On January 13, 1129, during the Council of Troyes, Pope Honorius II formally sanctioned the Knights Templar, proclaiming them an army of God. Established in 1118 under the leadership of French nobleman Hughes de Payens, the Templars initially set out to protect Christian pilgrims traveling to and from the Holy Land during the Crusades. Early on, the order had just nine members, partly due to strict requirements: knights had to be of noble birth and swear strict vows of poverty, obedience, and chastity. However, a major recruitment effort in 1127 attracted more noble supporters, expanding the Templars’ size and influence.

By the early 14th century, when the Crusades ended without success, the Knights Templar had amassed considerable wealth, sparking envy in both religious and secular circles. In 1307, King Philip IV of France and Pope Clement V collaborated to arrest the grand master, Jacques de Molay, accusing him and other high-ranking Templars of heresy, sacrilege, and Satanism. They were tortured until they confessed to these charges and were ultimately executed by burning. Eventually in 1312, Pope Clement officially dissolved the order of the Knights Templar.

In modern times, the Catholic Church has acknowledged that the persecution of the Knights Templar was unfounded, noting that Pope Clement acted under pressure from secular rulers. Over the centuries, myths and legends have swirled around the Templars, including speculation that they may have uncovered sacred relics at Temple Mount. Everything from the Holy Grail, the Ark of the Covenant, and even parts of Christ’s cross have been connected to the Templars, adding even more mystery to the strange group.

Nearly five decades after the notorious gunfight at the O.K. Corral, Wyatt Earp passed away in Los Angeles at the age of 80. Back in Tombstone, he and his brothers Virgil and Morgan had fought with the Clanton-McClaury ranchers for influence over local politics and economics. On October 26, 1881, their rivalry exploded on a street near the O.K. Corral, where Wyatt, his brothers, and their friend Doc Holliday killed three members of the Clanton and McLaury families in a quick, 30-second shoot-out. Although the Earp brothers and Holliday was seen by the court as acting in their roles as law officers, public opinion turned against them and the encounter only intensified the feud: in late December 1881, the Clantons and McLaurys seriously wounded Virgil Earp in a shotgun ambush, and three months later Morgan was fatally shot while playing billiards

As a U.S. deputy marshal, Wyatt was supposed to track down Morgan’s murderers, but he became more focused on revenge than legal procedure. Soon after Morgan’s killing, Frank Stillwell—one of the suspected assailants—turned up dead in a Tucson rail yard, and Wyatt, along with Doc Holliday, was accused of the crime. Refusing to be arrested, Wyatt fled Arizona, killing another suspected accomplice named Florentino Cruz along the way. In his later years, he roamed throughout the West, searching for gold in Idaho, operating a saloon in San Francisco, raising thoroughbred horses in San Diego, and finally chasing the Alaskan gold rush in Nome. After a short venture in Nevada, he settled in Los Angeles, where he tried to sell his frontier stories to the public, but it never worked out. Nevertheless, his reputation drew the interest of Hollywood’s emerging Western film scene.

Ironically, Wyatt’s lasting fame arrived only after his death. A young writer named Stuart Lake published Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshall, a biography that cast him as a fearless and honorable champion of the frontier. This portrayal struck a chord with popular audiences, and numerous books and films soon followed. Thanks to these romanticized depictions, Wyatt Earp secured a permanent place in the legendary lore of the American Wild West.

Egyptian Makeup
Both men and women in ancient Egypt wore makeup, particularly black eyeliner made from galena (lead ore). But it wasn’t just for fashion—it was believed to protect the eyes from infections and the sun's glare.

First Egyptian Prosthetic
The earliest prosthetic device ever discovered is a wooden toe found on a mummy in Egypt, dating back to around 950 BCE. It was remarkably functional, allowing the wearer to walk more naturally

Babylonian Beer
The Babylonians took beer seriously, with more than 20 different types cataloged on clay tablets. Workers often received beer as part of their wages.

Ancient Chocolate
The Olmecs, a pre-Mayan civilization in Mesoamerica, were the first to cultivate cacao and turn it into a chocolate-like drink as early as 1500 BCE.