In my youth I had often played the amazing video game Age of Empires II. And this greatly expanded my knowledge of history.

Among others I had learned that:

• The Scots had won the Battle of Fallkirk.
• The Mammelukes rode on Bactrian camals and fought by throwing falchions at their enemies. (It is sometimes claimed that the Mammelukes threw scimitars, however as explained here that is incorrect.)
• Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa had invaded Poland to conquer more living space for the German people.
• Javelin throwing skirmishers counter archers, but not heavy infantry.
• The Mongels had first fully conquered China before heading west to Persia and Europe.
• The Frank's and Burgundians already had High Medieval architecture and weapons when the Huns had invaded the Western Roman Empire.
• The Aztecs had created their own cavalry and artillery based on horses and gunpowder stolen from the Spanish.
• And many other amazing historical facts.

So, I thought to ask everybody here: what are the most interesting historical facts you have learned from Age of Empires II?

I keep hearing rumors about it’s release but for literally years now I’ve been hearing these rumors and I’m starting to doubt we’ll ever get to the third part. Personally I think the second one had a satisfying conclusion so we don’t really need another one, but still it’s frustrating to keep hearing about the next installment with no progress.

And how did they get rid of all those radios?

I constantly hear people say that the 90's were a glorious utopia, where nothing bad ever happened to anyone and the streets were paved with gold. I also hear them say everything going on now in the world is worse than anything that happened back then, because social media exists now.

What exactly caused the entire world to turn to shit at exactly midnight on New Year's in 2000 that meant this perfect Camelot people talk about utterly ceased to be?

I should mention I bare the curse of being born after 1995, so clearly I'm one of the unsophisticated barbarians who is utterly incapable of understanding how much better everything was back then. But can someone please try, if only so my simple heathen mind could better understand?

If I had to guess, it might have been shortly after we grew out of watching “Barney the Dinosaur”, but just before we started downloading emo buttrock from MySpace.

He's definitely one of the worst people in US history, I can't believe we never caught the mysterious Mr. Jim Crow. Where is he? What happened to him?

Paula Abdul on how ‘opposites attract’ and why she likes dating someone dressed as a cat.

apology for poor tongue of angles

where were you when bagdad dies

i was sat at madrasa reading sacred scroll when farouq ring

'bagdad is kil'

'no'

and you?????????????

Why was he historically significant?