Alexander Sizonenko’s height continued to increase throughout his life due to a growth disorder.
Despite his height, he was praised for his positional awareness and passing ability in basketball.
Sizonenko portrayed a giant in the 1989 film “The Brave Little Tailor.”
Alexander Alekseyevich Sizonenko (20 July 1959 – 5 January 2012) stood at a towering 7 feet 10 inches to 8 feet tall. Born in Ukraine, he suffered from acromegaly due to a pituitary tumor, causing him to continue growing throughout his life. He was a basketball player for the Soviet Union (USSR) and the world record holder for height in 1990. Sizonenko also holds the record for being the tallest professional basketball player at 7’11 listed height (Suleiman Ali Nashnush was 8 feet tall, but he was 7’10 while playing). If he were chosen in the 1984 NBA drafts, Sizonenko would still be the tallest NBA player to this day (the current record holder is 7’7 Gheorghe Mureșan).
In 1991, the Guinness Book of Records recognized him as the tallest living person.
Sizonenko became the world’s tallest living man in 1991 when Gabriel Monjane died. A year later he lost this title, although he was bigger (at his peak) than the next record holders (Alam Channa, Radhouane Charbib, Naseer Soomro, Bao Xishun and Leonid Stadnyk) until Sultan Kösen took over the title in 2009.
Who Was Alexander Sizonenko?
Since his childhood, Alexander Sizonenko always stood out because of his towering size. Due to his height, he had to have skull trepanations and pituitary gland (a pea-sized organ that secretes growth hormone) surgery when he was only in school. Nonetheless, Sizonenko matured and ultimately found fulfillment in the sport of basketball.
In 1976, Sizonenko moved to St. Petersburg, which was known as Leningrad during the Soviet era. He began his career in the USSR Premier Basketball League in 1976 as a center for Leningrad’s “Spartak” and then moved on to Kuybyshev’s “Stroitel” (also known as BC Samara) in 1979, where he remained until his retirement in 1986.
He was one of the top centers in the Soviet Union and was considered for the national team. Despite his condition severely limiting his mobility and agility on the court, he made twelve appearances for the Soviet national team, although he did not qualify for any championships. Sizonenko had to retire from basketball at the age of 27 due to his growth disorder. In his best game, he finished with 39 points, 15 blocks, 5 steals, and 12 boards, and in 1978, he won a Soviet Cup.
Although his height prevented him from reaching the highest levels of the sport, he was still praised for his excellent positional awareness and passing ability by experts. Due to a hormonal imbalance brought on by an ankle injury and improper treatment, he was forced to retire from professional athletics in 1986. Extremely tall people like him often suffer joint problems, such as Robert Wadlow, the tallest documented human in history.
He portrayed a giant in the 1989 Czechoslovak art film “The Brave Little Tailor,” which was an adaptation of a German fairy tale.
He portrayed a giant in the 1989 Czechoslovak art film “The Brave Little Tailor,” which was an adaptation of a German fairy tale.
After His Retirement
Alexander Sizonenko represented the national team before his career ended prematurely in 1986 due to his growth disorder, where his bones and heart were unable to support his body mass as a result.
After his retirement, he settled in St. Petersburg on a disability pension. His osteoporosis (a skeletal disorder) was so bad that he needed crutches even around the house. He lived in St. Petersburg with his 5-foot-8.5-inch wife Swetlana, whom he later divorced, and their son Alexander, born in 1994.
Fearing for his life, Sizonenko later turned down a 1999 offer from German anatomist Günter von Hagens to give his corpse to the Heidelberg Institute of Plastination (a technique Hagens developed for preserving biological tissue).
His Figures
After a lifetime of growth, Alexander Alekseyevich Sizonenko measured in at 8 feet, 410 pounds, with a shoe size of 58 EU (around 20 US). The man wore tailor-made suits and shoes. The famous Georg Wessels produced him special-sized shoes, just like he did for Sandy Allen or Sultan Kösen.
In other sources, he was measured at 7’10 and 7’11. The discrepancy in his height might be related to his skeletal disorder. He used a cane to walk, as his spine could no longer hold his body upright, causing him to compress by approximately 4 inches in his later years while lying down. He had an injury in late June 2011 and has been unable to walk since then.
Gastric hemorrhage (bleeding), made worse by incompatible drugs, prevented surgery, and he was admitted to the hospital. Since he couldn’t walk, he stayed at home on July 25, 2011. During this time, his former team, BC Spartak Saint Petersburg, as well as his friends and other volunteers, helped him to ease his difficulties.
He checked himself into a St. Petersburg hospital on August 2, 2011. In November 2011, he was released from the clinic and placed under the care of a caretaker.
His Death
On January 5, 2012, Sizonenko died away at his apartment at the age of 52 as a divorcé, and on January 9, he was laid to rest in the Northern Cemetery.
Felipe Birriel’s growth was attributed to a tumor in his pituitary gland, rather than genetic factors.
He was a Puerto Rican figure who represented the image of a jíbaro (country person) from the early 20th century.
His extreme growth occurred during the difficult decade of the 1930s when the country was facing poverty and the United States was going through the Great Depression.
Felipe Birriel Fernández is a major figure in Puerto Rico’s history. At 7 feet 11 inches, he is the tallest person ever from Puerto Rico. He was never the tallest living person but this man’s reputation as “El Gigante de Carolina” or “The Giant of Carolina” has spread far and wide, from American streets to other shores. Born in 1916, Birriel worked in the fields as a child before experiencing rapid growth due to a pituitary gland tumor, which is called “gigantism”.
Felipe received radiotherapy treatment thanks to a machine sent from the United States and became the longest-lived human (77 years) with a gigantism condition when he passed away in 1994. He became a local legend in Carolina, Puerto Rico, appearing in a film and being honored during a basketball championship, leaving behind a legacy as “El Gigante de Carolina.”
The Legend of North Carolina’s Massive Giant
Felipe Birriel in the movie El Gigante de Carolina, Flight of the Lost Balloon, 1961.
Felipe Birriel came from a modest background and was just a typical teenager in appearance, similar to other giants like Zhang Juncai or John F. Carroll. He was the oldest and the most notable of his six siblings. He lived his whole life in the state he was born in. Because he had to start helping his parents with the coffee, fruit, and sugarcane harvests (as a water delivery boy) at such an early age, he only managed to complete the second grade of primary school.
At the age of 16, Felipe Birriel started to show signs of his remarkable height, which he maintained throughout his life. As a harvester and fertilizer of crops, his work tools already became too small for him to control properly at this young age.
His quick development wasn’t anything to cheer about, however; it was the result of a tumor in his pituitary gland, which also left him feeling quite lightheaded and weak which is typical for people with the same condition. He had difficulties walking later in his life and had to use a wheelchair.
The Obstacles of Being 7’11 Tall
Learning about Felipe Birriel Fernández’s life indicates that he was more than just a freakishly large man who caused a stir in society. He was a person who had to overcome certain obstacles.
El Gigante de Carolina, as he is often known, Felipe Birriel, stood at a respectable 7 feet 11 inches. His organs were the standard size for a human, but his disease and rapid development severely limited his mobility and independence. His resolve, however, never wavered.
Felipe suffered from heart failures on top of his other symptoms since his heart was unable to pump enough blood to support his tall frame. Felipe’s health has been the subject of several investigations due to his family’s financial difficulties and the poor economic climate in Puerto Rico. Living in poverty in the Barrazas neighborhood of Carolina, his parents didn’t have the means to provide any treatment for his tumor.
Since Birriel’s heart was having trouble keeping up with the demands placed on it, he was able to walk only very slowly.
Nonetheless, despite everyone’s best efforts, his development was painfully sluggish. A radiation treatment machine was first sent from the United States to Puerto Rico in 1932, but it wasn’t until 1941 that the device really arrived.
This almost decade-long delay was probably due to the United States going through the Great Depression. The machine was needed to take his pituitary gland tumor under control, thus his unusual growth.
Eventually, doctors were able to undertake surgery to slow down Felipe Birriel’s rapid growth. The outlook was poor, despite the fact that the tumor had been excised. The tallest man in the nation, he was already famous as the Giant of Carolina at the time.
Some Acts of Exploitation
Felipe Birriel hoped for a better life for himself and his family even when he was deeply unable due to his sickness. Because of the malicious intent of others and his own naiveté, he was subjected to horrific acts of exploitation.
An American circus owner noticed him because of his stature and offered him “better living circumstances” in exchange for his participation in a tour of the United States. What had at first appeared like a promising beginning soon turned into a nightmare of abuse and hardship for him and his loved ones.
Due to enduring poor treatment, living conditions, and exploitation during his time in various North American cities, Felipe Birriel did not stop looking for a route back to his home state of Carolina until he finally achieved it. He worked in promotions and sales for different businesses throughout the island.
His Later Life
Despite his limitations, “Giant” was a fitting nickname since it reflected both his physical size and the effort he put forth to survive in life. Felipe was in two films, the first of which was “Flight of the Lost Balloon,” shot on location in Puerto Rico in 1961.
The shopkeepers of Carolina also helped their best man out by making gigantic furniture especially for him, as well as large shoes and clothing. He received funding from the government of Puerto Rico and businesspeople at the time.
On the morning of March 15, 1994, at the age of 77, Felipe Birriel Fernández died in his hometown of a heart attack. He’s the only known case of his illness that has survived to such an old age (Bao Xishun is currently 71 years old). Most people with gigantism usually die at young ages such as Feodor Machnow (34), Bernard Coyne (24), Radhouane Charbib (37), and John Rogan (38).
His death occurred in the residence where he shared with his brother Hermenegildo and sister-in-law Rosa María, who took care of him for more than 40 years in the same field in the Barrazas neighborhood where he was born.
The Legacy of the Carolina Giant
Carolina is also called “La Tierra de Gigantes” or the Land of Giants” today in Birriel’s name.
The painting “Carolina, Tierra de Gigantes” was unveiled in Carolina.
“Gigantes de Carolina” (Carolina’s Giants) basketball team in the first-tier-level men’s league in Puerto Rico was founded in 1971 in honor of Birriel and they are the current champions of the league.
There is a museum and a street called “El Paseo Felipe Birriel”.
A robot that bears a similarity to Birriel greets tourists at the entrance of the “Galería de Gigantes,” or Gallery of Giants, in downtown.
A children’s book named “Felipe Corazón de Gigantes” was written about Birriel’s life by Carolina author Wanda De Jesus Arvelo.
Give it enough time and with this rate, Felipe Birriel can turn into a local myth in the following centuries.
Although he reportedly developed feelings for a “girl” in the area, Birriel was never able to tie the knot with her. To celebrate the centennial of Birriel Fernández’s birth, a number of events, such as an ecumenical ceremony and the placing of a wreath at the cemetery in the Holy Cross Neighborhood, were organized back in 2016.
Anton de Franckenpoint or “Long Anton,” is the first verified person in history to be 8 feet tall. There are only around 30 documented people in history who are 8 feet or more in height. He was born Anton Frank in the Holy Roman Empire and lived until 1596 in what is now Germany. His skeleton can be seen in Marburg, Germany, at the Museum Anatomicum today, as well as his painting at the Marburg Anatomical Institute.
Originally from Geldern, Anton de Franckenpoint worked as the Protestant Duke Henry Julius of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel’s (1564–1613) personal guard. In that sense, he was also one of the earliest bouncers. His actual birthday is a mystery, although anthropological research places it anywhere between 1544 and 1561.
As tall as a statue, Anton de Franckenpoint was dissected in the anatomy department at the University of Helmstedt in 1596, according to university documents.
Along with the skeleton, the entry hall of the Marburg Anatomical Institute has a life-size oil painting of “Long Anton” as a Landsknecht (a type of Germanic mercenary) from Braunschweig. This artwork is another acquisition of the University of Helmstedt (1576–1810).
The giant Anton de Franckenpoint with the dwarf Thomele. After 1583.
A growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenoma (a benign tumor) was responsible for his extreme stature, just like other similarly tall people in history such as Zeng Jinlian, Don Koehler, Robert Wadlow, or John Rogan. If it occurs before around the age of 15, this tumor causes gigantism or extreme stature in humans, but this also shortens their lifespan significantly.
His adenoma-caused sella turcica enlargement is clearly noticeable on his cranium because the pituitary gland is located here.
Anton de Franckenpoint went on a world tour where he exposed himself to the public. His almost 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm) tall crutch, as well as degenerative changes in joints and the spine, are a testament to the fact that the health implications of his gigantism caught up with him in his later years.
People with gigantism are susceptible to bone injuries because of falls. Anton had two femoral neck fractures during his life.
Neither of his limbs remained, and a fake skull is used in place of the original while his skeleton is on display in the museum today. The Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nuremberg had an exhibition featuring Anton de Franckenpoint’s skeleton in June 2017.
When investigating the history of a set of textbooks published in the 19th century, researcher Nina Ulrich dug deep into both the skeleton and its analytically reconstructable life history. Thomas Kuster, a curator at a museum in Innsbruck, also uncovered a painting and a copper engraving by modern artists that depict Anton’s figure.
The Mexican Revolution began on November 20, 1910, led by Francisco Madero, Pancho Villa, and Emiliano Zapata.
The Mexican Constitution was adopted in 1917, concluding the revolution and enacting social and labor reforms.
The Mexican Revolution resulted in the deaths of 1 to 1.5 million people and led to various phases with different leaders and goals.
The first tensions began in 1910, when Mexican President Porfirio Diaz was re-elected after rigged elections in which his main political rival, Francisco Madero, was jailed. Diaz had been in charge of the country for 30 years and was responsible for huge inequalities in wealth distribution and deplorable living and working conditions. His determination to stay in power inflamed society.
November 20, 1910, is considered the start of the Mexican Revolution, which initially took the form of guerrilla warfare. On November 6, 1911, Madero was finally elected president. However, he failed to meet the demands of the revolutionaries. Numerous conflicts, led by Pancho Villa, Emiliano Zapata, and Pascual Orozco, continued for two years. When Madero was killed in February 1913, Victoriano Huerta took power. Two groups emerged during this period: the Constitutionalists and the Conventionalists. This bloody struggle ended in 1917 with the adoption of the Mexican Constitution.
Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa were revolutionary leaders who championed the causes of land reform and social justice. Zapata, the leader of the Zapatistas, focused on agrarian reform and land redistribution. Villa, known for his military leadership, led forces in northern Mexico and fought for various revolutionary goals.
1912. Image: Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (neg. no. LC-USZ62-73425)Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa.
Porfirio Diaz’s presidency was characterized by great injustice. Land was in the hands of a few big landowners, while workers worked for starvation wages. Society wanted change, and Diaz’s decision to seek re-election more than 30 years after coming to power (after a coup) set off a storm.
Groups formed to fight against a government perceived as totalitarian and unjust. They wanted to put an end to the “Porfiriato”, known for the sharp rise in poverty, food shortages, high inflation, pressure on local wealth, the sale of Mexican companies to foreigners and the rise of nationalism.
Land restitution was the main focus of the revolution, especially in central Mexico. But it was also a struggle for power and a struggle against the economic and political obstacles put forward by the people of the north.
The Evolution of the Mexican Revolution
Retouched photo of former Mexican President Francisco I. Madero.Madero and Pascual Orozco.
The Mexican Revolution went through several violent phases. Many people died, including successive heads of state: Francisco I. Madero, Pancho Villa, Pascual Orozco, Emiliano Zapata (Attila of the South), Álvaro Obregón, and Venustiano Carranza. There were uprisings and coups everywhere.
The rebellion started in the north of the country. Francisco Madero calls for free elections with the “Plan of San Luis de Potosí” (a text listing his demands and requests). 25,000 guerrillas joined the plan and managed to oust Diaz from power. Madero was then elected, but he kept in force all the decisions of his predecessor.
On February 22, 1913, after a 16-month “reign”, he was overthrown and killed by General Victoriano Huerta, who restored Diaz’s totalitarianism and continued the dictatorship. However, troops were formed to fight against Porfiriato’s successor. This was called the tragic decade (decena tragica). The troops were led by Carranza and Obregón in the north of the country and Zapata in the center. These groups were supported by unionized workers and part of the population.
In 1914, Álvaro Obregón launched an attack on the capital, Mexico City, and ousted Huerta from power. Venustiano Carranza (an ally of Obregón) took over the government. But once again, no changes were made. Emiliano Zapata’s troops fought against the big landowners.
Pancho Villa took the haciendas by force and gave them to his lieutenants. Obregón and Carranza were more against the clergy. Eventually, these different movements would clash. In 1914, the Zapatistas joined forces with Villa’s men to take Mexico City. The Constitutionalists, led by Carranza, repulsed them. Carranza once again seized power. In 1919, Zapata was killed in an ambush set by Carranza. Villa retreated to a farm. Carranza was assassinated in 1920 and Villa in 1923. Álvaro Obregón assassinated Carranza in the final coup of the Mexican Revolution and became president.
The Mexican Revolution can be divided into several phases or stages: the Madero period (1910-1913), the Constitutionalist period (1913-1917) and the post-revolutionary period (1920s). Each phase involved different leaders and goals.
President Porfirio Díaz in civilian uniform in 1903.
In 1914, the revolutionaries met at the Convention of Aguascalientes but failed to reach an agreement. The Mexican Revolution ended in 1917 with the adoption of a new constitution. Francisco Mgica, a highly progressive nationalist, was largely responsible for drafting the text that the Constituent Assembly adopted.
The constitution enacted more social principles, including social protection and guarantees for workers, as well as better agricultural distribution. It also eliminated the advantages of the Church and other countries’ preferential rights over Mexico’s underground riches. Despite its charm, the government hardly ever put the constitution into practice. Carranza was assassinated in 1920 after illegally regaining power. Obregón became President of Mexico.
Between 1 and 1.5 million people died during this revolution. Other events also punctuated the revolution. One of them was the Cristero War, which lasted from 1926 to 1929, during the “Sonoran Years.” Mexican nationalism and the National Revolutionary Party took shape during this period. A third revolutionary period took place from 1934 to 1940 with the dialogic government of Lazaro Cardenas. The revolution ended in 1938, when plans for national integration, state building, and the establishment of national capitalism were completed.
The Mexican Revolution saw several battles and skirmishes, including the Battle of Ciudad Juárez, the Battle of Celaya and the Battle of Zacatecas. These battles had a significant impact on the course of the revolution.
Who Were the Leaders of the Mexican Revolution?
Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata Mexican.
The Mexican Revolution was marked by several important figures.
Victoriano Huerta was born in 1850. This Mexican general soon swore allegiance to Madero but conspired against him and seized power (1913). The rebellions gradually spread. He renounced the presidency on July 15, 1914, and went into exile before dying in 1916.
Venustiano Carranza was born in 1859. He entered politics at a young age and joined forces with Madero. After Madero’s assassination, he became head of government from 1915 to 1920. He was removed from office by the army and assassinated on May 21, 1920.
Francisco Madero was born in 1873 into a wealthy landowning family. He was elected president in 1911 and began a presidential term that was considered disastrous. It ended with his assassination in 1913.
Pancho Villa, or José Doroteo Arango Arámbula, was born in 1878. When he was 16 years old, he killed the man who raped his sister and fled. He took the name Pancho Villa and joined Madero. After the fall of Madero, Villa was hunted down and assassinated on July 20, 1920.
Emiliano Zapata was born in 1879. He began his political career in 1910, defending peasants against landowners. A year later, he became close to Pancho Villa and fought against the Carranza government.
Álvaro Obregón was born in 1880. He began his political career in 1911, joining the Carranza camp. His agrarian reforms and tensions with Adolfo de la Huerta marked his election as president on October 26, 1920. In 1928, a Catholic dissident assassinated him.
Emiliano Zapata led the Zapatistas, who pushed for land reform and the return of land to the peasants. Their slogan “Tierra y Libertad” (Land and Liberty) reflected their focus on agrarian reform.
Who Were the Women of the Mexican Revolution?
Valentina Ramírez Ávila.
When we talk about the Mexican Revolution, we talk a lot about men, but some women stood out. Many of them worked with the revolutionaries, albeit secretly. We can see these women for the first time in the book Adelitas by Rosario Acosta Nieva and Eric Taladoire. The book includes more than 400 names. These women fought for the recognition of disadvantaged classes.
They were the shadow forces of revolutionary movements. Dolores Jimenez y Muro made her name during the Mexican Revolution as an activist and supporter of General Emiliano Zapata. Common women were also involved in the revolution. Maria Belén Gutiérrez de Mendoza is an exemplary fighter for minority rights.
There were also many women who disguised themselves as men to fight, such as Petra Herrera. She played an active role in the revolution, joining Pancho Villa’s troops disguised as men and later forming her own battalion of women soldiers.
Carmen Serdán – Carmen Serdán was a schoolteacher from Puebla and one of the earliest supporters of the revolution. She provided a safe house for the revolutionaries and helped them organize the movement.
Dolores Jiménez y Muro – She was an intellectual and writer who supported the revolutionary leaders. She was also a close collaborator of Francisco Madero, one of the main revolutionary figures.
Leandra Becerra Lumbreras – Leandra is known for being one of the oldest participants in the revolution, joining the fight at the age of 127. She helped deliver supplies to the revolutionary forces and provided support as a cook.
Valentina Ramírez Ávila – Valentina was a revolutionary soldier who dressed as a man and fought alongside her husband. She gained fame for her combat skills.
Amelio Robles Ávila – Amelio Robles is an interesting figure as he was assigned female at birth but lived as a man, serving in revolutionary forces and attaining the rank of Colonel.
Elisa Griensen Zamudio – Elisa was a key figure in the Zapatista movement, aiding Emiliano Zapata’s efforts by delivering intelligence, supplies, and even funds from the United States.
Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez – Although she lived a generation before the Mexican Revolution, she is remembered for her role in the early independence movement, her support for insurgent leaders, and her contribution to the broader struggle for Mexican independence.
La Adelita – “La Adelita” became a symbol of the women who supported the revolutionary troops, often cooking, nursing the wounded, and participating in other crucial roles.
These women contributed to the Mexican Revolution in various ways, from providing direct support to fighting on the front lines. Their actions helped shape the course of the revolution and had a lasting impact on Mexican society, including improvements in women’s rights and opportunities.
Important Dates in the Mexican Revolution
Main battles of the institutionalist revolution (1913-1914). Image: Wikimedia.
November 28, 1876: Porfirio Díaz Assumes the Presidency of Mexico
The Mestizo-born general Porfirio Díaz (1830–1915) became President of the Mexican Republic after overthrowing Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada (the Oaxaca rebellion), a position he held until 1911. Although he was the guardian of a strong form of government known as the “Porfiriato”, he nevertheless helped to end the long period of anarchy that plagued the country and began to develop the economy through foreign investment. He was in turn overthrown by the 1911 Revolution and spent the last years of his life in Paris.
November 20, 1910: Beginning of the Mexican Revolution
Since 1876, Porfirio Diaz had ruled Mexico arbitrarily, to the detriment of the peasants. In 1908, Francisco Madero, a young landowner, opposed Diaz and led an uprising that spread throughout the country. He ran for election in April 1910 but was imprisoned by Diaz, who was elected president for the seventh time. Released shortly afterwards, Francisco Madero called for rebellion against the government on November 20, 1910. Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata joined him to lead the revolution.
September 1, 1911: Francisco Madero Elected President of Mexico
Francisco Madero was elected President of Mexico in September 1911. However, he failed to put an end to the civil war in his country. His opponents included Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa, who had fought with him in the revolution. Even Francisco Madero’s supporters were divided and the situation worsened when he founded the Progressive Constitutional Party. Peasants, workers, and the middle class disapproved of his policies for various reasons. The new president failed to fulfill his agricultural policy commitments. He was assassinated on February 22, 1913.
November 25, 1911: Zapata publishes the “Ayala Plan”
In the Mexican state of Morelos, the revolutionary Emiliano Zapata proposed a land reform project he called the “Ayala Plan”. The text called for one third of the communal territories plundered by landowners to be returned to the Indian population. This revolutionary plan was the first in the world to call for agrarian reform and a better distribution of land and wealth. Despite Zapata’s assassination, the Indians in Mexico would partially benefit, but would be decisively removed from power by the rich Creoles.
Agrarian reform was a central issue in the Mexican Revolution, with the goal of addressing land inequalities and redistributing land to peasants. This reform aimed to empower the rural poor and reduce the power of large landowners in Mexico.
April 14, 1914: Battle of Topolobampo
In the midst of the Mexican Revolution, the Mexican port of Topolobampo was the scene of one of the first air battles in history. General Alvaro Obregón, a prominent constitutionalist officer, is stranded in the harbor aboard the Tampico. Opposing him is a Federal Army ship, the Guerrero, commanded by Captain Ignacio Arenas. While the Tampico was in bad shape, she was rescued by Captain Gustavo Salinas’ biplane Sonora, which bombed the Guerrero, which was not equipped for aerial combat, forcing her to flee.
July 2, 1915: Death of Porfirio Diaz
Born on September 15, 1830, in Oaxaca, Mexico, Porfirio Diaz was a Mexican soldier and politician. He ruled the country from 1876 to 1880 and then from 1884 to 1910. As a totalitarian president, he changed the laws so that he could replace himself indefinitely. The blatant fraud in the 1910 elections that triggered the Mexican Revolution would be his undoing. He was exiled to Europe to avoid a civil war and died in Paris on July 2, 1915.
March 9, 1916: Pancho Villa Raids the American Village of Columbus
Pancho Villa, whose real name was José Doroteo Arango Arámbula, organized a raid against the village of Columbus (New Mexico). To this end, he entered American territory with 1,500 men, 400 of them cavalry, and launched an attack in which he himself did not participate. The attack resulted in 17 deaths on the American side and about 100 on the Mexican side. Many buildings were also burned, including the post office and a hotel.
April 10, 1919: Assassination of Zapata
Near the town of Cuernavaca, dictator Carranza’s men ambushed Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata. Nicknamed the “Attila of the South”, Zapata was fighting Creole landowners in the south of the country, while the uprising in the north was led by his friend Pancho Villa. In 1911, Zapata became the first Mexican to advocate agrarian reform when he drafted the “Plan of Ayala”, calling for the return of land to Native American tribes.
Louis XIV’s numerous mistresses, such as Marie Mancini, Henrietta of England, and Louise de la Vallière, left only small traces in his memory. But in 1660, a young girl from one of the most famous families in the kingdom, Françoise de Rochechouart de Mortemart, entered the court.
Marquise de Montespan – Louis XIV’s Favorite
Françoise-Athénaïs de Rochechouart, marquise de Montespan.
At the age of 20, she was “the most beautiful woman at court“, according to her contemporaries. Not only that, but the woman who acquired the title of Marquise de Montespan by marriage in 1663 was also noted for her intelligence and wit. The Sun King must have been busy elsewhere, since he didn’t notice her until 1667. Three years later, he couldn’t do without her and made her his favorite. La Montespan grew in self-assurance, became biting and authoritarian, and the courtiers became afraid of the “queen-sultana’s” murderous sarcasm.
But she is respected. Ministers and advisors came to her for advice. She knows all about the secrets and affairs of the state. She also surrounded herself with brilliant minds such as La Fontaine and Molière. Behind the Sun King, it was she who shone.
But after seven pregnancies in ten years, Louis found her less charming and sought pleasure in other arms. Montespan fell out of favor.
Madame de Maintenon – The Secret Wife of Louis XIV, King of France and Navarre
Françoise d’Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon.
Meanwhile, the king got closer to another strong-willed woman, Françoise d’Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon, the governess of Montespan’s children. The sovereign had a taste for eclecticism.
While the first was dazzling and tumultuous, the latter was devout and austere. Her origins were modest; she was the daughter of a swindler, born in prison, then abandoned by her parents; she grew up in poverty. She owed her social ascent solely to her marriage to the poet Paul Scarron. Her influence over the king was such that, after the death of Queen Marie-Thérèse, Louis secretly married her in 1683.
She was 48. A devout Catholic, she is said to have influenced his religious policies and played a role in the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, which had protected Protestants since 1598, and in the outbreak of the War of Spanish Succession in 1701. What is certain is that she contributed to the king’s return to religion in the last years of his reign.
Like his father, Louis XV also succumbed to the charms of the ladies of the Court. And allow their influence to win him over. At least that of one of them, Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, a commoner.
The king noticed her at a costume ball in February 1745. He immediately had her fitted out with an apartment in Versailles, connected to his own by a secret staircase, and made her a marquise by offering her the Pompadour estate. Her modest origins earned her the court’s contempt, and the dauphin nicknamed her “Maman Putain” (“Mama Whore”).
Even the people ridiculed her in satirical songs called “poissonades.” It must be said that the king squandered the state’s money for her, offering her castles, palaces, and luxurious gardens. But Pompadour was undeterred and asserted her personality. She arranged a diplomatic marriage for the dauphin and had the Count of Maurepas, Secretary of State for the Navy, who was not in her favor, dismissed.
In 1751, her relationship with the king took a new turn, and passion gave way to friendship. Although she was no longer his mistress, she remained his favorite and confidante. Her influence grew. She introduced the arts to the court and became a patroness of the arts, supporting the Encyclopedists and philosophers like Voltaire who challenged absolutism. She even became a matchmaker, providing Louis XV with young girls, not to say “children”.
She is also credited with having contributed to changing alliances during the Seven Years’ War by redirecting French diplomacy in favor of Austria. In poor health, Pompadour died at the age of 42 on April 17, 1764. The king reportedly murmured, “The marquise will not have good weather for her journey,” as he watched her funeral procession pass.
Solomon (r. c. 970–931 BC), the last king of a unified Israel, reigned for 40 years before dying of natural causes at age 60 or around. Josephus, a priest and historian of the Hebrews, claims that Solomon reigned for eighty years and died at ninety-four. But scholars who mainly look at 1 Kings 11 verse 42, believe that Solomon governed Israel for 40 years. How King Solomon died is not explained in the Bible, suggesting it was due to natural causes from old age. Almost all other royal deaths attributed to other causes have some explanation in the Bible. Scholars also believe that King Solomon died peacefully since no other references in the book say otherwise.
It was at least seven years after David became king that Solomon was born in Jerusalem. David first ruled for seven years from the city of Hebron and Solomon was born in what would later become David’s capital, Jerusalem. He became king at the early age of 20.
Since Solomon’s death was not the result of an assassination or any known ailment, it is often accepted that he passed away due to old age. Even though he was allegedly the “wisest man” to have ever lived, some signs point to his being unpopular, if not outright despised, as a king.
According to Biblical tradition, Solomon’s wives and concubines caused him to abandon his faithfulness in old age. He reportedly had 700 wives and 300 concubines. Solomon also allegedly committed sins against the Israelite people by erecting altars to the false gods, namely Chemosh and Moloch. His devotion to the God of Israel had purportedly waned after marrying foreign women who worshiped different gods.
King Solomon’s pagan practices. King Solomon, with many ladies at his side, kneels before an altar of burning incense within the temple.
Therefore, according to most religious scholars, Solomon must have lived unhappy for the rest of his life and died unhappy despite his wealth. However, this is wishful thinking and there is no concrete evidence for this anywhere in the religious books. Solomon probably died in his sleep from old age, like most of his fathers did, including David.
Solomon’s father King David, after a long and healthy life, passed away at the age of 70. The Bible never cites any other ailments David had in his old age except the lack of heat his body could not generate (1 Kings 1:1). Upon his death, David “rested with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David.” (1 Kings 2:10). When he died in c. 931 BC, Solomon was also laid to rest in the City of David.
When King Solomon died, his son, Rehoboam, took over as king at the age of 41 (1 Kings 14:21-31), but ten of Israel’s tribes refused to recognize him as ruler and instead established the Kingdom of Israel under Jeroboam to the north, while Rehoboam ruled over the smaller Kingdom of Judah. After that, there was never any hope of reuniting the two kingdoms.
According to the Qur’an, Solomon died while leaning on his staff, but the jinns working under him only realized that he had died when a woodworm ate his staff and Solomon’s dead body fell to the ground. According to Islamic legend, Solomon died when he was in charge of building the Temple in Jerusalem.
In Islam, Solomon was a prophet of God who had the power to communicate with jinn and animals. Muslims further assert that he was a devout monotheist who justly ruled over the entire Israelite nation, received a level of kingship accorded to no one before or since, and obeyed God’s every command. As a result, they believe that he will spend eternity in Jannah (Paradise).
Was Solomon Actually Shalmaneser III?
The biblical King Solomon might be an invented figure. According to this theory, King Solomon is based on Shalmaneser III, who was “appropriated” by subsequent biblical writers. Shalmaneser III was the king of Assyria from 859 to 824 BC when he himself also died peacefully of natural causes in his temple at Kalhu, his capital city. Shalmaneser III passed away in his newly built Assur Temple, which was made of cedar and gold and dedicated to the national god Assur (Ashur).
The Neo-Assyrian monarch Shalmaneser III reigned right after the death of his father Ashurnasirpal II. According to this interpretation, the mythical conquests and empire-building of Shalmaneser III, who lived to the south of Assyria, served as inspiration for the biblical narratives of King Solomon’s reign.
Was Solomon a Despised King Before His Death?
There were few significant battles under Solomon’s rule, and the kingdom generally prospered throughout his time in office. The writers of the Bible remember this time fondly since it was a time of relative calm and security. But Solomon’s rule was not problem-free. He took several foreign wives, and this is precisely the kind of thing against which Moses warned Israel in Deuteronomy 7:1-4. After that, Solomon’s commitment to the Israelite God allegedly waned.
This happened when Solomon was an elderly man. The remainder of 1 Kings 11 is an account of God’s intensifying punishment of Solomon for his idolatry and the resulting devastation it brought upon Israel.
Taxes, tribute, and commerce seem to have generated vast earnings for Solomon, who became wealthier than any other monarch in history. He married hundreds of royal brides and concubines from throughout the world because of his passion for exotic women. His military expansion and riches might be regarded as safeguarding the future of his people, and his neighbors expected him to seal covenant deals with them by marrying a royal woman of the reigning dynasty as evidence of his sincerity.
But God had a different take on what motivated Solomon. In the Biblical story, Solomon’s frequent marriages to foreign women drew him away from God, who had warned the Israelites not to adopt the practices of the surrounding cultures. Solomon’s alleged fall from grace began at his late age and he was probably a despised king before dying in his sleep from natural causes due to his advanced age of 60 or so.
Where Was King Solomon Buried?
After ruling for 40 years from the age of 20 or around, King Solomon was laid to rest at the City of David in Jerusalem. However, owing to a lack of proof and historical documents, the precise site of his grave is unknown. Many people believe his grave lies near the Temple Mount. Others name the location of this supposedly massive tomb as “Mount Zion” in the Atlas Mountains in Northwest Africa, Jerusalem.
However, no concrete archeological evidence has been uncovered to support any of these proposed locations for his grave. A tomb for King Solomon was presumedly built around the 10th century BC, albeit without any historical proof.
When it comes to the Sun King’s actual height, accounts put Louis XIV’s height at 5 feet, 4 inches (1.63 m). Perhaps Louis felt the need to hide his diminutive stature as a monarch by always donning towering heels and a full wig. Royal artists had to find a happy medium between idealizing their subjects and making them seem likeable in order to please their patrons. That’s why Louis XIV’s stature shown in artwork may not correspond to his actual height.
Louis XIV gained 4.5″ from his heels and 6″ from his wigs.
They allegedly allowed Louis XIV to appear 6 feet 2 inches tall (1.88 m).
How Tall Was Louis XIV Compared to Others?
Let’s see how a height of 5 feet, 4 inches (163 cm) stacks up against the typical height of his contemporaries. According to records, the median male height in Europe dropped to its lowest point in the 17th century.
At the time, the typical Frenchman was little more than 162 centimeters (5 feet, 4 inches) tall. Therefore, Louis XIV’s height was rather standard for the era.
Height dropped from an average of 5’8″ (173 centimeters) in the early Middle Ages to a low of around 5’6″ (167 centimeters) in the 17th and 18th centuries. Louis XIV was around the same height as males in his own day and somewhat shorter than the typical man in the early Middle Ages.
At Douai in the War of Devolution in 1667, he was intentionally depicted as tall.
He was intentionally depicted as tall.” class=”wp-image-42469″ style=”aspect-ratio:1.280958721704394;object-fit:cover”/>Louis XIV’s full stature next to other people at Douai in the War of Devolution, 1667. He was intentionally depicted as tall.
According to other historians, Louis loved high heels not to make himself seem taller but because they were in style at the time. For the Palace of Versailles, Louis XIV was “above average for his time,” but it appears that the king was still below average in stature for a medieval man.
Louis XIV Wore High Heels to Appear Taller
The Sun King, Louis XIV, ruled France from 1643 until his death in 1715. His 72 years and 110 days in power are officially the longest in any monarch’s history. He played a huge role in the evolution of Western clothing. During his rule, haute couture (a high-end fashion design, as we know it now) emerged and he established France as a global leader in aesthetics.
Louis XIV wore high heels more than anybody else in history. Historiographers think he wore heels to give the impression of being taller. Some members of Louis’ court were given permission to wear red-soled heels beginning in the 1670s, when the king designated them a badge of honor. This trend became a symbol of prestige throughout his rule.
Wigs Also Helped Louis XIV Appear Taller
A barbershop in the Middle Ages.
Wigs were a prominent part of Louis XIV’s everyday style, and the ornate wigs used by Louis XIV were said to give him a noticeable height boost. At an early age, he saw his hair fading and engaged 48 wigmakers to help him with that. During his rule, wigs were a fashionable fashion item.
Shorter wigs, often five to six inches in height and worn with a curly toupee, were popular when Marie Scorailles entered Louis XIV’s court in 1690. This would have made Louis XIV much taller than he already was.
Apparently, Louis XIV’s wigs made him seem around 6 inches taller (15 cm). His wigs were gargantuan, with a full fringe of unruly hair framing the face and cascading in curls down the back and breast. Louis XIV’s hairstylist, Binet, created a wig for every event, and the king kept them all in a dedicated closet.
Together with Wigs and Heels Louis XIV Was 6’2″ in Height (1.88 m)
Louis XIV’s wigs were an integral element of his wardrobe; he used them to draw attention to himself and establish an air of superiority by appearing taller. Shoes with heels of 3–4.5 inches (8-11 cm) were also popularized by Louis XIV and worn by his courtiers in addition to wigs.
The 4.5 inches of height (11.5 cm) he obtained from his wooden heels, together with the 6 inches he gained from his wigs, created the appearance that Louis XIV was a 6 feet 2 inches tall man in height (1.88 m).
Women and courtiers wore wigs as well, although they were often larger, taller, and fancier than those worn by Louis XIV. Wigs were an extension of both aristocratic luxury and population need, with different styles denoting different economic, cultural, and social standings.
So, although it’s hard to say for sure how much height Louis XIV’s wigs and high heels contributed, it’s possible they made a huge difference for one of the sex addicts kings of France.
The Impact of His Fashion Choices
The decisions Louis XIV made in the realm of fashion were about more than simply his own sense of taste; they were also calculated economic moves. His astute minister of finance, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, once made the comparison that “fashions were to France what the mines of Peru were to Spain” in terms of their potential profits from both internal sales and exports. During Louis’ time in power, the garment and textile industries in Paris grew to employ around one-third of the working population.
