History is peppered with kings and queens, wars and peace treaty, love stories and massacre. But what’s not taught in our history classes are the erotic fetishes and practices of our forefathers. In this article, we have brought 10 Erotic Historical Facts that aren’t taught in history class for you.

Warning: NSFW!

1 The “Father of Microbiology” Anton van Leeuwenhoek was the first person to put semen under a microscope. He collected the semen sample from his wife’s private parts after having sex with her. He had to have sex to get semen as masturbation was considered sinful in those times.

Anton van Leeuwenhoek is the first acknowledged microscopist and microbiologist. He is popularly known as “the Father of Microbiology”. He got recognition from the Royal Society in London after creating powerful lenses and using them to study the microscopic world. When the Royal society urged him to look at the bodily fluid, he obliged to do so. Therefore, he collected his semen sample after making love to his wife. Then, he placed it on a pin on the microscope and lifted the device towards the sun “before six beats of the pulse passed”. He then peered through the microscope and became the first man to see living sperm cells.

During the 16th – 17th centuries, masturbation was considered to be a sin. Hence, in his observations, he mentions: “That what I am observing is just what nature, not by sinfully defiling myself, but as a natural consequence of conjugal coitus...”.(1,2,3)

2 Legend has it that during 51 B.C., Cleopatra used a papyrus box with full of live bees as a vibrator.

Dildos, vibrators, and other sex toys is not a new object. Rather they have been in use for as long as 32,000 years ago when siltstone dildos were in demand. One of the first instances of vibrators is derived from the legend that Cleopatra used to pleasure herself using a papyrus box with full of live bees. In the 1860s, the steam-powered vibrator was invented and just a decade later the battery-powered vibrator came into existence.(source)

3 Benjamin Franklin enjoyed being with older women so much that he even wrote a letter in which he counsels a young man to prefer old women to young ones. The letter is titled “Advice to a Friend on Choosing a Mistress”.

Benjamin Franklin is well known for being one of the Founding Fathers of the U.S. However, the fact that he enjoyed older women had been kept hidden from the public eye. He enjoyed being with older women so much that he once wrote a letter titled “Advice to a Friend on Choosing a Mistress”. In the letter, he mentions 8 reasons due to which a young man should prefer old women to young ones. Because of its licentious nature, the letter was not published in collections of Franklin’s papers in the U.S. during the 19th century.(1,2)

4 As an insult to Adolf Hitler, the Britishers produced a postcard with a picture of Hitler in which he holds his penis. The postcard is code-numbered H.789.

The Director of British Political Warfare Executive (PWE), Sefton Delmer, produced a postcard code numbered H.789 as an insidious insult to Adolf Hitler. The postcard contained a photo of Hitler standing on a balcony with his left hand on the rail and his right hand holding a circumcised penis. The circumcised penis was designed to feed the rumor that Hitler was a self-hating Jew. The text on the postcard is a quote from Hitler’s Munich speech of 8 November 1942: “What we have, that we firmly hold”.(source)

5 Maharaja Bhupinder Singh, the king of Patiala, India used to appear naked in front of his people once every year. During the procession, his people would applaud acknowledging the dimension of his organ.

Maharajah Bhupinder Singh, the king of Patiala, India, was known for his grandeur as well as for his numerous wives, concubines, and mistresses. He is also considered as headstrong, womanizer and philanderer. The most interesting custom followed by  Maharajah Bhupinder Singh was that once a year he used to appear naked before his subjects. Except for his grand diamond necklace, he used to wear nothing and would march with his organ in full and glorious erection. During his appearance, his people would applaud and cheer acknowledging the dimension of his organ.(source)