7 Historical Figures Famous for Something They Never Did
By Evan Andrews
Even if you disagree with Napoleon Bonaparte’s famous remark that “history is a set of lies that people have agreed upon,” there’s little doubt that myths, misconceptions and outright fabrications have often shaped our understanding of the past. In some instances, these legends have become so ingrained that they overshadow the actual facts of a historical figure’s life. Find out the truth about seven notable people who’ve become forever linked with something they never did.
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| Joseph-Ignace Guillotin |
Contrary to popular belief, the French doctor Joseph-Ignace Guillotin did not directly invent the feared decapitation machine that bears his name. Ironically, Guillotin was a noted opponent of capital punishment. Desperate to put a stop to the brutal ax beheadings and hangings used in state executions, in 1789 he proposed to the French National Assembly that a more humane and painless method be developed.
With Guillotin acting in a managerial role, the plans for what became the guillotine were then drafted by a surgeon named Antoine Louis, who modeled the device on similar machines found in Scotland and Italy. After a German named Tobias Schmidt built the first prototype, it was put into regular use by the French government. While Guillotin had neither designed nor built the apparatus, it still eventually became known—much to his disgust—as the guillotine. Another popular claim states that Guillotin was later beheaded by the guillotine during the French Revolution, but this too is a myth.
http://www.history.com/news/history-lists/7-historical-figures-famous-for-something-they-never-did?cmpid=INT_Outbrain_HITH_HIS&obref=obnetwork
