The past is filled with strange and bizarre events, one of which is when a chicken was placed on trial in Northern Switzerland THE CHICKEN THAT WAS PUT ON TRIAL 3
The Bosnian Pyramid is one of the most prolific conspiracy theories in the Balkans Jirka Celak looks at its rise and its influence over pseudohistory BOSNIAN PYRAMID 5
Explore a Radish festival held in Mexico and its history and development from a food that isn’t even native to the region to a highly competitive carving exhibition NIGHT
See how the USSR celebrated its 50th year anniversary at the zenith of its power
Explore the tragic genocide in Cambodia that saw some of the most horrific crimes against humanity in modern history THE KILLING FIELDS 11
How dwelling on one small event led to an Emperor of Korea being ridiculed 600 years later by people online EMPEROR TAEJONG’S FALL 16
The 1871 Great Chicago Fire was a devastating event. 17,000 buildings were destroyed and 100,000 people were made homeless. All this was started by a cow or was it?
THE CHICKEN THAT WAS PUT ON TRIAL
Medieval Europe was full of strange events, including bizarre legal cases such as when a rooster was found guilty of the heinous and devilish crime of laying an egg
The trial took place in Basel, Switzerland, in 1447, and despite how unusual this case seems, it is actually just one example of the many medieval trials in which animals were held legally accountable for their actions. Due to superstitions and religious beliefs in the 15th century, the idea of a rooster laying an egg was seen as not only unnatural but potentially demonic. People feared that these eggs sometimes known as “cock eggs” could hatch into a cockatrice, a magical monster that could kill with one look or breath, or be used in witchcraft. This fear can be traced back to around 1180, when British scholar and theologian Alexander Neckam wrote in De Naturis Rerum that if a rooster laid an
egg that was incubated by a toad, it would hatch into such a creature Records also suggest that the egg was examined to determine whether it was indeed supernatural or could be used in witchcraft Despite the lack of empirical evidence, it was likely concluded that the egg had supernatural qualities due to preconceived beliefs.
Because of these fears both of demonic forces and the potential use of the egg in witchcraft (this trial took place during a time when witch trials were spreading across Europe, partly due to the influence of St. Thomas Aquinas, who, while writing about sorcery, challenged the previous Catholic Church doctrine that witchcraft and magic were merely ‘pagan superstitions’) the rooster was arrested, assigned a defense lawyer, and put on trial
The rooster’s lawyer argued in the bird’s defense that “no evil animus had been proven against his client and that no injury to man or beast had resulted ”
The prosecutor responded, in part, that “it was not a case of the devil making a compact with brutes, but that Satan actually entered into them on occasion ” Despite the rooster’s legal representation, according to the town’s archives, the court found the bird guilty of producing an unnatural egg and sentenced it to death. It was burned at the stake with one of its eggs in a public execution, and its remains were likely scattered or discreetly buried to avoid the lingering presence of the supernatural.
Thanks to modern science, we now understand that so-called egg-laying roosters are actually hens with a hormonal imbalance that causes them to develop the secondary characteristics of roosters, making them appear male. Unfortunately, this was not the last “rooster” to be prosecuted and unjustly executed in Switzerland, as accounts of similar trials exist as late as 1730
By Alex Frost
Medieval drawing of a cockatrice being attacked by a weasel
THE BOSNIAN PYRAMID
One of the prolific conspiracy theories of Eastern Europe, the Bosnian Pyramid is a prime example of pseudo-archaeology that has gained a cult-like following from politicians regular people and a tennis star. Read about the rise of Sam Osmaganich’s famous conspiracy and how it affects society today.
MYSTERY OF THE BALKANS
THE BOSNIAN PYRAMID
In Bosnia, there is a pyramid-like mountain in the sleepy village of Visoko. For a long time, people didn’t find it particularly impressive until one man had a dream: to scam Western tourists and make a lot of money in the postYugoslav world.
That man’s name was Sam Osmanagich, and he would go on to create one of the biggest conspiracy theories in the Balkans, now known as the Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun conspiracy theory Visoko was founded in 1355 and served as the main center of the Bosnian Kingdom, with multiple kings being crowned there
During the Ottoman expansion, a new part of the town was built and became more prominent, with the construction of several schools and an aqueduct. This development continued under Austro-Hungarian rule after their occupation of Bosnia in 1878. Fortunately, the town escaped the worst of the Second World War, with only nine bombs dropped on it. After the war, Visoko thrived, becoming the head of a
large leather industry and large urbanisation leading to a population explosion. However, the dream of a Yugoslavia collapsed in the 1990s and with Visoko near Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian zones, Visoko heavily suffered with wartime damage. On 6th April 1992, a state of emergency was declared with local Serbs being armed.
Soon, local residents armed themselves and captured two JNA (Yugoslav army) barracks on 26th April On 27th January 1992, Visoko was the center of fighting between Croat HVO and the ARBiH In the last days of 1994, there was the end of fighting between these two parties after 2 years of fierce fighting and agreed to work together against Republika Srpska. Finally the Dayton agreement between Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia ended one of the bloodiest periods in the Balkans. After this war, there was a feeling of discontent after the large genocidal war all over Bosnia. Enter Sam Osmanagich.
Sam was born in Zenica, a
How the Bosnian Pyramid supposedly looked back in Illyrian times
Sam Osmanagich pointing at the pyramid
Bosnian National Museum in Sarajevo
town near Visoko in Bosnia, in 1960. He earned a master’s degree in international economics and politics. He left Bosnia in 1993, before the war, and emigrated to Houston, changing his name from Semir to Sam. There, he became a successful entrepreneur, owning a profitable metalworking business. During his time in the U.S., he developed an interest in Aztec, Incan, and Mayan civilizations and made frequent visits to pyramid sites around the world
Then, in 2005, he was invited to visit Visoko When he saw the local hills particularly the mountain “Visočica” he noticed that they resembled pyramids These hills are actually a completely natural geological formation known as "flatirons" in the United States However, upon observing that the sides of the mountain appeared to align perfectly with the cardinal directions (north, south, east, and west), he requested digging permits from local authorities. He then proclaimed to the world that “in the heart of Bosnia” lay a hidden “stepped pyramid whose creators were ancient Europeans.” He claimed these pyramids were older than those in Egypt and that Visoko had once been the center of an ancient European civilization Following this, he established the Archaeological Park: Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun Foundation
It is also worth noting that Osmanagich has made other questionable claims
For example, he asserted that the Mayans “came from the Pleiades first arriving at Atlantis, where they created an advanced civilization.” He also believed in the 2012 conspiracy theory, claiming that humanity would be elevated to a higher level by vibrations that would “overcome the age of darkness which has been oppressing us.” He further believed there was a connection between the Mayans and the Chinese, citing certain pieces of jade as evidence. Additionally, he claimed that Adolf Hitler and other Nazi leaders fled to Antarctica following their defeat in the Second World War
In 2006, Osmanagich invited a team of geologists from the University of Tuzla to analyze core samples at Visočica The geologists found nothing unusual Despite this, Osmanagich continued the excavation and discovered cracked sandstone plates. Undeterred, he claimed that these were examples of ancient concrete, poured on-site by an advanced prehistoric civilization.
This announcement was picked up by the media, and many ethnic Bosniaks began to embrace the Pyramid of the Sun theory. The belief that ancient Bosnians were superior to the Egyptians of the same era helped turn the pyramids into national symbols
This sparked the so-called “pyramid mania,” with over 400,000 people visiting the site since 2005, including 85,000 tourists in 2020.
This theory has since been supported by two Bosnian presidents and a prime minister. This led to large amounts of funding being directed to the Pyramid of the Sun Foundation in 2020, instead of to legitimate archaeological sites such as the medieval ruins near Visoko or the National Museum of Sarajevo. Fortunately, many academics chose to oppose the political trend In 2006, 21 historians, geologists, and archaeologists signed and published a letter exposing Osmanagich’s unhistorical practices Many also debated Osmanagich on television However, some Bosnian nationalists began harassing these academics, with one even being kicked off a train for being labeled “an enemy of Bosnia.”
This project not only damages Bosnia's credibility on the world stage, but it also diverts attention from genuine historical heritage
The Bosnian National Museum, which houses artifacts spanning the entirety of human history including the Sarajevo Haggadah, a priceless manuscript that outlines religious rules and traditions for the Passover Seder was forced to close in 2012 due to a lack of funding This happened because the Bosnian government withheld financial support. The erasure of actual Bosnian history has largely been driven by the government, which prefers to promote a false nationalist myth under the guise of patriotism and potential profit.
Another concern raised by historians is that excavation around the so-called pyramids could lead to the destruction of legitimate Neolithic, Roman, or medieval archaeological sites in the area particularly the remains of the medieval capital
mentioned above, as well as a Roman observation post. However, some would argue that the pyramid has brought wealth to Bosnia and helped spread the country’s prestige around the world. While this may be partly true, the same outcome could have been achieved by promoting Bosnia’s actual history attracting foreign tourists interested in its rich cultural heritage or its complex Yugoslav wartime history
Although Osmanagich claims that in ten years, “nobody will remember my critics and a million people will come to see what we have,” it is unlik people will treat t legitimate historica
Over the years, the government has reduced funding pyramid in fav supporting actual institutions. For the National Mus Sarajevo began government fundin in 2015, and the mania" has since fad
Yet, the conspiracy continues as the government funds this scam, while new believers most notably the famous tennis player Novak Djoković lead to a resurgence of interest in the pyramid. Osmanagich now also advocates for new studies of these “pyramids” in other locations. For example, a town in Serbia offered to help excavate the local mountain, Rtanj, and Osmanagich suggests more research in this area. Due to the nationalism prevalent in the region, this will likely be accepted as fact for a long time. Perhaps, one day, the Bosnians will come to
By Jirka Celak
The Bosnian pyramid
Sarajevo Haggadah
THE NIGHT OF RADISHES
The night of Radishes is an annual event held on the 23rd of December in Oaxaca, Mexico, in which oversized radishes are carved to create elaborate scenes and compete for prizes in various categories.
Radishes were introduced from China to Mexico by the Spanish and used as a side dish or snack. During the colonial period, it began to be carved with religious themes, rather than just for decorative purposes, in relation to the annual Christmas market held in the city of Oaxaca on the 23rd of December with the encouragement of monks and priests Farmers began using the carved radishes as a marketing tool to attract attention to their stalls and eventually people began purchasing them to eat or as centrepieces for their Christmas dinners
It is believed that the event began in the mid 18th century when it is said that the radish crop was so abundant that a section of one of the fields was left unharvested for months meaning that in December, when two friars decided to pull up some of these forgotten radishes, they were an unusual size and shape. They found these sizes and shapes interesting and they brought
them back to the Christmas market and due to their misshapen appearance where they began to be carved due to the greater variety of shapes they could be carved into. In 1897, the mayor of Oaxaca, Francisco Vasconcelos decided to create a radish-carving competition that has been held annually ever since. The majority of entries today use multiple radishes and typically depict nativity scenes, however, other common themes are related to life in the city and wider Mexico such as calendas (a kind of traditional party), the Day of the Dead, Our Lady Guadalupe, Our Lady of Jaquila and Our Lady of Solitude (the patron of the state) as well as people, animals, food, handcrafts, duendes (a humanoid figure of folklore similar to dwarves or gnomes), snowmen and monsters The radishes used are heavily fertilised which allow them to grow up to 50cm long, 10cm wide and weigh up to 3kg and grow in an area allocated by the municipal government near El Tequio Park. Authorities distribute the softer, red skinned variety to contestants on the 18th of December meaning that the design of the Nativity scenes today
differ greatly from ones used in the past as the competitors can use the contrast in the skin and the flesh to create more interesting scenes. The scenes are predominantly made using knives and toothpicks and although the techniques used on the radishes evolved from the area’s traditional wood carving industry, the competition does not attract many woodworkers today due to the vastly different medium
The event usually attracts over a hundred participants from the city of Oaxaca as well as neighbouring communities to participate in the different categories such as the free, novice, traditional and childrenwith prizes ranging from bicycles and school supplies to 15000 pesos (£574) There are also categories for scenes made from dried corn husk rather than radishes called ‘totomoxtle’ or flowers called ‘flor inmortal’ which have several subcategories and generally have similar themes to those done with the radishes. If you wish to apply, it will have to be done months in advance and if you are in the area, there is a queue for 4-5 hours just to see the entries.
By Alex Frost
A dragon made out of radishes for the radish carving competition
Пяатьдесят лет
Celebrating 50 years of Soviet power
советской
By 1967, the USSR had managed to survive for 50 years In the country, there was a massive celebration of all what had been achieved
In the Western media, there is a lot of focus on the negative aspects of the USSR, which are valid It is also worth mentioning the positive aspects of the USSR. Under the USSR at this time, rapid industrialisation had been achieved, leading the USSR to catch up to the West partially economically. The effects of the war were now gone, as the ruined cities of Leningrad, Kyiv, Minsk and Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad) were rebuilt. Food intake also dramatically increased with the starvation of the 30s and the rationing of the war being gone.
The USSR also managed to be a better place to live in as the gulags, hard labour were destroyed under Khrushchev and de-Stalinisation taking full swing Under deStalinisation, many soviet political prisoners were released and The USSR was also leading in science in the space race with many space achievements with Sputnik and Yuri Gagarin showing how the USSR advancing from a feudal society into a new world power
The Soviet dream seemed to be working , and even though Brezhnev, a member of the old guard was elected as leader of the Party, and that people were sent into detention camps, things in the country seemed to be going well
On the 50th celebration of the October revolution, which created the first socialist state . There was naturally a lot of celebration. Obviously the state heavily interfered, making people join the parade to try and show off to the world. However there was still a large part of the population who was proud of what the people have done.
In red square, there was a large military parade with military vehicles from the Second World War There was also a civilian parade which was done by regular people Many leaders across the world, turned up to this parade, including, the general secretary of the USSR, Brezhnev, President of Yugoslavia, Tito, and the president of India, Indira Ghandi They then went to Lenin’s mausoleum to honour the person who created the USSR
To celebrate this key event in the Soviet nations history A special 1 ruble coin was created which showed Lenin and a hammer and sickle alongside the letters, “CCCP” while is the USSR in Russian On the other side, there is the USSR coat of arms alongside the words, “Пятьдесят лет советской власти.” This translates to “fifty years of soviet power”. Because of the humongous political influence by the USSR politically over the eastern block, this spread even past the USSR and has spread all over the world from Tábor, Czech Republic to Vladivostok, Russia.
And so 50 years after the October revolution, the optimism of the Post war years and de-stalinisation ended. Brezhnev ended the Soviet dream with the Soviet economy stagnating, and while still getting stronger, made public services a lot stronger Russification continued and made the minorities angry due to the loss of their rights There was also the suppression of the Prague Spring, which split the communist movement in Europe And after the 50 year anniversary point, the Soviet dream died
By Jirka Celak
rge of lted in the
THE KILLING FIELDS
The Killing Fields of Cambodia remain one of the most haunting symbols of humans’ violent capabilities and the consequences of ideological extremism Between 1975 to 1979, the Khmer Rouge, under the leadership of Pol Pot, implemented one of the most catastrophic social engineering projects in modern history in which 1.7 to 2 million men, women and children (just under half of Cambodia’s population at the time) were killed through executions, forced labour, torture, starvation and disease. The fields where these mass executions took place across the country became known as the Killing Fields and they were the sites where thousands of victims were executed and buried in mass graves that they dug themselves.
Cambodia’s descent into genocide cannot be understood without looking at the country’s colonial past and post-colonial instability Cambodia was originally part of French Indochina from 1863 to 1953 and during this period of European rule, western style political and economic
institutions were introduced which increased class division and economic inequality The rural population, which made up the majority of Cambodian society, remained impoverished whilst the urban elite, educated under the French, controlled the government and the economy, creating resentment amongst the agrarian majority.
After Cambodia gained independence in 1953, King Norodom Sihanouk established himself as a unifying political figure and leader of Cambodia He maintained a policy of neutrality during the early years of the Cold War –balancing diplomatic relations between the USA, Soviet Union and China, however, due to Cambodia’s proximity to Vietnam, it began to be increasingly drawn into the conflict. This is because of the Vietcong’s use of Cambodian territory to transport troops and supplies along the Ho Chi Minh Trail which prompted the USA’s response to drop over 500,000 tons of explosives between 1969 and 1973 which killed tens of thousands of civilians and
Photo of King Norodom Sihanouk used at his funeral Pol Pot
The victorious Khmer Rouge entering the capital
displaced hundreds of thousands more This further fuelled resentment in general towards the Cambodian government but particularly in rural areas where these bombings took place, strengthening support for a communist state
In 1970, while Sihanouk was on a diplomatic visit to Beijing, pro-American General Lon Nol staged a coup, establishing the Khmer Republic which aligned itself with the USA and took more serious military action against communist forces. However, Lon Nol’s government was unstable and corrupt and the rural population, already alienated from decades of colonial rule, intense bombing campaigns and military conscription increasingly viewed the Khmer Rouge as an alternative The Khmer Rouge presented itself as a revolutionary movement that, under the leadership of Pol Pot, would end corruption, redistribute land and wealth to agrarian peasants and away from the large cities, end foreign domination of Cambodia and among other things –rebuild Cambodian society for the people. On the 17th April 1975, the Khmer Rouge seized Phnom Penh (the capital), ending the Cambodian Civil war and declared the beginning of ‘Year 0’, a symbol of the erasure of Cambodia’s history and the start of the nation’s tragic transformation.
The Khmer Rouge’s political ideology was rooted in a blend of Maoist, Marxist-
Leninist and nationalist principles Pol Pot envisioned a classless, peasant utopia based on agrarian labour and selfsufficiency The regime, therefore, viewed cities, technology, education and religion as obstacles that must be removed along with Western influence, capitalism and intellectualism. To achieve this radical vision, cities were evacuated within days of the Khmer Rouge taking power and Phnom Penh, home to over 2 million people (about 4x the population of Edinburgh today) was evacuated overnight leading to families and communities being separated and forced to work on collective farms. The regime also abolished private property, money and all religious institutions, and schools, hospitals and factories were closed
The Khmer Rouge sought to create a ‘pure’ society by eliminating class distinctions Anyone associated with the former regimes, Western culture or intellectual life was branded an ‘enemy of the revolution’ The most famous example of which was the fact that wearing glasses was viewed as a symbol of literacy and education was enough to warrant execution. Political purges even extended to members of the Khmer Rouge itself, particularly during the latter years of Pol Pot’s rule due to him becoming increasingly paranoid about internal dissent and betrayal.
The Killing Field were the final destination for the hundreds of thousands of victims targeted by the Khmer Rouge Political prisoners, intellectuals and suspected traitors were arrested, tortured and
Photo of people forced to eave Phnom Penh who will either end up on a communal farm or be executed
executed in unimaginable numbers. One of the most notorious execution sites was Cheung Ek, located around 17km outside of Phnom Penh and prisoners were often sent here after being tortured at Tuol Sleng (S-21) Prison. In order to save bullets, executioners used instruments such as machetes, bamboo sticks, iron rods and hammers to bludgeon victims to death or the serrated edges of palm fronds to slit their throats Babies and young children were murdered by being smashed against the notorious Killing Tree, often whilst their parents were forced to watch 23,745 mass graves have been discovered all across Cambodia to date, containing men women and children with their skulls and bones bearing evidence of blunt force trauma, indicating the savage methods used to end their lives.
Tuol Sleng (S-21) Prison was the regime’s most infamous detention and torture center where between 20,000 people were interned during the regimes rule. Out of all those imprisoned, only 12 are known to have escaped. Upon arrival, prisoners were photographed, catalogued and forced to give detailed confessions of speculated crimes under torture. The information that this torture was designed to extract were confessions of treason, espionage and counterrevolutionary activity – most of which was fabricated The techniques used were water boarding, during which prisoners were suffocated with water to simulate drowning; electric shocks which typically only ended when the victim lost consciousness or died; beating with iron rods, bamboo sticks and rifle
butts; hanging which was when prisoners were suspended from their arms until their shoulders dislocated; nail extractions which was typically followed by pouring salt or alcohol into the wounds and burning by extinguishing cigarettes on prisoners skin (usually the face), tied to hot metal rods and occasionally doused with petrol and set on fire. These are just some of the many methods used but evidence also suggests that psychological torture such as sleep deprivation, forced cannibalism and sensory deprivation were also used There have also been descriptions of guards crushing limbs with heavy stones, tearing prisoners apart using oxen, being covered in acid and being used in medical experimentation as healthcare was prohibited for prisoners leading to guards performing crude
A communal farm
Inside Tuol Sleng today. The large (same as the one on page 9) photo shows Cham Kim Srun and her baby. They probably died together less than a week after the photograph was taken.
A torture room in Tuol Sleng. Iron rods, petrol containers, chains and a car battery are some of the tools visible
The Killing Tree
Bones from the ‘Killing Fields’
Excavation of a mass grave
Someone being tortured in Tuol Sleng
Bones from the ‘Killing Fields’
Bones from the ‘Killing Fields’
surgeries to remove limbs and organs whilst the victims were still conscious
These ‘experiments’ typically ended with disembowelment and the perpetrators eating the victims' organs. Women and young girls were often subjected to sexual violence and organised, forced marriages between men and women who had never met were not uncommon These couples were forced to consummate the marriage under the threat of death and women who refused were often executed or subjected to further sexual violence. Some women were also held in ‘rape camps’ where they were systematically abused until their deaths or executions. Pregnant women were also often beaten and forced to undergo crude abortions or were killed outright. Male prisoners were also sometimes sexually assaulted as a form of humiliation in front of their friends, family and communities. This torture also extended to children who were often killed after a short period in front of their parents. These horrific acts of violence were also all too often committed by children who were indoctrinated to become executioners and spies and were trained to kill and torture prisoners from a young age and were sometimes, as a way to prove their loyalty, forced to execute their own parents
The Khmer Rouge also targeted Cambodia’s ethnic and religious minorities for extermination including ethnic Vietnamese, Chinese and Thai; Cham Muslims who were often forced to eat pork or be executed
causing the deaths of up to 70% of the complete Cham population and Buddhist monks who were viewed as symbols of the old order, were killed in their thousands meaning that over 90% of all Buddhist monks were executed and almost all temples were destroyed or converted into prisons and military barracks.
Conditions outside of these prisons were also brutal as with private property banned and family units dissolved, individuals were expected to work for the state rather than their families for 12-16 hours per day under intense heat without adequate food or rest. The high quotas for rice meant that workers were punished or executed for failing to meet the regimes impossible goals and despite widespread food shortages and starvation leading to cannibalism, rice continued to be exported in order to generate foreign currency
Due to poor diet and malnutrition, disease was rampant and along with the lack of medical care due to the Khmer Rouge’s rejection of Western influence and the execution of those that practiced medicine led many to die in the fields or become too weak to work and be executed as they were labelled ‘useless’
The Khmer Rouge’s efforts to eliminate intellectualism and modern education led to schools and universities being shut down, books and invaluable historical records being burned. Teachers, linguists and those with academic backgrounds were arrested and often executed.
Artists, musician and writers were also not spared leading to the decimation of Cambodia rich artistic heritage due to the view that they threatened political conformity. This led to traditional Cambodian dance, theatre, music and art being nearly wiped out during the purge.
Not only was Cambodian culture being decimated, so was the traditional Cambodian family structures. Children were separated from their parents and placed in staterun indoctrination camps and trust between family members was eroded as the regime encouraged betrayal and disownment. Even minor infractions such as expressing sadness over a family member’s death could lead to arrest and later execution and the psychological toll of such rules and the hysteria of being reported led to the breakdown of social bonds across society and the home
Traditional ‘Apsara Dance’
Traditional Cambodian Art
After years of border clashes, in December,1978, Vietnamese forces invaded Cambodia and overthrew the Khmer Rouge in January 1979 after taking control of Phnom Penh A Vietnamese backed government was installed but the country remained plagued by political and economic instability for decades The Khmer Rouge retreated to the jungle and continued a lowlevel insurgency until Pol Pot’s death in 1998.
The scars left by this genocide were severe, leaving behind a nation of decimated families and fragments of a purged culture. Survivors struggle with trauma, guilt and loss and destroyed educational and religious institutions left a void that is still being rebuilt today. Due to the effects of the Regime, Cambodia lags behind its neighbours in areas such as literacy, GDP per capita and healthcare Efforts to seek justice began with the establishment of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) in 2006 and although Pol Pot’s death means that he could never face trial, other senior members of the regime including Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan were convicted of genocide and crimes against humanity in 2018. Kang Kek Lew, who oversaw Tuol Sleng (S-21) Prison, was sentenced to life imprisonment for his crimes. Now, sites like Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek serve as memorials and museums with shelves of skulls and bones displayed as a testament to the scale of loss of life and a harrowing reminder of the dangers of political extremism and the human capacity for violence.
By Alex Frost
Kang Kek Lew
Choeung Ek memorial and the surrounding mass graves
Khieu Samphan
Nuon Chea
Tuol Sleng today having been transformed into a museum and memorial to the victims of the genocide
EMPEROR TAEJONG’S FALL
(From his horse)
In 1404, King Taejong of Joseon (now modern-day Korea), fell from his horse during a hunting expedition –a minor incident in physical terms but one that now defines his image and legacy He was known for his consolidation of royal authority and his ruthless political reform and so valued his image greatly and so, embarrassed by the fall, he ordered his attendants to ‘not let the historians know about this’ but, despite his authority, his command was not obeyed and was recorded.
The Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty (Joseon Wangjo Sillok) were compiled by court historians with the mandate to preserve the truth, meaning that they worked independently from the king who was forbidden from altering or even viewing the records. This meant that Taejong’s fall and ironically, his subsequent commands and effort to suppress it, were recorded in full and unflattering detail Despite King Taejong’s many accomplishments ranging from military victories to his administrative reforms and his consolidation of power, this brief episode became his most remembered moment Its memory is a prime example of the unique integrity of Joseon historians who, unlike many monarchies where rulers controlled their image and legacies, were able to protect the truth from censorship, even when it humiliated the leader.
King Taejong, the third monarch of the Joseon dynasty, had risen to power through a series of decisive and often violent moves, including the elimination of rival claimants to the throne and powerful court officials He centralised authority, established a rigid administrative structure, and strengthened the royal court's control over the militarylaying the groundwork for a more efficient and unified state. His reign marked a turning point in Joseon politics, shifting away from aristocratic factionalism toward a more absolute monarchy.
The Veritable Records themselves would go on to span 472 years and 1,893 volumes, documenting the reigns of 25 kings and they remain one of the most comprehensive historical archives in East Asia The fact that the fall of Taejong is remembered centuries later, not for its physical impact but for the reaction it provoked, demonstrates the power of honest record-keeping in shaping legacies What was intended to be hidden became instead a symbol of transparency that both historians and people online have both appreciated (however, in very different ways).
By Alex Frost
Portrait of Emperor Taejong of Joseon
Example of Korean historical record from the early Joseon Dynasty
Exonerated Arsonist Cow
From the 8th to the 10th of October, 1871, the Great Chicago Fire raged across the city This fire was particularly bad due to the poor design of the buildings. At the time, most of Chicago was made of wood. Sidewalks were made of wood, and buildings were made of wood, topped with highly combustible tar roofs, meaning the fire could spread quickly.. Furthermore, the entire city had received only 25mm of rain between July and October, and high winds would prove effective in spreading flying embers around the city. The fire spread rapidly, taking advantage of Chicago’s highly combustible industries such as lumberyards, gasworks, and coal yards Due to Chicago’s notorious winds, fire whirls (tornadoes of fire), allowed the fire to be especially destructive. At the time, the entire city of Chicago had just 17 horse drawn fire engines and 185 firefighters
In the aftermath, it was calculated that the fire had devastated 3.3 square miles of Chicago, destroying over 17,000 buildings, killing 300, leaving
100,000 homeless and causing $222 million ($5.7 billion in 2025) in damages Who was responsible for this? Blame at the time was largely placed on a cow. To some, the cow was known as Daisy, to some, Madeline and to others, Gwendolyn To everyone, she was considered the cause of the fire. The accepted starting place of the fire is the O’Leary’s barn, where the cow lived. The people therefore decided that the O’Leary’s cow had kicked over a lantern in the barn, which was also being used to store coal, wood, and other fuel for the O’Leary’s fire. Because of this theory, blame was pinned on the Mrs O’Leary and her cow
For over a century, Mrs O’Leary and her cow remained the scapegoats of the Chicago fire It was only in 1997 that the Chicago City Council officially exonerated Mrs O’Leary’s cow. This decision was made after a vote deciding that there was no evidence to convict the O’learys They had likely been scapegoated due to anti-Irish sentiment in the USA at the time.
By Josh Brown
Chicago on fire, 1871
Mrs O’Leary’s Cow
History Society News:
The new leaders of History Society have been decided upon, Josh Brown is now president, Jirka Celak and Seb Vials are the vice presidents. Please get in touch with them if you have any suggestions for the society.
On Tuesday 17th of June, Seb Vials will be presenting on ‘Justinian: Rome’s Last Great Emperor.’
Trinity History Journal:
We hope you enjoyed the first edition of the Trinity History Journal, this editions articles were written by Alex Frost, Jirka Celak and Josh Brown.
If you would like to contribute an article, book review or anything else history related, please contact Josh Brown or Alex Frost
