one of the best swordsmen in Europe in the late 18th century. Born on the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, which was under French rule at the time, he was an illegitimate son of a plantation owner and an African slave. He eventually moved to mainland France and soon proved himself to be gifted at many things, including fencing, music composition, and playing the violin.

Bologne grew up to be a gifted violinist and composer, as well as an adept fighter. He commanded a legion of fighters on the side of the Republic during the French Revolution, which unofficially came to be known as the St. George Legion due to his popularity and skill.^[7] Despite being good at more things than most of us will ever be (or because of it, perhaps), he faced racial discrimination at many points in his life, including two assassination attempts. Revolution or not, it was still 18th-century France.

3 Ito Ittosai Kagehisa

Another one of Japan’s legendary sword masters to emerge out of the Sengoku period, Ito Ittosai Kagehisa was a gifted fighter since his childhood. Born on a small island east of the Izu peninsula, his life was essentially a series of ever-escalating fights that he kept winning. When he was 14, he challenged an famous kendo master and emerged victorious. A local priest was so impressed by it that he gifted Ito a legendary sword, which started his career as a certified badass.

Ito traveled the country and trained with the best masters, and it’s said that he didn’t lose a duel in his entire life. He even established his own school of fighting called Itto-ryu, which—along with the above-mentioned Shinkage-ryu—became the primary fighting style in Tokugawa-era Japan. This style emphasized calmness and keeping distance from the enemy for most of the fight, with many sub-styles that are still used in modern kendo.^[8]

2 El Cid

Contrary to popular (and controversial) belief, the early Muslim kingdoms did invade a significant part of Europe. The Iberian Peninsula had been under attack from the Moors—a European word for the invading Moroccan armies—for quite some time by the 11th century. It was a successful campaign, too, as they had conquered most of the Iberian Peninsula by that time and ruled it until the end of the 15th century.

Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, also known as El Cid, was born in Castile amid that chaos. Due to his prowess with the sword and knowledge of battle strategy, he is still celebrated as one of Spain’s most heroic national figures. He is credited with fighting to free the Iberian Peninsula from the grasp of the Moors.^[9] In reality, though, he was a mercenary and fought for any army that would pay him.

His fighting style was based on the concept of destreza, which translates to “dexterity” in English, and he was regarded as one of the best swordsmen in Europe at the time. His sword, La Tizona, is still preserved in a museum in Spain.

1 Sasaki Kojiro

Another legendary samurai born in the Sengoku period, Sasaki Kojiro is regarded as one of the most skilled swordsmen to have ever lived. Due to missing records, it’s unclear exactly how he started, though we know that he was trained in many styles of fighting. While he is generally regarded as a master of the Chujo-ryu school, he was equally good with the nodachi, a longer version of the traditional katana. It’s said that despite its heavier frame, Kohiro was able to wield the nodachi with incredible speed and swiftness.

He was known for his distinct technique compared to other samurai of his era, which he perfected sometime in the year 1605. It consisted of a swift downward strike, followed by a rapid upward motion for maximum effect. His skill is often downplayed, as he is also remembered for his legendary defeat against another master of the sword, Miyamoto Musashi. In addition to the sword, Sasaki was quite good with other weapons as well, as is clear from his victory against three enemies at the same time with just a war fan.^[10]

You can check out Himanshu’s stuff at Cracked and Screen Rant, or get in touch with him for writing gigs.

Posthumous albums are one of pop culture’s most enduring mysteries. With the artist gone but not forgotten, we’ll never know whether these packages are something that they would’ve approved, whether they’re something they planned, or whether they’re cynically cribbed together by faceless record execs. The mystery leaves these albums with a mixed legacy, but sometimes, it’s just nice to hear the voices of the departed one more time.

However, one thing is certain: there is always a demand for them.

Related: 10 Eerie Quotes From Musicians Who Died Before 30

10 Lioness: Hidden Treasures (2011)–Amy Winehouse

For fans, there’s a pain to seeing their favorite stars deteriorate. It wasn’t long after she became an international star with her mainstream breakthrough album Back to Black that Amy Winehouse’s struggles with addiction became tabloid fodder. Fans hoped that new material from her would turn her public image back toward that of a talented musician and away from being a public spectacle. But those hopes were dashed when producer Mark Ronson admitted in 2008 that she simply wasn’t in any state to record new music. Also, sessions for a theme song for the Bond film Quantum of Solace had been abandoned without Winehouse recording her vocals.

But when stars pass, fans seem to be able to remember the best version of them. The version of Winehouse, who heartbreakingly deteriorated before our eyes, was gone and replaced by a sad-eyed chanteuse with show-stopping talent. So, of course, an album followed. Happily, the album was compiled by producers who worked with her, Ronson and Salaam Remi, and her family. But sadly, due to her inability to record before she passed, the tracks mostly came from sessions that predated her debut, Frank, when she was still finding her feet as a musician. As an album, it lacked the flair of Back to Black, making that gem, sadly, her sole hit album.^[1]

9 Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk (1998)–Jeff Buckley

Listening to Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk, one has to make peace with the fact that we know categorically that Jeff Buckley did not want these songs to see the light of day. The recording process for the album, intended as a follow-up to 1994’s cult hit Grace, was torturous, and Buckley discarded the recordings, planning to start over.

A handful of tracks was all he had produced when he died a death as beguiling and poetic as his songs. Buckley had decided to take a dip in Mississippi’s Wolf River, wearing Doc Martens, reportedly while singing Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love.” Unfortunately, he was caught in the wake of a passing river barge and disappeared.

His estate passed to his mother, who did what she could to preserve his wishes when she learned that Sony intended to release the songs from the initial recording sessions that Buckley had scrapped. The compromise she reached with the corporate giants was a second disc that included those demos from just before his passing. It wasn’t a great compromise, but I think the world is richer for having one more Jeff Buckley album in it. Even if it must be regarded more as a document of his creative processes than as an artistic statement. More diary than autobiography.^[2]

8 An American Prayer (1978)–The Doors

Believe it or not, The Doors released three albums after Jim Morisson passed away. But only one of them featured the late lead singer. The 1978 album An American Prayer was made up of recordings of Jim Morisson reading his poetry, set to music by the band.

Reviews were mixed, with many speculating on whether Morrison would’ve approved of the project. Longtime Doors producer Paul Rothschild called it the rape of Jim Morrison and likened it to “taking a Picasso and cutting it into postage-stamp-sized pieces and spreading it across a Supermarket wall.” While John Haeny, the engineer who made the original recordings with Morrison, said that “I want people to understand that this album was made by those people who were closest to Jim, both personally and artistically. Everyone had the best intentions.” He believed Morrison would be pleased and would have “understood our motivation and appreciated our dedication and heartfelt handling of his work.”^[3]

7 Made in Heaven (1995)–Queen

At least with Made in Heaven, we know that Freddy Mercury actively wanted a posthumous album to be made. Knowing that his demise was imminent, Freddy Mercury recorded as much as possible. Brian May said at the time that after discussing what was going to happen, they knew the band was on borrowed time. They recorded as often as Mercury felt well enough, adding, “We basically lived in the studio for a while, and when he would call and say, ‘I can come in for a few hours,’ our plan was to just make as much use of him as we could.” Mercury told the band he would sing whatever they gave him, finishing with “I will leave you as much as I possibly can.”

Producer David Richards noted that Mercury usually waited for songs to be completed before adding final vocals, but he knew he would not get that chance here. Unfortunately, the band still found that they had less than an album’s worth of material to work with, so they turned to old demos and vocals from Mercury’s solo albums. Made in Heaven came out something of a bittersweet patchwork of an album.^[4]

6 Michael (2010) and Xscape (2014)–Michael Jackson

Given Michael Jackson’s reclusiveness and retreat from the music scene before his death, a follow-up to his last album, 2001’s Invincible, seemed a distant possibility. However, almost immediately after his death, Jackson’s estate signed a $250 million deal with Epic Records to release ten “lost” Michael Jackson albums. Hence: 2010’s Michael. Michael was marred, however, by allegations from Jackson’s family, fans, and producer Will.i.am. that three of the songs did not involve Michael Jackson at all. Instead, claiming they featured the voice of impersonator Jason Malachi. Malachi even admitted as such on Facebook; but retracted that statement on Myspace, claiming that his Facebook page had been hacked.

The matter came to a head with a class-action lawsuit against Sony Music. The record label argued that the first amendment gave them the right to attribute songs to an artist, even when that attribution was not accurate.

After that, it’s no wonder that only one other “lost” Michael Jackson album has surfaced. In 2014, Xscape played it safe, featuring only eight tracks, each of which had well-documented provenance, each having been recorded for a previous album but not making the cut.^[5]

5 Toy (2021)–David Bowie

The one possible silver lining to Bowie’s death in 2016 was seeing the global collective outpouring of grief. I am a massive Bowie fan, but I would’ve thought that his passing would’ve gone down as just another celebrity death in the media—simply forgotten in a day. But instead, the collective mourning was a mass expression of global unity.

The album he’d released two days before his death, Blackstar, had reached number one in 27 countries, so whoever was in charge of these things would’ve been tempted to go back to that well as soon as possible. EPs, box sets, and live albums came thick and fast, but a full-length unreleased album took five years. Toy was recorded in 2001 and had leaked onto the Internet in 2011, so fans were already intimately familiar with it. But still, it was nice to hear it sumptuously remastered and lovingly packaged by producer Tony Visconti and the other musicians who worked on it.

Though it remains a mystery why it wasn’t released back in 2001. Bowie blamed a record label stoush, but why it wasn’t released after that was resolved remains unanswered.^[6]

4 Tupac’s Numerous Posthumous Releases

Specifically, these include The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory (1996), R U Still Down? (Remember Me) (1997), Still I Rise (1999), Until the End of Time (2001), Better Dayz (2002), Loyal to the Game (2004), and Pac’s Life (2006).

With a discography that features seven posthumous albums vs. five regular ones, Tupac Shakur must have some sort of record. The Don Killuminati was recorded a month before his death and released two months after, while Pac’s Life was timed to coincide with the tenth anniversary of his death. The decade in between saw so many new releases that they fueled conspiracy theories that Tupac was still alive.

The explanation was a little more mundane… Tupac was a workaholic. Anecdotes about his work ethic are famous. The Don Killuminati was Tupac’s second album of 1996, and he also acted in three films that year. Labelmate Snoop Dogg said that Pac was laying down tracks at a rate of one every twenty minutes or so, adding ominously, “To me, it was like, why is he working so fast and so hard and trying to finish these records up? He had to know [he would die soon].”^[7]

3 Milk and Honey (1984)–John Lennon and Yoko Ono

Completing Milk and Honey was a passion project by Yoko Ono. And unlike the other albums on this list, it did not intend to create the illusion that Lennon was still around making music. Designed as a follow-up to the pair’s previous album, 1980’s Double Fantasy, the project was shelved after Lennon’s death, and it wasn’t until 1983 that Yoko was able to resume working on it.

The album alternates between songs by Lennon and songs by Ono. Hers are polished, commercial, and contemporary, while Lennon’s are casual and a bit rough, preserved just as he left them. A testament to his absence.^[8]

2 Brainwashed (2002)–George Harrison

Brainwashed was in some stage of development for almost fifteen years. But when Harrison was stabbed by a mentally ill home intruder in 1999, parallels to bandmate John Lennon’s murder must have deeply shaken the former Beatle. Contemporary reports suggested that his attacker had an irrational obsession with the Beatles, much like John Lennon’s killer Mark David Chapman.

Having already survived an aggressive throat cancer, Harrison focused on completing the album and shared every detail with his son Dhani Harrison and producer Jeff Lynn. That information proved incredibly useful to the younger Harrison and Lynn when Harrison’s cancer returned in 2001. So much so that they were able to follow the exact timetable laid out by Harrison, completing Brainwashed using the same studio sessions that Harrison had already booked.^[9]

1 American V: A Hundred Highways (2006) and American VI: Ain’t No Grave (2010)–Johnny Cash

The partnership between Johnny Cash and hip hop producer and Def Jam founder Rick Rubin was such a lucrative one that there may have been more demand for a new collaboration than for a new Johnny Cash album. The American Recordings series, produced by Rubin, gave the world such beloved tracks as Cash’s covers of Nine Inch Nails’ “Hurt,” Soundgarden’s “Rusty Cage,” and Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus.” They revitalized Cash’s career, exposing him to a new audience.

Rubin is known for his perfectionism. On earlier albums in the series, that trait provided a dynamic counterbalance to Cash’s rough and raw sound. But on American V and VI, Cash’s voice was too frequently a pained rasp that even Rubin’s production chops could not make up for. On American V, this made for an evocative portrait of weariness, but on American VI, it just made for a difficult listen. The Los Angeles Times called it Cash’s hospice record in a review that seemed to miss how sad that was.

Both Rick Rubin and Cash’s son John Carter Cash have said that more recordings were made during those sessions, promising more entries in the American Recordings series to come.^[10]

Oftentimes, we regard actors as people who exist in their own special little world, outside the norms of common folk. However, major events and tragedies often bring them back down to reality, and few events are more major than a war. That’s why today we are taking a look at ten actors who fought in World War II.

10. Desmond Llewelyn

The name Desmond Llewelyn might only be recognizable to James Bond fans who will know him as the iconic Q, the head of the research and development team that always provided Bond with the cool toys and gadgets he used on every mission. Llewelyn played the role for almost 40 years, appearing in 17 Bond movies, more than any other actor in the franchise.

And yet, his acting career was almost snuffed out in its infancy thanks to World War II. Born in Newport, Wales, Llewelyn moved to London in 1934 to study acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. His first on-screen role was in the 1939 Will Hay comedy Ask a Policeman. And immediately following his big break, World War II erupted and Llewelyn was commissioned as a second lieutenant with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and sent to France.

The following year, his unit was in Lille, engaged in combat with a Panzer division, when it got overrun and captured. Llewelyn was sent to Laufen, but there he got caught trying to escape, so instead he was relocated to the notorious Colditz Castle where he spent the remainder of the conflict as a prisoner of war.

9. James Arness

Just like our previous entry, the name James Arness won’t evoke immediate recognition, but Western fans will remember him for his role as Marshal Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke, a part he played for 20 years in over 600 episodes. Before all that, though, James Arness was a decorated veteran who was awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, and a few others for his role in the Battle of Anzio.

When the US joined the Second World War, Arness wanted to become a Navy pilot, but he was disqualified for being too tall. Instead, he joined the Army and was a part of the 3rd Infantry Division that landed at Anzio in 1944 as part of the Italian Campaign. His height once again worked against him, as Arness was the first sent out of the landing craft to test the depth of the water. 

Although he made it through the battle unscathed, Arness later sustained a serious injury while on night patrol, when he walked in front of a machine gun nest. Several shots pierced his right leg, causing the bones to splinter. Arness survived, but the surgeries to repair his leg shortened it by over half an inch, forcing the actor to wear lifts for the rest of his life.

8. Lenny Bruce

Before the stand-up comedian was ushering in the counterculture era and taking part in landmark obscenity laws, he was a seaman aboard the USS Brooklyn warship during World War II. Lenny Bruce joined the US Navy when he was only 16 and saw action in Northern Africa and Italy, taking part in four overseas invasions. 

Then, in 1945, Bruce decided that he’d had enough of the Navy, so he pretended to be gay to receive a discharge. He started by mentioning his “homosexual tendencies” to the medical officer, who reported it to the ship’s commander and then had Bruce sent for a “neuro-psychiatric consultation,” where the future comedian admitted that it was only a matter of time before he gave into his urges. 

The analysis concluded that Bruce was being truthful and not simply trying to get out of the service. The commander agreed and recommended to have Lenny be either discharged or transferred to a shore-based station. A few weeks later, Bruce received a dishonorable discharge, but he successfully petitioned to have it changed to an honorable one. Decades later, Lenny’s little stunt served as the inspiration for the cross-dressing Corporal Klinger character on the TV show M*A*S*H.

7. Charles Bronson

Charles Bronson became famous for his roles portraying a no-nonsense quiet tough guy, and it seems that this was simply a case of art imitating life. Growing up dirt poor in Pennsylvania in a large family of Lithuanian immigrants, Bronson had to work in the coal mines as a teenager to help support his family after his father’s death. 

During World War II, he got drafted and, after attending gunnery school in Arizona, he joined up with the 61st Bombardment Squadron, 39th Bombardment Group, based in Guam. After being assigned to a B-29 “Superfortress” bomber, Bronson fought in the Pacific Theater where he took part in 25 missions and later received the Purple Heart for his efforts. Afterward, he used the GI Bill to get into acting and, fittingly enough, found his first film role in a military production where he played a sailor.

6. Don Adams

Donald James Yarmy became better known professionally as Don Adams, a TV actor with a 50-year career which included his most famous role, that of bumbling secret agent Maxwell Smart in the sitcom Get Smart. But before all of that, Adams had a very close call with death while serving in World War II.

When the war broke out, Adams was still in high school, so he dropped out and joined the Marines. He underwent basic training in North Carolina and then was assigned to I Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines, and shipped to Samoa. On August 7, 1942, Adams took part in the initial assault on Guadalcanal, and even though he got shot by a Japanese sniper, that’s not what almost did him in. During combat, Adams contracted blackwater fever, a serious form of malaria that carried with it a 90 percent fatality rate.

He was not expected to live, but Adams did manage to make a full recovery after spending an entire year in the hospital in New Zealand. Despite his close shave, Adams still liked the military life, so when he returned to America, he became a drill instructor for Marine recruits.

5. Mel Brooks

We just had the man who starred in Get Smart, so now let’s move on to the man who created Get Smart. Legendary funnyman Mel Brooks became a big star in Hollywood thanks to his parodies like Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein. But just like Don Adams, his first career was in the military, which he joined while still in high school.

One day, when Brooks was 17, an army recruiter showed up at his high school for an aptitude test. Brooks scored highly and joined the Army Specialized Training Reserve Program since he knew that he was probably going to be drafted anyway. From then on, he studied engineering at the Virginia Military Institute and officially joined the Army when he turned 18.

Brooks spent the bulk of his active duty as a combat engineer with the 1104 Engineer Combat Battalion, 78th Infantry Division, helping to clear landmines and build bridges. Even so, his unit had to fight as infantry on multiple occasions and even took part in the crucial Battle of the Bulge.

Once the war was over, Mel Brooks immediately transitioned to a career in entertainment while he was still stationed overseas. He joined a Special Services unit that staged variety shows from camp to camp.

4. Henry Fonda

Unlike most other entries on this list, Henry Fonda was already a big star when he decided to put his career on hold in order to fight in World War II. He made his Hollywood debut in 1935 and rose to prominence during the late ’30s with roles in movies such as Jezebel and The Grapes of Wrath. 

Like many actors, Fonda initially did his bit by making war movies to raise funds and morale. But this wasn’t enough for him. The actor was reported saying that he doesn’t want to be “in a fake war in a studio,” so he enlisted in the Navy in 1942. At first, he served as a Quartermaster 3rd Class aboard the USS Satterlee destroyer. Later, he was commissioned as a Lieutenant Junior Grade in Air Combat Intelligence, fighting in the Central Pacific. 

According to his record, Fonda’s superiors described him as possessing “officer-like qualities of leadership, military bearing, loyalty, judgment, and intelligence.” He was awarded a Bronze Star Medal and, after the war ended, Fonda kept up his military career by serving another three years in the Naval Reserve.

3. James Doohan

The first, but not the last entry on this list who took part in D-Day, James Doohan is best known to sci-fi fans everywhere as Scotty in the original Star Trek series. Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Doohan enrolled in the Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps in 1938 after graduating high school. A year later, he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Artillery, and afterward, he was sent to Britain to prepare for Operation Overlord aka the Battle of Normandy. 

On D-Day, Doohan’s regiment stormed Juno Beach, and the actor was personally credited with taking down two enemy snipers. Although he escaped the actual battle unscathed, he was almost killed by friendly fire later that night. Doohan snuck away to smoke a cigarette and, when he returned, a jumpy Canadian sentry mistook him for an enemy and shot him six times. Most of the bullets went into his leg, although one of the shots did blow off his right middle finger. Doohan concealed his missing finger using prosthetics for most of his acting career, although there are scenes in Star Trek where the amputated digit can be seen.

2. David Niven

On-screen, David Niven was always the ideal image of the English gentleman: suave, sophisticated, eloquent, and perfectly mannered. In real life, though, he wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty and fight for king and country.

Unlike the other entries, Niven already had a military career before the Second World War. Born into a military family, he attended the Royal Military College at Sandhurst and graduated in 1930 with a second lieutenant’s commission. He gave up the army life when he discovered that he wasn’t too fond of following orders and launched his acting career.

By the time World War II came around, Niven had already become a leading man and just had his big role as Raffles, the gentleman thief. However, as soon as Britain entered the war, he paused his career and returned home to fight for his country. He joined the Commandos and was assigned to a special recon unit named “A” Squadron GHQ Liaison Regiment, better known as “Phantom.” By the time D-Day came around, he was commander of the unit and led his men into the Battle of Normandy. However, following the war, he steadfastly refused to discuss his experience.

1. James Stewart

In terms of military careers, no actor can boast one quite like Jimmy Stewart. Not only was he already a big star when he enlisted, with films such as Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and It’s a Wonderful Life under his belt, but he retired with the rank of Brigadier General. 

Like David Niven, Stewart’s family had deep military ties. Like Henry Fonda, he started out by doing recruitment drives, fundraisers, and other public appearances, but wanted to do more. Stewart was already a licensed commercial pilot, so for him, the choice seemed obvious – join the Air Force. After training to fly bombardiers in New Mexico, Stewart was sent overseas, to Britain, as the Commanding Officer of the 703rd Bomb Squadron.

He took part in 20 bombing missions during the war, at a time when most aircrews averaged, at most, a dozen before being killed in combat. Stewart received numerous commendations for his actions during World War II, but even after the war ended, he continued his service in the Air Force Reserve. Even during the Vietnam War, Stewart flew one last mission as an observer and then finally hung up his wings as a Brigadier General.

Nature reserves are protected land areas where fauna and flora thrive, and visitors can experience them in their natural habitat. There are around 100 countries worldwide that have several reserves, with Australia topping the list at 285. Naturally, some reserves are more famous and receive more visitors than others, including Yellowstone, the Galapagos Islands, and the Serengeti National Park. These all have their own unique features that keep visitors coming back for more.

On this list are some legendary facts about other, also well-known, nature reserves around the world that might just inspire a bucket-list entry or two.

Related: 10 Unexplained Mysteries Of The National Parks

10 Dinosaurs in the Kruger

South Africa is home to the world-famous Kruger National Park, where those in the mood for a safari can keep an eye out for a wide variety of wildlife and over 500 bird species. In addition, the area covered by this nature reserve is made up of six different ecosystems containing over 2,000 plant species. It is also one of the most extensive nature conservation areas on Earth, covering around 20,000 square kilometers (7,500 square miles).

Millions of years ago, however, a different set of creatures roamed the area where the Kruger stands today. Dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes found a home here, and the fossilized skeleton of a Euskelosaurus can still be viewed along the Nyalaland trail.

At the Golden Gate Highlands National Park, also in South Africa, at least 10 dinosaur nests and eggs (many with embryos) were discovered in 2012. The nests and eggs were taken from sedimentary rocks dating back to the Early Jurassic Period, and at the time, it was the oldest nesting site ever found.^[1]

9 Legend Meets Science

The Olympic National Park in Washington State was established in 1938 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The aim of the park is to preserve the unique landscapes and animals within its borders.

From within the park, visitors can take in the majestic Olympic Mountains, camp in the Hoh Rain Forest, and do some whale watching. As night falls, the Milky Way and even some of our neighboring planets become visible in the sky overhead.

Along the Northern Olympic Peninsula lies the stunning Lake Crescent, which forms part of a fascinating legend that has been passed down over 10,000 years. The legend has it that the Klallam and Quileute tribes were caught up in a battle that enraged the Mount Storm King. The 4,537-foot mountain threw a boulder at the fighting tribes, which ended up splitting the valley they were in and creating Lake Southerland as well as Lake Crescent.

Science revealed that around the time of the legendary battle, a massive earthquake resulted in a landslide that split the valley as well as the waterway.^[2]

8 The Twelve Apostles

Port Campbell National Park sits on the Shipwreck Coast in Victoria, Australia. The animals found here include echidna, southern brown bandicoot, and swamp antechinus. You will also find wandering albatross, penguins, and dotterels along the shore, and from the Great Ocean Road, you can watch southern right whales and blue whales from June to October.

One of the biggest attractions of the park, however, is a collection of limestone stacks called the Twelve Apostles. It is believed that the limestone was deposited between five and fifteen million years ago. The stacks were formed by erosion caused by the Southern Ocean. Originally there were eight, but one of the stacks collapsed in July 2005 because of ongoing erosion. It is expected that the other stacks will eventually follow suit.

Great Ocean Road itself has a fascinating history too. Construction on the road began in 1919 with the idea to invite road transportation while creating thousands of jobs for Australian soldiers who had returned from WWI. Today the road is the world’s largest war memorial.^[3]

7 The Brown Bear Ceremony

Japan is the location of several national parks, many of which are set against the backdrop of dramatic cliffs and wild coastlines. The Shiretoko National Park in Hokkaido falls into this category. It is surrounded by 200 square kilometers (77 square miles) of ocean with sheer cliffs on the western edge that drop into the Sea of Okhotsk. On these cliffs, seabirds build their nests, and along the shore, brown bears can be found ambling over the sand. The park covers a large portion of the Shiretoko Peninsula.

The Ainu people were the earliest inhabitants of Hokkaido, and several Ainu artifacts have been discovered on the Shiretoko Peninsula. They shared their home with brown bears, and a strong kinship sprung up between human and animal. The Ainu people fished alongside the bears, walked with them, and picked fruit with them. They also honored bear spirits with a brown bear ceremony. The bear god was believed to be one of the mightier beings in Kamuy Mosir, the parallel spirit homeland. Bears journeyed to this spirit land after their death by sacrifice, gifting their meat and fur to humans. In honor of the gift, the iyomante ceremony was initiated in which the bear’s spirit was sent home.^[4]

6 Beneath the Ice

The Torres del Paine National Park in Chile boasts some of the most spectacular natural landscapes in the world. Here you will find sedimentary rock formations dating back to the Cretaceous period, as well as breathtaking lakes, waterfalls, and even fjords. The park also boasts the Cordillera de Paine Mountain range and is flanked by two other national parks. The Torres del Paine granite peaks are one of the biggest tourist draws in the park. These three granite peaks are called Central, Monzino, and De Agostini. They were named after two Italian mountain climbers, Guido Monzino and Alberto Maria de Agostini, who were the first to ascend the peaks in 1957.

There are amazing encounters to be had with the wide variety of animals and birds in the park, including wild horses, the Patagonian gray fox, pumas, black vultures, and the majestic Andean condor.

In 2014, after a melting glacier in the park revealed new rock faces, scientists discovered nearly fully-preserved fossils of around 46 specimens of Ichthyosaurs. These marine reptiles lived around 245 million years ago.^[5]

5 Reindeer Herders

Sweden has its fair share of national parks, too, of which many cover the far reaches of the country. Here you can enjoy the thrill of nature with the added bonus of getting to see the aurora borealis lighting up the night sky.

The most visited national park in the country is the Abisko, which looks like something out of a Christmas postcard. Here, visitors are treated to magical landscapes, including emerald-green forests, snow-capped mountains, and fantastic waterfalls and fjords. Located in Swedish Lapland, the wildlife in the park includes lemmings, reindeer, the arctic fox, and even wolverines. The area also happens to be one of the best places in the world to view the Northern Lights.

Before it was a national park, the area was inhabited by the Sami people who became reindeer herders after switching from hunting to herding. Today the remains of ancient hearths and pit traps used by the herders to capture elk and wild reindeer can still be found in the park.^[6]

4 Chasing Waterfalls and Lakes

The largest national park in Croatia is Plitvice Lakes. The park sits on karst, which is highly porous limestone, and incorporates 16 cascading lakes and around 90 waterfalls. The lakes are infamous for their ever-changing water colors, ranging between deep blue, green, and light grey. The changing colors are due to the amount of minerals or organisms, angle of sunlight, and calcium carbonate from the limestone rocks.

A longstanding legend has it that the Black Queen created the Plitvice Lakes after locals cried out to her for help during a devastating drought. Prošćansko Jezero, according to the legend, was the first lake she created. Rain poured down for days on end until the lakes she formed were filled. Some versions of the legend say that the Black Queen’s tears streamed down and filled the lakes.^[7]

3 Another World

Charles Darwin arrived at the Galapagos Islands in 1835 and within five weeks discovered a host of unique species found nowhere else on Earth. This contributed to his theory of evolution. The island chain consists of 128 islands, islets, and rocks and was formed by volcanoes millions of years ago. Amazingly, 97% of the archipelago is protected as a national park, but the four islands inhabited by humans remain very vulnerable to development and invasive species.

On Galapagos, the only known lizards able to swim, marine iguanas, are thought to have evolved from land-dwelling iguanas who likely drifted out to sea millions of years ago before ending up on the islands. The most well-known species found on Galapagos is the giant tortoise that can live up to 150 years and weigh up to 600 pounds.

The islands were even used as a hideout by pirates during the 16th century. There was plenty of food and hiding spots for their loot too.^[8]

2 Ancient San Rock Paintings

Africa offers an astounding diversity of wildlife and many amazing national parks, conservation areas, and animal sanctuaries. Chobe National Park, Botswana, houses the highest concentration of elephants on the African continent, and the large herds literally cause the ground to shake when they pass by. The park is divided into four areas that each have its own distinct geographical landscape: Nogatsaa, Serondella, Savuti channel, and the Linyanti wetlands.

In March 1968, park warden Tim Liversedge discovered San rock art in the hills surrounding Savuti. The paintings are all similar, but experts believe they were created by different groups of San bushmen who moved around the area. The paintings depict hyenas, giraffes, and elephants and were created with “paint” made by mixing plant juice, animal fat, and rusty iron oxide taken from the surrounding rocks.^[9]

1 National Park with a Difference

The Northeast Greenland National Park isn’t your conventional nature reserve. Spanning 972,000 square kilometers (375,000 square miles), it is the biggest national park globally, with only 30 countries around the world beating it in size. However, no people live in the area except personnel manning meteorological stations and the Sirius Patrol. Sealers and whalers have access to the park as well.

It only receives about 500 visitors a year, most of whom arrive on cruises to the Arctic. Tourists must apply for a permit from the Ministry of Nature & Environment before being allowed to visit and get the chance to see polar bears, foxes, and giant walruses in their natural habitat.

The area was also inhabited by various Inuit cultures for thousands of years who survived on the Arctic animal species. Today, the permanent number of people in the area totals less than 50.^[10]

The Vikings are remembered for being some of the most powerful warriors in history who sailed the open sea to conquer new lands. They believed in gods and goddesses, all of which deeply influenced their lifestyle. For the Vikings, they were never forced to pray to any particular god or goddess. Most people would gravitate toward their favorite god and pray to the ones whose personalities resonated with them the most.

Norse mythology is strange, to say the least, and it’s full of interesting characters. The Vikingsnever wrote their history down, so the stories were passed along by word of mouth. So we may never know the original stories told of the Norse gods, but that won’t stop us from learning about these fascinating tales of magic, power, and scandal…

Freya

Goddess of beauty, love, sex, and fertility. Conversely, Freya (or Freyja) is also often associated with war and death. She was known for being a free spirit who slept around with a lot of the gods, including Odin. Freya lives her best life as an independent woman riding around on a chariot pulled by cats.

Freya rules over the 9th realm called Folkvangr, which is considered to be a beautiful version of the afterlife set aside for civilians, whereas the brave Viking warriors got to spend their time with Odin in Valhalla.

Balder

Balder (or Baldr, or Baldur) is the son of Odin and Frigg, and is the god of light, joy, and innocence… So, basically, he was the Norse version of Mr. Rogers. As you might imagine, he isn’t actually very powerful, because you can’t weaponize love and happiness, unless you’re a Care Bear. Either way, humans loved Balder. But since people love to talk about death and destruction far more than rainbows and kittens, most stories about Balder are about the way he died.

Balder kept having nightmares about his death, so his mother, Frigg, made it so that no living creature could harm a hair on his head. The other gods didn’t mind that she was the helicopter parent of the century. They thought this was great, actually, because it meant they could stab Balder and throw things at him without fear of actually killing him.

Loki was very jealous of this immortality, so he transformed into Balder and appeared before Frigg, asking if there was any kind of loophole that would kill him. She told him that mistletoe would do him in. So Loki found some mistletoe, and tricked Balder’s disabled brother, Hod, into throwing mistletoe at him. Hod assumed it would just bounce off like everything else he lobbed at Balder’s head, but the mistletoe pierced his heart.

Frigg

Wife of Odin, Frigg is the goddess of motherhood and marriage. However, you may remember that we mentioned that Freya and Odin had a fling. Well, don’t worry, Frigg got her revenge by sleeping with Odin’s brothers, Ve and Vili. Frigg resides in the hall called Fensalir, and is often depicted sitting by her husband’s side. She has the power to see anyone’s future, but unfortunately, this wasn’t enough to stop Loki from killing her son.

Many scholars believe that Freya and Frigg both originate from the same story of just one female goddess, and the stories were split apart at some point in history. This would actually make a lot of sense, considering that Freya is the ruler of another afterlife, just like Odin.

Loki

Loki is the son of a frost giant (yeah, the movies were accurate there), and the trickster god. Loki gets into a lot of trouble, and tangles webs of his misdeeds. Any time Loki sees something going well for other people, he can’t help by try to ruin their lives out of jealousy. He pops up in story after story, kind of like every supervillain in a ’90s cartoon (or, ya know… an entire cinematic universe… ). However, whenever he screws something up, he is forced by threats of violence until he fixes the problems he created in the first place. He becomes a catalyst for change in the otherwise peaceful lives of the gods.

Loki fathers several monstrous creatures, and even once gave birth to an 8-legged horse, and gave it to Odin as a present. He is also the father of the goddess named “Hel.” As her name suggests, she is the ruler of the underworld. You may remember her from Thor: Ragnarok being portrayed as his sister, Hela, however. So… they were a little less accurate on that one.

Tyr

Before Odin came on the scene, the god Tyr was one of the earlier figures in Norse mythology as the god of war. In Roman mythology, there are similar stories told of Tyr’s conquests, only they change his name to the god “Mars.”

As you might imagine, Tyr is always incredibly brave, and he once saved the word from a giant wolf creature named Fenrir. This was an abomination fathered by Loki and a frost giant. Ugh, Loki. Are there any shenanigans to which he won’t get up?

Anyway, Tyr used magical cord to bind Fenrir’s legs, and he put his hand into the wolf’s mouth as a sign of trust and good faith. However, once Fenrir realized that Tyr had trapped him forever, he bit off his hand. On the day of Ragnarok, or the Apocalypse, Tyr was supposed to guard the gates of Hell, and he fulfilled his duties by holding a spear of justice in his one good hand.

Sif

Sif is like the Norse version of “Mother Earth,” and she is the beautiful blonde wife of Thor. If you’re a fan of the MCU, you may know her as part of “Lady Sif and the Warriors Three” but… well, that’s not exactly how things shake out for her in actual mythology. Again, no one likes to talk about stories of singing to birds and planting trees, so everyone always talks about the day Loki gave her a bad haircut.

Loki got jealous of how fabulous Sif looked, so decided to chop her hair off until she was completely bald. Tragically, not everyone can pull off a bald head as well as Simon Whistler, so Thor threatened to kill Loki if he didn’t fix it. Loki had to get the help of magical dwarves who crafted magical, glowing gold hair that now grew naturally out of Sif’s head.

Bragi

God of poetry and wisdom, Bragi is yet another one of Odin’s sons. He is known for taking a cup and speaking some inspirational words. If you need a best man to give a great toast you at your wedding, Bragi’s your guy.

They say that Bragi’s tongue was covered in Norse runes that gave him the power to always say the most eloquent words. He supposedly gave the power of art and poetry to human beings. There was a tradition to drink out of “The Cup of Bragi” when a king died, and words were said in his honor.

Forseti

Forseti is the son of Balder, the god of rainbows and cupcakes we mentioned earlier in this list. It would seem that Foresti didn’t take after his dad’s carefree spirit so much, and he decided to practice law, instead. As the Norse god of justice, Foresti acts as the judge in serious matters in Asgard. Kind of like Judge Judy, but with a much smaller paycheck and — we’re just guessing here — much worse television ratings.

He lives in a giant courthouse called Glitner that shines with golden pillars and silver ceilings. Forseti acts like the mediator and listens to the arguments between the gods, and makes the final decision of who is right and wrong.

Odin

Odin is the chief god in Norse mythology, and he is often called the “father of the gods.” From his throne in the world of Valhalla, Odin can witness what happens in all 9 worlds of the universe. He only needs wine to survive, so he drinks it all day, every day. Kind of like your Aunt Kathy.

Odin sends his pet ravens to spy on the world and bring him news and secrets, and he also has two loyal wolves who protect him. His weapon of choice is a spear called “Gungnir,” which is guaranteed to never miss its target.

Aside from being a powerful warrior, Odin is known for his wisdom. He hung himself on the World Tree with his own spear for 9 days, in order to gain an immense amount of knowledge through powerful songs and runes. We won’t judge but, like… he could have just used Wikipedia.

Thor

Last and certainly not least, we have the god of thunder, Thor. With red hair and glowing eyes, Thor is known for being one of the most powerful gods. He’s also said to be nearly as handsome as Chris Hemsworth. Thor was also one of the most popular for the Vikings, by far, because he would supposedly answer their prayers without requiring any kind of human sacrifice.

Thor carries his mighty hammer, “Mjolnir,” which comes to him when he calls, and he also has a belt that doubles his strength. His power allows him to channel thunder at will while he rides along in his goat-drawn chariot with his furry friends named Gap-Tooth and Tooth Grinder.

You probably picture pigs running around in a field or rooting in the dirt when you think of the porcine creatures. But what if we told you that these animals are also incredibly brave in addition to being adorable?

Pigs have been around for thousands of years and are among the most common farm animals. They’re intelligent and trainable; they even make great pets! But what’s most remarkable about these creatures is their ability to overcome incredible odds to save their friends and family.

So here are ten stories about heroic pigs from all over the world, from fire rescues to fending off robbers and more.

10 Pet Pig Saves Veteran Owner from Apartment Fire

It’s no secret that pigs are some of the most heroic animals on Earth; they’re just too cute to be anything but. But when you’re a pig with an owner who’s a veteran, your sense of duty gets kicked up a notch. That’s what happened to this little piggy who saved his owner from an apartment fire.

In April 2022, a 500-pound (226-kilogram) pet pig named Hamilton helped his owner, 30-year-old Gilbert Anaya, escape from a New Jersey house fire. Hamilton assisted Anaya by shutting the door to the garage, slowing down the spread of the fire as the animal escaped from the burning building. Anaya, asleep upstairs, awoke to smoke and went to check on Hamilton but saw he had already fled the burning garage. He was calmly grazing in the yard.

The fire department told Anaya that Hamilton closing the garage door bought him an extra 15 to 20 minutes to escape, ultimately saving the veteran’s life. Anaya further revealed that Hamilton, who’s been his pet for over six years, is trained to close doors, and he just instinctively closed the garage door as he escaped with his owner.

Fortunately, neither Anaya nor Hamilton was injured in the fire. However, their apartment complex burned to the ground, and they are staying with a friend of Anaya’s for the time being.^[1]

9 Pigs vs. Geese: Tactical Swine Unit Protects Schiphol Airport from Geese

You may have heard that pigs are pretty intelligent, but did you know they’re also elite soldiers? At the Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, a special unit of pigs is trained to protect the facility from geese. The pigs undergo rigorous training to learn how to patrol and catch the birds, which can be quite dangerous when they get too close to planes or other people.

The airport management of Schiphol claims that geese “pose a serious risk to aviation safety” because they are large, fly in flocks, and can do significant damage to aircraft even if only one goose is involved. The problem with geese at airports is that they often get lost and confused while migrating, which can lead them into dangerous situations where they need help from humans or other animals.

The airport has tried multiple technological ways to scare off the birds, like using green lasers, but the team of trained pigs proved to be the more effective tactic at the end of the day.^[2]

8 Wenchuan’s Hero Pig That Survived an Earthquake

It’s a classic tale of heroism: A pig that survived one of the most devastating earthquakes in history. The Sichuan earthquake that struck the southwestern part of China on May 12, 2008, was one of the deadliest natural disasters in history. The 7.9 quake killed over 80,000 people and left about a million people homeless.

But amid all the chaos and devastation, one unlikely hero showed up during this tragedy’s chaos.

Zhu Jianqiang, or “Strong Pig” due to his extraordinary will to survive, was one of the survivors in an area the earthquake had leveled. He kept himself alive under the rubble for 36 days with water and coal. Dropping a significant amount of weight from 331 pounds (150 kilograms) to a meager 110 pounds (50 kilograms).

The quake made Zhu Jianqiang a celebrity, and the privately run museum complex commemorating this amazing feat adopted him to be a living symbol of China’s resilience in the face of a tragedy like the Sichuan earthquake.^[3]

7 Hero Pig Stops Home Invasion

Have you ever wondered what kind of hero would save your home from being robbed? If you’re like us, you probably thought of a dog. Maybe a cat. Or maybe even an elephant. But did you ever think of a pig?

On July 31, 2018, a woman and her four children nearly became the victims of a home invasion. But unlike two of their neighbors (who lost everything when the thieves were successful at their homes), these lucky folks were spared when their heroic rescue pig, Dumplin, scared off the intruders trying to break into the family’s house.

The woman and her children had recently adopted Dumplin from a shelter and have been living with them ever since. Maybe scaring off the robbers was his way of repaying the family for rescuing him.^[4]

6 Lulu the Pig Saves Her Owner

When it comes to medical emergencies, you expect someone who at least knows the basics to help you, but what if you’re all alone and your pot-bellied pet pig is the only companion you have at the moment? Well, in this story, we’re going to look at Lulu, a pig who saved her owner from near-certain death.

Jo Ann Altsman was all alone when she suffered a heart attack—her husband was away fishing. Her only companion in her home was her pet pig, Lulu. When Jo Ann felt the chest pains, she called out for help, but no one was within earshot. She feared that this attack could be fatal.

But Lulu came to the rescue. She ran through the door flap and through the front-yard fence—becoming injured along the way. She made it to the road, where she lay down, hoping someone would stop to check on her. After several cars drove around the motionless pig, someone finally stopped. Seeing the injured pig, he called for help and received Jo Ann’s return call help in response. The man acted fast and was able to call for paramedics to help Jo Ann. All thanks to Lulu.^[5]

5 Woman Saved from Apartment Fire by Pet Pig

In a world where pets are considered family members, it’s not surprising that some people would go to great lengths to protect their cherished companions. But one woman took her pet pig’s safety to the extreme when she was trapped in a fire.

Tulsa resident, Courtney Goff, lost everything to a fire one Saturday morning. Her pet pig, Theo, woke her up when he noticed the fire. Goff thought he was just hungry for his usual midnight snack, but when she saw the fire, she immediately rushed to get her father and friend. Unfortunately, Theo was left behind.

When Goff tried to return to him, the fire was too big, and firefighters forced her out of the house. She begged them to rescue Theo, but it was too dangerous. Not caring for her own safety, Goff rushed back into the burning building to try and find Theo herself, but the firefighters once again forced her out.

Later, they found Theo’s body in the burned debris, and Goff plans to have him cremated and hold a memorial for the pig that saved her life.^[6]

4 Pig Saves Family from Fire

It’s not every day that you hear about pigs saving families. But it does happen, and it’s pretty great. Lucky is one such pig. Lucky is a heroic pig credited with saving Ina Farler’s life and her two grandchildren after a fire broke out in their mobile home one early Sunday morning.

While Lucky usually woke the family in the morning, Farler became concerned when she heard him squealing at 4:40 am. When she woke up, she saw the room was full of smoke. That was when she knew the trailer was on fire.

Thanks to the swift action of Lucky and a helpful neighbor, Farler escaped with her two grandchildren before their trailer burned down. Firefighters swiftly put out flames that destroyed everything inside, but everyone got out alive! The family’s beloved pig is safe as well.^[7]

3 Pig Rescues Friend from Being Butchered

When pigs are butchered, it’s a sad day. But one pig decided that he wasn’t going to take it anymore. He decided to save his friend from the butcher’s knife. A pig in Banan District in Chongqing, China, was filmed rescuing his friend who was being prepared to be slaughtered.

The short clip showed the pig charging at the men who were holding another pig down for slaughter. Startled, the men let go and backed away from the angry swine. But the pig didn’t stop there; it turned and charged at the man holding the butcher knife to keep him away from the other pig.

Although it’s not known what happened after the clip ended, the pig’s heroic act to save his friend, though short-lived, was enough to get the video to go viral for a time. Proving that even pigs can at least try to save their friends.^[8]

2 Norm McDonald’s Story of Canadian Farmer’s Hero Pig

Norm McDonald is a Canadian comedian with a whole lot of funny stories up his sleeve, but one story, in particular, came from his Canadian hometown of Monkland. Norm recounts a story of when he visited his hometown and went to an old neighbor of his who was a farmer. The farmer was showing him his pigs when Norm noticed one with a wooden peg leg.

He asked the farmer what happened, and he told a story of when their house caught fire; the pig broke out of his pen and went into the burning house to wake up the farmer and his family. They managed to escape the fire thanks to the pig.

Another story the farmer recounted was when his son fell down the well, and the same pig tugged at the rope down the well until the boy managed to climb back out. Norm’s hometown of Monkland is full of funny stories, but the one with the hero pig with the wooden leg is the best out of everything.^[9]

1 Hero Pig Fights off Robbers

Pigs might look like sweet and cuddly creatures, but don’t be fooled! They are also fierce warriors who will do whatever it takes to protect their families, and Arnold is one such pig.

The 300-pound pet pig became a star attraction in his Minneapolis neighborhood after he saved his owner one February when two men threatened her in her garage.

Moyer said she had left the side door open and soon felt something like a gun in her back. She went into the kitchen where Arnold was lying on the floor; when Moyer began screaming, Arnold sprang into action. Moyer said that Arnold swung around and bit the man right in his calf muscle. The guy yelled, then ran out of the room with his friend. Her other pet, a Vietnamese pot belly named Axel, hid under a chair the entire time.

Although police have not arrested any suspects in the incident, it prompted Arnold to receive an award from the Minneapolis Police Department. His status as a neighborhood mascot has made Moyer well-known among residents of Stevens Square, a crime-plagued area where she lives.^[10]