In a dramatic comeback, Vlad the Impaler reclaimed the throne of Wallachia for a third time after defeating rival Basarab Laiotă. Backed by Stephen the Great of Moldavia and Hungarian commander Stephen Báthory, Vlad’s return marked another bloody chapter in the battle for Balkan power. Though his reign would be short-lived, the legend of Vlad Dracula would only grow darker—and far more enduring—than his rule.
1476 – Vlad the Impaler Rises Again: Third Time on the Throne of Wallachia
In 1716, Bostonians paid to see something they had only heard about in fables—a real lion. The animal, caged and transported from overseas, became the first of its kind exhibited in America. Crowds flocked in awe and fear to witness the exotic beast, sparking a fascination with wild creatures that would eventually lead to the birth of American zoos and traveling menageries.
1716 – America Meets Its First Lion: Boston’s Wild Curiosity
On November 26th, 1805, Thomas Telford’s Pontcysyllte Aqueduct officially opened—lifting boats 126 feet above the River Dee in Wales. The engineering marvel carried the Llangollen Canal across a valley, becoming the longest and highest canal aqueduct in the UK. It stunned observers at the time and remains a symbol of industrial genius, blending beauty and innovation in one breathtaking feat of 19th-century engineering.
1805 – A River in the Sky: Telford’s Aqueduct Opens
Howard Carter opened a sealed doorway in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings—and history gasped. Inside was the nearly untouched tomb of Tutankhamun, glittering with gold and secrets. The discovery stunned the world, fueling a global fascination with ancient Egypt. This November breakthrough not only reshaped archaeology but sparked legends of pharaohs, curses, and a long-lost boy king reclaiming immortality through the modern imagination.
1922 – Into the Afterlife: Carter Breaks the Seal on Tutankhamun’s Tomb
In a move cloaked in secrecy, the Japanese naval carrier force quietly departed for its fateful mission across the Pacific. Their destination: Pearl Harbor. The departure marked the beginning of a surprise assault that would change the world. While diplomats spoke of peace, warplanes were already in motion—November 26th became the day the countdown to December 7th began in earnest.
