1. The Will of Alfred Nobel

One of the craziest stories about prominent historic figures is that of Alfred Nobel. As the inventor of dynamite, he did not want to be remembered as a propagator of violence, so he changed his will. The result was the establishment of the world renowned Nobel prize.

2. Julius Caesar's Autograph

You know how some celebrities could get you $10,000 just by signing their name on your napkin? According to experts and signature collectors, Julius Caesar's autograph is worth no less than $2 million, although no one was able to find one yet.

3. Harry S. Truman

After becoming president, it was revealed that the S. in Harry S. Truman's name doesn't, in fact, come from a single name, but two. His mother simply didn't want to disappoint Mr. Truman's grandparents who, apparently, both had names beginning with an “S”.

4. John Glenn – Showered with Ticker Tape

John Glenn is known for being the first American to ever orbit the Earth in a spacecraft. One of the more unusual stories about this historic personality, however, was that at his return to the ground after the legendary flight, he was showered with no less than 3,529 tons of ticker tape.

5. Einstein for President

Albert Einstein was always quick to get himself out of tight spots through humor, and one of his legendary statements was uttered when he was once offered the Presidency of Israel. According to Dr. Einstein, his reason for turning it down was that he “did not have a head for problems”.

6. Rockefeller: a Philanthropist

You might not know that John D. Rockefeller – probably one of the richest men of all time – was also famous for being a philanthropist. Apparently he gave away more than $500 million throughout his lifetime.

7. Queen Anne's Longevity

Although Queen Anne (1665 – 1714) did not have a remarkably long life, one of the most intriguing facts about her is that she managed to survive all her 17 children.

8. Pythagoras' Fear of Beans

Illustrious Greek mathematician Pythagoras had a whole theory on vegetarianism that strictly prohibited beans. Allegedly, this has led to his demise - being chased by attackers into a field of beans, he is said to have refused to enter it, despite the alternative being his death.

9. Newton's “Sins”

Aside from staying celibate all his life, Isaac Newton was also apparently known for the fact that he believed himself to be a real sinner. He even had a list of 48 sins that he said he was guilty of – including “peevishness” and eating an apple in church (although it's not certain if it was THE apple).

10. Catherine the First's Parties

In Russia, many interesting stories revolved around Catherine the First, who was renowned for knowing how to throw a great party. However, apparently she was also quite strict. One of her rules was that no man was allowed to get drunk before 9 PM.

Whether contemporary or long gone, it seems that all celebrities have some crazy stories. What do you think about my list? Do you know of any other weird facts about historic figures?

Sources:
livescience.com
amolife.com
huffingtonpost.com
nobelprize.org
history.com