We may think of castles as just military fortifications. But they were besieged rarely. So what were these grand buildings used for the rest of the time?

How an Allied POW tried to escape from Colditz disguised as a German worker!

Hear the exciting escape story of Mike Sinclair - the only British prisoner to be killed at Colditz. Learn how the POWs copied the German officers in secret, and then attempted to escape disguised as a German officer they called Franz Joseph.

The Waldenses were a group of Christians centered in the Alps that were opposed to the Catholic church before the Reformation. But how long before? Did their history actually go all the way back to the early church?

How the 9th century Bishop Claudius of Turin took on the powerful Catholic church and their worship of images.

You may know Marco Polo as the first European to visit China. Did you know he was certainly not the first, and many others visited during the same time. Why is he a household name today? Watch to learn how he changed the world!

Tom Scott visits an old optical telegraph station that was used to send messages across France at amazing speeds for the 19th century. Hear how some stock investors hijacked the government only system for their own purposes - and got away with it.

Check out this video from Destin of Smarter Every Day with some beautiful slow motion video of Civil War era cannons firing, and some information on the science of what is taking place.

Swords are most people's favorite medieval weapon. But spears have been an important weapon for all of recorded history, and are still used today in the form of the bayonet. How would a swordsman fare against an untrained spearman? A longer version is available here.

We highly recommend that you schedule a visit to Colditz Castle if you are in the area. You can see incredible artifacts and visit many parts of the castle that are closed to the public. http://www.schloss-colditz.com/information/Information.html

Many Christians know the name of Martin Luther, but how much do you know about Philip Melanchthon? He was Luther's collaborator, and his influence was very important in the Reformation.

The exciting climax of Luther's clash with the Catholics - he makes a bold stand on God's Word at the Diet of Worms, then is kidnapped taken to Wartburg Castle!