Voltaire, a famous philosopher and writer of the 18th century, was massively wealthy. He gained his wealth through some not-technically-illegal shenanigans with the early French lottery system.
The woman who united Sweden, Denmark and Norway
Margaret 1 of Denmark (1353-1412) was a Danish queen who founded the Kalmar Union in 1397. It was the union of 3 independent states with a common ruler.
How the Mona Lisa became famous
Before August of 1911, the Mona Lisa was a relatively unknown painting. Painted in 1507 it was mostly known to art world insiders.
Chinloe: The 1500 year old sport with no winner
Now the traditional sport of Myanmar, Chinlone, meaning “rounded basket”, is a sport that has no winner. Teams take turns keeping a woven, wicker ball from touching the ground using their feet and legs.