Money

Throughout history, wealthy&nbsp;people &ndash;&nbsp;like many <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/notable-monarch_s)/reference" target="_blank">notable kings</a>&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;had extravagant weddings. For these inestimably costly ceremonies,&nbsp;pre-celebration festivities often&nbsp;included very lavish dowries on behalf of the new brides. Sometimes, these nuptials that involved famous dowries took place between <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/weird-royals-in-history/danielle-ownbey" target="_blank">weird royals</a>&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;like uncles and nieces and already closely related cousins.&nbsp;But who had the&nbsp;biggest&nbsp;dowry&nbsp;in&nbsp;history?

A fair number of medieval and early modern princesses and archduchesses were given lots of land as their dowries, and their husbands wed them for the promise&nbsp;of significant revenue&nbsp;from these properties. Sometimes, these territories were so vast they&#39;re nearly unthinkable. For example, Eleanor of Aquitaine&nbsp;brought the rulership of most of southwestern France &ndash;&nbsp;her duchy of Aquitaine&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;to both of her husbands. Anne of Denmark wed Eleanor&#39;s descendant, James VI of Scotland/I of England, and brought the Orkney Isles with her. But was this the&nbsp;biggest&nbsp;dowry&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;world?

Other wives have brought a ton of cash with them to their newly minted husbands. Modern-day royal Marie-Chantal, Crown Princess of Greece, apparently brought $200 million to her husband, while Portuguese princess Catherine of Braganza&nbsp;gave her spouse, Charles II of England, trading rights all over the world.

Srch

Top Tier

cleanup_exclude

instagram_posted

exclude_in_feed_os

temp_ab_tag

primis_weirdhistory

Do Not Delete - Quality Filters

The Most Lavish Dowries In History

Person

Carly Silver

Wild Facts

What are the largest empires in history?&nbsp;That question is much more loaded than it may first appear to be. There's no single metric by which the size or influence of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/historical-empires-collapse/michael-muir">any empire</a> is measured. As a result, there can be several answers to such a question. It's all in how you look at it.The biggest empires in terms of land is generally considered to be<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/what-it-was-like-to-live-british-empire-farthest-reaches/melissa-sartore"> the British Empire</a>. But, when the population enters the conversation, several dynastic lines from Asia truly reign supreme.&nbsp;Then, there's influence. If one were to assess which empire left the biggest genetic imprint on history, Genghis Khan and his <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/how-many-people-are-related-to-genghis-khan/melissa-sartore">Mongolian legacy</a> are still very much among us. Leadership, like that of Genghis Khan or someone like Alexander the Great in his vast Macedonian Empire, are also fair to consider.&nbsp;Culturally, groups like the Umayyads and the Persians made their own contributions, muddying the waters even more when trying to decipher which empire was the biggest. And, what about timespan? Egyptians ruled for thousands of years and, arguably, the Roman Empire continued through the Byzantine Empire and well into the 14th century.Collectively, these factors make determining the biggest world empires a challenge. But, by looking at land and population at an empire's peak, it's possible to get clarity about just how much influence an empire really had. Below you will find the dates each of the largest empires existed, when they peaked, and the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.space.com/17638-how-big-is-earth.html#:~:text=The%20surface%20area%20of%20Earth,%25%2C%20is%20covered%20by%20water.">amount of land</a> they controlled (out of the 57 million square miles on Earth) when they were at their biggest. Then, you'll find out exactly why they ultimately came to an end.&nbsp;

Tier 1

watchworthy_social

Google News

Apple News

Trending on Ranker

Tag Wizard

Crossover Srch/Social

Images Audited

Traffic Team

Social beg 2024

90-Day SEO Check

Do Not Delete - Account

The Largest Empires In History, By The Numbers

General

The 9 Largest Empires In History, By The Numbers

Melissa Sartore

Lists about modern and historical heads of state and world leaders—their struggles, their actions, their eccentricities, and other things written about them by their admirers and their enemies.

The People in Power

World Leaders

History is filled with the stories of larger-than-life rulers, many of whom have become household names. Figures like Henry VIII, Elizabeth I,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/alexander-empire-died/michael-muir">Alexander the Great</a>, Augustus, Julius Caesar, and Cleopatra loom large in the public imagination, thanks in no small part to the way popular culture has drawn on their lives. However, it is also important to pay attention to some of the lesser-known rulers who managed to leave an impact on history, even though they have not been nearly as well-remembered as their more famous counterparts.&nbsp;These are the people like&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/real-story-of-queen-anne/setareh-janda">Queen Anne of Great Britain</a>, Livia the wife of Augustus, King Louis XVIII. Looking at their lives in greater detail is a fascinating exercise in seeing a whole new side of history.

FKA Pushable Teams

Brand Unsafe HP

Amazon Alexa

WH Team

Fascinating

Nebulous

Archive Ignore

15 Fascinating Rulers You've Probably Never Heard Of - That Made History

Rulers You've Probably Never Heard Of - That Made History

Thomas West

Lists about the zany little things we believe anyway.

Very Superstitious

Interesting

If there&#39;s a redhead in your life, you&#39;re probably&nbsp;not wondering if they&#39;re a witch, a vampire, or an alien. But&nbsp;beliefs about redheads historically&nbsp;weren&#39;t&nbsp;so accommodating. Legends and myths about people with red hair can be found in the ancient - and sometimes present -&nbsp;cultures of countries like Egypt, Germany, and Greece, among others.

The real science behind red hair is a <a href="https://unrealfacts.com/what-causes-red-hair/">mutation of the gene</a> known as&nbsp;Melanocortin 1 Receptor, or MC1R. Red hair is a recessive trait and the <a href="http://www.sophisticatededge.com/what-is-the-rarest-hair-color.html" target="_blank">rarest of all hair colors,</a> seen in fewer&nbsp;than&nbsp;1% of people in the world. The uniqueness of redheads&nbsp;can build&nbsp;their mystery and allure. Famous redheads include beauties like Julianne Moore and&nbsp;Lucille Ball, as well as&nbsp;influential&nbsp;men like&nbsp;Ron Howard&nbsp;and&nbsp;Prince Harry.&nbsp;

Clearly, any&nbsp;myth about redheads probably deserves a little scrutiny. Before you accuse your red-haired acquaintances of hellfire-stealing or having no soul, take into consideration these outlandish myths about redheads from history.&nbsp;

Format

11 Totally Unfounded Things People Believed About Redheads

The 11 Weirdest Historical Myths About Redheads

Erin McCann

Kings & queens, princes & princesses. They're made of blood and bones like the rest of us, but they're told they can do whatever they damn well please. Sometimes, this causes problems.

Royal Pains

King Henry VI&nbsp;began his reign at a young age and inherited both the English and French crowns. During his reign, he had periods of debilitating mental instability. Some have even dubbed him&nbsp;Mad Henry. At times, his unpredictable periods of mental illness left him completely unable to speak or move, let alone rule, while the country was deep in a war for the English crown.

Despite the&nbsp;best efforts of those around him, Henry managed to do some unfortunate things during his reign, with some pretty serious consequences (like losing the crown). Henry VI&#39;s mental illness was intermittent&nbsp;but ongoing. Check out this list for everything we know about his undiagnosed illness.

Ranker Prime

Genre

Nerd Audience

King Henry VI Facts We Didn't Learn In History Class

14 Crazy Facts About Mad King Henry VI's Insanity

Katie Mach

Elizabeth I of England

Queen Elizabeth I is considered to be one of England’s greatest and most popular monarchs. She was a patron of the arts, promoted English power around the globe - and might not have been what she seemed. As is the case for any member of royalty, there are numerous conspiracies about her. While these rumors about Queen Elizabeth might not be as far-fetched as the one about her descendant&nbsp;<a href="http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1860871_1860876_1861029,00.html">Queen Elizabeth II being a lizard</a>, they’re every bit as fascinating.Queen Elizabeth’s reign was called England’s Golden Age for a reason. Under her rule, the English Renaissance reached new heights with the flourishing of poetry, music, literature, and of course, thanks to William Shakespeare, theater. It was also a great age of exploration&nbsp;and stability. The Queen herself was described as being intelligent, charming, and a natural leader. During a time when women were regarded as second-class citizens, she managed to lead her country into one of its most prosperous periods.Some of these Queen Elizabeth conspiracy theories have been circulating since the time of her reign, proving that the public’s love of royals and scandal is nothing new. Read on to discover the incredible conspiracies about her life and rule.

7 Thought-Provoking Historical Conspiracy Theories About Queen Elizabeth I

7 Conspiracy Theories Surrounding Queen Elizabeth

Tamar Altebarmakian

Exploring plagues and pandemics throughout history.

It's an Epidemic

Influenza

Of all the horrors of World War I, it wasn&#39;t the bombs, bullets, or even the mustard gas that ended up as the greatest killer. In reality, the act of moving that many people around the world turned out to be the most deadly fruit of war. The last year of the war, 1918, saw the most deadly pandemic the world has ever known. With all those millions of soldiers being shipped around the globe, it spread like wildfire.

This was the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/spanish-flu-survivor-stories/melissa-sartore" target="_blank">Spanish influenza</a> pandemic. In terms of sheer numbers killed, the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/how-prisons-handled-spanish-flu/megan-summers" target="_blank">Spanish influenza</a> beats out the Black Death as the king of historical epidemics. The statistics of the Spanish flu are just brutal, and the disease touched every corner of the globe. Survivors tell of <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/spanish-flu-survivor-stories/melissa-sartore" target="_blank">heartbreaking scenes of misery and quarantine</a>, and today the flu ranks as one of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/historical-figures-who-died-of-cured-diseases/aaron-edwards">worst diseases</a> in history, a reminder of how deadly influenza can really be.

Exclude_MobileApp

Ticker Exclude

Inside The Brutal Realities of the Spanish Flu That Killed 100 Million People

Inside the Brutal Realities of the Spanish Flu

Grim Realities of the Spanish Influenza, the Largest Epidemic in Human History

Christopher Myers

Since the dawn of civilization, a lot of important things have happened. Here are lists of about the many winding routes we took to get where we are today.

Historical Contexts

Weird History

“My momma always said, ‘Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.’”&nbsp;While the chocolate box metaphor works to describe the unpredictability of any individual’s life, it is also true that some people just get more interesting boxes of chocolates than others. Gump himself traverses American history with a bumbling, stumbling gait, accidentally thrusting himself or being thrust into several of the country’s must integral turning points. The trope of “ordinary people who were accidentally a part of history” had its champion, and everyone’s favorite historical film of all time starred a character who didn’t exist.Tom Hanks portrayals aside, there are several real-life Forrest Gumps out there that also goofed their way through some of history’s largest events. Some of the examples mirror Forrest in his simplicity, while others are considered among the greatest men to ever live, but each of them shares one uniting quality:&nbsp;they entered the history books through coincidence, circumstance, and sheer&nbsp;dumb luck.

Archive Needs SEO

Archive Node Image Cleanup

Do Not Delete - Cleaned

11 Real Life Forrest Gumps: Random People Who Became Part Of History By Coincidence

11 Random People Who Became Part Of History By Coincidence

Stephan Roget

From 1789 to 1799,  French revolutionaries overthrew the monarchy of the Ancien Régime, set up a republic, eliminated a lot of people, and drastically changed the course of human history.

Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité

Palace of Versailles

The Palace of Versailles is known for its opulent rooms, extravagant gardens, and the integral role it played in the French Revolution.&nbsp;Every year, more than&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/world-heritage/versailles/">three million visitors tour&nbsp;the Palace</a> that was built for the Sun King, Louis XIV, in 1623 CE. A few of the biggest draws at the Palace are the Hall of Mirrors, the Chappelle Royale, and the Salon de Venus. On the grounds are priceless works of art as well as period furniture and statues. And for outdoor lovers, there&nbsp;are numerous plants, flowers, fountains, and statues to view while perusing the lush gardens on the property. Like other opulent and historically significant structures (like the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/facts-about-building-the-taj-mahal/theodoros-karasavvas">Taj Majal</a>, for example), Versailles&#39;s architectural history is filled with interesting anecdotes, like the time all of its mirror makers were killed for doing their job too well.

There are many stories about the building of Versailles and the amount of money and work&nbsp;it took to create such an elaborate structure, which dates back to the 17th century and is located about 12 miles from Paris. You can imagine how much time and effort it took to create the massive Palace, which would become the envy of many foreign visitors from the 1600s up until today. In fact, the Palace became such a symbol of wealth and excess - though <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/hygiene-versailles/setareh-janda" target="_blank">hygiene left something to be desired</a> - that the people of France were disgusted by everything it represented, leading them to revolt. The excesses of Versailles, in part, drove the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/ways-french-monarchy-incited-revolution/setareh-janda">French Revolution</a>.

Archive Future Social

15 Absolutely Insane Facts About The Palace of Versailles

15 Crazy Facts From The Building of Versailles

Noelle Talmon

Meanwhile, in Russia...

Russia

House Romanov ruled over Russia for more than 300 years, with close familial ties to all the crowned heads of Europe. During the great nationalistic upheaval of the early decades of the 20th century, along with&nbsp;the first World War, monarchies began to topple. First to go was the powerful <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/rare-romanov-family-photos/alby-thompson" target="_blank">Romanov dynasty</a>.

The last Russian Tsar, Nicholas II, his wife, Alexandra, and their five children, were imprisoned in central Russia (known as Ural) for many months. On the night of July 16, 1918, a group from the Ural Soviet brutally murdered the entire family and their few remaining servants. The victims were secretly buried outside the city where they were murdered, and most of the world had no clue what had happened to the last imperial Romanovs&nbsp;until their remains were &quot;officially&quot; discovered and unearthed in 1991.

The years following World War I and the Russian Revolution were chaotic for many. Thousands of Russian and Eastern European citizens fled their homelands and spread around the world. Russian <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/modern-royal-pretenders/aaron-edwards">princes and princesses and nobles</a> of all ranks, along with masses of ordinary people, wound up in different countries leading very different lives from&nbsp;those to which they were accustomed. It was, in some ways, the ultimate opportunity to reinvent oneself.

Therefore, it was no surprise that some of those individuals made claims to the highest Russian status of all. The people who claimed to be Romanovs&nbsp;knew that everyone loved a fairy tale, and that the murders of the last tsar&#39;s family were so horrible, so wrenching, that even the millions around the world who had never known them longed to learn of a survivor. This is why so many fell under the imposter&#39;s spell. This is why most of the fake Romanovs&nbsp;achieved a measure of success, until exposure, death, or DNA tests revealed their true origins.

Why did the Romanov imposters&nbsp;make such claims? The obvious answer is for the potential monetary gain. Overwhelmingly, though, it was for the attention. These were lost people from a lost world.

longtail_search

People Who Claimed To Be Romanovs (But Totally Weren't)

10 People Who Claimed To Be Romanovs (But Totally Weren't)

Cheryl Adams Richkoff

Few feuds are as epic as the rivalry between Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots. The decades-long battle that took place between Mary&nbsp;Stuart and <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/conspiracy-theories-about-queen-elizabeth/tamar-altebarmakian">Queen Elizabeth I</a> was, surprisingly, entirely carried out through letters. Despite being cousins and two female rulers in a male-dominated world, the two queens never met. They did, however, send each other dozens of impassioned and biting letters, letting their words sting as sharply and cut as deeply as a knife in the back.The Catholic Mary, the daughter of&nbsp;James V of Scotland, grew up in&nbsp;France,&nbsp;and at age 16, she married the future King Francis II of France. After her husband died, she returned to Scotland in 1561, then fled for England after an uprising against her. She hoped to find protection from her cousin, the Protestant Queen Elizabeth I, but she couldn't have been more wrong.Not surprising for two&nbsp;powerful and stubborn rulers, the relationship between Elizabeth and Mary I of Scotland was a fiery one, starting with letters charged with passive-aggressive language and ending with words stripped of all pretense, with the two women plainly stating the deep betrayal they endured at the other’s hands.

Celebrity Gossip

The Legendary Beef Between Elizabeth I And Mary Queen Of Scots, Explained

8 Altercations Between Elizabeth I And Mary Queen Of Scots

French Revolution

Most anyone with a perfunctory knowledge of world history knows about the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/french-revolution-bloodiest-moments/setareh-janda" target="_blank">French Revolution</a>. The ten-year upheaval in France started in 1789 and was inspired by&nbsp;the American Revolution. It&nbsp;heralded&nbsp;egalitarianism, liberty, and brotherhood for all. But the average person may not be familiar with&nbsp;Charlotte Corday&nbsp;and the role she played in the French Revolution.<a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-people-named-charlotte/celebrity-lists?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Who is Charlotte</a> Corday? History has labeled her&nbsp;the &quot;<a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/historical-female-assassins/melissa-brinks" target="_blank">Angel&nbsp;of Assasination</a>&quot; and she is known to most casual students of history as the aristocrat&nbsp;who murdered French Revolution&nbsp;leader, Jean-Paul Marat, in his bathtub.&nbsp;Marat's death is most famously depicted in&nbsp;Jacques Louis David's painting&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Death_of_Marat" target="_blank">&quot;The Death of Marat.&quot;</a>&nbsp;Casual historians would label Corday's&nbsp;act as a tragic setback for the revolutionary cause in France at the time.&nbsp;But diving deeper into the story of this educated, young noblewoman reveals&nbsp;a fascinating and complex character in what is usually seen as black and white historical event. Here's everything your history teacher skimmed over in class about the cunning revolution assassin, Charlotte Corday.

crime_bucket

Ranker Weird & Crime

Criminal Activity

France's Angel Of Assassination's Murder Of A Hero Brought France To Its Knees

10 Wild Facts About Charlotte Corday, The Assassin Who Lost Her Head

People have been living all around the world for literally thousands of years. Here are some of the most interesting things human beings have ever done (that we know about).

Fascinating Ancient History

Fun facts and fascinating trivia about historical, bygone, and modern foods for people who love eating food.

Chew on This

A look at some of the oldest known, recorded, and/or existing things on earth.

Old School Cool

Ancient History

Archaeologists often make gruesome, significant, and fascinating discoveries, but some of their finds are downright repulsive &ndash; sometimes they unearth ancient <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/what-people-ate-in-colonial-america/setareh-janda" target="_blank">foods</a>.&nbsp;These foods date back thousands of years, making them actual archaeological discoveries,&nbsp;and most of them sound pretty disgusting.&nbsp;

Archaeologists find&nbsp;food all the time, whether it&#39;s&nbsp;hiding in ancient tombs, resting on the bottom of the sea in a sunken ship, or tied around the neck of a mummy. These ancient food discoveries range from the palatable &ndash; such as preserved honey found in Egyptian pyramids &ndash; to the completely revolting &ndash; 5,000-year-old butter pulled out of a bog &ndash; to the culturally significant &ndash; 4,000-year-old preserved noodles discovered at Lajia&nbsp;site, also known as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/bodies-at-lajia-the-pompeii-of-china/nicky-benson" target="_blank">China&#39;s Pompeii</a>.&nbsp;

Take a look&nbsp;through the oldest foods archaeologists have discovered, and contemplate facing these choices at a sadistic buffet. What would be the absolutely worst food to eat today?&nbsp;

Weird Ancient History

Meta Exclude

Ad Policy Violation

The Oldest Foods Ever Discovered By Archaeologists, Ranked By How Terrible They Would Be To Eat

Genevieve Carlton

World History

The ancient world may not have had access to computers, indoor plumbing, or the most reliable healthcare, but it was populated by the same kinds of people that exist today. Some were good, some were strange, and some of them told the same dirty jokes we&#39;ve been telling for centuries.

Redditors interested in facts about the ancient world love to share what they&#39;ve learned, especially when it concerns topics History teachers usually don&#39;t touch on. For example, ever heard of the &quot;Osterby Head&quot;? It&#39;s&nbsp;a nearly 2,000-year-old skull with a perfectly preserved hairdo. Or how about this: ancient&nbsp;Persians living in the desert had a nifty refrigeration system already figured out by the year 400 BC.

Here are some other cool facts about the ancient world&nbsp;you may never have heard before. Want more? <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/whoa-ancient-greece-facts/mallory-weiler" target="_blank">Here are some remarkable facts just about Ancient Greece</a>.

Reddit Scrape

Slot Hide

SEO Excluded

Pre-2024 'Tier 3'

Facts About The Ancient World We Just Learned Today That Made Us Say ‘Whoa’

Facts About The Ancient World We Just Learned That Made Us Say ‘Whoa’

Alby Thompson

Historical Entertainment

Explore the gripping world of Napoleonic War movies with this comprehensive list, crafted for both history enthusiasts and film lovers alike. These films transport viewers back to the tumultuous Napoleonic Era, a pivotal period that reshaped Europe. This era, marking the fourth phase of the French Revolution, began with General Napoleon Bonaparte's dramatic coup in 1799 and concluded with his historic defeat at Waterloo in 1815.The list delves into the cinematic portrayals of this era, featuring stories of bravery, strategy, and the complexities of war. It includes films that capture the essence of the Napoleonic wars and the iconic Battle of Waterloo. The selections reflect the broad impact of Napoleon's conquests across Europe, influencing nations like Germany, Russia, Austria, Spain, and Italy. This period was characterized by widespread uncertainty and tension, elements that these films vividly bring to life.Highlighted movies include titles like The Duellists, showcasing the lives of two French officers in Napoleon's army, and Master and Commander, a thrilling tale of a British warship's crew navigating the aftermath of a French ambush. These films, among others on the list, offer a blend of historical accuracy and compelling storytelling, making them favorites among history film buffs.This list is continually evolving with contributions and votes from viewers like you. If you find a Napoleonic War movie that deserves recognition but isn't featured, feel free to add it. Your input is invaluable in shaping this list into a definitive collection of the best Napoleonic War movies. Remember, each vote counts in pushing your favorite films to the top of the list, reflecting the collective opinion of a community passionate about history and cinema.

Barry Lyndon

affiliatized

affiliate_intent

watchworthy_treatment

Rankings Checked

About Topic

Scalable Cleaned

Disney+ Sales Exclude 9/22

SNet_Lists

Target Sales Exclude 10/22

RETIRED - Revite

Revite Blather

Revite Fine Tuners

Revite Bulk Scrape

Finished Upkeep Timely

SEO Node Blather

The Best Napoleonic War Movies Ever Made

Film

The 35+ Best Napoleonic War Movies, Ranked by Viewers

Ranker Film

Industrial Revolution

During the late 19th century, the East&nbsp;End of London was home to several factories that produced matches. Men, women, and children worked long hours for very little money, dipping matchsticks into phosphorus, unaware of the fumes they were breathing in and the toxins that were destroying their bodies."Phossy jaw" was the most common physical side-effect of working as a matchstick worker, a condition that led to the deterioration of one's jaw to the point of utter deformity. A precursor to later factory-based occupational diseases like those endured by the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.ranker.com/list/horrifying-facts-about-the-radium-girls/laura-allan">Radium Girls</a> and an early example that using chemicals without a full understanding of their consequences can have <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.ranker.com/list/consequences-of-radium-in-common-products/melissa-sartore">disastrous consequences</a>, the resulting 1888 Matchstick Girls strike set a path for increased workers' rights and improved workplace conditions. Unfortunately, there was a great deal of pain and suffering along that path.&nbsp;

Finished Forever

Archive Needs Editorial

English Factory Laborers Were Forced To Work With Toxic Chemicals Until Their Faces Became Deformed

English Factory Laborers Worked With Toxic Chemicals Until Their Faces Became Deformed

World History lists at Ranker - The ultimate source for hundreds of world history lists and rankings

World History lists on Ranker

Saving Private Ryan

Schindler's List

The Longest Day

Lists about life for soldiers and civilians alike during the Second Great War, which raged around the world from 1939-1945.

WWII

Looking closer at some of the best, most realistic, most brutal depictions of war in the history of entertainment.

Wars on Screen

Looking closer at films, TV shows, docs, and miniseries that explore, recreate, and occasionally flub up real historical events.

Watching History

All about Spielberg's epic & heartbreaking WWII drama, celebrating 25 years in 2023.

poll

The best World War II movies not only recount historical events, but also deeply resonate with audiences through powerful portrayals of courage amidst adversity. World War II, a tumultuous period marked by bravery, sacrifice, and human resilience, has long been an evocative backdrop for storytelling. Films inspired by this era delve into the complexities of war, capturing the essence of heroism and loss on both grand and intimate scales. &nbsp;These movies invite viewers to reflect upon the past while appreciating the artistry of filmmaking.Showcasing diverse perspectives during one of history's most harrowing periods, these exceptional films immerse audiences in tales that span from battles to quiet acts of defiance. Great WW2 movies reveal multifaceted aspects of humanity caught in the throes of conflict by highlighting themes such as camaraderie, betrayal, hope, and despair across different cultural contexts. These stories come alive through outstanding cinematography, gripping performances, and masterful direction that evoke poignant emotions even decades after their release.Movies like Saving Private Ryan, The Great Escape, and Schindler's List stand as prime examples of remarkable World War II cinema. In Saving Private Ryan, director Steven Spielberg throws audiences into the visceral chaos of D-Day before transitioning to a captivating mission that showcases loyalty and selflessness among soldiers. Meanwhile, The Great Escape expertly blends suspense and adventure as it follows Allied prisoners plotting against all odds to break free from a German POW camp. Lastly, the monumental impact of Schindler's List is indisputable; its stark (mostly) black-and-white visuals coupled with compelling character arcs immortalize Oskar Schindler's efforts to save Jewish lives under unimaginable circumstances. Yet these are just a few gems amid an array of incredible wartime narratives. Other famous WWII movies contending for the top spots on this list include Hacksaw Ridge, Letters from Iwo Jima, Patton, and A Bridge Too Far.As cinema continues to evolve over time, filmmakers will persistently draw inspiration from pivotal moments throughout human history - particularly when they have the potential to strike emotional chords within viewers. In this context, movies about the second World War will undoubtedly remain a significant subgenre of filmmaking as they challenge us to confront the darkest chapters of our collective past while celebrating <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/act-of-valor-movie-quotes/movie-and-tv-quotes?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">acts of valor</a> and resilience in trying times. The greatest World War II films serve as vital reminders that even amidst the horrors of war, there are stories worth remembering and lessons to be learned about the human spirit's remarkable capacity for survival and hope.