This video from Serious History explores historical accounts of ordinary people and rulers who completely lost their composure and snapped under pressure. It details two major historical events: the private war of Hans Kohlhase in the 16th century and the reign of Yeonsangun of Joseon.
1. The Revenge of Hans Kohlhase (1532–1540)
The Incident: In 1532, a merchant named Hans Kohlhase
was traveling to a trade fair in Saxony when two men working for a wealthy Saxon landlord named Gunther von Zashwitz wrongfully seized his horses [00:10].
The Legal Injustice: When Kohlhase sought justice, the local courts and a biased judgment committee sided with the nobility, forcing the merchant to pay an exorbitant ransom to get his nearly dead horses back [02:50].
The Privat
e War: Consumed by rage and a sense of betrayal by the corrupt system, Kohlhase officially declared a personal feud against Saxony in 1534 using a traditional letter of defiance [06:33]. Over the next several years, he led a campaign of arson, raids on merchant shipments, and targeted attacks against the estates of the lords who had ruled against him [08:39].
The Execution: His six
-year war finally came to an end in 1540 when he was captured in Berlin after accidentally robbing a silver transport belonging to the ruler of Brandenburg [10:03]. On March 22, 1540, he was publicly executed by being broken on the wheel [11:06].
2. Yeonsangun of Joseon (1494–1506)
The Secret Past: In 1496, the young King Yeonsangun ascended to the throne of the Joseon Kingdom [11:
46]. For years, he was kept entirely in the dark about his biological mother, Lady Yun, who had been exiled and forced to drink poison in 1482 after scratching the previous king's face during an argument [13:15].
The Revelation: In 1504, a bitter former official named Im Sa-hong leaked court records and a blood-stained cloth to the king, revealing the truth about his mother's execu
tion [15:07].
The Reign of Terror: Upon discovering the truth, Yeonsangun unleashed extreme violence, executing and purging hundreds of court officials involved in his mother's death, exiling relatives, and forcing royal family members to commit horrific acts [17:18]. He also shut down the royal university to build a pleasure palace and evicted thousands to create hunting grounds [
18:37].
The Coup: By 1506, the kingdom was in complete turmoil, leading senior officials to stage a successful coup [19:48]. Yeonsangun was stripped of his royal seal, dethroned, and exiled to a remote island, where he died shortly after at the age of 29 [20:23].
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuVsHFda1eQ
When Normal People Completely Snapped in History
Serious History · 94K views
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