So someone wants to host a party, and this someone invites the most powerful people in France. Now add on to that a top-secret costume, flammables, and a lot of wine and beer.
What does that produce? Quite possibly the most idiotic disaster in the history of parties.
A Seriously Terrible Idea
Let’s rewind to the year 1393. King Charles the Sixth of France and five of his high ranking best buddies decide that they are going to pull a massive prank at a royal wedding. They want to crash the party dressed as “wild men” of the forest. Wonderful idea!
But instead of using something normal, like say, regular costumes. They opt to go with the absolute worst materials imaginable. They wear tight linen suits soaked in pitch (basically sticky tar) and covered in shredded flax to look like animal hair. This would indeed make a wild looking costume.
Then someone had a fantastic idea. “why don’t we chain ourselves together in a line?”
“Hell yes! Let’s do it!.
There was however a slight little tiny problem that had to be addressed. The sticky tar pitch.. was insanely flammable. like.. 1 spark flammable..
what could ever go wrong with this idea..
The One Golden Rule
So, this was 1393 and Thomas Edison hadn’t invented the lightbulb just yet, which means fire like braziers and torches was the main way to see in the dark.But because the king and his crew are wearing medieval napalm, this was naturally a bit of an issue to say the least.
In order to combat the problem, the guards issue one very strict rule for the night: Absolutely NO torches near the dance floor.
The prank begins, All the terrifying monsters jump into the hall, disturbing the whole party by wailing with their limbs, howling like wild wolves, and for a short while, everything actually seems to pan out perfectly. Well.. That’s until the king’s younger brother, the Duke of Orléans, shows up late to the party.
Total Chaos
The Duke is possibly drunk, in a wild mood and incredibly curious about who these wild men are. And since he was late he had no clue about the strict “no fire” rule. The Duke grabs a torch and walks right up to the chained dancers to get a closer look.
You can guess what happens next. POOF!
A single spark drops onto the flax of one of the outfits, and in a split second, the country’s absolute elite are engulfed in a massive fireball! And because of the delightful idea of being chained together, they can’t run away. They are stuck pulling each other. Total, screaming panic and confusion and horror erupts in the hall. Everyone wants to get the heck out of there.
Wine and Giant Skirts
So, did anyone survive this inferno?
Yes a few, out of sheer luck.
The king had briefly stepped away from the chain for a second to chat with his young aunt, the Duchess of Berry. When all hell broke loose, and the king’s suit caught fire, she threw her massive, heavy skirts completely over him, suffocating the fire and saving his life.
Another guy manages to break free from the burning chain, sprints across the hall, and dive-bombs straight into a giant wooden tub filled with wine. He survives the ordeal. Very few people can tell the tale that jumping into a pool of wine saved their life. That’s a story for the grandchildren.
The remaining four other nobles weren’t so lucky and they tragically burned to death in agonizing pain, in front of the entire court.
think it over
Next time you even consider entertaining the idea of pranking someone, please do remember King Charles the Sixth bright idea.
And really think it over.
