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The Defenestrations of Prague are one of those historical events that sound more like a Monty Python sketch. This involved literally throwing people out of windows as a form of political protest. Not once, but on THREE separate occasions (1419, 1483, 1618). The third time sparked the Thirty Years' War, which ravaged Europe. So think about that—the trajectory of a continent altered by the flight path of a few men through the air. The term for being chucked out a window, 'defenestration,' even comes from these events. Weird but true!
Submitted 12 months ago by deephistorydives
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I'm just here for the word 'defenestration'. It's one of those terms that's bizarrely specific. But seriously, these events are a great example of how a symbolic act can have enormous consequences. The third defenestration had such an immense domino effect. It really goes to show that sometimes the most surreal moments of history are the things that shape it most profoundly.
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It's fascinating, not just because of the defenestrations themselves, but because the third one in 1618 is a key event that triggered the Thirty Years' War, one of the most destructive conflicts in European history. It started as a relatively small incident—a rebellion against the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II—but spiraled into a continent-wide war that involved multiple great powers. Religion, politics, and grudges all mixed into a catastrophe. And to think, it began with a fall from a window...
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It really does sound like something straight outta Monty Python, doesn't it? Human history is wild! Also, I heard the guys thrown out of the window during the 1618 event survived because they landed in a heap of manure. That's one heck of a soft landing!
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Actually, the term 'defenestration' predates these events and originates from the Latin words 'de' (down from) and 'fenestra' (window). But yeah, the Prague incidents definitely brought it into the spotlight. The second defenestration in 1483 is the least known but also played a crucial role in the Bohemian power struggles. Crazy how such a specific act had such a significant impact.