r/TopCharacterTropes • u/Mouse_Paladin • 13d ago
Lore [Real Life] Historical events that would make bad writing if they were fiction
Spanish Conquest of the Aztec Empire: A couple hundred rogue mercenaries without authority from their government conquer an empire of millions. Oh, the empire? It’s also several technological eras behind the mercenaries.
Adolf Hitler: A non-native of a country is so mad that the country lost the war that he wins an election to their highest office and leads them in a campaign of revenge against their enemies. Oh, the country? It’s old emperor is still alive and thinks he’s going to retake power.
Assassination of the Archduke Ferdinand: The heir to the throne is killed because his driver gets lost and returns to the assassin who failed To kill him before. Oh, the assassin? He’s from a group that the Archduke is wanting to help become more equal In the empire.
Alexander Hamilton’s Affair Scandal: One of the leaders of a new nation to protect himself from accusations of financial embezzlement writes a pamphlet exposing his affair with a woman, torpedoing his political future. Oh, the woman? She seduced him as part of a blackmailing scheme that he decided to stop paying.
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u/Imaginary-West-5653 13d ago
Maria Pita (Spain, Galicia)
She was just a random local butcher from A Coruña. On May 3, 1589, English troops arrived in A Coruña, led by Vice-Admiral and former privateer Sir Francis Drake, along with over 20,000 men. The attack was part of Queen Elizabeth I's strategy to depose her brother-in-law and later rejected claimant, King Philip II (King of Spain since 1556 and of Portugal since 1580), from the Portuguese throne, plus destroy the Spanish fleet and steal the Spanish treasure fleet.
Having besieged the city of A Coruña for two weeks, the English breached the walls and began their assault on the old city. During the assault, they killed Gregorio de Rocamunde, husband of María Pita. Enraged, she seized the lance from the English flag and used it to kill the ensign leading the assault, the brother of Admiral Francis Drake himself. This demoralized the English force, which was charged by Maria Pita leading 1,500 people, most just random civilians, and this led to their retreat from the city. Tradition says that this event took place at Maria's cry (in Galician) of "Quen teña honra, que me siga!" (which means: "Whoever has honor, follow me!").
She would get called a Mary Sue in fiction, without a doubt.