On May 26, 1538, the fiery French reformer John Calvin was officially kicked out of Geneva, the very city that had invited him in to help shape its religious future. Just a few years earlier, Calvin had arrived with big ideas — he wanted to turn Geneva into a model of Protestant discipline, grounded in scripture, strict morals, and godly order. But not everyone in town took kindly to his no-nonsense theology or his sharp tongue.

Calvin, along with fellow reformer William Farel, tried to push major changes: reforming church practices, enforcing moral behavior, and making church attendance mandatory. He also demanded that the Lord’s Supper be taken only by those who proved themselves faithful — which rubbed the city council and many citizens the wrong way. Tensions boiled over when Calvin refused to administer communion to certain folks he saw as unworthy, including political leaders. That move got him in deep trouble.

The city council — not fans of being told what to do by a preacher — voted to expel Calvin and Farel from Geneva. It was a major blow, but Calvin didn’t stay down long. He moved to Strasbourg, where he spent a few years preaching, writing, and refining his ideas. During that time, he also pastored a church of French refugees and wrote his famous revisions of Institutes of the Christian Religion, which would become one of the most influential works of the Reformation.

By 1541, the folks in Geneva realized they might’ve needed Calvin more than they thought. The city fell into religious and political disarray, and they eventually invited him back — this time with more authority than before. But that moment on May 26, 1538, when Geneva showed him the door, proved that even a theological heavyweight like John Calvin could be shown the curb when church and politics collided.

On May 26, 1897, a new novel hit the shelves in London, and it didn’t take long for it to sink its teeth into readers. The book was called Dracula, written by an Irish author named Bram Stoker. Told through diary entries, letters, and newspaper clippings, it introduced the world to a cold, calculating, and terrifying creature from Transylvania — Count Dracula, the vampire that would go on to shape pop culture for more than a century.

Stoker wasn’t the first to write about vampires, but he redefined the myth, turning Dracula into something far more seductive and sinister than old European folklore. The story blends Gothic horror with modern technology of the time — like trains, typewriters, and telegrams — pitting science and faith against ancient evil. It wasn’t just a horror story, it was a tale about fear of the unknown, about disease, foreign invasion, and even repressed Victorian desires — all dressed up in a black cape and fangs.

The novel didn’t make Bram Stoker rich or famous right away. It got decent reviews, but nothing like the sensation it would become later. Stoker died in 1912, never knowing just how massive his creation would grow. It wasn’t until the stage plays and early films — especially Bela Lugosi’s 1931 portrayal — that Dracula became a global icon, and Stoker was finally recognized as one of the masters of horror literature.

Today, Dracula is more than just a book — it’s the blueprint for every vampire tale that followed. From horror movies to Halloween costumes to bestselling novels, Stoker’s creature still haunts our imaginations. And it all started on a foggy London day in 1897, when a quiet Irishman released a novel that would never die.

The Garamantes🌊
Over 2,000 years ago, deep in what’s now Libya, the Garamantes — a desert-dwelling civilization — pulled off something very impressive: they built a vast underground tunnel system beneath the Sahara Desert to access water. These tunnels, called foggaras, tapped into underground aquifers and channeled water over long distances to irrigate farmland, even in some of the driest terrain on Earth. Think of them as the ancient world’s version of plumbing meets desert survival. They did this without modern tools, GPS, or drilling rigs — just ingenuity, manpower, and a very strong motivation to not die of thirst. The system helped support thriving towns, agriculture, and trade routes across the desert. So while history books often focus on Rome or Egypt, the Garamantes were quietly building a desert water highway beneath everyone’s feet. 💧🏜️🔧

The Battle of Ueno⚔️
By 1868, Japan was at a crossroads — caught between centuries of samurai tradition and the tidal wave of Western modernization. And nowhere was that more clear than the Battle of Ueno, where samurai marched into battle wearing traditional armor... and carrying rifles. The battle was part of the Boshin War, a civil conflict between the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and imperial forces trying to restore power to the emperor. The samurai loyal to the shogun came decked out in lacquered breastplates, helmets, and full-on warrior gear — but instead of just katana, they were also armed with muskets and early rifles. Imagine a clash where gunpowder meets chainmail, where bullets fly alongside war cries — it was like feudal cosplay with live ammo. The battle didn’t go well for the samurai side, but it symbolized a final moment of overlap between old-school honor and modern warfare.🔫🇯🇵

Ancient Clock🕰️
Before Big Ben, cuckoo clocks, or even medieval bell towers, the first mechanical clocks were being dreamed up in the Islamic Golden Age — especially in 9th-century Baghdad, the intellectual powerhouse of the time. Islamic engineers and inventors like Al-Jazari and Banu Musa created water-powered and gear-driven clocks that could tell time, track celestial movements, and even put on little automaton shows with moving figures, birds, and doors. These were part science, part art, part flex. One legendary example? The Elephant Clock by Al-Jazari (1206 CE), a masterpiece combining Indian, Greek, Arab, and Chinese engineering — complete with a moving bird that chirped on the hour. These inventions weren’t just about timekeeping — they were about innovation, cultural exchange, and showing that science and creativity were timeless pursuits. 🕰️📚

Ancient Lagoon City🏝️
Off the coast of Pohnpei in Micronesia lies Nan Madol — an ancient city built on top of a lagoon, using massive basalt blocks, some weighing up to 50 tons... all without a drop of mortar. Constructed as early as the 8th century, this incredible site consists of over 90 man-made islets, connected by canals and seawalls, forming what’s often called the “Venice of the Pacific.” The city was once the ceremonial and political center of the Saudeleur Dynasty, complete with temples, tombs, and royal residences. What makes Nan Madol so mind-blowing isn’t just the engineering — it’s the mystery: How did islanders move such enormous stones across water? Why build such a massive complex on a remote lagoon? And what secrets lie beneath its sunken ruins? No cranes, no wheels, no cement — just ingenuity, ambition, and volcanic rock. 🌊🧱

If you enjoy this edition of Today In History be sure to send it to a friend and force them to sign up because that’s what good friends do. Until next time, stay curious, question everything, and keep uncovering the mysteries of the past.